A £300,000 investment in the latest equipment will ensure that the kitchens at the new Bazil Brasserie will add up to a recipe for success.

The investment in the Whitley Bay business means that the kitchen and food preparation areas at the restaurant will be among the best equipped in the region.

It was the fantastic facilities that attracted head chef Andrea Robertson and her team to the restaurant.

She said: "When I stepped into the kitchens at Bazil I was amazed at the quality of the facilities installed. I've worked in many top hotels and restaurants and the kitchens at Bazil are just as good, if not better."

In addition to the construction of the kitchens, the £300,000 investment has included up-to-the minute equipment from across the UK and the continent.

It includes a £30,000 self-cleaning oven, a computerised refrigeration area, dishwashing facilities and an £8,000 espresso machine from Italy.

Andrea added: "Everything in Bazil has been carefully thought out, from the menus, the wine list and interior decor, right through to the attention to detail in the kitchen."

Bazil Brasserie is part of a £2m investment by the Hastie family, who also own Whitley Bay's Windsor Hotel, Zynk Bar, as well as the Grand Hotel in Tynemouth.