| Birth date | 19 December 1956 |
|---|---|
| Death date | 11 June 2023 (aged 66) |
| Occupation | multi-millionaire businessman |
Barry Walter Larsen (19 December 1956 – 11 June 2023) was a Scottish multi-millionaire businessman. He once owned almost all of the Wimpy restaurant franchises in Scotland.[1][2]
Early life
Larsen was born to Walter and Elsie. He grew up in Inverness, Scotland, and attended Balloch Primary School and Inverness High School.[1]
Career
Larsen gave Michelin-starred French chef and restaurateur Loïc Lefebvre his first head-chef position, at La Riviera, a restaurant at the Glenmoriston Town House Hotel in Inverness.[3] Larsen changed La Riviera's name to Abstract, before opening a second restaurant, named Contrast,[1] next door in June 2006.
In March 2007, after three years in Inverness, Lefebvre moved to Edinburgh, where he and Larsen had planned to open a second location under the Abstract name.[4] After a disagreement, Lefebvre returned to France in May 2007.[5] The second location closed on 31 December 2009.[6]
La Riviera/Abstract was featured in a Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares episode which aired in June 2005.[7] Gordon Ramsay and his team visited the restaurant the previous winter.[8] The show revisited the restaurant twice: once two months after the original; then again, two years later. After the visits, the restaurant won the Scottish Hotel Restaurant of the Year award.[7]
Personal life
Larsen was married to Hilary. They lived on Larsen's estate in Newmore, Muir of Ord.[1]
Death
Larsen died in 2023, aged 66.[1]
References
- ^ "'A generous, kind man': Death of Glenmoriston Town House Hotel owner Barry Larsen announced". Press and Journal. 2023-06-14. Retrieved 2026-02-15.
- ^ Scott, Kevin (2023-06-15). "Businessman 'who owned almost every Wimpy in Scotland' dies aged 66". STV News. Retrieved 2026-02-15.
- ^ "La Riviera". The Caterer. Retrieved 2026-02-15.
- ^ "Gordon's makeover ends restaurant's cordon blues". www.thetimes.com. 2005-09-10. Retrieved 2026-02-15.
- ^ "Chef quits restaurant after row" - The Scotsman, May 18, 2007
- ^ "Ignoring Gordon Ramsay's advice proves costly for exclusive eatery Abstract". The Scotsman. 2010-01-12. Retrieved 2026-02-15.
- ^ "Gordon blue!" - Highland News Group, week ending June 4, 2005
- ^ "Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares" - Reality TV Revisited