Foodies rejoice! Paul Askew’s Emporium of Gourmet Food & Fine Wine is here

The Art School’s Chef Patron is helping Liverpool foodies to recreate fine dining in their own kitchens by providing some of the best ingredients for the perfect dish.

Paul Askew, renowned owner of the city’s popular dining destination, is opening the new Emporium of Gourmet Food & Fine Wine from tomorrow (Friday, June 19).

It has been created in restaurant’s Cellars bar, accessed on the corner of Sugnall Street and Myrtle Street at the back of the Philharmonic, and will offer a selection of the finest ingredients that the esteemed chef likes to use in his own much-praised creations.

Paul says: “It is a project I’ve wanted to do for a while now, and the current situation has given me the opportunity to embark on it. Out of the fire comes a winged Porcine!

“The Emporium is a gathering of my favourite ingredients to cook with, cheeses, wine, beers, charcuterie, olives, oils and vinegars, Art School preserves and a collection of retail items. 

“Some of our truffle honey and the butter we use in the restaurant will also be available, as will, in the coming weeks, our bread, afternoon tea boxes, Sunday dinner boxes and Chef’s selection BBQ boxes.”

And he adds: “I imagine those boxes will change weekly so keep an eye to our social channels for what we have on offer. We’ll also be offering take away speciality tea and coffee.”

Paul, who opened The Art School Restaurant in 2014 after he was Chef Patron and food and beverage director for The London Carriage Works and Hope Street Hotel where he and the team helped to build the city’s reputation for gastronomic excellence, says the idea for the Emporium stems from the interest that’s been shown for the products he uses.

“There’s been a huge amount of interest over the years on some of the products we use in the restaurant, the butter, the truffle honey, the breads and olive oils, and so the intention has always been to develop a retail proposition.

“Obviously with the restaurant and bar unable to open at the moment, the time to plan and launch the Emporium was suddenly there.”

It’s hoped that it will provide some additional resilience to the business as Paul, like many other restaurant owners, has had to review his business model to adapt to the current situation, both now and going forward.

As joint chair of Liverpool Hospitality Association, Paul has been, and will be, instrumental in helping the city’s culinary venues as and when they re-open and try to re-establish themselves post Covid-19, and amid new restrictions and guidelines.

Paul says: “Like many people I have been using my time to re-evaluate the business and the restaurant, trying to imagine what it might feel like with half as many tables, the atmosphere, etc., the way we work, what we offer and so forth.”

As with all of the business extensions (Art of Wine – Paul’s wholesale wine business, The Art School Cellars and The Moriarty private dining room) The Emporium is very much focused on the ethos of excellent seasonal produce and it is intended to become a permanent feature of the Art School Cellars.

The Emporium will be open from 10am – 5pm Tuesday to Saturday.

When able to, The Art School Restaurant will continue to operate with the belief that the addition of The Emporium will complement the offer in there.

“In this industry, we are creative, innovative and passionate.  We are robust and will remain positive and find different ways to do things.” The Emporium is one of them.

For more info head to the Art School website here.

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