Dear Friends of Hospitality and every facet of it, There is a tremendous buzz around social media as a consequence of Claire Bosi supported by various leaders within our industry requesting the government to appoint a Minister for Hospitality. And I can’t tell you how delighted I was to see the petition cross the required 100,000 signature line this morning. Congratulations … [Read more...]
Tom Aikens backs Hospitality Against Homelessness SOS Challenge
Only a Pavement Away, the charity that supports people who are facing homelessness into jobs within hospitality, is raising funds through a new campaign, the ‘SOS Challenge. The campaign is in association with Tom Aikens, who is encouraging everyone to get creative in the kitchen and make a five ingredient soup, to raise awareness and much needed support for the charity’s … [Read more...]
Chaine des Rotisseurs Young Chef of the Year 2020 announced
First organised by the Chaîne des Rôtisseurs in Switzerland in 1977, this year’s winner is a young chef who has spent the last three years working at The Clink Restaurant. Ellie Shaw, 23, originally from Stoke on Trent and with a first-class degree in culinary art from the University of West London, is Sous Chef Trainer at The Clink Restaurant, HMP Brixton. Remarkably this … [Read more...]
Craig Floate named Private Chef of the Year by Great Food Club Awards 2020/21
Great Food Club Awards have named Craig Floate as their Private Chef of the Year 2020/21. Great Food Club is based in Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire and celebrate the best food and drink independents in the East Midlands. Every pub, restaurant, food shop and producer they recommend is vetted by their team before they can be featured on their website. They are all … [Read more...]
New Roux Scholarship website launched celebrating mentoring in culinary excellence
New Roux Scholarship website The world renowned and acclaimed Roux Scholarship was established in 1983. The scholarship has enabled a new generation of chefs from Britain to train in the greatest restaurants in the world. Not only has it become the industry’s most acclaimed chef competition in the UK, with many scholars having gone on to win Michelin stars … [Read more...]
Five Covid-19 minutes with… Michel Roux Jr
The scale and scope of the Covid-19 crisis in hospitality has created an almost surreal, pessimistic tone to news broadcasting in 2020. The numbers being reported don’t help in most instances either, as they are too big to paint a picture with depth beyond variances in forecasting the potential demise of our great industry, hospitality. Yet, while talking with people through … [Read more...]
Zest Quest Asia Summer Challenge Winners Announced
Students from four colleges were named winners of the first Zest Quest Asia Summer Challenge, the first completely on-line spinoff of Zest Quest Asia, the culinary competition founded by Indian restaurateurs Cyrus and Pervin Todiwala to raise the profile of Asian cuisine among budding chefs. First prize went to Ryan Plummer of Colchester Institute for his King Prawn … [Read more...]
Michael Caines Collection appoints Group Executive Chef
Michael Caines has today announced the appointment of Liam Finnegan as Group Executive Chef of the Michael Caines Collection. With a working relationship spanning 14 years, Liam’s appointment is a natural fit for Michael and the wider collection, following an eight-year stint as Head Chef at The Castle Hotel Taunton and prior to that under Michael’s tutelage at … [Read more...]
Adam Handling: Getting tough with no shows and advising others to also
Restaurant no shows seem to be resistant to Covid-19, having come through the pandemic seemingly stronger than ever. As restaurants try to emerge and reopen amidst the ongoing crisis, people booking tables and then not showing up damage restaurants and the livelihoods of everyone working with them. Many chefs and restaurateurs take to twitter and other social media bemoaning … [Read more...]
Jamie Oliver backs Boris’ obesity campaign talking the talk, but not walking the walk
Jamie Oliver appeared on television last night preaching that Boris Johnson has a plan to save children from obesity in the UK. If you are travelling with children today from Gatwick Airport you can visit his Jamie’s Italian and buy them: “A jumbo scoop of ice cream (choose your flavour) served with chocolate sauce” for £1.50 – or – “A selection of beautiful, fresh seasonal … [Read more...]
Roux Scholarship 2020 now 2021
After the 2020 Roux Scholarship was put on hold due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Roux Family have decided to rearrange the competition to March 2021. The 18 regional finalists, as well as the first reserve, selected at the paper judging stage in March 2020 will automatically qualify as regional finalists for 2021 and cook their recipes for hake, palourde clams and leeks in … [Read more...]
Frog by Adam Handling reopening with booking deposits in place
Adam Handling’s flagship restaurant, Frog by Adam Handling opens its doors again on 1st August, with stunning new menus and pavement dining in the heart of Covent Garden. Eve Bar will also open on the same date. Adam Handling claims that the new restaurant menus ‘are our best yet’ and credits his team for working so hard with him during lockdown to develop some … [Read more...]
Majella’s Image of the Month with Chef Anthony Raffo
Despite the current dining restrictions Majella O’Connell, aka Pavlova & Cream has been out and about London’s restaurant scene with camera in hand. On her travels she captured this image of a dish by Chef Anthony Raffo. The dish is: Isle Of Wight tomatoes, strawberries, Granny smith apple, elderflower and iced tea, created by Chef Anthony Raffo, Head Chef at Mark Jarvis' … [Read more...]
Zest Quest Asia Summer Challenge launched
Restaurateurs Cyrus Todiwala OBE DL and Pervin Todiwala have announced the launch of the first Zest Quest Asia Summer Challenge, an exciting on-line spinoff of the popular annual student culinary competition, Zest Quest Asia. The Zest Quest Asia Summer Challenge is likewise geared towards raising the profile, skills and knowledge of Asian cuisine among student chefs in … [Read more...]
Gordon Ramsay Restaurants Qatar – announce immediate closure
Gordon Ramsay Restaurants earlier today announced: "that effective immediately we have taken the decision to terminate our agreements at the property (The St Regis Hotel Doha, Qatar) and the restaurants will be closed on a permanent basis." Gordon Ramsay Restaurants Qatar - Restaurant Opal by Gordon Ramsay Doha Overlooks the Arabian Gulf, and was widely acknowledged as … [Read more...]
Gordon Ramsay seeks liquidity
Gordon Ramsay has been working with banks to secure the future of his restaurant business from the ongoing impact of Covid-19, according to various reports in financial media today. The reports are mixed but focus on Ramsay registering charges with Barclays against sixteen parts of his diverse restaurant empire. The loan charges include the companies that run his … [Read more...]
German restaurant’s French chef tells Chinese diners they’re not wanted
Restaurant receives backlash from Chinese racism post on Facebook. Düsseldorf, Germany is home to a large Asian population, including Chinese and has the biggest Japanese community in Germany. It is also home to Im Schiffchen, a restaurant close to the Rhine River that is reopening as part of the government's relaxation on Covid-19 restrictions. The restaurant enjoys a good … [Read more...]
