On 16 June, The Chalk Freehouse will open its doors just off the King's Road in Chelsea. Expect a gastropub that combines British comfort food with the finesse honed over a decade working at The Hand and Flowers in Marlow.
You'll find chef Tom De Keyser at the helm, a long-time right-hand man to Tom Kerridge. After 12 years across Kerridge's empire – including stints as Head Chef at both the two-Michelin-starred Hand and Flowers and the one-star Coach – De Keyser is stepping into the spotlight with his first standalone pub.
Set in a gorgeous two-storey Victorian site, The Chalk takes its name from the old Anglo-Saxon "Caelichyth", nodding to Chelsea's river trade past. Inside, there's been a light refurb, including a new hardwood bar, a garden for drinks, and a 60-cover dining room with a ten-seater private space.
The menu is brimming with refined pub grub, including cheese and onion scones with whipped mustard butter, pork chop schnitzel with a fried duck egg, and a range wing with crispy cockles. The menu will evolve over time, with daily specials and seasonal tweaks. Sunday roasts, daily specials, and a bargain weekday set lunch (£18.50 for two courses) are also something to look forward to.
Make sure you leave room for something sweet – chocolate tart with smoked sea salt and a warm pork fat Chelsea bun with vanilla custard are just a couple of the options available.
Drinks-wise, it's a broad list of carefully picked wines by Gavin Hills (another Hand and Flowers alum), plus an impressive list of beers, ciders, and low-alcohol options. Keep an eye out for the rotating cask monthly special.
Tom Kerridge called De Keyser's debut "a true celebration" of years of hard graft, while the chef himself says he's bringing "everything I've learned" to the Chelsea crowd. No doubt, The Chalk is set to be a West London favourite before long.
The Chalk Freehouse opens on 16 June. Walk-ins and bookings welcome.