Minute on the clock: Riccardo Giraudi, chief executive, the Giraudi Group

That was the beginning of Le Beefbar. But Le Beefbar, in general, are big units, so when I was looking to open one in London and I was offered a little restaurant in Chelsea, I said, ‘We can't do the flagship there because it's too small, but why don't we do it as an umbrella brand?' We added to the concept by introducing a smaller menu with our signature dishes. Then we opened our second one in Dubai, a third in Paris, and the fourth one in Edinburgh, all in the space of three years.

Why did you choose Edinburgh to open your latest Beefbar?

I was kindly offered the location adjacent to the George hotel. It's a great city and the hotel is beautiful space. For me, it's perfect for Le Petit Beefbar. We did studies of the city because it's a new place for us and we decided to go for it.

How was it working with the George hotel when setting up your Edinburgh outlet?

It was the first time I worked with IHG Hotels & Resorts; they are very nice people, very professional, and they were very excited about the product which, for me was the honour. We had to adapt the concept because, while the restaurant has an independent entrance, it is part of the DNA of the hotel, so we had to work on creating an all-day experience.

How will this new opening add to Edinburgh and Scotland's food scene?

It's an honour for us to be there. That's how I see it. I feel that people in Edinburgh are open to trying this concept because they seem very modern to me. There are a lot of young people there too, and I said, ‘OK, I think it could work'. We are offering a different type of meat restaurant, not your usual traditional steakhouse. I hope the brand is embraced.

Will you source from Scottish producers?

Yes, we are. A butcher called me up and said he would love to work with us and asked if we were planning to use any Scottish beef. I said "of course we were". It was John Gilmour Butchers and I found out it was one of the most renowned distributors of Scottish beef. We are also working with another family-run butchers, Campbells. All our T-bone and fillets steaks will be sourced from Scottish farmers, with the beef born, raised and slaughtered in Scotland. Seabass and salmon are on the menu too and will be sourced from independent farming company Loch Duart. All fresh produce will be grown on British soil.

What new or Scottish-themed items will be added to the menu?

For the opening, we will start with a traditional menu with meat and fish from Scotland. We will do one or two traditional Scottish dishes, but that will be in the autumn. We're going to have our classic bao buns, kebabs, sauces and our plant-based burgers from Redefine Meat.

What was the decision-making process behind your collaboration with Redefine Meat?

It shows openness. Vegan meat is not the future but it's part of it. Meat will not disappear. We should not be scared of it; we should embrace it. When I tried the product, I was convinced. The product is so innovative – we have no competition, we're years ahead. And I think it's a great marketing tool as well. If you're going to Le Beefbar, I'm not giving you a cauliflower steak. You can have a vegan steak and vegan sauce and still enjoy the deeper experience.

What does the future hold for the brand?

The brand can reach further. I would love to open more restaurants in London. A lot of people are talking to me about Manchester, so it would be good to look there too.