With venues across London, the South East and South West and the Home Counties, as well as small pockets in the North West, Midlands and Yorkshire, permitted to re-open in early December amid changes to COVID-19 tiers – in the process benefiting from crucial Christmas trade – Dave says he and his fellow North East restauranteurs have been “hard done by”.Īnd he also believes the sector has been unfairly labelled, with ministers too quick to apportion blame for any increases in coronavirus cases to eateries. When the North East emerged from England’s November lockdown, its restaurants and eateries – in their traditional forms – didn’t.įor 35-year-old Dave, the situation compounded the financial strain brought by the national lockdown in spring last year. Like so many other hospitality operators, Dave has borne the brunt of Government measures to stem the tide of COVID-19 infections. His Jesmond-based restaurant stands idle, its lights are turned off and its tables are empty, the outside bustle of cars and pedestrians a cruel juxtaposition against its suspended state.
The landscape now, however, is markedly different.ĭave is not in his chef whites but jeans, a thick jumper, coat and hat to guard against the winter’s chill. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Dave’s venture – previously acknowledged by the blue-ribbon Michelin Guide and awarded AA Rosettes – was a thriving gastronomical hub, with diners queuing to sample the makings of a chef who, as an ebullient, self-taught, mid-20- year-old, reached the final of BBC show Masterchef: The Professionals in 2010. “I just want to cook in my restaurant again it’s what my life is.”ĭave Coulson is sat in the shadows of Peace & Loaf, the growing dimness of another cold Newcastle afternoon a perfect accompaniment for his thoughts.
However, with COVID-19 lockdowns impacting heavily on the hospitality sector and forcing his restaurant into temporary closures, Dave has pivoted and launched the Peace of Pie venture to kick back against coronavirus and lay the foundations for post-pandemic success. Appearing on hit BBC cookery shows Masterchef: The Professionals and Great British Menu, his CV also includes Michelin Guide recognition and two AA rosettes. JanuAfter starting out as a youngster in the kitchen of a local restaurant, Dave Coulson went on to build a career as a chef across the region before co-founding Newcastle’s Peace & Loaf in 2013.
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