The latest addition to the award-winning 1884 Restaurants group has opened its doors as the company’s first venture outside Hull city centre. Cucina\1884 takes the acclaimed brand to Hessle after securing a lease on a prime site on the corner of Ferriby Road and The Weir.
The opening comes three months after the company began the transformation of the property, with anticipation building every day as passers-by have peered through the picture windows.
Paul White, Agency Director at Garness Jones, attended one of the test events as Cucina\1884 prepared for its opening night.
He said: “We have an excellent relationship with the team at 1884 and we were delighted to help them secure this building. They have certainly seized the opportunity with both hands and turned it into a fantastic restaurant which is a real asset for Hessle and the wider west Hull area. “The transformation is nothing short of stunning. The 1884 team are known for their attention to detail and there is evidence of that throughout the project, from the finish with the furniture, and fittings to the highest quality food.”
Jane Cook, Director of Cucina\1884, said the test events held with family and friends had put her team through their paces, and all are now eager to impress the diners.
Jane said: “They have already got through an incredible amount of work because there was so much to be done to the premises. It used to be a restaurant, but our vision has always been for something completely different, something unique in Hull and East Yorkshire, and we have not compromised on that.
“The other restaurants in the 1884 group each set new standards when they opened and we have done the same. There was pressure from the start, and that intensified because we are in a prime location and we had a lot of people watching through the windows and looking forward to our opening. “We’ve made it, and there’s no time now to put our feet up! We’ve already got a lot of reservations from people who want to try something new, and we’re then straight into the Christmas bookings.”
Jane has created 15 jobs with a restaurant which brings a mix of classic and contemporary Italian cuisine using local produce and authentic, imported ingredients.
Natural light floods into the building and diners have a choice of intimate tables for two, larger settings for groups or seats at the counter to experience the heat of the kitchen first hand – viewing preparation and cooking techniques, and chatting to the chefs.
Jane said: “There are other restaurants which give diners a view into the kitchen but this is as interactive as it gets. People can see everything from the prep to the wood-fired pizza oven and the grill to the garnishes. If they have any questions or comments they can speak directly to the chefs. There are no secrets, and no hiding places!”
