Chinewse TV chef Ken Hom seeks identity

An interiors consultancy and identity specialist are being sought to name and design a restaurant chain for TV presenter and Chinese chef Ken Hom.

Hom, better known as Mr Wok to BBC viewers, is allowing the publicly-listed Oriental Restaurant Group chain to use his name and his dishes in a new national chain of restaurants.

It is not known if the restaurants will bear his name too, but the group will turn to an identity specialist for advice.

A flagship restaurant will be located in London’s West End, with more planned for the London area next year. Expansion to other major cities such as Manchester and Birmingham is also planned for next year.

Sebastian Conran, who designed a range of kitchen implements and their packaging for Ken Hom, has been in talks with Oriental and may be involved in the new project, though operations director Richard Miller says a decision has not been finalised. “It is still in the very early stages. We would look to do a pitch for the business,” he says.

Miller previously used individual designers for the interiors on other restaurants, including Denise Lee and Robert Zipper.

The venue will be on two floors.