Core by Clare Smyth, Notting Hill

Ever since Clare Smyth achieved a perfect score in the Good Food Guide and became the first female chef in the UK to earn three Michelin stars, we've been waiting for her go solo. After spending 11 years honing her skills as chef-patron at Gordon Ramsay's flagship restaurant, earning effusive praise from the famously temperamental restaurateur: 'Smyth is, undoubtedly, one of the greatest chefs to have graced my kitchen,' enthused Ramsay.

Smyth is following in the footsteps of other Ramsay protégés – Jason Atherton, Marcus Wareing, Mark Sargeant, and Angela Hartnett – to open her first solo restaurant, Core.

Located in Notting Hill's well-heeled Kensington Park Road, the 54-seat restaurant promises a 10-12-course tasting menu. Those with smaller appetites (or budgets) can opt for a more manageable three to five dishes.

The menu is designed to showcase British products and support local producers, drawing on Smyth's childhood spent on a farm in Northern Ireland. Even the crockery and silverware are locally-made (by Royal Crown Derby and Carrs of Sheffield respectively).

While the food and décor are an homage to homegrown ingredients, the wine and champagne list cherry-picks the very best bottles from France, Italy and California.

The standard dining sounds opulent enough, but we recommend booking the chef's table for an especially memorable dining experience. The ten-seat table (which can be split to accommodate smaller groups) is positioned directly in front of the kitchen, so diners are part of the action and atmosphere of the kitchen.

Opening date: August 1st 2017

Times: Tues - Wed: 6.30pm - 10.30pm, Thurs - Sat: 12.30pm - 2.30pm, 6.30pm - 10.30pm

Price: £41 and over per head

Reservations: Click here to book