05:56PM, Friday 21 March 2025
Pictured: Simon Bonwick outside The Crown at Burchetts Green in 2021
Highly acclaimed chef Simon Bonwick is taking over the running of a 16th-century pub in Bray.
Simon and his wife Deborah will be the new custodians of the historic Crown at Bray as Nigel Sutcliffe and James McLean of Truffle Hunting pass on the baton after four successive years at the helm.
Celebrity chef Heston Blumenthal was also a previous owner of The Crown at Bray.
The Bonwick family, who will take over on March 31, previously enjoyed huge success at The Crown in Burchetts Green, earning the venue a Michelin star during their nine years in charge.
In July 2024, they stepped away from the historic Dew Drop Inn in Hurley after 18 months at the venue.
The pub gurus will briefly close The Crown in September to create ‘Bouchon Bonwick’ – a celebration of classy French cooking of the old religion with significantly interesting wines, they said.
Simon Bonwick added: “Everyone who knows us knows our connection to Bray; the call to adventure for us was too strong to ignore or turn away from.
“The Crown is steeped in our kind of historic charm, the kind of charm we love.
“We will make the ‘Bonwick’ mark here, which reflects beautiful cooking of the old religion, exceptional service, all bound together with super cleanliness.
Chef Bonwick was asked if he would like to achieve a MICHELIN Star or Bib Gourmand at his new venture like before at The Crown, Burchetts Green.
He said: “That’s not for me to say or worry about, we will do our thing which is to cook what we like to eat and have fun.”
The Bonwick’s Troublesome Lodger will continue above The Oarsman Pub in Marlow, alongside its expansion into other spaces.
Deborah Bonwick said: “We are ready and excited to embark on this journey in the increasingly challenging pub environment.
“The pub industry remains alluring to us; the industry has continually shown its innovative excellence through the pandemic and has displayed fortitude through Brexit, a war, and a cost-of-living crisis.
“The only way for Pubs through clear direction is upwards now, surely.”
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