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Pearls of Wisdom
Some of the biggest names in the industry including chefs, restaurateurs, hoteliers, and publicans reveal their thoughts on life, career and hospitality.
Pearls of Wisdom: Jeremy Lee
17-Feb-2012 - The newly-installed head chef and partner at Quo Vadis in London reflects on his Soho surroundings after 16 years at Bermondsey’s The Blueprint Café, which is owned by D&D London.
Pearls of Wisdom: Richard Muir
03-Feb-2012 - Richard Muir has worked in the industry for the past 30 years, starting out as a chef before moving into corporate catering. He was managing director of Sodexo’s UK corporate business and opened restaurants for Gary Rhodes before buying and redeveloping the Carmelite Hotel in Aberdeen. He currently owns Cafe Fish in Edinburgh and has just formed the company SBG Restaurants with former Paramount chairman William Rollason.
Pearls of Wisdom: Davide Scabin
20-Jan-2012 - The chef-proprietor of Combal Zero in Piemonte, northern Italy – a regular on the World’s 50 Best Restaurants list – is a pioneer of conceptual cooking.
Pearls of Wisdom: Alan Swinson
06-Jan-2012 - Alan Swinson started his professional life as a chef more than 20 years ago and worked his way up through the ranks to become catering director Macdonalds Hotels & Resorts where he oversees Food & Beverage at 42 of the group's properties.
Pearls of Wisdom: Will Smith
16-Dec-2011 - The co-owner of Arbutus Restaurant Group opened Les Deux Salons in London's Covent Garden a year ago with Anthony Demetre. They have recently refurbished Soho-based Arbutus.
Pearls of Wisdom: Elena Arzak
02-Dec-2011 - Elena Arzak is the third generation of chefs to work at Arzak in San Sebastian in Spain. She currently runs the restaurant, number eight on the S.Pellegrino World's 50 Restaurants list, with her father Juan Mari.
Pearls of Wisdom: David Eyre
18-Nov-2011 - David Eyre grew up in the Portuguese colony of Mozambique before coming to the UK to study in his teens and where he has remained ever since. He opened the Eagle in Clerkenwell in 1991 before going on to launch Eyre Brothers, a sandwich bar in east London, which he later sold. His Shoreditch restaurant Eyre Brothers, of which he is head chef, has just celebrated its 10th birthday.
Pearls of Wisdom: Pierre Levicky
04-Nov-2011 - Frenchman Pierre Levicky had an empire of 147 Pierre Victoire restaurants before the group imploded in 1998. Three years ago he returned to Edinburgh and now operates two restaurants in the city.
Pearls of Wisdom: Jill Stein
21-Oct-2011 - Jill Stein is the creative force behind a business empire spanning more than 35 years, with six restaurants, accommodation, a cookery school, a pub, four shops and a separate design company. But just how tough is it for women aiming for the top in the hospitality industry? What is it like working under the Rick Stein legacy? And what’s next for one of the most influential women in hospitality?
Pearls of Wisdom: Theo Randall
07-Oct-2011 - Theo Randall started his career at The River Cafe where he remained for 17 years. Next month he celebrates the fifth birthday of his restaurant at the InterContinental on London’s Park Lane.
Pearls of Wisdom: Carl Weldon
23-Sep-2011 - Carl Weldon has worked in finance within the hospitality industry for almost 40 years, counting Forte Hotels, Holiday Inns International and Regal Hotels as former employers. He has been chief executive of the British Association of Hospitality Accountants (BAHA), now HOSPA, for the past six years.
Pearls of Wisdom: Martin Wishart
09-Sep-2011 - Michelin-starred Scottish chef Martin Wishart is behind two fine-dining restaurants in Leith and Loch Lomond, as well as the recently opened The Honours in central Edinburgh.
Pearls of Wisdom: Claudio Pulze
26-Aug-2011 - Restaurateur Claudio Pulze has been hugely influential in the industry over the last 36 years, opening 50 restaurants including Aubergine, Zafferano and Brasserie St Jacques. He is the founder of restaurant company Cuisine Collection and event caterer Vinum, which have the exclusive contract to supply catering at Vinopolis.
Pearls of Wisdom: Marlon Abela
12-Aug-2011 - The man behind Marlon Abela Restaurant Corporation (MARC) oversees eight top-end restaurants, split between London and New York, as well as the US-based FPB bakery brand.
Pearls of Wisdom: Monika Linton
01-Aug-2011 - In 1988 Monika Linton began importing Spanish wine and cheese to the UK, selling produce to a number of London’s restaurants. Now, over 20 years later, Linton operates a shop at Borough market, a restaurant in South Kensington (Casa Brindisa) and a tapas bar (Tapas Brindisa) in London Bridge. She also recently converted Tierra Brindisa in Soho into a second tapas bar.
Pearls of Wisdom: Tom Kerridge
15-Jul-2011 - Fresh from triumphing on Great British Menu, the chef-owner of Michelin-starred The Hand & Flowers in Marlow, Bucks, is back in his kitchen developing new dishes.
Pearls of Wisdom: Peter Tyrie
01-Jul-2011 - Having been a leading figure in the luxury hotel industry for 45 years, Peter Tyrie has founded and developed three high-end hotel groups, including Gleneagles Hotels, Balmoral International and the Eton Group, which fell into administration after being sold to JJW in 2007. He is now seeking opportunities to start a new luxury hotel group.
Pearls of Wisdom: Sat Bains
17-Jun-2011 - Recognised as one of the country’s most creative chefs, the notorious Nottingham-based Bains isn’t getting any quieter.
Pearls of Wisdom: Mark Fuller
03-Jun-2011 - The co-founder of Concept Venues, the umbrella company for global brands Embassy nightclubs, Sanctum Hotels and Geales restaurants, is about to embark upon a period of mass expansion. This year alone he is set to open Embassy Dubai at the Grosvenor House Hotel, Embassy Beach in Portugal and relaunch Embassy London. He also runs two Geales fish restaurants and two Sanctum Hotels in the UK.
Pearls of Wisdom: Angela Hartnett
06-May-2011 - The UK’s leading female chef recently bought her restaurant, Murano, from GRH and has reopened The Whitechapel Gallery Dining Room in London.
Pearls of Wisdom: Russell Norman
21-Apr-2011 - Russell Norman, former operations director at Caprice Holdings, has achieved critical acclaim with his first three restaurants Polpo, Polpetto and Spuntino, opened with business partner Richard Beatty. The pair are now on the verge of opening their fourth restaurant in 20 months with da Polpo in Covent Garden.
Pearls of Wisdom: Andrew Fairlie
08-Apr-2011 - The only chef working in Scotland to hold two Michelin stars, Fairlie operates his eponymous restaurant at Gleneagles hotel and golf course.
Pearls of Wisdom: Mickael Weiss
25-Mar-2011 - Mickael Weiss has been executive head chef at the City restaurant Coq d’Argent for a decade, after a career climbing the ranks in establishments like Le Gavroche, Le Manoir aux Quat’ Saisons, The Walnut Tree Inn and The Intercontinental.
Pearls of Wisdom: Charlie McVeigh
11-Mar-2011 - The founder of pub group The Draft House is on his way to opening his fourth pub in under two years. He is also co-owner of high end Notting Hill restaurant Le Café Anglais.
Pearls of Wisdom: Michael Caines
25-Feb-2011 - Trained under Raymond Blanc and Joël Robuchon, Michael Caines is operational partner, director and executive chef at both Devon’s Gidleigh Park and The Bath Priory in Bath.
