WELL NESTED
Taking flight
While it’s tempting to fly the nest and explore some more as the country comes back to life, we’re honing in on what it means to be home, with Chris Wood and Jack Brown, the brains behind Heaton’s new neighbourhood restaurant
“The bird a nest, the spider a web, man friendship.” William Blake
A genuine love for the North East, paired with a solid friendship formed through the foundations of working in food, is what brings Chris and Jack together for their new venture, Nest. A collaborative concept born from a shared understanding that great food and indulgent dining doesn’t need to be a daunting experience. Nest is the new neighbourhood restaurant you need to know about, setting up sticks (quite literally) on Chillingham Road in Heaton. It’s a small, 33-cover site set within a mid-40s terrace, with big plans to become a home from home for food-lovers across the North East and from afar. Luxe settles in for a virtual cuppa with Chris and Jack as plans progress and Nest starts to take shape. I quickly discover that the pair are as passionate about pointing out all that our region has to offer as we are. An ethos instilled in both of them, having worked at numerous venues across the North East over a decade or so in the hospitality trade here. It’s been quite the journey, navigating through a global pandemic and ensuring all decisions are made mindfully and cautiously
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to get the very best results ahead of opening, but it was perfect timing for a pair destined to work together. “It’s a real love story isn’t it Jack?,” Chris laughs as we start from the beginning. “Put it this way, his WhatsApp profile picture is a photograph of me and him, not his better half,” he adds. Jack smiles: “We met in 2011 at Eshott Hall in Morpeth. Chris was already working there and I came in around two years later. “Following that, we ended up going to the Apartment Group together and then we went on to open up the Crowne Plaza in Newcastle. “So, unintentionally, we’ve kind of gone through these three stages of our career together with different companies. From our initial meeting at a luxury country house hotel in Northumberland, we went on to work at numerous Apartment Group venues, before setting up at the Crowne Plaza, which was a totally different beast. It was a big brand and a monster of a hotel. “So I guess we’ve kind of been through it all together; and I don’t want to get too romantic about it, but it’s been quite the journey.” “Fast forward to today and Jack has taken
me down this route to Nest, so I’ve got him to thank for that,” Chris adds. We joke as I try hard not to over-romanticize the story. A chef and a front of house manager riding the wave of the food world, then settling down to take to their nest. Nest is a concept - or a ‘brotherhood’ of a business - that has been bubbling away for some time now. Both well established in their roles within the hospitality industry in the region, it was about waiting for the right moment to really get their heads together and bring their ideas to life. “After Crowne Plaza, I was made redundant and we kind of went our separate ways,” Jack starts. “I started doing a bit of consultancy work for an interior designer company in the region. I refitted a town centre bar in Durham for Ramside Estates. When I left that project, Marc - owner of interior design business Space ID - and now one of our business partners, approached me and said, ‘I’ve got some clients who have this dream of opening a venue, but never know where to go with it, do you fancy coming along and steering them in the right direction?’ “So we evolved this hospitality consultancy business and I needed someone who could do the kitchen side of things and I thought, ‘I know just the man for the job!’. “Before we knew it, we were back working together, consulting for a few different venues, but it got to the point where we kind of just thought, ‘Why don’t we do this for ourselves and really get the opportunity
to be creative?’ “I guess it’s an exhibition of our own talents,” Chris adds. “We wanted our place to showcase our own talents and love of good food and wine. “Between our associates and contacts, we’ve got everything covered to really make it work. Space to Operate is the consultancy business that owns Nest - we’re a one-stop-shop covering everything from marketing, brand design, interior design and planning, to health and safety, operational support, recruitment, menu development and legislation.” Backed by their business partners, who have been working behind-the-scenes to help get things up and running ready for launch, Chris and Jack are confident that they’ve covered all bases with the birth of Nest. “We have two partners, Marc and Nick; Marc is an interior designer and Nick is a builder - he’s a dentist by trade, but he has a building firm,” says Jack. “They’ve helped us set the business up, but once it’s up and running, myself and Chris will take the reins and be fully operational. We’ve got the formula to make it work, and we’ve got a great support network around us too.” Nest takes everything the duo know and love about the industry to create something really special. Something that steers away from the formalities of ‘fine dining’ and quite literally invites customers in as a friend. A place to relax and feel comfortable, but equally, a place to enjoy honest, humble
MAY/JUN21
