AFTER months of refurbishment, Sienna restaurant in Dorchester is set to open under new management.

Russell and Eléna Brown sold the restaurant to Marcus Wilcox at the beginning of May. The pair had previously owned Dorset’s only Michelin-starred restaurant for 12 years.

Mr Wilcox is a former Masterchef semi-finalist and the previous head chef at the Rose and Crown in Trent near Sherborne.

The 27 year-old,who studied at Bournemouth and Poole College, said that he is preparing the finishing touches before the opening on July 1.

Aware of the anticipation that has surrounded the opening, Mr Wilcox said: “I wanted to refurbish it (the venue) a little, but just to put my own stamp on it.

“The venue is quite small but I will be making it look completely different.

“I have helped set up places before but this is the first time I have done it on my own.”

Mr Wilcox’s family and friends have been helping him with the task of changing the look of the restaurant.

He said that the set up had taken longer than he had hoped, but that with the opening approaching, he was looking forward to seeing the place come to life.

Speaking with the Echo about the challenges he faced moving forward and his experience on Masterchef, Mr Wilcox said: “With a restaurant, if something goes wrong you have got to be able to do it the next day. It’s a day to day thing.

"It’s not just a competition. It’s real life.

“It’ll be a different kind of challenge coming from a kitchen- I’m comfortable with that side, but running a place is a little bit out of my comfort zone.

"But I’m looking forward to it.

The former head chef is looking to serve ‘modern British food with a few different twists’.

Although not looking to serve dishes quite as adventurous as those from Heston ]Blumenthal's 'Great British Menu', Mr Wilcox said that he has drawn some inspiration from the TV chef as well as others he has worked with in the past.

He said: “You draw inspiration from people you have worked with and worked for and see what they have done and then adapt it to your own style.”

Although the food will be an important aspect of the new venture, Mr Wilcox says he will also be focusing on beverages, making a visit to Sienna is all the more enjoyable.

The re-launch of Sienna will be taking place on Wednesday July 1 with lunch being served from noon until 2.30pm.

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