Former Drake & Morgan director Taskin Muzaffer’s new Peckham restaurant Pedler is the first of eight sites planned for the capital over the next five years.
Peckham resident Muzzafer, who was previously operations manager and business development director for Drake & Morgan, and co-owns Pedler with Tim Moore, told M&C Report’s sister title BigHospitality that they had already identified two more sites in South London.
These should both be open by the autumn with plans to have eight restaurants by year five. The restaurant opened just before Christmas and serves seasonal modern European dishes complemented by a distinctive wine list and Little Bird Gin cocktails.
Muzzafer and Moore, who also own Little Bird Gin with a gin bar in Maltby Street market, intend to open three bars and six holiday and hotel properties over the same time frame.
The pair, who are funding the business themselves, have already invested in two properties in Italy and an island off Estonia, as well as running the Regency Beach House in Herne Bay. A lifestyle blog called Alice & Bill is also planned.
“We aim to become a lifestyle brand covering eating, sleeping, drinking and shopping,” said Muzzafer. “Pedler is a brand that we want to roll out. It’s a local neighbourhood eatery so we are looking at semi-affluent neighbourhoods across London.”
The kitchen is headed up by executive chef Gareth Crosby, while the restaurant manager is Pru Clarke, both of whom also previously worked at Drake & Morgan and will oversee the new restaurants as the group expands.
Muzzafer said outside investment may be sought in year two as the business expanded further.
