Former Bournemouth University student opens new restaurant to diversify the area’s cuisine

Manqiu Du is determined to contribute to the growing market of international food through her new restaurant

4 months ago | UPDATED 2 seconds ago

Throughout Bournemouth, there is a diverse range of cafes and restaurants that take inspiration from a variety of different cuisines.

Embracing all of this, former Bournemouth University student Manqiu Du has opened Pot and Grill – Asian Hotpot and Korean Grill.

Pot and Grill is relatively new to the market, having opened in February 2024 and Manqiu says it is on a long journey that has only just begun.

Located on Old Christchurch Road, the restaurant offers authentic and traditional Chinese and Korean cuisine, including Hot Pot.

Hot Pot is a popular Chinese cooking method, where a simmering pot of broth is placed centre of the table alongside various raw ingredients such as thinly sliced meat, seafood, vegetables, tofu and noodles, which are then cooked in the broth by diners themselves.

Mangiu finished her studies in 2009, where she gained her master’s degree in hospitality before opening her restaurant.

Discussing the reason behind the opening of the restaurant, Mangiu told The Daily Echo that it was intended to provide Bournemouth with “a wider range of international cuisine options as the market is growing”.

She said: “The thing is people love the food. And when you are abroad in somewhere, I’m sure you’ll be more appreciated. Somewhere you can get your own food, which is very traditional, very authentic. So that’s what we based it on, very authentic food.

“And not only for Asians, I have to say there’s a lot of clients, they are western people. Because it’s a new thing for them. So, they love to see and try.”

Featured image via Facebook