Leading Edinburgh chef robbed by '˜thug' in London

A leading Edinburgh chef has become the latest celebrity to be robbed in London.

Mark Greenaway has been mugged in London

Mark Greenaway, who runs an eponymous restaurant on North Castle Street and has appeared on TV shows such as the Great British Menu, had his phone stolen by a ‘thug’ on a bicycle while he was walking around the city on Monday morning.

The award-winning 3AA Rosette chef tweeted to warn his 16,000 followers after the incident.

“Beware folks,” he wrote. “Walking around London this morning and got my phone swiped straight out my hand by a thug on a bike.”

It comes after comedian Michael McIntyre was robbed by a gang of hammer-wielding thieves on mopeds while he waited to pick up his children from school in London last week.

The windows of the 42-year-old’s black Range Rover were smashed and he was forced to hand over a watch during the incident. McIntyre had been waiting in his vehicle to collect his sons in Golders Green in north London when he was attacked by two males.

The latest incident is not believed to be connected but follows a wave of violent crime across London in recent weeks.

Earlier this year, Greenaway said his restaurant was targeted by a fake booking which he believes to be a money laundering scam.

Speaking in March, the chef said he received an e-mail from a man claiming he wanted to book for a party of 30 people to celebrate his son’s birthday in April. But after confirming the booking for the £75-a-head tasting menu, the man went on to ask a “favour” of the three-AA-rosette restaurant - saying he wanted to pay an extra £2,000 on his credit card to pay a bus driver who would transport the group to the restaurant on the day of the event.

The “father” then added that he would not be able to pay the driver himself as he was in hospital, awaiting surgery for his “hearing impaired condition” and asked that the amount be paid to the driver via “cash deposit”.

Suspicious, Greenaway immediately contacted police, who advised him not to continue with the booking.

Restaurant Mark Greenaway in North Castle Street is one of the capital’s leaving culinary lights and has won the chef plaudits from around the world. In May it was named in The Square Meal top UK 100 restaurants.

Join our Facebook group Our Edinburgh to share images and news from and around the Capital

Know someone that makes a difference in our community? Nominate them for a Local Hero Award HERE