Nanny and would-be Alan Sugar Teen Go-getters

Some Jobsworth in Devon has seen fit to stress that even during school holidays any budding Alan Sugar under 16 may not work before 7.00am or after 7.00pm.

 Big Hospitality, 10th December 2010


A friend of mine started work for me as a kitchen porter at the age of 10, was Kitchen Manager at 17 and Bar Manager at 18 years of age. How many laws did the pair of us break?

Bah, humbug!

Minimum Price Diktat delayed

On Tuesday I reported on items that were likely to be included in the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Bill. In the end the government ducked the issue of minimum pricing for alcohol.
Big Hospitality, 1st December 2010

Six months in the life of a sleb-chef

In breaking news it is reported that Aiden Byrne, the Sleb-chef who opened with such a fanfare at the Hillbark Hotel in Frankby back in July of this year, has kicked it into touch already. He's gone shopping and bought the former Black Horse Hotel in West Kirby - more recently trading as The Collingwood - which is due to re-open this week.

Caterer, 2nd December 2010

Norton Manor Hotel, North Yorkshire

My eye was caught this morning by a headline in a Big Hospitality briefing: Win a restaurant and £10,000 with "We Love Malton". 

I was transported back nearly 20 years to March 1991 when I spent every weekend in Malton. My company, Alehouse Investments Ltd, was running Norton Manor Hotel on behalf of the receivers - I think we had a free tenancy because that worked out cheaper than boarding the place up and having to provide security - Norton being the smaller neighbour of Malton, joined together by a bridge across the Derwent.

I have some very happy memories (not suitable for sharing) along with some sad ones: I had a flaming row there with a co-director who had worked for me since she was only 16 - an argument which proved to be terminal to our friendship. Fawlty Towers had nothing on us!

 The Car Park

The Front, with the conservatory

Main entrance (with my pride and joy: the car!)

Reception, with yours truly in attendance

Rita Bennett, the company book-keeper,

serving customers in the conservatory

Roger Lismore, the manager (and chief cook & bottle washer)

laying up the dining room

 

 One of the 13 bedrooms - the numbers jumped from 12 to 14!

 

Alan Statham, Roger's deputy, in the kitchen

The Bank Holiday Bouncy Castle

What do you mean, I should be kept behind bars?

 

 

The Best Bar In The World

According to Drinks International Magazine, London's Milk & Honey has been judged the best for the second year running. The list makes for very interesting reading though the criteria aren't very clear.....
Big Hospitality, 16th November 2010

Passover: The FSA & The Angel Of Death

The FSA's prized pooch - the Score On Doors scheme - went live yesterday. Apparently - and I take this with a big pinch of koshering salt - over 80% of people they interviewed said that the hygiene standards of a restaurant were more important than price or location. Yeah, right! Who did they question: attendees at an Environmental Health Officers convention or supermarket shoppers wearing Michael Jackson-style face masks, whose trolleys were full of industrial-sized cleaning products?
Morning Advertiser, 30th November 2010

In a fairy story in the bible, my distant ancestors were saved because they slaughtered a lamb and scrawled a bloody cross on their doors; hey, presto, the Angel of Death passed over them.....

Food Inc

 WTF are Food Inc, a repected foodie group in the USA, up to. On their Facebook page they say: "Let your Senators know that the Food Safety Modernization bill is worth their vote. Find out more about the current form of this important bill (which our partner orgs, Barbara Kowalcyk, Michael Pollan, and Eric Schlosser all support) at the link below......"

To the 284 people who've commented, I say:
I'm reading this in the UK and I sincerely hope that in America you have more sense than to allow government agencies to meddle in your lives more than is absolutely necessary. I tried to buy some reduced price onions on sunday - told I couldn't because they were out of date and had to be trashed: in other words I couldn't even have them for free. What sort of world are we living in when a date-stamper tells you what you can and can't eat?

Old School Thai?

Call me a grumpy old cynic by all means: I just read this article about a new "concept" restaurant in Brighton, Street Thai. Big Hospitality, 29th November 2010

It promises "authentic" Thai street food which the manager/executive chef describes as "affordable, simple and super tasty”.  I've googled to try and get an idea of prices but there's absolutely zilch on the net. You can bet a penny to a pound though, I'm sure, that it won't work out much cheaper than flying to Bangkok for the real thing!

Licensing Reforms

Ewan Turney, the web editor of The Morning Advertiser, reports on the likely items to be included in the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Bill to be unveiled tomorrow, the 1st December.

Big Hospitality, 29th November 2010

I wouldn't strongly object to retailers being prevented from selling alcohol at less than the cost of Excise Duty and VAT if that's going to avoid the even stupider proposals to charge a putative 50p per "unit" (you nits?); making bars and clubs contribute towards policing - in many areas of the country high streets would be consist of boarded-up, semi-derelict shops (little or no income in business rates) if it wasn't for the bars, but - heigh-ho - if it gives greater freedom of opening hours then a small levy may be a worthwhile trade off.........Finally, the thorny problem of what to do about under-age drinkers. As one who received a police caution some years ago when I was a joint licensee of a neighbourhood bar which served some kids while I was absent, I don't have a problem in principle with increased fines for persistent offenders but what stuck in my craw then - and still does - is that the real offenders (the kids) got off scot-free and would have been called as prosecution witnesses if I'd contested the action. What sort of idiotic message is that to send out? Don't bother answering......

More tea, Vicar?

 Is nothing sacred? Once upon a time we Brits were proud of our tea ritual: 

"One lump or two?" was about as controversial as it got. Then it all went a bit Boston Tea Party in the 1980s with the Long Island cocktail making its way across the pond. Yes, I hold my hands up - I was one of  the first (at Atmosphere), and it features in my book, "The Cheat's Guide to Good Cocktails". But now we're about to see a glut of shoddy imitations as several companies roll out  the "Tea Liqueur"! 

Morning Advertiser, 26th November 2010

Harrumph!

Samarqand, London W1

AA Gill reviewed this place in The Sunday Times recently and I loved the sound of it so much that I joined their Facebook group - must be my Russian ancestry coming out!

The Handbook, 25th November 2010

The Mythical 24/7 Pub

On the 5th anniversary of the "24-hour" Licensing Act, Brigid Simmonds, the Chief Excutive of the British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA), urged the coalition government not to tinker with existing legislation to appease scaremongers.

The Morning Advertiser, 24th November 2010

How to live the high-life as a student!

I love this story in the Caterer. I acquired the taste for food and booze way beyond my means while I was a student at the Polytechnic of Central London (University of Westminster). I blame one of my first friends there - an ex-public schoolboy with panache and a unique style of his own - for introducing me to all sorts of new cuisines and wines; he recently confessed on LinkedIn that he'd been known to walk out of places without paying if the staff went AWOL when he was ready to shell out! This is another scenario entirely........

Caterer, 23rd November 2010

M&B to dispose of its franchised stock

Having now completed the sale of 333 pubs to Stonegate, M&B is seeking to concentrate exclusively on its 6 food-led themes by further disposals.

Big Hospitality, 15th November 2010

Enterprise Inns to sell Michelin-starred pub

This headline caught my eye for  two reasons: if you were a chef of that standard would you rent a pub tied on barrelage etc - and, secondly, if you were Enterprise Inns would you sell an asset that you could be exploiting for positive PR?

Big Hospitality, 15th November 2010

Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares

Poor Gordon! Not only was he publicly exposed for cheating on his wife but now he's slagging off her dad - whom he recently sacked as CEO of GRH - by writing an open letter to long-suffering Tana's mum. Marcus Wareing, who is about to open a second restaurant, must be watching from the sidelines with a sly grin.

Chris Hutcheson: Caterer, 9th November 2010

Marcus Wareing at the St Pancras Renaissance Hotel: Big Hospitality, 9th November 2010

What tools would you likein your box?

Who understands Corporate-speak?

Greene King are now providing more training for their Business Development Managers: Caterer, 6th October 2010 and "Along with training, business development managers have also been equipped with an extensive range of tools.." Is this to change their tyres when the wheels come off this particular carriage?

Virgin Trains win RSPCA award for breakfasts

 I had to re-read this headline about 10 times before I could even open the article.

 Caterer, 6th October 2010

While local branches of the RSPCA plead poverty and will no longer accept stray dogs

(Wirral Globe, 6th October 2010), is it not out of all proportion for an animal welfare charity to have become so bloated?

A perfect partner for your Sunday "Bloodies"?

I love a good Bloody Mary - particularly with Sunday Brunch, nursing a hangover!

A new range of bitters was created in 2006 by The Bitter Truth, two mixologists from Germany, and includes a Celery Flavour which sounds excellent!

"Cocktail bitters existed in a myriad of flavours centuries ago. Defunct for decades, two talented mixologists travelled the world working for years on the secret recipes to revive these lost ingredients. The Bitter Truth now supply us with award winning cocktail bitters and this time around they please the most discriminating palate, and promise never to disappear again.

Bitters are defined as aromatic oils and essences from fruits, herbs, plants and seeds in an alcohol base used to impart a bittersweet flavour to drinks.

Whereas other brands use glycerine (a chemical compound) The Bitter Truth uses only alcohol for preservation, using only genuine ingredients to achieve the most natural taste.

Lots of important people agree that The Bitter Truth Celery Bitters is a very unique and real flavour; it’s only been back a short time but already it’s garnered lots of awards including "Spirit of the Year" at the Mixology Bar Awards, "SILVER MEDAL" at the Los Angeles International Spirits Competition, most recently scooping the top prize in the Best New Product category at the Tales of the Cocktail® Spirited Awards.  Bartenders have been using them for quite some time and realise the value of a small dash of potent flavour to really put a fresh spin on a well-loved drink.

The Celery Bitters has a very complex and exotic taste, which does not disappoint. The initial flavour of celery is dominant, leading into a complex palate with aromas of lemongrass, orange peel and ginger to give your drink a bit of a kick.

To make your ultra-easy Bloody Mary simply mix your vodka and tomato juice with ice and add 5 dashes of Celery Bitters -  job done, no mess and certainly no complaints!"

WHERE TO BUY: Harvey Nichols Wine Shops nationally; Selfridges; Peckham & Rye, in Scotland - or online at The Drink Shop

Tip Top-up

Unscrupulous employers are continuing to use gratuities to make staff money up to meet NMW, despite legislation introduced a year ago.
Big Hospitality, 1st October 2010

Langan's - The End Of An Era?

Richard Shepherd, the British chef who made traditional dishes like Bangers & Mash and Fishcakes famous, has announced he is selling the restaurant stable he co-founded with the late Peter Langan - according to The Mail On Sunday

Mail On Sunday, 19th September 2010


Today, however, speaking to The Caterer, Shepherd categorically denied the rumour!
Caterer, 20th September 2010

Musical Chairs in Casual Dining

In separate deals, Gondola Holdings - which operates around 380 Pizza Express Restaurants in the UK - has acquired the international franchise arm from TDR Capital and Capricorn Ventures.
Big Hospitality, 17th September 2010

In other news, Nando's Group - which is backed by Capricorn Ventures - has  bought Clapham House, the owner of the Gourmet Burger Kitchen chain.
Big Hospitality, 17th September 2010

And, finally, M&B has bought the Ha Ha Bar & Grill operation from Bay Restaurants.
Big Hospitality, 17th September 2010

CAMRA's Top 16

The best sixteen real-ale pubs in the country are revealed.....
Big Hospitality, 16th September 2010

Its Good Beer Guide of 2011 also reports that the number of breweries operating in Britain has increased sevenfold since CAMRA was formed in 1971.
Caterer, 16th September 2010

Conference Pair

Cains Brewery have teamed up with the Jurys Inn Hotel to promote their beers to the Lib-Dem Conferees.

Liverpool Daily Post, 15th September 2010

The Man With The Big Ego?

In breaking news, Luke Johnson - formerly of Pizza Express, My Kinda Town, Belgo etc (and Chairman of Channel 4) - has acquired majority stake in Ego.

Caterer, 14th September 2010

The Liverpool Food & Drink Festival - A Critique

I went to the opening of the Liverpool Food & Drink Festival yesterday with high hopes but was somewhat underwhelmed. I didn't see any signage by Sefton Park, and certainly no directions to the entrance at all.

Although the event was scheduled to start at 10.30am, with the first Chef's demonstration  half-an-hour later, when we arrived at 11.00am there was a huge queue; we weren't expecting to pay but assumed we'd been mistaken - what other reason could there be? 

After about five minutes someone in a hi-viz jacket came along to inform us that if we didn't want a goodie-bag we could jump the queue - we, and about half the rest, did precisely that.

Once inside the perimeter we decided to work our way round the stalls, stopping at anything that took our fancy: Liverpool restaurants were very well-represented - most of them offering snack food between three and five pounds a portion - but very little else. There was one butcher (nothing on display), little bits of delicatessen - Pam and I enquired about some nice-looking bread on one of the restaurant stands, but at 3 quid a loaf we didn't buy - and some decent teas from The Leaf Tea Shop & Bar (I came away with 50g of Lapsang Souchong at £2.65). No greengrocers present, no fishmongers or cheesemongers (though there was a lecture on cheese), and no dedicated charcuterie.

The Daily Post reports that around 40,000 people attended - I certainly didn't see that many. Grouses on the festival's Facebook page focus on lack of disabled parking and poor access - the ground was a bit waterlogged after the torrential rain in the night.

It took us less than an hour to do the full circuit - I was hungry (hungover) and the only cuisine that took my fancy was the West Indian stall. I thought the Jerk Chicken with Peas 'n' Rice (£4.50) was passable - Mal and Pam were both of the opinion that the meat should have been marinated and cooked longer for longer and was not hot enough (temperature, not spiciness). As caterer I'm inclined to be more sympathetic to the logistics of cooking in a field but I would have preferred the more authentic goat.

I do sincerely wish them well but I harbour this disloyal suspicion - shared by Malcolm - that the Manchester Food & Drink Festival will be an altogether much more impressive affair.

Liverpool Daily Post, 13th September 2010 

The Freemasons Gastro pub, Wiswell Nr Clitheroe - reviewed by Sarah Moore

Sarah says: "I can't recommend highly enough The Freemasons. Service, ambience, wine list and menu are exceptional! Never in the North West have I seen pub food this good!"

 Just to get your mouth watering!

Tandoori prawns with saffron and mango puree

 

 Pate

 

 Scallops

 

Asparagus & Pea Puree

Sous-vide Medium-rare Fillet, with buttered spinach & mixed mushrooms

 

Goosnargh Duck, Kumquat & Peach

 

 Yum!

 

Triple cooked chips and peppercorn sauce

 

 

Walnut whip meringues with pineapple jelly

 

Blackcurrant souffle

 

 Treacle Tart

 

 Shortbread

 

Breakfast at Wetherspoons

Not quite the same ring as "Breakfast At Tiffany's"! Could you confuse Wetherspoons for a greasy spoon, if it comes to that? 'Spoons are reportedly now selling over 400,000 breakfasts a week since they started opening at 7.00am in April.
Liverpool Daily Post, 10th September 2010

Freshers Fiasco?

I am not a killjoy! I spent most of student days (and nights) in an advanced state of intoxication - that's what higher education is all about, for God's sake! But with all the talk of mandatory minimum pricing per alcohol unit - a ludicrous proposal which may have the opposite effect to its intended aim - how stupid can a major trade supplier be in needlessly antagonising the health polizei! I'm talking about the new Bookers Binge Promotion.......

Morning Advertiser, 7th September 2010