News in brief Foodservice & Restaurants
MARTIN WILLIAMS’ M TO OPEN IN LONDON VICTORIA Former Gaucho managing director Martin Williams is to open his second M restaurant, in London’s Victoria later this year (pictured). The restaurant, members’ club and wine store will be located in the Zig Zag Building alongside a sixth site from tapas group Iberica. M will include two restaurants – M Grill and M Raw. M Grill will specialise in steak, while M Raw will feature tartares, sushi and sashimi. Williams said: “After such a
successful opening in Threadneedle Street, I have been searching for the perfect location to open a new venue. Victoria stuck out as the area that is becoming London’s most exciting creative hub. The demographic of residents and workers in Victoria fits our brand perfectly; it’s a location in which I am sure our multifaceted venue will thrive.”
GRAYSONS SECURES £5M DEAL WITH CHRIST CHURCH SPITALFIELDS Catering firm Graysons has secured a new three-year deal with Grade-I listed building Christ Church Spitalfields, which is expected to generate more than £5m in total turnover. Christ Church Spitalfields is nearing the completion of a refurbishment of both the crypt and Hanbury Hall, and Graysons will be investing in the catering equipment to help create a modern brasserie-style café in the crypt as well as two cafés on Hanbury Street and within the Church gardens on Commercial Street.
More online
www.thecaterer.com
GIGGLING SQUID SET FOR BILLERICAY OPENING Giggling Squid is to open its first venue in Essex next month, taking over a former Cleaver site in Billericay. The 120-cover Billericay site will
open a week after its Guildford restaurant, with openings for Esher in Surrey and Bury St Edmonds in Suffolk planned for later in the year. Andy Laurillard, who founded the Thai chain with his wife Pranee, said: “Opening in Essex has been a crucial stage in our growth plans for quite some time – with its high proportion of City-bound commuters, Billericay is a great location from which to take the brand forward.” The Laurillards have plans to run
70 UK restaurants within the next seven years.
ITSU PLANS 10-15 MORE REGIONAL SITES Asian-inspired fast casual dining brand Itsu is to open another 10-15 regional sites within the next year.
10 | The Caterer | 31 July 2015
The news came as the company, which started life in London, announced that it was to open its 58th site, this time in Reading, on 28 August. The new business is part of Itsu’s
national expansion drive focusing on key regional sites. It will be located on Queen
Victoria Street, and will also be launching a breakfast menu, including a range of hot dishes from porridge to poached eggs, as well as breakfast smoothies and juices.
UK CARE HOMES STRUGGLE WITH FOOD ALLERGEN REGULATIONS More than half of UK care homes find laws on allergens in food challenging to implement, according to a recent survey by Acquire Services. The foodservice buying
consultancy firm revealed that 53% of the care homes surveyed have had to significantly change the way they operate.
This includes updating policies and procedures, training staff
and reworking menus following the introduction of the new food allergen laws in December 2014.
ANDY BEAUMONT APPOINTED EXECUTIVE CHEF AT MOJO THE FOODBAR
Andy Beaumont (pictured) has been appointed as executive head chef of new Newport restaurant
Mojo The FoodBar. The site, developed by Newport
businessman Lewis Lewis and former City investment banker Seng Ming Koh, will open at Clarence Place on 11 August. Beaumont previously worked at the Michelin-starred restaurant Tyddyn Llan under head chef and owner Bryan Webb. He has also worked in key roles at Michelin-starred and three-AA- rosette restaurants, such as the Hambrough on the Isle of Wight,
Lower Slaughter Manor in the Cotswolds and Hammet House in Cardigan, Pembrokeshire.
FIFTH BELGO SITE TO OPEN IN LONDON’S SOHO The Casual Dining Group has opened its fifth Belgo restaurant (pictured), in London’s Soho. Serving the brand’s traditional
range of mussels, frites, rotisserie chicken and Belgian craft beer, the 3,500 sq ft site, located on Old Compton Street, spans two floors and accommodates 150 covers. James Spragg, managing director
of Belgo and Café Rouge, said: “The Old Compton Street site is an opportunistic first addition for many years to the collection of Belgo restaurants, which as a brand are performing strongly and we expect this one to be a big hit too.”
www.thecaterer.com
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76