Friday is normally a quiet day in the office but Caterer has learnt that French chef Eric Chavot is set to leave the two-Michelin-starred restaurant at the Capital hotel in London. The surprise move sees Chavot leave the restaurant in Knightsbridge after more than a decade behind the stove.
Friday is also traditionally fish day - but as you tuck into your fish ‘n’ chips today, spare a thought for the rising number of endangered species of fish across the world.
This week, the world's largest contract caterer, Compass was congratulated for taking off 69 species of fish from it's UK and Ireland restaurant menus following advice from the Marine Conservation Society (MCS).
Meanwhile, Le Manior aux Quat'Saisons became the first Michelin-starred restaurant to achieve the MSC accreditation.
Catey winner Raymond Blanc's Oxfordshire restaurant can now show the MSC logo on its menus, which ensures diners that all fish comes from sustainable sources. He called on other restaurateurs to follow his lead in becoming more sustainable.
While we are all encouraged to become more sustainable and eat healthy, news hit the headlines following research from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, claiming that organic food does not offer extra nutritional benefits when compared with normal food. However, the report caused some controversy and the Soil Association called for better research to be carried out.
Rumours surrounding the new Little Chef logo was to be based on Heston Blumenthal proved to be unfounded with the unveiling of the new Fat Charlie.
Fat Charlie was given a makeover to look more "cheffy" with his neckerchief discarded in favour of chef’s whites and was launched at its opening of its York outlet.
Great news for luxury hotel and spa Chewton Glen as its sommelier and chef team walk away with winning the top prize in the Academy of Food & Wine's (AFW) inaugural Gastronomy Team of the Year competition.
In more hotel news, Accor reported a drop in sales and will continue to cut costs and expenditure. The French hotel giant also pledged to not hire reception staff on their looks by removing applicants' first and last names, nationality, sex, age and e-mail addresses from CVs.
Meanwhile, budget hotel chain Travelodge continues its expansion drive purchasing six further properties in London worth £84m - making it the largest hotel brand in London by 2012.
And don't forget there is still time to enter the Hotelier of Year award. But be quick the deadline is 14 August. Enter now!
There has been widespread opposition to the Mandatory Code for the sale of alcohol from the pub and bar sector and has led calls for the Government to reconsider.
Camra's referral of the beer tie to the Office of Fair Trading has received a mixed response, with the British Beer and Pub Association branding it an "unnecessary distraction" adding that resources would be better suited to supporting pubs during the recession.
Good news for Scottish pub managers who have been granted an extra two months to get their personal licences. The Scottish Government relaxed the deadline for after the new Licensing Act comes into force on 1 September.
Editor's Pick
Chef Conference 2009 - we have an amazing line-up for this year's conference with two three-Michelin-starred chefs topping the bill, Heston Blumenthal and Elena Arzak.
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Quote of the Week
"Maybe not killed, but stubbed, slashed, repeatedly punched in the face!"
Ranald Mc Donald discusses the effect of the smoking ban on the UK’s pub industry.
By Katherine Alano, community editor