Tom Kerridge’s failed Chelsea pub The Butcher’s Tap and Grill is to relaunch as The Chalk Freehouse under the direction of Tom De Keyser, the former head chef of Kerridge’s Michelin-starred Marlow pub, the Coach. The “new” pub will open on June 16.
The announcement is a curious one, as Kerridge this week announced the closure of the Butcher’s, citing “the challenging climate hospitality businesses now face.”
A spokesman for the Tap and Grill pub said earlier this week: “Increasing costs demand a match in revenue and turnover that has not materialised at the site, providing an opportunity to regroup, rethink and rebuild.
“The group remains confident it can learn from the experiences in Chelsea and adapt to create something great.”
That “something great” is to be the Chalk. De Keyser will lead the kitchen at the King’s Road venue, which will reopen with a new menu and a renewed focus on accessible dining. A set lunch menu will offer two courses for £18.50 or three for £25. Drinks and snacks will be available in the bar and garden, alongside a 60-cover dining room, and a smaller private dining room too.
Ahead of the reopening, De Keyser said: “I’m so excited to be taking on the next stage of my career within the Tom Kerridge Group and opening a new site.
“Tom has taught me so much about proper gastropub dining and what it is to create truly brilliant food within the context of a pub menu – I can’t wait to bring everything I’ve learned to Chelsea for the Chalk’s opening.”
Kerridge said of the announcement: “Ever since I met Tom DK 13 years ago I knew he’d go far within our Group. He’s brought so much to both The Coach and The Hand and Flowers over the years and I have full confidence that he’ll do the same with The Chalk. He’s worked really hard on this new concept creating some absolutely standout dishes, and I know with the help of our incredibly loyal team he’ll do brilliantly in bringing it to life.”
The Butcher’s Tap & Grill originally opened in late 2023, following the success of the first Butcher’s Tap & Grill in Marlow, Buckinghamshire, which was launched in 2017.
Kerridge also operates two other London sites: Kerridge’s Bar & Grill at the Corinthia Hotel, and Kerridge’s Fish & Chips at Harrods.
