Richoux Group to open fifth Dean’s Diner – Derby Hotels acquires 100% of The Caesar in London – Opus restaurants rated most sustainable in region – A foodie paradise in Weybridge – The Crown at Whitebrook to re-open under Chris Harrod
Richoux Group to open fifth Dean’s Diner
The classic 1950s inspired American diner will open in the Pioneer Centre development in Bicester, Oxfordshire, after an investment of £500,000 developing the restaurant.
The most recent Dean’s Diner opened within the Whiteley Shopping Centre in Fareham in May.
Dean’s Diner offers a wide choice of meals, specialising in burgers, ribs, rotisserie chicken, wraps, fries and sides. It will also serve 13 different milkshakes, a selection of American beers and wines, authentic American pancakes, sundaes and desserts, and features a children’s menu, as well as a breakfast menu.
Richoux Group Plc Managing Director, Ed Standring, said:
“I’m confident that the new Dean’s Diner will prove popular with people of all ages.
“Our most recent opening at Whiteley Shopping Centre has been an outstanding success, and we are looking forward to the same level of success at Pioneer Square.”
Derby Hotels acquires 100% of The Caesar in London
Derby Hotels Collection and the Metrópolis group reached an agreement by which Derby has acquired the group’s 50% share in Hotel Banke in Paris and The Caesar in London and now holds 100% of the capital. Between the two hotels the operation is worth a total of 120 million euros.
Derby Hotels Collection, with a total of 20 establishments in operation under Chairman Jordi Clos, including their flagship hotels in Spain, the Claris in Barcelona and the Urban in Madrid, consolidate outright ownership of these two emblematic hotels in London and Paris.
The 4 star Caesar is located in a typical and recently remodelled Victorian building, its peaceful setting in a residential area and proximity to Paddington station and Hyde Park making it suitable for both leisure and business stays.
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Opus restaurants rated most sustainable in region
Opus at Cornwall Street, Birmingham and Café Opus at Ikon have both been awarded Three Star ratings by the Sustainable Restaurant Association (SRA). Their Three Star ratings place them among the highest rated restaurants in the UK, alongside the likes of Raymond Blanc’s Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons and Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall’s River Cottage.
An intimate relationship with all their suppliers, sending no waste to landfill and working really closely with the local business and arts community, are among some of Opus’ many initiatives that impressed the SRA’s assessors.
Organising the Colmore Business District Food Festival, being one of the founder members of the Culinary Alliance of Birmingham and sponsoring Ikon and Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery, are just some of the ways in which Opus places itself at the heart of the community.
Opus is totally committed to serving the best food it can, and Ann Tonks, Director and her team have also set about minimising the restaurants’ environmental impact. Their initiatives now mean they send no waste to landfill and, following the installation of LED lights, electricity consumption has been reduced by a staggering 80%. All paper is recycled less than one mile from the restaurant, on the site of a former Victorian paper mill.
A foodie paradise in Weybridge
Following a stunning refurbishment, the Hand & Spear has recently reopened with a new food offering from ‘Masterchef the Professionals’ semi-finalist Karl Byron, making it the go-to dining destination in Weybridge.
Food from a ‘Masterchef’
Head Chef Karl Byron has carefully crafted a menu of British classics that demonstrates his passion for locally sourced and foraged ingredients. From seasonal starters such as summer vegetable soup with pumpkin and locally-made Norbury blue cheese dumplings, or seared scallops with British truffle potato and watercress and egg salad; to mains including 12-hour slow-roasted Dingley Dell pork belly served with bubble and squeak, crackling, toffee apple and Bramley sauce, as well as pan fried sea bream with saffron potatoes, wilted summer greens and a herb and shallot butter.
Home from Home
After a complete overhaul, the Hand and Spear is reborn with all the comfort and grandeur of a Victorian country house. For those seeking gastronomic greatness, enter through the pantry and into the elegant dining room or the light and airy conservatory; after dinner, retire to one of the library’s luxurious chesterfield armchairs.
For a more casual affair, enter through the parlour into the main bar, a home-from-home that’s perfect for a post-work pint or for catching up with friends and family at the weekend. In the summer months, the extensive garden is the perfect place to soak up the sunshine with a drink and a bite to eat.
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The Crown at Whitebrook to re-open under Chris Harrod
Walesonline reports that Chef Chris Harrod, a protege of Raymond Blanc’s, has bought the Crown at Whitebrook and will re-open the formerly award-winning restaurant this October.
Chris Harrod has bought the restaurant and is intent upon re-building the restaurant’s reputation as one of the finest in the country. It was one of only 4 restaurants in Wales to hold a Michelin star.
Formerly led by Caerleon-born chef James Sommerin, the Crown at Whitebrook closed in March when previous owners Crown Hotels and Restaurants Ltd went into administration.
Chris comes to Monmouthshire from Denbighshire, where he was consultant chef at Rhug Estate Organic, and his 15-year career includes two years at the Michelin-starred L’Ortolan restaurant in Reading and a stint with Raymonc Blanc at Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons.
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