Mitch and Ben Tonks to host Brown's Hotel residency

Father-son duo Mitch and Ben Tonks will host a three-month residency at London's Brown's Hotel from 16 June to 14 September. 

Guests at the hotel's Donovan Bar will have the chance to sample sustainable seafood and experience the intergenerational legacy of The Seahorse, Dartmouth – the acclaimed restaurant where Ben now leads the kitchen. 

Seafood chef and restaurateur Mitch Tonks founded The Seahorse in 2008. The family-run venue champions seasonality, short supply chains and uncompromising quality, serving fresh seafood from Brixham Fish Market each morning.

As head chef of The Seahorse since 2021, Ben Tonks has an understanding of fresh, seasonal ingredients and classic dishes that demonstrate simple yet delicious cooking. 

The residency

Highlights from the Tonks' residency at The Donovan Bar include line-caught seabass crudo with calamanzi, ginger and black pepper; spider crab with radish, lemon and celery; scampi con saor; baked scallop with white Port and garlic; and seppia fritti. 

Alongside these dishes, the duo will collaborate with the bar's Maestro Salvatore Calabese and director of mixology, Federico Pavan, to curate bespoke cocktail pairings that complement the menu. 

"It's such a great thing working in a family business, and I love that we share this in common with the Forte family at Brown's Hotel," says Ben. "We have the same ethos when it comes to proper hospitality, so it's a real honour to bring favoured dishes from The Seahorse to The Donovan Bar, inspired by my travels around the Mediterranean and the coast of northern Spain."

Later this year, Joe's Bar at The Seahorse will mirror a selection of The Donovan Bar's signature cocktails.

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