The Editor's Hospitality Blog

Top London chefs unite in support of Leuka

2010-03-09T16:23:46Z

Last night 20 top London chefs gathered in the kitchen's of The Langham hotel, London to prepare a dinner in aid of Leuka, the charity for the leukaemia care unit at Hammersmith Hospital.

The annual event, Who's Cooking Dinner? is now in its 11th year and was set up by chef Peter Gordon (who's sister was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia) and restuarateur, Chris Corbin (who was diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukaemia in 1990).

Chefs cooking for the 200 guests included: Tom Aikens (Tom Aikens Restaurant), Jason Atherton (Maze), Rainer Becker (Zuma), Brett Graham (The Ledbury), Angela Hartnett (Murano) and Chris and Jeff Galvin (La Chapelle).

Guests were treated to a gastronomic feast which included dishes such as: Poached Native Lobster with cardo lardo, celeriac mousse, lobster vinaigrette and parsley mousse (Tom Aikens); Wagyu beef sirlion with wafu sauce and Japanese mushrooms (Rainer Becker); Guinea fowl cooked in hay with hay butter emulsion (Claude Bosi); Soft pistachio meringue with blood oranges and spring rhubarb (Sally Clarke) and warm PX prune and hazelnut cake with white chocolate mousse, baked rhurbarb and a chocolate chilli wafter (Peter Gordon).

The event last night raised almost £430,000 for Leuka, including a post-dinner auction of many of the chefs' services for private dining, either at the chef's restaurants or the bidders' home.

The Who's Cooking Dinner? event has been raising money since 1999 and has raised in excess of £3m to date. The monies raised provide funds for clinical trails to study new therapies, buy specialist equipment and modernise clinical facilities.

Last night's chefs included:

Tom Aikens - Tom Aikens Restaurant
Jason Atherton - Maze
Rainer Becker - Zuma
Claude Bosi - Hibiscus
Sally Clarke - Clarke's
Richard Corrigan - Corrigan's Mayfair
Hélène Darroze - At The Connaught
Mark Edwards - Nobu
Chris & Jeff Galvin - La Chapelle
Peter Gordon - Providores
Brett Graham - The Ledbury
Angela Hartnett - Murano
Mark Hix - Hix
Philip Howard - The Square
Tim Hughes - Le Caprice
Giorgio Locatelli - Locanda Locatelli
Michele Lombardi - Harry's Bar
Julian O'Neill - The Wolesley
Bruce Poole - Chez Bruce
Tong Chee Hwee - Hakkasan

If you want to know more about the Who's Cooking Dinner? event or about Leuka go to www.whoscookingdinner.com

Happy tenth birthday to the London Eye

2010-03-09T12:29:00Z

This evening. fireworks will light up the skies over London, as the London Eye celebrates its tenth birthday. There's no more surefire way of making a magazine sub-editor wince than by casually aggrandizing someone or something by applying the word, "iconic".

Overuse has cheapened the currency of the word to the extent that a Google search reveals iconic status being conferred upon Katie Price, Bernard Manning's World Famous Embassy Club and even the Countdown TV theme.

In the case of the London Eye, though, the term is surely applicable. In ten years, London's south-bank Ferris wheel has morphed from zero to hero.

Ridiculed during construction for problems hoisting it into place ("British Airways can't get it up", was Virgin Atlantic's gleeful dig at the Eye's original sponsor), the Eye was then hit by technical problems that delayed its public opening for many weeks after its official launch by then-Prime Minister, Tony Blair.

But these teething problems were quickly forgotten once the public experienced the wonders of the wheel. Today, the London Eye is the UK's most popular paid-for visitor attraction and its 32 capsules treat more than 3.5 million people a year to an up-close view of the capital. This extraordinary success won Managing Director, David Sharpe, the Leisure and Tourism award at the 2008 Cateys.

If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, the Eye must at times struggle to keep from blushing. The Singapore Flyer, the Wheel of Perth, the Great Dubai Wheel and the Beijing Wheel - all are striving to replicate the magic of our London landmark.

The Eye stands as an emblem of the power of innovation. In ten years it has woven itself into the fabric of London life, and is now closely linked with the international image of London.

Can your business boast its own equivalent of the London Eye? Have you conjured a new and game-changing asset with the power to transform your customer offering?

With the onrush of visitors to the London Olympics just two years away, now's the time to set your creative powers to the challenge.

Twitter reports claim River Cafe co-founder Rose Gray has died

2010-02-28T20:37:56Z

Rose Gray, who co-founded London's River Cafe with Ruth Rogers in 1987, has died after a long battle with cancer, according to reports circulating on Twitter. Gray and Rogers were awarded MBEs in the New Year Honours List for their services to hospitality, and had recently released their eleventh recipe book, the River Cafe Classic Italian Cookbook.

Chefs to have graduated from the River Cafe kitchens include Theo Randall, Jamie Oliver and Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall.

Earlier this evening, Guardian food critic Jay Rayner tweeted: "marking the death of Rose Gray of the River Cafe. A woman who with Ruthie Rogers had a huge impact on British restaurants."

Fergus Henderson's St John Restaurant responded: "Terribly sad news about Rose. A great friend of St. John and will be sorely missed and fondly remembered."

Fancy a spot of afternoon tea in the heart of Mayfair darling? Why not try Wild Honey?

2010-02-24T14:35:53Z

You might feel that you've got your hands more than full running lunch and dinner service, but Anthony Demetre and Will Smith, the men behind Arbutus and Wild Honey, feel there's a gap in the market - for afternoon tea.

Earlier this month, the two-times Michelin-starred pair launched afternoon tea at the Mayfair outpost, Wild Honey.

"It's just at Wild Honey," Will Smith tells us, adding that he doesn't think afternoon tea is a Soho (read Arbutus) thing. But Smith's thinking behind the concept was that people are often pushed for time and that a later, lighter offering might just do the trick.

The menu, called Sweet and Savoury, available from Monday to Friday from 3pm-6pm, includes a selection of Prosecco, Champagne and Champagne cocktails, savouries such as croque monsieur (ham, Gruyere and toasted sourdough), £5.95, a board of charcuterie (speck, finocchiona, coppa and five-year bellota), £12.95, and warm potato soup with chive cream, £5.50.

]]> Batting for the sweets - which I sampled - are a beautifully light carrot and walnut cake with carrot jam, a not-so-light-but-gorgeous-nevertheless cream scone with clotted cream, strawberry and raspberry jam, and a stunning English pound cake with apple compote and Chantilly cream, all £6.95. In addition, there's also a tart of the day such as treacle, chocolate or prune and Armagnac.

If you're not seduced by the alcohol and Smith's splendid wine list, then there is of course a selection of loose leaf teas or coffee at £3.25).

Co-owner and chef Anthony Demetre says that he believes eating out patterns are changing in London and that he and Smith regularly get customers who want to eat later and lighter. "They don't necessarily want a traditional afternoon tea, but crave either a simple dish or a pudding treat when they meet clients, friends or colleagues mid-afternoon." A treat indeed.

Acorn winner and Michelin-starred Will Holland hits Saturday Kitchen again

2010-02-13T10:39:24Z

Acorn winner Will Holland showed viewers why he is one to watch by coming back on to BBC's Saturday Kitchen for the second time.

Appearing on the show with legendary cook Ken Hom, the Michelin-starred chef Holland cooks roast wood pigeon with sugar, orange, mango salsa and wasabi, with a red wine and sesame reduction.

The protégé of Alan Murchison has also been tipped as one to watch over the next 10 years by the Good Food Guide in a list that includes Marcus Wareing, Jason Atherton and Angela Harnett.

The Acorn awards are in their 24th year this year and celebrates the 30 people under 30 who are nominated by their peers and colleagues for having made an impression in their field.

Holland joins a long list in great names in the industry includes Marco Pierre White, Michael Caines and Gary Rhodes.

The Acorn Awards was created to give something back to the young people who have chosen to contribute their talent to hospitality and if you know someone who deserves an Acorn Award, then there is still time to nominate your candidate.

Go to www.caterersearch.com/acornawards2010 to find out more and how to nominate.

Support our School Meals Matter campaign

2010-02-04T12:08:10Z

When it comes to improving the diet and thereby the health of the nation's children, we are all stakeholders.

As parents, we wish to see our children achieve their full physical and mental potential. As taxpayers, we welcome the savings in NHS expenditure that a decrease in the rates of obesity and Type 2 diabetes would deliver. And, as industry professionals, we recognise the positive impact our businesses stand to derive from our children having a mature, healthy and respectful relationship with the food they eat.

Perhaps more than any other industry, hospitality has a vested interest in encouraging children to engage with food and cooking. For any food service-based operation to prosper, it needs to attract employees with a passion for cooking and serving great meals, and customers with a passion for eating them.

]]> That's why Caterer and Hotelkeeper and Caterersearch.com are this week joining forces with the Local Authority Caterers Association to call on the winning party at the forthcoming General Election to make a firm commitment to the continuation of the school meals service.

By signing our petition and supporting our School Meals Matter campaign, you'll be sending a clear signal to the incoming Government that you believe school meals are good for the health of the nation, and good for the hospitality industry.

However, your involvement need not end there. Many hospitality operators already give up their spare time to work with local schools to spark a lifelong friendship with food among schoolchildren - people like the chefs of Chefs Adopt a School, a hugely creditworthy initiative that this week celebrates its 20th anniversary.

In the coming weeks, we'll be offering practical guidance on how you can spread the food gospel in your local communities. By supporting us, you'll be ensuring fresh generations of hospitality workers and customers, and therefore future-proofing your own business.

Charles and Camilla celebrate 20 years of Adopt-a-School >>

Charles and Camilla celebrate 20 years of Chefs Adopt a School

2010-02-02T19:11:33Z

The industry's great and good gathered at St George's Primary School in London's Mayfair today, to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Academy of Culinary Arts' Chefs Adopt a School programme.

Roy Ackerman, Heston Blumenthal, Willy Bauer, Brian Turner, Albert Roux, Raymond Blanc, Gary Rhodes, William Curley, Andre Garrett, Robin Hutson, Harry Murray, Ramon Pajares, Alain Roux, Richard Shepherd, John Williams and Cyrus Todiwala were just some of the personalities on hand, as The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall sat in on Chefs Adopt a School sessions by Thames Valley University lecturer, Michael Coaker and Chefs Adopt a School's Idris Caldora.

Chefs Adopt a School was founded in 1990 to encourage school leavers to consider a career in the hospitality industry. It was immediately apparent that the level of children's food and cookery knowledge at secondary school age was lamentably poor. The Academy decided that to make a real difference, they needed to focus on a younger age group. A programme was developed to engage, educate, inspire and equip primary aged children with the vital life skills of practical cookery and food knowledge - from plant to plate. Lessons were created to deliver workshops to children in schools that had no cooking facilities.

Today, the programme reaches 21,000 children annually. Now the Academy is looking to reach out to the remaining 4.5 million primary school children across the UK.

Speaking at the event, chef and Academy of Culinary Arts President, Brian Turner called the scheme's plant-to-plate food education "transformational - it's a force for good and teaches children life skills".

The Prince of Wales called Chefs Adopt a School "a brilliant idea".

"Food is related to ourentire cultural heritage", he said, "and we must find a way of reconnecting children to our food, culture and seasons".

Happy 100th birthday to the Goring Hotel

2010-01-26T13:56:16Z

London's Goring Hotel (the capital's only five-star hotel still owned and managed by the family that established it) held a Luncheon for Chefs and Food Lovers yesterday as part of its centenary celebrations.

Chief Executive, Jeremy Goring pulled on a fetching woolly hat to welcome arriving guests on the hotel's front steps. These included Sir Terry Wogan, Delia Smith, Albert Roux, Raymond Blanc, Gary Rhodes, Tony Hadley (Spandau Ballet) and Tom Parker-Bowles.

Lunch was a free-for-all, as guests swapped tastes of a range of Goring dining-room favourites from down the years - all expertly prepared by Derek Quelch and his brigade. These included:

Mrs Goring's pigs fry salad with poach duck egg, cider vinegar and honey dressing (the War years)
Jellied eels with parsley vinegar (the Roaring Twenties)
Terrine of Goosnargh duck leg with roasted beetroot (the Thatcher years)
Poached fillets of Dover sole Americaine (the Edwardian era).

After a while I complained of being full. "Novice", cried Matthew Fort, as the Great British Menu judge and food writer spooned a large slab of oxtail pudding onto his plate. He later revealed he was heading off after lunch for a full dinner at Northcote. You've got to admire his metabolism.

Possibly the worst dining experience ever?

2009-11-03T11:21:31Z

On Sunday I was invited to an interactive theatre show based on the classic British TV show Fawlty Towers.

I wasn't sure what to expect, but when we arrived, ordered our drinks long-suffering waiter Manuel was working the crowd offering peanuts from a silver platter and pouring salt into your hand.

Faulty Towers... the dining experience was certainly that. An experience. Think of your worse dining experience: odd or no cutlery, tables served randomly, bread rolls thrown onto your plate, an escaped rat and a screeching hostess... if it wasn't theatre, it wouldn't be funny!

Faulty Towers... the dining experience has been performing since 1997 and has toured the world with it unique style and its interaction with the audience. It has performed throughout Australia, South Pacific, South-east Asia and also a sell-out season at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

If you have ever spent an evening watching Fawlty Towers cringing at Basil's faux pas, Manuel's antics and Sybil's attempt at keeping order then this is for you.

Don't expect a great dining experience, but a chaotic and crazy one - only to be expected when dining with the Fawlty's!

See more photos on Table Talk here >>

You can find out more about Faulty Towers at www.interactivetheatre.com.au

Pubco bosses to climb Kilimanjaro for charity

2009-09-30T15:36:30Z

It's a pub crawl with a difference: four pub company bosses will this Friday attempt to scale Africa's highest mountain Kilimanjaro for charity.

Peach Pub Company co-founder Lee Cash and Peach's Tim Doyle as well as Lovely Pubs' chief executive Paul Salisbury and his brother David have so far raised £15,800 but are calling for further sponsorship to meet their £25k target.

The foursome are raising funds for When You Wish Upon a Star, the organisation that makes wishes come true for very sick children, and the Get A-Head Charitable Trust, which fights head and neck diseases, especially cancer.

"We're really chuffed with people's support so far for our charity climb, but are asking for one last big push to help us crack our £25k target," said Cash, adding: "The climb's for two really good causes and we'll definitely be giving it our all."

To sponsor the quartet visit www.thethreemountaineers.co.uk

If Gary Barlow can do it...

(Picture shows left to right: Tim Doyle, Paul Salisbury, David Salisbury and Lee Cash)

Blog by Emma White

Top chefs take to the stage at the Chef Conference

2009-09-29T17:02:40Z

Well, what a day it was yesterday. Caterer held it annual Chef Conference at the Jumeirah Carlton Tower in London.

The conference kicked off with Heston Blumenthal who talked to Caterer group editor Mark Lewis about the affect of the norovirus had on his Michelin-starred restaurant the Fat Duck in Bray and how the HPA did not do enough to help restaurants in similar situations.

He also chatted about his new tasting menu, new book and the next instalment of his Feast TV programmed.

This was followed on by a debate on topical issues such as user-generated reviews, food sourcing and training. Joining the debate where chefs Shaun Hill, David Cavalier, Simon Hulstone, John Williams and Michael Caines. The debate was chaired by Brian Turner.

There were great masterclasses from Catey chef of the year, Angela Hartnett (Murano) who teamed up with Spain's Elena Arzak. Angela cooked roasted sweetbreads with pickled peaches, liquorish and fennel and a walnut pasta.

The smells in the conference room were amazing, and had the room salivating!

Elena, shared her recipes for walnut cream, with reinvented red cabbage - a delicate dish with vibrant colours.(see right)

The next masterclass came from two-Michelin starred chefs Michael Caines (Gidleigh Park) and Martin Burge (Whatley Manor).

Michael kicked off with pan-fried duck foie gras followed by wild salmon.

First-timer at the Chef Conference, Martin Burge, who despite his nerves presented his signature dish of mango cannelloni.

The Chef Conference ended with a Chef Eats out. Delegates to the conference had to choice to eat at two-Michelin-starred Marcus Wareing at the Berkeley, Phil Howard's the Square and Alain Ducasse at the Dorchester.

To see more photos from the Chef Conference and Chef Eats Out go to Table Talk here >>

Marcus Wareing named GQ Men of the Year chef winner

2009-09-08T21:31:27Z

I've just picked up on LBC that Marcus Wareing has received the chef gong in the GQ Men of the Year Awards 2009.

There's next-to-nothing on Google other than a piece on the Sun website, but nevertheless this marks the end of an incredible year for Wareing in which he was, for the first time in many, many years, in charge of his own destiny following his parting from Gordon Ramsay Holdings and the launch of Marcus Wareing at the Berkeley.

Speaking to Caterer after the awards, Wareing said: "[It was] the perfect end to my first year at Marcus Wareing at the Berkeley. [I am] delighted and honoured."

Other winners included Outstanding Achievement - Elvis Costello; International Man - Mickey Rourke; Alfred Dunhill Film-Maker - Guy Ritchie; Woman - Lily Allen; Band - Take That; Sportsman - Jenson Button; Solo Artist - Dizzee Rascal; and 2009 Catey Awards host comedian Michael McIntyre.

See our video interview with Marcus Wareing.

The people of Wavendon celebrate Mark Webber's German Grand Prix win

2009-09-08T15:46:31Z

Now here's a bit of globe-trotting for you. South African chef Grant Hawthorne last week hosted a celebratory dinner for Australian Formula 1 driver (and winner of the 2009 German Grand Prix) Mark Webber at English restaurant, the Plough Wavendon, with produce from South African and 1979 Formula 1 World Champion Jody Scheckter's English farm, Laverstoke Park.

The international line-up proved for an interesting evening as diners tucked into an incredible seven-course degustation menu featuring some of Scheckter's amazing biodynamic and organic produce such as in the Laverstoke lamb en sous vide with broad beans, carrot, highland burgundy red and Aspley Guise truffle. All the dishes were accompanied by wines from Tasmania, which is where the Mark Webber Challenge Foundation (raising money for charities including the Save the Tassie Devil Appeal and the Leukaemia Foundation) is based.

]]> Speaking at the dinner, Webber said that sitting next to World Champion Jody Scheckter with just the one win under his belt he was glad that racing legend Sir Jackie Stewart had been unable to make it to the event.

"Winning the grand prix was a very proud moment for myself and the team having had a one, two at Silverstone [with his team mate Sebastian Vettel finishing first] and then another one, two in Germany - and of course it's been 28 years since another Australian, Alan Jones, won. It's my responsbility to try and get the Australian national anthem played!"

Webber, who owns the nearby Stag in Mentmore with his partner Ann Neal, said that he loved food and "eats plenty of it" but added that having been a "big, red meat eater" back home in New South Wales he eats less of it nowadays and his diet was more likely to contain lots of pasta and a little bit of seafood. While declaring a love for chocolate and ice-cream, he did admit to laying off his favourite foods for a race weekend.

Host for the evening Grant Hawthorne said: "Mark has been a regular at the restaurant and to show how proud we are of him and his achievements this year, we donned our black ties and celebrated. Not only is he a great racing drive, but he is a local to many."

To see images from the night and the dishes served, go to Table Talk.

Starbucks and spas take the flak at the Edinburgh Fringe

2009-08-27T10:21:08Z

When TV channel Dave this week awarded a prize for the funniest gag at the Edinburgh Fringe, a swipe at the quality of Starbucks coffee and a comment on the growing trend for hotel spas were in their shortlist.

Funnyman Adam Hills compared going to Starbucks for coffee with "going to prison for sex. You know you're going to get it, but it's going to be rough." And Rhod Gilbert made this observation about spas in hotels: "a spa hotel? It's like a normal hotel, only in reception there's a picture of a pebble."

The award for best gag went to comic, Dan Antopolski. His winning gag was a one-liner from his show Silent But Deadly: "Hedgehogs. Why can't they just share the hedge?"

The top ten in full:

"Hedgehogs - why can't they just share the hedge?"
"I was watching the London Marathon and saw one runner dressed as a chicken and another runner dressed as an egg. I thought: 'This could be interesting'."
"I had my boobs measured and bought a new bra. Now I call them Joe Cocker and Jennifer Warnes because they're up where they belong."
"I went on a girls' night out recently. The invitation said 'dress to kill'. I went as Rose West."
"I'm sure wherever my dad is; he's looking down on us. He's not dead, just very condescending."
"Going to Starbucks for coffee is like going to prison for sex. You know you're going to get it, but it's going to be rough."
"To the people who've got iPhones: you just bought one, you didn't invent it!"
"A spa hotel? It's like a normal hotel, only in reception there's a picture of a pebble."
"I've been reading the news about there being a civil war in Madagascar. Well, I've seen it six times and there isn't."
"I started so many fights at my school - I had that attention-deficit disorder. So I didn't finish a lot of them."

Boom-boom.

Your chance to ask top chefs questions you've always wanted to ask

2009-08-25T09:59:49Z

Some of the country's chefs are decending into London for next month's Chef Conference and its your chance to ask the questions you've always wanted to ask.

The event takes place on 28 September at the Jumeriah Carlton Tower in London and will see a stellar line up take part in live interviews and masterclasses.

Topping the bill in a one-on-one on-stage interview is Bray's internationally feted supersonic chef, Heston Blumenthal - famous for his multi-sensory cuisine at his three-Michelin-starred Fat Duck restaurant.

Another three-starred chef, and making her Chef Conference debut, is Spain's Elena Arzak who will be demonstrating with this year's Catey Chef winner Angela Hartnett from Murano.

Michael Caines from Gidleigh Park and Abode Hotels and newly-crowned two Michelin-starred chef Martin Burge from Whatley Manor will hit the stage together in what promises to be a great chef demo.

Other chefs taking part include: Simon Hulstone, chef proprietor, Elephant Restaurant; David Cavalier, food director, Charlton House Catering; John Williams, executive chef, The Ritz, London; Shaun Hill, chef, The Walnut Tree, Abergavenny and Brian Turner, president, Academy of Culinary Arts.

The Chef Conference concludes this year with a lunch at one of three Michelin-starred restaurants in London. Delegates will have a choice from dining at Marcus Wareing at the Berkeley; Phil Howard's the Square and Alain Ducasse at the Dorchester.

All our chefs will be open to questions, and this is where Caterer needs you. If you have a burning question you want to ask any of the chefs, all you need to do is leave your questions on Table Talk and we will field your questions on the day.

If you leave your questions and comments on Table Talk we'll automatically enter your name into a draw to win tickets to the Chef Conference and a lunch of your choice.

So what you are you wating for - leave your question here!