TV chef Enzo Oliveri has cooked for Hollywood actors, pop singers, royalty and the prime minister.

But now Enzo, known as The Sicilian Chef, could be rustling up a meal for you at his newest restaurant at the former Theatre Royal in Chatham High Street.

But he won’t be opening an Italian as he thinks there are too many in nearby Rochester High Street.

His latest venture is Turkish eaterie Pasha Meze, housed in the foyer area and first floor of the historic building where stars of a very different era trod the boards.

He is hoping curtain-up will be in early October, when diners will be able to see authentic Turkish cuisine cooked on an open kiln.

Enzo has appeared on Channel 4 shows with Michel Roux Jr and Gordon Ramsey.

He has several establishments in central London, but this is his first foray into eastern European food.

An architect working on the Theatre’s Royal’s restoration introduced him to the Victorian venue and he “fell in love with it”.

Enzo Oliveri’s culinary journey started when he was aged eight on the island of Sicily where he was born.

While still at school, he began work in a restaurant in Palermo and then moved to Belgium before coming to London in 1979.

He has cooked for Princess Diana, Al Pacino, Charlie Sheen, John Travolta, Sylvester Stallone, Madonna, Theresa May and Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby.

Enzo, 53, said: “I love Rochester and Chatham. It is such an up-and-coming place and I loved the look, the ethos and the charisma of the theatre.”

The chef has friends who run one of the many Italian restaurants in Rochester but was reluctant to follow suit.

He said: “I did my research and English people like Turkish food and so many go on holiday there. Also there are enough Italian places to eat in Rochester High Street.”

He is employing up to 15 staff and his chefs will all be Turkish. The restaurant will seat 120 diners and be open from 11.30am to 11.30pm, seven days a week.

Enzo has been paying visits from his Bromley home up to three times a week to oversee progress and plans to be a “hands-on boss”.

The 3,000-seat theatre opened in 1899 and attracted sell-out crowds watching performers like Charlie Chaplin, George Formby and Gracie Fields.

With the advent of television, audiences dwindled and it closed in 1955.

It stood empty for decades before the auditorium was developed into new homes, called the Theatre Quarter and now owned by mhs homes.