New fine dining restaurant due to open in Newport

Fine dining restaurant Mojo The FoodBar, due to open next month in Newport, has announced that the Michelin-starred chef Andy Beaumont is going to be heading up the kitchen.

Due to open its doors on Tuesday, 11 August 2015 at Clarence Place, across from the river Usk, replacing the former Rossini restaurant.

Andy has worked at a variety of 2 AA rosette accredited and Michelin-starred restaurants across the UK such as Welsh restaurants Hammet House and Tyddn Llan, The Hamborough on the Isle of Wight, Lower Slaughter Manor in the Cotswolds.

He also took part in the BBC’s Great British Menu 2014, where contestants were competing to cook D Day inspired dishes to serve to veterans for a 70th memorial programme.

Also part of the new team at Mojo The FoodBar is cocktail expert Christos Kyriakidis, who has mixed drinks at some of the world’s best bars. Christos has been chosen to manage the bar, alongside creating drinks as the head of mixology.

Andy, originally from Monmouthshire in south Wales, is eager to begin his journey at Mojo the FoodBar: “I was attracted to Mojo the FoodBar because of the amazing chance that it offers to cook my own food to a very high standard. I am very excited by the challenge and also to be able to remain here in Wales where we can source some of the very best produce that the UK has to offer.”

The Niche Hospitality group, founded by Lewis Lewis and Seng Ming Koh, have estimated a sum of £130,000 will be put into their project, Mojo The FoodBar, enabling the creation of 15 full time, and six part time jobs.

The directors have expressed they are “thrilled” to have Andy as their head chef, “Andy has a wealth of experience gained over the past decade which he is keen to put into practice at Mojo The FoodBar.”

By Katie Pathiaki