Ah now this is a shame. News reaches us this morning that Eric Chavot, who made such a hit of the new Bob Bob Ricard restaurant Bob Bob Cité, is departing the restaurant.

In a statement issued today Chavot and the restaurant's owner, Leonid Shutov, say "Eric is to leave his post at the critically-lauded City restaurant at the end of January 2020. His departure is for private, family reasons."

“Since joining us over two years ago at

This sees Daniel Humm take over the main restaurant at Claridge's. With his Eleven Madison Park regularly touted as one of the very best restaurants in New York (not to mention topping the World's 50 Best list), the expectations for this London opening are sky-high.

It's all change at Selfridges where their second floor spot, The Corner Restaurant, now has a new NYC chef running the show. Grant Clark, who comes here via The Breslin where he worked with April Bloomfield and the East Village classic, Hearth, has taken over as Head Chef.

Tucked into one corner of the store's Oxford Street building (you enter via the Women’s Designer Galleries) the restaurant's

Who doesn't like a David against Goliath story? And you couldn't find a better one than the one featuring the indie Camden pub The Golden Lion up against the evil pub closing developer - as so brilliantly chronicled in long form by the Guardian here. 

Now, several years on from winning their

Big news today. Neil Borthwick announced on Instagram today that he has left Merchants Tavern in Shoreditch and from next week will be in Soho cooking at The French House.

"I stepped down as head chef at Merchants Tavern earlier this year," the chef (pictured here with wife Angela Hartnett) tweeted. "and I want to say a big thanks to all the team for their hard work and dedication over the last 5 years, it’s been a blast and I know you will go on to great

So there was us thinking that London's Indian restaurant scene was at peak excitement with the opening this Autumn of Kahani, Kricket White City and the new Gunpowder at Tower Bridge not to mention the imminent openings of Kutir, Farzi Cafe and London Jukebox.

But then we heard about what was going on at Tamarind Mayfair. The Mayfair spot closed its doors eight months ago for a major refit. When it reopens next month it'll not only have a swish

André Garrett moves back to London from Cliveden - taking on everything at Corinthia Hotel London that isn't Tom Kerridge's restaurant and bar.

Polpetto (from the same stable as the Polpo family) has been given a new lease of life with a redesign, a new chef at the helm and a new menu and wine list to boot too.

It sounds like the space has had a total revamp, with an entirely new layout, styling and design. Booths will run along the walls and we’ve been told there'll be better spacing with larger tables, which will come in hand for the new menus which are designed for sharing and feasting. The chefs

It may be one of London's oldest restaurants, but there's a new influence in the kitchen at the Guinea Grill.

Chef Nathan Richardson and the Guinea's GM Oisin Rogers go way back - they worked together first at the Ship in Wandsworth and then at Rogers' last place, The Canonbury Tavern in Islington.

After a short stay down under, opening up a restaurant in Brisbane, Nathan's now back in London and has taken on the position of Head Chef at The Guinea.

It's all change at Mayfair restaurant The Greenhouse, where they've just announced a new Executive Chef. Following in the footsteps of Arnaud Bignon who returned to Greece in Spring, is Alex Dilling.

Dilling will be joining the two Michelin-starred restaurant from his current post as Executive Corporate Chef at Hélène Darroze at The Connaught. Before that he was Chef De Cuisine at Caviar Russe in New York.

He'll be running the kitchens at The Greenhouse

A Hot Dinners exclusive

We've been following the career of Irish chef Aidan McGee ever since he first started making waves in the London dining scene back at the Truscott Arms. After a short-ish stint running the kitchen at Fitzrovia pub The George & Dragon, McGee now has a new position, and

Top chef Rowley Leigh takes over every aspect of the food at the Design Museum in Kensington, from the ground floor cafe to the top floor restaurant

From city meat palace to swanky Mayfair Italian, Holgado has returned to his roots

Hot Dinners exclusive

Very late last year, Tomos Parry left as Head Chef of Kitty Fisher's. We're still waiting to see where he'll reappear, but in the meantime Kitty Fisher's has unveiled its new Head Chef. 

Taking over the reins is George Barson, who's got a host of top spots on his CV. He's most recently been Senior Sous and Development Chef at Jamie Oliver’s Fifteen, and was before at Dinner by Heston Blumenthal

Kensington classic Launceston Place gets a hot new chef in Ben Murphy. We see how he's changed the place