Friday Five: the week's top news
- Thai restaurant Kiln topped the list of the 100 best restaurants in the UK at the 2018 Estrella Damm National Restaurant Awards. The evening also saw chef Raymond Blanc receive a Lifetime Achievement Award, while Nieves Barragan Mohacho won Chef's Chef of the Year. For the full top 100 list click here.
- Former Duck & Waffle chef Dan Doherty has acquired Marylebone pub The Royal Oak, which will reopen on 19 June after a minor refurbishment. The direction of the food offer is yet to be revealed, but Doherty indicated in an Instagram post that he intends to cook there.
- Chef Atul Kochhar has lost his contract with the JW Marriott Marquis hotel in Dubai after posting a tweet claiming Muslims have "terrorised" Hindus in response to a plotline in US TV show Quantico. Kochhar later deleted the tweet and posted an in-depth apology, saying he "deeply regretted" his comments. He is also chef-patron at London's Michelin-starred Benares.
- Last week's major fire at the Mandarin Oriental hotel in London is now believed to have been caused by welding work which set the felt lining of a "planting facade" alight. The site's recent multi-million pound refurbishment saw the installation of a "green living wall" surrounding its inner courtyard. The hotel and its restaurants remain closed until further notice.
- In other awards news three UK restaurants have made the World's 50 Best Restaurants 51-100 list, released ahead of the top 50 countdown on 19 June. Entrants include St John (84), Hedone (82) and The Fat Duck (74), while Lyle's (54th last year) has left the 51-100 list.
For more of this week's news, click here.
