Marco Venues
October saw the official opening of "Marco", the new restaurant from Marco Pierre White at Chelsea Football Club’s home, Stamford Bridge. Livio Italiani, previously at Luciano, has been brought in as general manager.
The opening was preceded with a launch party with guests from Marco's old hands at Hell's Kitchen. They included Hell’s Kitchen winner Barry McGuigan, Abigail Clancy and Paul Young.
The collaboration with Chelsea FC is a significant departure from previous ventures at one of London’s famous destination venues. It continues the Chelsea strategy of partnering with leading brands and personalities in specific fields, while the club concentrates on its core football business.
Marco, named after Marco Pierre White’s son, will serve classic French cuisine that will offer starters such as Escalope of foie gras and duck egg on Brioche toast and Aspic of oysters with watercress in champagne jelly. On on match days the menu offers a more a British slant featuring some of MPW’s personal favourites : Organic Sheppard’s pie; Roast Partridge properly garnished; Smoked Haddock with Welsh Rarebit Glaze.
The wine list will include up to 300 wines from both the old and new worlds. Many of the wines will have a strong French reference with a very good selection of fine wines.
White has enlisted Matthew Brown as head chef at Marco. Matthew Brown has worked with MPW for 16 years heading up the kitchens at The Restaurant at Hyde Park Hotel, The Oak Room and the Belvedere and The Highwayman. Brown commented, “I am extremely excited about working with Marco again. I think people will be pleasantly surprised by the menu he has chosen. The Style of cuisine is what Marco originally made his name on.”
Tara Bernerd, CEO of Target Living, is the interior architect and designer for Marco. She and her team were charged with encapsulating warmth and contemporary elegance within the 2,000 sq ft restaurant.
Brian Dowling and Abbey Clancy at launch
The exterior is clad in African black granite, with tinted windows and a revolving door that launches customers into a space that is both seductive and industrial. A striking cognac-coloured column covered in Swarovski crystals sits in the centre of the restaurant.
Marco boxes clever with Barry McGuigan
The design continues with an Arabescato marble bar which anchors the room at one end. Philip Hurel velvet mink seats, canary yellow stools and grey steely booths in Soane leather, provide more intimate dining banquets around the perimeter of the room.
Venue Vitals ;
Is it available for corporate hire?
Yes, those hiring will need to take the restaurant over or maximum is a table of 10 pax
Covers and bar capacity?
The dining room offers 70 covers in total and the bar seats 11.
What is the largest number of people the venue can hold?
70/90 seated only
What is the starting cost of hiring the venue?
£7,000
RK