Friday five: the week's top hospitality stories
- The surprise departure of Jesus Adorno as maître d’ at recently opened restaurant Arlington stole the headlines this week. Adorno had been at the restaurant, which was formerly Le Caprice, where he worked for 38 years, for just a month before handing in his notice. For many diners Adorno was the face of the restaurant and his return was much celebrated by Londoners. In a brief statement posted on Instagram, Adorno said the job ‘wasn’t a good fit’ for him.
- Italian restaurant group Gusto has become the UK’s first casual dining brand to launch a subscription-based membership programme that requires guests to pay upfront to access discounts and other benefits. For £65 per year or £6 monthly, Platinum Club members receive 40% off food Sunday to Thursday at the brand’s six ‘neighbourhood’ restaurants which are primarily in its North West heartland, with Gusto’s eight city centre locations excluded from the offer.
- Gino D’Acampo’s London-based My Pasta Bar brand has been wound up by administrators. The three-strong business fell into liquidation in January 2022 having racked up debts of £5m. At the time, D’Acampo said the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic had led him to call time on the small chain.
- CC Capital, the investment firm led by former Blackstone executive Chinh Chu, is in talks with Soho House over a potential bid to acquire the members club group. Sources familiar with the matter have told Reuters that the talks have been on and off since late last year, although a deal is uncertain at this time. It comes after Soho House, which is listed on the New York Stock Exchange, announced last month that it had formed an independent special committee to ‘evaluate certain strategic transactions, some of which may result in the company becoming a private company’.
- Bocuse d’Or Team UK has achieved fourth place in the Bocuse d’Or Europe and will go through to the Bocuse d’Or World Final in Lyon next year. Led by candidate Tom Phillips of London’s Restaurant Story, Team UK also won the prize for the Best Theme on Plate at the competition, which was held in Norway. Team UK comprised of president Clare Smyth, chef patron of Core by Clare Smyth and Oncore in Sydney, Phillips, coach Ian Musgrave of The Ritz, and commis chef Harry van Lierop of The Ledbury.
