Shaun Rankin opens new restaurant in Jersey and has eye on London
Former Michelin-starred chef and Great British Menu star Shaun Rankin, who has opened his first restaurant in Jersey as chef-proprietor, has indicated that he would like to expand his business to London.
Ormer was launched in the heart of St Helier by Rankin after he spent nine years as head chef at the island's Bohemia restaurant, owned by the Huggler family. Bohemia gained a Michelin star in 2005.
The new restaurant can accommodate 50 covers on the ground-floor space and 20 on the terrace, while upstairs it offers a private dining room, roof garden and cigar terrace.
Rankin is working with a team of 18 staff including Lee Smith as head chef, Amar Boudjaoui (restaurant manager), Davide Buongiorno (sommelier) and Mirka Menderova (business development). He intended to appoint two apprentices, who will receive three years paid training.
Rankin said he has aspired to have his own restaurant for some time and is proud of what he has achieved. "We have all invested blood, sweat and tears to make this happen and we are not going to disappoint. The Jersey restaurant is a first step to all I wish to achieve under the SR brand, we are already looking at locations in London and further afield so there is much more to come!"
Originally from County Durham, Rankin learnt his trade as an apprentice at the May Fair hotel, London, while attending Thames Valley University at Slough as a day release student. He later worked at the Black Bull Inn in Moulton, North Yorkshire before moving to Jersey in 1994 he took the decision to move to Jersey as demi chef de partie at Longueville Manor. Over the next nine years, he worked his way up to sous chef and was appointed head chef at sister restaurant Suma's. He joined Bohemia in 2003.
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