Rick Stein has announced plans to open a restaurant in Sandbanks, Dorset. With views overlooking the water, the restaurant will seat around 200 and is set to open in late autumn.
The news comes as the next stage as part of the group’s business growth with recent openings in Winchester and also Porthleven and Fistral in Cornwall.
The self-titled ‘Rick Stein’ restaurant will offer classic seafood dishes such as Dover sole meunière, turbot hollandaise and fruits de mer, alongside a more casual lunch time menu with dishes such as a crab salad and moules frites.
‘the perfect place for a good fish restaurant’
On signing the lease with business partner Jill, Rick said: “Sandbanks is the perfect place for a good fish restaurant. I’ve had my eye on it ever since I passed through about 15 years ago when I travelled the coast of Britain to make the Seafood Lovers’ Guide. Somewhere to drop in for local lemon sole, oysters or crab I thought, and now my dream has come true.
“It’ll be a place for some informal, inexpensive seafood maybe coming off Sandbanks beach or for spending some time on the Poole harbour side of the restaurant eating lobster or Dover sole, drinking lovely chilled white Burgundy and thinking how relaxing a view over the water can be. I’m very excited.”
Work starts on design
With the lease signed, Jill Stein with her son, Ed, and daughter-in-law, Kate will start the interior design. Jill comments, “I have fond memories of visiting Sandbanks with my aunt and uncle as a child and playing on the beach. It’s a beautiful place to be so I’m thrilled we’re opening a restaurant here. We’re taking inspiration from the local surroundings and coast for the interiors. Ed is making a trip to Carrara to pick the marble for the bar where you will be able to eat shellfish and drink cocktails.”
40 years for The Seafood Restaurant, Padstow
2015 also celebrates the 40th anniversary of the opening of The Seafood Restaurant in Padstow. From humble beginnings the business now employs over 400 and includes nine restaurants, hotel and self-catering accommodation, retail outlets and a cookery school. Rick and Jill are both still at the helm, with all three sons involved in the business.
Major Draw for Poole
On hearing the announcement of Rick Stein’s new restaurant in Sandbanks, Bruce Grant-Braham, Chair of Poole Tourism, said, “I am absolutely delighted that Poole will be welcoming a Rick Stein restaurant later this year. Their reputation for quality and fine cuisine is second to none, and will act as a major draw for visitors to the town. Poole already boasts a strong eating-out scene and the investment in this new restaurant will endorse that still further.”
Career opportunities
The team currently have a number of career opportunities in managerial, kitchen and front of house positions available. If you are interested, please get in touch through rickstein.com/careers.
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