My birthday treat was a takeaway burger
Restaurant legend Michael Deane’s plans for getting back into the kitchen
MICHELIN-STARRED chef Michael Deane has described marking his 60th birthday with a takeaway burger as he draws up plans to attract younger crowds to some of his venues.
Restaurateurs here are looking on enviously as venues in England prepare to reopen to outdoor dining on Monday.
Mr Deane called for the Executive to sit down with the restaurant and hospitality trade and provide it with dates to reopen — and a document of compliance so that venues can demonstrate they are sticking to rules like social distancing.
But even after a successful opening, Mr Deane, one of Belfast’s best-known chefs, does not think week-long trade would be sustainable in all his venues.
He operates Love Fish, Meat Locker, Michelin-starred Eipic — which are all in the same complex — Deanes Deli and adjoining Deanes Vin Cafe, as well as Deane & Decano and Deanes At Queen’s in south Belfast. Its 150 staff are all on furlough.
“We’ve seven outlets. Is Belfast going to be able to sustain them with no tourists, no air travel?
Where will people come from and how do we get people back into the city centre?” he asked.
“I won’t be able to have seven different establishments with seven different sets of staff standing around doing nothing. So we’ll open gently, bounce it around. Maybe the Chancellor will throw something back in the ring like Eat Out to Help Out, which I thought was very good if you policed it properly.”
After it had remained shut for the last year, Mr Deane said he was planning to reopen the Vin Cafe in Bedford Street to operate a takeaway and open Love Fish and Deanes Deli for lunches early in the week, and Meat Locker would open at night.
“It won’t do us any good. But we’ll feed people in Belfast wherever we need to, to keep them going,” he added.
Mr Deane recently marked his 60th birthday at home, with takeaway burgers from Deane & Decano. He added: “If we had to go into another lockdown, I couldn’t stick another year like we’ve just had. Maybe it would be different at 25 or 30 but I marked my 60th birthday on March 19. I can’t wait to get back into it but I don’t want another lockdown.” He said he will have to overhaul Deanes Deli at Bedford Street to draw a different crowd after office occupiers nearby packed up.
“Deli is a bit of a worry. It was probably one of the busiest of our restaurants over the years,” he said. “But Bedford Street emptied out with Deloitte and Invest NI going home, and tourism disappearing.
“We still have to pay rent there and we could have taken the company down but we’re still there but we might have to change the concept.
“We used to have the Ulster Hall three or four nights a week so you had the 60, 70, 80, 90-plus age groups.
“It’s not operating so where does that business come from? We now have to look to a younger crowd. But will they want to go into a Deanes restaurant? It will be hard to balance the books and balance public perception.”
Mr Deane said there were now venues offering a more “hipster” concept for a younger audience than Deanes. “They’ll be coming up behind us so we’ll have to make sure we’re offering people in Belfast value.”
But he said the EIPIC concept would remain the same, adding: “I hope EIPIC will be the hottest ticket in town and will hold its Michelin star but we need to get back at it soon.”
A spokesperson for The Executive Office said: “The Executive is committed to moving forward on the pathway out of restrictions as soon as circumstances allow.
“Ministers understand the importance of giving notice to businesses, and departments will continue to engage with relevant sectors to assist preparation for reopening when the time is right to do so.”
But Mr Deane said restaurateurs felt ignored, adding: “Hospitality is very much put on the back foot here. If alcohol is a buzzword in helping the virus spread, why do we still sell it in supermarkets and why are off-licences still open? There must be some compromise.
“When we opened Deanes at Queen’s before, we managed to change everything, even the sinks in the toilets, to make it all safe and socially-distant, and we spent £120,000 on an outdoor terrace.
“But as we closed for the 11pm curfew, the rest of town, takeaways and so on, were still busy.
“I’d like to think that after the next review on April 15 we’ll have at least outside space open, from about April 20 or 21.
“I know the politicians have a difficult job, no one’s saying they don’t, but there needs to be proper dialogue with industry as to whether it’s May or June we get to reopen fully. Or is it all over, and we give the keys back to the landlord?”
‘I know the politicians have a difficult job, but there needs to be proper dialogue as to whether it’s May or June we can reopen fully’