through fundraising.
This year, Kirk and his sister Keeley set up a restaurant residency called Plates serving an entirely plant-based, organic menu. The residencies sold out quickly, and the team have confirmed a permanent site in Shoreditch with 30 covers.
Plates permanent site is set to open mid-February 2018 – tickets can be purchased at: http://plates-london.com/
Kirk will also be cooking dishes from Plates at Obsession 18 at Northcote.
Bob Bob Cité, London

After the success of Bob Bob Ricard in Soho, owner Leonid Shutov has announced a second site called Bob Bob Cité, set to launch in Spring 2018. The new restaurant will be in the Leadenhall Building, a skyscraper in London's city centre.
In September, it was confirmed that Eric Chevot will join the group as head chef. Eric previously trained under Pierre Koffmann and Raymond Blanc, before running his own eponymous brasserie in Mayfair between 2013 and 2015.
Sabor, Mayfair

Nieves Barragan Mochacho is set to open her own restaurant in Heddon Street, Mayfair at the end of January 2018. Working in partnership with fellow ex-Barrafina alumni José Etura, Sabor will be inspired by the tapas bars, asadors and seafood restaurants of Spain.
Nieves' menu will be her own unique reinventions of classic Spanish dishes, including food from the Basque country and Catalonia. Some examples of dishes include: Chipirones en su tinta (baby squid in it's ink) and Wild Rabbit Empanadillas.
For more info, visit: www.saborrestaurants.co.uk
Tom Kitchin's fourth restaurant, Edinburgh

While there may not be a confirmed name for Tom Kitchin's new restaurant yet, he has reportedly said that it will be very different to The Kitchin, The Scran & Scallie and Castle Terrace.
Tom said:“Like our other restaurants, the new venue will be a different concept which we’re really excited about. We’re pleased to be creating new opportunities and challenges for our immensely talented and growing team of staff. From day one, we’ve set out to really push the boundaries and continue to challenge ourselves, our team and our cooking, and the new restaurant will signal another exciting chapter in our journey.”
The fourth site will be in Edinburgh's Bruntsfield district and the food style will still follow Tom's ethos of 'from Nature to Plate' - using fresh, local and sustainable ingredients. It is expected to launch in Summer 2018.
20 Stories, Manchester

In November, Aiden Byrne announced that he would be leaving Manchester House after Christmas. This came as a shock to many, but then we were pleased to hear that his prodigy Nathaniel Tofan would be taking the reins.
Aiden announced that he would be taking on a new role, chef director of new Manchester restaurant, 20 Stories. The restaurant will be in Spinningfields and is set to open in February 2018. 20 Stories is set to be an interesting addition to the already vibrant city, with a rooftop garden, an accompanying brasserie and a bar with modern cocktails and craft beers.
What restaurant openings are you most looking forward to in 2018?
Let us know in the comments!