A SEAFOOD restaurant once named best in the country has a new head chef

From February 20 Lawrence McCarthy will be in his new role at The Salt Room Brighton, showcasing his first menu on the South Coast.

Lawrence brings with him a wealth of experience, formerly of two Michelin-starred Marcus Wareing at the Berkley, with six years at The Ledbury under Brett Graham, and most recently head chef at Michelin starred Tristan’s in Horsham.

He will be using his expertise to produce an eclectic lunch and dinner menu, which pays homage to The Salt Room’s esteemed reputation for modern British seafood.

The new menu will begin with small plates including mackerel ‘nduja & salted ricotta and spicy samphire bhajis with brown crab mayonnaise.

A spokeswoman for The Salt Room said: “This will be followed by the seafood, salad and light bites section where dishes such as scorched raw mullet with egg yolk, sake and finger lime show off Lawrence’s passion for bold flavour combinations and using the freshest local produce.

"For those dining in large groups, the menu will also offer a range of larger sharing dishes cooked over fire plus signature seafood dishes such as the whole fried gurnard served with kimchi mussels.”

The seafront restaurant on King’s Road said it will continue “championing the best of local produce and British seafood – but with a new emphasis on delivering precise cooking, presented elegantly and simply which showcases more overlooked ingredients in a new and innovative way”.

Lawrence said: “Cooking for me is all about simplicity. The simple pleasure of eating well sourced and quality ingredients is what The Salt Room is all about and I am really excited to be leading this kitchen.

The Salt Room was awarded Seafood Restaurant of the Year in 2017 by The Caterer and number 37 in The Sunday Times’ Top 100 as well as placing no.37 in the National Restaurant Awards just four months after opening.

Two years later in 2017, founder Razak Helalat opened a second The Coal Shed restaurant located in London at the One Tower Bridge development, bringing the best of the Brighton restaurants to the capital continually developing the menu with Head Chef, Dave Mothersill.

Razak said: “We celebrate The Salt Room’s fifth anniversary on February 20ry and we are so excited to welcome Lawrence and his new menu to Brighton alongside this landmark date.”

Lawrence’s career began at Tom Aikens’ restaurant in Chelsea. In 2010, he worked at two Michelin starred restaurant Marcus Wareing at the Berkeley before moving on to Brett Grahams, The Ledbury.

Lawrence’s experience has also led him overseas working in establishments in both Germany and Switzerland at two Michelin starred Restaurant Steinheuers in Germany, before moving on to fine dining Restaurant at Vie Montage in Verbier.

After spending two years abroad, Lawrence moved back to the UK and joined Michelin starred Restaurant Tristan’s in Horsham.