Champions of BBC Two's The Restaurant opens new venture

Michele English and Russell Clement, winners of the BBC2's The Restaurant, will be launching a new restaurant in Buckinghamshire, next month.

The Cheerful Soul in the Hare & Hounds, which is backed by restaurateur and legendary chef, Raymond Blanc, will be a 60-70 cover restaurant, initially open for lunch and dinner five and a half days a week.  

English commented on their new venture: "The Hare & Hounds has a warm and welcoming atmosphere and feels like the perfect home for The Cheerful Soul. We have five weeks before opening to craft the restaurant and inject our personality into every detail."
 
Clement added: "Marlow, in the heart of the country, is perfectly located to allow us access to some of the best quality local producers Britain has to offer. Our British brasserie style menu will change bi-monthly to follow the seasons.  I'm really looking forward to exploring the possibilities of the local produce.  

"On the menu we will be rediscovering some forgotten recipes alongside firm favourites.  Dishes on the opening menu include Pressed Ham Terrine with Cauliflower Piccalilli and Devonshire Scone Panperdy with Strawberries and Clotted Cream."

Clement will be joined by a team of four in the kitchen, whilst English will run the front of house with another five locally recruited staff.  
 
Blanc commented on their achievement: "Russell and Michele have worked very hard over the past few months to transform their dream of running their own restaurant into a reality and for that I have a tremendous amount of respect for them. I would say to anyone: follow your heart with passion and a lot of hard work, and you never know what might happen."

The renowned chef went on to explain why he selected English and Russell as the well deserved winners of the BBC's competition: "I chose Michele and Russell as my winners because they worked together as the most outstanding team, they had the best and most consistent skills as a chef and front of house partnership and their restaurant regularly made a profit."

He continued: "Their enthusiasm is fantastic; their dreams marvellous, and their passion exciting – and that is a real complement from a Frenchman!"

Since winning in November 2008, English and Clement have been training with the talented teams behind the Brasserie Blanc restaurants, learning the foundations of successful business, from food costing and accounting to staff recruitment and legal duties.

Words: Maria Bracken

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