Lunya owners bring the female touch to their latest venture

Restaurateurs Peter and Elaine Kinsella are preparing for the opening of their latest venture, and have put their faith in girl power.

Next Friday they will open Lunyalita at Liverpool’s Royal Albert Dock, a smaller version of their Lunya restaurants in Liverpool’s Hanover Street, and Manchester’s Deansgate.

And the husband and wife team have appointed an all-female restaurant management team to run their new £300,000 investment, which will create 30 jobs.

Estefania Quintana, Laia Urive, Laura Jaime, and Lucy Moss will combine to form key roles in management, supervision and finance.

Lunya co-owner Elaine spoke proudly of the “girl power” that will be driving the Lunyalita business forward.

She said: “Our all-female team picked itself really.

“They’ve been with Lunya for many years and we’ve witnessed their outstanding personal development as well as dedicated commitment to our business and we’re very proud and pleased to have them on board at this new exciting time for our business.”

She said the location is perfect for their 3,000 sq ft, 140-cover ‘Little Lunya’ restaurant.

“It has to be one of the most fabulous waterside spots in the UK. Lunyalita is opposite the Arena and Big Wheel, next to the Beatles Story, the main entrance to the Royal Albert Dock and, we overlook the dock, too.”

Peter Kinsella said they have tried to create something different to the original restaurants, which opened in 2010 in Liverpool and 2015 in Manchester.

“We wanted something more intimate,” he said, “and the natural intimacy that you get in these rooms in the Royal Albert Dock is fantastic.”

He confessed: “I have lived in Liverpool for 54-and-a-half years and I didn’t realise just how gorgeous Liverpool is until we got into these rooms and saw these views across the dock.”

Lunyalita will be targeted more at tourists during the daytime, and traditional business in the evening, explained Mr Kinsella.

“The Royal Albert Dock is profoundly touristy,” he said.

The view from Lunyalita

“A typical tapas lunch takes three hours, but we want to offer a small plate, and then tourists can move on.

“We change the menu every day, serving things like cold soups, which are made for days like this.

“Our night time menu is a bit fancier,” he added.

The daytime menu highlights include Catalan-inspired breakfasts, with newer takes and healthy, light options such as smashed avocado, roasted tomatoes and white asparagus.

Lunchtimes will offer huge over-stuffed sandwiches, large salad bowls, and a daily large dish – everything from a Paella to Catalan Scouse – with a ‘when it’s gone, it’s gone’ policy.

The couple believe their reputation, established over almost a decade, could also add more to the dock setting.

Mrs Kinsella said: “Statistics show that not many local people come to the Royal Albert Dock, but perhaps we can get more locals, as well as tourists, to visit us.”

And even ahead of the official opening next week, they admitted there could be more ‘Little Lunyas’ on the way. Peter said: “There could possibly be more, because it is small, so it is more replicable compared with our other restaurants.”