Brighton's Grand Hotel planning second restaurant
Executive chef Alan White, who oversees the hotel's seafood restaurant GB1, told BigHospitality that though the plans were in early stages he hoped the new site would be more of a theatrical offering, with the menu likely shifting to a meat focus.
He said: “We’ve got new owners and a five year plan; they liked the idea [of the new restaurant] and told us to start the ball rolling.
“I would like there to be more of an open plan theatre kitchen, and maybe some entertainment as well. The restaurant might be in booths, so guests could book a booth rather than a table.
“The food would not be the main driver, but the ambience, entertainment and food would all link to each other to create more of a destination restaurant.”
White said the site would be ‘probably double the size’ of the 150-cover GB1.
He said: “We haven’t set ourselves a timeframe yet, but now it’s about doing market research, meeting designers and trying to find out what we think the restaurant is going to be.
“I can’t even begin to write a menu because I don’t know what it is yet! It’s quite far down the line, but that would come together in the last three months before opening.”
The Grand was sold by the De Vere group for an undisclosed sum last year. The sale followed a £5m redevelopment which included the opening of GB1 and a well-being spa in 2013.
