Acclaimed British Chef Set to Open Restaurant in Hudson Valley

A British chef who's worked at Buckingham Palace, Michelin-starred restaurants and Windsor Castle is opening up a unique restaurant in the Hudson Valley.

Chef Michael Johnson was born and raised in the British countryside, where he began his culinary journey as a dishwasher at the local pub. Through hard work and perseverance, Johnson found his way into some of the most prestigious kitchens in the UK over his 20-year career. Now, Johnson and his wife, Shey, have settled in the Hudson Valley and are ready to share their love of British food.

British Restaurant Opening in Beacon, New York

Johnson has received lots of attention from the culinary world ever since he started serving authentic English breakfasts, bangers and mash, sausage rolls and other British staples at a booth at the Beacon Food Hall. The reaction has been so positive that he's now getting ready to open up his own restaurant. Moreish is taking over the former location of Big Vinny's Pizza & Donnoli at 207 Main Street.

Hudson Valley's "British Food Invasion"

Culinary offerings from the UK have started to pop up in other areas of the Hudson Valley as well, including the Village of Wappingers, where Oliver Wilkinson and his mother, Sue, have based their savory pie business. Braised Pies opened up on Main Street last year and has become so popular that Wilkinson has just begun shipping his pies all over the country.

Opening Date for Moreish in Beacon, New York

According to Moreish's Instagram account, the new Beacon restaurant is expected to offer all of the classic British dishes from their food hall menu as well as authentic sweets like Bakewell Tarts and Banoffee Pie. Construction appears to be well underway, with renovations taking the walls down to the original brick. No official opening date has been announced, but Johnson had previously said that he was looking towards a Spring 2025 launch for the Beacon location.