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Scott Hallsworth

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Scott Hallsworth (born 12 July 1975) is an Australian chef, restaurateur and author.

Hallsworth owns and is executive chef of restaurants in London. Hallsworth founded and ran three Kurobuta restaurants located in the city's Chelsea, Knightsbridge and Marble Arch areas until May 2017.

Hallsworth's flagship Japanese izakaya was in Kurobuta Marble Arch. The original incarnation of Kurobuta London was located in Chelsea. In November 2015, Hallsworth opened his third Kurobuta, on the fifth floor of Harvey Nichols's Knightsbridge location.[1]

In March 2015, Hallsworth opened Joe's Oriental Diner on the site of the original Kurobuta Chelsea pop-up at 251 King's Road, Chelsea.

Hallsworth opened Kurochan at the Mandarin Oriental in Bodrum, Turkey, in the summer of 2014.

In 2015, he has been forced to turn off Kurobuta's neon signs saying “prostitutes available” and “sluts” in Japanese after angering women's rights campaigners and local Japanese journalists.[2][3]

Hallsworth sold his Kurobuta restaurant group in June 2017.[4]

In July 2017 Hallsworth opened his pan-Asian Freakscene pop-up restaurant concept[5] in Clerkenwell.

In March 2018 Hallsworth opened a permanent Freakscene restaurant in London's West End at 54 Frith Street[6] in Soho.

In March 2023 Hallsworth opened a permanent Freak Scene restaurant in partnership with the Australian comedian, radio and television presenter Adam Hills, in the Parsons Green area of London's Fulham at 28 Parsons Green Lane[7] in Parsons Green.

In January 2024 Hallsworth opened a second, permanent Freak Scene restaurant in partnership with Hills, in the Balham area of London at 1, Ramsden Road, Balham, SW12 8QZ.[8]

Early life

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Hallsworth was born and raised in Collie, Western Australia.[9] As a teenager he was an avid cross country runner and twice raced at national events, where his highest placing was 6th. He also competed at state level track and field events and won silver medals for both 800m and 1500m events. Influenced by his brothers Craig and Gary,[10] who were in Perth-based bands in the 1980s The Bamboos and Healers, Hallsworth formed several small garage bands while in high school.

Career

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Hallsworth left high school when he was 16 to take up an offer of an apprenticeship with ex-La Gavroche sous chef Alain Doisneau.[11] As an apprentice, Hallsworth went on to compete in cooking competitions, during which his achievements included a Gold medal 3rd year apprentice at the Western Australian state competition which lead to inclusion on the Western Australian State cooking team. At national level, Hallsworth won Gold for his pastry and a Bronze award for his buffet work.[12]

Post-apprenticeship, Hallsworth moved to Perth where he worked for the Hyatt Hotel[13] and the popular 44 King Street Brasserie. Following a 6-week road trip around Australia, Hallsworth decided to stay and work at Hayman Island Resort, situated on the Great Barrier Reef in North Queensland.[14]

Hallsworth joined Nobu London in 2001 as a Chef de Partie.[15] Hallsworth spent six years at the Michelin starred Park Lane address where he became Head Chef.

In 2007, Hallsworth moved to Melbourne, Australia to work on the opening of Nobu Melbourne. The following year, in 2008, Hallsworth moved to Dubai to help open Mirai restaurant.[16] In 2009, Hallsworth opened his third restaurant in three years, Wabi[17] in Horsham, West Sussex. In 2012, Hallsworth oversaw the opening of Wabi London.[18]

In 2013, Hallsworth created, devised and opened the Kurobuta concept.[19]

Books and media

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A book by Hallsworth, The Japanese Foie Gras Project, was published in 2007, and contains a foreword by Nobuyuki Matsuhisa.[20][21]

Hallsworth's barbecue pork belly in steamed buns with spicy peanut soy appeared on Channel 4 cooking programme The Sunday Brunch with Tim Lovejoy and Simon Rimmer on 11 May 2014.

Giles Coren reviewed Kurobuta in The Times on 7 June 2014, and awarded the restaurant nine out of ten for food.[22]

A book by Hallsworth, Junk Food Japan, was published in 2017, and contains specially commissioned photography by David Loftus.[23][24]

Awards

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On 10 October 2014, Hallsworth was awarded two AA Rosettes for Culinary Excellence, 2014–2015.[25]

On 7 April 2015, Hallsworth's Kurobuta restaurant was awarded the BMW Square Meal Award for Best New Restaurant.[26]

Personal life

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Hallsworth loves to cook at home and will barbecue in any weather.[27] He has three children. He likes to mountain bike, play guitar, snowboard and travel.

References

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  1. ^ Scott Hallsworth to open Kurobuta residency in Harvey Nichols The Caterer, August 28, 2015
  2. ^ Kurobuta chef to remove 'sleazy' signs saying 'prostitutes available' after feminist protests The Standard, 9 October 2015
  3. ^ 高級住宅街に「売春婦あります」看板　「日本を侮辱」猛抗議で撤去へ Withnews, 2015年10月23日
  4. ^ Sophie Witts (24 July 2017). "Scott Hallsworth sells Kurobuta and launches new pop-up". www.bighospitality.co.uk. Retrieved 28 July 2017.
  5. ^ "Freak scene: Scott Hallsworth launches pan-asian popup in Farringdon". www.hospitalityandcateringnews.com. 25 July 2017. Retrieved 28 July 2017.
  6. ^ "Scott Hallsworth to open permanent Freak Scene in Soho". www.bighospitality.co.uk. 21 March 2018. Retrieved 21 March 2018.
  7. ^ Hansen, James (23 January 2023). "'Last Leg' Comedian Adam Hills Is Getting Into the London Restaurant Business. He's backing Scott Hallsworth's latest revival of Freak Scene, in Parsons Green". Eater London. Vox Media. Retrieved 11 January 2023.
  8. ^ McCormack, Ben (1 January 2024). "'From Balham to Baker Street, London Bridge to Notting Hill, Ben McCormack has the hottest restaurant launches in January". Standard. The Evening Standard. Retrieved 1 January 2024.
  9. ^ "Collie chef feeds the famous". Bunburymail.com. Retrieved 6 June 2016.
  10. ^ Scott Hallsworth (6 June 2014). "Soul Food: Scott Hallsworth on champagne barbecues". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 6 June 2016.
  11. ^ "Foodservice Gateway » Aussie chef's Japanese cuisine spawns London success". Foodservicegateway.com. Retrieved 6 June 2016.
  12. ^ "Australian Culinary Team". austculinary.com.au. Archived from the original on 7 March 2013.
  13. ^ "Scott Hallsworth - Taste UK". London.tastefestivals.com. Retrieved 6 June 2016.
  14. ^ "Food and Fun - Scott Hallsworth". foodandfun.is. Archived from the original on 2 March 2013. Retrieved 6 June 2016.
  15. ^ "Interview: Scott Hallsworth". Hardens.com. 3 May 2014. Retrieved 6 June 2016.
  16. ^ Grove, Peter. "Chef Scott Hallsworth". Archived from the original on 30 July 2014. Retrieved 6 June 2016.
  17. ^ "Collie chef feeds the famous". 7 August 2013.
  18. ^ Neil Gerrard (17 June 2013). "Catering & Hospitality News". thecaterer.com. Retrieved 6 June 2016.
  19. ^ Robert Westacott (23 July 2013). "Kurobuta London". UltraVie. Retrieved 6 June 2016.
  20. ^ Hallsworth, Scott (2007). The Japanese Foie Gras Project. Jepsen & Co. p. 173. ISBN 978-8791770432.
  21. ^ Adam Zacharias (10 August 2009). "In the city: Great Scott!". Khaleej Times. Retrieved 6 June 2016.
  22. ^ Giles Coren (7 June 2014). "Giles Coren reviews Kurobuta, London". Thetimes.co.uk. Retrieved 6 June 2016.
  23. ^ Hallsworth, Scott (2017). Junk Food Japan. Bloomsbury Publishing. p. 272. ISBN 9781-472-919-922.
  24. ^ Andy Lynes (5 May 2017). "Book review – Junk Food Japan: Addictive Food from Kurobuta". The Caterer. Retrieved 17 July 2017.
  25. ^ "Kurobuta - Restaurant - London w2 - The AA". Theaa.com. Retrieved 6 June 2016.
  26. ^ Ben McCormack (7 April 2015). "Kurobuta wins Best New Restaurant". Squaremeal.co.uk. Retrieved 6 June 2016.
  27. ^ Scott Hallsworth (6 June 2014). "Soul Food: Scott Hallsworth on champagne barbecues". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 6 June 2016.
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