Former Shu head chef Brian McCann cooking up a storm at Lottie

One of the best known names in Northern Ireland gastronomy has taken on a new challenge having left Shu restaurant after 19 years.

Brian McCann, head chef and co-owner of the famous Lisburn Road venue, is now cooking up a storm at the all-new Lottie bistro on Belfast’s Upper Newtownards Road.

Brian, who grew up in Andersonstown, told his followers he was excited about “a new chapter” working with the team behind hit Asian fusion restaurant Yugo.

In the LCN Yearbook Yugo owner Kyle Strewart revealed how he and head chef Gerard McFarlane planned to turn their second venue in Ballyhackamore into a bistro-style eatery, a scheme delayed by two years because of Covid.

Now that dream of serving “more rustic Italian and French style food with good wine and cocktails” has been realised at Lottie, with the all-day bistro already getting rave revues, in no small part thanks to Brian.

Yugo’s owners are also planning a major expansion of their original city centre venue having purchased the former Made in Belfast premises next door their Wellington Street restaurant, with the former Shu head chef sure to be a huge asset as the business grows.

Having moved to London with his now wife Deirdre at the age of 20, Brian cut his culinary teeth under the likes of Marco Pierre White and Philip Howard in their flagship restaurants, with the likes of Princess Diana Bono, Madonna and Johnny Depp among the famous visitors he recalls.

In 2003 he and Deirdre moved back to Northern Ireland where he first worked for 18 months with the late chef Robbie Millar at the Michelin-starred Shanks Restaurant at Blackwood golf centre in Clandeboye Estate.

After moving to Shu he helped the restaurant win dozens of top culinary accolades, including Best Restaurant in Northern Ireland three years in a row, as well as mentoring countless young chefs.

And perhaps his biggest legacy there is the chef apprentice programme he and co-owner Alan Reid launched in partnership with Belfast Metropolitan College, which last year celebrated its fifth anniversary.

The programme offers three budding cooks aged between 16-24 the chance to gain first-hand experience in working in a professional kitchen while working towards gaining a City & Guilds Level 2 Diploma in professional cookery.

“We wanted to break the mould, and show young people what a fantastic industry this is and with the right skills and training we will give them the gift of being able to work anywhere in the world,” said Brian.

“We have had many young cooks come through our kitchen, some of whom have gone on to work in some of the world’s most renowned restaurants.”