CELEBRITY CHEF JEAN-CHRISTOPHE NOVELLI OPENS
FIRST GASTROPUB
PRESS RELEASE:

Harpenden, 13th January 2006: Celebrity superchef Jean-Christophe Novelli has defied superstition by opening his first ever gastropub today, Friday 13th January!!

‘A Touch of Novelli’ at The White Horse in Harpenden, Hertfordshire, the first of a planned chain of ten Novelli gastropubs around Britain, is already full for the opening night and the restaurant has taken over three thousand advance bookings despite the fact that customers have not even seen a menu or prices, and there has been no advertising or promotion yet!

The menu includes some of Novelli’s famous signature dishes such as Oxtail braised with Liquorice served with a White Almond and Cauliflower mash, and his famous Pigs Trotters “stuffed according to JC’s mood”! The daily-changing rotisserie features seasonal duck, beef, lamb, game and fish, and fresh bread will be baked and served in terracotta flowerpots!

In his new role as Frenchman turned British publican, Jean-Christophe is focusing on using traditional British ingredients, sourced locally wherever possible:

“My objective is to focus on dishes using local seasonal produce and I am trying to use 99% of British ingredients. I will be liaising with local growers and farmers for each of my new pubs, trying new recipes and doing what I enjoy the most. For example for The White Horse I have found a nearby watercress farm and a local flourmill to supply us. We will be smoking our own fish and meat in-house with local grown herbs such as lavender, and I will be introducing some of these techniques in classes at my nearby cookery school.

We will be dealing with all the nine regional British food-groups to source local food and drink – everything from specialty cheeses to rare breeds of cattle.”

In response to questions as to why the popular multi-Michelin starred chef has chosen to open a gastropub as opposed to the five star luxury restaurants he is more accustomed to launching he explained:

“I want to bring informality to my diners in my cooking and my restaurants and cater for everyone in society, with or without money – I’ve had enough of charging customers over £100 a head, which often goes to pay for luxuries like electronic gates.

My new venture is about serving great food, great wine and traditional British ales in a warm friendly ambiance and in an affordable manner. Eating out should be a way to entertain, socialise and be convivial and I think gastropubs are the ideal way to do this. If we are good enough to be fully booked on Friday 13th, we are good enough to be booked for the rest of the year!”

The run-up to the ‘White Horse’ opening has not been without drama! The specially commissioned front door handle – a unique piece of artwork featuring Novelli’s own hand-print has gone missing, causing considerable problems in gaining entry to the pub!

Novelli met his two local business partners in the venture –entrepreneurs Harry Nugent and Tony McFarland - whilst buying flowers from their Kenneth Turner flower department at Harrods, and the stylish interior of the pub has been designed by Janine Nugent, Harry’s wife.

The popular chef will be dividing his time between his new pub venture and nearby cookery school, Novelli Academy, which has already been voted one of the top twenty-five in the world, as well as concentrating on his successful TV career. The Hell’s Kitchen star will soon feature on British screens again in a breathtaking endurance documentary show ‘Alive’, which was filmed in extreme sub-zero temperatures in the snow-capped Andes mountains. He is also appearing regularly every week on the digital UKTV Food programme ‘Food Uncut’ throughout the rest of 2006 amongst others.

Restaurant reservations for ‘A Touch of Novelli’ at The White Horse are being taken on 01582-713428 and the website is at www.atouchofnovelli.com. Details of Novelli Academy, Jean-Christophe’s nearby cookery school is at www.jeanchristophenovelli.com

PRESS: For further information, or to schedule a personal or telephone interview with Jean-Christophe about ‘A Touch of Novelli’ please contact Michelle Kennedy on 01582 454070.