Caterer & Hotelkeeper articles from October 2003

Caterer & Hotelkeeper archives from October 2003

Done deals.(catering contracts)(Brief Article)
October 2, 2003... Caterleisure on a roll in Devon Caterleisure has won a [pounds sterling]200,000 rolling contract to supply catering services to visitors and employees at the Dartington Crystal glassworks at Torrington in Devon. The Yorkshire firm,...

In Brief.(Wolverhampton & Dudley Breweries )(pub and brewery business Mitchells & Butlers)(Brief Article)
October 2, 2003... Weather boosts Wolves Wolverhampton & Dudley Breweries (W&D) said the good weather had contributed to "satisfactory" trading, in a statement ahead of year-end results expected in December. The group's managed pub division, Pathfinder...

A little bit of publicity goes a long way.(Morston Hall hotel)
October 2, 2003... At last, autumn has arrived and we can breathe a sigh of relief. The sliced white bread brigade have gone back to their nests until next August. The guests in August seem so different to our customers for the rest of the year, as if it is the...

Last supper.(consultant chef Steve Carter)(Interview)
October 2, 2003... Faced with the prospect of your last meal on earth, what would you eat and drink, and with whom? We asked Steve Carter to share his hypothetical moment What's for dinner then, Steve? Pata negra ham, farm-fresh fried eggs and some good...

table talk.(Scotch Whisky Tourism Initiative)(Starbucks coffee will not be sold at Charterhouse school)(Credit Suisse offers breakfast boxes to office renters)(Hush restaurant offers meal to David Blaine)(Athenaeum Hotel offers tea reading services)
October 2, 2003... Nice work... but no falling down on the job One lucky Scot has been appointed Scotch whisky tourism development manager - a position that, no doubt, will require stamina and a strong constitution. The Scottish Executive has unveiled...

FRANCK HARDY.(restaurant manager at One-O-One)(Interview)
October 2, 2003... Tall, dark and handsome Frenchman Franck Hardy, 33, has just celebrated his first anniversary as restaurant manager at One-O-One in London's Knightsbridge I get up at 9am on the five days a week that I work. I have a short walk to Vauxhall...

A show of Hands.(launch of Hand Picked Hotels)
October 2, 2003... Next Tuesday sees the official launch of Hand Picked Hotels, a privately owned chain of 14 UK country house hotels. Chairman and chief executive officer Julia Hands and her operations director, Gregor Ritchie, talk about the Hand Picked brand,...

Make them want you.(Caterer Jobs Live 2003 )
October 2, 2003... Caterer Jobs Live 2003 will offer would-be employees help on presenting themselves to potential employers in the best light, and can help employers find the staff they seek to meet their particular needs. Chris Druce reports Simply...

Raw material.(Book Review)
October 2, 2003... Antony Worrall Thompson's route to celebrity chefdom has been unconventional, to say the least. From a troubled childhood right up to recent adventures in the Australian jungle, his new autobiography, Raw, reveals the truth behind an...

The company we keep.(Jurys Doyle Hotel Group)(City Inn)
October 2, 2003... Why would I want to work for you? Chris Druce posed this question to some of the exhibitors at Caterer Jobs Live, and here's what they had to say about the benefits of a career with their company... Indie rockers Supergrass may have sung In...

Offer fair pay and put an end to tiers.
October 2, 2003... Right now, in a school canteen near you, members of kitchen crews are preparing the same ingredients, serving the same dishes to the same sorts of children, then cleaning the same kinds of pots and pans - but at differing rates of pay. The...

OVER; TO YOU.(Brief Article)
October 2, 2003... Is this week's introduction of a minimum wage increase a good or a bad thing for the hospitality industry? We have a moral obligation to pay as much as we can on the lower salary side. I don't think it sends out the right messages if you...

The door's open.
October 2, 2003... Restaurants, hotels, bars and contract caterers offer a dizzying choice of jobs and career paths. Angela Frewin gives pointers on how to mount and ascend the careers ladder So, you're attracted to a career in hospitality or catering - but...

The pan is mightier.
October 2, 2003... For this year's Too Many Critics dinner, Giorgio Locatelli is cracking the whip over a brigade ofrestaurant reviewers, as Janet Harmer reports Giorgio Locatelli is relishing being in charge of a kitchen full of food critics. "I'll soon put...

Real ale hits the right food notes.
October 2, 2003... Camra's 2004 Good Beer Guide marks the latest attempt to persuade the public that beer is every bit as good a match for food as wine The wine industry has had its way for too long," declared Roger Protz, editor of the 2004 Good Beer Guide,...

Feeder of the pack.(David Campbell)
October 2, 2003... Unlikely as it may seem, there's one Scotsman who hopes that England win the Rugby World Cup. But, as Joanna Wood reports, David Campbell has a vested interest in the outcome For a rugby-playing chef, being appointed the chief provider of...

BOOKREVIEW.(Book Review)
October 2, 2003... The problem with being a genius in the kitchen is that, whatever you do, there will always be a high level of expectation - one could even say an expectation of perfection. Does Gordon Ramsay's new book achieve this? The first point to...

Have a ball.(BallArena)
October 2, 2003... It should be the biggest party the catering industry in Britain has ever seen - next February's BallArena will bring the whole sector together in one place, the ExCel centre, and for one goal: making hospitality a brighter prospect If...

People on the move.
October 2, 2003... Graham Munton is the new restaurant and bar manager at Conrad London's Aquasia bar and terrace. He worked previously as restaurant manager at Ransome's Dock restaurant in London, and has also worked at the city's Oxo Tower Brasserie where,...

Sodexho feeds guests at Rugby World Cup.(Sodexho Prestige)
October 2, 2003... Sodexho Prestige, the corporate hospitality arm of contract caterer Sodexho, has won a major contract at the 2003 Rugby World Cup in Australia. The deal - worth [pounds sterling]35m-[pounds sterling]40m, depending on sales in the next few...

Review OF THE REVIEWS.(Restaurant Review)
October 2, 2003... 27 September JAN MOIR bemoans the lack of flavour at Marcus Wareing's PETRUS, London SW1 I can hardly believe it myself, but the main courses are disappointing, with a strange lack of flavour drifting through every dish, almost as if...

Hoteliers sense a full recovery.
October 2, 2003... The green shoots of recovery in the hotels sector are showing, but it's not time to crack open the bubbly just yet, says Karl Cushing A mood of cautious optimism appears to be pervading the UK hotels sector, with analysts' figures and...

Global report.
October 2, 2003... EUROPE CHE acquires Brussels Clarion Hotel group CHE has added the four-star Clarion Le Chatelain hotel in Brussels to its portfolio. The all-suite, 108-bedroom hotel was built four years ago, and features a health and fitness club...

Eyles quits Hanover chair after takeover.(Peter Eyles)(Brief Article)
October 2, 2003... Peter Eyles has left his post as executive chairman of Hanover International following its takeover by property entrepreneur Jack Petchey. Eyles, who was strongly and openly opposed to the takeover, resigned last week. "I am sad, of...

New home for Petrus.
October 2, 2003... Minimalism is out, maximalism is in. So all hail Petrus - London's latest food boudoir - brought to you by design guru David Collins and celebrated chef Marcus Wareing The opening of the Berkeley hotel's new dining room has been a much...

Caffe Nero chain brews up its first full year of profit.(Brief Article)
October 2, 2003... The UK's largest independent coffee chain, Caffe Nero, served up a healthy set of year-end results last week and announced it may expand the brand to Europe next year. Reporting its first full year of profit since flotation in May 2001,...

Bullring business booms.(Bullring Birmingham shopping centre, restaurants, cafes)(Debenhams)(Druckers)(Birmingham, England's Bullring shopping centre)(Brief Article)
October 2, 2003... Restaurants and cafes in Birmingham's Bullring shopping centre (above) are reporting record trading levels as visitor numbers hit 1.6 million in the opening week. Catering operators in the month-old space-age complex are enjoying massive...

Restaurant openings.(Brief Article)
October 2, 2003... Morgan M, London Morgan Meunier was formerly head chef at the Admiralty restaurant on London's Strand and before that at Monsieur Max, Twickenham. His new 48-seat restaurant in Islington will offer French food and feature art by the chef...

Compass in drive to stamp out unequal pay and conditions.(Compass Group)
October 2, 2003... Compass Group has joined forces with the main hospitality and leisure unions to call for an end to unequal pay and conditions in the public sector. Last year the Government promised to end the two-tier labour market which allows public...

Martin opts for a six-month break.(Tim Martin, chairman, JD Wetherspoon PLC)(Brief Article)
October 2, 2003... Gap-year envy has clearly got the better of JD Wetherspoon's chairman, Tim Martin, who has upped and left the company for a six-month unpaid break. The City was shocked at the announcement, which was made on Friday last week (26 September)...

Ramsay rates a 10 in 2004 guidebook.(Gordon Ramsay, Good Food Guide 2004)(Brief Article)
October 2, 2003... Gordon Ramsay's flagship restaurant in London's Royal Hospital Road is the only establishment to gain 10 out of 10 in the Good Food Guide 2004, which publishes today (2 October). Ramsay retains the top slot for the second year running. ...

City Inn plans more London new-builds.(new hotels )(Brief Article)
October 2, 2003... The four-strong City Inn hotel chain has revealed plans to open as many as three more new-build hotels in London in a bid to boost its portfolio from four to 11 properties by 2006. "We'd be very keen to build two or three more hotels in...

Ruined restaurateur accepts settlement.(Nils Hughes, King's Arms; Ken Wheeler Catering Equipment, Bishop Fleming)(Brief Article)
October 2, 2003... An award-winning restaurateur who lost his business after faulty cooking equipment exploded in his kitchen has accepted a [pounds sterling]48,000 settlement of his claims against the companies involved after a three-year legal wrangle (Caterer,...

Compass on course for 6% growth.(Brief Article)
October 2, 2003... Compass is on course to deliver its target of at least 6% like-for-like turnover growth for the current financial year. In a trading statement, the group said it saw significant growth potential, especially in healthcare and education, as the...

Rhodes to take over Tower 42.(Gary Rhodes)(Brief Article)
October 2, 2003... Gary Rhodes and Restaurant Associates, the fine-dining division of contract catering giant Compass, have officially confirmed that Rhodes will be taking over the site of London's Tower 42 restaurant. The restaurant, located in the City of...

French budget chains look at expansion in UKmarket.(Brief Article)
October 2, 2003... Two French hotel chains, Accor and Groupe Envergure, are planning to expand in the lucrative budget hotel market in the UK. Michael Flaxman, managing director for northern, eastern and central Europe at Accor, said that the group was...

Tamarind branches out into events catering.(Brief Article)
October 2, 2003... Tamarind, one of London's leading Indian restaurants, has launched an outdoor catering and events service. The restaurant's new division plans to cater for a wide range of events, including corporate functions, weddings, lunches and...

Fourth AA red star for Eastwell.(Eastwell Manor )(Automobile Association award)(Brief Article)
October 2, 2003... Eastwell Manor, which is managed by Marston Hotels, has been awarded four AA red stars. The manor house property joins one of Marston's own properties, Chester Crabwall Manor, which was promoted from three- to four-red-star status last...

Edelmann plans food academy.(chef Anton Edelmann)(Brief Article)
October 2, 2003... Anton Edelmann, former maitre chef des cuisines at the Savoy hotel, London, has announced plans to open a food academy for junior chefs up to and including chef de partie level. He revealed his plans while hosting a breakfast meeting this...

Eton Group to sell first two hotels.(Brief Article)
October 2, 2003... Peter Tyrie, managing director of the Eton Group, has put two of his London hotels on the market. The 43-bedroom Colonnade hotel in Little Venice and the 49-bedroom Academy hotel in Bloomsbury, which were the first two hotels in the group,...

stockwatch.(hotels, breweries, restaurants, pubs)
October 2, 2003... The biggest news of the week in the FTSE Leisure & Hotels sector was Monday's suspension of shares at QUEENS MOAT HOUSES. The hotel group was forced to delay the announcement of its half-year results beyond the required 90 days after failing to...

Anton's new horizon.(chef Anton Edelmann moves to catering company)(chefs hired as catering consultants)
October 2, 2003... Anton, Gordon, Gary, Michael... the list goes on. Contract catering, it seems, is a honey pot for big-name consultant chefs. But what are the benefits and which relationships work best? Rosalind Mullen hears both sides of the story The...

The shape of things to come.(hospitality industry predictions)
October 2, 2003... Recruitment companies can read the signs of industry health as well as anyone - and usually earlier. Chris Druce asked a few for their predictions about job opportunities in the catering sector Recruitment companies supply the hospitality...

QMH future in balance.(Queens Moat Houses)(Brief Article)
October 2, 2003... The future of in-debt hotel group Queens Moat Houses (QMH) hangs in the balance following the temporary suspension of its shares from the London Stock Exchange this week. QMH is in advanced talks with its banks, which could see them agree...

Wilkinson quits the Dorchester hot seat.(general manager David Wilkinson)(Dorchester Hotel)(Brief Article)
October 2, 2003... David Wilkinson, general manager of London's Dorchester hotel, has resigned after 15 years with the hotel. He will leave tomorrow (3 October). Wilkinson who turned 50 this year, said he had reached a crossroads in his career. "After...

Faces&Places.(chefs participate in charity activities)(Bosnia-Herzegovina prime minister visits Kensington hotel)(Yo! Sushi opens restaurant in Dubai)
October 2, 2003... Chefs shake a leg for half-marathon charity effort in the Great North Run The north-south divide was forgotten as several of the country's leading chefs took part in Newcastle's Great North Run to raise money for charity. The chefs all...

Letters Caterer.(Letter to the Editor)
October 2, 2003... AA guide didn't do me much of a service Over the years I've felt that of all the bodies in our inspection system in England, the AA provided the most useful feedback for hotel operators and, when the rosette scheme began, for restaurateurs...

vicarious liability.(discriminatory behaviour of staff or guests)
October 2, 2003... Antonia Brandes, a partner at law firm Fladgate Fielder, explains when you are liable for the discriminatory behaviour of your staff or your guests Until recently, the courts held that, where any employer becomes aware of their workforce...

Malmaison buyout hits MWB figures.(Marylebone Warwick Balfour Group)(Brief Article)
October 2, 2003... The buyout of lifestyle hotel group Malmaison by Marylebone Warwick Balfour (MWB) has helped to boost turnover within the property company's hotels division but has also widened its pre-tax losses. In the 12 months to 30 June, turnover more...

Bring on the rugby fans.(Rugby World Cup)(cocktail recipes)
October 2, 2003... As with football's World Cup last year, the oval-ball version provides catering outlets in the UK with a wealth of opportunities to generate extra income and win new customers. Mark Lewis reports There's a world cup about to start, in case...

Alpha hit by travel slump.(Alpha Airports Group PLC)(Brief Article)
October 2, 2003... Alpha Airports Group, the UK's largest airline caterer, reported a [pounds sterling]8.4m operating profit for the first six months of this year, down 13% on the same period last year. The group said this was in line with expectations, given...

done deals.(Brief Article)
October 9, 2003... Burkes buy Haven Guest House The Haven Guest House (above) in Leyburn, North Yorkshire, has been sold to David and Paula Burke for its asking price of [pounds sterling]375,000. The six-bedroom hotel also features a lounge bar and breakfast...

Salary watch.
October 9, 2003... Cruises It is important to note that the salaries quoted are per month worked and are only basic salary. It should also be noted that salaries may be paid in sterling, euros or US dollars but, for the purposes of comparison, all salaries...

Public lives.
October 9, 2003... Some of the hotel trade's younger high-flyers outline their roles, and tell us about their likes, dislikes, motivation and hopes for the future Stuart Proctor, 28 (left) Resident manager, the Stafford, London. Salary range: [pounds...

Maureen Fletcher.(Interview)
October 9, 2003... Maureen Fletcher, 47, is fitness concierge at the new fitness-themed hotel, the Affinia Dumont, in New York, USA I live in Rockland County, about one hour outside the city of New York, and I get up very early, at about six o'clock in the...

Canteen culture.
October 9, 2003... A recent survey predicting the death of the traditional staff restaurant made national news and sparked a debate among caterers and consultants. In fact, staff feeding provision is not dying but evolving, and caterers are diversifying into new...

We're not so think as you drunk we are.
October 9, 2003... How much do you drink on a serious night out? Three pints? Five pints? Six pints and a couple of shorts, maybe? Peter Kay put this question to a group of catering students at Oxford Brookes University the other day. Kay is a former chef...

Global report.(hotels and restaurants)
October 9, 2003... AMERICAS Miami first for Four Seasons Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts opened its first property in Miami, Florida, last week. The 221-bedroom hotel is housed in the 70-storey Four Seasons Hotel & Towers, a mixed-use development that...

table talk.(briefs)
October 9, 2003... Kebab Week will be a skewer-fire success You could be forgiven for thinking that posters advertising National Kebab Week - with a picture of a sheep saying: "I'd do anything to be part of it" - are a wind-up, part of sponsor drinks brand...

Edinburgh University takes on the hotel sector.(Brief Article)
October 9, 2003... The University of Edinburgh has launched a new flagship 526-bedroom accommodation complex for student and commercial use, located in the heart of the historic city. Located on the Pollock Halls site, the new rooms are within walking...

Top man Tarayan takes it on himself.(Nick Tarayan launches Wine of the Times)
October 9, 2003... Nick Tarayan has turned his oft-lauded expertise with wine into a business of his own, and recently held his first tasting in London. Caterer was there Nick Tarayan has always had a way with wine - ever since he used to work the floor at...

people On the move.(appointments)
October 9, 2003... Budget hotel chain Premier Lodge has chosen CATRIONA LOUGHER-SMITH as its new brand manager. Working alongside brand director Nick Read, she is charged with moving the hotel brand into second place in the market. She brings with her 10...

Hospitality sector reaches drink and drugs crisis point.
October 9, 2003... Alcohol and drug abuse is reaching epidemic proportions across the hospitality sector, as more industry professionals struggle to cope with stress at work and stay awake during shifts. An exclusive Caterer survey has revealed that 97% of...

Shumi... a shared experience.(Restaurant Review)
October 9, 2003... Is it Italian? Is it Japanese? Is it fusion? Try to put a label on Shumi, the new venture from Jamie Barber and Geoffrey Moore, and you'll be struggling, because the UK hasn't seen anything like it before. Jessica Gunn talks to the founders,...

in brief.(contracts)(Brief Article)
October 9, 2003... Sodexho keeps trust Sodexho's healthcare division has retained a [pounds sterling]300,000 management contract with the Leicestershire Partnership and Consortium NHS Trust. The contract, which is for five years with a possible extension...

Travelodge enters the Premier Lodge race.(Brief Article)
October 9, 2003... Budget hotel chain Travelodge has joined Whitbread in the race to acquire rival operator Premier Lodge. If successful, the deal would give Travelodge the largest budget hotel estate in the UK, with 372 hotels. The 136-strong Premier...

Gate introduces meal choice on Swiss airline.(Gate Gourmet International offers meals on Swiss International Air Lines)(Brief Article)
October 9, 2003... Economy-class passengers on Swiss International Air Lines will now have to pay for their meal if they want one. Airline caterer Gate Gourmet International now offers a restaurant-style choice to flyers on Swiss economy-class European...

Republic Deli perks up sales.(Coffee Republic)(Brief Article)
October 9, 2003... Coffee Republic's decision to abandon coffee shops for New York-style deli outlets is already proving a success, boosting the group's total sales by 20%. The coffee business seeks to rationalise outlets to 50 and has already disposed of 35...

Burton-Race takes leave of France.(John Burton-Race)(Brief Article)
October 9, 2003... Former two-Michelin-starred chef John Burton-Race, whose adventures in France are currently being televised on Channel 4, is back in the UK and looking for a new project. Burton-Race moved his family to a farmhouse in south-west France...

De Vere still possible takeover target.(Brief Article)
October 9, 2003... Hotel group De Vere could be next on the list of recent public company takeovers, say industry sources. Rivals Whitbread and Hilton have both been suggested as possible predators of the company, which operates 21 De Vere hotels, 14 Village...

Blunos in talks with Bath hotel.(Martin Blunos)(Brief Article)
October 9, 2003... Chef Martin Blunos, whose former Lettonie restaurant won two Michelin stars, is in advanced talks to open a stand-alone restaurant at the Royal Crescent hotel in Bath. A spokesman for Blunos confirmed that the chef was in discussions with...

Anna's Temptation wins just desserts.(Anna Poliviyou)
October 9, 2003... A trio of seductive desserts called Asian Temptation won Claridge's pastry chef Anna Poliviyou this year's Dessert of the Year award. The award is organised by the Association of Pastry Chefs (APC) and was dreamed up by co-sponsor Michael...

Cafe Lazeez to spice up events at the Natural History Museum.(Payne and Gunter contract)(Brief Article)
October 9, 2003... Cafe Lazeez, the award-winning Indian restaurant group, has agreed a ground-breaking deal with specialist events caterer Payne & Gunter and the Natural History Museum. The group has been involved with Payne & Gunter before, but this is the...

BOOKREVIEW.(Book Review)
October 9, 2003... BY RAMON FARTHING Books on the subject of fish and seafood have been plentiful over the years. I know - I own a fair few of them. But it's a subject that I love and still find fascinating, and the Emsworth fishermen have made sure of this...

Pioneer chef George Perry-Smith dies at 80.(Brief Article)(Obituary)
October 9, 2003... Acclaimed post-war chef George Perry-Smith died last week at the age of 80. Perry-Smith, who was born in Widnes, Lancashire, in 1922, opened the Hole in the Wall restaurant in Bath in 1951, which was regarded as one of the most adventurous...

Tronc tax bill could close restaurant.(Mon Plaisir)
October 9, 2003... London's oldest French restaurant, Mon Plaisir, could go bust following a demand for [pounds sterling]400,000 from the Inland Revenue's (IR) tronc inspectors. Alain Lhermitte, who has owned the Covent Garden restaurant for more than 30...

Red Carnation goes rural with Summer Lodge buyout.(Brief Article)
October 9, 2003... Red Carnation Hotels has bought the three-red-star, 18-bedroom Relais & Chateaux Summer Lodge in Evershot, Dorset, for an undisclosed sum. It becomes the group's ninth hotel and the first in the UK outside London. Red Carnation managing...

Castle House clinches disabled access award.
October 9, 2003... The Castle House hotel in Hereford has been named AA Accessible Hotel of the Year, beating off competition from nearly 8,000 hotels and B&Bs. The award, now in its third year, highlights establishments which are making particular progress...

Spirit Group wins S&Nbidding war.(Scottish and Newcastle Breweries)(Brief Article)
October 9, 2003... The Spirit Group has won the auction to buy Scottish & Newcastle's (S&N's) managed estate of pubs, restaurants and budget hotels for [pounds sterling]2.5b, beating early favourite the Laurel Pub Company, which switched backers from Nomura to...

Oldest hotel in Barbados gears up for a relaunch.(Crane Hotel)(Brief Article)
October 9, 2003... The Crane Hotel in Barbados, the region's oldest continuously operating hotel, is being officially relaunched after a period of expansion. The hotel, in St Philip on the island's south-east coast, has added two new all-suite self-catering...

Review OF THE REVIEWS.
October 9, 2003... 4 October MATTHEW FORT takes the family to LE MOULIN DE LOURMARIN in Lourmarin, France The cooking is characterised by a lightness and freshness. The use of herbs in huge quantities results in an aromatic intensity that amounts almost...

Caterers say school meals report makes unfair comparisons.
October 9, 2003... School caterers have branded as "misleading" and "inaccurate" a recent report into primary school meals that calls for greater investment in local sourcing and organic food. The Soil Association's Food for Life report claimed that the...

Alchemy puts Paramount up for sale.(Paramount Hotels)(Brief Article)
October 9, 2003... Paramount Hotels, the 13-strong hotel group majority-owned by venture capitalist Alchemy Partners, has been put up for sale with an estimated price tag of [pounds sterling]250m. Alchemy, which owns 90% of the group, has appointed Jones Lang...

Business Round-up.(Brief Article)
October 9, 2003... Refurbs halt decline at Yates The summer sun failed to work any magic at pub group Yates, with like-for-like sales dropping 5%. A programme of refurbishment is slowing the decline, with sales at revamped pubs up 1.7% but down 16.9% at...