The Editor's Hospitality Blog

Forthcoming Caterer and Hotekeeper guest editor, Marco Pierre White has been over in the States recently, promoting the US release of his autobiography and, rumour has it, progressing the launch of a Frankie's restaurant in Las Vegas.

Marco's book - called White Slave over here but rebranded as Devil in the Kitchen for our transatlantic chums - has gone down very well. The New York Times review called it a "moving, unaffected, delightfully honest book", and his tour has drawn a lot of media attention.

Most of the journalists despatched to interview the chef have had their questions politely answered and have then headed back to the office to file their copy. But a few, such as Bethany Jean Clement of Seattle's free weekly alternative arts and culture newspaper the Stranger, have been 'Marco-ed'.

Bethany's tale of a boozy session with Marco is sure to enduce alcohol-related flashbacks in anyone else who has spent an evening with the former three Michelin-starred chef and lived to tell the tale. Her description of Marco administering his 'house cocktail' bears repeating.

It involves a champagne flute full of sambuca set afire, extinguished by clamping one's hand over the glass; then the entire contents are gulped down, followed by the inhalation of sambuca fumes through a straw. "Mario [Batali, one presumes] says it's like drinking liquid heroin!" he proclaims more than once. Dinner's over, a crowd of admirers is circled around, supplies materialize, the PR people look stricken, and Marco demonstrates as cameras flash. I sit to his right; it takes very little goading for me to follow suit. It's exhilarating, disgusting, idiotic. During the sucking-of-the-fumes part, Marco leans in, his face inches from mine, shouting, "SUCK HARDER! YOU'RE NOT SUCKING HARD ENOUGH!"

As someone who has carried the Mark of Marco - a champagne flute-shaped blister - on my palm, I can well appreciate how her head felt the following morning.

I'm off to the Hospitality Action Question of Sport dinner at Wembley Stadium tonight. The idea is that guests get wined and dined, check out the stadium's makeover and test their knowledge of sporting trivia, while the industry's charity makes pots of cash.

I'll report back tomorrow on what goes on. Meanwhile, to get in the mood, a few of us have racked our brains to contrive a 'top ten' of sportstars with hospitality connections.

Can you think of any we've missed?

Gordon Ramsay seemed set for a career-making sign-up to Rangers FC, before a cruciate knee ligament changed his plans. Lucky he could cook a bit ...

Terry Venables Current England assistant coach, El Tel once owned a nightclub called Scribes West on Kensington HIgh Street.

Lee Dixon Former Fat Duck shareholder Lee Dixon still co-owns the Riverside Brasserie on Monkey Island.

Frankie Dettori This year's Derby winner lent his name to the chain of restaurants he launched in partnership with Marco Pierre White.

David Coulthard co-owns Monaco's "chic, affordable and accessible" Columbus Hotel with Malmaison mastermind, Ken McCullough.

Sir Alex Ferguson managed Fergie's pub after his playing career ended. Downstairs bar, the Elbow Room was apparently named in honour of his robust style of play.

Together, Sir Ian Botham and Alan Lamb (AKA Beefy and Lamby), are the face of British meat.

Shoeless Joe's Bars may not have worked out, but Victor Ubogu now runs a corporate hospitality company firm that's got a packed summer and autumn schedule.

Roberto di Matteo followed his Chelsea career by opening two restaurants, Friends and Baraonda, a stone's throw from Stamford Bridge.

(... to sound of barrel being scraped ...) Christian minister and erstwhile heavyweight boxing champion of the world, George Foreman is now making the world a thinner place, thanks to his Lean, Mean, Fat-reducing Grilling Machine.