Cosmo plans to replicate Derby restaurant in five further sites
The mainly pan-Asian restaurant group has spent more than £1m on a London Road site in the East Midlands city which opened its doors last month - the first venue in the region for the group.
However operations director Kan Koo has now revealed that the 330-cover venue will become a flagship restaurant and will be replicated in new sites in Edinburgh, Preston, Nottingham, Sheffield and Leeds which all open later this year.
"We have spent in excess of £1m on Cosmo Derby and it is a fourth generation of our brand – and now the flagship model for all further venues across the UK," he explained.
Statement destinations
Cosmo Restaurants converted a 15,000sq.ft cinema to open its first Derby restaurant. It joins 13 other all-you-can-eat banqueting restaurants which the group operates across the UK however it represents a shift in emphasis for the chain.
The restaurant, which has created 60 local jobs, features a stonework and marble design inspired by five-star hotels and Michelin-starred restaurants, while a private dining area has been added - a first for Cosmo.
The changes, Kan Koo revealed, are designed to turn the brand from a buffet to a banqueting experience and to turn the restaurants into 'statement destinations'.
"When we opened our first restaurant in 2003 we revolutionised the idea of a buffet and completely turned it on its head to offer freshly-cooked global cuisine at great value. Since then we’ve launched 13 other venues around the UK and have learnt some valuable lessons along the way," he said.
"We’ve painstakingly researched every element of what makes a great dining experience, from the type of food on offer to how it’s cooked, the price and the surroundings you find yourself in.
"Here in Derby we have put all this knowledge into practice and shaken up the country’s restaurant scene yet again. We are offering the city five-star dining for a fraction of the price and a restaurant which is architecturally inspiring, elegant and the future face of our brand," he added.
Derby
Cosmo Derby offers diners 180 dishes from a number of cuisines including Indian, Oriental, Brazilian, Japanese and European.
Diners are able to browse 60m worth of counters featuring grills, hot plates and chilled cabinets and many of the dishes are prepared in front of customers at 10 live cooking stations.
