Caterer & Hotelkeeper articles from February 2007

Caterer & Hotelkeeper archives from February 2007

Infozone Foodfile ingredients in season.(Infozone)
February 1, 2007... Meat Fresh produce Milk-fed spring lamb and suckling pig supplies are coming through from Somerset at the moment - and we're also seeing some nice wild boar meat. Hare, venison and mallard are still coming through, and now's the time...

Councils to blame for licensing overspend.(News)
February 1, 2007... By Chris Druce Industry leaders have welcomed the long-awaited Elton report into licensing fees, which laid the responsibility for a [pounds sterling]97m overspend at councils' doors. Sir Les Elton, head of the panel, said the...

How I got here.(News)
February 1, 2007... Eugene Leonard Eugene Leonard, 26, is food and beverage manager at London's Cadogan hotel, and a former Caterer Acorn Award winner. He is responsible for the hotel's catering facilities and its newly refurbished restaurant, Langtry's. ...

News.(Kensington's L appointed Luis Vallina )(Buckingham Gate and Crowne Plaza London St James appointed Brian Henry )(Langtry's restaurant's Eugene Leonard's work profile)
February 1, 2007... Infozone Careers Chris Druce/1 Feb 2007 How I Got Here (375)Eugene Leonard, food and beverage manager, Langtry's restaurant, London Eugene Leonard, 26, is food and beverage manager at London's Cadogan Hotel, and a former Caterer...

Book Review.(Side Orders)(Cooking on the Bone: Recipes, History and Lore )(Book review)
February 1, 2007... Bone up on a dying culinary art Cooking on the Bone: Recipes, History and Lore Jennifer McLagan Grub Street, [pounds sterling]20 ISBN 1-904943-47-0 It's hard not to think of that old song ("Dem bones, dem bones, dem dry...

Events.(Side Orders)
February 1, 2007... Forget about Valentine's Day and putting chocolate on the menu: if you've got customers who are addicted to chips, then the week of 12-18 February is important for your sales. Why? Because it's National Chip Week, and you shouldn't miss the...

Tomorrow's world.(Inside)(Hostec)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... Running in tandem with Hospitality at Birmingham's NEC last week was Hostec, the industry-dedicated technology show. Ross Bentley outlines the trends and selects some of the best innovations from the exhibition From below left to right:...

In with the new.(Inside)(Discussion)
February 1, 2007... Technology increasingly underpins many of the processes in the hospitality industry. But what are going to be the main trends in 2007, and what are the main technology challenges facing the sector overthe next 12 months? Ross Bentley asks the...

tom's kitchen.(Features)(Restaurant review)
February 1, 2007... Tom Aikens has successfully carried over his high profile and the reputation of his Michelin-starred Chelsea restaurant to Tom's Kitchen, his latest venture nearby. Joanna Wood samples the fare Menuwatch Tom's Kitchen was always going...

Luis Vallina, head chef, L restaurant and bar.(Infozone)
February 1, 2007... Luis Vallina has been promoted from senior sous chef to head chef at Kensington's L restaurant and bar. Vallina, who has worked at the Abingdon Road eaterie for six months, will introduce a new menu featuring a selection of modern tapas...

Luis Vallina, head chef, L restaurant and bar, London.(Infozone)
February 1, 2007... Luis Vallina has been promoted from senior sous chef to head chef at Kensington's L restaurant and bar. Vallina, who has worked at the Abingdon Road eaterie for six months, will introduce a new menu featuring a selection of modern tapas...

Michelle White, director of environmental affairs, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts.(Infozone)
February 1, 2007... Michelle White has been promoted to director of environmental affairs at Fairmont Hotels & Resorts. Canadian White is an authority on sustainable operations in the tourism industry and has been an ambassador of Fairmont's award-winning Green...

Sarah Ellis, food and beverage services manager, Eynsham Hall hotel, North Leigh.(Infozone)
February 1, 2007... Sarah Ellis has been appointed the new food and beverage services manager at Eynsham Hall hotel in North Leigh, Oxfordshire. She was a part-time supervisor there.

Martin Orme, general manager, Cotswold Water Park Four Pillars hotel.(Infozone)
February 1, 2007... Martin Orme has joined the Cotswold Water Park Four Pillars hotel in Gloucestershire ahead of its August opening. He was general manager of the Tortworth Court Four Pillars hotel, also in the Cotswolds.

Martina Holmgren, sales development manager, De Vere Grand hotel, Brighton.(Infozone)
February 1, 2007... Martina Holmgren has become the sales development manager at the De Vere Grand hotel in Brighton. She was business development manager for the De Vere Group.

Dale Easdon, UK regional chief operating officer, LSG Sky Chefs.(Infozone)
February 1, 2007... In-flight caterer LSG Sky Chefs has appointed Dale Easdon regional chief operating officer for the UK following the retirement of Guenter Beer. Easdon joins LSG from Continental Airlines, where he was responsible for in-flight services...

Brian Henry, executive chef, 51 Buckingham Gate and Crowne Plaza London St James hotels.(Infozone)
February 1, 2007... Brian Henry has been appointed executive chef of the 51 Buckingham Gate and Crowne Plaza London St James hotels. Henry, who has more than 20 years' experience in the food and beverage industry, will oversee the kitchens of both properties. He...

Keith Burnet, vice-president of fitness and spa, Hilton Hotels Corporation.(Infozone)
February 1, 2007... Keith Burnet has joined Hilton Hotels Corporation as vice-president of fitness and spa. He was managing director of LivingWell before the sale of its stand-alone clubs.

Side Orders.(British Potato Council organised a event promoting chips)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... Forget about Valentine's Day and putting chocolate on the menu: if you've got customers who are addicted to chips then the week of 12-18 February is imporant for your sales. Why? Because it's National Chip Week and you shouldn't miss the chance...

FSA under fire over traceability advice.(News)(Food Standards Agency )(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... Still no reference to guidelines in booklets after two years By Daniel Thomas The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has been criticised for not including advice in two of its guides on the legal duty of restaurants and other food businesses...

Plastic cups are the green choice.(Side Orders)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... Mike Duckett's efforts at the Royal Brompton are to be applauded ("Intensive care", Caterer, 25 January, page 40). But his priorities for this year need reassessing: Duckett says that he's switching from plastic to paper disposable cups "that...

Fifty years of decline.(Side Orders)(Brompton Hospital's food service)(Brief article)(Column)
February 1, 2007... Home-made cakes for afternoon tea, a daily delivery of locally sourced and excellent meat, freshly prepared meals, made from all fresh ingredients for every patient, and a special diet kitchen producing meals to suit the condition, after daily...

Hospital food is better than you think.(Side Orders)
February 1, 2007... This week the health minister stated that elderly people were being offered one scoop of mash at mealtimes, reawakening the hospital food debate started by Age Concern's Hungry to be Heard report and once again putting hospital food under...

Brakes deal may not be the best.(Side Orders)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... I was appalled to read the article concerning the acquisition of [pounds sterling]15,000 in new kitchen equipment by your Adopted Business, the Langham hotel (Caterer, 18 January, page 96) via a two-year deal with Brakes. The article did...

Time for an amnesty on toothpicks.(Side Orders)(Letter to the editor)
February 1, 2007... letter of the week Last week I visited the Hospitality 2007 exhibition at the NEC, Birmingham, and I had lunch at the venue's restaurant. At the end of the meal I asked for a toothpick and was told that owing to "health and safety...

Caviar Bar, St Petersburg, Russia.(Side Orders)(Angleterre hotel)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... This split-level bar at the Angleterre hotel features a black and red colour scheme, with a focal point of a large black marble bar flanked by black leather bar stools. The area is framed by two silver and black geometric panels. Opened 22...

Dolce La Hulpe, Brussels.(Side Orders)
February 1, 2007... Set in 178 acres of Soignes forest, this hotel, resort and conference destination is nine miles from Brussels city centre and close to the Eurostar connections. It includes a 320-cover dining room, as well as an additional A la carte...

Holiday Inn Sofia, Bulgaria.(Side Orders)
February 1, 2007... This five-star hotel in the Bulgarian capital includes business and wellness facilities, food outlets including an Italian restaurant, all-day brasserie and alfresco dining at a number of terraces overlooking the Vitosha mountains. Opened...

Meet the skateboarding, iPod-playing Gruppies.(News)(Hotel Marketing Association )(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... We've had Yuppies and Dinkies, Baby Boomers and Generation X-ers. Now hospitality businesses need to prepare for a new phenomenon, the Gruppie. The Gruppie, or Grup, stems from "GRown-UP", and tags a certain kind of adult who refuses to...

Parkin takes over Windermere's Mortal man.(News)(hotelier Nigel Parkin acquires Mortal Man hotel)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... Nigel Parkin, former general manager of the Samling hotel will be plying his trade around the corner from the iconic property in Lake Windermere after agreeing a deal to buy his first hotel, the Mortal Man (right). Parkin, who is believed to...

I SPY...A MAJOR CRISIS.(Features)
February 1, 2007... You can make contingency plans to protect the image of your business, but how do you deal with a crisis over which you have no control? Three months on, Nic Paton looks at the fallout from the polonium-210 poisoning In years to come it...

City in two minds over Marston's deal.(News)
February 1, 2007... Marston's swoop for southern England pub rival Eldridge Pope has received a cautious welcome from the City. The brewer and pub operator paid more than [pounds sterling]155m for the Que Pasa owner last week, acquiring 153 pubs. The...

Hull votes to call halt to free school meals programme.(News)
February 1, 2007... Labour councillors and MPs protest at Lib Dem decision By Chris Druce Kingston upon Hull council has come under fire after deciding to scrap a pioneering free school meals programme on cost grounds, despite the health benefits the...

The week in brief.(News)
February 1, 2007... 2006 broke tourism records World tourism broke all records in 2006 despite fears over terrorism, bird flu and rising oil prices, official figures have revealed. A total of 842 million international tourist arrivals were recorded last year,...

Good week/bad week.(Side Orders)(Indian restaurants United Nations' quality commitments)(Soybeans' Nutritional aspects)(school students' pocket money)
February 1, 2007... German brewers Thirsty football fans helped German beer consumption reach a 12-year high during last year's World Cup. Vegetarians Edamame, the posh word for soya bean, is hailed as the latest superfood and provides all the health benefits...

Inside Technology.(Inside)
February 1, 2007... Why hospitality loves contactless payment systems: 36 Technology trends for the next 12 months: 42 Hostec 2007 - a review of this year's exhibition: 44

Grand Sopot by Sofitel, Poland.(News)
February 1, 2007... Housed in a recently revamped art deco building, this five-star hotel is the third Sofitel property in Poland and includes a private beach and casino. It also features a new restaurant, a spa and conference centre. Opened 21 December ...

strategy clinic.(Infozone)(Column)
February 1, 2007... Training is so expensive. Why should I put money into training when I can show people myself, and if I do invest in training, how can I make sure it's money well spent? Charles Trevor Roper, Coaching to Success Wow! You've put a lot...

Caterer loves.(Side Orders)
February 1, 2007... Snow After the rather mild season we've been experiencing of late - courtesy of that environmental time bomb, global warming - winter seems to have finally arrived. What a wonderful surprise it was to wake up last week and find the outside...

Contents.(News)
February 1, 2007... Manoj Vasaikar, chef-patron of Indian Zing in London 28 7 School meals MPs protest as Hull council ends free meals scheme 8 Food service Avenance wins [pounds sterling]92m contract with MoD 12 News analysis Is Michelin...

ClavA[c] named GM of Haymarket hotel.(News)
February 1, 2007... The Firmdale Group's new London hotel, the Haymarket, has recruited Marianne ClavA[c] as general manager ahead of its April opening. ClavA[c] has been promoted from within the Firmdale ranks, having previously worked as general manager at...

News.(Moorfield Estates PLC acquired part of Macdonald Hotels)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... Scottish hotel group Macdonald hotels has completed the sale of 24 of its hotels for an estimated [pounds sterling]400m. The deal with property investment company Moorfield will help Macdonalds to reduce its debts, incurred through the...

Over to you.(0000 Templates)(Barclays Hospitality and Leisure's Bob Silk)(Collins King & Associates' Gary King)(Everson Hewett's Jon Hewett)(Discussion)
February 1, 2007... How can Livingstone boost hospitality in London? Bob Silk, relationship director, Barclays Hospitality and Leisure team "The mayor must show the issue is high on his agenda by visibly working with, for example the BHA, Master...

Facing the fallout.(Features)
February 1, 2007... Inside Technology - what's new in 2007 Who won what at our Best Places to Work awards? How seven London hotels and restaurants coped with a very disturbing crisis infozone: the "Scores on the Doors" hygiene gradings Race cause...

Who should pay for school meals?(0000 Templates)
February 1, 2007... In the week that an influential MPs' report criticised the Government for being too slow to react to growing levels of childhood obesity, it was disappointing to learn of one council's decision to scrap a pioneering free school meals scheme...

A minute on the clock John Campbell.(0000 Templates)
February 1, 2007... The Vineyard at Stockcross was awarded its second Michelin star last week. Executive chef John Campbell talks to Emily Manson Caterer How does it feel to get a second star? JC Great! I know it's a clichA[c], but it's a huge team...

Wetherspoon's to expand by up to 30 pubs.(News)(JD Wetherspoon PLC)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... Hutson: success in non-smoking world JD Wetherspoon last week confirmed plans to open up to 30 new pubs this year after the strong performance of its non-smoking outlets on both sides of the border. Announcing a 5.5% rise in...

Has Michelin underrated the star quality of our cooking?(News)
February 1, 2007... Fifteen restaurants in the British Isles were celebrating last week when they were awarded new Michelin stars. It means we now have more starred restaurants than ever before... but should we have done even better? Kerstin Kuhn reports At...

Side Orders.(Hospital food services)(recycling of Drinking cups)
February 1, 2007... Plastic cups are the green choice Mike Duckett's efforts at the Royal Brompton are to be applauded ("Intensive care", Caterer, 25 January, page 40). But his priorities for this year need reassessing: Duckett says that he's switching from...

Racial expression.(0000 Templates)
February 1, 2007... Workers from ethnic minority communities have come a long way in the UK's hospitality industry - but there is still room for more diversity in many sectors, as Humayun Hussain finds out The UK hospitality industry employs more than 1.8...

Infozone... Your weekly guide to building business success.(Inside)
February 1, 2007... Delivering profits Function and conference catering at the City of Manchester Stadium Page 52 Scores on the Doors How councils are publicising their hygiene gradings 54 Best places to work Winning initiatives from...

How to look after your workforce.(Infozone)
February 1, 2007... If you're looking for inspiration to set your business apart, check out some of the initiatives and incentives employed by the winners of the Caterer Group's Best Places to Work in Hospitality Awards 2007 PLATINUM AWARD AND RESTAURANT AND...

Aikens to create menu for Wembley.(News)
February 1, 2007... On his way to Wembley... Tom Aikens Michelin-starred chef Tom Aikens has been signed up to create an exclusive dessert menu for the new members' club at Wembley Stadium. Under the deal with Wembley's exclusive caterers, Delaware North...

Blackpool loses out to Manchester in casino bid.(News)
February 1, 2007... Having lost its bid to host the UK's first super-casino, Blackpool needs to stem the decline in visitor numbers, the city's tourism leaders have warned. Doug Garrett, chief executive of regeneration company ReBlackpool, said it was time for...

Pulze to sell shares in A-Z group.(News)
February 1, 2007... Veteran London restaurateur Claudio Pulze has agreed to sell his shares in restaurant group A-Z Restaurants to co-shareholder John De Stefano. Pulze told Caterer he would be selling his shares with effect from 9 February but would remain...

Avenance wins [pounds sterling]92m catering and facilities contract with MoD.(News)
February 1, 2007... Elior division will hire 1,200 staff to service seven-year deal By Kerstin Kuhn Elior UK was celebrating last week after it was awarded a long-term catering and facilities management contract worth [pounds sterling]92m by the Ministry...

York balks at foie gras ban.(News)(City of York Council )(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... A motion to discuss a potential ban on the sale of foie gras in York restaurants and shops has been taken off the political menu. The City of York Council was to consider a motion calling for a ban on the sale of the French delicacy on...

Irish tourism spend prompts English rethink.(News)
February 1, 2007... Government urged to review strategy By Emily Manson The Government has been urged to reorganise the bodies promoting England overseas and back them with more cash after it was revealed that the Irish government has allocated [euro]800m...

Tomorrow's world.(Inside)(Birmingham's National Exhibition Centre )
February 1, 2007... Running in tandem with Hospitality at Birmingham's NEC last week was Hostec, the industry-dedicated technology show. Ross Bentley outlines the trends and selects some of the best innovations from the exhibition The great and the good of...

Pointers to thefuture.(Inside)
February 1, 2007... Contactless payment systems are evolving fast, and You probably already use your mobile phone to take photos, listen to music, check e-mails and play games. So why not use it as a credit card too? Londoners are already using their...

Time to change perception of hospitality.(0000 Templates)
February 1, 2007... British must stop confusing service with servility, says Travelodge chief executive Grant Hearn I've done almost every job in hospitality and that's why I love it - every day is different. But whereas I trained on the job and then moved...

Inside.(application of information technology in hospitality industry)
February 1, 2007... Ben Wishart, group IS director, Whitbread Group A major challenge will continue to be how to make IT systems simpler to use, so that the people who work with them become more productive and help grow the business. It's a generic...

Review of Reviews.(Side Orders)
February 1, 2007... The Daily Telegraph 27 January Tessa Boase enjoys life at the bar of Barrafina in Soho, London Behind the counter is the cheffy jostle of a new-wave Spanish bar, all naked flames and raw monkfish tails. It's inspired by the hip...

Scores on the Doors.(Infozone)
February 1, 2007... Many local authorities are publishing gradings based on hygiene inspections of premises serving food. Julie Barratt explains how the scheme can affect you The problem My local authority has decided to adopt the Scores on the Doors...

Our back pages: stories from the Caterer vaults.(Side Orders)
February 1, 2007... The Caterer and Hotel-keepers' Gazette, 15 June 1910 A writer in the Journal de la Chambre de Commerce, of Paris, claims that France, owing to its geographical situation, the mildness of its climate, and the variety of its artistic and...

Sales pitch.(Infozone)(conference and banqueting facility at Manchester City stadium)
February 1, 2007... One-third of the hospitality turnover at Manchester City is made when a ball isn't being kicked. Tom Bill investigates how the stadium has tapped in to non-football markets since it opened in August 2002 Conference and banqueting (left and...

Table Talk.(Side Orders)(hotel and motel management and their services)
February 1, 2007... sorry, sir, it's 50% extra for a room with a phew So, Birmingham's Hospitality show is over for another two years. Exhibitors have packed away their corporate logo-emblazoned polo shirts, and the miniskirted lovelies paid to stand in front...

ABI gives Compass red card over pay for former execs.(News)
February 8, 2007... But investor warnings should not impact recovery plans By Chris Druce Compass Group's slap on the wrist from institutional investors over the controversial pay packages handed out to former executives will not affect the new management...

Compass wins 10-year deal at Guildford Spectrum.(News)
February 8, 2007... Compass Group has signed a 10-year, [pounds sterling]34m contract to provide catering services at the Guildford Spectrum leisure complex. Compass will add and refurbish existing facilities as part of the deal, introducing a new Costa...

Ask CESA.(Inside)
February 8, 2007... CESA, the Catering Equipment Suppliers' Association, answers your kitchen equipment queries A range with individual burners can be more economical than a solid-top, but it is less versatile Q Which cooking range is cheaper to run: a...

Events.(0000 Templates)
February 8, 2007... There's a chance to hear one of the most authoritative voices in hospitality talk about the healthy-eating movement at this year's Arena Savoy Lecture. Recently appointed to chair the School Food Trust, Prue Leith will speak on "The dangers of...

Kitchen Bible.(Side Orders)(Book review)
February 8, 2007... Findings of a food fanatic The Man Who Ate Everything ISBN 0-7472-6097-4 It Must Have Been Something I Ate ISBN 0-7472-4307-7 Jeffrey Steingarten Headline Book Publishing My head chef, John Freeman, brought The...

The chilling zone.(coldrooms )
February 8, 2007... Once restricted to large, bespoke installations for bulk deliveries andproduction kitchens, coldrooms now offer easily installed extra foodstorage space at pubs, restaurants and smaller outlets. Bruce Whitehallexamines the pros and cons ...

Review of Reviews.(Side Orders)(Pactrus, Pot Kiln, Seafood Restaurant, Post, Hawksmoor)(Restaurant review)
February 8, 2007... The Daily Telegraph 3 February Mark Palmer and friends celebrate a birthday at Marcus Wareing's PA[c]trus in London - recently elevated to two Michelin starse_SClBAll our starters, with the exception of my ballottine of tuna are like...

Generous legacy to Hospitality Action from inspirational man.(0000 Templates)
February 8, 2007... letter of the week I'm writing with the aim of fulfilling an inspirational man's final request. Having worked in the hospitality industry for 35 years of his life (14 of which were in the UK) Colin DB Tutt felt moved to leave a legacy...

Big names to cook at Chef Conference.(News)
February 8, 2007... Caterer's 2007 Chef Conference has taken the "best of British" as its central theme in honour of its 25th anniversary. Leading British chefs, including newly crowned two-Michelin-starred John Campbell of the Vineyard at Stockcross and Phil...

Aspire wins race for Silverstone contract.(News)
February 8, 2007... By Chris Druce Aspire Hospitality has been given the green light to provide catering and hospitality services at the Silverstone racing circuit in a deal expected to be worth more than [pounds sterling]10m in turnover over three years. ...

Infozone Foodfile ingredients in season.(Features)
February 8, 2007... Meat The danger of a crisis because of last week's discovery of bird flu in Norfolk seems to have been avoided, as chicken and duck sales continue unabated. In fact our supplier sold more chicken in his shop this week than ever before, and...

My new kitchen.(Inside)
February 8, 2007... A complete overhaul of the kitchen, after an extension increased the sizeof the late-Victorian building by a third, has meant an upgrade of thewhole food operation at London's Caledonian Club. Diane Lane reports In his 18 years at the...

Andrew Silver, managing director, Golden Tulip UK.(Infozone)
February 8, 2007... Hotel company Golden Tulip UK has promoted Andrew Silver to the new post of managing director. A member of the company's management board since launch in 2002, Silver was previously commercial director.

Marianne ClavA[c] general manager, Firmdale Group.(Infozone)
February 8, 2007... Firmdale Group has appointed Marianne ClavA[c] general manager of its Haymarket hotel, which opens in London in April. She has previously worked as general manager at the group's Pelham and Number 16 hotels, also in the capital.

Brian Bendix, chief operating officer, Havana Holdings.(Infozone)
February 8, 2007... Floridita owner Havana Holdings has promoted general manager Brian Bendix to chief operating officer. Bendix joined London's Floridita restaurant in 2004 at the launch of the joint venture between Conran Restaurants and Havanna Holdings. David...

Daniel Wood, executive chef, Hilton London Heathrow Airport hotel.(Infozone)
February 8, 2007... Daniel Wood has left Shanghai's five-star Howard Johnson hotel to return to the UK as executive chef at the Hilton London Heathrow Airport hotel.

Marcus Klemm, bar manager, Liverpool's Radisson hotel.(Infozone)
February 8, 2007... Marcus Klemm and Louise Cleaver have joined Liverpool's Radisson hotel as bar manager and revenue manager respectively. Klemm was bar manager at Liverpool's Alma de Cuba. Cleaver was reservations manager at the Crowne Plaza Birmingham hotel.