Arnaud Stevens to open Sixtyone restaurant with Searcys
Situated on Upper Berkeley Street, Stevens will open the 61-cover restaurant on 11 November as part of an on-going partnership with up-market bar and restaurant operator Searcys.
“The location and style of Sixtyone are perfect for my West End debut,” said the chef. “I’m excited about the opportunity to showcase my food to a new audience of customers, in particular the local neighbourhood.
“I have a great partnership with Searcys and I’m looking forward to exploring new ingredients and dishes with my team.”
On the menu
Stevens has devised the new restaurant’s menu, which will feature dishes such as mussles with bread soup and crispy suckling pork belly; rabbit confit with parsnips, mustard and pistachio; and Jerusalem artichokes with Scottish girolles and hazelnuts.
Starters will range from £6-11, mains £15-£24.50 and desserts £6-7. There will also be a weekly-changing set lunch and early evening menu, priced at £22 for three courses, and £18 for two.
General manager Artan Mesekrani comes in from Gordon Ramsay at Claridge’s and Jonathan Cellier comes in from Searcys Club at The Gherkin as the sommelier. An international wine list of 200 bins will start at £20 for a bottle.
Sixtyone restaurant has been designed by Tonik, with the main restaurant area accommodating up to 61 diners and a private dining room allowing for an additional 16.
Arnaud Stevens: Career Profile
In a wide-ranging Career Profile interview with BigHospitality last year, Stevens – who is part of the management team at Searcys – said that his greatest achievement comes in achieving consistency in the sites he looks after.
“Not only in terms of the food offering, but also with profit margins, staff cost forecasts and managing Environmental Health administration,” he said.
Giving his advice for young chefs beginning their career in hospitality, Stevens concluded: “Focus and work hard and be prepared to take 10 years to get to a senior position correctly.
"You should only work for the best people in the particular field you want to enter, such as hotels, restaurants or events, but above all enjoy what you do - being a chef is a fantastic job with huge rewards.”
Sixtyone restaurant will open at 61 Upper Berkeley Street on 11 November.
