Small Talk

SMALL TALK

Matthew Thomson on 10 years of Fifteen Cornwall and the benefits of a social enterprise

13-May-2016 By Emma Eversham

Jamie Oliver's commercial social enterprise and restaurant Fifteen Cornwall turns 10 this year. Its chief executive Matthew Thomson talks about celebrating a milestone birthday, the benefits of running a social enterprise in hospitality and what...

SMALL TALK

Barry Hirst on Open House and improving the pub industry

06-May-2016 By Joe Lutrario

The property developer turned restaurateur sold his four-strong pub business last year to concentrate on ambitious new-build projects in iconic London locations, of which the latest is the newly opened The Lighterman in King’s Cross.

SMALL TALK

Kevin Viner on his new restaurant Neo and the shortage of UK chef talent

29-Apr-2016 By Sophie Witts

Former National Chef of the Year Kevin Viner ran Michelin-starred Pennypots until 2000 and Viners in Cornwall until 2010. After a stint abroad he has returned to the UK as executive chef of new Bournemouth restaurant Neo.

SMALL TALK

Cyrus Todiwala on hotel restaurants and why he's never too busy to support the industry

15-Apr-2016 By Emma Eversham

Alongside established restaurant Café Spice Namaste, Indian-born chef Cyrus Todiwala owns two hotel restaurants - Assado at Hampton by Hilton London Waterloo and Mr Todiwala's Kitchen at the Hilton Heathrow T5. He shares his thoughts on hotel restaurants...

SMALL TALK

Greg Marchand on opening the London outpost of Frenchie

08-Apr-2016 By Stefan Chomka

The owner of newly opened Frenchie in Covent Garden on the differences between London and Paris, the challenges of finding staff and enjoying the honeymoon period.

SMALL TALK

Ed Viita from Marriott International on changing the perception of hotel restaurants

01-Apr-2016 By Sophie Witts

Marriott International is shaking up its food and beverage strategy by offering local entrepreneurs the chance to create pop-up bars and restaurants in its city centre hotels. 

VIEWPOINT

Scott Goss of I’ll Be Mother on how you can grow a business and still be creative

18-Mar-2016 By Emma Eversham

Scott Goss is creative director of Kent-based hospitality business I’ll Be Mother and head chef of its Tunbridge Wells ‘test kitchen’ The Twenty Six. He talks about his aims for The Twenty Six and how to form a restaurant group with individuality. 

SMALL TALK

Royal Garden Hotel GM Jonathan Lowrey on managing a 50-year-old hotel

11-Mar-2016 By Emma Eversham

As it celebrates its 50th anniversary, the Royal Garden Hotel's general manager Jonathan Lowrey tells us how he caters for celebrity guests like Justin Bieber and shares the secrets of the business's success. 

SMALL TALK

Jordan Frieda on his new restaurant Padella

04-Mar-2016 By Stefan Chomka

The Trullo co-founder, alongside chef and business partner Tim Siadatan, will open pasta-focused Padella in London’s Borough Market on 29 March.

SMALL TALK

Gabriel Gonzalez on Lima Harrods and the rise of Peruvian food

26-Feb-2016 By Sophie Witts

Gabriel Gonzalez is co-owner of London's Lima, the first Peruvian restaurant to win a Michelin star in Europe in 2013.  

SMALL TALK

Steve Barringer on Masterchef and his new pub The Anchor

19-Feb-2016 By Sophie Witts

Steve Barringer reached the finals of Masterchef: The Professionals in 2011 and is opening his first gastropub The Anchor in Tilsworth this month. 

SMALL TALK

Theo Randall on his new-look restaurant and showing Jamie Oliver the ropes

05-Feb-2016 By Joe Lutrario

Theo Randall at the InterContinental Hotel re-opens later this month with a shiny new dining room. Its chef talks about the perils of removing dishes from his menu, collaborating with Azzurri Group and showing Jamie Oliver the ropes.

Chef Jane Tran on the rise of the online restaurant

22-Jan-2016 By Sophie Witts

Canadian chef Jane Tran has gone from working at Bar Boulud to a role as executive chef at tech start-up EatFirst – which home-delivers restaurant-quality meals within minutes. 

SMALL TALK

Peter Sanchez-Iglesias on the new-look Casamia

15-Jan-2016 By Joe Lutrario

The chef behind Casamia lost older brother and business partner Jonray to cancer late last year but their plan to move the Michelin-starred restaurant from Westbury-on-Trym to central Bristol is going ahead. 

SMALL TALK

Chef Simon Hulstone on running a seasonal hospitality business

08-Jan-2016 By Emma Eversham

Simon Hulstone is chef-owner of The Elephant restaurant in Torquay. Last year his family acquired tea room Burridge’s, also in the town. Here he talks about the challenges of running seasonal hospitality businesses and how he has been impacted by the...