Nottingham’s most exciting young chef and winner of MasterChef: The Professionals, Laurence Henry, has been shortlisted as ‘Chef to Watch’ in The Estrella Damm National Restaurant Awards 2022.
The annual awards, organised by Big Hospitality magazine, honour the best of the UK’s dining scene, as voted for by leading chefs, restauranteurs, food writers, critics, and industry experts.
Laurence entered the limelight in the 2018 series of MasterChef: The Professionals, aged just 25, and has now been named chef patron at Canal Turn – Nottingham’s newest waterside hospitality and leisure destination.
The locally-based chef will display his creativity and expertise across two unique venues – the relaxed bar and grill Binks Yard and finer dining restaurant Cleaver and Wake, opening later this year.
Laurence said: “It’s an honour to be shortlisted in the Chef to Watch category, both individually and also as a representative of Nottingham’s thriving hospitality scene.
“This award nomination has come at an incredibly exciting time, with Canal Turn opening soon. From being involved in the creative direction of the space to curating the menu, I’ve been shaping the venues from the beginning and am really looking forward to delivering something truly unique in the Midlands. It’s exciting to see that the industry already has its eyes on our brands.”
Ground-floor venue Binks Yard will offer fast-paced, bold flavours from its grilled, cured, and wood-fired menu, alongside a selection of craft beers, real ales and cocktails. Upstairs, Laurence will showcase his culinary talent and creativity at Cleaver and Wake, a modern, elevated dining experience serving the best meat, fish and vegetables from across the British Isles.
The restaurants will open in summer as the first phase of The Island Quarter, an impressive £1.5 billion 36-acre development, which is one of the largest city-centre regeneration sites in the UK.
Laurence added: “I hope this award shortlisting inspires other hospitality professionals in Nottingham to strive for success and show the country how talented our region is. We’re currently hiring for more than 80 hospitality jobs across our venues and look forward to welcoming some amazing talent into the restaurants.”
