Simon Rimmer at Layla Brasserie is scheduled to open its doors in November with the launch of the 87-bedroom hotel, situated in the Grade II listed former Municipal Annexe council buildings in the city centre.
Rimmer, who co-owns two restaurants - Greens in Manchester and Earle in Hale - plans to create a destination restaurant at the hotel, currently being developed by Sanguine Hospitality.
The chef, who joins Marco Pierre White and Nick Nairn in operating restaurants within Doubletree by Hilton hotels, said he was currently choosing a 'talented and creative' team to work at the restaurant, which will serve a British menu alongside the chef's new range of beers.
"We are in the process of hand-picking the most talented and creative chefs in the hospitality industry who will join the team in Liverpool,” he said.
“Thanks to their expertise, my vision for creating something really special and my ambition to be the best independent neighbourhood restaurant in Liverpool is being realised.”
Doubletree by Hilton
Scheduled to be Layla Hotel and Liverpool's first five star hotel before a deal fell through, owners Municipal Annex Limited signed a franchise agreement with Doubletree by Hilton last year to open the hotel under the brand. The hotel will be managed by the Liverpool-based Sanguine Hospitality, whose management business was acquired by Interstate earlier this year.
David Hughes, general manager of DoubleTree by Hilton Liverpool said: “DoubleTree by Hilton Liverpool is delighted to be working with Simon Rimmer and we welcome such a well loved name on the food scene to our beautiful new hotel.”
“This is a hotel that Liverpool deserves and we therefore wanted to give the city one of the country’s finest chefs to head up its most prestigious destination restaurant, venue and hotel.”
Rimmer, who co-hosts Sunday Brunch with Tim Lovejoy on Channel 4, opened his first restaurant Greens in Manchester in 1990 before going on to open Earle in Hale in 2006.