Ramsay to open Maze Grill on Aubergine site

Foul-mouthed chef Gordon Ramsay is to return to the site where he won his first two Michelin stars in the ‘90s when he opens Maze Grill in Chelsea this April.

Situated at number 11 Park Walk just off the Fulham Road, Maze Grill opens on the same site as Aubergine, which Ramsay bought in 1993. He made a name for himself at the site by winning two Michelin stars in 1997.

With interiors inspired by the grill rooms of Manhattan, the 60-cover restaurant is set to serve rare breed steaks, fish and poultry from the Josper grill alongside an array of sushi and sashimi from a dedicated raw bar.

Ramsay allegedly splashed out £1.2 million to buy back the Aubergine site and is keen to display the original Aubergine reservations book in a glass case, which he famously stole from Marco Pierre White when he left the restaurant in 1998 to set up Royal Hospital Road.

“The site is steeped in history and we are very excited about returning there, but we are going to be doing something different,” said Stuart Gillies, managing director of the Gordon Ramsay Group.

“Aubergine was a restaurant of its time. The new restaurant reflects an increasing demand for casual quality dining experiences and we’ve identified a number of neighbourhood locations for the Maze Grill brand,” he added.

The interiors of Maze Grill are inspired by the grill rooms of Manhattan

The Gordon Ramsay Group comprises of 13 UK restaurants and 25 globally, including flagship venue Restaurant Gordon Ramsay in Chelsea, which has held three Michelin-stars for over 12 years.

Maze Grill is the fourth site opened by Ramsay in the last 18 months, with recent additions to the group including the Union Street Café in Southwark, London House in Battersea and Heddon Street Kitchen in Piccadilly.

Ramsay also recently opened a Hong Kong outpost of Bread Street Kitchen, taking his casual dining concept east.