The owners of Ox and Finch are opening a new restaurant in the West End creating 35 full-time jobs. 

Ka Pao, which derives from the Thai word for Holy Basil, will take over the historic category A-listed Botanic Gardens on Vinicombe Street in January. 

The restaurant will accommodate 120 covers to serve a South East Asia inspired menu. 

The same core management team that opened Ox and Finch in Kelvingrove in 2014 will involved in Ka Pao, which was was made possible after the team secured six-figure funding from the HSBC UK. 

Headed by Jonathan MacDonald, Daniel Spurr will oversee the operation of the open kitchens at Ka Pao and Ox and Finch, whilst Andy MacSween will manage the front of house and bar teams at both locations.  

Twelve senior chef and restaurant management roles at Ka Pao and Ox and Finch have been fulfilled via promotion through the ranks of the business, underlining the company’s firm commitment towards staff development and progression.  

The company is looking to recruit for 35 positions in total for the new eatery.

Glasgow Times:  

Jonathan said: "I have had an enormous amount of respect for the approach to food in South East Asia for as long as I have been cooking. The fascination was really ignited when I spent a lot of time working and travelling in that part of the world in my twenties. Living and working in Melbourne was also a big inspiration, as South East Asian flavours and influences are uniquely interwoven in Australian cooking.

"Some of my most memorable cooking and eating experiences have been in Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam, and Thailand: sometimes in impressive restaurants, but more often on plastic stools by the side of the road."

Daniel added: "Ka Pao is not about trying to be authentic or replicating the food of any particular region or country. The guiding principle will be more about taking inspiration from dishes, ingredients and flavour combinations that we have encountered, that have influenced us and combining them with our own local produce.”