Richard Bainbridge set to open Benedict's restaurant in Norwich
Chef Richard Bainbridge is to open his own restaurant in Norwich in June.
The former head chef of Morston Hall received the keys for Benedict's last week and, along with his wife Katja, has begun work on the site on St Benedict's Street in the city.
The 30-cover restaurant, which will also feature a 25-cover private dining room, will see Bainbridge cooking many of the dishes that he refined at Morston Hall.
"It's in a really bohemian part of Norwich and St Benedict's street is quite an arty part of town," he said. "Now moving into the city I can be a little more avant garde, and do it in a more relaxed environment.
"There will be some Mortson classics that I designed, that have slowly become my signature dishes. The rest of the menu will grow organically with the team that we've got."
Bainbridge will be joined by former Morston Hall sous chef Ashley Williamson and restaurant manager Maddy Johnson, who worked with the chef at Morston Hall before taking degree in restaurant and hotel management.
He has also taken on three members of staff through TUPE from the previous bistro.
Bainbridge said owning the family-run restaurant was a dream come true.
"We got the keys on Friday and me, my wife and our one-year-old baby spent the night on pushed together booths in the restaurant having shared a celebratory bottle of champagne," he added.
"I've wanted my own restaurant for the last 15 years and actually the day I got the keys was 20 years to the day that I worked into a kitchen as a wash up in my local pub at the age of 13."
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