Brian Turner to open Butlins restaurants

The family-orientated restaurant, to be named Turner’s, will launch next month within the seaside leisure park's resort.

The menu will focus on British classics with a “Butlins twist”, featuring dishes such as shepherd’s pie with a Wensleydale cheese topping, Norfolk chicken, avocado and cherry tomato salad and marmalade bread and butter pudding.

“I’ve done a lot of cooking over the years and its about time that we cooked for families and get young children into food - this is a good way to do that,” Turner told BigHospitality. “Turner’s is about trying to keep families together while on holiday, have them sit down together and have a decent meal that offers value for money without having to go to a fast food restaurant.”

Turner, who was the first British chef to gain a Michelin star and who is also the British judge for global cooking competition the Bocuse d’Or, last operated a restaurant in 2008 at the Millenium Hotel in Mayfair.

“I’m not going to be an onsite restaurateur with this – I’m just helping Butlins put this together. It’s got my name on there, we’ve done the menu, I’ve put the chef in there and I will be guiding it, but I wont be cooking everyday. I will learn a few lessons and hopefully be helpful to them,” he added.

Roll out planned​

Turner has appointed Nigel Davis, formerly head chef of The Ivy to oversee the 150-cover restaurant, which has the potential to expand to 300 covers..

Once Turner’s launches at Butlins, the chef will also look to open a second and third venue at the group’s Minehead and Skegness resorts.

“Hopefully it will launch before the Easter holidays. We’ll write a blueprint when this one’s open and just copy them out,” Turner said.