Purple Pig restaurant chain named as one of 100 industry 'leading lights'

A Teesside restaurant chain has been named as one of the top 100 eateries in the industry.

The Purple Pig, which has restaurants on Linthorpe Road in Middlesbrough and on Yarm High Street is listed in Casual Dining magazine’s Industry 100 in the publication’s February edition.

Despite launching its first restaurant in Yarm only around a year ago, the company, owned by Som Emadi, is listed alongside not only other small local companies, but also large nationwide chains including Pizza Hut, Nandos and Jamie Oliver’s chain Jamie’s Italian.

Casual Dining magazine’s industry 100 “details the plans and performances of some of the finest operators in the market”.

It says the businesses picked are those “pushing forward in today’s bustling industry”, adding: “Each business is far from complacent about the position it’s currently in, with many displaying a huge sense of ambition and expansion potential for 2015 and beyond.”

Som, who also has restaurants in Hull and Harrogate, has plans for further restaurants to be developed in York, Darlington and Newcastle.

“I think we’ve done the Boro proud," he said.

“I knew nothing about it. A friend who works in London said to me ‘Have you heard the news?’ and I was like ‘What news?’

“I’ve told the managers and staff. I said ‘look at what you’ve achieved’ - everyone is over the moon.”

Of The Purple Pig, the magazine writes: “Plans are in place to open up in Darlington, in the Feethams leisure development, and to expand further north into Newcastle.

“Emadi Ltd, a Teesside restaurant company, was behind its venture in Middlesbrough last year, with a £250,000 investment needed to realise the project.”

It hasn't all been plain-sailing, though. In November, Som took to Facebook to tackle 'whispers' about the Yarm restaurant's hygiene rating.

It also agreed to close earlier - if more customers could drink on the premises.