DJ Chris Evans aims to become ‘custodian' of Langan's Brasserie
BBC Radio 2 DJ Chris Evans has expressed an interest taking a stake in legendary restaurant Langan's Brasserie to recreate its early years of greatness and install two-Michelin-star chef Tom Kerridge in the kitchen.
Writing in his column in the Mail on Sunday, Evans said that one of his key ambitions for 2013 was "to take over as custodian of Langan's Brasserie, one of the country's best restaurants when I was growing up".
He described the trio of Richard Shepherd, Michael Caine and Peter Langan, who headed the restaurant in its heyday as "a formidable triumvirate the likes of which the UK catering industry had never seen before or since".
Last year Shepherd became the final member of the three original owners to sell his shares in the business. He remains as chairman of Langan's Restaurants, which also comprises Langan's Bistro and Odin's in Marylebone and Shepherd's in Westminster, but has stepped down from the day-to-day running of the company.
Langan, a well-known hell-raiser, died tragically in a fire in 1988 and Shepherd bought out Caine's share of the business in 1999.
Brian Clivaz, who Evans described as "the flamboyant and super-experienced ex-boss of the staggeringly successful Arts Club" now heads the company as chief executive. He holds shares in the business, alongside a number of private individuals including businessman Vijay Malde.
In essence, he wants Langan's Brasserie to "slow down" and become a place where "the great connectors and thinkers of the world can meet and greet and talk and ponder and let their minds wander for as long as they need to. A place where the whole world is turned, instead of just tables every hour for as much profit as possible."
Clivaz told Caterer and Hotelkeeper that he had met with Evans earlier this week to discuss some of his ideas.
"Chris has been a long-time customer of the brasserie for some 20 years and, like many people, loves the place and has many thoughts about how it should be run.
"He expressed an interest in getting involved and we shall have to see where it goes. It depends on whether we can agree on something that can work for both of us."
Last month Evans bought two paintings, including a David Hockney portrait of Langan with his wine supplier, Jean-Marc Moussis, for £97,000, in a sale of artwork collected by Langan and Shepherd during the lifetime of the restaurant.
Richard Shepherd steps down from Langan's Restaurants >>Artworks from Langan's Brasserie and Odin's raise £1.8m at Christie's auction >>
By Janet Harmer
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