Ramsay to open restaurant at Heathrow

Published on Thursday 13 December 2007 01:18

CELEBRITY chef Gordon Ramsay has set his sights on creating the world's first Michelin-starred airport restaurant at Heathrow's new terminal.

Plane Food is said to have cost the chef 2 million and will be his ninth restaurant in London when it opens next year in Terminal Five at the airport.

Ramsay, 41, who was born in Johnstone, Renfrewshire, hopes to add to his clutch of Michelin stars for his other restaurants with the new venture, according to reports.

It was claimed airport operator BAA had given the chef preferential terms with a 10-year lease instead of the usual five-year contract to help turn the restaurant into a key attraction.

A BAA spokeswoman said:

"Most of BAA's business partners trade on concession contracts that are three to seven years in length and that are turnover- related."

The menu for the 180-seater restaurant is to be based on the Boxwood Cafe at the Berkeley Hotel and will include afternoon tea as well as a cocktail list.

Terminal Five is due to open in March and will handle 30 million passengers every year.

Nick Ziebland, BAA's retail strategy director, said: "I'm rather hoping they [the passengers] will sit there, rich, comfortable and slightly bored, and say 'Let's go and eat out'."

Ramsay also plans to open restaurants in Versailles, Amsterdam and Singapore.