A celebrity chef’s newly named restaurant has opened with the team saying they are striving to be one of the best in their town.

Mark Sargeant is behind The Restaurant MS which welcomed its first customers in Folkestone on Friday.

Last month, the chef vowed to "do it right this time" after he was forced to close it down earlier this year due to “tough trading conditions”.

A post shared on the restaurant’s Facebook page ahead of the grand opening declared the team were ready to serve “amazing food”.

It read: “We're so grateful and excited to be open again and ready to serve amazing food.”

A few snaps of the inside of the restaurant in Clifton Gardens were shared alongside the post.

The Restaurant MS offers French-inspired cuisine as well as crafted cocktails. Locally caught fish including Folkestone lemon sole, is also on offer.

Following a successful first few days, the team shared a thank you post to everyone who has joined them so far.

“We're definitely pouring our staff some bubbles today after what's been an incredible weekend,” the post on Instagram read.

“Thank you to everyone who's dined with us so far and we're looking forward to continuing to strive to be one of Folkestone's best restaurants.

“Here's to a well-earned two days off!”

A former protege of Gordon Ramsay, Sargeant was the figurehead of a Kentish culinary empire that included Rocksalt on Folketone harbour as well as Wife of Bath in Wye and The Duke William in Ickham.

But that ended in October 2021, when he announced he would be stepping away from his restaurant and pub empire, citing "unresolvable differences" with his business partner Josh De Haan.

He took over his new Folkestone venue and called the eatery The Brasserie MS which lasted just a few months.

The site was previously occupied by Italian restaurant Tavernetta.

Husband-and-wife team Tommaso and Kirstine Borrello decided to retire after more than 15 years at the helm of the business, which had been in the town since 1965.