Mark Sargeant steps back from his restaurant and pub empire

Chef Mark Sargeant has announced he is leaving his restaurant and pub empire, The Rocksalt Group, due to “unresolvable differences of opinion” with his business partner, Josh De Haan.

The portfolio includes Rocksalt, The Pilot, Little Rock, Smokehouse, and The Duke William at Ickham.

Sargeant said: “I would like to let you all know and with a heavy heart, that due to unresolvable differences of opinion between my business partner and I we both feel that it’s time to go our separate ways.

“I shall be moving on to pastures new but the businesses will all continue as normal. It’s been the most incredible 12 years building this mini empire and I am very sad to move on but the time has come for me to find a new challenge. Thanks for all the support over what has been the most amazing chapter of my life so far.”

The restaurants will continue to operate as normal. Sargeant, a former protege of Gordon Ramsay, provided no details as to where he would go next, or what he would be doing.

In May, reports came to light that Sargeant had been accused of sexually assaulting an American Airlines flight attendant during a work trip. In a statement the chef apologised to the woman in question after “misreading the situation” but denied allegations of sexual assault during a visit to Germany in 2018.

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