Caterer & Hotelkeeper articles from May 2002

Caterer & Hotelkeeper archives from May 2002

Events.(Brief Article)
May 2, 2002... May 8 May ARENA LUNCH WITH JAMES HORLER, Chief Executive of La Tasca Restaurants Crowne Plaza, St James, Buckingham Gate, London. Tel: 020 8395 6065 8-9 May Total Sandwich show Olympia, London. Tel: 01707...

Idyll do nicely.(Samling Hotel restaurant, Lake District, England)
May 2, 2002... After five years of London life, Chris Meredith opted for the peace and quiet of the Samling hotel overlooking Lake Windermere, as Louise Bozec discovers BRAISED pig's head has become a talking point among diners at the Samling hotel in...

Caterer personals.
May 2, 2002... H Calling all Acorn Award winners. The Acorn Club is currently updating its records and seems to have lost touch with many past winners. We would love to hear from you, and to find out what you have been doing since winning an Acorn. E-mail...

Having a SWELS time.(part seven)(Western Australia)
May 2, 2002... In part seven of their journey to Australia, former Claridge's general manager Ron Jones and his wife Eve visit vineyards in Western Australia and get help with an IT crisis Perth, Western Australia. It's the end of a long, hard day's...

Hospitality: the new rock'n'roll.(International Hotel Investment Forum)(Brief Article)
May 2, 2002... With the staffing crisis only likely to get worse, David Coubrough reckons that it's time to pump up the volume OWNERS, lenders, developers and operators gathered like confetti at a wedding for the recent International Hotel Investment...

Iberian rhapsody.(working in a resort in Spain)
May 2, 2002... Chris Wilks, 28, is room-service manager at the Kempinski Resort hotel in Estepona in southern Spain. He enjoys the challenge of hotel life in another country, but misses the grey skies of his native England WORKING in Spain involves...

The problem of prostitution.
May 2, 2002... Katherine Wallace, property law specialist at City law firm Tarlo Lyons, examines the problem of prostitution on hotel premises and what hotels must do to remain legal The law Section 175 of the Licensing Act 1964 states that it is an...

Best cook forward.(World Master of Culinary Arts award)(Brief Article)
May 2, 2002... THE unofficial title of the world's best chef is likely to be claimed by the winner of the first World Master of Culinary Arts award (Caterer, 24 January, page 18) which will be announced on 16 May at a gala dinner at the Hotel...

Extra time goals.(capitalizing on the World Cup)
May 2, 2002... The fact that matches are being televised at unsocial hours doesn't mean that businesses have to lose out. Plan well and you could end up winning. Marketing consultant Paul Clapham maps out a strategy IT'S going out, it's going out, it's...

Drinks news.(Fawsley Hall Hotel, Northamptonshire, England launches new wine list called Affordable Excess)(Brief Article)
May 2, 2002... Port is the new black So successful were its port seminars in catering and hospitality colleges that the Port Wine Institute (IVP) is running some more. Designed to help students understand the different styles of port and which foods best...

Recognition (and fun) are a spur to achievement.(catering awards)
May 2, 2002... Crash, bang, wallop. The general manager of the Marriott Hanbury Manor hotel and a colleague are about to address a room full of (potentially) top hospitality managers when four black-suited, black-Balaclava'd ruffians burst through the doors....

Squaring the circles.(tableware )
May 2, 2002... Yes, most tableware is still produced to a fairly conventional design - but not all of it. Bob Gledhill goes looking for some of the latest styles in plates, bowls and saucers Let's get one thing absolutely clear: the vast majority of...

The emergency service.(food service for police officers)
May 2, 2002... Police officers dealing with an emergency need to be fed - and quickly. Eurest Criminal Justice aims to provide hot food within four hours of being called out, either from the local police station or in the field. Jane Baker reports IT WAS...

Save our soles.(Dover sole)
May 2, 2002... Dover sole used to be a fixture on every top-flight menu, but options that are easier to find, cook and eat supplanted it. Here, Michael Raffael shows how the prince of flatfish can regain its crown NOT so long ago, Dover sole was a "must...

Licence to thrill.(bar and restaurant licenses)
May 2, 2002... The football World Cup finals are usually a guaranteed way of generating money for pubs and restaurants. But with the tournament taking place at all the wrong times for viewing Brits, businesses have had to fight for special licences. Andrew...

Table talk.(Brief Article)
May 2, 2002... Ice treat, hot off the plane THE owner of a tiny curry house flew out of his local airport in Bournemouth last week to provide catering at a celebrity dinner - in New York. Enam Rahman, who runs the Original Balti House, got off at JFK...

Hilton veteran takes charge at Langham.(Brief Article)
May 2, 2002... Armin Schroecker has become general manager of Hilton's five-star Langham hotel in London. He replaces Jean Pierre Manardi, who has transferred to the Hilton Hong Kong. Austrian-born Schroecker has worked for Hilton International for...

Accolade for Six Continents MD.(Brief Article)
May 2, 2002... RICHARD Hartman, managing director of Six Continents Hotels, Asia Pacific, has been named Hotelier of the Year at the fifth annual Asia Pacific Hotel Industry Investment Conference, sponsored by Jones Lang LaSalle Hotels and Andersen. ...

Blaze-hit hotel set to reopen in July.(Brief Article)
May 2, 2002... One of Bournemouth's leading clifftop hotels is to reopen this summer following a ?4m refurbishment after a major fire closed it almost a year ago. It took 150 firefighters some 24 hours to control the blaze that broke out at Menzies...

Menzies bullish after double-digit growth.(Brief Article)
May 2, 2002... Menzies Hotels, which owns 18 mostly four-star properties, has reported strong growth for the year ended 31 January and a "very positive" forecast for the current financial year. The group boosted pre-tax profits by 28% to ?4.2m and...

Fair trading.
May 2, 2002... Food festivals have become a lifeline for hotels and restaurants up and down the country. It's because visitors to these events book their rooms a year in advance and want to sample local cuisine when they arrive. Janet Harmer reports on a...

Indoor games.(pub and restaurant promotions)
May 2, 2002... Pubs, bars and restaurants all have their own ideas about how to make the most of this year's competition. Andrew Davies spoke to some of them John Barras Donal O'Brien is an area manager with Scottish & Newcastle's 115-strong...

Eating for England?
May 2, 2002... Football fans will be eating out for breakfast a lot during the World Cup tournament, and they'll find many bars and restaurants giving the first meal of the day a suitably international slant. John Greenwood reports For a month in every...

Caribbean to recover from tourism loss.(Brief Article)
May 2, 2002... The tourism and travel industry in the Caribbean has been hardest hit by the fallout from 11 September, but will enjoy a stronger recovery than average during a "massive worldwide rebound" in 2003, the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has...

Knightsbridge addition for Firmdale.(Brief Article)
May 2, 2002... Firmdale Hotels is to open what it calls an "affordably chic B&B hotel" in the heart of Knightsbridge, London, on 16 May. The company said the hotel, in Beaufort Gardens, would offer the same look and style as Firmdale's other luxury London...

Councils to crack down on 'tipping'.
May 2, 2002... Local authorities are paying increased attention to the practice of spirit substitution or "tipping" in hotel and restaurant bars, the International Federation of Spirit Producers (IFSP) has warned. Tipping occurs when cheaper own-label or...

Fresh outlook.(Appletree Country Inn)(Brief Article)
May 2, 2002... A large part of the Appletree Country Inn's success has been chef TJ Drew's food. Sara Guild talks about fresh veg, being the boss and finally getting help in the kitchen CHEF TJ Drew may be the quieter of the two managers at the Appletree...

Hard Rock Caf? profits dip.(Brief Article)
May 2, 2002... The Rank group, which owns Hard Rock Caf?, said last week that trading at its restaurants was still down by 5% on last year. Although Hard Rock Caf? had a profitable first quarter, profits were below last year, it said. Like-for-like...

Watson-Jones is new HCA chairman.(Hospital Caterers Association)(Brief Article)
May 2, 2002... The Hospital Caterers Association (HCA) has appointed a new chairman. Neil Watson-Jones, former vice-chairman of the HCA, takes over from Pam Miller and will hold the post until April 2004. Watson-Jones has been a member of the HCA for...

Recovery predicted for hotel property market.(Brief Article)
May 2, 2002... The value of hotel property deals in Europe fell by 14% last year, but the market will start to recover this year, according to hotel investment adviser Jones Lang LaSalle. Its latest Digest Europe report shows that the value of single...

Longer pub opening planned for New Year.(Brief Article)
May 2, 2002... The relaxed drinking laws introduced for Millennium Eve could be applied on all future New Year's Eves. Proposals outlined in a consultation document published last week would allow pubs to open for 36 straight hours from 11am each New...

Gresham hit by 'difficult year'.(Brief Article)
May 2, 2002... Irish hotel group Gresham recorded a massive loss in 2001 in what it has called "one of the most difficult years in living memory for Irish tourism". In the 12 months to 31 January 2002, Gresham recorded a pre-tax loss of a4.8m (?2.9m),...

Bristol Brazz opens as Chapman's third.(Kit Chapman)(Brief Article)
May 2, 2002... Kit Chapman is opening his third Brazz restaurant, in Bristol, on 9 May. Chapman, owner of the Brazz restaurant group, said his company was also aiming to raise ?2m with a new offer of shares, to finance further expansion. The money...

openings.(Macdonald Hotels, Costa Coffee, La Tasca Spanish, Interpub)(Brief Article)
May 2, 2002... Gisborough gains Macdonald Hotels' Gisborough Hall in Guisborough, Cleveland, has opened following an ?8m refurbishment which took more than 18 months to complete. The 19th-century family home has been extended, with 19 bedrooms in the...

On the move.(appointments and promotions)(Brief Article)
May 2, 2002... Bristol's Michelin-starred Harveys restaurant has recruited FREDERIC BEDEAU as front of house manager. Bedeau, who was restaurant manager at the Metropole Palace hotel in Monte Carlo, has worked at the Michelin-starred Ninety Park Lane in...

Worldwide; briefing.(Hilton Hotels, NH Hotels, Danubius, Four Seasons, Sol Melia)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
May 2, 2002... Hilton suffers US-based Hilton Hotels Corporation has reported a 38% fall in profits in the first three months of 2002. Net income (profit) fell to $34m (?23.5m), compared with $55m (?37.9m) for the same period in 2001. Turnover fell by...

Faces & places.
May 2, 2002... Uncle Sam and Marilyn say TGIFriday's Samantha Toyer received VIP treatment when she turned up for work at TGI Friday's restaurant in Glasgow dressed as a Marilyn Monroe lookalike. She donned the costume to celebrate the reopening of...

Dead Sea buoyant while Israel sinks.(Brief Article)
May 2, 2002... Israel's inbound tourism trade increased in the Dead Sea in March despite plummeting everywhere else in the country. Tourists spent 264,000 nights in Israel, 38% fewer than in March 2001 and 71% fewer than in March 2000. The only area...

Ireland EHOs call for wider smoking bans.(Environmental Health Officers)(restaurants and bars)(Brief Article)
May 2, 2002... Environmental health officers in the Republic of Ireland have called for an immediate ban on smoking in the country's restaurants, as well as during meal times in bars serving food. They claim that neither the current "no smoking" areas...

I'll be back, says Seaham Hall owner.(hotel fire)(Brief Article)
May 2, 2002... The owner of the four-star Seaham Hall hotel in County Durham has vowed to bounce back after his multimillion pound spa, due to open this year, went up in flames. The blaze broke out in the Oriental Spa, which is being built alongside the...

Mixed messages of stardom.(European Catering Association conference)(effect of celebrity chefs on catering industry)(Brief Article)
May 2, 2002... The rise of the celebrity chef in recent years has had a mixed effect on the catering industry. This was the view of a panel of industry professionals speaking at the European Catering Association (ECA) conference in London last week. ...

stockwatch.(hotel stocks)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
May 2, 2002... Choice Hotels Europe (CHE) enjoyed its second double-digit increase in share price over two months last week when its value surged ahead by almost 21% to end on 25p. The company's share price gained almost 17% at the end of March when...

Pub up the volume.(Pubs 'n' Bars)(sales ahead of expectations)(Brief Article)
May 2, 2002... Pub company Pubs 'n' Bars said this week that its sales were ahead of expectations during 2001, despite the impact of the foot-and-mouth outbreak. In the 12 months to 31 December 2001, pre-tax profit increased by 21.8% to ?1.2m, up from...

Boom time for coffee brands.(coffee bars increase)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
May 2, 2002... The growth in branded coffee bars will continue to outstrip growth in the market as a whole, according to a report by research company Allegra Strategies. It predicts that the number of coffee bars in the UK, which stands at 7,057, will...

Marco in talks with Planet Hollywood.(Marco Pierre White)(possible expansion plans)(Brief Article)
May 2, 2002... Marco Pierre White is to hold talks with Robert Earl, the founder and chief executive of Planet Hollywood, about extending the US chain into the Midlands and the North of England. White, who is a partner in the UK's only Planet Hollywood,...

CHE group 'stable' despite ?4m loss.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
May 2, 2002... Troubled hotel group CHE, formerly Friendly Hotels, said this week it was now in a "stable condition" despite recording a loss of more than ?4m last year. In the year to 31 December 2001 the group, whose hotels include the Comfort Inn,...

in brief.(several brief articles included)(Brief Article)
May 2, 2002... French fancier French contract caterers perform better than their UK counterparts, claims a report by research agency Plimsoll. Profits are higher and debts lower, while average sales growth in France is 7.1%, against 5.9% in the UK. ...

[0] in brief.(Brief Article)
May 2, 2002... punch flotation Punch Group expects to raise around ?250m when it floats on the London Stock Exchange this month. The group, which runs 4,249 tenanted and leased pubs, predicts its initial public offering of shares will be priced between...

Schrager sues former manager.(Ian Schrager Hotels sues Rande Gerber)(Brief Article)
May 2, 2002... Ian Schrager Hotels is suing the former manager of its Sky Bar, in Hollywood's Mondrian hotel, to protect the Sky name. The hotel, on Sunset Boulevard in West Hollywood, California, has filed a suit in the US District Court in Los Angeles...

Hotels blame early Easter for poor March occupancy.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
May 2, 2002... Two major hotel surveys published this week revealed a poor performance by the UK's hotels in March. Both agreed that the early Easter was to blame. The surveys, from consultants PKF and Andersen, both indicated a drop in revenue per...

At your service.(Academy of Culinary Arts Annual Awards of Excellence )(Brief Article)
May 2, 2002... ALL 11 service finalists in this year's Academy of Culinary Arts Annual Awards of Excellence staged at London's Le Gavroche last month achieved a minimum of 70% in a number of exacting tests to gain the organisation's prestigious yearly...

WINa fabulous weekend break for two in London.
May 2, 2002... The prize for best fundraising initiative includes a stay at the Royal Garden hotel (below) and tickets to a West End musical (left) Restaurants participating in National Restaurant Week's GoEat! campaign (10-20 May), organised by the...

Hulstone leaves Bacchanalian for Cotswold House.(Simon Hulstone)(Brief Article)
May 2, 2002... SIMON Hulstone has left his position as head chef at the Bacchanalian restaurant at Cheltenham's Hotel on the Park to become head chef at Cotswold House in Chipping Campden, Gloucestershire The move comes two-and-a-half years after Hulstone...

Acorn winners 2002.
May 2, 2002... The 30 winners of this year's Acorn Awards gathered at the Marriott Hanbury Manor last week to accept their prizes. Jessica Gunn asked them how they got to the jobs they're in now, and what they think the future will hold Every year, 30...

Extend the Spend.
May 2, 2002... Your chance to learn from senior industry expert Stuart Harrison how to improve your hotel's earning capability RETAINING customers, encouraging repeat business and establishing an atmosphere in which they stay longer and spend more have...

Letters.(Letter to the Editor)
May 2, 2002... Please send letters to: The Editor, Caterer & Hotelkeeper, Quadrant House, The Quadrant, Sutton, Surrey SM2 5AS. They may be faxed on 020 8652 8973 or e-mailed to forbes.mutch@rbi.co.uk. The opinions expressed on this page are not necessarily...

What's new.(new cookware products)(Brief Article)
May 2, 2002... Bob Gledhill rounds up the latest food and equipment products for caterers Easy-cook rice is even quicker Uncle Ben's has developed a parboiled rice that will cook through in less time than the usual 15 minutes for easy-cook rice. The...

Short-staffed, but the atmosphere is great.(Brief Article)
May 2, 2002... THE atmosphere in the Greenhouse is good. In fact it's better than good, it's great considering we are short-staffed but it doesn't seem to have affected anyone. I'm sure everyone was thinking: "My God, how are we going to cope with the...

Events.
May 9, 2002... May 10-20 May National Restaurant Week Nationwide. Contact the Restaurant Association Tel: 020 8731 8727 14 May HCIMA AGM & DINNER Chelsea, London SW3. Tel: 01677 424692 19 May SIXTH ANNUAL...

Striking the right balance.(Brief Article)
May 9, 2002... Are we putting too much pressure on our managers? asks Stephen Evans I'VE got this idea for a new executive desk toy. It is based on a project management tool explained to me by one of the team who has recently completed an MBA. ...

Singh for your supper.(Edinburgh, Scotland, chef Tony Singh)
May 9, 2002... Edinburgh's latest hip eaterie has experienced great success and great heartache since opening five months ago. Fiona Sims takes up the story It was all going so well. Long-awaited Edinburgh newcomer Oloroso opened its doors just before...

Fishing for a future.
May 9, 2002... Fish restaurants are on the increase, but the management of fish stocks is a sensitive issue. The Marine Conservation Society has listed 20 species - popular menu items among them - for which continued fishing is unsustainable. Sara Guild...

Deduction from wages.(Employment Rights Act of 1996 explained)(Brief Article)
May 9, 2002... Bethan Carney, a solicitor in the employment department at Lewis Silkin, examines the legal position on making deductions from employees' wages to recover debts or till deficits The law The Employment Rights Act 1996 (ERA) imposes...

Rowley's choice.(Rowley Leigh, restaurateur)(Interview)(Brief Article)
May 9, 2002... Fiona Sims talks vintages with Rowley Leigh, the ebullient chef-proprietor of London restaurant Kensington Place Was there much wine about when you were growing up? Not really. We lived in Northern Ireland until I was 10....

Filling adventures.(BSE and meat pies in Britain)
May 9, 2002... Facing decline due to BSE and foot-and-mouth, the British pie market is fighting back with innovative products that make a virtue of quality ingredients and presentation. Amanda Marcus reports THE traditional British pie has come under fire...

Change of Art.(Brief Article)
May 9, 2002... Employing specialist catering staff and a dedicated deli chef has turned the Art Caf? in the City of London into a profitable restaurant that serves both staff and members of the public. Jane Baker reports Within five months of taking over...

On the move.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
May 9, 2002... Former Michelin-starred chef STEPHEN SMITH has joined the Oxleys restaurant at the Five Rise Locks hotel in Bingley, West Yorkshire, in an executive and development role. He will work alongside chefs Spencer Rowley and Owen Pugh, and help...

Retallick bounces back after heart op.(Brief Article)
May 9, 2002... FORMER hotelier and Salon Culinaire judge JOHN RETALLICK has become adminstration and development manager at the head office in Richmond, Surrey, of the recently restructured Craft Guild of Chefs. The guild was formerly a division of the...

Moore to drive Celtic Manor development.
May 9, 2002... THE Celtic Manor Resort in Newport, Gwent, has appointed ROGER MOORE (right) to the new role of finance director to spearhead its development after a period of rapid growth. He joins from Ubiquity Software Corporation in Newport, where he...

Table talk.(funny stories from the hospitality industry)(Brief Article)
May 9, 2002... At least the hole in the middle isn't bad for you YOU probably already know that it is National Restaurant Week, you might even be aware it is National Sandwich Week, but perhaps not as many of you know that National Donut Week begins on...

Fans across the world.(Hogarth's restaurant in Bournemouth, England)
May 9, 2002... After a record-breaking March, April was a bit of a disappointment for Hogarth's restaurant. But its fame is spreading - owner/chef Ian Mclelland has already had a booking from Australia. Andrew Davies reports A POSITIVE word of mouth is...

Good progress on DDA so far, but don't stop there...(UK Disability Discrimination Act)(Brief Article)(Editorial)
May 9, 2002... CHRIS Grace, director of consultancy Individuall, describes himself as an "active" disabled person. What he means by this is that he refuses to allow disability - he's been in a wheelchair since he was 12 - to affect his life. He leads an...

Slender is the night.(managing the Bowling Green Inn)(Brief Article)
May 9, 2002... Jayne Dericioglu and her husband, Omer, run the Bowling Green in Lichfield, Staffordshire, the flagship of the 140-strong Ember Inns chain. It's definitely a job for night owls Iam not a morning person. My day starts at 9am when I feed the...

London's Halcyon to close this month.(hotel in England)(Brief Article)
May 9, 2002... The Halcyon, the four-star hotel in London's Holland Park, is closing at the end of the month because its owners have decided they want to change the use of the building. General manager Will Oakley, who has been at the Halcyon for two...

Faces & places.(hospitality briefs)(Brief Article)
May 9, 2002... Faces & places is edited by Louise Bozec E-mail: louise.bozec@rbi.co.uk Isn't it grand? Kidd helps Scottish children Scottish jazz singer Carol Kidd (left) found herself in the money when she checked in at the Holiday Inn in...

in brief.(various hotel and motel news)(Brief Article)(Obituary)
May 9, 2002... Restaurateur dies A restaurateur who was due to become deputy mayor of Bath this month has died suddenly at the age of 56. Wahid Chowdhury, who ran the Spice Addiction restaurant in Keynsham, near Bath, was taken ill at the business...

National Restaurant Week seeks support from late arrivals.(Brief Article)
May 9, 2002... The second National Restaurant Week appeared to be falling far short of its aim of 2,000 participants in the run-up to its start tomorrow (10 May), with just 600 restaurants signed up for the event by the end of last week. It runs until 20 May....

Whitbread profits wiped out by cost of purging assets.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
May 9, 2002... Whitbread revealed last week that its profits had nose-dived after a massive write-down on its Pelican restaurants and the demerger of its pubs and bars division. Pre-tax profit at the group tumbled by 97.6% to just ?7m in the 12 months to...

OFT to decide on merger of 3663 and Brake Bros.(Office of Fair Trading)(Brief Article)
May 9, 2002... The Office of Fair Trading (OFT), which is looking into the proposed merger of food suppliers Brake Bros and 3663, said last week it would reach a decision by mid-June. The OFT automatically looks at mergers when they would mean one...

Random access.
May 9, 2002... The final stage of the Disability Discrimination Act comes into effect in 2004. Jessica Gunn spent a day in London with Chris Grace to see if the hospitality industry is ready Getting around in a wheelchair is a challenge most of us do not...

Compass Group US staff protest over conditions.(members of Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees union protect in New York, New York)(Brief Article)
May 9, 2002... Hundreds of Compass Group employees in the USA took to the streets of New York last week to demonstrate for decent wages and better working rights. The rally, at the city's Rockefeller Center, drew about 300 demonstrators who work for...

Birmingham's Grand to close after QMH surrenders its lease.
May 9, 2002... The Grand hotel in Birmingham, which opened in 1875, closes on 4 August following Moat House Hotels' decision to surrender its lease on the property. Moat House Hotels, the UK arm of Queens Moat Houses (QMH), has operated the 173-bedroom...

Coffee Republic share deal gives rise to bid rumours.(Brief Article)
May 9, 2002... Speculation of a bid followed the news that Julian Richer, founder of the Richer Sounds hi-fi chain, boosted his stake in Coffee Republic to 4.45% last week with the purchase of 7.8 million shares. Coffee Republic declined to comment on the...

November date for Hospitality Action ball.
May 9, 2002... Industry charity Hospitality Action is holding its annual ball on Friday 8 November at the Hilton Metropole in London. Tickets for the evening, themed Fire and Ice, cost ?140 each or ?1,350 for a table of 10. Sponsors already signed up...