The founder of The Social Company is one of the UK’s most successful and respected chefs and restaurateurs with a career spanning more than two decades. He is also currently one of the most prolific restaurateurs, having opened five venues in as many months.
He will discuss his recent spate of London restaurant openings, which include Three Darlings, Sael, Mary’s, and his flagship new fine dining offer Row on 5, as well as what motivates him and share his thoughts on the UK’s dining scene in conversation with Restaurant editor Stefan Chomka.
Atherton will be joined by other leaders in the restaurant sector at the annual conference and lunch, which is being held on Tuesday 4 March at the Courthouse Hotel in London’s Soho.
Other speakers include Sandwich Sandwich founder Nick Kleiner, who will be discussing his brand’s journey from a local sandwich shop to a social media sensation, including opening the UK’s largest sandwich shop, and XeFeng Bai, managing director of Din Tai Fung UK, who will share his insights on the brand’s expansion in the capital and discuss the company’s latest opening in Canary Wharf.
The morning will also feature two engaging panel sessions that will explore key industry trends.
The first will look at the rise of the spin-off brand and will feature The Fulham Shore CEO Marcel Khan, who has just launched pizza brand Super Club Roma; MEATliquor co-founder Scott Collins, who is soon to open sports bar BLOODsports in Covent Garden; and Honest Burgers co-founder Tom Barton, who will discuss the process behind his brand’s new smashburger concept Smash + Grab.
The second panel will deal with the hot topic of international expansion, featuring leaders who have made the successful move from these shores as well as those looking to take their first steps.
Speakers include LSL Capital’s Samyukta Nair, named Restaurateur of the Year 2023, who is behind some of Mayfair’s best restaurants and who recently oversaw the launch of Jamavar Dubai; Dishoom CEO Brian Trollip, who will discuss the Indian restaurant group’s plans Stateside; Marcello Distefano, MD at San Carlo, which operates restaurants in Bangkok, the Middle East and the US; and Josh Kirk, commercial director at JKS Restaurants, which also operates sites in the US and Middle East with plans for more.
The morning will also feature insight from Mark Bentley, business development director at Hospitality Data Insights. Bentley will provide an overview of how the UK hospitality sector is performing in different parts of the country, and look at what the key characteristics are of businesses are that are performing well.
The morning conference will be followed by a networking lunch at Din Tai Fung’s beautiful Centre Point restaurant.
Tickets to attend the morning conference and lunch cost just £50 and are available to multi-site restaurateurs.
To secure your place click here.