Bobby Chinn to open Vietnamese with ‘a twist' in London's Soho

The new 90-seat restaurant, called The House of Ho, will offer Vietnamese food with a twist, reflecting Bobby's affinity with Vietnam but also his international background and diverse culinary influences.

Chinn, who was born in New Zealand to a Chinese father and Egyptian mother, has also lived in the USA and went to school in Britain. He has lived in Vietnam for almost twenty years, and has two successful restaurants in the cities of Hanoi and Saigon.

He is well-known across the world due to his role as presenter on Discovery TLC's World Café series, which has taken him to Ireland, India, South Africa and the USA.

Chinn's friend and fellow presenter, American celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain, has described the enigmatic restaurateur as "a true international man of mystery" who "knows his stuff".

Chinn said he was excited to be bringing the concept to Britain.

"London is probably the most comprehensive city for international dining. The people here have turned into ridiculous foodies!" he told Caterer and Hotelkeeper. - "The British are learning much more about Vietnamese food, and I'm concentrating on making a great restaurant at great prices, which are recession-proof and accessible to everybody."

He added: "I'll be spending a lot of time here - the concept has been eight years in the researching. It's exciting to come to a great city with an assured food culture and a lot of interest in the restaurant."

The restaurant is set to open in the autumn.