Rhodes W1 to open September 2014, confirms chef

Caterer Middle East can exclusively reveal that Gary Rhodes' latest venture, Rhodes W1, will open in September.

We reported last year that Rhodes Mezzanine was being rechristened and renovated at Grosvenor House Dubai, and Rhodes has now revealed more information about the venture.

He told Caterer: "It's going to be relaxed, open for lunch and dinner. It's more British than anything we have done before, and it's really simple eating for everybody."

When asked about the move to the casual end of the dining scale, Rhodes explained: "Fine dining today has a smaller, limited audience and times have changed for everybody. [Casual dining] makes everybody feel a bit more comfortable.

"Fine dining restaurants have become 'special occasion restaurants' and I wanted a place where people can come in two or three times a week."

Rhodes W1 will see the overhaul of the kitchen as well as the menu to reflect the new casual dining vibe, and the previously unusued terrace will also be opened up for the first time.

He opened Rhodes Mezzanine in 2007, and added that the restaurant had reached the end of its cycle which prompted the renovation. 

His next restaurant, Rhodes Twenty10 at Le Royal Méridien Beach Resort & Spa Dubai, opened in in August 2010. Grosvenor House Dubai, Tower Two saw the unveiling of Rhodes in Residence in September 2011; an all-day-dining concept featuring an English afternoon tea created exclusively for the hotel. He then followed this up with Rhodes 44 at the St Regis Abu Dhabi in 2013.