Celebrity chef David Mooney’s The Old Sessions House launches with a bang

Knutsford’s very own celebrity chef David Mooney marked his hometown return with a bang on Wednesday.
A veritable who’s who of the North West media and Cheshire business leaders celebrated the launch of David’s new eatery the Old Sessions House, a joint venture with business partner Paul Newman.
BBC TV personality Becky Want was amongst the media crowd who enjoyed the exclusive champagne and canapés party, thrown to mark the opening of David’s stunning second Cheshire venue, located perfectly in the beating heart of Knutsford town centre.
The array of Cheshire’s media and business community present reinforces chef patron David, and Paul’s determination to position the Old Sessions House as an unrivalled showcase of local quality and success.
As the Taittinger bubbly flowed and the live music played until the early hours, guests enjoyed their first chance to explore the delightful dining pub, which has undergone a £250,000 transformation encompassing a full interior refurbishment and the installation of a state-of-the-art kitchen, restoring one the town’s most prominent and historic buildings back to life a spectacular fashion.
And while the quality of the surroundings are impeccable, it is only one ingredient in the success story for David and Paul.
David, a former resident chef on Granada Tonight and Commis Chef to Marco Pierre White - and Paul, a veteran front-of-house marketeer and operator with over 25 years' experience in the hospitality, fine dining and wine industries, pride themselves on buying from local producers for the majority of its top-quality culinary ingredients whilst doing their all to boost the local economy.
The result of this determination is the revamp and reinvigoration of the innovative duo’s second previously shut or run-down Cheshire venue.
Their first venture, The Lord Binning bar and Resturant set in the picturesque Cheshire village of Kelsall, has been an overwheling success since it opened in August 2011. This triumph is testement to Paul and David’s hard work and determination to introduce new concepts and persuade clientele to venture out of their usual social haunts at a time when Britain's pubs are closing at a rate of around two-per day.
And as at the Lord Binning, David has sowed the seeds of sustainable future local success by creating around 30 local jobs at the Old Sessions House.
The majority of the team are from the local area and work on a variety of full time and part time basis.
David said: “It’s absolutely great to open with such a bang in Knutsford. We have been delighted with the warm welcome and amazing response from the local community.
“The customer booking levels and the numbers through the door have exceeded our wildest expectations.”
The New Moon Pub Company’s co-owners David and Paul are now firmly looking forward to the launch of their third restaurant, The Hanging Gate in Weaverham, later this year.


To find out more about the Old Sessions House visit: www.oldsessionshouse.co.uk, pop into the venue on Princess Street or tel. 01565 621 833.

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Posted: Friday 26th October 2012
ID: 8221 - 833