Lawrence McCarthy to join The Salt Room as head chef

Lawrence McCarthy will be joining The Salt Room as head chef, the Brighton restaurant has announced.

McCarthy moves from his recent role as head chef at Michelin-starred Tristan’s in Horsham. Prior to this, he worked at two Michelin-starred Marcus Wareing at the Berkeley, and spent six years at The Ledbury under Brett Graham.

McCarthy will showcase his first menu on 20 February. The new menu will feature a range of small plates, including mackerel ‘nduja and salted ricotta and spicy samphire bhajis with brown crab mayo. Seafood dishes will largely feature, using “bold flavour combinations and the freshest local produce”.

The seafront restaurant said it will “continue championing the best of local produce and British seafood”,  with an “emphasis on delivering precise cooking, presented elegantly and simply”. 

McCarthy said: “Cooking for me is all about simplicity. The simple pleasure of eating well sourced and quality ingredients is what The Salt Room is all about and I am really excited to be leading this kitchen.”

Razak Helalat, founder of The Salt Room, said: “We celebrate The Salt Room’s fifth anniversary on Thursday 20 February and we are so excited to welcome Lawrence and his new menu to Brighton alongside this landmark date.”