Frankie Dettori plans 'wacky' restaurant chain

Jockey Frankie Dettori is set to back a new horse by opening a chain of “wacky” restaurants with the celebrity chef Marco Pierre White.

Frankie’s Bar & Grill will aim to serve “the best pizzas in town, fantastic pasta, fish, meat and other grills in a slightly wacky environment”.

The 175-seat restaurant is set to open in Knightsbridge followed by more launches in London and outside the capital, if the venture is successful.

Dettori’s spokesman Peter Burrell said the jockey, who already has his own brand of supermarket pizzas, will have some input into the Italian food on the menu.

He said: “Frankie’s Bar & Grill will be a family restaurant serving relatively inexpensive but good quality food – at around £20 (€30.20) to £25 (€37.80) a head.

“There will be pizzas, pastas and grills as well as a children’s menu.

“Marco Pierre White wanted to do this with Frankie. Frankie has a food range out in the supermarkets and has a huge interest in food, and they are great friends.

“Frankie will have some input with the Italian foods but it isn’t as though Marco Pierre White needs any help.”

Pierre White, whose collection of plush restaurants includes London landmarks like Criterion, Mirabelle and Quo Vadis, became the youngest chef to be awarded three Michelin stars. He met Dettori for the first time this year.

The restaurant will open on the site of French bistro Chez Max in around seven weeks, according to Restaurant magazine.

Chez Max is closing after Max Renzland and Jimmy Lahoud, the restaurant’s co-owners with Pierre White, sold their shares.

Renzland, who still owns the name Chez Max and is looking to reopen elsewhere, said he wanted to be his own boss.

He said the location of Chez Max, a basement, meant the restaurant was left empty in the summer.

Restaurant magazine said Lahoud sold his share to Pierre White a month ago.