Yarm chef opens Fuego in former Tomahawk Steakhouse Potto
Tom Sturman has fired up the ovens at Fuego Steakhouse and Tapas, where heβs serving up tapas-style small plates, fine wines, and the finest cuts of British and Irish beef.
The 44-year-old has been one of the brains behind the Tomahawk Steakhouse brand for the last nine years, which he launched with Howard Eggleston from Potto in 2017.Β
But Tom has this year decided to step away as chef director to pursue a different business venture – and wants to take the Cooper Lane restaurant βback to its original rootsβ.Β
And the dad-of-three, who has previously worked at the likes of Joe Rigatoniβs and was head chef at the former Da Vinciβs restaurant in Yarm, said its all about βfire cooking, British tradition, and Spanish soulβ.
He said: βPotto was our original site and I was the chef here for the first year before we expanded as Tomahawk with Howard [Eggleston].Β
βI have always had a soft spot for Potto.Β
βThe idea for Fuego has been going on in the background since just before Christmas, and the response has been good – we have had plenty of calls and it has been perceived quite well.βΒ
The new restaurant was first announced just last week when Tomahawk Potto announced it would be closing its doors.Β
Teams have since gotten to work on revamping the venue so that Fuego βhas its own touchesβ added to it.Β
Tom said: βWeβre taking it back to its original roots – but nothing was broken with the Potto Tomahawk so I would be foolish to change it too much.Β
βRealistically, it is still a steakhouse with British and Irish beef but with some Spanish influences throughout the menu.Β
βWe wanted to keep it fire cooking with British tradition and Spanish soul. The dishes that are tapas are small plates and starters.Β
βFuego was chosen for its meaning of fire, we are cooking on a charcoal grill and we will have a big wood-fired pizza over on the deck in the summer and an Argentinian Grill.βΒ
From pork and beef meatballs, slider burgers, and calamari to serrano ham croquetas and chorizo churros, the Spanish tapas menu is available to start or share as small plates.Β
Meanwhile the venue will be offering various steaks from the fire alongside chicken breast, pork chop, monkfish, and hake.Β
Wagyu beef burgers, chicken parmesans, and even a steak parmesan are also up for grabs on the menu alongside an array of sides such as beef dripping chips and mac and cheese.Β
Tom said Fuego is employing between 25 and 30 members of staff: “Some of the staff have gone to work at other Tomahawks and some have stayed here at Potto.βΒ
He also said heβll be spending more time in the kitchen, having spent nine years as chef director Tomahawk and helping launch the Rio Steakhouse brand.Β
βI wish Tomahawk all the successβ, he said.Β
βI think, for me, for the last nine years, I have thrown my life into Tomahawk. And Rio at the beginning too.
“It was eventful, people would come to us as kids and leave as adults, staff came in as commis chefs that have worked their way through the ranks.Β
βI am going to be more in the kitchen here for the first six months.Β
See more from Fuego on its website here.
βLetβs see where it goes but I am hoping to open different sites or venues along the way.β
Fuego Steak and Tapas is open everyday of the week with food service timings as follows; Monday to Thursday 9am to 3pm and 4.30pm to 8.30pm, Friday and Saturday from 9am to 9pm and Sunday from 9am to 8pm.
The venue is also doing an opening offer of discounted vouchers, which are available on the Fuego website until the end of April. They can be used from Monday to Friday.