The Big Table appoints Mike Tye as chairman

Tye will work closely with Epiris, the private equity firm that owns The Big Table, and a senior management team led by CEO James Spragg and CFO Adrian Walker.

Epiris, the former backer of restaurant group TGI Friday’s, took over the operations of Bella Italia, Café Rouge and Las Iguanas after acquiring the now defunct Casual Dining Group (CDG) in a pre-pack administration deal​ ​back in August.

Tye, who is currently chairman of Moto Hospitality, has more than 30 years’ board and leadership experience in the UK restaurant and eating-out market.

He is former CEO of Spirit Group, and recently stepped down as a non-executive director of The Restaurant Group PLC.

Additionally, he has led Costa Coffee, David Lloyd Leisure and Premier Travel Inn, and also sits on the council of UKHospitality.

“With a talented management team in place and supportive, experienced investors, The Big Table represents an exceptional opportunity to build a first-class UK restaurant business," says Tye.

"These are challenging times, but this is a strong business with brands that are popular with customers, and it is well placed to overcome the current uncertainty and deliver growth over the years ahead.”

The Big Table estate comprises over 150 restaurants across its three core brands, around 140 of which have now reopened following the lifting of Coronavirus lockdown restrictions on the hospitality sector.

According to the group, the remaining openings planned for the coming weeks.