AN INTERNATIONAL DJ opened a boho bistro to coincide with the Great Escape Festival and the launch of new club Patterns.

DJ-producer Tim Healey and his wife Rebecca are behind Kooks restaurant, which launched on Friday in Gardner Street, Brighton.

It serves up a modern English menu accompanied by a bespoke soundtrack of choice tunes from Tim’s music collection.

Tim and Rebecca, of Brighton, are on a mission to create a ‘home-from-home’.

Rebecca Healey, who has managed restaurants in London and Brighton, described the restaurant as “a place where everyone is welcome to come and enjoy our vibe, consistent service and great food at prices that won’t break the bank”.

Tim said: “Rebecca and I are both massively passionate about food and hospitality and my music career has given me the opportunity to experience food and service at all levels of dining from Tokyo to San Francisco.

“We chose the name Kooks Restaurant because Brighton is a city of kooks – eccentric creative types - like us and like our team.

“We believe it’s a privilege to be serving food in Brighton’s counter-cultural hub – the North Laine.

“Brighton is ready for our kind of all-day dining experience. Good portions, good drinks, great – as passionate about our food you can be.”

Tim added: “Music has been and will continue to be our life.

“Choosing an opening date that lined up with The Great Escape Music Festival and the opening of new super-club Patterns was a no-brainer.”

Him and his kitchen team developed the seasonal menu and everything is made in-house from scratch.

Multi-media artist, musician and fellow Brightonian Ste McGregor, aka DJ and recording artist Kidda, has been commissioned to create a series of unique murals on the restaurant’s walls.

Explaining the music policy, Rebecca added: “It’s really important to us. It will be as eclectic as possible – drawing from Tim’s gargantuan music collection.

“Now he has finally archived it all, it can be streamed from a number of devices in the restaurant.

“Tim has made play-lists for every time of the day, and we will continue to iterate to both cater to our customers’ tastes and to hopefully surprise and entertain them.”

The extensive premises refit at Kooks involved sourcing kitsch vinyl LPs and fashioning covers into menu boards in keeping with the theme.

The restaurant will be open every day for breakfast, lunch and dinner from 10am until 10pm, and 10am until 11pm on Fridays and Saturdays.

•Tim Healey’s top five LPs to dine to...

Gabriel Yared – Betty Blue 37.2 Le Matin
“Soundtrack to the seminal movie of the same name – a smorgasbord of musical jump off points – at times kooky and unusual at other unashamedly 80s in style.”

Lana Del Ray – Ultra violence
“For a haunting dinner mood that teams with melancholic romance look no further than this fusion of electronics and tales of sordid behaviour.”

Nick Drake – Pink Moon
“This is such a classic – suits any mealtime anywhere – one man and his guitar – not intrusive, but if the conversation at the table isn’t grabbing you then it’s easy to zone out on his beautiful lyrics and melodies.”

David Holmes presents the Free Association
“A much overlooked LP – flawless from start to finish – upbeat, downbeat and includes a fabulous cover of Sugarman – a thoroughly entertaining dinner listen.”

Wolf Alice – Blush
“For an indie dinner Wolf Alice are nailing it right now with their imminent new album ‘My love is cool’ and last two EPs. They can rock, but also deliver more reflective subtle numbers – divine to dine to.”