To celebrate the Three Cunard Queens cruise ships meeting for the first time on the River Mersey, their spiritual home, the Cunard Building, will be opened to the public as a first class restaurant.

Named the Aquitania, the new restaurant will be open for just six days and offer customers a unique dining experience in the palatial surroundings of the Cunard Building, one of the city’s Three Graces and the original headquarters of the Cunard shipping company

The initiative is being led by the City of Liverpool College and their award winning chef, Ian Jaundoo.  Ian has scooped a host of national culinary awards and is the executive chef for the college’s catering school, one of the top schools of its kind in the country.  He will be working with likeminded experts from the school to create a dining menu to match the sumptuous surroundings of the Cunard building.

Ian said:

“The Aquitania is going to offer a gastronomic experience which will be second to none as regards such a truly stunning setting.  The Cunard Building is a World Heritage site and the place where almost every cruise passenger passed in the 1920s on Transatlantic trips to a new world.

“To reflect this wealth of heritage and history the whole look of the new restaurant, from furnishings to uniforms, will be 1920s themed. We will be offering afternoon teas and evening fine dining, along with music and entertainment to create a memorable experience for diners.”

The college is working closely with Liverpool City Council to deliver the event.  Elaine Bowker, Principal at the City of Liverpool College said:

“Working with key partners the Culture Liverpool team and Mayor Joe Anderson we’ve managed to create another unique event in the city which, as a dining experience, should prove a huge draw for visitors.”

She added:

“Our catering school has won a host of national awards and is home to some of the region’s leading chefs, the Aquitania restaurant gives us the chance to showcase this culinary talent to an international audience.”

The Mayor of Liverpool, Joe Anderson said:

“Seeing the Three Queens together on the river will live long in the memories of all who witness it and we wanted to enhance the experience by offering visitors the chance to see inside the world famous Cunard Building and enjoy examples of some of the best fine dining Liverpool has to offer.

“I’ve been working with the City of Liverpool College, and Cunard to create a truly unique visitor experience and I’m looking forward to when the doors of the Aquitania open on the 21st May.”

The Mayor worked with the college and the Three Queens captains on the name for the new restaurant.  It was decided on Aquitania to reflect the name of Cunard’s third ship of their “grand trio” express liners in the 1900s.  Aquitania was widely considered to be the most attractive ship of her time and earned the nickname “Ship Beautiful”.

With strictly limited availability, Aquitania will be open from the 21st May – 26th May.  Places can be booked at the new restaurant by visiting www.aquitaniarestaurant.com

To find out more about the Three Queens weekend and the wider One Magnificent City programme, visit www.onemagnificentcity.co.uk or follow @OMCLpool on Twitter and One Magnificent City Liverpool on Facebook.