Christopher Corbin and Jeremy King's long-mooted return to the restaurant world is to be made in concert with David Loewi, managing director of Conran Restaurants.
Loewi, who joined the Conran empire eight years ago as general manager of the Mezzo restaurant and became managing director of the restaurants division in 1998, has handed in his notice and will leave at the end of July.
He plans to develop a new restaurant and hotel business with Corbin and King, former owners of London's much-loved Ivy and Le Caprice restaurants, along with the J Sheekey restaurants which they sold to Belgo (now Signature Restaurants) in 1998.
Speculation has been rife that Corbin and King have been looking to buy the lease on the China House restaurant in London's Piccadilly. But neither Corbin nor King was available for comment, and Loewi was unwilling to divulge any further details of their plans.
After Loewi's departure, Peter Prescott, general manager of the Bluebird restaurant, will become UK operations director for Conran Restaurants. Overseas restaurants in New York, Stockholm and Paris will report directly to Des Gunewardena, chief executive of Conran Holdings.
Source: Caterer & Hotelkeeper magazine, 22 - 28 May 2003