Caterer & Hotelkeeper articles from March 2009

Caterer & Hotelkeeper archives from March 2009

Hallmark goes for expansion.(News)(Hallmark Hotels)(Brief article)
March 5, 2009... UK group Hallmark Hotels will forge ahead with plans to expand this year despite the recession, according to its managing director and founder Arnold Schnegg. The group, which was formed in 2007 and is funded by private equity firm Zeus,...

Going places.(Infozone)
March 5, 2009... Sloans Bar and Restaurant in Glasgow has appointed Margaret McLaughlin as general manager. McLaughlin previously worked as managing director at Maggie May and cocktail bar the Metropolitan, both in Glasgow. The Four Seasons Hotel Vancouver...

Caterers face uncertain future with confidence.(News)(British Hospitality Association)
March 5, 2009... The British Hospitality Association's regular survey of the state of the contract catering market reveals a strong performance in 2008 that leaves many operators optimistic for the year ahead. Chris Druce reports There are tough times...

Book Review.(Features)(Professional Bartending)(Book review)
March 5, 2009... Big book of bartending just misses its target Professional Bartending Adam W Freeth New Holland, [pounds sterling]14.99 ISBN 978-1-84773-055-8 It's great to see the two words professional and bartending together as the...

The briefing.(Infozone)(Employers Forum on Age Awards)(TargetJobs)(National Graduate Recruitment Awards)(Brief article)
March 5, 2009... * More time to pay your taxes If you are struggling to pay your tax bills, don't forget about the HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) "time to pay" arrangements. So far, more than 60,000 businesses have used the facility, which offers support...

Events.(Features)(Springboard UK Limited)(Brief article)
March 5, 2009... Know much about how the Government's new 14-19 Diploma works? Know how it will fit into hospitality? If you are an employer and the answer to either of these is no, then Springboard is running a series of Employer Engagement Events around the...

Equilibrium.(Features)
March 5, 2009... Set in the striking medieval-Georgian-Victorian hotel Fawsley Hall, Equilibrium does just what its name suggests: it balances the archaic with the contemporary. Tom Vaughan reports "Tomorrow's food in yesterday's room," says head chef...

In season.(Features)
March 5, 2009... Byline: Oliver Peyton, taken from his book The National Cookbook, published by the National Gallery Company Slow-baked wild trout with rhubarb compotee_SClBIngredients (Serves four) 4 wild sea trout fillets with skin, weighing...

Obama urged to scrap US spending squeeze.(News)
March 5, 2009... New law slashes business travel budgets at bailed-out firms By Gemma Sharkey UK industry leaders have urged President Barack Obama to scrap new laws that will require US companies that were assisted in the recent $700b ([pounds...

Ellington hotel calls in the administrators.(News)
March 5, 2009... The atrium lobby at the Ellington Luxury boutique hotel the Ellington in Leeds has called in the administrators after becoming the latest victim of the credit crunch. David Whitehouse and Steven Muncaster, from MCR, have been appointed...

Anantara Si Kao Resort and Spa, Thailand.(Side Orders)
March 5, 2009... Anantara's fifth property in Thailand is on Changlang Beach, south of Krabi, with views of the Andaman Sea. Each room features Thai-inspired decor, bathrooms with a terrazzo tub for two and a private balcony or terrace. Opened February ...

Altitude, Geneva Airport, Switzerland.(Side Orders)
March 5, 2009... SSP's new venue was created in collaboration with Michelin-starred chef Gilles Dupont and is part of a redevelopment of the airport. The venue incorporates a lounge bar and seven meeting rooms and has a weekly-changing menu blending...

The John Dory, New York.(Side Orders)(Brief article)
March 5, 2009... This is the second New York restaurant from April Bloomfield, who also runs the Michelin-starred Spotted Pig. Located in the Meatpacking District, the restaurant is focused on fish and seafood and includes the Raw Bar, serving oysters. ...

W Atlanta-Buckhead.(Side Orders)(Brief article)
March 5, 2009... This W hotel blends country club chic with the W brand's signature contemporary design. It features the US debut of chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten's Market restaurant, and Whiskey Blue, a rooftop bar and lounge from nightlife impresario Rande...

good week.(Side Orders)
March 5, 2009... Fairtrade Caterer BaxterStorey adopts Fairtrade coffee as standard across its contracts, using the profits from its sale to fund a newly established charitable foundation. Good service Despite the recession customers still rate service as...

My new kitchen.(Inside)
March 5, 2009... Lucknam Park's new Brasserie restaurant has the chefs "on display" to the It may be situated in the new spa building at Lucknam Park, the 18th-century Palladian mansion set in 500 acres of listed parkland, but the country house hotel's new...

Best of the blogs from Caterersearch.com.(Side Orders)
March 5, 2009... He's good at feeding 5,000 Kitchen Rat fears contract caterer Harbour & Jones may be making the most of an unfair, other-worldly, advantage over rivals when it comes to picking up new business. It appears that something more than a...

News.(Infozone)(Brief article)
March 5, 2009... * Scots urged to compete The Scottish Government is urging hospitality employers and catering colleges to put forward candidates aged between 15 and 23 for the skills competition WorldSkills 2011. It is part of a campaign promoting the...

Micro processing.(Inside)
March 5, 2009... Microwave ovens can be a real boon Microwave ovens have been used in catering for a relatively short space of time - about 30 years - but in that period they have become a standard piece of kitchen kit. Basic versions are normally used for...

My worst job.(Infozone)(Column)
March 5, 2009... Andy Storer has just joined London private members' club the Irish Club as head chef. The four-storey club, which is for people of Irish ancestry only, has relocated from Eaton Square in Belgravia to Blackfriars. What has been your worst...

Heathcote to sell up at Longridge Restaurant.(News)
March 5, 2009... Chef-restaurateur will concentrate on casual dining By Kerstin Kuhn Paul Heathcote has put his flagship outlet, the Longridge Restaurant near Preston, Lancashire, up for sale after nearly 20 years at the site. The...

The week in brief.(News)(Rupert Elliott's resignation from Stapleford Park)(pay freeze at Punch Taverns PLC)(layoff at Seaham Hall)(Brief article)
March 5, 2009... Elliott leaves Stapleford Park Rupert Elliott has left his role as general manager of Stapleford Park in Melton Mowbray to head up the team at Bibury Court Hotel in the Cotswolds, Caterer can reveal. Elliott, who joined Stapleford Park in...

Regent College stays loyal to Charlton House.(News)
March 5, 2009... Charlton House has been retained as the caterer at London's Regent College (left) in a deal worth more than [pounds sterling]20m over five years. The contract caterer, which has provided services to the college, set in Regent's Park, for seven...

The caterer that cares.(Infozone)
March 5, 2009... Contract caterer Bartlett Mitchell is a relatively young company, but it has quickly established itself as an employer of choice, and it was no surprise when it picked up a Best Places to Work award last year. Emma Allen reports Bartlett...

Recession could be good news for the contract caterers.(News)
March 5, 2009... Turnover broke [pounds sterling]4b in 2008 - and could carry on growing By Chris Druce UK contract caterers served a record number of meals last year, with sector turnover breaking the [pounds sterling]4b barrier for the first time,...

Heston to reopen by end of the week?(News)
March 5, 2009... Celebrity chef Heston Blumenthal is hoping to reopen the Fat Duck this week after being forced to close the three-Michelin-starred restaurant following a food scare. Blumenthal, chef-proprietor of the iconic restaurant in Bray, Berkshire,...

Hotels carry on investing despite the credit crunch.(News)
March 5, 2009... The Royal Horseguards hotel was relaunched after a [pounds sterling]16m refit A number of hotel operators across the UK are continuing to invest large sums in revamps and new openings, raising hope that the sector is well set to cope with...

Top chefs raise[pounds sterling]20,000 for Arkat collegegourmet event.(News)(Brief article)
March 5, 2009... Five Michelin-starred chefs with no fewer than 10 stars between them descended on South Downs College in Waterlooville, Hampshire, last Thursday (26*February) to cook a gourmet dinner and raise money for the Ark Foundation. Heston...

Ramsay gains two stars in Versailles.(News)(Gordon Ramsay)(Brief article)
March 5, 2009... The Gordon Ramsay au Trianon restaurant at the Trianon Palace hotel, Versailles, has debuted with two stars in the 2009 Michelin guide for France, published this week. Ramsay, who now holds a total of 12 Michelin stars, is among nine chefs...

Court ruling could mean VAT refunds for many caterers.(News)
March 5, 2009... HMRC's view of take-away seating areas was "unrealistic" By Daniel Thomas Large numbers of catering companies could be owed "significant" refunds on overpaid VAT, after a court ruled that the HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) stance on...

A minute on the clockMike Sunley.(News)(Lexington Catering)(Interview)
March 5, 2009... Mike Sunley is managing director of Lexington Catering, which was named in the Sunday Times Best 100 Small Companies to Work For list last weekend. He spoke to Amanda Afiya about the achievement and the caterer's plans for the future ...

We can learn from the past.(Side Orders)
March 5, 2009... Peter Crome, managing director of the Carnegie Club at Skibo Castle and Master Innholder, urges modern hoteliers to keep good archives Famous hotels can make good use of their old records... if they keep them In the library at Skibo...

Making the best of a no-win situation.(News)(Brief article)
March 5, 2009... Ask any chef or proprietor about nightmare scenarios, and hygiene problems would be towards the top of their list. A series of bad reviews is bad losing your staff to a new restaurant opening down the road isn't much fun either but, ultimately,...

Swabian handmade spA[currency]tzle.(Features)(Recipe)
March 5, 2009... It has a place in many a restaurant in Germanic countries thanks to its versatility as a northern European version of pasta. Yet in the UK spA[currency]tzle is little used or understood. Michael Raffael explains how to make and serve it - and,...

Compass needs parents' help to win school meals battle.(Side Orders)
March 5, 2009... letter of the week I believe Compass's phasing out of Scolarest (Caterersearch, 25 February) is symptomatic of the problem of child nutrition and school meals. Companies such as Compass are fighting a losing battle while good nutrition is...

It's a reality check for the celebrity chef.(Side Orders)
March 5, 2009... It is always sad to read of businesses failing and jobs being lost ("Top chefs fall victim to the credit crunch", 12 February, page 6) but perhaps this is a step towards reality for the whole celebrity chef cultur It is always sad to read...

Training that really matters.(Side Orders)
March 5, 2009... Philippe Rossiter's article "It's Time for Training" (19 February, page 33) indicated that many businesses did not recognise the value of effective training and in particular had not developed leadership and management skills in their staff....

Marketing with a mission.(Side Orders)(Brief article)
March 5, 2009... There's plenty of evidence to suggest that companies which kept up a strong marketing presence came out of the last recession in better shape. But it's not just about how much you spend on marketing it's where you spend it. There's plenty...

Brian WisdomPeople 1st's chief executive on how the skills body is proving its critics wrong.(Features)
March 5, 2009... Inside Kitchens - Lucknam Park's new Brasserie goes for induction What makes contract caterer Bartlett Mitchell a Best Place to Work? infozone: coping with building repairs when you're a leaseholder Masterclass Henry Oskar...

Contents.(Side Orders)
March 5, 2009... Wendy Bartlett runs a Best Place to Work 44 6 Contract catering Will the recession bring good news? 8 Tax Court ruling on take-aways could mean VAT refunds 10 News analysis Caterers face an uncertain future with confidence ...

My life in hospitality David Ramsden.(Infozone)
March 5, 2009... Founder and owner, the Dogs, Edinburgh A serial entrepreneur, now running his third business in Edinburgh, David Ramsden believes that although it's a very simple and old-fashioned idea, there's no substitute for hard work to get ahead....

The sharp end.(Features)
March 5, 2009... Two of the industry's leading proponents of work placement as a recruitment tool get a taste of their own medicine as Springboard UK chief executive Anne Pierce and Caterer editor Mark Lewis undergo a day of learning the ropes at the Pear Tree...

Review of Reviews.(Side Orders)
March 5, 2009... The Guardian 28*February Matthew Norman finds Boisdale, the Scottish-themed restaurant in London's Belgravia, as desultory, complacent, self-reverential and ridiculous a venture as you will find, and now as woefully anachronistic -...

Leasehold building repairs.(Infozone)
March 5, 2009... If your business is in leased premises where the landlord wishes to carry out repairs, the building work could deter your customers. Commercial property lawyer Simon Williams outlines the legal position The problem I have been informed...

Words of Wisdom.(Features)
March 5, 2009... Six years after its creation People 1st, hospitality's "How about 'Knitting fog'? Or 'Unravelling spaghetti'?" Brian Wisdom is telling the story of People 1st, the hospitality Sector Skills Council he heads, and every story needs a title....

Going places.(Infozone)
March 12, 2009... Hallmark Hotels has appointed Vivien Slater as director of sales and marketing. Slater, who was director of sales for Golden Tulip UK, has more than 12 years' experience, including stints at Millennium & Copthorne, Le Meridien and...

Sainsbury's [pounds sterling]40m staff catering deal gets regional focus.(News)
March 12, 2009... 7-Day Catering celebrates new contract with supermarket giant while Compass and Sodexo lose out in shake-up EXCLUSIVE By Chris Druce Supermarket group Sainsbury's has shaken up its [pounds sterling]40m-plus staff catering...

Caterers welcome London council's free school meals.(News)
March 12, 2009... Islington plans to feed 12,000 primary school children By Chris Druce The head of the Local Authority Caterers Association (LACA) has described Islington London Borough Council's decision to introduce free primary school meals as...

Couture lands leading role at Pinewood.(Pinewood Studios contracts with caterer Couture )(Brief article)
March 12, 2009... Heath Ledger (seated) and Christian Bale filmed 2008's The Dark Knight at Pinewood Studios Concession caterer Couture has taken over the catering at Pinewood Studios in Buckinghamshire, after Kudos Hospitality terminated its contract four...

Book Review.(From Seed to Plate)(Book review)
March 12, 2009... Recipes that use the freshest ingredients From Seed to Plate Paulo Arrigo Simon and Schuster, [pounds sterling]20 ISBN 978-1-84737-307-6 Walk on to the little flat roof beside London's Acorn House restaurant and you'll...

Trishna.(Features)
March 12, 2009... A runaway success on London's Blandford Street, Trishna is defying the economic downturn with its refined Indian seafood menu. Tom Vaughan reports Trishna has had the critics slavering. Those who have been to the original Mumbai restaurant...

In season.(Recipe)
March 12, 2009... Byline: Richard Davies, executive head chef, Bybrook restaurant, the Manor House hotel, Castle Combe, Wiltshire Tortellini of Salcombe Bay crab, sweet corn and lemon grass veloutee_SClBIngredients (Serves four) For the pasta ...

Events.(Master of Culinary Arts)(Brief article)
March 12, 2009... The opportunity to gain the title Master of Culinary Arts (MCA) comes only every four years and its closing date for entries is close. The MCA is open to chefs, pastry chefs and senior restaurant personnel aged 26 years and over who have...

changing tastes.
March 12, 2009... Re-creating authentic international dishes is a The British have long been fans of foreign flavours, but things have moved on since the choice was limited to curry and kebabs. The more familiar international dishes remain favourites, but...

good week.(Side Orders)
March 12, 2009... Nando's Grilled chicken chain attracts the interest of two US fast-food giants keen to launch its offering across the pond. Social networking In a first for hospitality, London restaurant Galvin at Windows successfully runs a live online...

The briefing.(National minimum wage)(Barclays Commercial Bank has launched a new programme to assist clients battling the recession)(Brief article)
March 12, 2009... * NMW checker Businesses can now check if they are complying with new national minimum wage legislation, due to come into force in April, using Business Link's new NMW Calculator. The site also includes guidance on what businesses need to...

Van Zeller, HarrogateDolada, LondonLe Bistrot Pierre, SheffieldChilango, London.(Directory)
March 12, 2009... Former Pied A Terre chef Tom van Zeller has launched this eponymous restaurant in Harrogate's Montpellier quarter. It is backed by restaurateur David Moore, who has taken up a non-executive director role in the business. Opened 13...

A minute on the clockSue Williams.(Bath Priory hotel)(Interview)(Brief article)
March 12, 2009... Sue Williams is general manager of the five-star Bath Priory hotel, which is set to reopen on Monday (16 March) following a six-week refurbishment. She spoke to Kerstin Kuhn Caterer What did the refurbishment programme entail? Sue...

Best of the blogs from Caterersearch.com.(Side Orders)
March 12, 2009... balancing act In a move that must rate up there with the appointment of Tony Blair as Middle East envoy, the Hotel Marketing Association (HMA) has announced that its annual lecture will be delivered by none other than Michael Prager. ...

How to: make the most of apprenticeship schemes.(Infozone)
March 12, 2009... About 20,000 new apprentices are taken on in the hospitality and tourism sectors each year, offering an important route into the industry. Preeti Sumal, apprenticeship manager at Sector Skills Council People 1st, offers advice on to how to make...

News.(Sodexo has become the first major hospitality employer to sign up to gay rights )(Paramount Restaurants give guidance to employees inorder to improve their pay structure)(study shows that employers are saving money by replacing senior employees )(Brief article)
March 12, 2009... * Sodexo backs diversity Sodexo has become the first major hospitality employer to sign up to gay rights campaign group Stonewall's Diversity Champions programme, which helps organisations promote equality in the workplace and lets them...

Contents.(News)
March 12, 2009... Move of the week - Paul Cutsforth joins Peach Pub Company 44 6 Contract catering Sainsbury's [pounds sterling]40m deal gets regional focus 8 School meals London council to pay for 12,000 schoolchildren 10 News analysis Where...

The quality of catering college graduates is appalling.(Features)
March 12, 2009... Does the rest of the industry think Gordon Ramsay is right? And can he do a better job? Caterer tracks down the best and the worst catering on British railways Will Compass regret its decision to leave the BHA? infozone: How to...

Anatomy of a food scare.(News)
March 12, 2009... Heston Blumenthal's handling of the media frenzy that followed an outbreak of illness among Fat Duck customers has been praised as a model of public relations. But where does it leave his business? Kerstin Kuhn investigates It's been a...

Bath priory to reopen with Caines in the Kitchen.(News)(Brief article)
March 12, 2009... The five-star Bath Priory is set to reopen next week (16 March) following a six-week refurbishment programme. The revamp included the complete overhaul of the property's kitchen ahead of the arrival of new executive head chef Michael...

Rates increases could add millions to tax bill.(News)
March 12, 2009... Hospitality fails to persuade Government to back down over plans for business rate rises based on 5% inflation By Daniel Thomas The hospitality industry will see its tax bill rise by tens of millions of pounds if the Government pushes...

The week in brief.(News)
March 12, 2009... Compass hit by RBS gloom Catering staff have been caught up in the turmoil surrounding the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS), which is expected to make massive cuts to its workforce after reporting a loss of [pounds sterling]24b. Compass Group,...

Monaco's Le Meridien Beach is sold for [pounds sterling]22m.(Meridien Beach Plaza hotel sold by Starman Hotels)(Brief article)
March 12, 2009... The five-star Le Meridien Beach Plaza hotel in Monaco has been sold by Starman Hotels for an estimated [euro]25m ([pounds sterling]22.8m). The 403-bedroom hotel, located near to the Congress Centre of Monaco, was sold to a private...

GRH sells off Los Angeles restaurant.(News)
March 12, 2009... GRH has sold the restaurant to hotel owner LXR Luxury Resorts Gordon Ramsay Holdings (GRH) has stepped back from day-to-day involvement in its Michelin-starred restaurant at the London West Hollywood hotel in Los Angeles. The move,...

Sandwich and coffee chains sign up for FSA health drive.(News)
March 12, 2009... Seven of the UK's largest coffee and sandwich shop chains have become the latest catering operators to sign up to the Food Standards Agency's (FSA) drive to provide healthier meals outside the home. Starbucks, Caffa Nero, Costa Coffee, Eat,...

Hotel revenues to fall further than expected.(News)
March 12, 2009... London set to suffer unprecedented 25% drop in revpar By Daniel Thomas Hotels across the UK are set to suffer on an even larger scale than was expected this year, with revenue per available room (revpar) set to plummet by nearly 19%,...

Ministers promise to help pubs.(News)
March 12, 2009... MPs and ministers attended an all-party crisis meeting in Parliament to seek ways of reducing taxes and red tape for pubs Government ministers have vowed to help the embattled pub sector through the recession, but would not be drawn on...

Restaurants warned to watch discounts.(News)
March 12, 2009... London restaurants are in danger of over-discounting to drive footfall, an industry analyst has warned. Ashley De Safrin, tourism and hospitality specialist at Business Link, said that, while restaurants in the capital are still busy thanks...

Don't miss the warning signs.(Side Orders)
March 12, 2009... Jonathan Raggett, managing director of Red Carnation Hotels, warns hospitality employers to look out for signs of alcohol and drug abuse among staff as the pressure of the recession hits home The recession presents the greatest challenge...

If only this rate was at a record low.(News)(Brief article)
March 12, 2009... You're just about paying your utilities bill in these tough times, and have managed to squeeze a few extra days out of your suppliers - when the business rate rise hits you. Amazingly, while the Bank of England has announced that it's...

End of the line?(Features)
March 12, 2009... The recent scrapping of the National Express East Anglia dining car caused bloggers to fill the webways with laments for a lost age of railway eating. Now we have menu "upgrades" such as Virgin Trains' recent much-vaunted improvements, but do...

Ramsay's college nightmares.(Features)
March 12, 2009... Training in hospitality is apparently improving thanks to a new Vocationally Related Qualification and renewed commitment by People 1st, as outlined by that organisation's Brian Wisdom in these pages last week. But is this really the case? Top...

Workers of the world.(Infozone)
March 12, 2009... The UK immigration system underwent a major overhaul last year, but how does it affect the hospitality sector, which relies heavily on migrant workers? David Abbott reports Immigration has been a political hot potato for some time now and...

My life in hospitality Cass Titcombe.
March 12, 2009... Co-founder and head chef, Canteen Careers Paul Cutsforth joins Peach Pub Company as director of operations Wake-up call Immigration law - your responsibilities as an employer Migrant workers Are the new laws going to...

Join the club.(British Hospitality Association)
March 12, 2009... There are more than 150 trade bodies associated with the hospitality industry, but in the light of Compass's high-profile withdrawal from standard-bearer the British Hospitality Association, how necessary is it to be involved in these...

Complying with immigration law.(Infozone)
March 12, 2009... If you employ migrant workers you are responsible for checking their identity and their right to work in the UK, or you could risk substantial fines. Charles Thomas explains how businesses can protect themselves The problem As the HR...

Spoilt for choice.(Features)(Viewpoint essay)
March 12, 2009... If you feel you could make a go of running your own pub, you will find there are plenty on the market right now. Just be sure you're comfortable with the reasons why so many pubs are closing, advises Karl Cushing If you've decided that...

Don't be too quick to blame Fat Duck's food.(Side Orders)(Letter to the editor)
March 12, 2009... letter of the week I really feel for Heston Blumenthal right now. Everything he has worked so hard for is potentially in jeopardy. He has handled this terrible affair totally openly and admirably. However, it does not help when the...

Verta's look falls short of real luxury.(Letter to the editor)
March 12, 2009... I'm amused and somewhat bemused at Von Essen Hotels' description of how its new Verta building will look (Caterer, 26*February, page 28) I'm amused and somewhat bemused at Von Essen Hotels' description of how its new Verta building will...