Bhatia leaves Zaika and buys Chelsea's English Garden

Vineet Bhatia has quit London restaurant Zaika to set up his own restaurant.

The Indian chef, who has been at the helm of Zaika since it opened in 1999, has acquired the English Garden restaurant in Chelsea from its present owners, chef Richard Corrigan and contract caterer Searcy's.

Bhatia confirmed that he took possession of the English Garden on 13 April and would be relaunching the restaurant as Rasoi Vineet Bhatia (Hindi for Vineet Bhatia's Kitchen) at the end of May or early June.

As head chef of Zaika, Bhatia became one of the first chefs in the UK to gain a Michelin star for Indian cuisine in 2001. Bhatia retained the star when the restaurant, owned by restaurateur Claudio Pulze and his partner Raj Sharna, moved to Kensington from the Fulham Road.

Bhatia said: "I got so much exposure at Zaika, but I want to better that. It is a personal goal to be the best and I will never compromise."

He said Rasoi Vineet Bhatia would be smaller than Zaika - with 45 seats, as opposed to 84. "You have more control on a smaller scale," he added.

In addition to the main dining area, Bhatia's new restaurant will have two private dining rooms with seating for a further 20. Anticipated spend per head for dinner will be about £50.

Bhatia and his wife, Rashima (who will run front of house) have remortgaged their house to finance the acquisition. He declined to reveal how much they had paid for the site, but said that the refurbishment and the lease for the restaurant would cost £400,000.

Bhatia said that his departure from Zaika and the split from Pulze was amicable, but added: "I don't want any more partners."

Corrigan is understood to be looking to relocate English Garden to Westminster and is hoping to reopen the restaurant in September.

Source: Caterer & Hotelkeeper magazine, 22 - 28 April 2004