A round-up of the latest news from the contract catering sector...
Charlton House wins £900,000-a-year contract with American Embassy . . .
Reading-based contract caterer Charlton House has won from Aramark the contract with the American Embassy Employee Association to cater at the American Embassy in Grosvenor Square, London. The five-year contract, which started last week, is worth a potential £900,000 in annual turnover. The contract covers general hospitality, a staff restaurant, the waitress-serviced Regal Eagle bar and grill, and a mobile kiosk to serve the embassy’s 600-a-day visa applicants.
… as co-founders win Master Entrepreneur of the Year award
Robyn and Tim Jones, who co-founded Charlton House in 1991 on a weekly Government allowance of just £50, have both been named Master Entrepreneur of the Year in the regional heats of the Entrepreneur of the Year Awards set up by accountants Ernst & Young. They will be among the five regional winners to go on to the national finals on 4 October. The overall UK winner will compete in the World finals that will be held in Monte Carlo next year.
Searcy’s to open first Scottish restaurant and bar next month
London-based caterer Searcy’s next month opens its first Scottish restaurant in Edinburgh. The 140-seat Gallery Restaurant and Bar is split into three tiers in the Playfair Project, a new underground access between the Royal Scottish Academy and the National Gallery of Scotland that opens on 5 August. Open seven days a week from 11am until 11pm (10pm on Sundays), the restaurant will offer seasonal local produce and Scottish dishes. Searcy’s will also open the more informal, 40-seat Gallery Café which will open only during gallery hours.
Sushi bar operator Moshi Moshi launches outside catering division
Moshi Moshi, which opened its first conveyor-belt sushi restaurant 10 years ago and now has five venues in the City of London and Brighton, has launched an outside catering division. It will provide a range of services to clients, from supplying canapés to planning whole events.
SSP opens Tikka Tikka Indian unit at Manchester Airport
Compass company Select Service Partner has opened its first Tikka Tikka unit in Terminal 2 at Manchester Airport. Tikka Tikka offers both takeaway and eat-in options at its unit located before passport control. SSP worked with Indian food company Patak’s to create the menu, which includes balti, madras, rogan josh, korma and tikka masala curries.
by Angela Frewin
Buy this week's Caterer magazine for more industry news and analysis