Kevin Viner leaves Bournemouth restaurant Neo less than a month after opening

Former National Chef of the Year, Kevin Viner, has left the 200 cover restaurant due to creative differences and feeling he had done all he could for the restaurant which overlooks Bournemouth pier.

Kevin told The Staff Canteen: “I feel I have done all I can at Neo and it’s time for me to move on. I wasn’t really doing the type of food I wanted.”

He added: “I have some other things in the pipeline so I’m just going to see where they take me.”

Kevin was Cornwall’s first chef to earn a Michelin star and has won many awards and accolades throughout his career.

Beginning at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, Kevin was dishing up meals as a teenager for private dinner parties hosted by Princess Anne.

By the age of 23 Kevin became the Army School of Catering’s youngest ever lecturer. Kevin also represented Great Britain in the ‘Culinary Olympics’ winning numerous gold medals.

His restaurant Pennypots situated in Blackwater, Cornwall held a Michelin star for seven years before losing it in 2000.

He also ran Viners in Cornwall until 2010 and more recently has been consulting and cooking for the Prince and Princess of Monaco.