Townsend appoints new head chef

Townsend, the modern British restaurant and café at Whitechapel Gallery, has appointed Chris Shaw (pictured, left) as its new head chef.

Taking the helm in the kitchen from this month, Shaw (previously BAO Soho, Petersham Nurseries, Roux at Parliament Square and Emile), replaces outgoing head chef Joe Fox, who leaves to take a senior chef role with the Firmdale Hotel Group.

Shaw is making his mark as head chef at Townsend this month with a special summer set dinner menu, offering four-courses for £30 available, until 31 August.

The menu includes radishes with nasturtium pesto; Paddock farm pork terrine with house pickles; fillets of gurnard with summer tomatoes and olives; and plum, fig leaf, meringue and whipped yogurt.

The 32-cover restaurant was founded by Nick Gilkinson (previously of Anglo and The Garden Museum Cafe) and named after Charles Harrison Townsend, the architect responsible for the  Grade II listed Whitechapel Gallery building,

Townsend opened in February 2020, right ahead of the first lockdown.

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