Philippe Le Roux, the entrepreneur who bought Le Pain Quotidien to the UK, has acquired the two-strong Villandry restaurant business from founder Jamie Barber for an undisclosed sum, and plans to develop a chain of sites under the brand.
At the same time it has emerged that Barber has also sold the two sites he operated under the mid-market brand Kitchen Italia in Covent Garden and in London’s Westfield shopping centre.
M&C Report understands that the two Kitchen Italia restaurants have been taken on by the brands’ main investors the Kuwait-based Kout Food Group, which also backs the the 14-strong Maison Blanc chain and the Cha Cha Moon restaurant in London.
Le Roux, who stepped down as managing director of Le Pain Quotidien UK in March 2010 after the chain’s sale to its parent company, plans to grow the Villandry business and capitalise on the strength of the brand.
The original Great Portland Street Villandry features a food store, bakery, restaurant and bar. It’s 6,000sq ft sister site in Bicester Village opened in September 2008.
It is understood that the deal does not include the two Villandry Kitchen sites in Chiswick and High Holborn, which are smaller versions of the original venue. It is thought that both sites will be renamed.
Le Roux, which acquired the two sites through his new company Maison Madeleine Ltd, said: “I am honoured to be part of the Villandry story and delighted to be working with such a fresh and dynamic team.”
Barber said: “Philippe is one of the most skilled operators of his class and I am delighted to pass the keys of Villandry on to him knowing that he has plans to grow the business and take it to the next level.”
Mark Sheehan of specialist advisor Coffer Corporate Leisure, which acted on behalf of Le Roux, said: “Villandry is an iconic brand and the Great Portland Street store an institution. Philippe is an excellent operator with a proven track record. This is yet another example of investment in the leisure sector. Investors have a very large appetite and are clamouring to invest at the bottom of the cycle. “
It is thought the sale of the Villandry business will allow Barber to concentrate on the expansion of his Hush restaurant and bar brand.
Speaking to M&C Report in February, Barber confirmed he was looking at sites of around 3,500sq ft in the capital to open smaller versions of the original Hush, which he opened in Mayfair, over 10 years ago.
He said: “Hush, and particularly the brasserie side of the business, is trading exceptionally well, and I believe the market is right for us to take this on further through the opening of a smaller format in the capital at one or two sites.”
It is thought that Barber is currently exploring investment opportunities to aid the launch of the smaller Hush format.
Barber also co-owns and runs Sake No Hana in St James’s.
