Today is the deadline for our Acorn Awards which, in their 23rd year, continue to celebrate talent and showcase 30 professionals under the age of 30, as they always have.
Past winners include Marco Pierre White, Gary Rhodes and James Horler. This year, the prize is a weekend away in the delightful Cotswold Lower Slaughter Manor and Washbourne Court hotels - as well, of course, as the honour of being named an Acorn. Applications can be done online so don’t miss out, nominate today!
Celebrating the brightest new talent coming through the industry via the Acorns seems the perfect antidote to the steady stream of poison affecting the sector and wider economy.
Ahead of April’s Budget, drink and pub trade bodies united to call on the chancellor to abandon his planned tax increases during the coming years or face the prospect of placing 75,000 jobs in the sector at risk.
On this note, the chairman of Devon’s Heavitree brewery predicted no let up soon for the struggling pub industry and the CBI said the hospitality industry was now shedding jobs at its fastest rate in a decade.
Will things improve anytime soon? Much like ex-RBS boss Sir Fred Goodwin, I wouldn’t like to bet my pension on it.
While experts warned the credit squeeze was imperilling small contract caterers, Leeds’s luxury hotel the Ellington was put into administration and food importer and tapas chain owner Brindisa was forced to make redundancies, it wasn’t all doom and gloom.
Michelin-starred, multi-award winning Andrew and Jacquie Pern expanded their mini-business empire in Harome, North Yorkshire, and two former Caterer Adopted Businesses continued to impress, with the news that the owners of the Preston Park Tavern have launched a second pub, the Chimney House in Brighton, and contract caterer Vacherin picked up a prestigious environmental award.
David Moore, owner of French inspired restaurant Pied a Terre, has backed a new venture in Harrogate, north Yorkshire, from Tom van Zeller, one of his former chefs.
Elsewhere the French really are revolting, with a mass walkout - including the chairman - at hotel group Accor in protest at a management shake-up in the boardroom.
Compass announced it would be phasing out its school brand Scolarest in favour of Chartwells, and the Fifteen charitable restaurant chain set up by the man that gave Scolarest a very public kicking back in 2005, Jamie Oliver, announced it wouldn’t be coming to Leeds after all.
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“All hotel rooms look the same when the lights are turned off.”
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By Chris Druce