The top 5 stories in hospitality this week 23/05 - 27/05
What were some of the top stories in hospitality this week? Here's our pick.
- Clare Smyth - the first female chef in England to hold three Michelin stars - is lining up a site in Notting Hill for her first solo restaurant. Smyth left Restaurant Gordon Ramsay last year with ambitions to 'build on' her huge success.
- Staff at Hawksmoor have been trained in British Sign Language to improve communication between waiters and hard of hearing customers. It is hoped the move will also speed up service by allowing staff to 'talk' to each other across the busy restaurant.
- London is getting its first gin hotel, opening on Portobello Road later this year. The four-storey 'gin mecca' will feature a gin museum, blending room, shop, bar, restaurant and boutique guest rooms.
- Gauthier Soho has become the first fine dining venue in London to permanently offer a fully vegan tasting menu. Chef Alexis Gauthier said the move was a 'natural step forward' for the restaurant, which stopped serving foie gras last year.
- Hospitality businesses have been urged to check their allergen procedures after a restaurateur was jailed for manslaughter after the death of a diner with a peanut allergy. Jurors heard that owner Mohammed Zaman had replaced the almond powder used in curries with a cheaper ground nut variety in order to save money.
For a full rundown of this week's stories, click here.
