The names above the door at Brighton's favourite gastronomic address are changing.

For the last 15 years One Paston Place in Kemp Town has been run by chef Mark Emmerson and his wife, Nicole.

But last week the couple served their last meal from the award-winning kitchen. They have sold up and are moving to the South of France.

The leasehold has been bought by another couple, Rachel and Francesco Furriello, who are equally passionate about food.

The pair are keeping the name of the restaurant, which will reopen tomorrow.

It is not the first change of owners on the premises.

There have been three different restaurants - Le Francais, Langan's Bistro and Paston Place - at that famous address over the last four decades.

And each one has been considered the best restaurant in town at the time.

Mark and Nicole are a hard act to follow.

The couple moved to Brighton in 1988 to run what was then Langan's Bistro, an offshoot of London-based Langan's Brasserie, part-owned by Michael Caine.

In 1992 they bought the restaurant and changed the name to One Paston Place.

They have earned a series of accolades, including three AA rosettes - the most in the city - and awards such as Perrier's restaurant of the year.

Mark, 44, started training at 18 and worked in Cannes, Dallas and London before moving to Brighton.

He and Nicole felt it was time for a change of pace.

Mark said: "We've done 15-and-a-half years of 80 hours a week - that's a long time.

"I don't think people realise what it takes to run a restaurant.

"It's also getting increasingly difficult to find good staff.

"We're looking for a quieter life in the South of France and are in the nice position to be able to do that at our age.

"The restaurant is in every major good food guide and has been top of the restaurants in Brighton for as long as we've been here, as well as having a national reputation.

"For the last 15 years we've dedicated a large part of ourselves to it and now we want our lives back."

Audrey Simpson, who used to run Troggs and now writes a food column in The Argus, described the Emmersons' departure as "another nail in the coffin of Brighton and Hove gastronomy."

But Rachel Furriello, 32, wants to assure people they will continue the high standards clients have come to expect.

Her partner Francesco trained at a one-star Michelin restaurant in Naples, worked as a soux chef in Bertorelli, Covent Garden, and ran two restaurants in Italy before moving to the UK.

Like their predecessors, Fran makes everything on site, including bread, chocolate and petits fours and the emphasis is on top quality local produce.

But she insists no one should feel uncomfortable.

She said: "Fine dining can be threatening or scary. I used to find walking into a Gordon Ramsey restaurant very intimidating.

"We don't want anyone to feel that way.

"Everyone is welcome, from food connoisseurs to people exploring for the first time.

"If you know all about the wine list, then great. If not, just ask and we'll explain. Everyone will be greeted with a smile.

"We would not have taken on such an incredible restaurant if we did not feel we could meet the expectations."