Top cook to create recipe of success
Dec 8 2010 by Peter McCusker, The Journal
A TOP chef who has cooked for a host of celebrities including Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber and Mick Jagger has called in accountancy group RMT as looks to create a recipe for success for his new business.
Earlier this year, one-time chef to the stars Graeme Cuthell, 44, left his job as head chef at the prestigious Hotel du Vin at Newcastle Quayside to set up on his own in a historic building on the North Shields’ Fish Quay.
The restaurant, called Irvins Brasserie, occupies the Grade II-listed Irvin building which dates from 1913 when Irvin and Sons opened the doors on their fish trawling business.
Mr Cuthell has graced some of London’s most prestigious restaurants with his cuisine, including The Greenhouse in Mayfair and The Orangery at Kensington Palace.
He also served as the personal chef to West End composer Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber, which involved cooking for the likes of Mick Jagger, Ronnie Wood and Ben Elton as his guests.
Since opening his new restaurant in August, the chef has enjoyed a bumper trading period and has now enlisted the help of Newcastle-based RMT as he prepares for the busy festive season and future growth.
The Gosforth-headquartered accountancy and business advisory group will provide Irvins with help in the areas of business and tax advice and the improvement of management information systems.
Mr Cuthell said: “Next year is going to be a crucial period for my business, as word spreads about the restaurant and its popularity continues to grow.
“RMT has a proven track record of helping SMEs throughout their lifespan from creation to expansion and it will be reassuring to know I have its experts at my disposal whenever I need advice and guidance.”
The client win for RMT represents the latest in a string of new client wins for the firm in recent months as small- to-medium businesses continue to sign up to its services amid ongoing uncertainty in the economy.
Maxine Pott, partner at RMT, said: “Irvins has had a fantastic level of trade in the few months since its launch and we hope to help it go from strength-to-strength.
“With Graeme’s track record and the unique location of Irvins, the restaurant has the potential to become one of the North East’s most iconic spots for eating, drinking and socialising.
“Our experts will take all the taxing, time draining tasks associated with running a small business off his hands so he can concentrate on what he does best.”
