Celebrity Chef to Open Leeds Restaurant

Marco Pierre White, the Leeds-born celebrity chef who shot to fame as one of the youngest ever recipients of three Michelin stars, is ready to return to his hometown to open his first restaurant in Leeds.

He said: “It’s great to be coming home to Leeds, what more is there to say?”

Marco’s New York Italian, one of the two franchises that operate under his name, will be opened in 2016 on the ground floor of the Ibis Styles hotel in Leeds city centre, amidst the booming Arena Quarter.

The famous chef did have plans to launch a restaurant at the Queens Hotel in Leeds city centre sixteen years ago. However, there was a lengthy postponement, and the idea was eventually shelved.

This is yet another success story to come out of the Arena Quarter in recent times. Since the opening of the First Direct Arena in 2013, the surrounding area has experienced a massive regeneration, with businesses in the area fast-becoming popular destinations. The Merrion Centre, which has just undergone a £50m rejuvenation, has seen footfall increase 20% since the arena opened.

Nick Taplin, chief executive of the company which owns the restaurant brand, said: “Returning home to Leeds will be a special moment for Marco and we hope our guests will feel it was well worth the wait.

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