Story of the week: The controversial new law banning restaurant operators from using tips to top up minimum wage came into effect 1 October.
Meanwhile restaurant group D&D London is to scrap its 12.5% service charge at all of its restaurants across the capital.
It was the AA Hospitality Awards on Monday night and big winner of the night was Raymond Blanc who picked up the Lifetime Achievement award and Restaurant Sat Bains in Nottingham was the sole winner of the AA's top accolade of five rosettes. You can see photos from the night on Table Talk here.
Luxury hotel operator Von Essen has rescued five-star Reading property the Forbury from administration
Stephen Boxall, general manager of the Ritz, has been appointed managing director of the iconic five-star London hotel
Caterersearch revealed that international restaurant brand Megu has shelved plans to open a London outlet. The trendy Japanese company, which has branches in New York and Hong Kong, had planned to launch a restaurant on Bruton Street (near Berkeley Square) in Mayfair, but admitted that "things had not worked out" with the location.
The Good Pub Guide revealed that the cost of a pint of beer is now higher in the Surrey commuter belt than in London pubs. Drinkers in parts of the South now have to pay £3.01 for a pub pint compared to £2.90 in London's pubs and bars.
The Prime Minister was accused of populism after it was confirmed that his proposals to give local authorities "the power to ban 24-hour drinking" were already enshrined in existing legislation.
Keith Floyd, the original celebrity TV chef, was mourned and celebrated at a humanist funeral in Bristol. Floyd was cremated in a banana leaf coffin - a humorous tribute to his love of cooking with leaves.
A mystery bidder paid £23,000 to dine in Gordon Ramsay's pop-up restaurant in one of the capsules of the London Eye, as part of the inaugural London Restaurant Festival, which begins on 8 October.
Editor's Pick
Table Talk member "juliana" has become the third member to win in our Acorn Scholarship weekly prize draw. Congratulations juliana, you win dinner for up to six guests at any Ego restaurant.
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View photos from this year's Chef Conference on Table Talk
There is still time to enter the Caterer and Hotelkeeper Equipment & Supplies Excellence Awards 2010.
Quote of the Week
"I hate it when management is just obsessed with delivering the best possible profits on their watch. It's about them, their next promotion and they damage the products they touch along the way!"
Gordon Campbell Gray on corporate management