Proof is in the pudding at former Gordon Ramsay chef's ‘dessert bar’

London's first "dessert bar" will form the focal point of an ambitious £2 million restaurant venture by chef Jason Atherton after his split from mentor Gordon Ramsay.

Pollen Street Social, in Mayfair, opens in January. At the dessert bar diners will be invited to watch the kitchen prepare puddings for them. There will also be a large, open-all-day bar with a tapas-style menu and a chef's table.

Michelin-starred Atherton worked under Ramsay for almost a decade, most recently at Maze in Grosvenor Square. He said since the split he had not spoken to Ramsay, adding: "It was always going to be tense but there is no animosity on my part. It's great to be my own boss."

The new venue would be "informal, unstuffy, stylish". Atherton said: "You tell me what kind of food you want and I will cook it for you."