Gino D'Acampo has insisted now is the time to "stop blaming Covid for everything" as he looks towards a bright future for his restaurant business.
The Italian chef, 45, believes that while everyone had a right to panic throughout the pandemic, it's time to stop using it "as an excuse".
Speaking to the Mirror from his restaurant in Newcastle, Gino said: "It's becoming such a lousy and annoying excuse to say because of Covid I couldn’t do my job properly, or because of Covid we couldn’t do this and couldn't do that."
He continued to say those blaming Covid should now "step up".
The likeable star admitted the pandemic has forced the restaurant industry into huge changes but says he remained positive throughout and is now prepared to push on with some great ideas and projects.
"Throughout the pandemic at some points we had the chance to have guests sitting outside and the councils around us were extremely generous to give us the space to put tables," he said.
"And we then realised 'wow, we should have done this from day one'. So, [let's stay] positive and let’s keep smiling, keep positive."
Gino confessed that while he had lost "a huge amount like everybody else" he is finding his customers now want a different feel from their dining out experience.
He said he is noticing now that people want to spend more time at the restaurant, meaning it's even more vital to offer them the perfect atmosphere, which includes seating options and background vibes.
This led to his Newcastle venue, which is situated on the city's amazing Quayside, creating a fantastic new permanent terrace overlooking the river Tyne as business continues to boom.
And his expansion plans aren't stopping there with the chef set to open a number of bigger venues across the UK throughout the year.
"This year, we’re going to open a very big restaurant in Manchester," Gino added, saying it's going to be "the biggest one".
"We’re also gonna open a big restaurant in Birmingham - a brand new one. One in Leeds and one in Glasgow, so [my aspiration] with restaurants is to keep going, keep employing people and give them a chance to have a career, to have a family."
When later questioned whether he and good pal Gordon Ramsay were as competitive in the business world as they are on their hit show Gordon, Gino and Fred's Road Trip, he admitted they "know where each other stand".
"We run two different types of restaurant and cuisine," he explained. "His is a British, Scottish cuisine with a bit of French and bit of American. I run Italian cuisines, so he knows where he stands with me and I know where I stand with him."
He claimed that comparing the two is like comparing "someone who runs and someone who swims".
"You’re both competing but one is a runner and one is a swimmer. You can’t say which is the best as they’re both completely different things."
Do you have a story to sell? Get in touch with us at webcelebs@trinitymirror.com or call us direct 0207 29 33033.
