The restaurant group, known for its lavish interior design, fine French and British food, small wine mark ups and ‘press for champagne’ buttons, currently has two sites in the capital, in Soho and the City. It plans to open more restaurants in the UK, as well as exploring potential markets in Japan. Plans are already under way to open a restaurant in Tokyo next year.
Having successfully navigated a challenging period for the hospitality industry over the last two and a half years, the restaurants are seeing a huge resurgence in bookings, and the company is returning to pre-Covid levels of business, according to ThinCats.
The first Bob Bob Ricard was opened in Soho in 2008 by founder and CEO Leonid Shutov, with Bob Bob Cite opening more than a decade later in 2019. Located on the third floor of the Leadenhall building, Bob Bob Cite underwent a design transformation to bring it more in line with the original restaurant when it reopened as Bob Bob City after Covid.
“At a time when businesses across the industry are facing more challenges than ever, we are focusing on what we do best – delighting our customers with great food and Champagne in incredible venues,” says Shutov.
“We see a lot of opportunity to expand our presence and deliver our unique experience to even more people. The relationship with have with Dave and the team at ThinCats is excellent, and we are pleased to have a funding partner who is backing our vision for the future.”
Dave Sherrington, regional head of sales, London, at ThinCats says: “I’ve known Leonid for many years and have always been an admirer of what he and his team have consistently achieved.
“Their passion and commitment, and their knowledge of the industry, are second to none. The restaurants are iconic institutions, well-loved by their clientele, and I am delighted that we are able to continue our support for this fantastic business.”