Caterer & Hotelkeeper articles from February 2005

Caterer & Hotelkeeper archives from February 2005

In Brief.(Brief Article)
February 3, 2005... Sandbach resurgent Vilified motorway service station Sandbach on the M6 has now won an award for high-quality customer service. The motorway stop in Cheshire was heavily criticised last year and voted the worst motorway service station...

The search is on.(HIT Scotland Industry Award 2005)
February 3, 2005... HIT Scotland Industry Award 2005 The Hospitality Industry Trust (HIT) Scotland Industry Award is firmly established as the ultimate accolade for the Scottish hospitality industry. The award recognises people who set high standards, who make...

how i got here.
February 3, 2005... Scott Malaugh, hotel sommelier, Malmaison Belfast Belfast-born Scott Malaugh, 24, joined Belfast's funkiest new hotel in November 2004, ahead of its official December opening. The 64-bedroom boutique hotel was originally two seed warehouses...

on the move.(appointments)(Sloop Inn)
February 3, 2005... The Sloop Inn at Haywards Heath, West Sussex, has appointed Laura Smith as head chef and Laurence Everest as sous chef. Smith was a joint partner at outside caterers Manna from Heaven and Everest was a chef at the Watermill pub and restaurant...

How to...(crepes suzettes)(Brief Article)
February 3, 2005... make crepes suzettes "Crepe suzette starts in the kitchen, but must always be finished off flambeed in front of the customers at the table by - if you can get hold of him - the best maitre d' in the world, who also says he has eaten more...

A minute on the clock.(Interview)
February 3, 2005... Daniel Clifford, 31, is head chef at Midsummer House in Cambridge, which last week was awarded a second Michelin star. Caterer spoke to him in the aftermath of the celebrations Caterer: How are you feeling this week? Daniel Clifford:...

Table talk.(hotels)(K West hotel)(Brief Article)
February 3, 2005... work that body - but kindly keep it to yourself Travellers embarrassed at the prospect of parading excess flab in the gym will soon be able to work it off in the privacy of their rooms at Marriott hotels in the USA. The company is providing...

advice zone.(property finance)
February 3, 2005... Ten tips for obtaining property finance Make a detailed list of your assets and resources. This should include cash, equity in a property, investments, life policies and any articles or possessions that could be sold to realise cash. ...

property of the week.(Old Well Inn)(Brief Article)
February 3, 2005... Up to the North-east this week with this quaint 18th-century coaching inn. The Old Well Inn is in the County Durham market town of Barnard Castle, with the old castle providing a dramatic backdrop. To the front there is a traditional bar...

Your shout.(own business)(Brief Article)
February 3, 2005... by Graeme Smith, associate director at the Glasgow office of Christie & Co Now is the time that many prospective buyers decide to become their own boss and operate their own business. Last year was an extremely successful year and these...

Tyred of secrecy.
February 3, 2005... Hear mention of the name "Michelin" and you are likely to have two thoughts: tyres and restaurants. The Michelin brand is a triumph of marketing, a byword for excellence. Even people whose familiarity with the world of fine dining extends no...

BOOKREVIEW.(Book Review)
February 3, 2005... Bouchon Thomas Keller Artisan, g64 ([pounds sterling]44.40) ISBN 1-57965-239-5 After reading and being inspired by Thomas Keller's French Laundry Cookbook, I was pleased to be asked to review his second book, Bouchon....

Last supper.
February 3, 2005... Faced with the prospect of your last meal on earth, what would you eat and drink, and with whom? We asked MARK VAN DER GOOT to share his thoughts tell us the kick-off glug... 1985 Salon Champagne. And a very old German Riesling. ...

Contract caterers brand online bids 'a nightmare'.(Hospitality 2005)
February 3, 2005... Leading industry figures at the Hospitality 2005 exhibition in Birmingham last week took the opportunity to thrash out a few crucial issues facing the future of contract catering. Emily Manson reports Online bidding for contracts has failed...

Refurbishments... and how to survive them.(Waldorf Hilton hotel)
February 3, 2005... What's worse than a complete refurbishment of a hotel? How about a complete refurbishment of a hotel and a change of management? That's how it happened at the Waldorf Hilton. Janet Harmer reports It was two years of turbulence for the staff...

Our men in Havana.(Young Chef and Young Waiter award winners trip to Havana,Cuba)
February 3, 2005... The main prize for the winners of last year's Young Chef Young Waiter competition was a trip to Cuba, which gave Nathan Green and Nicolas Mori the chance to see how an impoverished communist state not exactly famed for its food is trying to...

Row over chip and PIN rumbles on.(Personal Identification Number)(hospitality industry)(Brief Article)
February 3, 2005... The chip and PIN advisory group hit back this week at continuing claims that it had failed to take into account the specific needs of the hospitality industry. A spokeswoman for the Chip and PIN Programme said that contrary to reports from...

Out-of-home food spend is on the up.(Brief Article)
February 3, 2005... Brits consume more food outside the home than anyone else in Europe, according to research from analyst Datamonitor. In 2004 we spent an average of [pounds sterling]312 per person on food outside the home, splashing out in cafes, pubs,...

Huntley is named new GM at Savoy.(General Manager)(appointment)(Brief Article)
February 3, 2005... Canadian hotel group Fairmont has appointed Mark Huntley, currently general manager of the Fairmont San Francisco, as new boss of London's Savoy. He will assume his role as general manager on 20 February, overseeing a [pounds sterling]28m...

Doormen given more time to get licensed.(Brief Article)
February 3, 2005... Fears that door supervisors will miss the deadlines to get new licences required under the Private Security Industry Act were strongly denied by the Security Industry Authority (SIA) this week. While original estimates suggested there were...

Review of the REVIEWS.(evaluation of the hotels)
February 3, 2005... 29 January Richard Johnson heads out to the country to sample the food at the Black Boys Inn in Hurley, Berkshire Despite the soft furnishings and the paint effects, there's still a good deal of pub about the Black Boys. There was...

Folio sets 20-hotel target.(Brief Article)
February 3, 2005... Folio Hotels, the newly formed company led by former Corus boss Nicholas Crawley, plans to quadruple in size after snapping up five hotels in a [pounds sterling]50m deal. Crawley was named as favourite to net the hotels from Corus before...

Ritz-Carlton to be on top of the world.(Brief Article)
February 3, 2005... Ritz-Carlton has won the contract to operate the world's highest hotel, in Kowloon, Hong Kong. The 300-bedroom hotel will be housed at the top of the world's tallest tower - a 100 storey-plus building, rising 1,574ft above Victoria Harbour...

Pubs hold back from 24-hour opening.(Brief Article)
February 3, 2005... The majority of pubs have no intention of staying open for 24 hours, despite the liberalisation of licensing laws. Punch Taverns said its publicans had no interest in opening around the clock. A survey of its 7,800 properties showed that...

Disability guidance under fire.(Disability Rights Commission's guidance program criticized)(Brief Article)
February 3, 2005... Guidance issued by the Disability Rights Commission (DRC) to help small businesses comply with disability legislation has been branded "ambiguous and long-winded". The Forum of Private Business (FPB) claims that the 68-page booklet, Making...

Restaurants gear up for big UNICHEF push.
February 3, 2005... Chefs and restaurateurs from around the country will unite on Monday night (7 February) to take part in UNICHEF, a massive fundraising effort which should see the industry raise a six-figure sum for victims of the Asian tsunami. The appeal...

Park Lane Marriott is up for sale for [pounds sterling]100m.(The Marriott hotel)(Brief Article)
February 3, 2005... The Marriott hotel on Park Lane has been put on the market for [pounds sterling]100m, it was revealed this week. Agent Jones Lang LaSalle has been appointed by owner Marylebone Warwick Balfour (MWB) to find a buyer for the Grade II-listed,...

And so to bed...(Marriott International Inc. to bring new beddings for its hotels)(Brief Article)
February 3, 2005... Marriott International this week announced it would invest $190m ([pounds sterling]101m) in new, luxurious bedding for 628,000 beds at more than 2,400 hotels worldwide. The global bedding makeover will use more than 30 million metres of...

Accor surges ahead as Europe's largest group.(Brief Article)
February 3, 2005... A ranking of European hotel groups for 2005 revealed this week that French chain Accor is still the biggest player in the EU market. The group added an extra 9,000 bedrooms to its portfolio last year, strengthening its position as Europe's...

stockwatch.
February 3, 2005... ALPHA AIRPORTS saw its shares fall 2.75% to 88.5p by close of play on Monday. The company issued a profit warning last Thursday, stating it would be [pounds sterling]2.5m below current market expectations. This was despite a number of major...

OVER; TO YOU.(Brief Article)
February 3, 2005... Will you be eating pancakes on Tuesday? If someone was to make them for me, then maybe I would - I'll be at work that day. For me, pancakes are best eaten simple, with sugar and fresh lemon juice, no chocolate or anything from a plastic...

UNICHEF expects to raise six-figure sum for tsunami victims.(noble initiative from restaurants)
February 3, 2005... Restaurants around the country will unite on Monday night (7 February) in a phenomenal fundraising initiative that is likely to raise as much as [pounds sterling]250,000 for UNICEF and the victims of the Indian Ocean tsunami. The...

Caborn declares war on poor standards in accommodation.(Fitness for Purpose: Quality Counts)
February 3, 2005... Tourism minister Richard Caborn has declared war on poor accommodation standards in England with the launch of a new guide, Fitness for Purpose: Quality Counts. Published on Tuesday (1 February) in conjunction with the Local Government...

Letters/Our Back Pages.(Letter to the Editor)
February 3, 2005... BPEX quality marks gives customers a choice Your recent "Good Week, Bad Week" column (Caterer, 20 January, page 27) suggested it was a bad week for Dutch and Danish bacon because "British Pork says your production methods aren't nice". ...

We love...(Brief Article)
February 3, 2005... pancakes It might be the most depressing month of year, but at least there's Shrove Tuesday to look forward to. Why not start the day with American-style pancakes with maple syrup, and end it with a crepe suzette after dinner. The...

inside track.(Paul Rankin Group)(Brief Article)(Company Profile)
February 3, 2005... Paul Rankin Group What business is it in? Restaurant, cafe, food and wine businesses. What brands does it operate? As part of the group, the company operates the Cayenne Restaurant and Roscoff Brasserie in Belfast. It has...

Masterclass... merluza confitada.(Spanish cooking)
February 3, 2005... Spanish hake dish merluza confitada is both fast-fried and marinated in warm oil, and brings together a centuries-old recipe and a common cooking method usually reserved for salt cod. Award-winning Spanish chef Francis Paniego reveals his...

Transsexuals.
February 3, 2005... Pam Loch, an assistant solicitor at law firm Fladgate Fielder, examines the legal position regarding transsexuals and the impact of the Gender Recognition Act 2004 THE LAW At present, Alexandra wouldn't be protected from...

Pomino.(Italian restaurant opens)
February 3, 2005... Wandsworth restaurateurs should be kept on their toes by the arrival of Italian eaterie Pomino, the latest operation to grace an already restaurant-laden Bellevue Road. Lottie Lumsden reports Wandsworth is a far cry from Pomino head chef...

Michelin must tread a new line.(Michelin Travel Publications)
February 3, 2005... As Michelin gets caught fiddling with the results, former AA Restaurant Guide editor Simon Wright says it's time for restaurant guides to lift the veil of secrecy The pulping of Michelin's Benelux edition, following the discovery that one...

In Brief.(Brief Article)
February 10, 2005... Freehold sale no worry for London's Wolseley The freehold of the Wolseley cafe and restaurant in central London has been sold for more than [pounds sterling]11m to a private Northern Irish investor. But the sale is not expected to affect...

how i got here.(Portico)
February 10, 2005... Greg Mace, director of reception management company Portico Portico, launched at the end of last month, is a new company specialising in corporate reception management, initially in London. The company name is derived from the definition of...

on the mo ve.(appointments)
February 10, 2005... Bill Helsby has joined Travelodge as director of reservations and distribution. He was reservations services director with Thistle Hotels. Alistair Buckle has also joined Travelodge, as director of brand marketing. He was head of marketing at...

How to...(Brief Article)
February 10, 2005... ... eat your way out of depression It's February, it's almost Valentine's Day and maybe you don't have a date. Here's what to eat to feel more cheery. H Low levels of folic acid are linked to depression, so eat citrus fruits, spinach,...

Table talk.
February 10, 2005... search is on for the world's prize tosser The search for a new Guinness world record pancake-tossing champion got under way this week, with a [pounds sterling]5,000 prize pot for the person who can toss more than 416 pancakes in two...

The Chinese Experience.
February 10, 2005... Chinese New Year celebrations started yesterday (9 February), but there also seems to be a new vogue for Chinese cooking here in the UK. Dan Bignold visits the Chinese Experience on London's Shaftesbury Avenue to see what we can look forward to...

advice zone.
February 10, 2005... Pubs: regulatory round-up The most important development for landlords and tenants in 2004 was the Regulatory Reform (Business Tenancies) (England and Wales) Order 2003, which came into effect in June. This amendment to the Landlord and...

property of the week.(Brief Article)
February 10, 2005... They're not asking [pounds sterling]137,500, they're not even asking [pounds sterling]110,000... the asking price for the contents and leasehold interest of this restaurant business in Epsom, Surrey, has just been reduced for a second time - to...

Your shout.(solicitors)(Brief Article)
February 10, 2005... by Philip Shotter, a partner at Glovers Solicitors Use your solicitor as a project manager Solicitors are often seen merely as advisers on contract negotiation and lease documentation, but in the lead-up to taking possession of a new...

Fusion power.(Madrid Fusion, the conference for chefs)
February 10, 2005... The culinary conference, Madrid Fusion, has quickly built a reputation as a melting pot of international cuisine ideas. Michael Raffael reports on some of this year's innovations It has been three years since the Madrid Fusion congress...

Cooking by numbers.
February 10, 2005... Able to replicate hundreds of recipe sequences and work out food quantities, the latest combi-steamers outpace other kitchen appliances for sheer technical wizardry. But are they getting too complex for smaller kitchens? Bruce Whitehall talks...

Equipment awards.
February 10, 2005... This year finally sees the launch of a series of awards for the unsung heroes of catering - those who manufacture and maintain the equipment that the industry relies on Everyone likes to be recognised for a job well done, and there are...

Culinary Theatre.(catering industry news)
February 10, 2005... Birmingham NEC, Europe's busiest exhibition centre, hosted the three-day Hospitality 2005 show last month. Here we round up the Culinary Theatre, sponsored by Compass Group and run by the Craft Guild of Chefs, which gave chefs the chance to...

BOOKREVIEW.(Hot Hot Hot! Cooking with Fire and Spice)(Book Review)
February 10, 2005... Hot Hot Hot! Cooking with Fire and Spice Paul Gayler Kyle Cathie, [pounds sterling]14.99 ISBN 1-85626-514-5 Paul Gayler is a chef to be revered. A self-professed culinary tart unable to tie the knot with any one style of...

Last supper.
February 10, 2005... After a magic carpet ride to the South of France JULIANO'NEILL gets straight into the Champagne before his last repast of red mullet, lamb, fruit and cheese Let's set the scene. Where will you be? On a hillside overlooking Cassis. ...

We hate...
February 10, 2005... ... Valentine's Day OK, so maybe we don't hate it exactly, but 14 February certainly isn't our favourite day of the year. Too many fluffy hearts, tasteless cards, tables for two and smug couples around for our liking. Flowers, good food and...

Legendary bars... and how to create them.
February 10, 2005... Perfection is a matter of perception. So how do you make customers recognise your bar as the perfect hotel bar? Phil Pemberton did some high-class lounging to find out here was a time when your only chance of a...

Major revamp for Franco's.(Brief Article)
February 10, 2005... Franco's, one of London's best-loved Italian restaurants, is undergoing a massive refurbishment after its lease was bought by Richard Hambro, owner of neighbouring restaurant Wilton's. The owner of the British institution on Jermyn Street has...

Pub revamps are 'threat to our heritage'.(Brief Article)
February 10, 2005... Only 200 of the UK's 60,000 pubs have an interior of historical value, according to a new book published by English Heritage. Licensed to Sell, which will go on sale on 25 February, warns that the vogue for gutting and refurbishing premises...

Hilton denies shortlist claims.(Hilton Group PLC)(Brief Article)
February 10, 2005... The Hilton group has denied media speculation that two private hotel operators are leading the race to buy 11 of its provincial hotels. Recent reports claimed that Dawnay Shore Hotels, owner of the 13-strong Paramount chain, and Japanese...

Marriott on lookout for new partner.(Brief Article)
February 10, 2005... US hotel group Marriott International is looking for a second partner with which to expand its Courtyard by Marriott chain in the UK. The group announced at a press briefing in Brussels last week that it was looking for an additional...

Indian restaurants in staff crisis after migrant quota cuts.
February 10, 2005... Curry houses across the UK are facing closure due to a staffing crisis. The Guild of Bangladeshi Restaurateurs said a significant number of its 2,500 members were looking to "sell up or face closure" due to a shortfall of 7,000 unskilled...

IFE's new attractions should boost crowds.
February 10, 2005... The organisers of IFE05, the international food and drink event being held at London's ExCel on 13-16 March, have unveiled a series of new features to attract both national and international visitors. Among the new attractions at the...

The burning issue.
February 10, 2005... Don't pity the poor restaurateur Food writer and restaurateur Simon Wright Looking back over the few months that I've been writing this column, I notice a couple of things. The first is that I've done my fair share of moaning, which I...

London hotels see revpar rise.(Brief Article)
February 10, 2005... London hotels enjoyed a 12% recovery in revenue per available room (revpar) in 2004, according to Deloitte's Hotel Benchmark survey. Revpar rose to [pounds sterling]78, up by [pounds sterling]8 on 2003 figures. Occupancy increased by 5% to...

New threat to 48-hours opt-out.(labor law proposal)(Brief Article)
February 10, 2005... Britain could lose its right to opt out of the 48-hour working week by 2010 if new proposals from a Spanish MEP get the go-ahead. Cercas Alejandro, the socialist Spanish MEP leading the debate on the Working Time Directive in the European...

Review of the REVIEWS.
February 10, 2005... 5 February Tracey MacLeod passes judgement on Conran's latest opening, the Bluebird Dining Room in Chelsea, London This isn't so much a menu as a round-Britain quiz. Regional ingredients shine, from Cornish lobster to Tobermory...

Shangri-La clinches London deal.(Brief Article)
February 10, 2005... Hong Kong hotel chain Shangri-La has ended its search for a London property by signing a 30-year lease on part of the London Bridge Tower. The 195-bedroom hotel - Shangri-La's first European site and first lease agreement - will occupy...

Bullish Conrad readies scheme for expansion.(Brief Article)
February 10, 2005... Conrad Hotels has announced an aggressive expansion programme to take the group from 17 to 50 hotels by 2010. Leading the initiative will be industry veteran Dieter Huckestein, 61, who was last week appointed chairman and chief executive...

Date set for change to Use Classes Order.(Brief Article)
February 10, 2005... The Government has finally set the date for changes to the Use Classes Order to come into effect. From 21 April, the old A3 classification - covering restaurants, bars, pubs and take-aways - will be split into three different categories....

No rush for 24-hour licence applications.(England and Wales' licenses for hospitality establishments)(Brief Article)
February 10, 2005... Council licensing officers in England and Wales were left twiddling their thumbs last Monday as the predicted deluge of applications for 24-hour opening failed to materialise. Although Monday was the official start date for licensing...

Salt awareness makes mark at last, says FSA.(Food Standards Agency)(Brief Article)
February 10, 2005... Consumers are finally becoming aware how much salt they eat, the Food Standards Agency claimed this week. The FSA, which launched the Sid the Slug salt campaign four months ago, said its research showed there had been a steady increase in...

East@West closes after 15 months.(hotel industry news)
February 10, 2005... Award-winning London restaurant East@West has shut after a surprise sale by owner Image Restaurants. The Covent Garden eaterie closed for business without warning at the end of last month. Image Restaurants chief executive Chris Bodker...

Wood makes a swift return to hospitality.(John Wood joins Ralph Trustees group)(Brief Article)
February 10, 2005... John Wood has resigned from his role as executive chef of Sainsbury's to join the Ralph Trustees group, the owner of the Grove hotel in Hertfordshire, as culinary director. He leaves Sainsbury's on 4 March and joins the group, which also owns...

stockwatch.(hotel industry shares)
February 10, 2005... CaffE Nero continues to outpace its rivals in the coffee bar market. On the back of upgraded results, its share price rocketed by 25.51% to 155p. An analyst at KBC Peel Hunt said that investors had rethought its potential and felt that it still...

Tronc guidelines will clear the way.(tipping rules)
February 10, 2005... There's something about the Inland Revenue that puts the fear of God even into law-abiding citizens. No matter how squeaky-clean you are, and despite the thousands of pounds you hand over to those masters of the calculator (aka "The Revenue"),...

UNICHEF appeal for victims of tsunami disaster gets under way.(Brief Article)
February 10, 2005... UNICHEF, the restaurant initiative to raise money for the victims of the Asian tsunami, took place at more than 200 restaurants around the country on Monday night. Lord Putnam, president of UNICEF UK, and his wife joined Philip Howard,...

Industry welcomes revised tronc guide.(tipping as pay)
February 10, 2005... The eagerly-awaited republication of tax guidelines for tronc was hailed "a significant victory for common sense" by the British Hospitality Association (BHA). After months of uncertainty, the Inland Revenue (IR) reissued its controversial...

Letters Caterer.(Letter to the Editor)
February 10, 2005... Hotel guides must be more transparent, too Simon Wright's call for restaurant guides to be open about how they operate is no less relevant to hotel guides (Caterer, 3 February, page 12). Most guides on the British market charge their...

Pub operators would pick fags over food offer.(Brief Article)
February 10, 2005... A survey of bar and pub operators in England has found that more than half are likely to drop their food offer to get around the smoking ban scheduled to be imposed in 2008. Leisure consultant RSM Robson Rhodes found 56% of pubs would...

in brief.(voluntary redundancy taken by Peter's Food Service staff)(Brief Article)
February 10, 2005... Peter's sheds 180 staff after Brakes takeover At least 180 staff have taken voluntary redundancy at Peter's Food Service, in Staffordshire, which was recently purchased by Brakes. It took over the Tamworth chilled goods firm in...

Caffe Nero is set to grow further.(Brief Article)
February 10, 2005... Caffe Nero, the UK's third-largest coffee chain, is to open more coffee shops this year as it continues its ambitious expansion plans, which could include the Continent. The group opened 30 stores in its 26-week trading period to 30 November...

Career clinic.(how to get involved with staff training)(Brief Article)
February 10, 2005... The expert panel Our expert panel comprises representatives from the Hotel and Catering Training Company (HCTC), MaydayExec, Bartlett Mitchell, Learnpurple, Conran and Portfolio International The question I'm interested in...

London seeks hospitality support for Olympics bid.(Brief Article)
February 10, 2005... The organisers of London's bid to host the 2012 Olympic Games have called on the hospitality industry to throw its weight behind the capital's campaign and "Back the Bid". The call to arms was made by Visit London, the body that promotes...