Carvosso's Site 'Set To Be Part of New Gastropub Group'

Former Soho House Chef Director believed to be involved with acquiring company

Catering industry press reports are suggesting that Carvosso’s bar and restaurant has been taken over with a view incorporating it into a new gastropub chain.

The company making the acquisition are believed to be looking to appoint Henry Harris to oversee the relaunch. He ran Racine restaurant in Chelsea up until 2015 and was Chef Director for the Soho House group at the time High Road House was established in Chiswick.


Henry Harris

MCA-Insight, a publication on the eating and drinking out market, has named private equity firm Ducalian Capital as the purchaser of the site at 210 Chiswick High Road. It is believed that a new company is being formed as a vehicle to take over sites in London to establish a chain of gastropubs with Mr Harris on the board of directors.

Ducalian recently bought the Truscott Arms in Maida Vale for £5million after rent and rates rises forced the existing owners to sell. They have appointed Mr Harris as Chef Director to oversee the redesign of the premises and the menu when it opens although he is not expected to be working day-to-day in the kitchen.

It is believed Carvosso’s will be incorporated into this structure with a new head chef appointed when it reopens. The transaction is believed to have been enabled by the Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS) which will require Carvosso’s to be renamed.

Mr Harris, who lives locally, has been described by one food critic as “the finest French chef with the decency to be British” for his work at Racine which was one of Chelsea’s most popular neighbourhood restaurants. Among the establishment’s specialities were calves brains with brown butter although the new gastropubs are expected to have shorter simpler menus than Racine.

The Carvosso's property has total size of almost 6,000 sq feet and is situated in a 17th century building that was converted from a former police station and stables into a large bar, two restaurant dining areas, a sitting room and four private function rooms, all wrapped around a stone courtyard.

Many or the original period features have been maintained, including 19th century carved oak panelling and exposed brick wall. Visitors to Carvosso's could have found themselves sitting in a side room that used to be the cell of the police station.

We have contacted both Ducalian Capital and Henry Harris to ask for confirmation of their plans but have yet to receive a response.

September 3, 2017