Sven-Hanson Britt announced proudly on Twitter this weekend that he has hit his crowdfunding target of £30,000 to open new London restaurant, 12 days ahead of schedule.
The young chef who recently took the crown in MasterChef: The Professionals Rematch 2019, launched a crowdfunding campaign shortly afterwards to raise £30,000 for a London residency. The money will enable him to bring Oxeye, a field-to-fork restaurant concept, to London in conjunction with a site in South Derbyshire.
Backers of the new concept were offered various ‘rewards’ in return for their early investment. Donations from just £1 were listed on the Kickstarter page with a £8 donation getting you a packet of fudge cooked up by the chef’s team; which is made with British butter, fair trade sugar, Aged Longhorn fat and Maldon sea salt. Investors offering £120 were gifted a weekend lunch for two, where guests can expect a tasting menu. The most expensive pledge tots up at £8000, but offers dinner, accommodation, breakfast and drinks for up to 16 people at the chef’s Park Farm in Derbyshire. For foodies keen to back the restaurant, there are still plenty of options to choose from.
Sven-Hanson Britt originally competed in the 2014 MasterChef: The Professionals, achieving a well-earned place in the finals but narrowly missing out on the trophy. His success following the competition - which include being shortlisted as a finalist for the coveted Roux Scholarship - secured him a position on the MasterChef: The Professionals Rematch 2019 programme. The friendly competition which aired on BBC2 last month saw Britt take on fellow finalists Adam Handling, Dean Banks, Matt Worswick and Michelle Trusselle in a culinary battle to impress judges Monica Galetti and Marcus Wareing.
Britt impressed with his light touch and attention to detail producing a winning menu of 100-day aged Longhorn beef, artichoke, black mustard, fermented barley and bone marrow followed by a delicate dessert of cultivated and wild plums, salted plum biscuit and plum stone ice cream.
MasterChef: The Professionals, The Rematch 2019
After taking the crown, Britt announced his plans to open the London residency of his restaurant concept Oxeye which he hoped to open in tandem with a site in Melbourne Hall, Derbyshire. The concept aims to celebrate Britt’s passion for local and sustainable produce using ingredients sourced from within the walls of the Melbourne Estate, and with the popularity of his Kickstarter, it looks like the new spin off will be happening sooner rather than expected.
On his Kickstarter crowdfunding page Britt claims that "Oxeye’s influences come from the kaiseki cuisine and craft of Japan combined with historical British ingredients, tradition and cooking techniques" and he believes it will be a "one of a kind opening in 2020".
Oxeye has been a passion project for Britt over the last six years, as he has worked tirelessly to open a rural restaurant in the South Derbyshire countryside that celebrates the region’s local produce. Finally he has found his perfect location in Melbourne Hall and he hopes to propel this site into action off the success of a London opening.
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