After Ceru, chef Tom Kime heads to East Village

English TV chef Tom Kime has brushed himself off after the midyear collapse of his Kings Cross restaurant Ceru. The chef will oversee the kitchen at East Village, which reopens next month in Darlinghurst.

Ceru lasted just four months – despite having called in a feng shui master, Kime couldn't overcome the site's bad karma.

Kime has a new group executive chef role with Goodtime Hospitality, the clever start-up also behind Petersham's West Village.

In a nice piece of commercial symmetry, Goodtime acquired the East Village hotel earlier this year. After a major renovation, the four-storey pub and its coveted rooftop will be unveiled in October.

Chef Graham Johns (ex Quay) will head its kitchen, which Kime says will serve "fresh dishes, full of flavour" on the rooftop terrace while reimagining; counter meals in its public bar.