Ben Orpwood to be executive chef at Sexy Fish the new Caprice Holdings restaurant

Sexy Fish, the much-anticipated new Asian fish and seafood restaurant from Caprice Holdings, will open in Berkeley Square on October 19.

The restaurant will pair contemporary cuisine with cutting-edge art and design to create a dynamic new dining experience. The Asian-inspired menus will concentrate on fish and seafood, and will be overseen by young British-born executive chef Ben Orpwood, whose previous experience spans roles in Istanbul, Dubai, Sydney and Tokyo, including restaurants such as Zuma, Toko, the Sydney Collective Group, and with the Japanese izakaya, Daniel San.

“This has been a project very close to owner Richard Caring’s heart,” explained Laura Montana, New Projects Operations Director of Caprice Holdings. “He wants to bring some fun, life and excitement to this corner of Berkeley Square, with the magic mix of a compelling physical environment, full of lively contemporary art, and an alluring menu that will appeal not only to the fashionable Mayfair crowd, but also a wider audience of food and art lovers.”

Martin Brudnizki Design Studio has masterminded the interiors. Art will play a vital role in the design and mood of the restaurant and bar, featuring collaborations with several impressive international artists. The result will be a showcase of extraordinary works by Frank Gehry, the genius behind the Guggenheim in Bilbao and the Louis Vuitton Foundation in Paris. His installations will comprise the largest collection of his inimitable Fish Lamps in one venue – these beautiful shimmering fish will be hanging above the bar, softly glowing and undulating as if they were in the sea. A giant glossy black silicone mosaic crocodile crawls across the north wall of the dining room.

World-renowned artist Damien Hirst has created three site-specific artworks for the restaurant. A pair of exquisitely cast bronze mermaids, rendered in blue patina, will be positioned on either end of the bar. Also featured will be a large bronze relief panel by the artist, in which a mermaid is presented alongside a shark, in reference to one of the most iconic artworks of the twentieth century: Hirst's The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living (1991).

A focal point of the 190-seat restaurant will be a large ceiling mural created by Michael Roberts, one of fashion’s most respected figures. He is currently the Style Editor-at-Large of Vanity Fair, but has also worked as Fashion Director at The Sunday Times, Tatler and Vogue.

The Coral Reef Room on the lower level will be an exclusive and dramatically designed private dining space with its own integral bar, largest live coral reef tank in the world and seating for up to 48.

The Restaurant Director of Sexy Fish will be Paul Murashe (previously at Nobu). David Millière, most recently at Zuma in Bangkok, will be the Head Sommelier. The Bar Manager will be Matteo Cazzaniga.

For more information visit  www.sexyfish.com