Michelin-starred pub chef to open new restaurant

Michelin-starred chef Josh Eggleton is preparing to open a fish restaurant.

He plans to open a 60-cover restaurant called Salt and Malt, near Bristol, later this year. Eggleton’s pub the Pony & Trap, which he owns with sister Holly is located in Chew Magna.

The high quality fish and chips restaurant will also offer take-away.

Eggleton, 30, who was named Gastropub Chef of the Year in the Publican's Morning Advertiser's Budweiser Budvar Top 50 Gastropub Awards 2014, was one of three chefs chosen to represent the south west region in BBC Two’s Great British Menu, which was screened last month.

He competed against fellow pub chefs Dominic Chapman of the Royal Oak in Paley Street, Berkshire and Emily Watkins of the Kingham Plough, Kingham, Oxfordshire and made it to the final two.

His Great British Menu starter called 'Rations on the Home Front' ( £12) is currently on the Pony & Trap menu.

Award-winning event business

The chef, who started his catering career at 15 working in a fish and chip shop, is also a director of the Eat Drink Bristol Fashion festival which is taking place in Bristol until 18 May.

The festival in the city’s Queen Square features a fine dining restaurant with guest chefs, including Eggleton, and a tapas tipi also serving a menu he has devised.

Eat Drink Bristol Fashion has been awarded the Soil Association’s prestigious Gold Food for Life Catering Mark.

The gold award for Eggleton’s tapas menu – along with the Pony & Trap’s “Story” organic Sunday lunch and banquet menu – means Eat Drink Bristol Fashion is the first pop-up restaurant and Eat Drink Events the first events company in the UK to receive the accolade.

The Soil Association award is given to recognise high quality, sustainable food that uses British and locally-sourced seasonal produce.

His outside catering company - Eat Drink Events, also operates Yurt Lush next to Bristol’s Temple Meads station. The café is made from three adjoining Mongolian yurts and includes a bar, kitchen and seating for up to 70 people.

Eat Drink Bristol also caters for 30 weddings a year and will be catering at five music festivals this summer including Womad and Glastonbury.