Acclaimed chef Gary Usher has been regularly updating his thousands of followers on social media with progress on his first ever pub venture in Cheshire which will join his stable of north west restaurants. But a stinging comment from one Facebook user was greeted with the perfect riposte from the well-known restaurateur at the weekend.
Gary, who runs Kala in Manchester and Hispi in Didsbury, is currently putting the finishing touches to the White Horse pub in Churton, near Chester, with a planned launch date in February. But even though he hasn't even opened the doors yet, one harsh critic has seen fit to post they'd give it six months before the pub closes.
And Gary wasn't about to take that lying down. Sharing with followers on his Twitter page, he said he'd seen the Facebook comment saying the White Horse "will only last 6 months".
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But his response to the nasty comment was genius. He said: "Perhaps they’re right but even if that turned out to be true it would be 6 months of giving our best shot at something which is probably six months more than the commentator has ever done."
He followed it up to say: "And someone tweeted the same about @kala_manchester before we opened that… 4 years ago… "
The original tweet has since been viewed almost 90,000 times, with fans and followers of the chef, who has appeared in his own Channel 4 documentary as well as the series How to Save A Grand in 24 Hours, applauding his response. Many fellow pub and restaurant owners shared their own experiences of unnecessarily harsh criticism, in support of Gary.
The owner of Josephine's restaurant in Nottingham tweeted: "When we first opened we were told uncategorically, very loudly in front of a full restaurant by an "experienced accountant who knows this industry" we wouldn't last 6 months. That was 4 years ago. We're full today. We're full next Saturday. You give it your best, that's all!"
The Rose and Crown pub in Bebington replied saying: "I think everyone in hospitality who has been following the development of the pub knows an Elite Bistros pub is definitely going to work. If it makes you feel any better, we had a recent review saying ‘love this pub, but busy so I couldn’t find a seat. 3 stars.’"
Michelin Star restaurant Chez Bruce tweeted: "I simply can’t understand why anyone would want to wish you anything other than the very best of luck. Be it a new pub, restaurant, or any other kind of business.
"Some people are just so weird. Anyway, Good Luck to The White Horse and all who sail in her, from us all at CB!"
Pub boss Richard Noble added: "Ahh bless them, we were told that when we bought @RedLionPenderyn in 1978! We'll have been there 45 years come April."
Chef Will Holland said: " ‘Someone’ said I’d last less than 6 months in my job that I’ve been in for 5+ years. The same ‘someone’ opened a new restaurant that lasted less than 6 months #karma."
Chef proprietor Gary is behind a host of award-winning restaurants, from Kala on King Street, Hispi in Didsbury, Wreckfish in Liverpool, Sticky Walnut in Hoole, Pinion in Prescot and Burnt Truffle in Heswall. He also runs his own catering business and the cook-at-home spin off.
He has spoken previously of the incredible support he has received from the villagers in Churton - who have been mucking in to help out as he renovates the White Horse pub. In his most recent chat with the M.E.N. he said he hopes the pub will be ready to open by the tail end of February.
As to what people can expect from the pub, he said: "People ask ‘is it going to be a gastro pub?’ That’s not what I want it to be.
"It’s a horrible word. We’re just a pub, and I hope we’ll do great food. That’s all I want to be."
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