Bush named chief exec at Celebrated

The Celebrated Group, which operates Chili's Texas Grill and Bar, has appointed Michael Bush as chief executive.

Bush (above), who was president of the UK operations of Domino Pizza Group, takes over from Geoffrey Tucker, who becomes chairman of Celebrated. Tucker guided Celebrated's acquisition of Restaurant House last November, which brought the UK Chili's under Celebrated's ownership.

Four new Chili's restaurants will open between August and October next year, starting with one in a retail park in Basildon, Essex, in October. However, Celebrated has decided not to convert its JW Johnson's outlet in Manchester's Deansgate.

"We want to create awareness of Chili's so we will cluster ourselves in the M25 area. Cambridge is as far north as we're going to go," said Bush. The group is scouring Reading, Croydon, Kingston and Slough for sites.

Celebrated will have 11 restaurants operating by October 2000, but Bush will not repeat the mistake of opening on Shaftesbury Avenue. "Cambridge has been profitable for over a year and Canary Wharf has been profitable since July. But people are still watching us," he said.