A popular Norwich city centre restaurant selling traditional French Creole cuisine is closing.

Chez Denis, in Orford Yard off Red Lion Street, will be serving its final dishes on July 1.

Owner and chef Denis Rosembert, 59, from Easton, is starting a pop-up restaurant around Norfolk and a French Creole cookery school in St Lucia, where he grew up.

Mr Rosembert said: 'People don't want me to close but I have been running my own restaurant for 44 years now and it is time for a change. I want to do something different.

'I have got mixed feelings about closing my restaurant. I'm going to be busier than I am at the moment but it will be on my terms.

'I think a pop-up restaurant will be great. I'm so excited about it.'

He added: 'French Creole is a totally different way of cooking. People appreciate my food in Norwich and I'm so grateful to them. I appreciate what they have done for me. My customers are looking forward to my pop-up restaurant. I love Norwich and Norfolk.'

To say thank you, he will put on a special meal for 150 special guests, many of whom are long-term customers, on July 2.

Mr Rosembert, who has three children and one grandchild, will take on one of his three current waiting staff for his pop-up restaurant venture.

He will cook for it and serve his food in restaurants, private homes, and businesses among other locations for any number of people.

Mr Rosembert is also planning to open a French Creole cooking school in Gros Islet Bay on St Lucia where he was born and grew up.

He hopes to start it up in October this year and will spend six months of the year, from October-April, teaching customers. During that time he will not run the pop-up restaurant.

Mr Rosembert learned his culinary skills from his grandmother and moved to London aged 17 to pursue a career as a chef.

He moved to Norfolk in 1989 and opened Cafe Des Amis, in Orford Yard, from 1992 until 1998.

After that he open Chez Denis in Easton, which he moved back to Orford Yard in 2012.

A French brasserie will open in place of Chez Denis.

For more information about the pop-up restaurant visit www.chezdenis.co.uk