Member Article

New locally-sourced chicken restaurant ‘Bird and Beast’ to create 20 Leeds jobs

An new restaurant concept, which places premium local chicken centre stage on its menu, aims to rule the roost in the Leeds dining scene.

Located in the heart of Leeds City Centre on Central Road, ‘Bird and Beast’ has been launched last week by top Yorkshire chef, Simon Shaw, chef/proprietor of the award-winning ‘El Gato Negro’ restaurant in Ripponden, West Yorkshire.

Focusing on delivering excellent quality food at superb prices to Leeds diners, the stylish independent restaurant marks the chef’s welcome return to Leeds. Simon was executive chef at Harvey Nichols Leeds before relocating to London to become Head Chef at their prestigious Fifth Floor restaurant in Knightsbridge.

He returned north to establish the acclaimed ‘El Gato Negro’, which was recently awarded one of only three prestigious Michelin ‘Bib Gourmand’ in the whole of Yorkshire.

All Bird and Beast’s produce is supplied by Sykes House Farms, in the heart of the Yorkshire Wolds, where they raise the finest free-range chicken to exacting standards.

The restaurant has a custom-made British rotisserie, with up to thirty chickens turn over cherry wood chips and charcoal.

The restaurant with open kitchen caters for up to 100 people also includes a private dining room which seats 18 and is perfect for special occasions or functions.

Bird and Beast’s Yorkshire-born creative director, Simon Shaw, commented: “Working in restaurants for over 35 years I found that chicken’s really taken for granted and underestimated as an ingredient.

“‘Bird and Beast’ is a wonderfully simple concept where we aim to deliver simply wonderful chicken to Leeds diners.

“We’ve taken the popular British staple of chicken and chips and elevated it to the next level. Its high quality flavour without any fuss – we cater for everyone and we’re confident the restaurant will be received well by diners in the city.

“It’s a fantastic location in the heart bar scene, just a stone’s throw away from popular Call Lane and bars such as The Maven and Outlaw’s Yacht Club. We’ve just started work on adding our own signature to this buzzing Leeds scene with our own bar, ‘Bird and Beats’ set to launch this Autumn.”

More information about Bird and Beast is available on the restaurant’s websitewww.thebirdandbeast.co.uk or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/birdrestaurant

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Clare Burnett .