The iconic glass and steel cube Seafood Restaurant, which overlooks the North Sea on Saint Andrews’ Bruce Embankment, has been acquired by young entrepreneur, Stefano Pieraccini.
A graduate in marketing and commercial management, Stefano, 22, will be mentored by his father, Adrian Pieraccini, a distinguished restauranteur who previously owned the Rocca restaurant in the Fife town and, before that, the 5 star Rocpool hotel and restaurants in Inverness.
With a new name, the Seafood Ristorante, and a slant towards a more popular Italian-style quality dining, the establishment’s kitchen will be led by former Michelin star chef Davy Aspin, who is a long-term associate of the Pieraccini family’s restaurant businesses.
Davy will be supported by Head Chef Ian Syme and Jamie MacKinnon who, earlier this month won Scotland’s Young Chef of the Year award. Jamie was also the winner of the 2013 BBC Two television series, Chef’s Protégé where he was mentored by Michelin star chef, Tom Kitchin.
Stefano said: “I am spending over £100,000 in re-branding, refurbishment and expansion and expect to attract a wider range of customers to sample our fresh, locally-sourced seafood cuisine, all served with the right amount of Italian flair.
“I have been born and brought up in a family whose entire focus has been on the restaurant trade and from the time I worked in the catering industry as a kitchen porter at the age of 14 I have dreamed of running my own restaurant.
“I consider myself very lucky to be in charge of a restaurant in such a spectacular location; there are not many places in the world where you can sit in a warm, comfortable restaurant eating oysters while the tides of the North Sea are splashing off the window in front of you.”
In keeping with Stefano’s approach, the number of covers in the restaurant will almost double from 44 to 80, while the look of the room, modern and contemporary, will be masterminded by renowned stylist Susan Pieraccini. Staff numbers will rise to 30 with all existing jobs in the restaurant safeguarded.
Tim Butler, who has owned the Seafood Restaurant since 2003 and is selling-up to focus his attention on expanding further his £1m turnover St Andrews Brewing business, said: “I was the same age as Stefano when I opened my first restaurant and I recognise his enthusiasm to build on what has been achieved so far and to take his Seafood Ristorante to new heights.”
The Seafood Ristorante opened its doors to new customers on Monday 20th March.