Restaurant 1539 celebrates its 1st Birthday!

Restaurant 1539 - a unique dining experience.

Restaurant 1539 at Chester Racecourse recently celebrated its first birthday, an ideal opportunity to look back at some of the highlights from its first year.

1539 is a unique and stylish restaurant at Chester Racecourse named after the year racing first took place in this famous city the restaurant has already become synonymous with providing high quality modern British food in breathtaking surroundings. 1539 has proved very popular with local celebrities with regular visits from Sir Alex Ferguson and the stars of local soaps Hollyoaks and Coronation St.

The glass fronted, panoramic restaurant has magnificent views over the racecourse and is situated over two floors. The ground floor includes a contemporary bar area and dining for up to 200 people, the first floor area has recently been re-launched ‘Ruinart at the Roof’ in partnership with the famous Champagne house. Ruinart is the oldest Champagne House in the world which has been exclusively producing premium champagne since 1729.

‘Ruinart at the Roof’ also includes a large decked terrace area above the restaurant which provides a unique lunchtime experience and is perfect for summer lunches and afternoon teas with exceptional views of the Roodee at Chester Racecourse. In the same way that Restaurant 1539 has become the place to dine in Chester Ruinart at the Roof promises to become the first choice for anybody looking for a great value lunch or evening drinks in a unique location,

Since opening Restaurant 1539 has had a focus on locally sourced produce wherever possible working with North West farmers and suppliers. This was recognised at the 2009 Chester Food & Drink Awards where Restaurant 1539 won the prestigious ‘Best Use of Local Produce in a Menu’ Award. Chester Produce is a local wholesale fruit and vegetable supplier who work closely with the Restaurant to provide the highest quality local produce. Over the last five years they have built up a comprehensive portfolio of local growers who supply potatoes, apples, rhubarb, watercress, mushrooms, salad leaves and dairy products.


Max Gnoyke, of Full of Flavour consultancy service, has worked with the Restaurant 1539 team for the last 18 months. Max has previously worked for Michel & Albert Roux at the three Michelin starred Gavroche before becoming Managing Director of Heathcotes Restaurants. Max takes a hands on approach to his supplier selection and commented ‘We are really proud of the local supply chain that we have developed, when I first started working on the I spent weeks searching the Cheshire countryside to find the best local suppliers, many of them were small one man operations which fits perfectly with the Restaurant 1539 ethos. We are currently taking the local produce theme literally and have created our own herb garden in the grounds of the restaurant.’



As well as gaining a reputation for high quality food and wine and a unique location 1539 is becoming renouned as a venue for high profile events. The restaurant has capitalised on its position and direct link with the racecourse to create events around key national horse racing meetings. The Cheltenham Festival and Aintree Grand National have been shown live in the restaurant to audiences of over 200 who have taken advantage of the £15.39 for two courses special offer. The restaurant was designed with these type of events in mind and includes a series of plasma screens and a hi-tech sound system. Diners receive a Racing Post on entry and have the opportunity to have a flutter during the afternoon with totesport.

Phil Dougherty, General Manager of Heathcotes Outside commented; ‘We are building up a loyal following for our special events, both Aintree and Cheltenham have been sell-outs and the Champions League and FA Cup finals were also very popular. We have also held a number of successful fashion events and last month the boardroom met the dining room for Chief Exec’s Hell Kitchen which saw the racecourse’s own Richard Thomas showing off his culinary skills supported by the company Chairman and Directors.’

Restaurant 1539 was the brainchild of Richard Thomas, Chief Executive of Chester Racecourse who is very pleased with its performance during the first year:.

Richard said: “We are in a fantastic location and believe the racecourse really lends itself to a restaurant of this caliber. We are providing something which is really unique here for both race-goers and the dining public of the North West. The Restaurant is a sell-out for many of our key race meetings but what makes 1539 so special is the fact that is open all year and not just on race days. The team are constantly pushing themselves to differentiate themselves from the competition whether that’s through the food, the wine choices or the events which all come together to create the 1539 experience’




Ruinart Offer: 22nd June – 9th July only

From 22nd June the first floor of the Restaurant will be renamed ‘Ruinart at the Roof’ in recognition of a partnership with the oldest Champagne House in the world which has been exclusively producing premium champagne since 1729 From 22nd June until 9th July anybody dining from the lunch menu in the ‘Ruinart at the Roof’ lounge and terrace will receive a complimentary glass of Ruinart Champagne with their order.

To reserve your table call: 01244 304611 or visit: www.restaurant1539.co.uk for further details.

---

Posted: Monday 29th June 2009
ID: 5489 - 282