A life-long advocate of nurturing the next generation, last night twice Michelin starred chef Atul Kochhar awarded two amateur female restauranteurs an investment to start their very own restaurant.
Appearing on BBC Two’s brand-new series Million Pound Menu, hosted by Fred Sirieix, Ruth Hansom and Emily Lambert launched their dining concept Epoch and were pitted gainst other restaurants to win the ultimate prize.
The aspiring restaurateurs have already become trailblazers in the hospitality industry; Hansom was named 2017 Young National Chef of the Year, the first female to ever win the accolade, while Lambert was The Ritz’s first ever female sommelier. This latest endeavour will further elevate their status in the industry and brings them one step closer to their ultimate goal, becoming London’s youngest female restaurateurs.
Ruth Hansom and Emily LambertOn the announcement, Atul Kochhar commented, “I was blown away by Ruth and Emily’s creativity, flavour combinations and passion. Throughout the whole competition they stood out for all the right reasons, from their entirely British dining concept to their business acumen. These ladies are truly talented and I’m looking forward to mentoring them as they progress in the hospitality industry.”
Ruth Hanson and Emily Lambert commented “A highlight of our careers to date, we’re delighted that Atul has chosen to work with us. It’s an incredibly exciting opportunity to drive forward our ideas and develop our culinary concepts in collaboration with Atul.”