Contents News & Opinion


7 Restaurants still struggling to find skilled staff after industry ‘exodus’ 8 News in brief The week’s top stories 12 Openings The latest hotels and restaurants


Business


18 Cover story The leadership duo at caterer BM on why their partnership is doubling business


26 Making their mark Delegates at The Caterer’s Inspiring Women Lunch discuss how to ensure women are represented fairly in hospitality


34 Small wonders Lack of space doesn’t mean lack of imagination in these chefs’ tiny kitchens


Chef 38 Menuwatch Lyla, Edinburgh


40 Recipe of the week Filo tart of mixed greens and feta from Seasoning by Angela Clutton


Products


42 Cheat sheets Why simple to use and efficient laundry equipment can save time and money


46 Product news What’s happening in the world of suppliers


People


48 Minute on the clock Tom Phillips, chef at Restaurant Story, on preparing for the Bocuse D’Or


FRONT COVER PHOTO: DAVID COTSWORTH Content team If you have a news story, contact: news@thecaterer.com 40 26 12 T


here’s no denying that it has been a difficult start to the year for most operators, but as the weather begins


to turn, could green shoots be emerging in the hospitality sector too? Many operators have told us they’ve bro-


ken even at best for January and February – and most of those have done so with an element of relief. The sentiment expressed is that there may not be profit to be had just yet, but at least we’re here to realise it when the time comes. Operators speaking at last week’s


Northern Restaurant & Bar show in Man- chester certainly sounded an air of opti- mism. Staffing is less of a concern than previously, it was agreed, though San Carlo managing director Marcello Diste- fano admits on page 7 that service levels aren’t as consistent as pre-Covid, adding “we’ve having to turn a blind eye more often than not”. Meanwhile, this week Nightcap boss


Sarah Willingham said she believes hos- pitality has “gone through the worst” of the current economic downturn and could look forward to a more positive future (page 8). The glut of closures at the beginning


of the year have slowed after some high- profile casualties, and having weathered the current storm, operators are begin- ning to move ahead with confidence. There is the looming National Living Wage increase, which will put added pressure on busi- nesses across hospi- tality, but even that can’t dampen spir- its in the short term as operators look to brighter days ahead.


James Stagg Editor


James Stagg Editor


james.stagg@thecaterer.com 07790 192369


Caroline Baldwin Deputy editor


caroline.baldwin@thecaterer.com 07584 429280


Sophie Witts News editor


sophie.witts@thecaterer.com 07786 223325


Jungmin Seo Reporter


jungmin.seo@thecaterer.com 07715 237557


Clare Nicholls


Products and suppliers reporter clare.nicholls@thecaterer.com 07933 519 593


Phone numbers: 0207 881 4800 • Production Production editor Kirsty Utting Art editor Emma Winton Digital content manager – hospitality Maria Mellor The Caterer events Head of events Martha Allardyce + 728 Other contacts Senior marketing manager Meredith Pistulka + 741 Marketing manager Daisy Smith


Marketing coordinator Lauren Boland To place a display advert, contact: + 317 or email advertising@thecaterer.com Commercial director Rob Adam Sales manager Cheryl Townsend + 322 + 309 Account director Tanya Read + 272 To place a job advert, email jobs@thecaterer.com To place a property, classified or The Caterer Directory advert, contact advertising@thecaterer.com UK CEO Stuart Parish Group CEO Duncan Horton Chairman Clive Jacobs


Reader services The following numbers are for enquiries about subscriptions or newsagent copies. For subscriber enquiries/orders/availability of past issues of The Caterer and to order a back copy, contact Tel: 01293 312091 Email: thecaterer@subscriptionhelpline.co.uk Vol 207 No 5,313. The Caterer Subscriptions, Unit 6, The Enterprise Centre, Kelvin Lane, Crawley, West Sussex RH10 9PE www.caterersubs.com Subscription rates UK: £196 for Gold Club (print + digital) or £61.78 for digital-only. Overseas: £208 per year (airmail). Two- and three-year rates are available on request. Cheques should be made payable to “Travel Weekly Group Ltd” Newstrade queries 020 3148 3333: The Caterer is published each Friday. © 2024 Travel Weekly Group Ltd, 52 Grosvenor Gardens, London SW1W 0AU. ISSN 2055-7817. Company registration no: 6927031. VAT registration no: GB972307221. Distributed by Marketforce. Printed by Stephens & George Ltd, Goat Mill Road, Dowlais, Merthyr Tydfil, CF48 3TD. Registered at the Post Office as a newspaper. Classified advertising prepress by CC Media Group.


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