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Marco Pierre White has told Insider that he turned down the offer of a restaurant in the Mailbox when it opened, saying "the time wasn't right". The celebrity chef was in Birmingham inspecting his new Marco's at The Cube restaurant, which is set to open on 1 December.

White, who was once the youngest-ever chef to receive three Michelin stars, said he had turned down the offer of the restaurant "in favour of a better opportunity".

He added: "I don't say yes to everything, and very few things capture my imagination.

"Over the last five years I've been committed to providing affordable glamour for every sector of society."

White said that when he first came to Birmingham 25 years ago it reminded him of where he grew up in Leeds.

"The place was incredibly industrial and working class,” he said. "I kept coming back and when the Mailbox was opened I was offered a restaurant there – but it didn't feel right."

However, White said he has been impressed with the way the city has evolved.

"The way Birmingham is changing is fantastic," he added, "and it's been very interesting to see what the Mailbox has become – it's almost continental these days."

White said he thought that a new Birmingham had emerged – a place that now "opens its arms to new people".

He added: "What you have in this city is a beautiful jigsaw, and it's quite amazing to see what the city has achieved. I want to create something here that it is for the people of Birmingham – a restaurant with an environment where no-one feels intimidated.

"Ever since we decided to open this venue, I've been looking forward to seeing how it would take shape. What I've seen today tells me that the final result will be nothing short of stunning."

White's new restaurant, on the 26th floor of The Cube, is part of Sanguine Hospitality’s £13m investment in Birmingham that also includes a four-star hotel and health spa.

Nick Taplin, managing director of Sanguine Hospitality, said: "This is our fifth restaurant with Marco, and this will be our flagship. We joke that we've been practicing with the first four.

"Like Marco, I'm astounded at how much Birmingham has changed over recent years, and we needed something really special to reflect that."

Taplin said Sanguine Hospitality was on course to open the restaurant on 1 December, with the first night being a sell-out.

White also visited University College Birmingham, where he met catering students and offered careers advice.