Two new American restaurants to open in Eastbourne town centre

David Luck and business partner Alex Hatzidakis are hoping to open Chuck and Blade Burgers and Square Peg Pizzas in The Beacon by the end of July.

The pair first entered the fast food scene during lockdown in 2020 as they rented a pitch for a pop-up stand selling high-quality burgers in Kent.

Mr Luck said: “We had our mobile kitchen at Henley Regatta last year and served a guy one of our top-class burgers. He loved the food, said he worked for Legal & General, and invited us to have a look at The Beacon as a possible new location for us.”

He added: “It is a vibrant town and the shopping centre lies at the heart of the community. This will be a great new venue for us and I can’t wait to open for business.

“We really hope the good people of Eastbourne enjoy the experience and we look forward to welcoming customers into the restaurant.”

The pair took market research to a new level when they decided to move into the pizza business. They jumped on a plane, hired a pick-up truck and set off on a three-week road-trip around Canada and America. They interviewed chefs and restaurant owners and even spent a week in kitchens.

Their adventure finally took them to Detroit, known as Motor City and the birthplace of Motown. It was there that they came across the square-cut pizza, which takes its name from the blue steel utility trays which were used in the city’s auto-assembly plants.

Detroit-style pizzas are thick, have a crisp, chewy crust, and are baked in rectangular dishes.

Mr Luck said: “We were fired up with what we experienced in Detroit and decided that this was the way forward for us. We headed back to England and opened our first restaurant in Canterbury. We imported the steel pans from Detroit to replicate the feel and experience and the pizzas have proved a huge success.”

The Beacon’s community manager Hend Moussa welcomed Chuck and Blade Burgers and Square Peg Pizzas and said they would have great appeal to Eastbourne diners.

They said: “It is fantastic to have them on board. Our first-floor food hall is offering a great choice for diners.”

The restaurant is looking for front and back of house staff to join their team. If you are interested please contact [email protected]

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