Paul Croasdale appointed chef-patron at Flitch of Bacon following Tim Allen's departure

Paul Croasdale, former head chef at Alyn Williams at the Westbury, has joined the Flitch of Bacon in Little Dunmow, Essex, as chef-patron following the departure of Tim Allen.

Allen is understood to have departed the venue in August last year with plans to launch his own solo venture.

The Flitch of Bacon gained a Michelin star under Allen, and although the restaurant's star was removed in the latest guide due to Allen's departure, Croasdale's appointment is hoped to regain the accolade.

Croasdale's seasonally changing menus at the 40-cover restaurant with rooms will showcase foraged foods, local meats and sustainable seafood.

Originally from Abersoch, Gwynedd, Croasdale has previously worked as head chef at Jason Atherton's Berners Tavern in London and Gordon Ramsay's Heddon Street Kitchen. More recently he was head chef at the Michelin-starred Alyn Williams at the Westbury in London's Mayfair, which closed in 2019 after chef-patron Williams was dismissed.

Daniel Clifford bought the Flitch of Bacon in 2015 and opened it as a traditional local pub, but relaunched it in 2017 with a more sophisticated menu to align it more closely to his other restaurant, the two-Michelin-starred Midsummer House in Cambridge.

Chef Tim Allen, who previously worked with Clifford at Midsummer House, was named as a partner in the pub in 2018 and the restaurant was renamed Tim Allen's Flitch of Bacon. The Crown Partnership has a stake in both the Flitch of Bacon and Midsummer House.