In a brief statement posted on Instagram Parkin - who was most recently head chef at the Cliff House Hotel in Waterford, Ireland - said: “Recently I have been under the radar burrowing away after leaving Ireland. However now I can reveal I have joined forces as head chef for Aktar Islam at Opheem and we have already been working on some exciting bits. It’s great to be back in the UK.”
Serving its chef patrons distinctive take on Indian cuisine, Opheem launched in 2018 and was awarded its first star a year later. Last year, it was promoted to two stars.
The Jewelry Quarter restaurant is currently ranked 8th on Restaurant’s list of the top 100 places to eat in the UK.
“It’s an absolute pleasure to have Tony a longtime friend as a part of the team and to work alongside him, Islam says. ”As our team has nearly tripled since we started it’s important to add individuals who share the same values as I do in order to mentor the rest of the team."
“My vision and day to day presence remains the same - I will continue to strive for excellence, and with £750k investment in the kitchen this year, we have incredible facilities and a vision for a very exciting year ahead.
I’m still in the kitchen day in, day out, the cuisine will still be focused on my personal exploration of flavours and cooking traditions from the indian subcontinent whilst exploring all the cultures that have influenced the development of Indian cuisine over millennia.
Parkin’s CV spans more than 20 years and includes stints at renowned Copenhagen restaurants Noma and Kommendaten, as well as time as a private chef for Lord and Lady Bamford.
He joined Cliff House Hotel following a brief stint at The Brickmakers Arms in Surrey.
Prior to that he spent several years overseeing The Tudor Room at Great Fosters Hotel in Surrey, which attracted a Michelin star just four months after he joined it in 2019.
