“We are madly grateful to all those who’ve helped already”
Simon Bonwick has announced his departure from the Princess of Shoreditch in London to take on the Dew Drop Inn in Hurley, Maidenhead.
Simon shared the news in a post on his social media, confirming that he would be taking over the Dew Drop Inn, a site which dates to the 16th century, featuring a bar and around 20 covers in the dining room that is expected to reopen this month.
In the post, Simon announced: "We kept dodging the persistent calls to adventure, the omens were too many to ignore and now finally the new ‘heroes journey’ begins."
Thanking those who have already supported the new venture, he added: "We are madly grateful to all those who’ve helped already, from chairs to soap, thank you! Never have guessed we have so many friends, Love."
The Dew Drop Inn’s new menu is expected to change seasonally and offer Simon Bonwick's "creative expression of country pub cooking", with him cooking alone in the kitchen.
In a separate post, Simon’s wife Deborah said: "After one year off, we are ready, excited to go again in this increasingly challenging environment.
Reflecting on the current state of the industry, she added: "The pub industry remains alluring to us, it's continually shown its innovative excellence through the pandemic, and has continued to display fortitude through Brexit, a war and now a recession. The rural pub can't be lost."
Simon took over as Head Chef at the Princess of Shoreditch last summer following the departure of Ruth Hansom.
Before taking on the position he was previously chef-patron at Michelin-starred the Crown in Burchetts Green, which won a Michelin star in 2016.
Simon and his family left the Crown in 2021, announcing at the time that they were looking for new opportunities, and sold the venue to Dominic Chapman.
Commenting on his departure, Barry Weller of Noble Inns, said: "I've been friends with Simon for a long time. He's got a large family and The Princess of Shoreditch is a long way away from his home. We wish him well and there's not doubt as always that he will succeed in his new role."
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