Food

Giggling Squid speed up expansion plans after investment

16-Nov-2015 By Mark Wingett

Giggling Squid, the Thai restaurant chain led by Andy Laurillard, is set to accelerate its expansion plans after confirming that the Business Growth Fund (BGF) has taken a significant minority stake in the business and investing £6.4m in the process,...

Hospitality businesses support Bath Hotel and Restaurant School

16-Nov-2015 By Liam Garrahan

Sixteen hospitality businesses including the Macdonald Bath Spa Hotel, the Bath Pub Company, the Abbey Hotel and the Hilton Hotel, have signed up to support the Bath Hotel and Restaurant School in Bath, Somerset.

D&D London opening rooftop restaurant in Leeds

16-Nov-2015 By Liam Garrahan

London-based restaurant group, D&D London, is continuing its expansion into the north of England with the announcement of a second opening in Leeds in late 2016.

Cote and Hawksmoor win Overall Restaurant Operator Awards at R200 Awards

13-Nov-2015 By Liam Garrahan

Cote and Hawksmoor picked up the best Overall Restaurant Operator Awards at Restaurant magazine’s annual R200 Awards last night.

Wright Brothers: Why the UK is now their oyster

11-Nov-2015 By Stefan Chomka

When Wright Brothers’ Robin Hancock and Ben Wright started their seafood wholesale business in 2002, oysters in London restaurants were the preserve of the Mayfair fruits de mere platter. In the intervening 13 years they have helped democratise the oyster...

People 1st launches new apprenticeship campaign

11-Nov-2015 By Liam Garrahan

Workforce development charity, People 1st, has launched a new campaign to help hospitality companies understand and prepare for 2016’s apprenticeship shake-up, while benefiting from greater staff retention and profitability.

Turkey restaurant Strut & Cluck planned for Shoreditch

11-Nov-2015 By Emma Eversham

A restaurant which puts turkey at the heart of its menu is scheduled to open in Shoreditch next spring. 

Nuno Mendes plans to re-open Viajante through £1.75m crowdfunding campaign

10-Nov-2015 By Emma Eversham

Chiltern Firehouse and Taberna Do Mercado chef Nuno Mendes has started a crowdfunding campaign to raise enough money to re-open former restaurant Viajante. 

Diners get a taste for premium doners

04-Nov-2015 By Joe Lutrario

Kebabs have become the latest fast food category to be given a makeover with a number of new players in London exploring the potential of the traditionally late-night staple.

McDonald's to pilot premium burger range

04-Nov-2015 By Emma Eversham

McDonald's is to pilot a range of premium beef burgers which it has created in consultation with a team of chefs, including those working in Michelin-starred restaurants.

Santa Maria pizza restaurant to double up

04-Nov-2015 By Emma Eversham

The owners of Ealing-based pizza restaurant Santa Maria are doubling up with the opening of a new site in Chelsea. 

Marco Pierre White opening first Leeds restaurant

29-Oct-2015 By Liam Garrahan

Celebrity chef Marco Pierre White has announced the opening of Marco’s New York Italian in Leeds’ Arena Quarter.

Brits spend £1.1b per month at independent restaurants

29-Oct-2015 By Liam Garrahan

The British public is spending over £1b per month on dining out at independent restaurants, according to a new report.

Zelman Meats: Steakhouse opening in Soho

29-Oct-2015 By Liam Garrahan

The team behind Goodman, Beast, Rex & Mariano and Burger & Lobster, are launching Zelman Meats in Soho, London, in November.

In Operation with...Foxlow

29-Oct-2015 By Emma Eversham

Hawksmoor co-founder Will Beckett talks to BigHospitality about the company's recently launched neighbourhood restaurant offering Foxlow and the ethos behind it for our fifth In Operation with... video. 

No show, no refund: The Clove Club on going ticketed

27-Oct-2015 By Liam Garrahan

The Clove Club has been running a ticketed system since April in an attempt to combat no-shows and the system is paying off according to its co-owner Daniel Willis.

Google: Treat mobile websites as you would desktop

23-Oct-2015 By Liam Garrahan

Restaurants should treat their mobile website as they would treat the desktop version; that is the advice given by Google’s restaurant industry manager, Charlotte Sutton.

TripAdvisor: Online reviews have ‘massive’ impact on hospitality industry

23-Oct-2015 By Liam Garrahan

Online reviews have had a ‘massive’ impact on the hospitality industry, bringing with them a number of benefits, according to TripAdvisor’s director of partnerships, Gwanael Merlin.

Birmingham becomes fastest growing regional tourist destination

22-Oct-2015 By Liam Garrahan

Birmingham has recorded record tourist figures in 2014 with 37.2m visitors to the city, making it the fastest growing regional tourist destination in the UK.

Forest Restaurant & Cabin Bar opening at Selfridges

15-Oct-2015 By Liam Garrahan

High-street retailer Selfridges has announced that Forest Restaurant & Cabin will be the next instalment in its ‘On the Roof’ series from 21 October.

Michael Wignall joins Gidleigh Park

15-Oct-2015 By Liam Garrahan

Michael Wignall has joined Gidleigh Park as the new executive head chef, replacing the outgoing Michael Caines.

DoubleTree by Hilton expands London portfolio

15-Oct-2015 By Liam Garrahan

Hilton Worldwide and EQ Group has announced a new addition to its DoubleTree by Hilton range in Kingston upon Thames, Greater London.

Solo travelers take most frequent city breaks

15-Oct-2015 By Liam Garrahan

Solo travelers take twice as many city breaks in a year than couples and families, research from Citybase Apartments has found.

German Gymnasium: November opening for D&D London restaurant

15-Oct-2015 By Liam Garrahan

German Gymnasium, the much-awaited new restaurant from D&D London will open its doors to the public on 12 November, it has been confirmed.

Martin Wolstencroft: “Staff have to care about themselves and the customer”

14-Oct-2015 By Liam Garrahan

Restaurant and bar staff have to care about themselves and the customer in order to give good customer service, says Martin Wolstencroft, founder of Arc Inspirations.

The Corner House: April opening for Canterbury restaurant

14-Oct-2015 By Liam Garrahan

Kent-based chef and restaurateur Matt Sworder will open a second The Corner House restaurant in Canterbury next year after acquiring the freehold of the city's The Flying House pub. 

Visits to Scotland increase by more than 10%

14-Oct-2015 By Liam Garrahan

International visits to Scotland have increased by 12 per cent in the last year while visits to Wales, England and London have also increased, according to tourism body VisitBritain.

Hotel chains support police fight against child sexual exploitation

14-Oct-2015 By Liam Garrahan

International hotel chain Radisson Blu Hotels and Resorts has announced its support for a police initiative to raise awareness of child sexual exploitation (CSE) in hotels, taxis and other businesses.

SPONSORED CONTENT

Premier Foodservice helps Bonfire Night go with a bang

14-Oct-2015 By Emma Eversham

Premier Foodservice has pulled together a list of tips for hospitality operators to ensure their Bonfire Night celebrations go with a bang. 

Margaux founders to open Southern French restaurant Bandol

12-Oct-2015 By Emma Eversham

Sylvia Kontek and Vittorio Monge, the founders of Chelsea-based European restaurant Margaux, will open the doors to their second restaurant - Bandol - this week. 

Urban Coterie: Searcys and Anthony Demetre unveil new concept

08-Oct-2015 By Liam Garrahan

Searcys has announced that Urban Coterie, a new restaurant concept in collaboration with Anthony Demetre, will open in east London’s M by Montcalm Hotel on 5 November.

SPONSORED CONTENT

Phil Vickery and Knorr provide gluten-free inspiration

08-Oct-2015 By Emma Eversham

Chef Phil Vickery has joined forces with Knorr to help provide inspiration for chefs looking to create more gluten-free dishes.

Lake District hotel given go ahead for luxury resort plans

08-Oct-2015 By Liam Garrahan

The green light has been given to transform Low Wood Bay Resort Hotel & Marina into the Lake District’s first luxury resort hotel.

Star Pubs & Bars unveil multi-million pound Newcastle investment

08-Oct-2015 By Liam Garrahan

Star Pubs & Bars has announced a £3.7m investment into its properties in the Newcastle area by the end of 2015 and confirmed that the North East would be at the centre of its 2016 investment plans.

The Robert Parker Collection: New branding for luxury hotels

06-Oct-2015 By Liam Garrahan

A group of six privately owned luxury hotels across the north of England and Southern Scotland have been rebranded as The Robert Parker Collection (RP Collection).

Daniel Clifford named Chefs' Chef of the Year at AA Hospitality Awards

06-Oct-2015 By Liam Garrahan

Daniel Clifford was named AA Chefs’ Chef of the Year 2015 at the annual AA Hospitality Awards last night.

The ONE Group announce UK's first STK Rebel site

06-Oct-2015 By Mark Wingett

The ONE Group, the New York-based hospitality group led by Englishman Jonathan Segal, has secured the first site in the UK for its casual dining concept STK Rebel in Edinburgh.

The Hanging Gate: New gastropub from team behind The Lord Clyde

01-Oct-2015 By Liam Garrahan

Cheshire gastropub, The Lord Clyde, has announced a second site: The Hanging Gate in Higher Sutton, Cheshire.

Chinese visa overhaul could boost visitor numbers by 265k

01-Oct-2015 By Liam Garrahan

An overhaul of the Chinese visa system could boost the boost the number of Chinese tourists to the UK by 265k each year and earn the British economy £337m, according to The UK China Visa Alliance (UKCVA).

Alain Ducasse consultancy to advise on Café Rouge food development centre

01-Oct-2015 By Mark Wingett

Alain Ducasse Education Research & Consulting, the consultancy firm set up by the first chef to own restaurants carrying three Michelin Stars in three cities, is to advise the Casual Dining Group (CDG) on the development and operation of a new food...

Dish Deconstructed: Lobster Thermidor from Le Pont de la Tour

29-Sep-2015 By Liam Garrahan

"Classics never die,” National Chef of the Year and Le Pont de la Tour’s new head chef, Frederick Forster, tells BigHospitality as he demonstrates how to make his Lobster Thermidor recipe.

SPONSORED CONTENT

Happy Halloween: Premier Foodservice helps restaurants get off to a spooky start

29-Sep-2015 By Emma Eversham

Premier Foodservice is helping restaurant and pub chefs get off to a spooky start this Halloween with the launch of its Winter Warmers calendar. 

Ceru to open third London pop-up restaurant

28-Sep-2015 By Emma Eversham

Levantine restaurant concept Ceru is set to open its third pop-up restaurant in London this week. 

Trio of new appointments for Gordon Ramsay Group

25-Sep-2015 By Liam Garrahan

Gordon Ramsay Group has announced a trio of head chef appointments at Heddon Street Kitchen, Gordon Ramsay’s Plane Food and Maze Grill Mayfair.

Mobile phones cause “emotional stress” at dinner table

25-Sep-2015 By Liam Garrahan

Mobile phone use while dining out causes “constant, low-level emotional stress”, a report finds.

National Chef of the Year 2015 finalists

24-Sep-2015 By Liam Garrahan

These are the finalists for the National Chef of the Year competition which will be held at the Restaurant Show on Tuesday 6 October.

Young National Chef of the Year 2015 finalists

24-Sep-2015 By Liam Garrahan

These are the finalists for the Young National Chef of the Year competition which will take place at The Restaurant Show, London Olympia, on Tuesday 6 October.

27% of Brits planning to spend more on Christmas this year

23-Sep-2015 By Liam Garrahan

Almost a third of Brits are planning to spend more on Christmas this year compared to 2014, according to a report by Greene King.

Sexy Fish opening in London in October

22-Sep-2015 By Liam Garrahan

Caprice Holdings has announced that its Asian fish and seafood restaurant, Sexy Fish, will open its doors to diners on 19 October in London’s Berkeley Square.

Chef Matt Tebbutt to oversee restaurant and bar at Hilton Bournemouth

21-Sep-2015 By Emma Eversham

Chef Matt Tebbutt is to oversee Hilton Bournemouth's restaurant Schpoons & Forx and its bar LEVEL8IGHT, The Sky Bar as part of a partnership deal between his company Matt Tebbutt Restaurants Limited and the 172-bedroom hotel.