Co-founder of Eat Drink Bristol Fashion, Josh Eggleton has begun filming of a new Channel 4 show in Bristol, which will see him running a restaurant that is staffed entirely by people living with dementia
Entitled The Restaurant That Makes Mistakes a group of people that have been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s will be trained to work in the restaurant for a five-week period, where they will be visited by a host of celebrity diners and members of the public.
The restaurant is located in the Old Fire Station in Bristol city centre and was inspired by a real-life Japanese pop-up restaurant that opened in Tokyo last year.
Airing in spring next year, the series will comprise of five, one hour shows with the aim of starting a wider national conversation about how we think about people who live and work with dementia.
In his role, Josh will be responsible for overseeing the kitchen and front of house team using his expertise honed over years of service at his restaurants including The Pony & Trap, Salt & Malt, Yurt Lush, Root, and Eat Drink Bristol Fashion amongst other ventures.
Backed by the Alzheimer’s Society, a team of experts will oversee the ambitious project to evaluate whether the experiment could potentially change how businesses recruit, employ and retain staff who live with dementia. As it stands, stats suggest there are around 40,000 people living with dementia and aged under 65 in the UK, with only a fifth of them continuing to work post-diagnosis.
Actor and supporter of the Alzhemier’s Society Hugh Bonneville has already visited the restaurant with more high profile visits planned. Sarah Lazenby Channel 4’s head of features and formats, said of the project:
“This poignant and timely project aims to open the eyes of employers to the importance of keeping those who live with dementia in work by boosting their confidence and independence.”
The Restaurant That Makes Mistakes is now open to the public until December 12. To enquire and make resrvations, call 07749 883 545 or email trtmm@outlook.com