Town Centre Securities PLC (TCS) has received planning permission from Leeds City Council for the development of a 134-room Ibis Styles Hotel and 4,000 sq ft Marco Pierre White restaurant at the heart of the Arena Quarter in Leeds. Opening at the site of the former Merrion Hotel on Wade Lane, the building is to be transformed by TCS to create the new Ibis Styles Hotel for … [Read more...]
Archives for October 2015
Chi Kitchen brings a new dining experience to Debenhams Oxford Street
Chi Kitchen, a new pan-Asian restaurant, will launch on the ground floor of Debenhams’ flagship Oxford Street store on Saturday 7th November. The dining concept and brand are exclusive to Debenhams, with a further site now open in Debenhams Birmingham. Debenhams have enlisted restaurateur Eddie Lim, owner of Thai institution the Mango Tree restaurant in Belgravia. Chi … [Read more...]
Owen Kenworthy joins D&D London at Blueprint Café
Blueprint Café has appointed Owen Kenworthy as Head Chef. Owen joins the team from Brawn, Columbia Road, where he worked as head chef for five years. Since arriving, Owen has adapted the menus to showcase the quality of the ingredients and use them in such a way as to match the elegance of the venue. Serving modern European cuisine, Owen has designed the menu using … [Read more...]
Kitchen Impossible, afford yourself the privilege
Last night on Channel 4 the first episode of a four part series opened, Kitchen Impossible where Michel Roux Jr undertakes the training of eight young people with a range of disabilities, mental health issues and learning difficulties. A project not for the feint hearted and a challenge that chef takes on with passion and empathy. Dan is a qualified chef who after recently … [Read more...]
London Union launches £3.5m crowdfund to create world-class streetfood market
London Union, parent company of the highly successful Street Feast, has launched one of the biggest crowdfunding bids in history, looking to raise £3.5 million to build a world-class, permanent street food market in central London. Founded by Leon’s Henry Dimbleby and Street Feast’s Jonathan Downey, the company is backed by a distinguished advisory board of founder … [Read more...]
Major investment and welcome return of chef at Gisborough Hall
Gisborough Hall has recently unveiled its new rooms and suites following a period of ongoing investment, totalling almost half a million pounds, which will continue for the rest of the year. The 19th century four star hotel, home to two AA Rosette restaurant ‘Chaloner’s’, a Revival Zone spa, 71 bedrooms and ‘G’ Bar and Bistro, has refurbished 39 of its bedrooms, its … [Read more...]
Brasserie Blanc Christmas Cards donate profits to Shelter
Brasserie Blanc, the 18-strong restaurant group led by CEO Mark Derry and acclaimed chef Raymond Blanc, will launch limited edition Christmas cards to raise money for housing and homelessness charity ‘Shelter’. Available from 2nd November, with all profits going to Shelter, each brasserie will receive approximately one-hundred packs of six cards, with a festive message from … [Read more...]
DoubleTree by Hilton opens at Ricoh Arena
Doubletree by Hilton has announced the opening of DoubleTree by Hilton at the Ricoh Arena - Coventry. Located in the Ricoh Arena, home of Aviva Premiership Rugby club Wasps, and where professional football team Coventry City Football Club also play, the hotel is situated in the heart of the UK. The hotel’s 121 guestrooms, including 50 queen rooms with stadium views, 18 … [Read more...]
The Cafe Rouge Rejuve arrives in the city
Café Rouge, Britain’s best-loved bistro since 1989, has completed a £500,000 refurbishment of its flagship site opposite St. Paul’s Cathedral. The largest scheme to be undertaken by the brand as part of its national rejuvenation programme, Café Rouge St. Paul’s now features a beautiful mural, specially commissioned for the 182 cover restaurant inside the magnificent Condor … [Read more...]
PAUL adopts national living wage now
In advance of the introduction of the mandatory National Living Wage next April, the 34-strong French bakery and café brand has announced that it will increase the starting hourly rate to £7.20 per hour as of 1st November. Team members can earn up to £8.90 per hour reaching £9.60 per hour for supervisors. Jean Michel Orieux, CEO of PAUL UK said: “We see the introduction … [Read more...]
Thurso’s Royal Hotel offers opportunity for experienced operators
A major hotel in mainland Britain's northernmost town has been put up for sale. The Royal Hotel has a commanding position on the main street in Thurso, where it occupies almost an entire block. Thurso is a busy and sizeable community – the decommissioning of nearby Dounreay provides continuous employment – and with a railway terminus and the main ferry point to Orkney, the … [Read more...]
New Integrated Workstations for Sous Vide Cooking
Refrigeration specialist, Adande, has teamed up with sousvidetools.com to offer a range of workstations for the storage, preparation, sous vide cooking, blast chilling, reheating and service of food. Designed as totally integrated and self-contained solutions, the units are particularly suitable for fine dining, gastropubs, quick service restaurants, sports’ stadia, the leisure … [Read more...]
Houghton Hall and The Flying Kiwi choose Williams Refrigeration
Chris Coughborough’s new display units fit grand setting and stimulate sales Built in the 1720s for Sir Robert Walpole, Houghton Hall in North Norfolk remains one of England’s finest Palladian houses, designed to reflect the wealth, taste, and power of Great Britain’s first Prime Minister. The Hall has been owned by the same family for over two centuries, and now rests with … [Read more...]
Star launches five day cookery skills training workshop
With the pub industry facing a kitchen recruitment crisis, Star Pubs & Bars has successfully trialled and funded what it believes to be a first for the pub industry, a five day intensive practical cookery skills course. Aimed at licensees and members of their management teams, the course is designed to improve their cookery and kitchen management skills, upgrade their food … [Read more...]
IHG in M&A speculation with Starwoods and Hyatt
CityA.M. reports that Intercontinental Hotels Group (IHG) shares have risen as a result of reports of a possible merger of or with Sheraton’s owner Starwood Hotels and Resorts. IHG became part of ‘M&A fever’ yesterday, with shares closing 2.3 per cent higher on talk of two of its rivals merging. Suggestions that Starwood Hotels & Resorts, which owns the Sheraton, … [Read more...]
