I'll Be Mother group reveals ambitious growth plans

Pete Cornwell has revealed ambitious growth plans for the I'll Be Mother group, which is expected to double its staff over the next year.

"Staffing has doubled in the last year and will again next year when the event space at the Beacon kicks in," said Cornwell, speaking to The Caterer about his big plans for the Kent-based business. "We've got a lot going on… the whole group has moved on quite a lot."

Around £300,000 has been invested into a marquee and wedding space at the Beacon, the group's restaurant in Tunbridge Wells. And as well as launching a consultancy arm, Mothership, the group has also launched its own events business Mother Love Events, focusing on weddings.

Cornwell said the business has been overseeing approximately 50-60 weddings in a year, which is set to grow to about 100 next year, while the group's staff has doubled over the last year to 120 and is expected to hit "a couple of hundred" next year.

Following the departure of the group's executive chef and creative director Scott Goss last month and the recruitment of head chef Megs Buchanan, the Twenty Six restaurant in Tunbridge Wells is set for a new direction, moving away from tasting menus to a lighter ‘five-five-five' menu.

The group also has a new executive chef; Mark Constable has been promoted from head chef at the Beacon in Tunbridge Wells to executive chef of the whole group, overseeing the Swan at Chapel Down and the Kingdom Café at the group's Kingdom venue in Penshurst as well as the Twenty Six and the Beacon.

The Café opened earlier this month under Constable's leadership, with a yet unnamed "high profile chef" expected to announce a partnership with the restaurant next year.

Chef Scott Goss opens Verdigris in Kent >>

Profile: Pete Cornwell, founder, I'll Be Mother restaurant group >>

Peter Cornwell's Kingdom hits crowdfunding target >>

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