A TALENTED young chef is expanding his restaurant 18 months after opening for business.

Isaac Bartlett-Copeland, 23, is behind the eponymous Isaac At on Gloucester Street Brighton, which has won praise from diners and critics for its Friday and Saturday set menus.

The pop-up restaurant is now closed for refurbishment in preparation its relaunch as a full Tuesday-Saturday night restaurant.

The ambitious chef is expanding the open kitchen so that guests can feel part of the action.

Isaac and his young team have also been working on a new four course set menu alongside the full tasting menu experience.

They have also welcomed on board a new restaurant manager Alex Preston, 21, who is developing a ‘Sussex Flight’ pairing menu.

Isaac said: "I’ve always been very ambitious, but in a way that’s helped me push myself. In terms of the restaurant, we always make time for progression.

"We always want to get to the next week and be better than we were the week before. We felt like we’d peaked in the set-up we had and needed to expand to take it to the next level and keep improving.”

Isaac has seven years’ professional experience and won Silver in the 2015 Sussex Young Chef of the year.

His young team includes sous chef George Thomas, 21, and commis chef G Ousley, 20.

Isaac said: “We’re just a really good team. We get on so well and as we bond more we learn how each other work and work around each other in the kitchen. We’re good friends now and that really helps with how the system works in the kitchen. And as we’ve added to the team, people tend to learn on the job."

On his restaurant and inspiration, Isaac added: “To help build the formula for my perfect restaurant, I took inspiration from my old college tutor in London, as he had a Michelin star when he was younger.

"He told me to get a book and go to all the best restaurants in the world and write down what I think, love and hate about them.

"It seems simple, but I started doing that, which is why I eat absolutely everywhere. The impact that has is quite astounding as you really start to understand what makes a restaurant fantastic, on top of the food you’re creating.

"When you eat out a lot it keeps your mind on point about what’s important.”

Isaac At reopens on Friday, September 9.