Caterer & Hotelkeeper articles from March 2008

Caterer & Hotelkeeper archives from March 2008

My worst job.(Infozone)
March 6, 2008... Paul Stephens is general manager of the Greystreethotel in Newcastle upon Tyne. He joined in January after spending five years as general manager of the Best Western Derwent Manor country house hotel in Northumberland. He has also held...

Going places.(Infozone)
March 6, 2008... Andrea Vercelli has joined the Brunello restaurant in the London Baglioni hotel as head chef. He joins from Marco Pierre White's Luciano restaurant, where he was also head chef. He has also worked in the kitchens at Caffa Caldesi, Rosmarino and...

News.(Infozone)(British Institute of InnKeeping)(Brief article)
March 6, 2008... * Compass's green qualification Scolarest, Compass Group's state education arm, has introduced a sustainable development qualification for its catering teams. The NCFE Level 2 qualification is a distance learning course designed to improve...

News.(Compass Group PLC)(Brief article)
March 6, 2008... Bartlett Mitchell wins first private club contract Bartlett Mitchell has won its first conference and banqueting contract at a private members' club in a deal worth [pounds sterling]3.5m over the full term. The contract...

Compass Group in switch to Fairtrade bananas only.(News)
March 6, 2008... Fruitful: deal will support communities Compass Group, the UK's largest caterer, is to switch exclusively to Fairtrade bananas from May. Last year Compass sold about 1,565 million kg of bananas, nearly half of which (45%) were...

leading CHEFSBOOK A SPOT ATCONFERENCE.(News)
March 6, 2008... Many of the UK's leading chefs will be at Caterer's 2008 Chef Conference for book-signing during the day. To date Marcus Wareing, Jason Atherton, Angela Hartnett (pictured above), Claire Clark and Tom Aikens have confirmed that they will be...

Caterers urged to adopt handover code.(News)
March 6, 2008... Caterers are being urged to consider a voluntary code of conduct governing contract handovers to stamp out bad behaviour and boost professionalism. Both Bartlett Mitchell and Charlton House are on board and have lent their expertise to the...

Tendering process 'needs improving'.(News)
March 6, 2008... Public sector contracts awarded without any catering input By Chris Druce The process of awarding public sector catering contracts, such as those for school meals, must be improved, according to the chairman of the British Hospitality...

Restaurants in France bag 61 new Michelin stars.(News)
March 6, 2008... Michelin has awarded 61 restaurants in France with new stars, bringing the total of starred eateries in the country to 529, four times more than in Great Britain and Ireland. Seafood restaurant Le Petit Nice in Marseille was the only one to...

Wage probe won't meet July deadline.(News)
March 6, 2008... exclusive by christopher walton The Government has admitted that its vow to inspect 500 hotel businesses for violations of national minimum wage (NMW) legislation by July will not be met. Its failure to meet its own targets for...

Our back pages: stories from the Caterer vaults.(Features)
March 6, 2008... The Caterer and Hotel Keeper, 2 March, 1945 Because a cocktail had never been defined in a court of law, Ealing magistrates on Tuesday held that there was no question of deceiving the public in selling a drink called "Glamorous Nights" -...

An evening of good fellowship.(Features)
March 6, 2008... Need an excuse to get your black tie out of the cupboard? Well, the 2008 Institute of Hospitality Fellows' Dinner is being held on 13*March at Goodenough College, situated in one of the capital's most attractive garden squares in the heart of...

Infozone Foodfile ingredients in season.(Infozone)
March 6, 2008... Fresh Recent frosts may have caused a tightening in the supply of some English vegetables, but there's still plenty of produce available and the cold weather has improved its taste. Parsnips are sweeter and more full-flavoured than ever...

A paradox in paradise.(Features)
March 6, 2008... The dream of many a hotelier or restaurateur is to up sticks and start again abroad. Tom Vaughan looks at the possibility of a move to Gascony and what the prospective buyer can expect when buying or setting up a business in the land of foie...

Master of the list.(Infozone)(Hibiscus Restaurant )
March 6, 2008... As an English sommelier in a French restaurant, Hibiscus's youthful Simon Freeman attracts his share of attention. Joanna Wood talks to the man who won Hibiscus a Best Wine List nomination in the Tatler Awards We're only just hitting...

Back to school.(Inside)
March 6, 2008... After introducing nutritional Just a few years ago the job of a school cook was likely to be filled by a mother who wanted a few hours of part-time work once her children were at school. Today, the reality is very different. With the...

Not serving foie gras is just common sense.(Features)
March 6, 2008... letter of the week I don't believe as a society we can in 2008 justify treating animals or birds with cruelty in the production of food ("Operators fear for future of foie gras", Caterer, 28 February, page 6). In my view, foie gras,...

Diner power can stop it.(Side Orders)
March 6, 2008... I read the article regarding foie gras with interest. As someone who dines out at every opportunity, I never have and never would dine in a restaurant that served foie gras (or veal). I think it is important that caterers respond to public...

But it can be taken too far.(Side Orders)(Brief article)
March 6, 2008... Remember the dumb girl in Notting Hill saying to Hugh Grant: "Carrot juice constitutes murder"? This campaign against foie gras is the first step for vegetarians to ban all meats from our tables - and don't forget that eating meat was the...

Tap into a new water source.(Side Orders)
March 6, 2008... I read with interest your article ("London campaigns for tap water to be free", Caterer, 28 February, page 10) and, with due respect, this argument is now simply a thing of the past, as emerging technology is available to the industry. ...

No excuse for this criminal behaviour.(Side Orders)
March 6, 2008... Following publication of an article in the Sunday Times Travel Section on 24 February, I contacted the newspaper - but thought the whole industry should be aware of this issue. I wrote: "I am appalled that the Sunday Times would publish an...

Rating change will protect new owners.(Side Orders)(Brief article)
March 6, 2008... In response to the anonymous letter of 14 February, VisitBritain would like to advise Caterer readers who run hotels or guest accommodation in England that we have recently introduced a change to the administration of our assessment scheme...

Where do we go now?(Side Orders)(Brief article)(Column)
March 6, 2008... I have read quite a few articles on the subject of catering colleges. I am currently enrolled in a catering college and my question is: what am I supposed to do when the people who I want to be my future employers - Gordon Ramsay, Marco...

One less thing to think about.(Infozone)
March 6, 2008... Instead of recruiting and retaining their own accounting staff, many companies prefer to concentrate on their core activities and outsource their financial processes to a specialist. Ross Bentley reports The outsourcing of payroll and...

Review of Reviews.(Side Orders)
March 6, 2008... Bloomberg.com 29 February Richard Vines will soon be returning to Spanish tapas bar Barrafina in London W1, where he is wowed by the foode_SClBIt's the quality of the produce that first strikes you: wonderful Jamon de Jabugo ham fish...

Stock in trade.(Features)
March 6, 2008... Whether you swear by powder or you're a devotee of paste, prepared stocks are an essential tool for many chefs. Patrick McGuigan surveys the market Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's much-publicised Chicken Out campaign, which promotes...

Fishmore Hall.(Features)
March 6, 2008... Ludlow may not provide the top-flight restaurant competition it once did, but the customers remain discerning and demanding. As Janet Harmer learns, local chefs must be at the top of their game Cooking in Ludlow is something of a...

Money matters.(Features)
March 6, 2008... If you're planning to acquire your own hospitality business, take professional advice and make sure your finances are secure. Karl Cushing explains how A lack of finance is one of the biggest constraints on an operator, whether putting a...

London welcomes back the Chicago Rib Shack.(News)
March 6, 2008... CRS directors bring back iconic brand after nearly 10 years By Kerstin Kuhn Iconic London restaurant Chicago Rib Shack is to be relaunched this spring, nearly a decade after it closed. The American-style eaterie is being brought...

Cocktail of the Month.(Side Orders)
March 6, 2008... Pearway to Heaven Despite the rapid approach of spring we're still getting cold snaps, and when the weather is parky a toper's head often turns to thoughts of a libation that offers comfort and sustenance as much as alcoholic diversion....

Hotelier of the Year backs diplomas.(News)(Brief article)
March 6, 2008... Michael Gray, Caterer's Hotelier of the Year, has praised the Government's new diplomas for 14- to 19-year-olds, heralding them as the potential solution to the industry's staffing crisis. The diplomas will be available to...

Eurostar and P&O to sell nights out on the town.(News)
March 6, 2008... Cross-channel rail operator Eurostar (above) and ferry operator P&O will be able to sell tickets for UK tourist attractions and Oyster cards and allow users to book meals out through their websites after signing a partnership deal with...

good weekBad week.(Side Orders)
March 6, 2008... Italian cheesemakers European Court of Justice rules that only cheese produced near the Italian city of Parma can be called Parmesan. Ethics UK's largest contract caterer Compass Group vows to switch to Fairtrade bananas this spring. ...

Winning the customers back.(Inside)
March 6, 2008... As school meal numbers start to recover to pre-Jamie It's been a long time coming, but it looks like there's much to celebrate in the school meal service at the moment. Following on from the Government announcement that every child between...

View to a skill.(Inside)
March 6, 2008... Will new compulsory cookery lessons for teenagers The hospitality industry has broadly welcomed the announcement by Ed Balls, secretary of state for children, schools and families, that for the first time, for one term, every 11- to...

Hotel Le Chalet Blanc, France.(Side Orders)
March 6, 2008... Located in Montgenavre in the French Alps, this luxury ski hotel offers 32 rooms with private balconies and mountain views across 250 miles of pistes. It features two restaurants including La Table Blanche, which has been set up by consultant...

InterContinental Hanoi Westlake, Vietnam.(Side Orders)(InterContinental Hotels Group PLC)(Brief article)
March 6, 2008... IHG's first hotel in Vietnam is in the heart of the capital city and comprises a main building complemented by three surrounding pavilions. Rooms offer private balconies with views over a nearby lake, the hotel's tropical gardens or Hanoi's...

Port Ghalib, Egypt.(Side Orders)(Hotel review)(Brief review)
March 6, 2008... This is South African hotel group Sun International's first property outside southern Africa, comprising an 18km coastal resort on the Red Sea. It is made up of three five-star hotels: the Palace, with 309 bedrooms, the Sahara Sun Oasis (292)...

Mandarin Oriental c, Mexico.(Side Orders)(Hotel review)(Brief review)
March 6, 2008... Mandarin Oriental's first property in Central America is on Mexico's Yucatan peninsula and set in 36 acres of tropical forests. It features seven dining outlets serving international cuisines and includes a 2,600sq ft presidential villa. ...

A minute on the clockJames Nathan.(News)
March 6, 2008... Former barrister James Nathan was crowned the 2008 BBC MasterChef last week, beating stiff competition in a final that saw him cook a three-course meal that wowed judges John Torode and Gregg Wallace. He spoke to Janet Harmer Caterer What...

Marriott to offer job opportunities to unemployed.(News)(JobCentre Plus)(Brief article)
March 6, 2008... Hotel group scheme could fill 20% of entry-level vacancies by daniel thomas Hotel group Marriott has committed to offering job opportunities to the long-term unemployed by signing a Local Employment Partnership (LEP) with JobCentre...

News.
March 6, 2008... Restaurant news update * Fine dining at South Lodge Luxury hotel group Exclusive Hotels has unveiled details of its forthcoming restaurant at South Lodge hotel near Horsham, West Sussex. The Pass will be a 22-cover fine-dining...

The London Restaurant Awards are reborn in 2008.(News)
March 6, 2008... The London Restaurant Awards are to return after an absence of more than three years, Caterer can reveal. The relaunched event, which last took place on 4 April 2005, will be held at the Grosvenor House hotel on 1 September this year. ...

News.
March 6, 2008... The week in brief Lexington wins [pounds sterling]1m City deal Lexington has taken a significant step towards achieving its target of [pounds sterling]10m in turnover this year with a multimillion-pound deal to feed staff at investment...

a little light refreshment?(Features)
March 6, 2008... Tinkering with a brand may not always be the best policy, but adopting an "if it ain't broke" line can lead to complacency. So what's the secret of building - and equally important, maintaining - a successful brand? Nic Paton reports BT's...

eat for art's sake.(Features)
March 6, 2008... Food operations in museums and galleries have come of age - at last. Humayun Hussain finds out how they shook off their old image and looks at who the operators are Diners take a break from their diet of culture in the bar and restaurant...

This diploma must make the grade.(News)
March 6, 2008... The skills crisis, more than any other issue, affects all areas of the hospitality industry and has done as long as everyone can remember. There have been many industry initiatives to address skills gaps, from the skills passport to the...

Keep an eye on costs to avoid price increases.(Side Orders)
March 6, 2008... Managing costs can help you ride the storm of economic downturn, according to Nigel Scorey, managing director of procurement firm Procure4 First energy costs began to climb steeply then the food sector began to report rising inflation....

Over to you.(Side Orders)(Brief article)
March 6, 2008... How do you keep running costs to a minimum? Enzo Cassini, restaurant manager, Zafferano, Belgravia, London "During a recession it's important not to let your customers think you've compromised on quality. Reinvest your energies into...

Culture grubHow galleries and museums have mixed fine art with fine food.(Features)
March 6, 2008... Inside Education - bringing the kids back to the table Property focus - raising the finance for your new business infozone: the best ways to promote your hotel spa and health club Rebranding How to get it all right when you...

Authentic chefs give kids taste of food service.(Inside)
March 6, 2008... Chicken tikka masala... healthy choice Two development chefs from the Authentic Food Company gave students at a school in Manchester an introduction to the food service industry recently. Chefs Kris Woods and Robert Gong took over the...

Alliance boss calls for increase in free school meals.(Inside)
March 6, 2008... The price of free school meals should be increased in order to keep pace with rising food costs, according to David Weller, managing director of Alliance in Partnership, the contract catering company which specialises in the education sector....

McCain serves up Purely Potato.(Inside)
March 6, 2008... McCain Foodservice has launched a new range of potato products that can be served in schools without restriction under the Government's food guidelines. The Purely Potato range, designed to be oven-baked without oil, is aimed at helping...

Oxfordshire kids like fresh approach.(Inside)
March 6, 2008... More children have been eating school meals in Oxfordshire since the introduction of fresh, locally grown produce. Food With Thought, Oxfordshire County Council's catering service, is serving local meat, fruit and vegetables to 40 primary...

Apetito's range meets nutritional guidelines.(Inside)
March 6, 2008... Frozen food supplier Apetito has launched a new range of meal solutions that will meet the new nutritional guidelines to be introduced into primary schools in September. "Each meal has been developed for use as part of a balanced school...

Pasta King's hidden vegetables.(Inside)
March 6, 2008... Serving food that they will eat in the way that they will eat it is the way to make a success of feeding schoolchildren, according to Pasta King, the food service supplier of healthy pasta and pasta sauces. The company sells 15 million...

Eden pushes up take-up by 20%.(Inside)
March 6, 2008... A move towards the preparation of fresh food onsite has helped two schools in Bristol achieve a 20% increase in the take-up of school dinners over the past 12 months. Pupils and catering staff at Highridge Infants and Bishopsworth Junior...

Veggie food wins school Tatler award.(Inside)
March 6, 2008... A vegetarian school in South Kensington, London, has scooped the Best Food Award in the Annual Tatler School Awards. Glendower Prep School, an independent prep school for girls aged four to 11, switched to a vegetarian menu following a...

Picture of the Week.(Side Orders)(Brief article)
March 6, 2008... all the tea in china Hostesses pour tea for delegates before the opening of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing earlier this week. China is the homeland of tea, with its...

Table Talk.(Side Orders)
March 6, 2008... a wizz of a tourism idea With Poland almost single-handedly plugging the UK skills gap at the moment, especially in London, the capital's marketing bods have decided that if you can't beat them, join them. Visit London has launched its...

Infozone.(The Coniston Hotel hired Victoria Yates and Jen Wickham)(Brief article)
March 6, 2008... Move of the week The Coniston hotel in Skipton, North Yorkshire, has appointed Victoria Yates and Jen Wickham weddings and functions co-ordinator and conference and events sales assistant respectively. Yates (left) joins from the Angel Inn...

Government gets tough but sticks by extended hours.(News)(Report)
March 6, 2008... Report on licensing sees no need to stop all-day drinking Drinkers are enjoying the new freedom of extended hours in England and Wales Pubs and bars: 470 Hotel bars: 3,320 Supermarkets and stores: 920 Other: 860 (Representing 4%...

How to: take a hotel room reservation.(Infozone)
March 13, 2008... By Ally Dombey, managing director of training provider IFH UK www.ifh-worldwide.co.uk When a potential guest phones a hotel, the reservations agent needs a collection of skills to ensure that the booking is confirmed. Don't underestimate...

Going places.(Infozone)
March 13, 2008... Mandy Jennings has joined Principal Hayley Hotels and Conference Venues as group sales director. Jennings was most recently sales director for the De Vere Collection and Village hotels. Before De Vere, she was head of conference, incentive and...

News.(Infozone)(Brief article)
March 13, 2008... * "Too young" sacking was unfair A 19-year-old administrative assistant sacked for being "too young" has won more than [pounds sterling]16,000, including [pounds sterling]5,000 for "injury to feelings", in an age-discrimination case heard...

Last-ditch bid to fend off increase in alcohol duties.(News)(Brief article)
March 13, 2008... Industry groups warn of falling revenues and price inflation By Christopher Walton Industry leaders hit out at the Government in advance of yesterday's Budget, which was widely expected to contain above-inflation rises in tax on beer,...

Graysons lands first contract at chemical labs.(News)(Brief article)
March 13, 2008... Graysons Restaurants, the new contract caterer backed by former Compass chairman Sir Francis Mackay, has won its first deal at the expense of Compass division Restaurant Associates (RA). The company has signed a three-year contract worth...

Local focus.(Infozone)
March 13, 2008... Andrew Colley and Robin Knight have turned the Pride of the Valley into somewhere affluent local residents are happy to go. Janet Harmer reports on how the hoteliers are attracting a new market of discerning customers Pride of the Valley's...

Book Review.(Side Orders)(Book review)
March 13, 2008... Hot hints to revitalise the sweet spice of life Pepper Christine McFadden Absolute Press, [pounds sterling]25 ISBN 978-1-904573-60-9 It took food writer Christine McFadden four years to research and write this book, but...

The briefing.(Infozone)(Brief article)
March 13, 2008... * CBI calls for bigger tax cuts Britain's biggest employers' group, the CBI, has called for corporation tax rates to be slashed to 18% within eight years to help boost the country's competitiveness. The rate is currently 30%, and will...

Conference tricks.(Infozone)(Conference news)
March 13, 2008... Conferences offer an opportunity to fill rooms and sell lucrative extras. So what can hoteliers do to attract this market? Catherine Quinn reports It's not yet noon, and you've booked out every room, secured a deposit for meeting...

It's not very helpful, is it, Darling?(News)(Brief article)
March 13, 2008... By the time you're reading this, Chancellor Alistair Darling will have announced his Budget. With luck, the leaked proposals suggesting that he would raise duties on all forms of alcohol, including spirits - after concerted pressure from...

The Landau.(Features)
March 13, 2008... Returning to London, where his grazing menu first came to prominence, Andrew Turner's new project is part of the ambitious plans for the five-star Langham hotel. Tom Vaughan reports Leaving behind his role as executive chef at Pennyhill...

My life in hospitality Rajesh Suri.(Infozone)
March 13, 2008... Rajesh Suri is CEO of Tamarind, the Indian restaurant that has held a Michelin star for seven years Highs... It's exciting times for us right now. Tamarind has exceeded all our expectations and Imli, our Indian tapas restaurant, is getting...

Picture of the Week.(Side Orders)(Brief article)
March 13, 2008... RACE AGAINST TIME Ground staff work against the clock to get Cheltenham Racecourse back on track for the National Hunt Festival after heavy storms descended on Gloucestershire on Monday. Gale force winds flattened a hospitality tent,...

a booming market.(Features)
March 13, 2008... Restaurant coffee quality should be a reflection of the fantastic food served Elaine Higginson, managing director, First Choice Coffee The coffee market has undoubtedly boomed over the past few years, with the high-street coffee chains...

Strategy clinic.(Infozone)
March 13, 2008... "How can I cater more effectively for disabled guests?" One simple answer is to ask more questions at the time of booking. For example, how is the guest arriving what time will they arrive will they need wheelchair access? You can then...

Infozone.
March 13, 2008... Prohibitions on properties sold If you're selling off property in the vicinity of your own business, you will want to restrict the buyer from opening up in competition to you. Solicitor Gary Pickard explains how the law can help The...

Chocolate choice.(Inside)
March 13, 2008... Knowing your customers' preferences for a lighter or creamier drink is the As any serious caterer today expects hot chocolate drinks to contribute a significant percentage of revenue, it follows that knowing who drinks them dictates what...

Calling the shots.(Inside)
March 13, 2008... A happy coffee-bar customer is one The modern coffee trade has created a problem for itself: the growth of the take-away has led to a need for making espresso-based drinks at high speed, which demands a whole new strategy in queue...

Infozone Foodfile ingredients in season.(Features)
March 13, 2008... Fresh Fish It might still be cold and wet but spring is slowly edging nearer. Wild garlic, with its glossy, lily-shaped leaves, is sweet, hot and mouth-aromatic is as much a harbinger of spring as daffodils and started to poke its...

Tea of a kind.(Inside)
March 13, 2008... Fruit and herbal infusions are taking off in the retail sector, and food The fastest-growing "tea" is not tea at all. It is the kind of beverage which has no camellia sinensis in it, and for which "tea" is simply a handy term to describe...

Side Orders.(Brief article)
March 13, 2008... Our back pages: stories from the Caterer vaults The Caterer and Hotel-keepers' Gazette, 15 March 1910 There has been recently an interesting discussion in the Daily Express on the employment of foreign waiters in this country, and the...

Free-range profit.(Features)
March 13, 2008... It's been just over two months since Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall launched his Chicken Out! campaign to switch more people to free-range. Predictably, it is still the cost of free-range birds that deters a lot of businesses. But Peter Weeden,...