Ferran Adria's book “weighs as much as a toddler” - For more hospitality stories, see what the weekend papers say

Michelin-starred Ferran Adria's book “weighs as much as a toddler”
Michelin-starred Spanish chef Ferran Adria – described by restaurant critic AA Gill as “unequestionably the most influential chef since Escoffier” – has written a book that give an insight into the workings of his world-famous El Bulli restaurant in Girona, Spain for the millions of would-be visitors who cannot secure tables. Gill, who interviewed the chef in the Sunday Times, said that the book, A Day at elBulli, “weighs as much as a toddler and describes a single day in 528 pages, which is possibly slightly longer than the other most famous single day in literature, Ulysses.” The restaurant, which is open for six months of the year, receives two million requests a year for its 8,000 chairs. The book was published on 30 October by Phaidon, priced at £29.95. – 2 November, Read the full article in the Sunday Times >>

Scottish pupils rejecting healthy elements of meals, says research
Research by Ipsos Mori has undermined the Scottish parliament’s claims that its plans to provide free healthy school meals to all pupils up to primary three (at a cost of £30m) would improve their health. The market researchers found that school children were discarding the healthy parts of a meal and tucking instead into foods that were high in fat, sugar and salt. While uptake of school dinners soared on days the canteens were serving pizzas, hot dogs, fish and chips, burgers and sausages, pupils were inclined to pick at other meals and leave the healthier elements, such as vegetables and soup, untouched.  Last week, 23 of the country’s 32 local authorities said they could not afford to provide free school meals to all five-to-seven-year-olds within their existing budgets. – 2 November, Read the full article in the Sunday Times >>

Trump’s £500m golf resort in Scotland expected to get the go-ahead
Donald Trump’s controversial plans to build a £500m golf resort in Aberdeenshire is expected to be given the green light by the Scottish government within the next two weeks despite opposition from local councillors and environmentalists and accusations of political skulduggery. The American tycoon wants to build two championship golf courses, a five-star, 450-bedroom hotel, 960 timeshare apartments and 500 private houses on a three-mile stretch of coastline near Balmedie, north of Aberdeen. The scheme is expected to create 1,200 jobs and bring £60m a year into the local economy. Support will depend on remedial action to prevent damage to the 4,000-year old sand dunes on the Site of Special Scientific Interest, which is home to rare feather moss, lichens and plants. This may involve the relocation of a number of holes and a compromise on the number of holiday homes. –  2 November, Read the full article in the Sunday Times >>

Muslim chef takes Metropolitan Police to task over pork
A Muslim chef is accusing the Metropolitan Police of religious discrimination for requiring him to handle and cook pork sausages and bacon in defiance of Islamic law, which regards the pig as an unclean animal. Hasanali Khoja, aged 60, was working as a senior catering manager at Hendon Police College, in north London, when he was asked to move to another team where he would have to cook the "999 breakfast" - a large fry-up including sausage, bacon and black pudding. After refusing to work without a guarantee that he would not have to handle pork, Khoja was placed on unpaid special leave for a year. Khoja, who spent four years as catering manager at the Royal College of Defence Studies and also sits on a Food Standards Agency advisory committee on Muslim issues, now works as a higher catering manager at the Met’s building in Earl’s Court.  His employment tribunal case, which is backed by the National Black Police Association, is expected to be heard next May. – 2 November, Read the full story in the Sunday Telegraph >>

McDonald’s planning to move its drinks upmarket
Fast-food giant McDonald’s is moving its drinks range upmarket, according to its director of culinary innovation, Dan Coudreaut. The chain plans to introduce premium coffee to all its 1,400 US outlets by next summer, followed by a range of smoothies. The group’s Innovation Centre south of Chicago is also working on a fry station that dispenses salt automatically to provide a more consistent taste, a steamer-type appliance to scramble eggs, and self-service computer terminals. – 2 November, Read the full article in the Sunday Times >>

By Angela Frewin

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