Irish Republic gets first Café Paul Rankin
Celebrity chef Paul Rankin is set to open his first caf‚ in the Irish Republic in March, in a new shopping centre in the Dublin suburb of Dundrum. According to agents for the centre, the Rankin group has leased an 800sq ft unit for g350,000 (£241,500) and is seeking to recruit 20 staff. More Rankin openings are expected this year. The group, with a reported turnover of g9m (£6.21m), has seven Caf‚ Paul Rankin outlets in Northern Ireland.

De Vere aims for half century
De Vere Hotels is planning an aggressive expansion strategy to hit a target of 50 midmarket Village Inn properties by 2010. The group is also launching an £80m refurbishment programme over the next two years for its four- and five-star De Vere portfolio. New Village hotels are planned for Bournemouth, Hull and Swansea this year with another three to follow by the end of 2008. The hotel group reported a 14.7% increase in pre-tax profits to £45.6m (£39.7m in 2003) for the year to 26 September 2004. Turnover climbed 3.1% to £321.8m.

Celebrity chefs back tsunami appeal
Ken Hom has hooked up with fellow celebrity chefs Giorgio Locatelli, Antony Worrall-Thompson, Anton Edelmann and Mark Edwards to host a charity dinner in aid of the tsunami appeal at London's Pacific Oriental next month. The evening will include a Champagne reception, Chinese banquet, a Chinese pancake competition and a traditional Chinese New Year lion dance. Tickets cost £100 and all the cash will go to Action Against Hunger. For more information, call 020 7394 6300 or e-mail j.ho@aahuk.org

Closing date for Cateys nominations
Nominations for the 2005 Cateys have to be submitted by 4 February. If you believe someone deserves to be recognised in any of the 17 categories, contact Jane Cartwright on 020 8652 3659 or e-mail jane.cartwright@rbi.co.uk. No submissions will be considered after the closing date.