Celebrities not involved in food hall, admits boss
ABIRMINGHAM entrepreneur who is developing a new food hall in Kings Heath has admitted that claims two celebrity chefs are involved with the project are untrue.
The information was included in documents which were published on Birmingham City Council’s website, featuring photographs of star chefs Aktar Islam and Andrew Sheridan and confirming their attachment to the exciting new food venture. However, Mr Islam, who launched high-end restaurants Opheem and Pulperia in Birmingham, said: “I have no involvement at all.
“I wish them good luck as it’s good to have more food businesses in the city, but I have no involvement.
“We have not even been in contact.”
Andrew Sheridan, of fine dining restaurant 8 and Craft garden and dining room, has also confirmed he is not involved.
The documents were publicly available and intended to provide councillors with information about the business ahead of a meeting to consider the proprietor’s application for alcohol and late night licences.
But Kash Khera, who heads up District Marketplace, the company behind the plans, confirmed that the document was accidentally put out in the public domain.
He said: “We have spoken to quite a few chefs and have had a lot of interest but this is very early stages. “The document was an earlier version which we didn’t mean to put in the public domain and I have contacted Birmingham City Council to ask them to remove it. “We’re excited for the project; we had a licensing meeting and we feel that the project will go ahead.
“We’re still in discussions with the landlord around securing the site.”
The site in question is the old Pear Tree pub which Wetherspoons closed down a year ago when its lease ran out. Residents have been curious to know what will replace the old boozer, which was still on sale as recently as October 20.
The document was an earlier version which we didn’t mean to put in the public domain. Kash Khera