A NEW restaurant in Windermere is offering diners a new experience with seafood dishes from all over the world.

Hooked, on Ellerthwaite Square, opened last week and sees Australian entrepreneur Michael Gould and Kendal chef Phil Lewis team up at Windermere’s only seafood restaurant.

The pair use fish suppliers in Fleetwood and Melbourne-born Mr Gould, 41, believes the new eatery offers diners another choice.

“I fell in love with Windermere through family holidays and spent a few weeks looking round the place before deciding on the venue,” he said. “I’ve tried to create a warm welcoming environment and if you went to a seafood restaurant in Australia, this is what you would get.

“What is important is that we are sourcing our produce from local suppliers and hopefully we offer diners something different.”

Mr Gould has worked in hospitality for many years, including eight years in Leeds, and head chef Phil Lewis is confident the new venture can be successful.

Mr Lewis, 47, who specialises in seafood and has been a chef for 26 years, said: “We change the menu daily and I am in daily contact with our suppliers to make sure the freshest produce is available to us.

“I use recipes from all over the world using lemon grass and basil from South East Asia to Mediterranean and traditional dishes.”