PRESS RELEASE from 235:
Celebrity chef James Martin will be taking over Manchester235’s Linen restaurant this Autumn - the entertainment and gaming destination has confirmed.
The restaurant is set to become James Martin Manchester, opening in September, with the exact date to be announced in coming weeks. The menu will be a mix of James Martin’s classic British style of cuisine; locally sourced, big on flavour and uncontrived in its simplicity.
James Martin said; “Over the last few months, there has been a definitive shift in Manchester’s restaurant scene and I can’t wait to be able to add James Martin Manchester into the mix.
"I’ve always been keen to have a restaurant presence in the city and my relationship with Caesars Entertainment UK gives me the perfect platform to do this. I’m currently working on the menus, with our main focus on Modern British Cuisine - I’m looking forward to unveiling some of our key dishes very soon!”
Justin Carter, Venue Director at Manchester235, said; “We are extremely excited to welcome James to the Manchester235 casino. A chef of his talent and profile is exactly what we envisaged for the restaurant moving forward and will add to our already dynamic entertainment offering.
"Our philosophy at Manchester235 is to create a destination entertainment venue with great bars, restaurants and entertainment alongside the gaming; Caesars Entertainment who owns Manchester235 has a number of established celebrity relationships in the US, and we are bringing that concept to the UK.
An initial webpage has been set up www.jamesmartinmanchester.co.uk for people to register their interest and to sign up for news surrounding the opening date and menu details.
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James Martin Bio:
Brought up as a farmer’s son on the Castle Howard Estate in Yorkshire, James was nearly thrown out of school cookery classes at age 12. Instead of baking fairy cakes like the rest of the class, James served up flambéed chicken with mangetout. Clever clogs.
At 16 James went on to top catering school Scarborough Technical College where he stood out like flambéed chicken at a fairy cake party, receiving student of the year three years on the trot. Cheese and wine pilfering celebrity chef Anthony Worrall Thompson was a judge at James’ final exams, and subsequently offered him a job at London’s 190 Queen’s Gate.
In 1994, at the tender age of 22, James opened the Hotel and Bistro du Vin in Winchester as Head Chef, changing the menu every single day. James’ Head Chefery acted as a springboard for the hotel group to open a further nine hotels over the next ten years. It wasn’t long until fame came-a-knockin’.
One of the clientele, a television producer gave James her card and said she could ‘make him a star’. Television and cook book notoriety ensued, beginning in 1996 with Ready Steady Cook and The Big Breakfast. Since then he has gone on to pen countless cookbooks, feature on numerous cookery shows and even fit in a spot of twinkle-toeing on Strictly Come Dancing, an appearence that lead to him taking over the reins on Saturday Kitchen in 2006 from former mentor Worrall Thompson. Doubling the ratings in the process.
In 2011 James opened Leeds Kitchen, winning numerous awards and becoming the first UK casino restaurant to be placed in the Michelin Guide.
In 2012 he opened his second restaurant as The Talbot in his hometown of Malton. In 2013 food critic Jay Rayner writing for The Observer stated that one of the dishes was, “the single best plate of food I have been served this year.”
He also holds the world record for chopping carrots, 515g in one minute. Not bad.
