Ex Verru head chef joins David Moore's new venture

Restaurateur David Moore has appointed Andrei Lesment, former head chef of Verru in Marylebone, as head chef of his new venture, One Sixty.

Moore will co-own the new West Hampstead restaurant with Sean Martin, former owner of the Northumberland Arms in Fitzrovia and the Barley Mow in Marylebone.

Modelled on a US-style smokehouse, One Sixty will also have 15 beers on tap, 60 beers by the bottle, and cocktails on offer.

It is expected to open in the first half of March this year on the site of what was Me Love sushi restaurant at 291 West End Lane, although a precise opening date has yet to be determined.

Lesment, who started his career in Sweden and Denmark, has been based in London for over 16 years, and has worked at the Savoy hotel, as well as Gordon Ramsay at Maze. He opened Verru in Marylebone in 2011, offering Baltic and Scandinavian cuisine, although it closed at the end of 2012 and has been replaced by Michael Riemenschneider's new venture, Canvas.