Caterer & Hotelkeeper articles from May 2006

Caterer & Hotelkeeper archives from May 2006

Fraud focus.
May 4, 2006... Some claims for compensation are fair; some are not. So it's important know how to defend yourself from unjustified actions from customers - and outright fraud attempts by criminals. Ivor Long gives you the basics The number of...

Hospitality and tourism team up to fight bed tax.
May 4, 2006... Industry associations put pressure on Lyons Inquiry to ditch bed tax proposals By James Garner A group of leading hospitality and tourism players have joined forces to spearhead the campaign against bed tax. Caterer and...

Cupboard love.
May 4, 2006... Diane Lane samples the latest prepared sauces and store-cupboard staples 1. Blaze of glory Prep Foodservice Solutions has a new Blaze Balsamic Glaze for use in decorating and garnishing meat, fish, pasta and salad dishes. The thick,...

the mains chance.
May 4, 2006... The main course is the highlight of a menu, so it's important to get it right. Mains offer the opportunity to use cheaper cuts of meat and to cash in on consumer interest in slow cooking and local and seasonal produce. Antony Adshead picks...

Bed tax blues from around the world.
May 4, 2006... Proposals for a UK bed tax have been roundly criticised by the hospitality industry and experiences abroad suggest the objections are justified. Ross Bentley investigates Plans to introduce a bed tax in the UK have led to an outcry in the...

Use your Brains.
May 4, 2006... Out of favour in the UK since the BSE scare of 2000, brains have always been popular in French family kitchens and are a staple on the menu at Henry Harris's Racine restaurant in London. He shows Michael Raffael how to prepare fried calf's...

Strategy clinic.
May 4, 2006... Under the new licensing act I was able to secure permission to open longer. Does this increase the value of my business? Cameron Campbell, Fleurets Just because a licensee was able to secure longer trading hours, it doesn't mean that...

good week/bad week.(Brief article)
May 4, 2006... Johnny Fartpants Flatulence-free baked bean discovered by Venezuelan academics. Hangovers Sofitel St James hotel in London launches 30-strong water menu. Spittoons British American Tobacco splurges [pounds sterling]2b on reviving chewing...

Third party politics.
May 4, 2006... Following a high-profile bust-up, relations between hoteliers and online distributors have been rocky in recent years. With this in mind, Caterer and online travel brand Opodo brought together some leading players in the field of hotel...

DINE.
May 4, 2006... Former potwasher Thomas Han has moved up in the world - from sandwich shop owner, through wine bar proprietor to fine-dining restaurant chef-patron. Dan Bignold tells his story Plenty of chefs follow a kind of rags-to-riches trajectory:...

A minute on the clock Norman Springford.
May 4, 2006... Norman Springford, executive chairman of the family-run Apex Hotels group, was last week named Scottish Hotelier of the Year at the Scottish Hotels of the Year Awards. He talked to Emily Manson about his plans for the group Caterer How...

The talented Mr Terry.
May 4, 2006... After disappearing from the culinary radar for three years, Stephen Terry is back - in Wales and cooking at his own pub. Simon Wright went along to discover if he's finally landed at his ultimate destination It's a Thursday lunchtime, the...

Cost-cutting hits the spot.
May 4, 2006... Trimming back staff numbers has helped Cube & Star owner Mark Turner to balance the books, but after a traumatic stint as makeshift head bartender he's decided to recuit someone on a permanent basis, as Diane Lane reports Cube & Star owner...

New Majestic hotel, Singapore.
May 4, 2006... In the heart of Singapore's Chinese district, former tourism entrepreneur of the year and founder of iconic hotel 1929, Loh Lik Peng, has created a new, chic boutique hotel with the help of five of Singapore's most prominent creative talents....

Middle East tourism to double.
May 4, 2006... Travel and tourism in the Middle East is set to double in the next 10 years, according to a new report released this week. The World Travel and Tourism Council's 2006 Travel and Tourism Economic Research in the Middle East, expects...

Hospital caterers put patients first.
May 4, 2006... Better Hospital Food programme now "largely achieved" By Tom Bill Hospital food provision must be built around the needs of patients and not the NHS, according to speakers at this year's Hospital Caterers Association (HCA) conference....

Over to you.(Brief article)
May 4, 2006... Why should you employ older people? Chris Bodker, chief executive, Image Restaurants "They've got more experience, both in terms of relevant industry experience and in terms of life - and in the context of a restaurant, that's much more...

UK leads Europe as market for branded coffee.
May 4, 2006... The UK now has more branded coffee bars than anywhere else in Europe, according to new research. A study into the European coffee market by Allegra Strategies found that more than 2,650 sites - 48% of total UK outlets - were branded...

Caterer loves.
May 4, 2006... Vodka With more Poles living in Britain than the entire current population of Warsaw, it's no surprise that vodka remains a massively popular drink. The first written record of the spirit originates in Poland in 1405, and it was...

Newcomer El-Mokadem to head Compass UK & Ireland.(Brief article)
May 4, 2006... Telecoms boss in catering's hot seat By Chris Druce Compass Group has appointed industry outsider Ian El-Mokadem as the new chief executive officer (CEO) of its UK & Ireland division. El-Mokadem, managing director of...

EasyHotel announces [pounds sterling]220m franchise deal for 38 new properties.
May 4, 2006... Expansion in Middle East, North Africa, India and Pakistan By James Garner Budget hotel group EasyHotel has signed a master franchise agreement that will see it expand across the Middle East, North Africa, India and Pakistan. ...

Heathcote merges his outside catering business with Lindley.(Brief article)
May 4, 2006... By Angela Frewin Michelin-starred chef Paul Heathcote has merged his outside catering arm with Midlands-based Lindley Catering to create a leading force in the sports stadia and events sector. Venture capital firm Sovereign Capital,...

Review of Reviews.
May 4, 2006... The Daily Telegraph 29 April Jan Moir feels the heat at Sichuan restaurant Bar Shu in London's Frith Street We try a starter of Numbing and Hot Dried Beef, which is marinated until it's almost solid, then sprinkled with Sichuan...

Kent looks for new schools bids.
May 4, 2006... Kent County Council has become the latest local authority forced to re-tender its school meals contract after a dismal response from bidders. The three-year deal, which is the UK's largest, has a turnover of about [pounds sterling]9m but...

Starwood lines up for De Vere.(Brief article)
May 4, 2006... Starwood Capital, the private equity company set up by the founder of Starwood Hotels and Resorts, is the latest name to be linked to a potential takeover of De Vere Hotels and Resorts. De Vere confirmed in late March that it had received a...

Events.
May 4, 2006... There's still time to book your place at this year's Chef Conference... just. If you're a chef who's serious about your cooking, you'd be mad to miss out. Not only has Caterer managed to sign up French kitchen maverick Pierre Gagnaire (right),...

Aramark boss leads buy-out.
May 4, 2006... Aramark chief executive Joseph Neubauer is leading a $5.8b ([pounds sterling]3.2b) buy-out of the US caterer. Neubauer, with the financial backing of banks Goldman Sachs and JP Morgan, will offer shareholders $32 ([pounds sterling]17.50)...

Vamaji roll-out continues.(Brief article)
May 4, 2006... London restaurant Vama plans to rapidly expand its spin-off Vamaji restaurant and take-away concept, with three new outlets planned by next spring. Vama co-founder and director Arjun Vama said he hoped to have sites in London's St John's...

Hit Scotland award for Fairlie.
May 4, 2006... Two-Michelin-starred chef Andrew Fairlie has picked up the prestigious HIT Scotland Industry Award 2006, supported by Caterer and supplier Brakes. Fairlie, chef-patron of Andrew Fairlie at Gleneagles, was commended by HIT Scotland chief...

Conrad Indianapolis, USA.
May 4, 2006... Offering guests all they desire, from luggage unpacking to having the room temperature set to a predetermined level, this hotel aims to revolutionise business travel in Indianapolis. The city's first luxury hotel is Conrad's fourth property in...

How I got here.
May 4, 2006... Duncan Palmer Managing director, Langham hotel, London Born in Loughborough, Leicestershire, Duncan Palmer's career as a hotelier has seen him spend long periods away from the UK. Initially tempted away by a thirst for travel, Palmer,...

James O'Connor, executive chef, Bovey Castle.
May 4, 2006... James O'Connor is the new executive chef at Bovey Castle, Peter de Savary's luxury hotel and club in Dartmoor National Park, Devon. O'Connor moves from Damien Hirst's restaurant, 11 The Quay, in Ilfracombe. O'Connor also worked at Cliveden,...

James Little, food and beverage operations manager, Matfen Hall hotel.
May 4, 2006... James Little has been promoted at award-winning Matfen Hall hotel, near Newcastle, to food and beverage operations manager, a newly created role. He was conference and banqueting manager at the hotel.

Karma Samui, Thailand.(Brief article)
May 4, 2006... Karma Resorts has launched its second property on the island of Koh Samui in Thailand. Villas offer views of the Gulf of Thailand and complete solitude, despite being only 10 minutes from the airport. Opened 15 April Owner Karma...

Kitchen Bible.(Brief article)
May 4, 2006... A book that touches the soul Memories of Gascony Pierre Koffmann Pyramid ISBN: 1-85510-028-2 Pierre Koffmann has always been revered by other chefs - from his days at the Waterside Inn right through to when he owned and cooked at his...

Letters.
May 4, 2006... Solid support for bed tax campaign With reference to the letter from Caroline Chambers of the Channel Chamber of Commerce (Caterer, 20 April, page 18), we would like to fully endorse her organisation's sentiments and also add our support to...

Mike Atkins, business opportunities executive, Union Pub Company.
May 4, 2006... The Union Pub Company, the tenanted and leased pub division of Wolverhampton & Dudley Breweries (W&D), has recruited Mike Atkins as business opportunities executive. He is a W&D management graduate.

Next move... returning to hotel management.
May 4, 2006... Each week our panel of recruitment experts provide answers to an employment question posed by a Caterer reader The question I am 27 and most recently worked as deputy general manager at a group-owned hotel. I have been away from the...

Novotel, Citygate, Hong Kong.
May 4, 2006... This new hotel has opened next to Hong Kong Disneyland, AsiaWorld-Expo and the Ngong Ping 360 Skyrail terminal. Its biggest selling point is its proximity to the airport and the Citygate shopping centre. Opened 1 April Owner Accor...

Prevent poaching of key staff.
May 4, 2006... Your business plan means heavy reliance on one or more members of staff and you want to be sure they won't leave. Chris Lane tells you how to keep them The problem Michael Richards is looking to take a step back from the running of his...

Sheraton Fota Island Golf Resort and Spa, Cork.(Brief article)
May 4, 2006... Set in Ireland's only wildlife park, this resort is the second property for Starwood in the Emerald Isle. Fota Island is just 20 minutes from Cork airport. Opens 5 May Owner Starwood Hotels & Resorts Ireland Facilities The Island...

Table Talk.
May 4, 2006... time to show them who's boss, gerry New Moto boss Gerry Robinson finally has the chance to live the dream. After telling other businesses to buck up their ideas on his BBC2 show I'll Show Them Who's Boss, maybe his first trip as new chairman...

The week in brief.
May 4, 2006... New chef for Orrery Allan Pickett, head chef at the Great Eastern hotel's Aurora restaurant, is to replace Andre Garrett at the Orrery. Pickett takes over at the Marylebone restaurant at the beginning of June and is expected to review...

how to.(Brief article)
May 4, 2006... Make a Polish Blossom Martini Ingredients 35ml Wyborowa Wild Rose vodka 15ml Belvedere Pomarancza vodka 5ml vanilla sugar syrup 1 segment of orange Rose petals Method Add all the ingredients to a cocktail shaker full of ice and squeeze in...

Older workers have plenty to offer industry.
May 4, 2006... Minister for pensions reform Stephen Timms urges hospitality operators to be more age-positive For many years, the hotel and catering industry has been viewed as employing mainly younger people. But recently that image has begun to change...

Fyne tuning.
May 11, 2006... Mark Derry has turned the fortunes of Loch Fyne Restaurants around, but the group chief executive hasn't finished with the business yet. Andrew Sangster reports Mark Derry is a former roughneck who now runs arguably the most respected...

Lyons delivers interim report early.(Michael Lyons)
May 11, 2006... Sir Michael Lyons's interim report into local government funding surprised everyone this week with an earlier-than-expected delivery. As foreseen, his interim report concentrated on the services and functions that local authorities should...

a Testament to youth.
May 11, 2006... We have seen the future, and it is called the Junior Chefs Academy. Well, it could be the future. And while it's not unremittingly rosy, it certainly looks better than any idea that has so far raised its head. Dan Bignold went along to marvel...

good week/bad week.(restaurants)(Brief article)
May 11, 2006... Bare buttocks German naturist Peter Englert flogs his nude holiday firm for [pounds sterling]1.8m. Lobsters English barrister designs [pounds sterling]2,000 CrustaStun contraption to stun them to death rather than boiling them alive. Dodgy...

Hearn's way.(Interview)
May 11, 2006... Travelodge supremo Grant Hearn has strong views on the overall state of the hotel industry, but right now he's mobilising tens of thousands of his customers in a campaign to prevent bed tax becoming a reality. He talks to Ben Walker Grant...

Life is sweet.
May 11, 2006... Diane Lane rounds up the latest cookies, cakes and croissants created specially for food service 1. Freezer favourites Americano Truffle, Zesty Lime Cheesecake and Cherry Pie are three new additions to the Woodward Foodservice...

Konstam.
May 11, 2006... Oliver Rowe is ploughing a lonely furrow in central London by trying to source all his ingredients from within the M25. To his credit, he's making a very laudable attempt. Alix Young reports A chef attempting to source all his ingredients...

Events.
May 11, 2006... The first of this year's three Speciality and Fine Food Fairs kicks off next week at Edinburgh's Corn Exchange. With an absolute glut of cheeses, sauces, oils, wine, drinks, and all manner of other gustatory goodies, the events are hugely...

More hotel rooms taken via internet than agents.
May 11, 2006... Internet bookings have, for the first time, overtaken those from traditional travel agents. Andrew Sangster reports on what happens next News that the internet overtook travel agents as a channel for hotel room sales in 2005 marks a...

Boom time to come for Gulf economy.
May 11, 2006... The economy of the Gulf Cooperation Council nations is set to quadruple to $2 trillion ([pounds sterling]1.1 trillion) by 2030, making it the sixth- or seventh-largest trading block in the world. Research conducted by the Middle East...

Middle East must grasp green issues.(Arabian Hotel Investment Conference)(Brief article)
May 11, 2006... Delegates at the Arabian Hotel Investment Conference are warned of need for dramatic improvement on environment By Emily Manson Hoteliers in the Middle East must dramatically improve their environmental record or face destroying the...

Trio for Bras.(Restaurant review)
May 11, 2006... Michel Bras's restaurant in south-west France is a Mecca for many chefs, and when three of the UK's top cooks made the pilgrimage to eat there for the first time, Fiona Sims tagged along to gauge their views "God, this is good - don't you...

How I got here.(Paul Sowden of Tomahawk Hotel Group)(Thumbnail biography)
May 11, 2006... Paul Sowden Group head chef, Tomahawk Hotel Group Paul Sowden is group head chef at Tomahawk Hotel Group, a venture set up and owned by Rob Foulston and Tom Horsfall. The company has three properties - the Victoria in Bradford,...

Over to you.(chefs queried on what British cooking means to them)(Brief article)
May 11, 2006... What does 'modern British' cooking mean? Charlie McVeigh, owner, Matilda, Battersea, London The term has now been subsumed in the melange that is modern European, even global, cooking, because most chefs now use ingredients from...

Is 'modern British' dead?(modern british cooking)(Column)
May 11, 2006... If the phrase "modern British cooking" ever meant anything, does it have any meaning in today's professional kitchens? asks Bill Knott A restaurateur confided in me recently that he planned to change the style of food at one of his...

Staff crisis threat to Gulf hotels.
May 11, 2006... Hospitality operators in the Gulf region are facing a staffing crisis as the market continues to burgeon. In Dubai's five-star market alone, an additional 18,000 rooms are set to come on to the market by 2008. According to John Podaras,...

IHG in fight for franchise fees.
May 11, 2006... InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) has taken a German company to court in a [pounds sterling]4m legal battle over franchise fees. The case, brought against the Event hotel group, relates to seven Holiday Inn hotels in Germany. IHG,...

Couillard teams up with Aikens.
May 11, 2006... Chef Ollie Couillard is leaving the Dorchester after only a year to take up the role as head chef at Tom Aiken's second London restaurant, Tom's Kitchen. Couillard left Chiswick's three-AA-rosette La Trompette last May to take up the post...

Mews recruits ex-Nobu chefs.
May 11, 2006... Former Nobu London chefs David Selex and Kurt Zdesar have joined forces at a new four-storey restaurant, lounge and cocktail bar in the heart of London's Mayfair. Mews of Mayfair in Lancashire Court is the brainchild of James Robson and...

Dubai takes lead in Arab hotel expansion efforts.(hotels and resorts buildings and facilities)
May 11, 2006... This year's Arabian Hotel Investment Conference (AHIC) in Dubai was a hotbed of industry news. James Garner and Emily Manson were there The Middle East continues to be one the world's most rapidly developing regions. Caterer exclusively...

Sheffield school deal shunned by caterers.
May 11, 2006... Sheffield is the latest council to get a dire response from bidders for its school meals contract. Only Compass Group division Scolarest tabled a formal bid for the five-year deal, which covers 139 schools. However, the sole bid was...

Marriott plans huge roll-out of Courtyard.
May 11, 2006... Fifty new hotels planned after separation from Whitbread By Emily Manson Marriott plans to aggressively expand its four-star Courtyard brand in the UK and Ireland, Caterer can reveal. Fifty new hotels are planned over the next 10...

Smaller operators join bed tax fight.
May 11, 2006... Independent hoteliers sign up to oppose new tax that could spell doom for struggling businesses By Louise Durak Caterer's campaign against a bed tax continues to gather pace as small hotels, B&Bs and independent businesses around the...

Government scraps Better Hospital Food.
May 11, 2006... By Tom Bill Hospital food will suffer following the Government's decision to scrap the Better Hospital Food (BHF) programme, according to leading industry figures. The demise of the programme has led to fears that the profile and the...

Conran pulls F&B out of the Great Eastern.
May 11, 2006... Conran has withdrawn its involvement in food and beverage operations at London's Great Eastern hotel following Hyatt's takeover of the property in February. Conran had run the hotel's three restaurant outlets, including the three...

Three-star brands surge into market.
May 11, 2006... More than three-quarters of the three-star hotels in Dubai are unbranded and privately owned. The gap this represents in the Middle Eastern market has seen a sudden surge of three-star branded operators looking for development...

Randall opens own restaurant with IHG.
May 11, 2006... Theo Randall, head chef of London's River Cafe, has left to head up a new restaurant at the InterContinental hotel on Park Lane. Caterer has learnt that Randall will launch the refurbished hotel's flagship restaurant, to be called Theo...

Age Positive Week launched.
May 11, 2006... TV chef Brian Turner launched Age Positive Week at Caterer and Hotelkeeper's 2006 Chef Conference on Monday (8 May). The week is aimed at raising awareness, challenging ageist stereotypes and encouraging employers and employees to defy...

England to repeat Scotland's smoking errors.(Brief article)
May 11, 2006... Mistakes made introducing the smoking ban in Scotland look set to be repeated in England unless action is taken, hospitality trade associations have warned. With the health bill yet to complete its journey through Parliament, the industry...

Rayner slams UK service standards.
May 11, 2006... Service in British restaurants is marked by amateurism, incompetence and outright hostility towards the customer, according to restaurant critic Jay Rayner. Speaking at the 2006 Caterer and Hotelkeeper Chef Conference at London's Landmark...

the week in brief.
May 11, 2006... New tourism minister Shaun Woodward, MP for St Helens South, is the UK's new tourism minister. Woodward became minister for media and tourism after last week's cabinet reshuffle, replacing James Purnell, who is now pensions minister....

Premier Travel Inn and Paramount to roll out together?
May 11, 2006... By Chris Druce Budget hotel chain Premier Travel Inn is joining forces with Paramount Restaurants in a deal which will see a Caffe Uno restaurant open at its new Hampstead hotel, and potentially across the portfolio. The hotel,...

A Grelha at the Gun, London.(Restaurant review)
May 11, 2006... Offering an alfresco dining experience in London's Docklands, A Grelha is located next to the award-winning Gun restaurant. It offers traditional southern Portuguese food, and is open Wednesday to Sunday through the summer months - weather...

A minute on the clock Sarmad Zok.
May 11, 2006... Sarmad Zok is chief executive of Kingdom Hotel Investments and one of the key players in the Middle East's hotel development scene. He took time out of the Arabian Hotel Investment Conference to talk to Emily Manson about the company's plans...

Book Review.(All Flavour Nearly Boiled Away)(Book review)
May 11, 2006... All flavour nearly boiled away Vegetables by 40 Great French Chefs Lyndsay and Patrick Mikanowski Flammarion, [pounds sterling]29.95 ISBN 2-0803-0511-5 Take one market gardener, 40 French chefs, a couple of food journos and a...

Caterer loves.
May 11, 2006... Sandwiches The great British culinary institution known as the sandwich was created in 1762 by the fourth Earl of Sandwich. Inspiration came from the need for a clean way of eating with only one hand during long gambling sessions. ...

Christopher's, London.
May 11, 2006... Reopening after a complete renovation, this Covent Garden American bar and grill has new menus, a new look and a new bar. The ground floor is now home to a martini bar, while the main restaurant continues to take inspiration from East Coast...

David Trotter, operations director, Next Level Group.
May 11, 2006... David Trotter has left Murrayfield stadium in Edinburgh, where he was director of corporate hospitality company the Murrayfield Experience. He is now operations director of the Next Level Group, which owns the Carmelite hotel, Aberdeen.

Edward Kreft, general manager, Millennium Gloucester hotel, London.
May 11, 2006... The Millennium Gloucester hotel in London's Kensington has welcomed Edward Kreft as general manager. Kreft was previously general manager of an Iranian facilities management company and has also worked as a general manager at one of the hotels...