A Nottingham chef who has worked for others for ten years is hoping to better himself by opening his own restaurant. The tipping point for Ash Biggs was becoming the father of triplets 18 months ago.
The 30-year-old is in the process of setting up his own business, a 21-seater restaurant calls PNKS Bistro Lounge, which will be open seven days a week and located in Wollaton Street. Ash had previously worked at Wagamama at the Cornerhouse in Nottingham city centre.
He said: "I worked there for ten years. I was blessed with triplets and I wanted to move up. I'd been a sous chef for ten years and everyone around me was saying I could do better. I decided to bite the bullet and set up my own place from scratch.
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"I have to take the risk. I know what my qualities are. I know I'm a good chef. I love food and love my work. Initially when I first started at Wagamama there was always opportunity but after ten years when you're still a sous chef you know you're not going to get anywhere so I thought I know myself, I know food very well and I know I can make it work. I've got a good solid team behind me, myself and two other chefs."
PNKS will be serving breakfast, beef ribs, smash burgers, and Sunday roasts but with a twist so the roast will be served as a burrito. He's opening up in what was previously Damas, an Arabian style restaurant. Before that is was Debsh, an Iranian restaurant, and older readers may remember it as Mozart's or The Almond.
"The whole theme is going to be pink colour, flowers, mood walls, flower walls. My target audience will be students because we are right on the doorstep," said Ash.
"We're at the stage where we've ordered the furniture, we've got the electrical in and all the kitchenware so we should be about six weeks I think."
The restaurant will be open from 11am to midnight and has the added bonus of parking on-site.
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