Johnny Depp’s ‘£50,000’ curry
Including a big tip as he books entire Birmingham restaurant
HE has been mobbed by fans in Sheffield, Newcastle and Manchester in recent days.
So when Johnny Depp rolled in to Birmingham on the latest leg of his musician friend Jeff Beck’s UK tour, it’s perhaps not surprising he sought a bit of privacy.
The actor spent a five-figure sum to hire out the city’s biggest restaurant Varanasi – which can seat 350 – so the pair and their 20-odd strong entourage could enjoy an Indian meal on Sunday night.
A report suggested the bill – including a substantial hire charge for the threestorey venue – came to as much as £50,000. Operations director Mohammed Hussain refused to discuss the figures but said those present ‘were not shy’ in their spending – particularly on drinks.
He added: ‘The hire charge also had to take into account of the fact that we needed to compensate diners who had already booked in. There were also staffing costs and the drinks bill.’
Asked why Depp didn’t hire one of Varanasi’s private rooms – the largest of which caters for 50 – Mr Hussain said: ‘Johnny said that when they were staying in Manchester, fans were crowding around the hotel and they needed a police escort.
‘As a result, they couldn’t eat out at all. I think they didn’t want the same thing to happen in Birmingham. They spent a lot of money… but they never even looked at the bill. He gave a large tip.’
Mr Hussain said both of the restaurant’s two bottles of £7,500 Ace of Spades rose champagne had been drunk by Depp’s party. The bottles, given to the restaurant as a gift when it opened six years ago but never sold, were either 3 or 4.5-litre special editions.
Standard bottles from the prestigious champagne house Armand de Brignac can be bought from online retailers for between £400 and £500.
Depp – who has been in Britain since his court victory against ex-wife Amber Heard – was expected on stage with Beck last night at his show at Birmingham’s Symphony Hall. The UK leg of the tour ends tonight in York.
Mr Hussain said Depp’s party enjoyed a three-course dinner of chicken tikka shashlik, vegetable samosas and a king prawn starter.
Afterwards, the Pirates Of The Caribbean star spent time ‘hugging, kissing and having photos taken’ with members of staff and friends and family of the restaurant bosses. ‘He was very humble and he stayed to talk and greet everyone,’ said Mr Hussain.