Friday Five: the week's top news
- London-based Istanbulite restaurant Zahter has announced the passing of its founder and head chef Esra Muslu. In a statement posted on social media, the restaurant confirmed the chef’s death, describing her as a ‘vibrant spirit’ with ‘unwavering positivity’. The statement reads: “Today, we mourn the passing of Esra, the visionary founder and head chef of Zahter restaurant. “Her vibrant spirit and unwavering positivity touched us all. “With heavy hearts, we share the news of her peaceful departure this morning. “Her legacy will forever live on in our hearts. Our thoughts and deepest condolences go out to her family and friends during this difficult time.” No information on the cause of death has been provided and it is unclear at this time whether Zahter will remain open in the wake of Muslu’s passing.
- Jamie Oliver is considering launching a restaurant and bakery within his £6m Essex mansion house. In an interview with the Evening Standard, the celebrity chef, campaigner and restaurateur said that there were parts of Spain Hall that he wanted to develop. “In theory, we will run a restaurant from here and a bakery,” he told the London paper. “We’re building a studio for production and a new cookery school and I want to eventually open it up to the public in some shape or form. This place is big enough to handle that and, as much as we love having complete privacy, houses like this need to be kept alive by being part of the community.”
- Harrods has announced the complete line-up for its soon to be relaunched The Dining Hall. As previously reported, Masayoshi ‘Masa’ Takayama will be the headline act, but the largely US-based sushi master will be joined by three other high-profile international chefs. First up is ramen-specialist Neha Mishra. Her Kinoya Ramen Bar is coming to London following success in Dubai, with the restaurant currently rated 7th in the Middle East & Africa 50 Best Restaurants list. Next is Assembly Mezze & Skewers from celebrated Greek-born-but-Canada-raised chef Athanasios Kargatzidis. The 25-cover site will offer a luxury take on mezze with a focus on grill and flame cookery and will join Kargatzidis’ existing restaurants in Beirut, Dubai and Portugal. Finally, two-Michelin-star Verona-based chef Giancarlo Perbellini will collaborate with Pasta Evangelists, which already operates a 28-seat pasta bar in the Dining Hall.
- Brunswick House and Orasay chef Jackson Boxer will launch a ‘long term residency’ within Selfridges The Corner restaurant towards the end of the month. Jackson Boxer at The Corner will offer an ‘exclusive experimental, seasonal menu’ and will replace honey-focused restaurant concept Hive. Dishes will include gildas made with fermented baby beetroot, pickled mushroom and smoked eel; iced langoustine tail with a mayonnaise made from the roasted heads and shell and a salsa of shallots and green chilli; and a fried veal sandwich.
- Auditors have warned of a ‘material uncertainty’ over the future of Pizza Hut Restaurants as it looks to refinance almost £31m of its £73m debt pile. Heart with Smart, the operator of Pizza Hut Restaurants in the UK, has confirmed it is currently negotiating with its lenders to refinance £30.9m of loan notes and its lending covenants. In its latest accounts filed to Companies House, the group, which is also a franchisee for east Asian chain Itsu, revealed that due to ‘unprecedented inflationary pressures’ attributed to the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, the directors of the company anticipated a potential breach of its covenants and have agreed a temporary revised covenant structure for 2023.
