A FOURTH Chophouse is about to be born in Manchester. The proud father? One Marco Pierre White. Perhaps a more surrogate parent than the hands-on team behind our homegrown trio (no relation) of Thomas’s, Sam’s and Albert’s?
With 35 establishments under his belt, the one time three Michelin-starred enfant terrible is these days a serial launcher of restaurant brands. Hence Mr White’s English Chophouse, opening in April in the Velvet Hotel on Canal Street.
It took ToM by surprise, we must admit, to discover this Village landmark is now in the hands of the venerable KRO Hospitality group, who are providing a home for the second MPW interpretation of the classic chophouse – hot on the heels of the first in London’s Whitechapel. Expect more to be rolled out with the same inexorable trajectory that has marked Black & White Hospitality’s fellow brands, Steakhouse Bar & Grill, New York Italian, Wheeler’s of St James and Bardolino Pizzeria, Bellini & Espresso Bar.
Mr White’s English Chophouse (not to be confused with Mr Kipling’s exceedingly good etc) will focus on steaks and grills alongside the likes of hickory smoked baby back ribs, rillettes of duck with green peppercorn and seared sea scallops with black pudding, a pig mixed grill with English mustard sauce, roast rump of lamb a la dijonnaise, roast chicken a la forestiere and The Governor’s fried haddock and triple cooked chips.
Marco (above) said of his menu: “What’s appealing about the chophouse is its simplicity. The menu is very simple and the whole idea is to be generous with the portions and to make things affordable. Another reason behind Mr White’s Chophouse is to revive what is a distinctively British idea, so it’s great to see it coming to fruition.”
Kim Eivind Krohn, owner of KRO Hospitality said: “Having taken over the iconic Velvet Hotel Restaurant & Bar we’re now investing a significant amount of time and capital to open this fantastic new restaurant in what is one of Manchester’s most vibrant and exciting places to go out. Velvet Bar will continue to trade as normal and has just re-opened after a major refurbishment.”
Black & White Hospitality CEO Nick Taplin told The Caterer magazine: “To bring someone as iconic and important as Marco Pierre White to the centre of Manchester is something that will provide the area a huge boost in terms of attracting people looking for somewhere to eat and enjoy their leisure time. It should not be underestimated what it means for both the area and city.”
Still Marco, who retired as a chef in 1999, is no stranger to the area. You’ll find his Marco’s New York Italian in the Holiday Inn, Media City; he helped create a menu for the Blue Moon Cafe at the Etihad Stadium and a more upmarket offering in the early days of the Lowry Hotel’s River Room Restaurant.
A Chophouse is something else mind. Ask Thomas’s, Sam’s and Albert’s. A hard act to follow.