Aiden Byrne on Manchester House: Business success before Michelin star

However, as Byrne, who gained his first Michelin star at the age of 22 tells BigHospitality in this exclusive video, making sure the £3m restaurant is a financial success will be more important than winning any accolade. 

He says: "Getting a Michelin star would be great, but it doesn't phase me as much as running a £3m standalone restaurant does. We don't have the support of a hotel with bedrooms and banqueting, this is a standalone restaurant, so if this restaurant's empty then it's £3m wasted and that to me is where the pressure comes from. 

"There are phenomenal chefs out there who have been cooking for years and years and haven't got a Michelin star. It's not the be all and end all. I'm 41 years of age and I realise that now, but when I was younger it was different.

"The fact that Tim's (Bacon) gone out there and said he wants a Michelin star, that's all very well and good but the reality is the business being a success is more important than getting a Michelin star."  

The interview, held just weeks after the restaurant opened at Tower 12 in the Spinningfields area of Manchester, also gets to the bottom of the exclusive partnership with Living Ventures, led by Tim Bacon and Byrne, the owner of The Church Green at Lymm.

We also find out Byrne's views on helping to lead the shift in focus for Manchester's dining scene, from one dominated by casual dining operators and brasseries to one with several strong fine-dining options, including Simon Rogan at The French and James Martin Manchester.