L'Ortolan taken off the market

Two-Michelin-starred chef John Burton-Race has given up on his plans to sell his Berkshire restaurant L'Ortolan.

He is instead having the building, which was on the market with Savills for £800,000, converted into a family home for himself, his wife and six children.

Burton-Race closed the Shinfield restaurant in May. He had owned and operated it for more than 13 years before moving to London's Landmark hotel, where he has launched his own restaurant called John Burton-Race at the Landmark.

Six months prior to moving to London he bought a house in Chiswick, London, for his family to live in. He hopes to sell this in the next few weeks.

Burton-Race said two people had been interested in L'Ortolan, but both had wanted to buy it for less than the sale price.

He said: "We took a family vote and decided to put our house in Chiswick on the market. We are all happy with the decision."

Source: Caterer & Hotelkeeper magazine, 31 August - 6 September 2000