L'Ortolan
Restaurant in Berkshire, England
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
L'Ortolan was a gourmet restaurant in the village of Shinfield, 6 km (4 mi) south of the centre of Reading, Berkshire, England. The restaurant closed its doors for the final time in August 2024.[1] It was located in the village's old vicarage building, which is a Grade-II listed building dating back to the 1840s.[2] Originally a three-story structure, the building endured substantial fire damage during World War II, resulting in the loss of its top floor.[3]
| L'Ortolan | |
|---|---|
L'Ortolan in 2013 | |
 Interactive map of L'Ortolan | |
| Restaurant information | |
| Established | 1986 |
| Closed | 2024 |
| Location | Shinfield, Reading, Berkshire, England |
| Website | www.lortolan.com |
The building was first opened as a restaurant by chef Richard Sandford in 1978, when it was known as Milton Sandford, winning a Michelin star in 1982. It was then purchased by Nico Ladenis, who left the restaurant he renamed as Chez Nico, less than a year later in 1986. A few months later, John Burton-Race opened the restaurant, calling it L'Ortolan[4] and he was awarded two Michelin stars in 1988[5]
Run by John Burton-Race for 13 years, the restaurant was purchased by Peter Newman in 2000, who appointed Alan Murchison as head chef.[6]
Murchison left the restaurant in 2003, and Daniel Galmiche took over for a year. Alan Murchison returned in 2004 as executive head chef with the option to buy the restaurant.[7] Murchison left in 2014,[8] and Peter Newman took over the running of the restaurant. James Greatorex took over as head chef in 2020,[9] serving till June 2024, when Jamie Pierce was appointed in the position.[10] However, the restaurant announced its closure just a month after Pierce's appointment,[11] and closed its doors for good in August 2024.[1]
The restaurant had held a Michelin star from 2003 until 2022 when the award was rescinded,[12][13] and had three AA rosettes in 2023.[14]