Liam Nichols on opening The Northwic: ‘I want it to be somewhat different’

Liam Nichols is hoping his new venture, The Northwic, can provide some excitement and something “different” to Norwich city centre.

After a spell of travelling and private chef work, Liam is returning to restaurants, having left his role as head chef of Store at Stoke Mill in the summer of 2024, where he won a Michelin star.

Speaking to The Staff Canteen two years ago, Liam said his future plans included “a city centre restaurant in Norwich that’s buzzy, fun, energetic - me in a restaurant”.

Asked if The Northwic will fulfil that ambition, Liam said: “Pretty much. That is what it is.

“It’s slap bang in the middle of the city. Hopefully the vibe is going to be fun, energetic, exciting. That’s the goal.

“The whole restaurant is focused around a big open kitchen. I want it to be social, I want it to be interactive. I want it to be somewhat different.

“I don’t just want to have a restaurant with tables and chairs. There’s a lot of counter dining.

“There is an entry bar. That’s going to be open all day for drinks and some light snacks. We’ll have about 10 covers in there.

“We’ll have a private dining room for 10 covers as well. That room can be sealed off and it can feel quite intimate and private, and that will have its own chef and front of house to service that.

“Then upstairs is the main theatre, if you like. That’s where we’re going to have the big open kitchen, the L-shaped counter surrounding it.

“We’ve got one big booth seat going in for a table of six, and that’s going to be where the tasting menu is served upstairs.”

Why did Liam choose this site for The Northwic?

The venue itself is situated on Lower Goat Lane, on the site of a former café.

“It was right place, right time,” Liam said.

“It came on the market at a good time. We were told it was coming onto the market, and that got the juices flowing.

“We had some site visits and then we steamed in and made an offer.

“The purchase took quite a while to go through, but I think that’s quite normal.

“It was a cafe, so a very different offering, very different kitchen setup.

“They’ve moved over the road. They’re awesome, really friendly neighbours and they’ve all been over to say hello. It’s really, really cool.”

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He added: “Because we’re in Norwich, I think community has got to be a big part of it.

“We want those guests returning. We want that conversation. We want to build that rapport with those guests over a number of weeks, months, years.

“I think that’s just going to drive repeat custom, which I think is where we’ll hopefully survive.”

Michelin-starred background

Given Liam’s pedigree of competing on Great British Menu and winning a Michelin star, expectations will be high.

Asked how different The Northwic will be from Store, Liam said: “I think there’ll be nods to what we did before, because we’re obviously very proud of that.

“But I think like anything, when you do something new, you want to reinvent and you want to go again and bring some excitement.

“We’re going to offer three, five and seven-course menus.

“We will be building a team from scratch, which I’m quite excited about.

“We’re going to get some young guys and girls in, teach them and make it a really fun place to work.”

What did Liam Nichols do after leaving Store at Stoke Mill?

Ahead of throwing himself into the project in Norwich, Liam is also spending some of his time in Surrey, as a private chef.

And while it has served him well in the interim, he admits the buzz of being part of a brigade is hard to replicate when cooking alone.

“It just doesn’t give you that satisfaction of the hospitality world,” he said.

“I left Store, which was a great journey in itself, left on a high, and went travelling with my girlfriend in Asia.

“We did 16 countries over eight months. It was the best eight months of my life. A little glimpse of retirement. It was lovely.

“Then I came back and I’ve been cooking in the private world since then, and then this has all come about.

“As much as this job’s been very good and I work for a very nice guy, the one thing that you can miss about being in a kitchen is the banter.”

When will The Northwic open?

An exact opening date has not yet been confirmed, but it is hoped The Northwic can open its doors within the next couple of months.

Asked how the process has been of getting everything ready behind the scenes, Liam said: “I will definitely be happier when I’m cooking!

“Obviously there’s a money side of it that’s stressful, and then there’s a working full-time in Surrey side of it that’s stressful, because I’m obviously not on site every day.

“But we knew that going forward.

“I am enjoying it. It’s such a beautiful thing to be a part of, and the community around Norwich of people coming to help has been mind-blowingly overwhelming.

“So many people want to help and they are helping, and they’re really guiding me through the process.”

Asked how hands-on he has been on the rebuild, Liam said: “I can get on the basic tools.

“When I say that, I mean I did the stripping out with mum and dad - sledgehammers and crowbars!

“It’s just putting it back together that I’m not quite as good at.

“I can paint. That’s about it.”

What does Liam Nichols want to achieve at The Northwic?

Before making a name for himself at Store, Liam worked at the likes of two-Michelin-starred Midsummer House and Restaurant Sat Bains, and as part of the opening team at Tom Kerridge’s Bar and Grill.

Asked if the ambitions at The Northwic are to aim for the same standards and levels he previously cooked to, Liam said: “I think so.

“That’s the level I’m happy cooking at.

“I just love food. I think that’s why you work in those kitchens your whole career, to learn to cook to that sort of standard.

“Then you find your own style and you just start enjoying it.

“I think the plan is to just cook the best food we can cook with the equipment we’ve got and the team we’ve got, and just be happy.”