Caesars Entertainment UK F&B director Rob Wear said the company, which opened James Martin Manchester at Manchester 235 at the end of 2013, was in open discussions with existing partners and looking at other options with other chefs to help grow the business further.
He said: “James Martin Manchester has been phenomenally successful. It’s by far the busiest restaurant in our portfolio. Manchester has really taken James as one of their own. It’s been a huge success."
“For most members of the public, a casino isn’t high on the list of places to go out and eat, but having somebody like James associated with a venue gives that level of reassurance that they are going to get something exceptional and it also adds value for our casino members," he added.
“I see there being a lot more of this in the next couple of years.”
Integral part
Speaking ahead of the sell-out Kitchen Takeover event at James Martin Manchester last week, where Martin was joined by friend and fellow chef Glynn Purnell for one night, Wear said a strong F&B offering was integral to the business and ‘crucial’ to reaching new customers.
“Our F&B offering is one of the things that sets us apart from other UK-based casino operators. Only a small percentage of the population venture into a casino, so having this high-quality innovative operation as part of the venue is crucial in terms of getting new customers for us," he said.
James Martin Manchester is one of eight restaurants within Caesars Entertainment UK's estate.
Despite other commitments, including presenting BBC TV show Saturday Kitchen, Martin, who shut his Leeds Kitchen restaurant when casino Alea Leeds closed in March 2013, frequently cooks at Manchester 235, which venue director Austin Graham believes is behind its success.
Martin said: “I am not just the face of the James Martin Restaurant, I visit and cook at Manchester 235 regularly. Manchester 235 and I are passionate about giving customers the very best in dining and entertainment and I was delighted to be cooking with my great friend Glynn at the Kitchen Takeover event.”
Graham added: “No other restaurant in Manchester can boast about having celebrity chefs regularly cooking and hosting events. It’s something Manchester 235 is immensely proud to offer.”