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General manager Mark Hands stands proud with Marco Pierre White

Marco Pierre White's new vision of dining

8th October 2010, 12:04pm

The renowned Marco Pierre White, who is often dubbed "the godfather of modern cooking”, is bringing his own vision of dining out to the South West with his latest venture in Bristol. Maria Bracken paid the new restaurant a visit.

Located at the luxury four star DoubleTree by Hilton, Cadbury House in Congresbury, Bristol, the new Marco Pierre White Steakhouse Bar & Grill boasts "exquisite food in a glamorous yet informal environment".

And it's the food and experience that really count at this restaurant, says the man himself, who snapped up the Bristol establishment after claiming it had "great potential". "To me the most important aspect of any new restaurant is the welcome on arrival. It's the environment you sit in and the service that you're given so we've been careful to make sure the new restaurant reflects that.

"The food plays a very important role. It doesn't have to be the finest because if I'm honest a lot of my favourite restaurants don't serve the greatest food in Britain but they serve very good food at a very good price."

Top quality food is the key across Pierre White's entire estate, especially when it comes to beef. The TV chef says if you don't have good quality beef, you are spoiling the diners' evening.

"The quality of beef is very important, whether it be in a steakhouse restaurant or in a Sunday roast dinner. But let's not forget, beef is a privilege to work with in this country and people will put their hands in their pockets that little bit deeper for good quality beef."

Pierre White, who has restaurants dotted all around the UK, reminisces back to when he opened his first steakhouse restaurant; Marco Pierre White Steak & Ale House in Whitechapel, London: "I like a good steakhouse. I opened my first steakhouse two years ago after I spoke to people in the city and found that what they really want is a good steak and a pint. I definitely think this works better for people than a glass of wine."

Affordability is also big on Pierre White's agenda. He says: "I've said many times that the future of dining out is affordable glamour. I think it's important to make the environment glamorous and friendly and I think it's important to make food affordable – today my favourite restaurants are those that have a cross sector of society in them."

The hotel in all its glory

"It's also important the way restaurants look after the family," he adds. "When a family walks into a restaurant you have to be able to accommodate them, to look after them and deliver all their needs."

As far as produce for the restaurant is concerned, Pierre White uses local suppliers where possible: "I think it's really important that you use local suppliers wherever you can. For example, we use the local farm for our duck eggs, we use Susie in the village next door but one to make our marmalade for our breakfast, and we use the local butcher for our sausages and bacon. The only thing we tend to struggle with is the consistency of beef."

"99% of staff is local, and there's something really nice about being able to share your talent, your knowledge and stories with people from Bristol."

Dishes on the menu, created by head chef Kieran Lenihan, formerly of The Cove restaurant in Weston-super-Mare, Somerset, include potted duck with prunes d'Agen, panache of sea scallops with smoked pork and apple and crispy fried calamari, lemon mayonnaise for starters, followed by main such as native breed rib of beef, Yorkshire pudding and roasting juices, steak and kidney pudding, real chips and red wine sauce, and steak house mixed grill, fried hen's egg. A three course meal costs £19.50 per person.

And with Christmas just around the corner, the team has devised a special menu to get into the spirit. The day time menu, which is priced at £80 per person, includes starters such as smoked salmon, cauliflower, panacotta & herb salad and risotto of pumpkin & roasted chestnuts, followed by mains such as roast Somerset turkey, purple sage & truffle stuffing and baked field mushrooms with ricotta & spinach & lemon sabayon.

Diners with a sweet tooth can indulge in desserts including the traditional Christmas pudding, a glazed prune & Armagnac rice pudding, and dark chocolate torte, candied oranges & honey.

Pierre White touches on his latest book, 'Marco Made Simple', describing it as "the perfect guide" to good food. "You can find all of the ingredients in the book wherever you are in Bristol. The book is all about how you can cook delicious food without too much technicability. It's all about bottles….and lots of them," he jokes.

He outlines his passion for great food: "I don't have a job, it is a way of life," he says. "I don't think to myself on Monday mornings I've got to work long hours every day. I like working in restaurants and I like working in my boozers. I like being involved in the industry, it's a way of life for me, it is my passion."

One of Marco's specialities: steak and chips

Going forward, the hotel has big plans to extend the room below the new 120 cover restaurant which is scheduled to open its doors on 1 November for weddings and private functions.

The hotel has also just completed its final phase of its 60-bedroom extension following an investment of £5m. The "boutique" venture now stands at 132 rooms and is the second biggest investment in the area outside from Bristol Airport.

Mark Hands, group general manager, says he could see a huge demand for a luxury hotel like this in the local area: "With occupancy levels consistently reaching 80% the demand for quality accommodation in the region was clearly evident and the new extension will not only mean more people can stay and enjoy the luxury surroundings of the boutique-style hotel, but host more events such as conferences, business meetings and weddings which before we had to turn away.

"The reawakening of Cadbury House has really put this part of North Somerset right on the map", he adds. "Its success demonstrates that there has always been demand for a quality hotel and we're delighted that the extension is now open."

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