Caterer & Hotelkeeper articles from January 2004

Caterer & Hotelkeeper archives from January 2004

restaurant openings.
January 8, 2004... The Radcliffe, Hampshire From the founders of the Embassy restaurant and members' club in Mayfair comes this new restaurant and bar offering. Based along similar lines to the Embassy, it aims to combine glamorous and discreet surroundings...

In Brief.(AA Restaurant Guide announces six new rosette awards)(Fleur restaurant closes)(Brief Article)
January 8, 2004... AA names new rosette winners ahead of guide In a radical move, the publishers of the AA Restaurant Guide have announced six new rosette awards nine months before the publication of the next guide. Among the recipients of its second-highest...

Turnberry... the all-year-round resort.(Westin Turnberry Hotel Ayrshire, Scotland)
January 8, 2004... It has been four years since Starwood bought Turnberry in Ayrshire, Scotland. This year marks the completion of a $21m investment programme. Sara Guild went to see how they spent it The 130-bedroom Westin Turnberry in Ayrshire, Scotland,...

Nathan Outlaw at the Black Pig.(Cornwall restaurant)
January 8, 2004... Nathan Outlaw opened his own restaurant earlier this year and it's doing very nicely, thank you. On the home front, wife Rachel gave birth to their first child. So what's the secret of achieving such success at the tender age of 25? ...

Need help with your career? Ask the HCIMA...(Hotel & Catering International Management Association)(Brief Article)
January 8, 2004... The HCIMA is the only internationally recognised professional management association for managers and aspiring managers in the hospitality, leisure and tourism industries - with members in more than 100 countries. As future managers, it is...

Who's who... Portland Hotels.(Interview)
January 8, 2004... The four-strong Portland Hotels group hopes to expand to up to 20 hotels in the medium term. Angela Frewin looks at its new approach to hotel investment Q What's the background of Portland Hotels? A The fledgling group was set up in...

Information at a stroke.(www.caterer-online.com)
January 8, 2004... Whether you're looking for a job, or simply want all the latest news and information at your fingertips, Caterer-online is the only hospitality website you need. Why not have a look at the site today? One way to score Brownie points when...

2004 The year ahead.
January 8, 2004... Put your crystal ball away and rinse the tea leaves from your mug - Caterer's editorial team has consulted the hospitality oracle and compiled its predictions Hotels After the Iraq war, Sars and terrorism, it's hard to imagine the...

Last supper.(executive chef Eric Chavot)(Interview)
January 8, 2004... ERICCHAVOTloves food so much that he'd have a job whittling down his favourites for his Last Supper. But you'd never accuse him of not liking duck... WHAT'S ON LE MENU, S'IL VOUS PLAIT? That's a tough one. There's so much food I adore,...

Silence is not always golden.(Catey nominations)(Editorial)
January 8, 2004... In the first half of a concert of Venetian Christmas music performed at the end of last year in London by the internationally renowned Monteverdi Choir, the audience refrained from applauding. The conductor, Sir John Eliot Gardiner, looked...

Putting paid to silly prices.(wine mark-ups)(sommelier Federico Bruschetta wins award)(Diageo PLC launches limited edition single malt)(Tartu Brewery introduces Estonian lager)
January 8, 2004... Accor's Mercure chain of hotels has been leading the fight against rip-off wine prices with 30 years of modest mark-ups. Let's have more of it! So what's your New Year resolution? Lower mark-ups on wine? Let's make 2004 the year of the...

done deals.(hotels sold)
January 8, 2004... Fawlty footsteps? Frognel Hall hotel in Torquay, Devon, has been sold off an asking price of [pounds sterling]795,000 to first-timers Steven and Helen Marks. Steven is following in the footsteps of his father, well-known local hotelier Ray...

Contract catering news.
January 8, 2004... ECJ to cater at four new police stations Eurest Criminal Justice (ECJ) has won a contract worth [pounds sterling]4m over five years to provide catering services at four new London police stations. Developer Equion is building stations in...

table talk.
January 8, 2004... But I thought we ordered the low-fat menu option... Picture this. You're catering for a VIP party on a private yacht meandering down the Thames on a glorious summer's day. The well-groomed guests glow with good health as the Champagne flows...

people On the move.
January 8, 2004... DEBBIE TAYLOR is the new general manager at Sir Rocco Forte's Balmoral hotel in Edinburgh, the first woman in the post in the hotel's 101-year history. She was previously general manager at the St David's Hotel & Spa in Cardiff Bay, also...

Global report.(industry news)
January 8, 2004... North America UStourism industry bounces back The US tourism industry is almost back to pre-11 September levels, according to the latest government figures. A report from the US government's Department of Commerce shows that total...

Avenance goes for growth with extra sales staff.(Brief Article)
January 8, 2004... Avenance is set to open a new sales and marketing office in west London. As part of its growth strategy for 2004, the company is creating 14 new sales positions and also recruiting specialists in food innovation, creative design, diet and...

Local heroes at La Parade.(La Parade des Chefs)(competition)
January 8, 2004... The teams competing at this year's La Parade des Chefs at Hotelympia will be showing visitors just what can be done with some of the best local British produce. Janet Harmer reports Britain's best regional produce will be a central feature...

NIGEL KENT.(Tragus Holdings chef)
January 8, 2004... Nigel Kent is senior development chef for independent restaurant company Tragus Holdings, based at its development and training centre in north London I've lived in Wilmington, Kent, for the past 18 years. It means I have between an hour...

When less is not enough.(bar design)(Directory)
January 8, 2004... We've had enough of minimalism. We want our bars to be colourful, comfortable, and just a little bit kitsch. And we want it now For too long has every new bar opening proudly announced minimalist interiors, clean lines and muted, earthy...

Parallel is the winner at new racecourse.(catering contract)(Brief Article)
January 8, 2004... Parallel, the leisure division of Aramark, has won the contract to supply catering and fine dining at the first racecourse to be built in the UK since 1927. The all-weather track, to be built in Great Leighs, Essex, is due to open in the...

Jobs outlook improves as hotels take on staff.(Brief Article)
January 8, 2004... The new year for the hotel industry appears to be starting off on a positive, with employment prospects for the sector looking up. According to the latest Employment Outlook Survey from recruitment company Manpower, some 8% of hotel...

Review OFTHEREVIEWS.(restaurants)
January 8, 2004... 3 January Jan Moir goes health-conscious at mycafe, the cafe collaboration between the Aveda corporation and myhotel group in London The mycafe menu is divided into straightforward teas/juice/soups/sandwiches/ salad selections and is...

Revenues fall at provincial hotels.(Brief Article)
January 8, 2004... Any hope of the UK's provincial hotels recording a year-on-year improvement in revenue per available room (revpar) last year has finally been extinguished following reports of the sector's first revpar decline since July 2003. The latest...

Roy Ackerman appointed CBE.(restaurateur )(Anton Mosimann appointed OBE)
January 8, 2004... Some of the hospitality industry's leading names were recognised in the New Year Honours list, including veteran restaurateur and consultant Roy Ackerman, who was appointed CBE. "It's gratifying that at last we are being put up there with...

Londoners are seeking out new places to party.(Brief Article)
January 8, 2004... Londoners spend up to 40% more than other Brits on eating out, gambling, theatres and cinemas, yet are increasingly socialising outside the West End, according to recent findings. The report, commissioned by London mayor Ken Livingstone,...

Travelodge is first with [pounds sterling]5 rooms.(Brief Article)
January 8, 2004... Budget hotel chain Travelodge is offering 100,000 rooms for [pounds sterling]5 ahead of the launch of Stelios Haji-loannou's no-frills EasyHotel chain in the next couple of months. The "fiver frenzy" rooms are available in all of...

Lehman Brothers and Starwood to save Le Meridien.(Brief Article)
January 8, 2004... The future of debt-laden hotel chain Le Meridien has been secured following an estimated [pounds sterling]700m takeover of the group by investment bank Lehman Brothers. Lehman, together with US-based hotel company Starwood, acquired the...

Caterers reject blame as schools combat obesity.(Brief Article)
January 8, 2004... School caterers have welcomed a [pounds sterling]2.2m campaign to provide healthier food in schools, but have objected to being singled out as the cause of growing obesity in children. Nicky Anstey, senior nutritionist at Initial Catering...

Lawyers delay Irish ban on smoking.(Brief Article)
January 8, 2004... Ireland's public smoking ban, due to come into force in pubs and restaurants this month, has been put on hold until the spring because of red tape. The Irish Government's lawyers are negotiating with Brussels in an attempt to make sure the...

AA awards rosettes ahead of next guide.(AA Restaurant Guide)
January 8, 2004... In an unprecedented move, the AA Restaurant Guide has awarded six new accolades to restaurants under its rosette scheme, eight months before the publication of its 2005 guide. The AA's reasons for this move are twofold, according to its...

QMH seeks sale of all or part of chain.(hotel group Queens Moat Houses )(Brief Article)
January 8, 2004... Beleaguered hotel group Queens Moat Houses (QMH) is understood to have appointed investment bank Morgan Stanley to find buyers for the 89-strong chain. The company, which is currently suspended from the London Stock Exchange while it...

Loewi quits the Wolseley and rejoins Conran.(David Loewi leaves Wolseley Cafe)(Conran Holdings director)(Brief Article)
January 8, 2004... David Loewi has left celebrity London hang-out the Wolseley Cafe, just weeks after it opened its doors to the public. He has returned to the Conran fold as a director of Conran Holdings, which looks after the group's shops and architectural...

Rezidor boss confirms Radisson sell-off plan.(hotel division)(Brief Article)
January 8, 2004... President and chief executive of Scandinavian airline Rezidor SAS, Jorgen Lindegaard, has confirmed that he is planning to sell off the group's hotel division, Radisson SAS. At a conference in November last year Lindegaard let slip that the...

Fishworks plans three new London restaurants in 2004.(Brief Article)
January 8, 2004... Fishworks, the four-strong seafood restaurant group, plans to open a further three restaurants in 2004 according to chief executive and majority shareholder Roy Morris. Morris and Mitchell Tonks, also a director and the chef brains behind...

NEWS Round-up.(Recipe for Health & Safety training programme)(City Centre Restaurants PLC to buy Ask Central)(Coffee Republic's sales down)(Brief Article)
January 8, 2004... Stein's health and safety programme Seafood chef Rick Stein has launched an interactive training programme to improve health and safety practices in the catering industry, called Recipe for Health & Safety. Developed by Supernova and...

Roux wins top French honour.(Michel Roux awarded Chevalier de Legion d'Honneur)(Brief Article)
January 8, 2004... Michel Roux, acknowledged as one of the godfathers of the modern British culinary scene, has been made a Chevalier de Legion d'Honneur in France's New Year's honours list. French-born Roux, who opened the legendary Waterside Inn at Bray,...

Clapham House buys Real Greek Food Co.(restaurants)(Clapham House Group)(Brief Article)
January 8, 2004... David Page's Clapham House Group has bought the Real Greek Food Company in a deal that will earn founders and owners, Theodore Kyriakou, Paloma Campbell and Mark Yates, up to [pounds sterling]8.8m. Page, former chief executive of...

stockwatch.(restaurants, hotels, hospitality industry)
January 8, 2004... It's been a month since we last looked at hospitality businesses on the London Stock Exchange, but life over the festive period remained characteristically calm. One of the largest gains was seen at ASK CENTRAL following the confirmation...

SUPPLIER NEWS.(new web site for Masterfoods)(Adande Refrigeration wins design award)(food service supplier Brakes opens kitchen facility)(Brief Article)
January 8, 2004... New development kitchen at Brakes Food service supplier Brakes has opened a [pounds sterling]250,000 development kitchen at its manufacturing site in Flint, North Wales. The new facility will be the home of the company's bespoke...

BOOKREVIEW.(Rick Stein's Guide to the Food Heroes of Britain)(Book Review)
January 8, 2004... My first thought on being handed a copy of Rick Stein's Guide to the Food Heroes of Britain - a book that is basically a list of suppliers of top-quality produce - was, "What on earth would a chef want with that?" Every chef knows that the...

Letters Caterer.(Letter to the Editor)
January 8, 2004... Get back to basics and put the customer first A friend who worked with me many years ago at J Lyons visited me over the holiday period. We talked a lot about the differences between our businesses in the UK and USA, and also the service...

breach of contract.
January 8, 2004... David Leibowitz, a partner at law firm Berwin Leighton Paisner, looks at what legal redress is available if a contractor stops providing its services and leaves you in the lurch Can the laundry supplier (the "defendant") simply walk away...

WITH REGULARS LIKE HIM, WHO NEEDS ENEMIES?(disgruntled guest comments)
January 8, 2004... We're not best pleased with a regular customer of ours who's been visiting Morston Hall for the last 10 years. He was a guest of a small party, and as he knew a little about wine they handed him the wine list. The waiter took the order,...

Done deals.(restaurants, bars, hotels)
January 8, 2004... Stockbridge's Game Larder sold Traditional game restaurant the Game Larder in Stockbridge, Hampshire, has changed hands. The former 18th-century brewery specialises in traditional game dishes, including venison, pheasant and wild boar. The...

Last supper.(executive chef Martin Hadden)(Interview)
January 15, 2004... After a meal cooked by his two young children, chef MARTINHADDEN would spend his last moments Scalextric racing with Rolf Harris and Michelle Pfeiffer What's on the table? Nico Ladenis's hot foie gras with caramelised orange salad to...

News Round-up.
January 15, 2004... More tickets for BallArena Three hundred and fifty extra tickets have been released for BallArena, after additional space was secured at exhibition centre ExCel. The ball, which takes place during Hotelympia on Tuesday 24 February, will...

In Brief.(Sterling Foodservice Design wins award)(Whitbread signs contract with Panasonic)(National Doughnut Week)
January 15, 2004... Design award British company Sterling Foodservice Design has added another Foodservice Consultants Society International (FCSI) award to the Worldwide Excellence in Design Award it picked up for its work on the new kitchens at the...

SUPPLIER UNDER THE SPOTLIGHT.(The Cheese Cellar Company's Brian Baker)(Interview)
January 15, 2004... Brian baker The managing director of The Cheese Cellar Company says the British still don't enjoy cheese as much as the rest of Europe - but that doesn't mean you can't make a big profit from your cheeseboard QSo, Brian, what was life...

Conference call.(2004 Caterer & Hotelkeeper Chef Conference)
January 15, 2004... The 2004 Caterer & Hotelkeeper Chef Conference takes place at the Brewery in London on 22 March. Dan Bignold went along to the venue - originally Whitbread's main brewery in the City - to get a feel for the place The Brewery is a building...

Hilton's special agent?(president Wolfgang Neumann)(Hilton UK & Ireland)
January 15, 2004... Most people think of Hilton as a sluggish industry giant. That surprises Wolfgang Neumann, Hilton UK & Ireland's area president, who says his company is always up for a new challenge There's something a little bit James Bond about Wolfgang...

Could the hotel sector ever go totally private?
January 15, 2004... More and more hotel groups are making the move from public to private company. Samantha McClary investigates their reasons - and asks if a London Stock Exchange of the future will feature any hotel companies at all Hotel group Jarvis is...

The best meal of the day.(breakfast)
January 15, 2004... Breakfasts of burnt toast, watery bacon and tepid coffee just aren't good enough any more. Caterers are turning to the speciality produce on their doorsteps to make the first meal of the day unmissable Dinner was superb, the room perfect,...

Contract wins.(Brief Article)
January 15, 2004... Eurest holds on to Bristow and Lyreco Eurest has retained two contracts with a total turnover of [pounds sterling]1.65m. Its deal with Bristow Helicopters in Dyce, Aberdeen, has been extended by five years and is worth a total of [pounds...

Kitchen grease traps call comes under fire.(installation in commercial kitchens proposed)(Brief Article)
January 15, 2004... A proposal to force all commercial kitchens to install grease traps has been branded draconian and unworkable by a leading hospitality consultant. Thames Water Authority and Dartford MP Dr Howard Stoate recently joined forces to call for...

Global report.(hotel acquisitions)
January 15, 2004... Europe Ritz-Carlton adds fifth European hotel Ritz-Carlton has added a fifth hotel to its European portfolio after taking over the management of the 177-bedroom Penha Longa Hotel & Golf Resort in Portugal. The property will now undergo...

table talk.
January 15, 2004... Swedes build a bridge over North-South divide Apetito, the frozen meals supplier to the healthcare sector, has identified a North-South food divide. The number-one choice for hospital patients in the North is traditional cottage pie, while...

Grab 'n' Go show.(Hotelympia 2004 to feature snack foods)
January 15, 2004... Hotelympia 2004 will feature, for the the first time, a section dedicated to the growing market for snacks and other impulse food purchases. Matthew Batham gets a taste of what's on offer According to figures published by UB Food Service,...

Chairman's son to head Sodexho UK.(Francois-Xavier Bellon)(Brief Article)
January 15, 2004... Francois-Xavier Bellon has been appointed chief executive of Sodexho UK & Ireland. Bellon, the son of the company's founder and chairman Pierre Bellon, replaces Mark Shipman, who leaves the company at the end of March. A spokesman said...

Malmaison London.(Brasserie de Malmaison)(Restaurant Review)
January 15, 2004... A love of unpretentious French cooking is the inspiration for head chef John Woodward at hotel group Malmaison's newest property When Malmaison opened its seventh hotel in London's Charterhouse Square in November the location, on the edge...

Revolution's festive sales headache.(Inventive Leisure's bars and nightclubs)(Brief Article)
January 15, 2004... Inventive Leisure last week announced mixed results for the Christmas trading period. Although the opening of six new Revolution vodka bars helped push sales 18% higher for the three weeks ended 3 January 2004, like-for-like sales at...

De Vere performance review leaves four ; properties up for sale.(hotel group)(Brief Article)
January 15, 2004... Hotel group De Vere has put four properties up for sale for [pounds sterling]40m, just one month after chief executive Carl Leaver said properties that didn't perform to "acceptable" levels would be sold off. The 136-bedroom De Vere...

Consortium left with 24 hours for Gresham bid.(Gresham Hotel Group)(Brief Article)
January 15, 2004... A consortium of investors has until tomorrow (16 January) to make a formal bid for the Gresham Hotel Group or announce that it will not go ahead with its offer, the Irish Takeover Panel has ruled. The group of investors, which is believed...

Macdonald hotel deals look set to go through soon.(Brief Article)
January 15, 2004... Buyers for almost all of the 15 Macdonald hotels put up for sale by the hotel group last October are understood to have been found. Although Robert Barry & Co, the agent handling the sale, declined to comment, a source close to the disposal...

GMB attacks pay differentials at 'rotten' Compass.(union criticizes Compass Group)(Brief Article)
January 15, 2004... The GMB union has issued a scathing attack on Compass, calling it "a rotten company serving rotten meals to our children" and claiming its chief executive's pay package is "obscene". Chief executive Mike Bailey was paid [pounds...

Demand sends pub prices soaring.(Brief Article)
January 15, 2004... Insatiable demand for quality freeholds in the pub market will continue to drive up property prices in 2004, according to Christie & Co. At its annual business review the property agent said pub values rose 6.2% during 2003 through demand...

Agent predicts big year for mergers.(hotel sector)(Brief Article)
January 15, 2004... This year is set to be "a big year" for mergers and acquisitions in the hotel sector, with increased rationalisation of corporate roomstock easing last year's lack of supply. That was the view of property agent Christie & Co's managing...

Honeycombe in red.(Honeycombe Leisure)(Brief Article)
January 15, 2004... Honeycombe Leisure says it plans to continue growing its managed pub division despite a plunge into the red over the past six months. The company recorded a pre-tax loss of [pounds sterling]17,000 for the six months to 26 October, a figure...

Tax relief plan brings cheer for Irish hoteliers.(Brief Article)
January 15, 2004... The Irish hotel industry is in for a "very promising" year following the extension of a tax-relief scheme for hoteliers and continued growth in new hotel development, according to property consultants CB Richard Ellis Gunne. More than...

Review OFTHEREVIEWS.(restaurants)
January 15, 2004... 13 January GUY DIMOND checks out Malmaison's BRASSERIE DE MALMAISON, London Restaurateurs, supermarket buyers and food writers can seem obsessed with food trends. But what the typical restaurant customer wants, on the whole, is not...

Thomas takes over at Eaton Group.(Rebecca Thomas)(Brief Article)
January 15, 2004... Eaton Group, the London-based business and industry caterer, has appointed Rebecca Thomas managing director following the departure of Alan Walker. Walker said he had resigned "after six very happy years to explore new business...

Buxton's Crescent to open as spa.(Brief Article)
January 15, 2004... The Grade I-listed Crescent (right) in Buxton, Derbyshire, is to be transformed into an 87-bedroom luxury hotel and thermal spa following a [pounds sterling]23m redevelopment. Derbyshire County Council and High Peak Borough Council have...

Martin Blunos takes over kitchens at Lygon Arms.(head chef position)(Brief Article)
January 15, 2004... In a surprise move, it has been confirmed that West Country chef Martin Blunos has taken over as head chef of the Lygon Arms in Worcestershire. Blunos, whose former restaurant Lettonie in Bath held two Michelin stars before it closed in...

Industry not impressed by anti-smoking letter stunt.(Action on Smoking and Health campaign)(Brief Article)
January 15, 2004... Hospitality leaders have slammed the latest move by anti-smoking campaigners Action on Smoking and Health (Ash) in which letters were sent to industry bosses as a stunt to gain media airtime. Ash sent out 200 registered letters last week to...

'Healthy eating is the future'.(Brief Article)
January 15, 2004... Sir Francis Mackay, chairman of contract catering giant Compass Group, believes the biggest influence on the food industry in the coming decades will be healthy eating. Speaking on Tuesday (13 January) at the Food and Drink Federation's...

Malmaison's new MDplans changes.(managing director Robert Cook)(Brief Article)
January 15, 2004... New Malmaison managing director Robert Cook has admitted he will need to make some "changes and tweaks" to make the lifestyle hotels group more appealing to staff and customers. Cook, who took over from the outgoing Charles Holmes on Monday...

Christmas cheer for Paramount.(restaurant sales growth )(Paramount PLC)(Brief Article)
January 15, 2004... Paramount, owner of the Chez Gerard, Livebait, Cafe Fish and Bertorelli brands, this week reported sales growth for the Christmas period and the first six months of the financial year. Like-for-like sales increased 5.7% over the six-week...

Hywel Jones to be head chef at Lucknam Park...(Brief Article)
January 15, 2004... Former London chef Hywel Jones is set to take over the kitchen at Wiltshire country house hotel Lucknam Park when its current head chef, Robin Zabu, leaves. The hotel's owner and managing director, Harry Murray, told Caterer that Jones...

Pedersen grows rapidly with QMH purchases.(Queens Moat House)(Brief Article)
January 15, 2004... Expanding hotel and restaurant group Pedersen has tripled its hotel portfolio following the purchase of four properties from Queens Moat Houses for more than [pounds sterling]40m. The 72-bedroom Moat House Winchester, in Hampshire, and the...

Rival bid looms in Ask Central chain takeover.(City Centre Restaurants PLC)(TDR Capital's PizzaExpress)(Brief Article)
January 15, 2004... City Centre's friendly takeover of Ask Central was rudely interrupted last week by the announcement of a possible rival bid from PizzaExpress financier TDR Capital. TDR bought Ask's arch rival PizzaExpress for [pounds sterling]278m through...

Tourists return to UK in growing numbers.(Brief Article)
January 15, 2004... Inbound tourism to the UK enjoyed a minor boost last year but is set to grow faster in 2004, with visitor numbers expected to hit 25.5 million. In 2003 the volume of inbound tourists is expected to total 24.7 million, an increase of 1.9%...

Savoy's River closes.(hotel restaurant)(Brief Article)
January 15, 2004... The 130-seat River restaurant at London's Savoy hotel closed for good last weekend. A spokeswoman for the hotel said a "business decision" had been taken to close the eaterie. "The hotel's management feel that the space would be more...

stockwatch.(restaurants, hotels)
January 15, 2004... The biggest news of the week was at ASK CENTRAL where a potential crash bidder has appeared in the form of TDR - owners of arch rivals PizzaExpress. As interest grows in the operators of the Ask and Zizzi chains, so does Ask's share value,...

OVER; TO YOU.(importance of Michelin stars)(Brief Article)
January 15, 2004... How important are Michelin stars to the hospitality industry? Michelin stars are a long-standing benchmark of the hospitality industry and play a great part in helping consumers and industry peers judge the standard of top-end...