The chef, who opened a Steakhouse Bar & Grill at Nottingham's Alea Casino last year, urged independent restaurateurs in the city to get involved with Nottingham Business Improvement District's (BID) Food & Drink Fortnight (3-17 August) to help promote their business.
White, who has written the foreword to the festival's guide said he had become increasingly aware that the East Midlands city, home to Michelin-starred Restaurant Sat Bains, Hart's and the home of Red Hot World Buffet, had become a 'hugely creative, vibrant city with a thriving gastronomic scene'.
"For the restaurateurs, it is a chance to highlight their quality and creativity, encouraging the all-important repeat business. This is a great initiative that truly celebrates the city’s passion for food and drink," he said.
“For those who enjoy dining out, Nottingham’s Food & Drink Fortnight will open the doors to some of the most exciting and highly-regarding eateries in the UK, and it’s the ideal opportunity to try new surroundings, dishes and flavours."
Repeat business
Set up earlier this year with a vision to make Nottingham a shopping and leisure destination of choice, the Nottingham BID, which is supported by more than 770 businesses, has created a £10 menu deal initiative for the event and will heavily promote the city's drinking and dining options online and through its special guide as well as offer free parking after 6pm.
“Nottingham has a wealth of top quality places to eat, with many creating superb dishes using fresh ingredients from local suppliers. The Food & Drink Fortnight will be an excellent way of highlighting the culinary delights of our city, enhancing the experience for visitors and creating repeat business for BID members taking part," said Nottingham BID director Tom Waldron-Lynch, who is also general manager of the Park Plaza hotel.
Nottingham BID, which is also aiming to retain the city's Purple Flag, also gives support to the city's licensed sector by running a range of initiatives, such as free due diligence training for staff working in licensed premises, taxi marshalls and street pastors, a team of volunteers who give support to the city's nigh time visitors on Friday and Saturday nights.
Catering cluster
White's public support of the Food & Drink Fortnight comes as shopping centre owner Intu announced it had submitted a planning application to create a new 'catering cluster' at Nottingham's Victoria Centre.
The proposal for a two-storey dining area with space for up to 12 units, is part of the operator's plan to invest £35m in the centre and increase its overall focus on catering at the 16 shopping centres it owns. It follows last week's announcement of an application for a £17m destination dining quarter at Intu Eldon Square in Newcastle.
Intu asset management director Martin Breeden said: “We already receive over 23 million visitors to Intu Victoria Centre each year and with these proposals and the mall refreshment, we can increase that figure and also increase the time our customers spend in the centre. Our initial marketing of the project has been very well received by restaurant operators.”