England Footballer Steven Gerrard to open restaurant

England and Liverpool football player Steven Gerrard is to launch a new restaurant with hotelier and restaurateur Paul Adams.

The pair are re-launching the Warehouse Brasserie, in Southport, which Gerrard has regularly claimed is one of his favourite restaurants.

The venue, which has a Michelin Bib Gourmand, is undergoing a major refurbishment before re-opening just ahead of the World Cup as the Warehouse Kitchen & Bar.

Gerrard, a shareholder in the venture, said: “If you look back at any interviews I have done where they’ve asked me about my favourite restaurant, and I’ve done a lot over the years, I’ve always said the Warehouse.

“I’ve been eating there for years because I love the food and the atmosphere, so it’s genuinely exciting to become its co-owner with Paul.

“I certainly don’t want to just be the ‘celebrity’ face of the restaurant. This is not a theme bar, it’s about great food, great surroundings and making it a place that people really want to come back to.

“This is my first venture in the restaurant trade but I think it’s important to also say that my priorities are, and always will be, on the football pitch.”

Adams, who also owns the Vincent Hotel, in Southport, said: “To have Steven join our team is just fantastic.

“Our plan is to firstly launch the Warehouse Kitchen & Bar, in Southport, and then look at expanding, to areas such as Liverpool, Chester and south Manchester.

“We were having dinner one evening and discussing the plans for the Warehouse, Steven really liked the idea and suggested we do it together, which I obviously thought was a great idea and here we are.

“I’d echo what Steven says about this not being a “celebrity” restaurant. Steven is simply one of the owners and, like me, he shares a passion for great food and great design. If you don’t get those right then nobody will come back, no matter who owns it and I’m confident we have come up with a winning formula.”

The Warehouse Kitchen & Bar is undergoing major refurbishment and will reopen at the end of April.

The design and theme of the restaurant is being kept secret but is said to have taken its inspiration from the new wave of “hipster bars” popular in New York’s Tribeca district.

By Neil Gerrard, 8 April, Caterer Magazine