Bistrot Pierre founder joins Island Quarter project

The Island Quarter in Nottingham has announced a major appointment to its project delivery team, with Bistrot Pierre co-founder John Whitehead joining as food, beverage and events project director.

Whitehead will be overseeing the creation and delivery of restaurant, bar, events and live music venues on the 36-acre site.

A co-founder of French cuisine restaurant Bistrot Pierre in Nottingham in 1994 with childhood friend Rob Beacham, the pair grew the chain to 25 units nationally along with two country pubs and two bistrots with room. Whitehead left the business in July 2020, where he had latterly been a non-executive director.

He said: “The majority of the site has lay derelict and an eyesore on the Nottingham cityscape over the 25 years that I have lived and worked here. The Island Quarter is the most exciting development to happen to the East Midlands in recent times; we have a unique opportunity to create something special across a 36-acre canvas in Nottingham that will energise the city for generations to come.

“I was attracted to the development by the ambitions and professionalism of the project team to rejuvenate what was once a thriving industrial area. The Island Quarter will be a unique challenge for me with its compressed timescales and responsibilities, but am confident we as a team can deliver outstanding hospitality experiences.

“It will be a particular privilege to work with chef Laurence Henry to deliver a world-beating dining experience at Canal Turn, with further details to be revealed very soon.”

Robert Ware, chief executive of The Conygar Investment Company, which owns the Island Quarter site said: “John is a tremendous appointment for The Island Quarter to lead on our food, beverage and events offerings. His expertise and reputation for cultivating exquisite dining experiences in the city is unparalleled and makes him a phenomenal asset to our expanding project delivery team.”

Whitehead will also be directing Phase 1B, with a 223-room hotel, 247 apartments and extensive food and beverage outlets in the pipeline.

To support Whitehead, The Island Quarter is seeking an experienced operator with a proven track in fine dining and high volume to take up the role of food, beverage and events head of operations.

Whitehead added: “We’re looking for a highly-experienced and capable individual to manage and oversee large, sophisticated events. A devoted passion for cooking, dining and the guest experience is essential, along with forensic attention to detail.

“We are building an industry-leading hospitality team, always seeking continuous improvement in our aim to create the premier food, drink and events destination in Nottingham.”