Caterer & Hotelkeeper articles from September 2008

Caterer & Hotelkeeper archives from September 2008

Rick Stein honoured at AA Centenary Awards.(News)
September 4, 2008... Chef gets lifetime achievement award for commitment to quality of service By Gemma Sharkey Celebrity chef Rick Stein was the big winner at Tuesday night's AA Centenary Awards, picking up the Lifetime Achievement Award. Stein,...

Mixed summer for seaside resorts.(News)
September 4, 2008... Hotels in UK seaside resorts have had a mixed summer, despite various promotional campaigns to encourage people to holiday at home, research has revealed. Bournemouth was one of the leading coastal resorts, with research from both leisure...

Contract Catering news update.(News)
September 4, 2008... * Compass in [pounds sterling]350m Army deal Compass Group has landed a [pounds sterling]350m deal to provide catering and support services to army personnel and their families at the Royal School of Military Engineering. Compass, under its...

Can a good relationship beat contract fatigue?How do contract caterers keep hold of their clients?(News)
September 4, 2008... The decision by investment bank Goldman Sachs to change contractors on its [pounds sterling]10m annual catering deal has highlighted the increasing complexity of the contract catering market. Chris Druce reports Any caterer commenting on a...

Cocktail of the Month.(Side Orders)
September 4, 2008... Autumnal blend of pears and Scotch The summer is gradually fading into autumn, and as September gets into full swing the last of the great sporting fixtures is fast approaching. Golf's biennial Ryder Cup gives bars across the UK, Europe...

Celebrate with the rising stars.(Features)(Brief article)
September 4, 2008... One of the leading competitions for rising stars in the hospitality industry, Young Chef Young Waiter, is now in its 24th year - celebrating the hottest talents front and back of house under 25. The national final is taking place on 30...

Think big.(Supplements)(employment services)
September 4, 2008... If you're thinking of working abroad then the world is your oyster - and there are more opportunities now than ever. Rosalind Mullen points the way... Increasingly, British hospitality workers are looking to add a dash of international...

THE MIDDLE EAST.(Supplements)
September 4, 2008... If you hanker after unrelenting sunshine, a great expatriate social scene and the challenges of a totally different culture, then head to the Middle East, where the opportunities are growing. Joanna Wood and Rosalind Mullen report Dubai...

AUSTRALIA AND THE CARIBBEAN.(Supplements)
September 4, 2008... Fancy kicking back and catching those waves at the end of a hard working day? Well, in the first instance, you need to be close to a beach. Nigel Bartlett reports from Australia and Rosalind Mullen transports you to the Caribbean Australia...

Just add water.(Supplements)(Trudy Mallin,assistant restaurant managers)(Interview)
September 4, 2008... Life on the ocean wave can be a marvellous way to get your hotel and catering skills shipshape. The other good news is that the cruise market is booming. Rosalind Mullen reports Left: the Cunarders Queen Mary II and Queen Elizabeth II in...

Up the slopes.(Supplements)(Mark Warner)(Daniel Thomas Hughes)(Interview)
September 4, 2008... Signing up for a ski season means you get to work hard and play harder. But, contrary to misconceptions, it doesn't mean your career will go downhill. Quite the opposite, as Rosalind Mullen reports You'll work long hours at a ski resort,...

Features.(online shopping)(London Restaurant Awards)
September 4, 2008... Buy/sell anything using your mobile phone on buzz.caterersearch.com RANCILLIO Four-group coffee machine [pounds sterling]1,550 + VAT. 126cm wide x 54cm deep x 53cm high. A large coffee unit with cup warmer above. FRANKE ECOLINO...

Operators must stay close to their councils.(News)
September 4, 2008... Kensington and Chelsea council shuts down Tom's Place Tom Aikens had to shut his fish and chip restaurant after residents complained about the smell of chip fat By Kerstin Kuhn Hospitality operators have been urged to build good...

Liverpool's Hotels come top of the table.(News)
September 4, 2008... Hotels in Liverpool and Aberdeen have fended off the economic downturn, according to research. Statistics from STR Global for the first seven months of 2008 showed that Liverpool (pictured) was the top performing UK city in terms of revenue per...

UK hotel property prices could fall by as much as 20%.(News)
September 4, 2008... Owners who are forced to sell up quickly will lose out By Gemma Sharkey Hotel property valuations in the UK could fall by as much as 20% because of the economic downturn, experts have predicted. The warning came after it emerged...

Review of Reviews.(Features)(restaurants)
September 4, 2008... The Guardian 30 August Mark Hix is serving working-class food at middle-class prices at his London Hix Oyster and Chop House, but it's top-class cooking, says Pascal Wysee_SClBI have to test a main course I would ordinarily love. In...

The briefing.(Infozone)(employment fraud)(job satisfaction)(Brief article)
September 4, 2008... * Credit crunch leading to fraud Levels of employment fraud are up this year, indicating that the credit crunch is causing many employees to turn to dishonest means to make ends meet. Figures from accountancy firm BDO Stoy Hayward show...

Foodfile ingredients in season.(Infozone)(seasonal recipe)
September 4, 2008... Meat Fish The first of the French partridges should be arriving at the end of the week, with birds costing no more than [pounds sterling]3 each. Grouse continues to be excellent, with prices around the [pounds sterling]7 mark per...

My life in hospitality Sir Thomas Ingilby.(Infozone)
September 4, 2008... Chairman of Great Inns of Britain and owner of Ripley Castle and the Boar's Head, North Yorkshire "I learnt my lesson to pursue the dream - if you chase it hard enough, you'll get there" Highs... When I inherited the...

Strategy clinic.(Infozone)(employee right)(Brief article)
September 4, 2008... "How do I check that my employees have the right to work in the UK?" As an employer, it is your responsibility to check that each of your employees has the right to work in the UK before their employment begins. To do this you need to...

Turnaround in business fortunes.(Infozone)(economic conditions of restaurant industry)
September 4, 2008... Given the current economic climate, some operators may worry about the threat of insolvency. Vernon Dennis, head of corporate recovery and reconstruction at Howard Kennedy Solicitors, offers some advice The Problem In the current...

Northern Lights.(Features)
September 4, 2008... He topped the swearing poll on Great British Menu and counts Ferran AdriA and John Campbell among his mentors. Now, Anthony Flinn's restaurant empire is expanding into a new [pounds sterling]500,000 development. Rosie Birkett visits the...

good week.(Side Orders)
September 4, 2008... Chinese gourmands Michelin announces a new Asian guide with the launch of a Hong Kong and Macau edition to be published in December. Publicans Greene King is spending [pounds sterling]1m on a cut-price beer and wine offer to support tenants...

The bar's the star.(Features)
September 4, 2008... Hotel bars in the UK have never been destination venues like the Oak Room in New York or the Polo Lounge in Beverly Hills, both home to many a movie shoot. But, with millions spent on them, do the UK's major properties now have drinking holes...

International OpeningsGrand Mauritian, Mauritius Beijing Marriott City Walls, ChinaHilton Moscow Leningradskaya, RussiaSwissotel Bremen, Germany.(Side Orders)
September 4, 2008... Part of Starwood's Luxury Collection, this resort on the north-west coast of the island, marks the brand's debut in the Indian Ocean. It offers several types of accommodation including villas, de luxe rooms, courtyard junior suites and luxury...

Features.(hospitality industry)(Brief article)
September 4, 2008... Hospitality must take its lead from athletes letter of the week The hospitality industry should be inspired by what our athletes have achieved at the Beijing Olympics, and begin preparing now for the 2012 Olympic Games in London. Our...

Sensible food yield targets must be set.(Side Orders)
September 4, 2008... I watched with interest the Rogue Restaurant programme on the BBC, with particular mention of the Spirit Group and practices within their kitchens. I wondered how many people who work within the industry were not surprised by their...

Gas price rise unpalatable.(Side Orders)
September 4, 2008... Every restaurateur in the country knows the pain of rising food and energy costs, but I was truly shocked to learn that our new gas contract is likely to be a staggering 380% higher than the previous contract, secured in 2005. I understand...

amazing grouseClassic presentation of roast grouseClassic presentation of roast grouse.(Features)(Tom Kitchin )(Recipe)
September 4, 2008... With the shooting season now in full swing, up-and-coming Scottish chef Tom Kitchin shows Michael Raffael his method of cooking one of the more delicious and highly valued birds In the first week of the grouse season this year Tom Kitchin...

Anchor Inn.(Features)
September 4, 2008... Two years on from the success of their first Hampshire pub, the Peat Spade Inn in Longstock, Andy Clark and Lucy Townsend have opened a second. Joanna Wood reports With its mismatched wooden tables and chairs, old sporting and botanical...

Planning a new look?(Infozone)
September 4, 2008... The property you want to buy has great potential, but there are a few changes you want to make. So be sure to take account of all the costs and planning rules before you go ahead with the purchase, says Karl Cushing When you get your hands...

Our back pages: stories from the Caterer vaults.(Features)
September 4, 2008... The Caterer and Hotel Keepers' Gazette, 15 August 1919 Great variety has always characterised the table manners of different countries, as anyone who frequents restaurants patronised by both English people and foreigners can testify. ...

Contents.(Side Orders)(Award-winner Rick Stein)(Brief article)
September 4, 2008... Award-winner Rick Stein 9 7 Hotels Property prices could fall by as much as 20% 9 Awards Rick Stein receives the AA's Lifetime Achievement Award 10 News analysis Can a good relationship beat contract fatigue? 11 Minute on...

Improve, don't cut your prices.(Side Orders)
September 4, 2008... Debbie Taylor, managing director of the Old Course Hotel, Golf Resort & Spa in St Andrews, Fife, says adding value, not cutting back, is the key to surviving the credit crunch We all hear the phrase "credit crunch" day in and day out, and...

Over to you.(Side Orders)(hotels and motels)(Brief article)
September 4, 2008... What makes an innovative customer scheme? David Morgan-Hewitt, managing director, the Goring hotel "In the last recession George Goring decided that we needed something special to keep the bedrooms full, and the 'Goring Golden Oldies'...

A minute on the clockCharles Campion.(News)
September 4, 2008... Charles Campion, the London Evening Standard's food writer, has teamed up with humanitarian charity Action Against Hunger for its Too Many Critics event. He spoke to Kerstin Kuhn ahead of the event, which takes place at the Royal Exchange on 19...

Westfield retail development signs up Tom Etridge and Searcy.(News)(Brief article)
September 4, 2008... The [pounds sterling]1b Westfield retail development in west London has made two major additions to its hospitality offering, signing up London restaurateur Tom Etridge and Searcy's Champagne Bar. Etridge, who, with brother Olly, previously...

News.
September 4, 2008... The week in brief Hotel Martinez not for sale Starwood Capital has refuted claims that it is planning to sell the iconic Hotel Martinez in Cannes, France, for [euro]450m ([pounds sterling]358m). Reports in the property press claimed...

Spirit to restructure in light of falling sales.(News)
September 4, 2008... Leaked memo shows group 'lagging behind competitors' By Daniel Thomas Spirit, the managed division at pub giant Punch Taverns, is poised to embark on a wide-ranging restructuring programme in an effort to address falling sales. ...

Moshi Moshi founder starts new Japanese restaurant.(News)
September 4, 2008... Caroline Bennett, founder and managing director of sushi group Moshi Moshi, has launched a new restaurant in the City of London. Soseki, which quietly opened its doors last week, is a 60-seat top-end Japanese restaurant located on St Mary's...

Picture of the Week.(Side Orders)
September 4, 2008... Competitors "shuck" oysters during the Tabasco British Oyster Opening Championship on Monday (1 September) in Bentley's Oyster Bar in central London. The championship traditionally marks the beginning of the native oyster season. The...

Table Talk.(Side Orders)(restaurant's management)
September 4, 2008... Swim with the PR tide Nice bit of PR last week from Town & City Pub Company, owner of Yates's, renaming its Mansfield boozer after local girl Rebecca Adlington, the double Olympic gold medallist. The renamed Adlington Arms has promised...

Plattermatters.(Features)
September 4, 2008... The right tableware will set the mood for the dining experience you want to create, but choosing wisely is more complicated than ever. Diane Lane reports Choosing tableware used to be a case of selecting the colour or pattern on a range of...

Supplements.(recruitment services)(Interview)
September 4, 2008... China It's an exciting time to work in China, one of the fastest-growing economies in the world. And there are no prizes for knowing that the international hotel-building frenzy there has been most intense in Beijing, which hosted this...

Can you manage?(Infozone)(hospitality industry)
September 4, 2008... An effective manager also needs to have first-rate people skills, as Humayun Hussain explains No one who saw it will forget Ricky Gervais's well-observed portrayal of the world's worst manager, David Brent, in the BBC TV sitcom The Office....

Students prove real challenge.(News)(Brief article)
September 11, 2008... Contract caterers are playing an increasingly vital role in keeping university students on campus, experts have said. The comments came as research revealed that the pull of the high street is becoming stronger for many students. Sodexo's...

Ambassade de L'Ile.(Features)(recipes and menus of restaurant)
September 11, 2008... High-profile French chef Jean-Christophe Ansanay-Alex's restaurant Ambassade de L'Ile has the cooking needed to get punters over to Kensington. Tom Vaughan reports A lot has been written about the interior at Ambassade de L'Ile in...

roux attends opening of Brasserie at terminal 5.(News)
September 11, 2008... Silver Catey co-winner Albert Roux (above) attended the official launch of Brasserie Roux at the recently opened [pounds sterling]180m Sofitel London Heathrow at Terminal 5 last week (5 September). Brasserie Roux is a joint venture between...

Employing night workers.(Infozone)
September 11, 2008... Special considerations should be taken into account by operators who employ night workers. Here, Katee Dias, solicitor at law firm Goodman Derrick, explains The problem I employ staff on a 24/7 basis. Are there any special rules...

Strategy clinic.(Infozone)(methods of employee recruitment)(Brief article)
September 11, 2008... "I've been running a catering business by myself but now want to expand. How do I go about recruiting my first employee?" Hiring your first employee is an exciting and important step in growing a business. However, there is a lot to...

The briefing.(Infozone)(new businesses being set up in the UK has fallen )(Brief article)
September 11, 2008... * Number of start-ups decline The amount of new businesses being set up in the UK has fallen by 14% in one year - a result of the effect of the credit crunch on bank lending. According to Barclays, the number of start-ups fell to...

My life in hospitality Eric Chavot.(Infozone)
September 11, 2008... Head chef, the Capital, London Highs... I ended up at the Capital because my own restaurant got closed down. I'm a chef, not a businessman, and it's so nice to not have to worry about where the money's coming from. We're open seven days a...

Think about food sources.(Side Orders)
September 11, 2008... Martin Lam, chef-proprietor at Ransome's Dock restaurant, London, and chairman of the food policy committee at the Academy of Culinary Arts, says the industry must look seriously at the way it sources food I strongly believe we should all...

Eventslunch with booker's chief exec.(Features)
September 11, 2008... Want an added ingredient to your lunch on 24 September? How about a healthy slice of focus and a liberal sprinkling of drive? Well, Arena has got just the event for you. Charles Wilson, chief executive of wholesale company Booker, will be...

Foodfile ingredients in season.(Features)
September 11, 2008... It's September and all the usual early-autumnal treats are in. Cobnuts are around in good number, damsons have arrived for what is probably just a two-week season and, while there may be loads of blackberries in English hedgerows,...

good weekBad week.(Side Orders)(Brief article)
September 11, 2008... The Fat Duck Head sommelier Isa Bal wins the Academy of Food & Wine's Dom Perignon Award for Excellence. Raymond Blanc fans The latest series of BBC series The Restaurant is back on the box this week. Greedy diners Scientists say they...

St Pancras Grand, London.(Side Orders)(Hotel review)(Brief article)
September 11, 2008... This is Searcys' second venue at St Pancras, located opposite its Champagne bar. It offers a modern British menu with interiors featuring leather booths and banquettes. Opened 1 September Owner Searcys 1847 Executive chef Billy...

St James's Hotel and Club, London.(Side Orders)
September 11, 2008... This five-star property in St James's has reopened after an 18-month refurbishment and is now operated by German group Althoff Hotel Collection. It includes the Andaman restaurant overseen by three-Michelin-starred German chef Dieter Muller....

Ego Trafford Centre, Manchester.(Side Orders)
September 11, 2008... After taking over the company in March this year, James Horler has opened the seventh Ego outlet, marking the start of a rapid expansion plan. The restaurant offers a Mediterranean menu. Opened 27 August Owner Ego Restaurants Head...

Mint Leaf Lounge, London.(Side Orders)(Hotel review)(Brief article)
September 11, 2008... This is the second London site for Mint Leaf, which is located in the City. Next to the modern Indian menu, it offers an extensive cocktail list as well as 18 different Champagnes served in the mezzanine Champagne bar, which seats up to 60...

Pay is only part of the puzzle.(Side Orders)(Letter to the editor)
September 11, 2008... Letter of the week With regard to "Pay properly to attract young people" (Letters, 28 August, page 14), of course we need to pay decent money, though that's only part of the story. Hospitality businesses also need to become great...

The UK needs a 24/7 coffee culture.(Features)(Brief article)
September 11, 2008... Why is it so difficult to get a decent cup of coffee in this country? The other night I was in a well-known bar, and while everyone else was ordering drinks I asked for a coffee. I was told I couldn't order coffee from the bar, I would...

Tough taxes for hoteliers.(Side Orders)
September 11, 2008... Watching the UK tax system grab back with one hand the concessions it previously gave with the other has become part and parcel of commercial life. The hotel and catering sector is a particular case in point. Businesses are now worse off...

Review of Reviews.(Features)(Industry overview)
September 11, 2008... The Guardian 6 September As Silvano Giraldin, legendary manager at Le Gavroche, retires after 33 years, Simon Hopkinson returns to the restaurant and finds that the food is as good as evere_SClBThis kitchen has always enjoyed a...

Themedicineman.(Features)
September 11, 2008... He's the new head of healthcare at Sodexo, charged with "Celebrity chefs - pah." Simon Scrivens is shaking his head. "They're a tiny minority." The new managing director of healthcare for Sodexo turns around in his swivel chair,...

Features.
September 11, 2008... 16-year-old Bradley Johnston was rewarded for winning the recent FutureChef competition with work experience alongside two-Michelin-starred David Everitt-Matthias. Tom Vaughan looks at what he learnt, and at how other young chefs go about...

flyinghigh.(Features)
September 11, 2008... Von Essen's dramatic five-star hotel is rising alongside the Thames in west London, and in the first of a series monitoring the life of this brand-new build, Gemma Sharkey looks at how the project began, with helicopters and high rises playing...

How to: be happy at work.(Infozone)
September 11, 2008... Appreciation It may seem obvious, but we all like to be appreciated - and for the appreciation to be voiced. No one wants the kind of boss who criticises their work in public and praises them in private. If you feel that your boss doesn't...

Going places.(Infozone)
September 11, 2008... Luxury hotel group Von Essen has confirmed the appointment of Kenny Atkinson as head chef at the White Room restaurant at Seaham Hall hotel in County Durham, which currently holds three AA rosettes and one Michelin star. Atkinson comes to Von...

News.(Infozone)(Brief article)
September 11, 2008... * Punch sets up staff discounts Punch Taverns has launched a new employee discount website in an effort to boost recruitment and retention. The website, a partnership with online auction firm Vectis, allows Punch employees to access...

The white stuff.(Features)
September 11, 2008... The dairy industry is under mounting pressure to reduce the amount of fat it brings to our daily diets. But it goes against traditional cookery practice to use milk-product substitutes. Stuart Ferguson looks at the alternatives to see which...

Over to you.(Side Orders)(Brief article)
September 11, 2008... What is your opinion on using GM products? Darryl Healy, head chef, Village East "Quite simply, I don't agree with it. Not only is there no long-term evidence to show its impact on our bodies, there's also no traceability. The impact...

Can he make a difference to hospital food?Simon Scrivens, the new boss of Sodexo Healthcare.(Features)
September 11, 2008... Inside Healthcare - why it's unlike the rest of catering The extras factor - merchandising in hotels infozone: Employing night-time Workers - what you need to know A hotel is born Von Essen's luxury London property rises by the...

Industry needs to get on track for 2012 Olympics.(News)
September 11, 2008... With the Government providing little to no help, or financial support, it is becoming clear that the hospitality industry itself is going to have to lead the way on tourism for the 2012 London Olympics. Gemma Sharkey reports On the face of...

A minute on the clockDanny porter.(News)
September 11, 2008... Danny Potter is the co-owner of Inamo, an Asian fusion restaurant which opened in London's Soho last week. He spoke to Nick Huber about the eaterie where diners order their food from an interactive touch-sensitive screen, projected onto the...

Side Orders.(Book review)
September 11, 2008... Today's Special Anthony Demetre Quadrille, [pounds sterling]20 ISBN 978-1-84400-614-4 Anthony Demetre and Will Smith have had sensational success at their two London restaurants, Arbutus and Wild Honey, so it's no surprise...

Picture of the Week.(Side Orders)(Brief article)
September 11, 2008... Munich airport has launched sleeping cabins designed to make travellers' time spent in transfer more comfortable. The 2.50m x 1.40m small sleeping and working cabins, dubbed "Napcabs", comprise a bed, desk and internet access as well as a...

Contents.(News)
September 11, 2008... A week with David Everitt-Matthias 24 7 Pubs Industry demands support as closures soar 9 Restaurants Londoners defy the credit crunch by spending more on eating out 10 News analysis We must get on track for the 2012 Olympics...

Elior could still face court over schools deal.(News)
September 11, 2008... Cornwall County Council has awarded a five-year, [pounds sterling]4.5m school meals contract to Compass Group but is still refusing to rule out legal action against Elior, which pulled out of an agreement weeks before the start of term. In...

Horler quits as Leon chairman.(News)
September 11, 2008... Former La Tasca boss loses confidence in executive team at restaurant chain By Gemma Sharkey James Horler, the former chief executive of tapas chain La Tasca, has stepped down from Leon's board after losing confidence in the...

Searcy rebrands and says it's sticking with B&I.(News)
September 11, 2008... Upmarket caterer Searcy has insisted that it is still committed to the business and industry (B&I) market as it revealed a new corporate identity. The caterer, which counts the National Portrait Gallery, the Royal Opera House and law firm Allen...

The week in brief.(News)
September 11, 2008... WG Mitchell hotels for sale Edinburgh's Radisson SAS hotel and the Bonnington hotel in London's Russell Square have both been put up for sale by their owner, property company WG Mitchell. It is believed that WG Mitchell wants to sell the...

Industry demands support for pubs as closures soar.(News)
September 11, 2008... BBPA says 36 pubs are now closing every week in the UK By Nick Huber Pressure is mounting on the Government to ease the legislative burden on pubs after research revealed that pub closures in the UK accelerated to five a day during the...

Starwood to open W hotels in UK in 2010.(News)
September 11, 2008... Starwood Hotels & Resorts has revealed its first W boutique hotel in the UK will open in 2010 in a mixed-use development in Leicester Square, London. The hotel, which will be called W London, will be followed by W Manchester, also in 2010,...