Story of the week: Former restaurant and hotel inspector Gordon Cartwright has spoken out about his decision to leave the AA stating that the guides have become ‘stale’.
Meanwhile, Bord'eaux, the all-day French brasserie at London's Grovenor House, a JW Marriott Hotel, is set to close and will be replaced with an American steakhouse. Headed by chef-patron Ollie Couillaud, who previously worked with Michelin-starred chefs Tom Aikens and Bruce Poole, the 160-seat restaurant opened two years ago.
Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver announced that he is further expanding his high street restaurant chain Jamie’s Italian with a 13th outlet planned for Bristol next year.
Michelin-starred chef Geoffrey Smeddle had a good week – he was named the big winner in this year’s Scottish Restaurant Awards, picking up two major accolades in the annual competition. Smeddle was named Chef of the Year, beating Tom Kitchin and Ian McAndrew to the title, and also won the Restaurant of the Year category for his Michelin-starred Peat Inn near St Andrews, Fife, which he runs together with his wife Katherine.
But not such a good week for the Cipriani London, the Mayfair restaurant and celebrity haunt will have to change its name after losing a trademark battle with the owners of the Hotel Cipriani in Venice.
The Academy of Food & Wine (AFW) unveiled the 15 semi-finalists of the 2010 Sommelier of the Year competition. Now in its 30th year, the competition, which is sponsored by Champagnes Piper-Heidsieck, rewards sommeliers’ knowledge of wine, understanding of the restaurant business and ability to cope under pressure.
Efforts to improve the quality of school meals could all be in vain if canteens aren’t made fit for purpose, according to new research. An independent study, carried out on behalf of the School Food Trust (SFT) as part of its Canteen Rescue campaign launched today, found that poor quality canteens are the biggest barrier to children’s uptake of school food. Have you got behind our school meals campaign yet?
Still in the education sector, Milton Keynes-based Caterplus won a new catering five-year deal at the North West London Jewish Day School (NWLJDS) in Brondesbury, Greater London. The £750,000 contract will see Caterplus provide kosher catering services for the primary school’s 265 pupils aged between three and 11.
In other contract wins, Restaurant Associates, Compass Group’s executive dining division has seen off its rivals to secure £3m of business at three sites of investment firm Aon. The new three-year contract at two London sites and offices in Farnborough, Hampshire, was previously split between Elior’s Avenance and Compass’ Restaurant Associates and Eurest operating arms.
Harbour & Jones (H&J) has scored a hat trick of new contract wins in the capital worth in excess of £3.5m. The boutique contract caterer won new business at the British Standards Institution (BSI) Group, the Medical Defence Union and investment managers JM Finn & Co over a three month period.
Pub operator Realpubs has been forced to pay a former employee thousands of pounds in compensation after a tribunal ruled that he had been discriminated against because he was gay. Charles Lisboa, ex-assistant manager of former gay pub the Pembroke Arms in Earls Court, London, complained that he was asked to reprimand a gay couple for their behaviour as the new management tried to "de-gay" the establishment after it changed hands in December 2008.
MPs reinforced the call to take the fight for a lower rate of duty on draught beer to Europe, as part of a wide-ranging debate in Parliament yesterday.
The Hospitality Industry Trust Scotland is seeking nominations for its coveted lifetime achievement award. Sponsored by Caterer and Hotelkeeper, the HIT Scotland industry award recognises an individual who shows dedication to raising standards and a passion for the industry that goes beyond their job description.
Iain Sampson, head chef at Peterstone Court Country House in Llanhamlach, has won the National Chef of Wales title after triumphing at the Welsh International Culinary Championships last week. Caterer finds out how he came to be crowned the best chef in Wales.
The South African government has ordered a survey into hotel prices being charged during the 2010 FIFA World Cup, following allegations that rates are being excessively inflated.
Boutique hotel firm Abode Hotels, founded by Michelin-starred chef Michael Caines and greetings card entrepreneur Andrew Brownsword, is to double its property portfolio.
Aristel Hotels has signed up to a new purchasing system designed to streamline and simplify its purchasing. BeaconOnline is a new e-procurement service from Beacon.
Meanwhile, a third of hotel and restaurant employees have admitted that the establishment where they work is not always cleaned to the highest standard, a survey by Caterer and Hotelkeeper has found.
And finally, Marriott Hotels is recruiting celebrities and other Twitter users to provide the company with feedback on its recent £120m refurbishment programme. The campaign has invited the Twitterati to review the refurbished hotels by communicating their thoughts and experiences live on the social networking site.
Editor's Pick
Do you think the incoming Government should support the school meals service and continue investment? If so, show you care by signing our online petition.
Young, gifted and talented? There’s only one week left to enter Acorn Awards 2010 – get your entries in now!
Check out the winners from the Equipment & Supplies Excellence Awards 2010
Hotelympia 2010 kicks off this Sunday. If you’re exhibiting or competing, why not share your images by uploading them on to Caterersearch’s networking site, Table Talk – it couldn’t be easier!
Quote of the Week
“He created the last authentic Edwardian hotel, opening the Goring two months before the death of Edward VII. It is brilliantly designed, with every thought given for the comfort of guests, including the first en-suite bathrooms to every room.”
George Goring describes the legacy of his grandfather and Goring founder, OR Goring