FRESH from buying out his original partners, John Shields has charted a new flight path for R34 Restaurant & Cafe @ India of Inchinnan – with the appointment of Colin Dempsey as its new head chef.
Under Shields’ culinary philosophy of producing traditional recipes using the finest, fresh ingredients, R34 @ India of Inchinnan – named after the airship that completed the first transatlantic air crossing in both directions in 1919 – has earned itself an enviable reputation for serving up classic British food with a twist.
And now the eatery has entered a new and critical stage of its development with a radical management restructure, a new head chef and the launch of a new catering division.
Mr Shields said: “Colin’s cooking skills fit perfectly with the R34 approach to food and we regard his appointment as something of a coup for us. Having previously worked as the senior sous chef at House for an Art Lover, Colin brings a broad range of qualities to R34 and I regard his appointment as providing a platform from which we can expand our offering – both internally through the restaurant and café and externally through our new R34 Catering venture.”
Of his new appointment, Mr Dempsey said: “I’m delighted to join R34 and excited to be given this opportunity to step up from senior sous chef to secure my first head chef position. John is full of ideas for the development of R34 and I’m sure that, together, we can build on the restaurant’s burgeoning reputation for serving classic dishes with a contemporary approach using the best local ingredients.”
Mr Dempsey’s appointment follows the launch of R34 Catering, the new outside catering arm of R34 Restaurant & Cafe @ India of Inchinnan, which already has contracts with Glasgow Airport, The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons, STV, Doosan Babcock and Canniesburn Burns Unit as well as offering a range of fine dining executive style dinners for private house parties.
The R34 airship was constructed on the site where the restaurant is now located, in a stunningly renovated A-grade, Art Deco building directly behind Glasgow International Airport just 15 minutes from Glasgow city centre.
ENDS
For further information please contact Greig Hutcheson tel 0141 533 4069
Issued on behalf of R34 by Liquorice Media tel 0141 561 4018 www.liquorice-media.com
Date: 29th November 2010
Notes for editors
- Glasgow-born John Shields began his career as a chef at The Buttery at a time when it came to be recognised as one of the best restaurants in the country.
- John then spent two years at the Albany Hotel as Chef De Partie, where he further developed his classic French cuisine training before moving to the Townhouse Hotel as head chef, during which time the restaurant was awarded two AA rosette awards for its outstanding cuisine. He then moved east to further develop his culinary expertise at the Michelin Bib accredited Pompadour restaurant in the Caledonian Hotel, Edinburgh.
- Next, John relocated to the west coast of America to work as head chef in a catering company in North California and Idaho. During his time in the States he produced a variety of pan pacific fusion dishes, mixing his classic French cuisine skills with pan pacific cuisine to create new and exiting dishes. His skill set was broadened further as America’s strong Hispanic culture enabled him to study and create authentic Hispanic style cuisine.
- John then travelled further east to Ohio where he worked at the Ritz-Carlton before moving on to a large catering company for a number of years. On returning to his native Scotland, John worked in the AA rosette winning Lodge on Loch Lomond for some time, then the innovative Air Organic restaurant in Glasgow before joining R34 at India of Inchinnan.
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