The French actor Gerard Depardieu — who raised eyebrows when he took Russian nationality 18 months ago after befriending President Vladimir Putin — is to open his own Franco-Russian restaurant in Moscow called “Gérard”.

Known for his gargantuan appetite for food and drink, Depardieu owns three restaurants in Paris, several vineyards and bistros and brasseries in Belgium.

Depardieu said his Moscow restaurant will open in October and serve “the simple food that I like, with dishes from Russia and France.”

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He told the Komsomolskaya Pravda that he hopes to open two further restaurants in Russia, one in Saint Petersburg and another in Saransk, the capital of Mordovia, where he is domiciled.

Asked about his friendship with Putin, Depardieu said: “I think everything that man does he does for Russia.”