Gaucho to launch casual chain

Gaucho’s shareholders are launching a more casual Argentina restaurant brand in the UK, allowing them to expand their concept into smaller towns around the country.

CAU, which stands for Carne Argentina Única, will open its first UK branch in Guildford next month, with additional sites planned for Cambridge, Oxford, St Albans, Brighton and Bath.

The CAU brand already has one restaurant in Amsterdam, which exemplifies its cheaper, simpler menu than the upmarket Gaucho chain, while retaining the emphasis on premium quality Argentine beef. The contemporary décor will incorporate Argentine themes, from blue sky and green grass imagery on white corrugated walls.

The CAU management includes Charlie McLean, finance director of Gaucho, as well as the chain’s operations manager, Alex Rojas and creative director, Patsy Godik. Since 2007, Gaucho has been backed by private equity firm Intermediate Capital Group.

Gabriel Savage, 14.06.2011