Novelli set for a City comeback

Michelin-starred French chef Jean-Christophe Novelli is preparing to make a comeback to London with the opening of Novelli in the City on 4 February.

The 60-seat restaurant, at the Capital Club, had been due to open in October but this date was put back because refurbishment work took longer than expected.

Novelli, as consultant chef, will oversee the launch but he will not cook there every day. Instead, he will continue to devote his time to Auberge du Lac, the 50-seat restaurant at Brocket Hall in Hertfordshire, which he joined as chef-patron in October last year.

Executive chef Adam Simmonds will instead run Novelli in the City, in Abchurch Lane, EC4.

Simmonds has been working alongside Novelli at Auberge du Lac since leaving his job as head chef at Gloucestershire's Greenway hotel in September. His staff of 20 will serve brasserie-style food. The average cost of a meal, with wine, will be about £30.

Novelli said he was looking forward to returning to the capital. He said: "I am very excited, but Auberge is where I belong."