Worthing fine-dining restaurant set to open this summer

Three-time rosette-winning Johnny Stanford – the former head chef of AG’s at Alexander House Hotel – plans to open a new establishment called Tern this summer.

It will be a fine dining restaurant set on the first floor of the southern pavilion of Worthing Pier, known as Perch on the Pier. The company also recently announced plans to open a new pizza restaurant in the town.

Worthing is fast becoming a haven for food lovers and now the town ‘may well be on it’s way to boasting its first Michelin star restaurant’, a spokesperson for Tern said.

Johnny is thrilled by the opportunity to open Tern this summer and is ‘driven to create an experience that is sure to delight and surprise guests in equal measure’, Tern said.

Johnny said: “It’s such a privilege to have this opportunity to open my own restaurant in such a prominent, beautiful and beloved place.

"The space itself is stunning, and I am incredibly excited to be able to call this iconic landmark a home, and to get to write another part of its history.

"The pier is such an integral part of Worthing, it’s a constant backdrop for the ever changing high street and the ever changing tides.

“It has been a huge presence in our family’s life, as I know it has for many others, with Tern we want to honour that significance with the experience we create.”

Johnny, who has lived in Sussex for almost 11 years, said ‘so much has changed in that time’.

He added: “The food scene has exploded with new independent restaurants opening almost every month, its been amazing to see.

"On the produce side of things, Sussex has had loads of amazing producers and farmers pop up in the last few years; from Trenchmore Sussex wagyu beef to amazing vegetable suppliers like Chefs Farms, Full Circle and Shrub provisions.

"Chefs in Sussex are really spoilt for produce. Living in the ‘champagne region’ of the UK has its benefits for restaurants too. We have so many outstanding English vineyards that for any independent restaurants, having a bottle of English sparkling on the list is a must.”

‘Offering the finest views of the Sussex coast’, Tern will be a produce-led restaurant. Guests can enjoy the ‘highest quality of food’ – showcasing the ‘very peak of seasonality’, whilst experiencing the ‘art of personalised, genuine hospitality’.

“Responsible sourcing from British growers and suppliers, and sustainable practices are core to the ethics behind both the food and the experience,” the Tern spokesperson said.

Manchester born and bred, Johnny began his career working with Paul Kitchin at his acclaimed restaurant Juniper in Altrincham, before heading to Cumbria, Edinburgh and finally settling in Sussex in 2012, working as sous chef at the Michelin-starred restaurant

In 2017, he took the reins at Pascere in Brighton as head chef ‘to much acclaim’. Most recently he headed up the fine dining restaurant AG’s at Alexander House Hotel, retaining its three rosettes for the last three years.

Described by highly-acclaimed food critic Marina O’Loughlin as ‘no messing brilliance’ and ‘cooking that can stand shoulder to shoulder with the country’s best’ by top food writer Tom Parker-Bowles, Johnny’s style is to combine ‘creative and masterful cooking with strong ethics’.

Tern added: “He creates captivating menus using British produce in the peak of its seasonality. His cooking is driven by the desire to celebrate the vibrant diversity of the UK’s countryside, coastline and producers, creating plates which sing of the seasons.

"Hearing and seeing first hand the dedication, passion and effort that goes into creating their products, he takes that same care and attention, using his expertise to showcase this produce through his food.”

With room for 25 diners, guests at Tern can ‘relax and enjoy informal, but slick service’.

The spokesperson said: “Tern is about laid back, accessible fine dining with no dress codes or formalities. Just book your table and hang out, letting the highly-experienced team make a memorable experience for you in this breath-taking location.”

For more information on Tern, visit www.ternrestaurant.co.uk or follow @ternrestaurant on Instagram. Reservations can be made online.

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