Chef/restaurateur John McClements has relaunched Ma Cuisine in Barnes as Le Provence, just weeks after attempting to sell the site as part of a ‘strategic review’ of his business.
After claiming the restaurant was the ‘weakest’ in the group, which also includes a tasting restaurant in Kew, McClements put the site on the market in June through Christie and Co, with a view to relocating the restaurant to central London.
He has now chosen to rebrand Ma Cuisine as Le Provence instead of selling it off, and told BigHospitality the quiet restaurant ‘just needed a little boost’.
“The rebrand will definitely help us,” he said. “We’ve done the type of food everyone wants to eat. If you take Ma Cuisine as we had it before the food was very heavy, but Le Provence is quite light with a lot of fish dishes that is more accessible for people. It’s also a lot cheaper than before, which we hope will attract more business.”
The 70-cover restaurant situated on White Hart Lane has had a light aesthetic redecoration while the menu has been tweaked to offer cheaper, more rustic dishes inspired by the South of France and the Mediterranean, including bouillabaisse served with rouille, cheese and garlic croutons; braised rabbit with squid Provencal, fennel and garlic; and quail with foie gras and mashed potato.
McClements also confirmed plans to relocate Ma Cuisine to central London were continuing to go ahead, with a potential site in Knightsbridge due to open in late September this year. It would be the seventh restaurant in the group, alongside A Taste of Clements, Tagine and Ma Cuisine in Kew, Ma Cuisine and The Grill Room British Steakhouse in Twickenham, and a catering and events company.