Weekender: Restaurant and bar manager draws on his experience to launch new venture

Highly experienced caterer Fatjon Muca has moved on from his role as manager of The Restaurant Bar and Grill, in Leeds, to open The Whitehall Restaurant & Bar.

He launched his own business with his wife Lauren, at West Point, in Wellington Street, Leeds. The premises was previously an Italian restaurant.

Muca said: “For a long time it had been in the back of my mind to open my own place. My client base is in Leeds so I knew I wanted to open up here, but it was about finding the right location.

Fatjon Muca outside his business in central Leeds

“We’re definitely in a good place, as this part of the city is developing massively. It’s not just offices, there are many people living here now as well.”

He said his restaurant and bar, which employs 20 people, is offering a “modern British menu”, with a wide variety of dishes designed to provide something for everyone. These include steaks, pastas and pizzas, as well as Sunday roasts, which are proving particularly popular with diners.

He singled out the efforts of head chef Ainsleigh Pickard and his events and sales manager, Amber Moullali, for contributing to the business’s early success.

“I think British chefs are the best at the moment,” he said. “I’ve been working in the industry for a long time and I’ve seen how much passion they have for what they do.

“We cook everything from scratch here, using fresh ingredients and local produce. It’s all prepared in-house and we have a couple of excellent suppliers.

“Business is growing every week and we’re getting a lot of good feedback online. As the owner, it’s nice for me to see people coming back each week and recommending us to others.

“It’s tough to compete with the big players out there – we can’t afford to buy the same amounts as they do.

“But what we can do is compete on quality and by offering excellent service and a good atmosphere.”

Muca said he wanted to focus his efforts on making sure The Whitehall Restaurant & Bar is properly established and successful before considering any further ventures.

“We’re not trying to copy anyone else and I’m proud of what we’ve achieved so far,” he said.