Hospitality news

Headlines

People on the move: May

This month's job news includes a new head chef for the Louisiana-inspired Plaquemine Lock and a big promotion for Tom Kerridge Group's Matthew O’Connor.

Nand Kishor and Sanjay Gour to take Dastaan to Leeds

Restaurateurs Nand Kishor and Sanjay Gour are taking their popular Surrey-based Indian restaurant Dastaan to Leeds for a second restaurant.

Impossible Foods makes UK debut - but its burger stays Stateside

The Californian company behind the headline-grabbing plant-based Impossible Burger is bringing its products to UK restaurants for the first time.

Calls for VAT reduction on business energy bills as inflation hits 40-year high

Sacha Lord, Greater Manchester's night time economy adviser, has called on the Government to implement a temporary reduction in VAT on business energy bills in the face of rocketing inflation.

Giacomo Recchia senior sommelier at Bob Bob Ricard City

The Puglia-born senior sommelier at Bob Bob Ricard City on catching the wine bug in Languedoc-Roussillon, Domaine Daniel-Etienne Defaix and presiding over one of the best value wine lists in the capital.

Chaaty man: Tony Singh joins Edinburgh's Bonnie & Wild with Radge Chaat

Chef Tony Singh has joined Edinburgh food hall Bonnie & Wild with the opening of his Radge Chaat street food brand.

pub & bar

Provisions to relaunch wine bar

North London-based natural wine specialist and deli Provisions is to relaunch its wine bar concept later this month at its original Holloway Road site.

pub & bar

Artfarm to unveil The Audley in Mayfair this autumn

Hospitality group Artfarm will launch its first London project, The Audley in Mayfair, this autumn.

Parents of teenager who died after eating Pret baguette set up clinical trial

The parents of Natasha Laperouse, the 15 year-old girl who died from an allergic reaction to a Pret a Manger baguette, have set up a clinical trial to help with the treatment of allergies.

Nest team to open Restaurant St. Barts in Smithfields later this year

Nest team to open ambitious Smithfield restaurant later this year

The trio behind London neighbourhood restaurants Nest and Fenn will open a far more ambitious restaurant in central London this September which will showcase ‘hyper-seasonal’ produce through lengthy tasting menus.

Recruitment remains 'major challenge' for hospitality as 171,000 vacancies recorded

Hospitality operators are continuing to face 'major challenges' recruiting staff, with the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showing some 171,000 vacancies across the sector.

Ex-Roti King chef Prince Durairaj to oversee new Islington pub The Tamil Prince

pub & bar

Ex-Roti King pair to launch new Islington pub The Tamil Prince

Former Roti King chef Prince Durairaj and ex-JKS general manager Glen Leeson are to launch a new pub together in London's Islington with a South Indian-focused menu.

Cherish Finden to launch standalone pâtisserie at Pan Pacific London

High-profile pastry chef Cherish Finden will open a standalone, Singapore-influenced pâtisserie at Pan Pacific London next month.

The Estrella Damm National Restaurant Awards 2022: Sustainability Award shortlist

The Sustainable Restaurant Association has put together a shortlist of restaurants in the running to win this year's Sustainability Award.

How I Got Here: Jamie Barber

The restaurateur and founder of the London-based Hush Collection, which operates the Haché and Cabana brands, on the importance of location, challenging industry perceptions and gatecrashing Kylie Minogue's birthday party.

Leonor Espinosa receives The World’s Best Female Chef Award

Columbia’s Leonor Espinosa has received The World’s Best Female Chef Award from The World’s 50 Best Restaurants.

Rick Stein Restaurants to offer new flexible working contracts to combat summer staff shortages

Rick Stein Restaurants is tackling the anticipated exceptionally high shortage of staff during the summer months with new flexible working contracts.

How chefs Dan Smith and Natasha Smith cemented their reputation as power publicans Fordwich Arms Bridge Arms

pub & bar

Call to Arms: how Dan and Natasha Smith cemented their reputation as power publicans

Chefs Dan and Natasha Smith have overcome a pandemic and the ire of locals to establish a mini empire of Michelin-starred pubs in rural Kent

Dishoom to open in Canary Wharf

Dishoom will open a restaurant in Canary Wharf’s Wood Wharf development this winter bringing its total number of sites to nine.

Barletta duo Natalia Ribbe and Jackson Berg to open Cliftonville wine bar and restaurant

Barletta duo to open Cliftonville wine bar and restaurant

Barletta founders Natalia Ribbe and Jackson Berg will open a wine bar and restaurant in Margate's Cliftonville area this summer.

Marugame Udon confirms Brent Cross site

Marugame Udon will open a site in Brent Cross later this year bringing its total number of sites in the capital to five.

Bank of England governor warns of 'apocalyptic' food price rises

Bank of England governor warns of 'apocalyptic' food price risis

Britain faces 'apocalyptic' rises in food prices as households are hit by a 'very real income shock', the governor of the Bank of England has warned.

Vagabond Wine to open first airport site at Heathrow’s Terminal 5

pub & bar

Vagabond to open first airport site

Pour-your-own wine bar group Vagabond is set to launch its first airport site this week at Heathrow’s Terminal 5 as part of a £1.2m investment.

Modest sales growth for managed hospitality groups undermined by rising cost pressures

Modest sales growth for managed groups undermined by rising cost pressures

Britain’s leading managed restaurant, pub and bar groups recorded like-for-like sales growth of 2% in April 2022, the latest Coffer CGA Business Tracker reveals.

pub & bar

C&C sells stake in Admiral Taverns

C&C has announced the sale of its minority interest in Admiral Taverns to Proprium Capital Partners, for £55m.

The Estrella Damm National Restaurant Awards: Opening of the Year 2022 shortlist

The hottest restaurant launches of the past 12 months competing for the Opening of the Year award.

McDonald's permanently exits Russian market

McDonald's is to permanently exit the Russian market after more than 30 years of operations in the country.

David Thompson to launch Long Chim in Chinatown

Former Nahm chef David Thompson has secured a site in London's Chinatown for his Long Chim casual Thai restaurant, which is expected to launch later this year.

pub & bar

Three quarters of nightlife businesses say door staff shortage impacting public safety

Three quarters of nightlife businesses say door staff shortages are impacting public safety, according to new data from the Night Time Industries Association (NTIA) and UK Door Security Association (UKDSA).

Chef Alex Dilling to open eponymous London flagship at Hotel Café Royal Piccadilly

Alex Dilling to open London flagship at Hotel Café Royal

Chef Alex Dilling is to launch his first standalone restaurant this summer at the Hotel Café Royal in London's Piccadilly.

McDonald’s invests £250m in restaurant remodelling

McDonald’s UK&I will invest over £250m over the next four years to redesign parts of its restaurant estate to suit the rise of omnichannel ordering.

Flash-grilled: Sean Garrett

The head chef at The Pig & Butcher pub in Islington on where to get the best chicken wings in west London, and a dangerous scuba diving escapade in Mexico.