Simon Bonwick set to take over at Bray pub

Simon Bonwick is set to embark on a new adventure, alongside wife Deborah, taking over The Crown pub in Bray.

Effective from March 31 this year, chef patron Simon will implement significant changes from the outset.

This will then lead to a brief closure of The Crown in early September 2025, where inside they will create “Bouchon Bonwick” a celebration of classy French cooking and wines.

Simon said: “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.”

When asked if he would like to achieve a Michelin star or Bib Gourmand at the Crown in Bray like before at The Crown, Burchetts Green, Simon replied: “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!”

Troublesome Lodger to continue

The Bonwicks’ very successful The Troublesome Lodger will continue above The Oarsman Pub in Marlow, alongside its expansion into other spaces.

At The Troublesome Lodger, Simon works alone out of a tiny kitchen, bringing together a small group of strangers (12 to 14) for a communal dining experience, all sitting around one table, to enjoy whatever food he decides to create on the day.

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!”

Nigel Sutcliffe and James McLean of Truffle Hunting are happy stepping away from the Crown, passing on the baton after four successive years in Bray.

Discussing his motivation to keep on pushing himself in the kitchen, Simon said: “Cooking is all you need. But the trouble is with cooking, it takes everything.

“The future for me is to continue to enjoy my cooking. I feel like on the hero’s journey, the call to adventure started in 1983 and you go round through all the different popular cuisines and all those great chefs of the 80s and the 90s, but you just arrive at a space and you just want to carry on in that space.”