Casual Dining

The Lowdown: World Mental Health Day

04-Oct-2018 By Stefan Chomka

Top chef Sat Bains is encouraging the industry to get behind World Mental Health Day.

Former St. John executive chef Chris Gillard to launch Hackney restaurant

04-Oct-2018 By Georgia Bronte

The former executive chef of St. John will launch a restaurant next month in collaboration with Village Underground founder Auro Foxcroft.

Jamie's Italian to finish repaying creditors this month

04-Oct-2018 By Sophie Witts

Jamie’s Italian expects to complete the terms of its Company Voluntary Agreement (CVA) and finish paying its creditors this month.

How I Got Here: Dan Nathan

04-Oct-2018 By Joe Lutrario

Dan Nathan launched Beef & Brew with former Murano chef Jessica Simmons in 2015. A second site opened in Haggerston earlier this year.

The Restaurant Group is ready to dispose of another nine sites

03-Oct-2018 By Georgia Bronte

The Restaurant Group (TRG) has put nine more of its sites on the market following the successful sale of 31 of its other properties.

Latest opening: Kym’s

03-Oct-2018 By Stefan Chomka

Andrew Wong's long awaited Chinese restaurant has opened its doors at the City's Bloomberg Arcade.

Scandi smokehouse Rök closes original Shoreditch site

03-Oct-2018 By Georgia Bronte

Scandinavian casual dining restaurant Rök has closed its original restaurant and canned plans to launch a central London site.

Alex Rushmer to open new Cambridge restaurant in 2019

03-Oct-2018 By Sophie Witts

Chef Alex Rushmer is to open a new restaurant in Cambridge next spring, after closing his two-AA-rosette site The Hole in the Wall last year.

COMMENT

COMMENT: "I welcome the news that all tips will legally have to be handed to staff"

03-Oct-2018 By Neil Forbes

The government's plans to ban restaurants from deducting money from staff tips is a positive move, says Neil Forbes, chef director at Cafe St Honore in Edinburgh

Costa advert banned for criticising avocados

03-Oct-2018 By Sophie Witts

A Costa advert has been banned for suggesting that avocados are a “poor breakfast choice”.

Henry Wadsworth from Le Manoir is the Young National Chef of the Year

03-Oct-2018 By Georgia Bronte

Henry Wadsworth from Belmond Le Manoir Aux Quat’Saisons has been named the Young National Chef of the Year (YNCOTY) at the Restaurant Show.

Kuba Winkowski wins National Chef of the Year

03-Oct-2018 By Joe Lutrario

Kuba Winkowski, the head chef of The Feathered Nest Inn was crowned The National Chef of the Year at The Restaurant Show last night.

Restaurant Radar: October

02-Oct-2018 By Joe Lutrario

We round-up some of the key openings to keep an eye on this month, including Emily Roux’s restaurant debut and Mana, an ambitious Manchester restaurant from former Noma chef Simon Martin.

Gordon Ramsay on Michelin: “Pressure is healthy”

02-Oct-2018 By Sophie Witts

Gordon Ramsay has said being a “control freak” helped him maintain a three Michelin-starred rating for 17 years.

Food Made Good Awards 2018 winners revealed

02-Oct-2018 By Joe Lutrario

Nando’s, JD Wetherspoon and Bristol’s Poco Tapas Bar were among the food businesses honoured at the Food Made Good Awards 2018 last night.

Marcus Wareing's Berkeley Hotel restaurant loses second star

01-Oct-2018 By Sophie Witts

Marcus Warering’s eponymous restaurant at The Berkeley Hotel has lost its second Michelin star.

The second-best bar in the world announces its plans to close

01-Oct-2018 By Georgia Bronte

Ryan Chetiyawardana’s will close his award-winning Southbank cocktail bar Dandelyan after four years, with plans to repurpose its site.

Michelin to announce new 2019 stars today

01-Oct-2018 By Sophie Witts

Michelin is to announce the new starred restaurants entering its 2019 Great Britain and Ireland guide later today (1 October).

Mercato Metropolitano makes moves on Mayfair

01-Oct-2018 By Georgia Bronte

Mercato Metropolitano will launch a sustainable retail and dining market in a Grade-I listed former church.

Government to ban restaurants from taking cut of staff tips

01-Oct-2018 By Sophie Witts

Restaurants will be legally banned from deducting money from staff tips under plans to be announced by Theresa May today (1 October).

Pret CEO promises 'meaningful change' following inquest into girl's death

28-Sep-2018 By Stefan Chomka

Pret a Manger CEO Clive Schlee has promised ‘meaningful change’ following the inquest into the death of Natasha Ednan-Laperouse, who died after buying a sandwich at one its outlets in Heathrow Airport in 2016.

Michelin announces Bib Gourmand winners for its 2019 guide

28-Sep-2018 By Stefan Chomka

Michelin has awarded 27 new Bib Gourmands in its 2019 Michelin Guide for UK & Ireland, bringing the total awarded by the red book to 143.

Friday Five: the week's top news

28-Sep-2018 By Georgia Bronte

We round up the hospitality stories you might have missed this week

Latest opening: Maison Bab

28-Sep-2018 By Georgia Bronte

Maison Bab is the latest operator to join the ever-expanding Covent Garden restaurant hub.

Rousset and Devaney launch hospitality members club

28-Sep-2018 By Stefan Chomka

Membership applications for Trade, the new club for the hospitality industry founded by Master Sommeliers Xavier Rousset and Gearoid Devaney, will open on 1 October.

How I got here: Arjun Varma

27-Sep-2018 By Georgia Bronte

Arjun Varma founded the Indian restaurant Vama in Chelsea, as well as the V8 Gourmet restaurant group. His newest project, Indian restaurant Chakra in Kensington, is set to launch a major expansion drive.

Brewdog scraps plans for 'pro Trump' beer giveaway

27-Sep-2018 By Stefan Chomka

Brewdog has scrapped plans for a week-long collaboration with Atlanta-based brewery Scofflaw following a number of complaints on social media.

The Lowdown: instagrammable recipe kits

27-Sep-2018 By Stefan Chomka

Chef Skye Gyngell has collaborated on a home food recipe kit for the Instagram generation

The Coconut Tree to double in size as part of 'mini rollout'

27-Sep-2018 By Finn Scott-Delany

Sri Lankan street food brand The Coconut Tree is eyeing a “mini rollout” that its founders says will preserve the authenticity of the brand.

Michelin-starred Chinese restaurant group to launch three-storey St James's flagship

26-Sep-2018 By Georgia Bronte

Chinese restaurant group Imperial Treasure is expanding out of Asia, and is set to open its first restaurants in Europe starting with a London launch this year.

Loafing around: nine bread trends

25-Sep-2018 By Georgia Bronte

From next level Indian breads and burger buns made from croissant dough to clever use of leftovers, Restaurant brings you the key bread (and butter) trends of 2018.

D&D London on bringing ‘vibes’ to New York’s Columbus Circle

25-Sep-2018 By Sophie Witts

The original Bluebird restaurant opened more than 20 years ago in Chelsea, now the D&D concept has taken flight to New York with a 100-cover site in the Time Warner building above Columbus Circle. Chairman and CEO Des Gunewardena explains the logic.

D&D London: “Bad Brexit will shift growth overseas”

25-Sep-2018 By Sophie Witts

A poorly managed Brexit could see D&D London shift its attention to overseas growth in the future, according to its chairman and CEO.

Usain Bolt to open a Jamaican restaurant in London

24-Sep-2018 By Georgia Bronte

The world’s fastest runner, Usain Bolt, will launch the first UK iteration of his Jamaican restaurant chain next month.

Ernst Van Zyl calls time on plans to open Restaurant Klok

24-Sep-2018 By Georgia Bronte

Chef Ernst Van Zyl has canned plans to open a restaurant in Stockport and will close the Just Giving page he had set up to finance the launch.

Welsh restaurant asks to hand back Michelin star

21-Sep-2018 By Sophie Witts

The Checkers restaurant in Montgomery, Wales, has asked to “hand back” its Michelin star ahead of a change in the direction of the business.

Friday Five: the week's top news

21-Sep-2018 By Sophie Witts

We round-up some of the top hospitality stories you might have missed this week

Healthy competition: Gary Jones and David Mulcahy on National Chef of the Year 2019

21-Sep-2018 By Joe Lutrario & Sophie Witts

The National Chef of the Year (NCOTY) 2019 chairman of judges and competition director on the importance of cooking competitions and their tips for the 10 finalists.

Tossed reaps benefits of turning restaurants cashless

21-Sep-2018 By Sophie Witts

The food and commercial director of Tossed has said its “controversial” decision to become cashless has resulted in “massive benefits” for its restaurants.

Gaucho CVA given the green light

21-Sep-2018 By Mark Wingett

Gaucho has received approval from the majority of its creditors for its Company Voluntary Arrangement (CVA) plan.

How I got here: Thom Elliot

20-Sep-2018 By Joe Lutrario

Thom Elliot founded Pizza Pilgrims with brother James in 2012. The pair now operate nine locations in London and a restaurant in Oxford.

Firezza founder to relaunch Santa Maria's Ealing pub

20-Sep-2018 By Georgia Bronte

Ealing-based Neapolitan pizza business Santa Maria has partnered with Firezza co-founder Edin Basic to relaunch the Red Lion pub.

Does your online reputation hang in the balance?

20-Sep-2018 By Restaurant Magazine

Restaurants must harness the power of the internet if they want to boost and maintain their reputation

"Prezzo lost its focus" says executive chairwoman

20-Sep-2018 By Finn Scott-Delany

Prezzo executive chair Karen Jones says she is on a mission to restore the struggling Italian brand and “make customers love it again”.

Restaurateur jailed for running companies despite ban

19-Sep-2018 By Sophie Witts

A restaurateur who oversaw three London sites has been jailed for 14 months after continuing to run companies despite a previous ban.

Veggie Pret is coming to Manchester

19-Sep-2018 By Sophie Witts

Pret A Manger is to open its first vegetarian-only store in Manchester next month.

Hummus Bros collapsed after failed bid to expand off the high street

18-Sep-2018 By Sophie Witts

Hummus Bros went in to administration after its owners failed to raise funding to expand the brand away from the high street, according to the administrator’s report.

Michelin Guide names its new international director

17-Sep-2018 By Sophie Witts

Gwendal Poullennec has been named as the new international director of the Michelin Guides.

Giraffe and Ed's Easy Diner partner with Tesco to launch retail range

17-Sep-2018 By Georgia Bronte

Boparan Restaurant Group (BRG) has entered into a partnership with supermarket chain Tesco for the launch of the debut retail ranges from two of its popular brands.

Richard Caring: "Bill's needed help"

17-Sep-2018 By Mark Wingett

Richard Caring says he received approaches for Bill’s last year, but that he didn’t think the all-day dining restaurant group was “dressed well enough to be sold” and that “it needed help”.