Andrew Pern announces fourth restaurant
Michelin-starred chef Andrew Pern has revealed plans to open a fourth restaurant, in Whitby, Yorkshire.
The Star Inn The Harbour, due to open in spring 2017, will be a brasserie-style restaurant showcasing high quality, fresh fish and seafood from local suppliers.
Dishes will include: oysters on ice; grilled Dover sole; melting potted shrimps and marsh samphire; a ‘rockpool' of North Sea shellfish' and a Whitby crab ‘stick' with crab and avocado ice-cream.
Alongside fish dishes, the menu will include meat and game supplied by local butchers and surrounding estates.
Discussing future menu plans, Pern said: "The harbour is three metres away from the front door, so the majority of the menu will be fish and seafood. Deep fried fish and chips is a must! We will probably use our own Two Chefs Beer for the batter, which is made with my former head chef James Mackenzie. Carnivores will be catered for admirably too. We will have a grill section, some surf ‘n' turf combinations and possibly a rotisserie, depending on space and amenities."
Together with business partner Mike Green, Pern made a bid for the site on Langborne Road, which was a tourist information centre, before being selected as the preferred leaseholder by Scarborough Borough Council.
Pern, who was brought up in Whitby, told The Caterer: "When we saw the tourist centre, we knew that we wanted to have the building. We didn't want to see it become another chain restaurant. Thankfully, Whitby and Scarborough Borough Councils understood our aim to use local produce, employ local people and use the local college for apprenticeships and students alike.
"We would like people who come to enjoy the seaside to visit and eat well with friends and family, from breakfast through to full meals and snacks served all day. It will, of course, have a nautical theme, with a bit of fun too.
"If any accolades come along - great, but we will endeavour to do the simple things well and appreciate the wonderful produce and larder we have on our doorstep before anything else."
The Star Inn The Harbour will be Pern's fourth restaurant, alongside the Michelin-starred Star Inn at Harome, Star Inn the City in York and recently opened Mr P's Curious Tavern, a small-plates style restaurant in York.
Derek Bastiman, leader of Scarborough Borough Council, said: "We were extremely impressed with the bid received from Andrew and Mike. It stood out way above the others in terms of matching our vision for investment from a high quality business that will bring new jobs and economic growth to Whitby as well as enhancing the town's reputation for excellent cuisine in wonderful surroundings.
"The Yorkshire coast is thriving and without a doubt, The Star Inn The Harbour matches our ambition for improving further the area's attractiveness and vitality. It is a hugely exciting development, which should be seen as fabulous news for Whitby; after all, there are not many chefs of Andrew's calibre that hand-pick a coastal town to set up business in."
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