First Night finished

I'm used to living by the seat of my pants, but this morning at 0958, when, disgracefully hungover, we finally flung open the doors to the new Big Bang, I discovered a fear that previously lay untapped - Going from a building site, into which I'd poured every penny I had, to a fully functioning restaurant on a much bigger scale than I've ever experienced.

The first customers arrived at 1013 and had a cup of UE Coffee, hand-roasted in Witney with wood felled from Blenheim Palace.... they were impressed. Their breakfasts arrived some 9 minutes later and their smiles broadened even further. Yes, we forgot minor details like cutlery, our ovens still don't work, many of my staff have never worked in catering before, the tills are a more confusingly advanced IPad system than anywhere outside San Francisco.... and yet we were serving great food and drink, with Big Bang panache in our brand new home.  Even through the hangover, I breathed a huge sigh of relief.

It's now closing time, we had a restaurant near full of customers, many rekindling an old Love affair, many others brand new, who have always heard about The Big Bang, but had never had a chance to visit.

Our menu is much bigger and braver, do Have a shufty online! But we're managing it, and everyone tonight seems to have loved it - We had a full house and the book is filling up for the next few months and our Christmas Dinner (priced from only £15!)

Come on down, see what we've done with the place - We intend to put the Oxford Castle back at the heart of Oxford

Last Night 'off'!

It's 1am on the morning of what will be our opening party and I wanted to share a bit of the excitement of heading into today, combined with the weariness of having worked flat out to produce what I believe will be the very best restaurant in Oxford (with apologies to Monsieur Blanc!).

Best of British

I hope that we will have combined all of the fun from the old place, without the crappy loos, in essence. This new place has more heart, more potential, and a more central position. Everyone thus far who has seen it has only good words to say for it, but maybe they're just being nice, because they realise I'd currently collapse if they said anything bad.

Swanky new floor

Later today, hopefully after a little fitful sleep, I only have to organise another 20 or so tasks, then the rest happens. One of my guiding principles in life is that you HAVE to enjoy a party that you host, otherwise why endure the spend and the stress? So, before that time, we need a floor, some more beer.... in fact a local beer chilling system and some of Oxfordshire's best beers, we need a till system, we need 8,000 sausages cooked (Yes, 8,000!) and we need the mash to go with it, so that entails a lot of baking, boiling, peeling, cutting, mashing and hard work.

The Sign finally hoisted

It'll be a night to remember, and I hope it will be the night when Oxfordshire learnt to make the Castle Quarter their own - I believe we have the best possible position in Oxford with the biggest courtyard, the best design and the finest menu - And the Maitre'D isn't too bad either!

For the past 8years we've not really rammed the ethics of the place down your throat, but hopefully those who have followed the story closely will realise it's all built on pretty solid ethics - I trust that they are more visible and more intelligently explained, now we have a suitable building from which to do so.

About the most important lunch you can imagine

Aaaah, that's enough - it's time for bed. One last thing, everyone today seemed to want to know whether I was nervous, and I answered "No" each and every time. I have the best menu, the finest, sweetest and most hard working staff in both kitchen and restaurant, I have the best looking website and restaurant thanks to some amazing work behind the scene by my FashionHack and her family of designers and clever brains and we're going to make it work incredibly well, from tomorrow you should be in possession of a new clear favourite Oxford restaurant.

Good Night