El Gato Gordo is the latest venture from restaurateur Claudio Abreu, offering everything from simple olives and wine to tapas and the full Spanish experience. Emily Moore reports
THERE may be an ocean – and more than 15,500 kilometres between them – but the differences between Japan and Peru may not, in some respects at least, be as extreme as one might first think.
Indeed, as restaurateur Claudio Abreu explains, when it comes to the world of food, the two cultures have long influenced one another, with the relationship so strong that it has given birth to the popular fusion cuisine of Nikkei.
“This is the style of food which we have brought to Jersey through Izakaya, which opened in the former Costa Coffee building at Liberty Wharf in December,” explained Claudio.
And the concept of different cultures with common influences is one which Claudio has applied not just to Izakaya but to his wider hospitality business, which now comprises Rigatoni, Izakaya and the newly opened El Gato Gordo, as well as the temporarily closed Chicken Run takeaway.
“Rigatoni was the first of the three restaurants to open in Liberty Wharf, launching about two years ago,” he explained. “When I first viewed the space, I could see that it had tremendous potential but the question was how to make the most of that scope. As I looked at the footfall, I decided that we needed something modern and modern Italian, using good ingredients to deliver a simple menu, seemed like the answer.
“It’s a fast-paced environment and people love the fact they can have a bowl of pasta or a light salad in the summer. It’s also great having the alfresco areas, both on Liberation Square and behind the restaurant in Liberty Wharf.”
It was, says Claudio, thanks to the success of Rigatoni that the managers of Liberty Wharf then invited him to look at the unit formerly occupied by Costa Coffee.
“As I looked around, I was struck by the big windows, high ceilings and slight factory feel to the space,” he said. “I then started doing some research and thought that one of the things the Island lacked was an elevated version of a Wagamama-style offer. I know people in Jersey love sushi, so I developed that idea, bringing in some sushi, noodles and a range of small plates, which bring those popular Asian spices and flavours to the Island.”
While keen to bring something different to Jersey, the concept of taking a well-known chain and elevating its offer was not new to Claudio, who is also the operations manager for The Royal Yacht hotel.
“My first venture outside The Royal Yacht was Chicken Run, which I had been planning for a while and eventually opened during the first Covid lockdown,” he said. “Again, this was based on a gap in the market for an elevated version of something between a Nandos and a KFC.”
And while many businesses suffered during 2020, Chicken Run, says Claudio, enjoyed great demand from the moment it opened.
“It was a time when people were ordering more takeaways than usual because restaurants were closed and social activity was so restricted,” he reflected. “We got through a lot of chicken.”
Having closed Chicken Run temporarily so that the team could focus on getting Izakaya off the ground, Claudio had expected that the next step in his business journey would be identifying new premises from which to resume the takeaway operation.
But then a new opportunity arose.
“Another space at Liberty Wharf – the former Meat and Eat restaurant – became available,” he said, “and, with its location between Izakaya and Rigatoni, it was too good an opportunity to refuse.”
As he stepped inside the building, Claudio was immediately captivated by its heritage and architecture.
“It’s a fantastic building and, as soon as I walked in, I was reminded of being in a wine cellar in Spain,” he explained.
Having been thus transported to the Iberian country, it comes as little surprise that he decided to convert the space into the Spanish restaurant, El Gato Gordo.
“As with the other two restaurants, we did some research first, questioning where we were in the market and what we thought people would want. And what we’re hoping they want is tapas,” said Claudio with a smile.
“Having gone from Italian with Rigatoni to a fusion of Japanese and Peruvian with Izakaya and now Spanish with El Gato Gordo, it is easy to think of the restaurants as offering three very different concepts,” he added.
“However, while the food is different in each one, underpinning them all is a commitment to create a casual dining atmosphere which people enjoy. Each one offers a nice buzz and an ambience which enables people to relax.
“They are all reasonably priced and designed to offer something different at a price point which enables as many people as possible to enjoy them.”
And while the styles of food may be worlds apart from one another, the approach to the menu is consistent across all three restaurants.
“We buy good ingredients and do as little as possible with them,” Claudio said. “The idea is to let the products speak for themselves and come alive on the plate.”
In El Gato Gordo, this simplicity manifests itself across a range of dishes from a charcuterie platter including a range of Spanish hams, pickles and olives through to a selection of pintxos, tapas and main dishes which range from a seafood rice to a classic Spanish tortilla.
“The menu is varied,” said Claudio. “People can enjoy anything from a glass of wine with a bowl of Gordal olives through to a full meal with family and friends.”
And the El Gato Gordo offer will not be restricted solely to eat-in diners. Facing those walking into the restaurant is not only a wall lined with bottles of Spanish wine but also a fridge filled with an array of Spanish ingredients from pickled vegetables and fruit to cold meats and cheeses.
“The idea is to offer grazing platters to go,” Claudio explained. “People can pop in after work, choose a bottle of wine and fill a couple of boxes with a selection of items – we also have crisps, crackers and tins of olives to add those all-important finishing touches – and then head across to the beach or go home with their Spanish meal.”
With a background in hospitality which goes back to his childhood and teenage years in Portugal, Claudio admits that it while it may be a brave – or “mad” – time to open another venture, he is optimistic about the future of the industry.
“My father was a restaurant manager and all my family work in hospitality, so I grew up in that environment,” he smiled. “I did a degree in hospitality and tourism and came to Jersey in 2004 to join the team at The Royal Yacht hotel. The hotel’s owners have been incredibly supportive of my ventures and allowed me to study in Madrid and Paris before returning in 2007 to help launch the new incarnation of the hotel. Where there is an element of concern around the current economic climate, you have to focus on the positives. In every recession, there are opportunities and I hope that we are now coming out of the worst time and can start looking to a brighter future.”
Of course, one of the greatest challenges around starting – or maintaining – a business is staffing. But here, as Claudio says, he has “been very lucky”.
“I’ve built a lot of relationships with people over the years and I have been very lucky that a number of people who had worked in the industry previously and then pursued other careers have come back to help me bring these concepts to life,” he said. “Staffing is difficult but those life-long friendships and relationships have made a big difference, and we have a really fantastic team behind us.
“Inspired by my own early experience of hospitality, we also support a number of students and young Islanders who work in the restaurants, picking up a range of valuable skills in the process.”
Whether it is recruiting staff, developing a menu or considering the décor for each outlet, it is clear that Claudio approaches everything with “love and hard work”.
“We try to understand what people want, identify what is missing in the Island and then put our love into creating a unique experience for people to enjoy,” he said. “It is also really exciting to be helping to develop Liberty Wharf into something of a food hub, offering all-day dining in a relaxed setting which doesn’t break the bank.”
