IF A MAN with a nickname like Beefy opens a restaurant, you know steaks are going to be high on the menu.

And Beefy’s is also the name of the new restaurant launched at the home of Hampshire cricket by legendary former England captain Sir Ian Botham.

He hopes the Ageas Bowl eatery, which focuses on local produce and boasts steaks, seafood and 125 wines, will be the first of the many with other restaurants set to open in Abu Dhabi, Southport and Durham later this year.

The venue is the brainchild of Botham, Hampshire Cricket Club chairman Rod Bransgrove, Ageas Bowl chief executive David Mann, Hampshire-based Palladian Hotels and Resorts boss Paul Clark and Front Foot Hospitality chief executive Steve Grant.

They only came up with the idea at the beginning of the year but the restaurant was officially opened by Botham on Saturday at an event attended by fellow former England captain David Gower and former Hampshire cricketers Shaun Udal and Dimitri Mascarenhas.

Botham, who is regarded as one of England’s greatest-ever cricketers and was was until April holder of the record for most test wickets taken by an England bowler, is also a keen food and wine-lover and he has chosen some of his favourite dishes for the menu.

They include “Granny B’s” fish pie, grilled or poached turbot and a seafood platter, as well as Botham’s own favourite, the 20oz ribeye “Tomahawk” steak.

Much of the menu is drawn from Hampshire produce, including beef, poultry, pork, watercress and vegetables.

Chefs Scott Garner and John Woodward will be at the helm of the new restaurant, which sits within the recently-opened Hilton hotel at the ground.

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Speaking to the Daily Echo during yesterday’s one day international between England and New Zealand at the Ageas Bowl, the 59-year-old said: “It’s very exciting, it’s a great place and a great venue.

“This is one of the best cricket grounds in the country and hopefully it will have a lot more international cricket.

“The general idea is to keep it local and hopefully local people will come and support it.

“The idea came out of the blue to be honest, we got approached by Paul and Steve, they had the idea and we went for it.

“It’s come to fruition very quickly and now we will keep it going. My philosophy has always been to ride the torpedo to the end of the tube and that’s what we are going to do.”

Mr Grant said: “We’re all genuinely excited and passionate about this.

“We are all very fond of an American steakhouse called Morton’s.

“We don’t want to copy it but it has signature meat and seafood dishes and what we have done is to take that on board for our menu but with an English twist.”