Member Article

Cafe Rouge set to launch new concept in Birmingham city centre

Café Rouge is set to unveil a brand-new concept in Birmingham this spring, having almost completed a £250K renovation of its city centre premises in the Bullring and Grand Central. Re-launching as ‘Rouge’, the newly renovated restaurant is the second site nationwide to trial refreshed design concepts and menu options.

Located on the upper level of the Bullring shopping centre, the 3758 sq.ft. unit is undergoing a six-figure renovation to transform it into an ambient location with a more modern, relaxed dining experience for guests to enjoy. What’s more, the 143-person capacity venue will also boast a revamped private dining room located on its upper level, which will be available for bookings from 16 March.

Celebrating Parisian dining and the best of French cuisine, Executive Chef Bruno Balle has crafted Rouge’s new menu so that guests can enjoy a variety of classic French dishes, reimagined with a modern twist. From traditional staples such as escargot and bouillabaisse, to Rouge’s cult-favourite scallop starter and a variety of vegan-friendly dishes including a cauliflower steak and pretzel burger, the exciting new menu will be delivered by Head Chef Graham Phillips.

Speaking about what Birmingham can expect from the new concept, Steve Worrall - Chief Operating Officer at Rouge - commented:

“Having traded as Café Rouge since the grand opening of the Bullring in 2003, we’ve always been proud to have been one of the centre’s first restaurant residents and have served hundreds of thousands of guests.

“Rouge will provide its guests with a modern slice of Parisian culture and cuisine: Birmingham is a thriving, cultural hub that is host to one of the best food and drink scenes in the UK, so it seems only right that it’s the next place to bring our second-ever new concept restaurant.

“I can’t wait to see the reaction of both our loyal guests and new customers - we are really proud of what we are bringing to the city and to be part of the growth of its F&B sector!”

Despite the extensive transformation of the venue, the former Café Rouge restaurant is set to retain all 26 of its original employees, with exciting growth plans for 2022 and beyond also in the pipeline. With long-standing General Manager Thamir Abdul Hameed - who has worked within the company for 14 years – at the helm, the Bullring team are extremely proud to be an integral part of Café Rouge’s first rebrand within the West Midlands.

“We cannot wait to bring to Rouge to life in Birmingham: introducing new products such as a signature Champagne cocktail range as well as retaining guest favourites such as the Beef Bourguignon, we’re so excited to be serving up a brand-new menu and experience for our guests.

I’m so proud of our entire team and are confident that they will continue to deliver an incredibly high standard of service and look forward to what the future holds in 2022 and beyond“, added Thamir.

Founded in 1989, Café Rouge is owned by Big Table Group, who operate more than 150 restaurants across the UK and Ireland. Rouge Birmingham will be open seven days a week and will begin serving from 16 March.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Lucy West .