After opening its first site in London’s Leicester Square, Black and White Hospitality plans to expand its new restaurant concept, Mr White’s, in the UK and overseas. Developed as part of a franchise partnership with chef Marco Pierre White, the brand launched earlier this month on the former Chiquito site next to the Odeon cinema.

The restaurant is the first Marco Pierre White branded restaurant to open in London’s West End in over 10 years. The chef owned the Criterion restaurant in Piccadilly Circus for eight years from 2001 before selling it to Vasily Sopromadze in 2009.

Nick Taplin, CEO of Black and White Hospitality, said the restaurant will be “the first of many restaurants” under White’s concept, which will become an international brand, adding “others in Cardiff, Spain, Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sri Lanka.” We’re already looking at other exciting opportunities, including sites alongside another site in London, so this is really an exciting time for Black and White Hospitality as we look to expand our reach. “Mr White’s is an excellent choice for Leicester Square. It is an evolution of taking traditional, quality ingredients and placing them in an easy-to-access, relatable environment created only for guests who want to enjoy easy and affordable meals.”

The chef has worked with Black & White Hospitality since 2013 and has opened franchise restaurants under nine different brands.