Team grows at Marco Pierre White's Blackpool restaurant as £350m Talbot Gateway regeneration progresses

Two senior appointments have been made at Marco Pierre White's brand-new restaurant in Blackpool.

Katherine Gonzales-Moore has now joined the team at Marco's New York Italian as restaurant manager while Phil Andrews has been appointed as head chef.

Opening later in the spring the new restaurant forms part of the complex being built as part of the Talbot Gateway regeneration project and will be located within the four-star Holiday Inn hotel.

Originally from California, Katherine moved to Las Vegas and spent 15 years honing her expertise in celebrity chef restaurants.

She brings over 20 years' experience in the catering and hospitality sector and previously worked at the world-famous Venetian, Caesar’s Palace and iconic Bellagio.

READ MORE: Blackpool's North Station Tram Stop nears completion at Talbot Gateway Holiday Inn complex.

Moving to the UK in Novmber 2021, Katherine then worked at Lytham House and St Anne's Old Links Golf Club, where she managed and oversaw the food and beverage operations.

She is now looking forward to making Marco's New York Italian the place to go out for a meal in Blackpool.

Katherine said: "Marco Pierre White is arguably one of the most famous chefs in the world and is incredibly well known on both sides of the Atlantic.

"The chance to work in one of his restaurants was one I just couldn't turn down and I can't wait for Blackpool's New York Italian to open.

"It's the perfect fit for the town. It's not pretentious, it's just good food, served in a great environment and I'm absolutely convinced locals and visitors to the town will absolutely love what we have on offer."

Inspired by Pierre White's Italian heritage and his love for New York, the new restaurant will serve a mixture of Italian-inspired dishes and American classics including fresh pasta, handmade pizza and steaks and some classic Italian / New York inspired desserts.

From Blackpool, Phil joins the team having worked for many years at the Imperial Hotel where he worked his way up to the head chef position.

Loving the pressure of working in a commercial kitchen, Phil is hugely excited to represent one of the most celebrated chefs in the world.

He said: “Work on site is really coming on at pace and I know the restaurant will completely capture Marco's ethos of creating a venue where friends and family can come to enjoy drinks and food in a relaxed, comfortable and unpretentious setting.

"I love cooking and plan to make Marco's New York Italian the go-to restaurant in the area and can't wait to get open."