Restaurant Industry News - January/February 2022

R estaurant Industry News

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022

www.restaurantindustry.co.uk

New Year, New Kitchen with Alliance Online - See P.14

COCKTAIL BAR ‘PINCH’ OPENS IN FITZROVIA

INTERVIEW: ADAM CARR, CESAR BRETON & CHEF KERTH GUMBS Pali Hill, Fitzrovia warms up for winter...

CHEF STUART GILLIES TO OPEN NUMBER EIGHT Temporary Kitchens and Foodservice Equipment from MK-Hire

Restaurant Design Project: DANZA Restaurant & Wine Bar

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CONTENTS

FEATURES

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022

18

NEWS 09

Interview: Adam Carr, Cesar Breton & Chef Kerth Gumbs

22

Just the treat: Caffè Concerto opens at 143 Long Acre

29 Restaurant Design Project: DANZA Restaurant & Wine Bar

CONTACTS Editor Maria Lapthorn – editor@restaurantindustry.co.uk Editorial Assistant Francesca Amato – editorial@restaurantindustry.co.uk

Chef Stuart Gillies to open Number Eight

33

Production/Design Laura Whitehead – design@restaurantindustry.co.uk Sales Executive Abi Ashworth – sales@restaurantindustry.co.uk Accounts Richard Lapthorn – accounts@restaurantindustry.co.uk Circulation Manager Leo Phillips – subs@restaurantindustry.co.uk Phone: 01843 808 115

Website: www.restaurantindustry.co.uk Twitter: @ri_social

Lapthorn Media Ltd: 5-7 Ozengell Place,

Eurokent Business Park, Ramsgate, Kent, CT12 6PB

La Bodega launches permanent ‘limitless lunch’ menu Every effort is made to ensure the accuracy and reliability of material published in Restaurant Industry News however, the publishers accept no responsibility for the claims or opinions made by advertisers, manufactures or contributors. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, mechanical, electronic (including photocopying) or stored in any information retrieval system without the prior consent of the publisher.

January/February 2022 | Restaurant Industry News | 03

LATEST NEWS

LAHPET TO BRING THEIR BOLD BURMESE FLAVOURS TO LONDON’S WEST END IN 2022 Lahpet, the popular Burmese restaurant in Shoreditch from Dan Anton and Zaw Mahesh, are bringing their unique and modern take on authentic Burmese cuisine to Covent Garden this February. Lahpet West End, their second site, will serve their well-loved classics alongside new regional specialities, and dishes inspired by the street food of the cities of Myanmar.

Translated from Burmese as ‘tea’, Lahpet was founded by Dan and Zaw, who are keen to shine a light on their shared Burmese heritage and the exciting flavours of Myanmar.

With a rich and diverse culture, Myanmar’s varied cuisine is influenced by many ethnic groups and regions, such as Kachin, Shan and Chin states, all of which have their own distinctive flavours and cooking methods but are also noticeably accented by the countries they border; most notably; Thailand, China and India.

WOKING WELCOMES TWO NEW F&B BRANDS Woking Shopping, comprising the Peacocks Centre and Wolsey Place, has announced the opening of The Tea Terrace Restaurant & Tea Room, as well as the imminent opening of its sister brand’s debut restaurant The Ol’ West Grill & Diner. Located adjacent to one another on the upper concourse of the Peacocks Centre in Woking, next door to Primark, the two restaurant brands are the brainchild of husband-andwife duo Rowena and Ehab Shouly, and bolster Woking Shopping’s rapidly growing and varied F&B offering.

Established in 2009, the Shouly entrepreneurs founded The Tea Terrace with the aim of reinventing the concept of English tea rooms, making the tradition of enjoying afternoon tea more affordable than offerings at five-star luxury hotels. They have been successfully operating four branches of The Tea Terrace in Guildford, Cobham and Central London, with the London branches being located in Oxford Street and on Victoria Street.

Located adjacent to The Tea Terrace, Shouly Enterprises will also be opening the first restaurant of their new brand, The Ol’ West Grill & Diner, in December.

Occupying a 2,523 sq ft unit with space for 55 covers, the debut Wild West-themed American steakhouse, grill and diner will serve high-quality Argentinian steaks as well as gourmet Wagyu beef burgers and a huge range of delicious Tex-Mex starters, main courses and desserts.

The news follows the announcement of the opening of independent refill shop Bare + Fair at 52 Peacocks Centre and the signing of a new 5000 sq ft Tesco store at 31-33 Commercial Way, due to open later this year.

JLL and Nash Bond acted for Woking Shopping. Shouly Enterprises dealt direct.

04 | Restaurant Industry News | January/February 2022

The menu at Lahpet West End has been developed by Burmese born chef, Zaw Mahesh, and will combine old Lahpet favourites with new dishes, using seasonal British produce and native ingredients imported from Myanmar. New to Lahpet West End will be a large robata grill, serving a wide variety of grilled dishes, meat and vegetable skewers (Akin), plus a new selection of Burmese regional and street food dishes. New dishes will include the likes of Roasted pork belly & bamboo shoots (Wet thar myit chin), made with shallot, fermented soya bean paste (Paé pote), garlic and chilli; and Rakhine fish noodle soup (Rakhine monti); a spicy and sour soup, cooked with fermented fish paste (Ngapi), chilli, tamarind and black pepper.

On the new opening, Dan and Zaw commented ‘We’re thrilled to be opening our second restaurant in the heart of the West End, it’s a fantastic site with huge potential. We can’t wait to get the doors open and to have the opportunity to introduce more of the varied and vibrant food of Myanmar to London’

LATEST NEWS

BOUNDARY LONDON UNDER NEW OWNERSHIP WITH PLANS UNDERWAY FOR AN EXTENSIVE RENOVATION PROJECT Founder of Harcourt Inns, James McCulloch has purchased Shoreditch icon, The Boundary. The venue is currently widely celebrated for its rooftop, 17 individually designed rooms, dramatic basement restaurant & events space and street-facing Albion Café.

Under its new ownership, The Boundary will enter a new era in 2022, complete with an extensive refurbishment of

the ground floor which will become a destination all-day bar and restaurant.

With one of the best addresses in East London, The Boundary has been a long-time destination for local residents, workers and travellers alike. Housed within a converted Victorian warehouse with prime facades overlooking Redchurch and Boundary Streets, the

opportunity to open up the space and transform it into a sought-after drinking and dining destination poses an exciting opportunity for James McCulloch.

James McCulloch founded Harcourt Inns in 2014, with the acquisition and refurbishment of The Harcourt in Marylebone. James subsequently went on to develop The Three Cranes in the City, The Coach in Clerkenwell, The Hero of Maida in Maida Vale, The Crown in Chiswick and KPH in Notting Hill. The group has been widely recognised and received critical acclaim for its approach to pub dining, warm hospitality and comfortable rooms.

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January/February 2022 | Restaurant Industry News | 05

COMPANY NEWS

CHOPPALUNA GROWTH PLANS INCLUDE TEN NEW RESTAURANTS ACROSS THE UK IN 2022 Choppaluna has officially announced plans to open ten new restaurants across the UK in 2022.

The fast, fresh, food-to-go and dine-in brand is the latest concept to come from the Hero Brands group,

which also includes German Doner Kebab and Island Poké.

Following the success of its London Bloomsbury and Berlin restaurants over the past two years, the brand is forging ahead with plans to open restaurants in London High Holborn in Q1 of next year, in Glasgow in Q2, along with Edinburgh, Manchester, Oxford, Birmingham and Cambridge following later in the year with further locations to be announced.

Hero Brands is focused on building the food brands of the future and brings a leadership team assembled from the world’s leading global food and beverage brands.

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TOP ENGRAVER SUPPORTS HOSPITALITY SECTOR WITH FAST TURN AROUND FOR ETCHED TABLE NUMBERS AND QR DISCS One of the UK’s leading commercial and industrial engraving specialists, Brunel Engraving, is providing a rapid response to the growing demand for etched table numbers and QR code discs in the pub and catering industry.

The company has made a substantial investment in additional state of the art engraving equipment and related software in order to produce a wide range of individually engraved table numbers and discs.

The numbers and disks enable customers to link to Apps or menus, reducing staff contact and eliminating the requirement for hard copies of menus.

Although no longer a legal requirement to order remotely, this is something which the government is still

actively encouraging and can improve table service through the reduction of queues.

Brunel was one of the first companies to help kick start the British hospitality industry, providing numbers, discs, PPE visors and distancing floor stencils for use in public areas when businesses first opened their doors to the public again.

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COMPANY NEWS

RATIONAL HELPS BOMBAY EXPRESS SET THE NEW STANDARDS FOR INDIAN RESTAURANT COOKING “You need to embrace new technology to survive” says Rehan Uddin.

old school menus often over-rely on onion, which can leave customers feeling bloated.”

“We’ve built what we call a smart food experience at the Bombay Express.

The last couple of years have been tough for the foodservice industry. The pandemic has deepened many of the issues that it faced beforehand, including staff and skill shortages and the need to reduce running costs while continuing to deliver top quality food to customers. Rehan Uddin, owner of Torquay’s popular Bombay Express restaurant and managing director of the Asian Restaurant Owners Network (ARON), is certain that modern equipment, like Rational’s cooking systems, allows businesses to meet these challenges.

From its beginnings as a “fairly traditional” Indian restaurant, Rehan has spent the past eleven years refining his menu and looking for new technology that helps him work smarter and faster. In 2017 he began investigating what modern multifunctional cooking systems were available.

“We’re always looking for innovative new dishes to serve that you can’t get anywhere else, as well as providing options for a range of different dietary requirements. We need powerful and adaptable equipment.” www.rational-online.com

“Our Rational systems let just two people have the same output as a much larger kitchen, in a fraction of the time,” says Rehan. “When should you introduce new technology and embrace new ways of doing things? Right now.”

One of the big issues faced by Indian restaurants is an unwillingness to adapt to modern practices, Rehan believes. “Many Indian restaurants in the UK haven’t really changed in sixty years,” he says.

“They have a lot of staff, so the overheads are huge. Traditional equipment like Tandoor ovens require specialised skills to use, which takes a lot of training, and the

CAMDEN MARKET HAWLEY WHARF FULL OF BEANS WITH SIGNING OF EXPERIENTIAL CAFÉ LabTech, the leading London property investment company, and owners of the world-famous Camden Market, has announced the signing of Exmouth Coffee Roasters, the London-based artisan specialty coffee roaster and café brand, at Camden Market Hawley Wharf.

Exmouth Coffee Roasters is a community-focused coffee brand, founded in East London in 2013. The brand operates a Roastery and a handful of coffee shops, across Clerkenwell’s Exmouth Market and Whitechapel, but also works with clients to both educate on specialty coffee preparation and equipment, and help establish new coffee shops.

They will be launching their ‘Grounded’ concept at Camden Market Hawley Wharf in the first quarter of 2022, their second such café in London.

Grounded offers classic breakfast and brunch dishes all day, from a Full English to Eggs Benedict, omelettes, and pancakes, with a comprehensive vegetarian and vegan menu. The café will also have a dedicated bar for an interactive coffee-tasting experience. Customers here will be able to enjoy a coffee brewed to their preferred method, choosing from a large selection of blends and single origins, while watching the process of beans being freshly roasted in a bespoke Giesen Coffee Roaster, from Spring 2022.

Colliers and CBRE represent Camden Market Hawley Wharf.

January/February 2022 | Restaurant Industry News | 07

OPENINGS

LISBOETA TO OPEN AT 30 CHARLOTTE STREET, SPRING 2022 A Portuguese restaurant by Nuno Mendes The city of Lisbon; style, design, food and culture captured between four walls by London based Portuguese chef, Nuno Mendes. As Nuno returns to London he brings with him his own discoveries and secrets from Lisbon’s wonderful food and wine scene, that have both inspired him on his journey and reflect the rhythm of Lisbon today. LISBOETA opens at 30 Charlotte Street, spring 2022.

Lisboeta - which literally means “a person from Lisbon’’ and sums up the lifestyle, tradition and emotion of belonging - will give guests the chance to dine like a Lisboeta; sharing and participating in the ebb and flow of relaxed Lisbon life. From enjoying traditional and non-traditional ‘petiscos’ (little plates of this and that) with a glass of Portuguese wine from an exciting new producer to lunch and dinner served ‘Tasca style’ in a fun and lively environment. The cellar will be home to a unique kitchen dining space that aims to bring to life the exciting culinary inventions that are happening across Lisbon, in a dynamic and immersive space.

All this under one charming Fitzrovia townhouse roof.

“LISBOETA is my love letter to Lisbon, the city I grew up in and the place I call home.

I’m excited to share with London everything that makes it such a special city. LISBOETA embodies the very spirit of Lisbon, in an informal yet informative dining space, that showcases the young, vibrant food culture, produce, wine and the gastronomic heritage of my home, in a playful and thoughtful way.” Nuno Mendes Set across three floors, Nuno has worked closely with his friend and architect Joao Guedes Ramos, to transport Lisbon to London. Guedes, who has offices in both Lisbon and London was well placed to reimagine what a Lisboeta in London could be. A traditional awning will line the front

08 | Restaurant Industry News | January/February 2022

of the three-story blue-washed Charlotte Street townhouse; inside a ground floor inspired by café culture will feature a long, seated bar built from repurposed tram wood and topped with limestone sourced from Lisbon. Upstairs, banquette seats will flank the whitewashed walls of the dining room creating an elegant setting for lunch and dinner. Following later in the year, ‘The Adega’, will be a unique space overlooking the glass fronted kitchen and extensive wine cellar in the basement.

Where in Lisbon the rhythm of the day revolves around mealtimes, LISBOETA’s menu will follow the culinary clock from midday to late evening. Lunch and dinner will be a communal affair with large sharing dishes for the table inspired by the popular ‘tasca’ (casual Portuguese eatery, often family run) of Lisbon, all with Nuno’s original take. The wine list will reflect this unique Lisbon fare focusing on local producers in the Lisboa and sub regions, highlighting long-standing wine makers alongside key players in the new scene.

Lisboeta will be a collaboration between Nuno Mendes and MJMK Restaurants, who as well as its own-brand concepts including Casa do Frango and Bar La Rampa, last year opened the critically acclaimed KOL Restaurant and KOL Mezcaleria.

Lisboeta will open at 30 Charlotte Street in spring 2022

OPENINGS

JUST THE TREAT: CAFFÈ CONCERTO OPENS AT 143 LONG ACRE Longmartin Properties Ltd, a joint venture between Shaftesbury and the Mercers’ Company, has announced the new opening of Italian restaurant, Caffè Concerto for 143 Long Acre, at the entrance to Covent Garden and restaurant destination, The Yards.

Caffè Concerto’s 4,000 sq ft venue, set across three floors, has a piano on the first floor where there will be a programme of live music with various

artists invited, providing guests with the elegant experience Caffè Concerto has become known for.

Catering to 180 covers Caffè Concerto offers an extensive menu of Italian classics and afternoon teas. The menu also includes sharing towers such as the Cicchetti Tower, which can be enjoyed between two guests from the selection of pasta, risottos and gnocchi. This draws on an Italian tradition of sharing

Cicchetti plates, which are small plates of food served in “bacari” bars.

Guests can also choose to share afternoon tea towers, featuring a selection of luxury sandwiches, cakes and treats all with teas from their world selection and a glass of prosecco.

The opening follows the recent launch of Italian pasta restaurant miscusi at 23 Slingsby Place, their first in the world outside of Italy.

CBRE is the asset manager on behalf of Longmartin Properties Ltd and Caffè Concerto dealt direct.

PAVILION, A NEW DELI WITH A DIFFERENCE, HAS JUST LAUNCHED IN HENLEY-ON-THAMES, OXFORDSHIRE The chef-led food store is a celebration of local and artisan produce and focuses on delicious food, community and education Pavilion, a new deli with a difference, has just opened its doors in the historic market town of Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire. The first site under the Pavilion Foods brand, at its heart is a vast open kitchen, from which chefs create products for the store’s own shelves and fridges. They also prepare delicious dishes for customers to take away as a picnic, for a night in or for serving at a dinner party.

For the fine food store, Pavilion’s buyers have spent months scouring the locality

and beyond for the finest authentic produce and products from charcuterie, smoked fish and cheeses to teas and coffees and a carefully curated selection of notable beers, ciders, wines and spirits.

The skilled kitchen team, led by Head Chef Tania Steytler – formerly of Severn & Wye Smokery, Westbury on Severn, and Jeow Jeow, London – skillfully creates unique dishes to be taken away or enjoyed on site at what will quickly become a Henley must-visit. Dishes from the rôtisserie include Porchetta made from Gloucester Old Spot pork slathered with herbs and citrus; or vegan treats such as Miso-roasted celeriac with a nutty salsa romesco. “Our aim is to

provide our customers with restaurantstandard food, drawing on global flavours, that they can easily enjoy at home,” Tania says.

Pavilion is the brainchild of Henley resident, Micah Judah, a food lover and Le Cordon Bleu alumnus with many years’ experience in food retail. He sees Pavilion not just as a shop, but as an experience and a way of inspiring and educating people through food.

“At a time when people are trading bricks for clicks, I strongly believe in supporting our high streets through delivering food theatre,” he says. “Our ethos at Pavilion is very much about forging a community through food.”

January/February 2022 | Restaurant Industry News | 09

OPENINGS

COCKTAIL BAR ‘PINCH’ OPENS IN FITZROVIA Situated in the heart of Fitzrovia, Pinch is a brand-new bar that combines expertly made cocktails and delicious tapas with an innovative modern take on Ukrainian vodka infusions, bringing a new style of drinking to central London.

Located on Tottenham Street, Pinch is an eighty-cover cocktail bar with an exciting, colourful design that provides a lively backdrop to all kinds of socialising. Eyecatching terrazzo tiling, a theme which is repeated in various sizes across the walls and floors is contrasted with natural wood cladding and varied levels of leather seating. Pinch Bar’s interior has further

playful accents in the form of brassmonkey lights, beer barrel tables and foliage throughout. The venue’s highlight is its beautiful private drinking area, a foliage clad room for 20 people, with floor to ceiling windows directly onto the street and a Crittall door separating guests from the rest of the bar: the perfect space for parties and vodka tasting.

A London bar with a Ukrainian accent, Pinch’s founders are a young couple, Yana and Alex who met in London 7 years ago and have worked in the city’s hospitality industry. Having celebrated their wedding in 2020 with toasts of their traditional

10 | Restaurant Industry News | January/February 2022

family-made nalivka – vodka infused with herbs, berries or roots - Yana and Alex decided to open their own bar and bring this popular Ukrainian drink to London.

These family nalivka recipes have now been adapted to a London audience and infused in-house at Pinch Bar. Infused for two months, guests can now try delicious flavours such as sour cherry, blackcurrant, cranberry, honey and blackberry or more savoury notes like horseradish: all served in beautiful, stemmed liqueur glasses and priced from £9.50-£10.

The perfect spot for post-work cocktails, happy hour, date-night drinks and all kinds of special celebrations, Pinch Bar is also available for full venue hire, with special food and drink packages available as well as cocktail masterclasses. www.pinchbar.co.uk

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PEOPLE ON THE MOVE

ST JAMES BAR APPOINTS NEW HEAD BARTENDER

SESSIONS APPOINTS JACK ANDERSON AS COMMERCIAL DIRECTOR

Sofitel London St James is delighted to announce the appointment of Angelo Sparvoli as the new Head Bartender of the five-star hotel’s St James Bar. The arrival of Angelo marks the next stage in the bar’s exciting journey alongside the explorative ‘Imagination’ menu.

Hospitality start-up Sessions, who recently raised $10 million in a Series A funding round, are delighted to have appointed Jack Anderson as Commercial Director.

Angelo Sparvoli joins St James Bar with an impressive résumé. The 28-year-old Italiannative began his foray into the industry in 2013, in his hometown of Le Marche, located in the centre of Italy, where the convivial environment and interaction with customers ignited his passion for bartending.

Jack joins from BrewDog where he was the Global Retail Growth Director.

Jack’s career has spanned commercial and operations roles in the F&B sector with a focus on both corporate operated and licensing models. At BrewDog he was responsible for rapidly scaling the business in the UK and internationally through securing iconic sites for bars and hotels as well as growing the licensing proposition with multiple large deals. His impressive career has also seen him spend time as Head of Development at Yum!Brands overseeing the opening of over 80 sites per year.

Jack will be leading the roll-out of Sessions’ model across the country, pairing the founder-led brands in the Sessions portfolio with host kitchens which have excess capacity or are looking to offer an elevated food offering. Over the next 12 months, Sessions are aiming to open 500 host kitchens across the UK, with Jack overseeing this target.

LONDON BASED ENTREPRENEUR OPENS 100 STORES

that pizza lovers can choose from four different bases, four different cheeses, four meats and 20 toppings. And the price doesn’t alter regardless of which combination is chosen.”

In 2016 half Italian entrepreneur Mario Aleppo launched Fireaway which has quickly become the UK’s fastest growing pizza chain.

Mario went back to his Italian roots ensuring that Fireaway could provide an authentic Italian pizza with only the freshest ingredients.

Opening their first stores in South London with a bank loan and only one employee Fireaway managed to continue expanding even during the pandemic with them set their 100th store.

Fireaway being set to open their 100th store is remarkable as back in January they had 50 stores. This quick growth is due in large part to their initiative to open 25 new branches in 25 weeks in the latter half of the year.

Mario said: “Initially, I thought of opening a Subway franchise, but I changed my mind and decided to do my own thing. However, I was impressed

by Subway’s methods and incorporated some of them into Fireaway. It means

In 2021 they were recognised at PAPA awards as the Rising Star Pizza Chain of the year award. At these same awards in 2019 they won the Best Small Pizza Chain Award.

He said: “Shortly after we opened our second store we started attracting other franchisees through word of mouth. It started with a new franchise opening every six months. A year later it was every three months, then one a month and now it’s roughly one a week.

12 | Restaurant Industry News | January/February 2022

Determined to explore his craft through travel, Angelo worked in several bars across both Italy and Portugal, where he continued to develop his expertise. During this time, he honed his skills and expanded his knowledge further; focusing on attention to detail and the guestexperience.

In the summer of 2016, Angelo was appointed a position at the prestigious American Bar at The Savoy, the oldest surviving cocktail bar in Britain. Angelo progressed from barback to bartender under the tutelage of the Bar Manager Declan McGurk and Head Bartender Erik Lorincz, during which the bar garnered a multitude of awards including World’s Best Bar at the Spirited Awards in 2018 and in the World’s 50 Best in 2017.

Throughout his tenure at The Savoy, Angelo was able to travel extensively world-wide, from Asia to New York and Lima, making well founded connections and raising his professional profile as a result. In January 2020, Angelo moved onto join his former Head Bartender Erik Lorincz, at the awardwinning Kwānt.

Kostas Bardas, the Bar Manager at St James Bar comments: “I am very excited to welcome Angelo at St James bar in Sofitel London St James. His passion and vision for bartending, alongside his well-established experience in prestigious bars will elevate our five-star offering even more.”

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Eight Stony Street is an award-winning restaurant, wine bar and shop based in the heart of Frome – a picturesque market town in Somerset. Serving modern British cuisine, the restaurant specialises in small plates, grills and pizzas.

It was essential that owner, Kent Barker, invested in the finest quality commercial equipment: “When we were looking at what the top chefs and best kitchens in Europe are using, there were some brands that constantly got mentioned. In most of our research, the Mibrasa oven was very highly rated and is the oven used by many of my culinary heroes. If the ovens are good enough for them, they’re certainly good enough for us!”

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01

NEW YEAR, NEW KITCHEN Kitchen design. It causes enough headaches in your own home, let alone your business. It can be a daunting task, that is often overdue and considered after the busy “party season”. As suppliers of catering equipment and designers of commercial kitchens within the public and private sectors, we at Alliance put together the following three tips to help when designing a commercial kitchen.

Tip One – Always Consult a Professional Naturally the first step is to consult a kitchen design company. When we get a call for a potential redesign, we will firstly send a capital equipment specialist to meet the customer. Prior to a meeting we would recommend individuals always prepare by reviewing their kitchen and making a wish list of items wanted and not wanted. This means when a specialist comes and views the kitchen you can make them aware of your requirements and whilst viewing the area available, they can consider what you’ve mentioned.

Using a professional company also gives you the confidence your new kitchen will adhere to health and

Naturally the first step is to consult a kitchen design company. When we get a call for a potential redesign, we will firstly send a capital equipment specialist to meet the customer. Prior to a meeting we would recommend individuals always prepare by reviewing their kitchen and making a wish list of items wanted and not wanted.

safety laws. Equally, they should ensure the design is compliant with hazard analysis and critical control point (HACCP) regulations to prevent crosscontamination of food.

The best way to promote natural flow is by dividing the kitchen into “zones” (i.e. food prep, cooking, serving, washing), allowing staff to operate within a specific area, reducing the risk of accidents. Separation of stations also decreases meal preparation times by improving kitchen efficiency.

Tip Two – Consider Efficiency & Flow The above point features creating a wish list of what you may want in a kitchen, this tip looks into the actual mechanics your staff face using it.

Any professional you use should understand the natural process food undergoes from storage to prep to cooking. The best way to promote natural flow is by dividing the kitchen into “zones” (i.e. food prep, cooking, serving, washing), allowing staff to operate within a specific area, reducing the risk of accidents.

Separation of stations also decreases meal preparation times by improving kitchen efficiency.

Tip Three – Perform Your Checks An aspect we have briefly touched upon is making sure your designer understands and observes the various regulations associated with kitchen design. Whilst a design is being drawn up a HACCP check needs to be carried out to ensure the layout does not pose a risk of cross contamination,

14 | Restaurant Industry News | January/February 2022

At Alliance we have a team of capital equipment specialists who have superior knowledge and industry understanding where kitchen design is concerned. This coupled with our in-house design and capital equipment teams means we can survey the site, create the designs, provide the equipment and install the kitchen for you as a single project. particularly essential when serving large volumes of customers daily. A core suggestion of HACCP’s is the separation of areas where raw and cooked meat are prepared and stored.

Other checks to be considered tie in with health and safety, for example designs must account for emergency service and equipment access, along with ventilation and air extraction points too.

Over Twenty Years’ Experience These three tips are key considerations we would recommend based upon the experience we have gained designing commercial kitchens for the hospitality industry and public sector over the last 20 years. At Alliance we have a team of capital equipment specialists who have superior knowledge and industry understanding where kitchen design is concerned. This coupled with our in-house design and capital equipment teams means we can survey the site, create the designs, provide the equipment and install the kitchen for you as a single project.

For more information or to speak with one of our Capital Equipment Specialists to see how we can assist you with your next kitchen project, call Alliance on 01270 252333 or email us at hello@allianceonline.co.uk.

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VEGANUARY

THE VEGAN SOCIETY’S FRANCINE JORDAN EXPLAINS THE BENEFITS OF CHOOSING THE VEGAN LIFESTYLE AND OFFERS SOME PRACTICAL ADVICE: From vegan eggs and plant-based salmon to meat-free haggis and dairy-free cheese boards, the number of exciting, innovative, and original vegan products hitting the supermarket shelves in recent years has really pushed veganism –once portrayed as an unusual choice – to become as easy and accessible as any other diet or lifestyle.

In fact, while the number of products registered with The Vegan Society’s Vegan Trademark has skyrocketed to over 56,000 (a far cry from the five companies that had registered products when the Trademark launched in 1990), so too has the number of vegans in the UK which quadrupled between 2014 to 2019, to 600,000.

The image of veganism is undergoing the most radical change in its history, shedding some tired, old stereotypes. It is now closely associated with health and fitness while scientific evidence continues to show the benefits it has on the environment. This growing awareness and popularity of veganism is a good thing for everyone. The businesses providing vegan food benefit from the extra sales vegans are able to find more options on a day out; and, most importantly, the decreasing demand for animal products means that less animals are unnecessarily abused and killed.

Protecting our planet We know that what we eat has a huge impact on climate change and the natural environment, something The Vegan Society was promoting at COP26 in Glasgow last year. The global animal farming industry creates more greenhouse gases than the whole transport sector combined and is responsible for up to 91 percent of Amazon degradation. However, by updating your plate you can make a huge difference.

Most people already eat a lot of vegan food without realising and can make easy swaps such as using dairy-free margarine instead of butter, thickening soup with soya cream, or replacing eggs in baking with mashed banana. Anything can be made vegan with a little creativity.

The Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng himself said the rising number of people giving up meat and dairy was helping to “drive the progress” towards the UK’s target of slashing emissions by 78 percent while last year saw the introduction of the Global Methane Pledge - in which over 100 countries, including the US and many countries in the EU, committed to a 30 percent reduction in methane by 2030.

Enjoying health benefits Vegans tend to eat much more fruit and vegetables than the rest of the population which has amazing health benefits. Eating a balanced vegan diet can also help to limit saturated fat while also getting plenty of fibre, vitamins and minerals into your body. Research shows vegans have lower blood pressure, lower chances of getting heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and some types of cancer.

Veganism can also be a perfect opportunity to explore new, exciting recipes and ingredients and build on what you consider as food. There is a simple and fun shortcut to going vegan – replacing the few non-vegan ingredients in your recipes means that you still get to enjoy the good old favourites.

A vegan diet requires about a third of the land and water than is needed to produce an animal-based diet because farmed animals eat much more food than they produce.

For those who loathe cooking or struggle to balance busy schedules, supermarkets are now fully stocked with vegan readymeals or ready-made pizzas while fastfood chains are constantly competing with each other to introduce the ‘new’ vegan must-have.

The next steps January is arguably one of the best times to give veganism a go, due to the success of the popular vegan campaign, Veganuary, in which participants are encouraged to eat vegan for the month.

However, there’s truly never a bad time to go vegan, whether you want to transition overnight or prefer to take baby steps.

It’s helpful to surround yourself with people who understand you. Whether it’s in real life, through online groups, apps, or local vegan meet-ups, making friends with similar interests can help make the transition to the vegan lifestyle smoother.

There are online forums and Facebook groups to join - it’s a good idea to search Facebook for a local group, e.g. ‘London Vegans’.

You can also download The Vegan Society’s free VeGuide app which can help you ease into vegan living and learn more about it. Users receive a combination of daily informational videos, motivational quotes, quizzes, recipes and discounts.

Of course, while social media has proved hugely inspiring and motivating when it comes to finding delicious and nutritious vegan meal ideas, there’s also a number of brilliant recipes on our website.

While most restaurants cater to vegans now, when eating out, it is a good idea to plan ahead and find fully vegan or good vegan-friendly outlets, so you can be sure there will be something suitable on the menu. If you find a really great spot, you might even encourage friends or family members to join you on your vegan journey.

Finally, you should look out for the Vegan Trademark when out and about to be sure what you’re buying and eating is free from animal-testing and ingredients.

For more information please visit www.vegansociety.com.

16 | Restaurant Industry News | January/February 2022

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INTERVIEW

ADAM CARR AND CESAR BRETON Restaurant Industry News speaks with the founders Adam Carr and Cesar Breton and Chef Kerth Gumbs of the new gastrocentric Restaurant and Cocktail Bar Boiler & Co opening January 2022 Firstly, congratulations on your new restaurant and cocktail bar, what was the inspiration behind this?

We both reached a point in our hospitality careers where we wanted to give back in a way that had genuine meaning and purpose. Having both worked up the ladder within the industry and spent the last decade of our careers consulting for

other people’s businesses, we felt it was the right time to take the next step to bring our experience and passion to the forefront in the form of a business. And, that’s where the concept for Boiler & Co. was born.

We set out to open a place that was inviting, safe, and memorable! The concept started out as a modern-day pub, if you like, though this brand direction has slightly changed over the two years that

we’ve spent planning and refining. You will, of course, still get that sense of nostalgia, warmth and personality that you would find in a more traditional establishment, but we’ve decided to take it up a notch.

Sustainability and the arts are very important to us both, and so we’ve incorporated them into the brand ethos.

You will find this in the language we use, the processes we follow, the people we work with, right through to the design of the space.

Has the pandemic impacted this?

In a positive way, yes, as it gave us more time to refine the concept. It also offered the opportunity to adjust our needs to current times, selecting surfaces, spacing tables and designing the guest flow around the venue. Of course, the pandemic hasn’t been without its challenges, testing our grit and personal commitment to the project over a long period, but we’re glad to be where we are now.

Talk us through the cuisine focus?

The menu will feature passionately composed dishes inspired by British cuisine with a focus on high-quality, fresh ingredients, the use of local produce, contemporary cooking methods and careful presentation.

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The menu will be all about championing locally sourced and organic produce, with a culinary vision to set quintessentially authentic flavours into a contemporary, modern context.

© William Torrillo

What is your favourite part of the new Restaurant?

This is a hard one as there are many different pockets of guest seating and areas within the design that make me excited. From the main bar to the main dining area, the coffee and pastry bar, as well as the 80-seater outdoor terrace neighbouring the Tate Modern. Although, I’d have to say the upstairs cocktail bar (The Coral Bar) is a very intimate space with a unique design that will showcase cocktails to the highest degree. The bar will seat 24 guests where they can enjoy a creative 10 drinks menu designed to be interactive and whimsical.

What cocktails can we expect to see at the Bar? As our name suggests, our cocktails focus on ingredients made in boilers, such as whisky, to showcase the versatility and complexity of the spirit. Think Espresso Martinis, Pina Coladas, Pornstar Martinis and cosmopolitans, all using the wonderful water of life that is whisky.

The cocktail menu will also feature an ode to the classics we all know and love, like the Old Fashioned, various Whisky Sours, Manhattans, Mint Juleps and many more.

Give us an insight into why caramelcoloured beverages became an interest and how they will be showcased.

Caramel-coloured beverages, especially whisky, have been a herald of all things patriarchy and a slightly intimidating product segment for generations. Gladly this is changing! We saw an opportunity to create an inclusive, accessible environment for people to get to know these stronger flavours in their distinct forms and see their Gin-like features in the cocktail world.

We see it as an opportunity to add our grain of sand to support a change in the whisky drinker stereotypes with a safe, chic and inclusive environment.

In a few words, why should people book a visit to Boiler & Co…and what can we expect?

When visiting Boiler & Co., people can expect an innovative cocktail and culinary experience with a playful take of fine dining in an unpretentious environment.

You can expect a fun atmosphere and products showcased in ways you’ve never seen before.

CHEF KERTH GRUMBS Talk us through the menu Each dish will pay homage to local ingredients whilst drawing on the flavours that I’ve gathered from growing up in Anguilla in the Caribbean as well as the global flavours that make London the culinary capital of the world. My set tasting menu experience will be available for people to enjoy at a 5pm or 8.30pm seating which will each accommodate 3040 guests.

I wanted to cook and serve food in a

place that better reflects my personality, so expect eye-catching small plates with vibrant flavours that will pair perfectly with our creative cocktails. When we open, we will have a straight seating interactive tasting menu experience featuring some of the dishes I created on The Great British Menu like my ‘Commotion in the Ocean’ and ‘The Far Away Tree’ for those who didn’t get a chance to experience them due to the pandemic whilst at my last place.

Continued >>>

January/February 2022 | Restaurant Industry News | 19

INTERVIEW © William Torrillo

What is your favourite dish and why?

That is a good question, and I’m not sure I have a straight answer! I’m constantly creating and exploring new ideas, and the past year has given me the chance to think up some unique dishes. But, if I must answer, then it will have to be the seared scallops, carrot with coconut lobster butter sauce.

What is your signature cooking style, what ingredients and flavours do you most like creating with?

As I said, I’m constantly thinking up new ideas to try out in the kitchen, but my style can be described as bold, playful, vibrant and abstract. I like to push the boundaries to give people a real unique experience.

At Boiler & Co., it’s all about expressing creativity rather than riding along with the mainstream.

I love creating fish dishes, scallops in particular. They have to be my favourite ingredient to cook as they are so versatile, they pair well with many flavours and can be enjoyed raw or cooked.

Will local ingredients be used in the different dishes?

Yes, indeed. The entire menu, across both floors, will focus on using as many local ingredients as possible.

Fostering an environment where we can put accessibility, flavour, locality and sustainability at the forefront is really

© William Torrillo

important to us. For the tasting menu experience, you’ll have local ingredients whilst applying some international techniques, and the A La Carte menu will be a mix of small plates utilising British produce.

What is an underrated ingredient that you like to experiment with?

Sweet potato. Trust me, there’s more to it than just fries!

Is it important to adapt and change different dishes to bring something new and unique to people?

Yes and no. I think classic dishes are classic for a reason, the flavours just work, and people love them since they know what to expect. But having said that, it’s important to keep pushing the boundaries and deliver the unexpected.

© William Torrillo

20 | Restaurant Industry News | January/February 2022

That’s where the excitement comes from, creating interpretations on dishes and representing or serving them in a different, fun and new way. I want to present people with food that they can get excited about.

Is it crucial, in your opinion, to create an experience with food?

For me, absolutely. We are all passionate about what we want to bring to London with Boiler & Co., we want it to be a whole experience from the moment our guests step through the door. People can expect bold flavours, creative cocktails, music and plenty of entertainment.

“At Boiler & Co., it’s all about expressing creativity rather than riding along with the mainstream.”

PROJECT: DANZA RESTAURANT & WINE BAR Local cultural aficionados already know and love the Forum am Schlosspark in Ludwigsburg for its vibrant music, dance and theatre programme. DANZA is a restaurant that joins the ensemble following a thorough renovation of its gastronomic offering, skilfully picking up on the existing mood and taking it in an atmospheric, culinary direction.

Like in a theatre hall, the space opens up into the heights and leads onto an expansive glass façade. A large terrace, with a backdrop of a green chestnut avenue, is the stage set and constant point of reference for our interior staging. As if one were sitting in a light-flooded wintergarden, the spectacle of the natural environment outside can be experienced at first hand inside. When darkness falls, large pendant luminaires, set in rhythm with the window façade, set the scene for the magic of the night, as well as investing the room with a festive glow. Elegance that not only attracts attention, but also lingers on in your memory.

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RESTAURANT DESIGN PROJECT Whether for a first tête-à-tête dinner, a festive family reception, or a glass of good wine in the company of friends – the space is the ideal venue for all occasions. The spacious dining room with its high, tiered ceiling has been reorganised around the central bar. Just like in a theatre hall, we have angled the seats to face the windows. The tables in the ‘stalls’ offer seating close to the ‘stage’ as well as fine views of the exterior. The stools around the bar provide a slightly elevated view of the action, while the upholstered niche seating and curved alcoves give you the feeling of sitting in a private box.

Different types of natural flooring provide clear orientation and zoning throughout the space.

The complete refit of the kitchen is much more than just a quick encore. With its expansive 600 m², it is responsible for catering for the entire Forum. In culinary terms, DANZA steals the show from many a restaurant with its creative, international cuisine: The fillet of beef stars alongside king prawn and wasabi, the tuna is resplendent in a costume of radish tsukemono, and just before the curtain falls, the entrance of a chocolate trio of crème, sorbet and mini cake builds up to a brilliantly appetizing finale. We have created a more than fitting setting for the playful sophistication and skilful culinary staging of the restaurant cuisine.

January/February 2022 | Restaurant Industry News | 23

COMPANY NEWS

ANNIE’S BURGER SHACK UNVEILS BRAILLE MENU TO HELP BLIND AND PARTIALLY SIGHTED DINERS MAKE THEIR CHOICE A popular East Midlands burger restaurant has joined forces with a county sight charity to publish a Braille version of its menu to help blind and visually impaired diners get more from their visit.

topped with cheese, onion rings and jalapeno peppers and the Kogumaza, which is described as a burger “slathered with peanut satay sauce topped with crunchy onions, a pinch of coconut and fresh coriander”.

Annie’s Burger Shack has collaborated with the My Sight Notts charity to produce the menu, which provides a description of the 34 different burgers the restaurant serves, along with the prices.

Restaurant owner Annie Spaziano, who opened her Nottingham restaurant in 2009 and her Derby outlet in 2018, said: “I have been wanting to produce a Braille menu for years and so I’m delighted that we’ve finally been able to get it produced and made available to our customers.

The menu, which is available at both Annie’s Burger Shack restaurants in Nottingham and Derby, was launched this month to benefit visually impaired visitors who previously had to ask their server or their companions to read the menu out to them.

My Sight Notts, which works to support blind and partially sighted people living in the county to lead independent lives, offers companies a Braille translation service and worked with Annie’s over a number of weeks to produce the menus.

Among the items listed in the menu are the restaurant’s Delta burger, which is

“Our burgers have a huge range of ingredients on them to ensure that each one is unique, and so to describe them all to someone would take ages. We want to make sure that people come here and relax, so it makes sense to make sure that everyone can explore our menu independently in their own time. My Sight Notts have done a wonderful job for us and we are already looking at other ways in which we can collaborate with them.”

Julie Sarle, communications manager of the charity – whose headquarters are based just a short distance from Annie’s Nottingham restaurant – welcomed the

FRIDAYS TO LAUNCH INAUGURAL ‘FRIDAYS AND GO’ RESTAURANT IN DUNDEE Fridays, part of newly listed Hostmore plc, is excited to announce a new era in its UK operations with the opening of the first ‘Fridays and Go’ Quick Service Restaurant (‘QSR’) in Dundee, Scotland.

Extending that authentic Fridays experience, ‘Fridays & Go’ will offer that same ‘All American’ feel and celebrate everything guests have come to know and love about the brand, including a nod

to nostalgia and heritage memorabilia, as well as all that fun, flare and iconic generosity of spirit that you associate with the Fridays brand.

Service and speed is the priority at ‘Fridays and Go’. Food and drink will be available to order digitally, with touch screens offering order and pay technology, and will be served in fully recyclable and compostable red and white striped Fridays

menu, saying that it would help diners like her to get more from their dining experience.

She said: “There are only a handful of restaurants in Nottingham which have Braille menus and I would hope that others follow Annie’s’ lead because having menus that blind or partially sighted people to read would normalise their dining experience.

“I’m partially sighted myself and so when I eat out I have to rely on the people I’m with to read the menu out to me. I would prefer to make my own choice in my own time and having a Braille menu allows me to do that.

“Our Braille-writing service isn’t expensive and the proceeds go back into the charity’s work to support visually impaired people so it’s a win-win situation for everyone.”

For more details visit www.anniesburgershack.com packaging. Click & Collect and Delivery services will also be supported at the Dundee site.

The ‘Fridays and Go’ menu will include iconic Fridays favourites such as: Chicken wings, Nachos, Fridays Sesame Chicken Strips tossed in its legendary Glaze, a selection of Fridays’ best ever Burgers, including Fridays Glazed and To Vegan and Beyond, as well as premium coffee and legendary milkshakes.

New items will also feature on the innovative menu including the Bucket of Bones and a Boneless Chicken Dog.

January/February 2022 | Restaurant Industry News | 25

EVENTS & AWARDS NEWS

BAR DOURO ANNOUNCES FESTA AT TOBACCO DOCK IN JUNE 2022:A CELEBRATION OF PORTUGUESE WINE, FOOD AND CULTURE Acclaimed Portuguese wine bar & restaurant Bar Douro is delighted to announce that Friday 24th and Saturday 25th June 2022 will see the launch of FESTA, which will bring Portugal to London’s Tobacco Dock through a ground-breaking celebration of Portuguese wine, gastronomy, music & arts. The event is set to coincide with Festa de São João, a famous event within Porto’s festive calendar where thousands travel to the city and surrounding neighbourhoods to celebrate Porto’s patron saint, John the Baptist.

The first-of-its-kind to celebrate Portugal in the UK, FESTA is the brainchild of Max Graham whose desire to share the food and wine of his home-country led him to open the critically acclaimed Portuguese wine bar and restaurant Bar Douro London Bridge in 2016, which was followed by Bar Douro City in 2020.

Graham was raised in Portugal where his family, who founded Graham’s and then Churchill’s Port houses, has produced Port and wine in the Douro Valley for two centuries.

In a tribute to festivals which are at the beating heart of traditional Portuguese culture, over a two-day period, FESTA will showcase wines from 50 of Portugal’s most pioneering and cutting-edge producers, predominantly those who are wine growers and Portuguese artisans, alongside leading Portuguese food and craft brands and the best of the UK’s Portuguese restaurant scene.

FESTA ticket-holders will enjoy access to FESTA on Friday evening from 5-9pm, Saturday from 12-4pm and 5-9pm. This will be preceded by an invitation-only press and trade session from 11am - 4pm on Friday.

A full programme with a detailed list of participating producers will be shared in February.

To be the first to hear about the latest FESTA news and ticket release, sign up to the newsletter here. Please save the date – 24th and 25th June 2022 – and stay tuned for what promises to be a one-of-a-kind event in London. www.bardouro.co.uk

BRAKES TAKES HOME NINE AWARDS IN THE QUALITY FOOD AWARDS A raft of products aimed at helping customers navigate a pandemicimpacted market has seen Brakes winning seven category awards at the Q Awards, more than half of those available. The UK’s leading foodservice wholesaler also took home the coveted Foodservice Operator of the Year title and Foodservice Product of the Year, for its Pumpkin Mac & Cheese Bites.

Stuart Smith, Brakes’ Merchandising Director, dedicated the success to the company’s customer focus: “We have been 100% focussed on developing products that bring clear benefits to our customers, whether that’s saving them time in the kitchen, enabling them to create stand-out menus, or helping them

26 | Restaurant Industry News | January/February 2022

to interpret and get ahead of emerging consumer tastes and trends.

“That clear focus has meant that products are already destined for success as they are designed around our deep knowledge of our customers and the consumers they serve. We’re proud of our NPD team, the most proactive in the industry, and it is testament to their passion, love of food and deep expertise, that we’ve won 7 out of the 13 categories available.

“I know the entire Brakes team will be delighted to have been voted Wholesaler of the Year, which we believe reflects our customer first service proposition which places customers at the heart of everything we do.”

EVENTS & AWARDS NEWS

QUIQUE DACOSTA IS AWARDED HIS SIXTH MICHELIN STAR Deessa QD - the newest addition to Dacosta’s group of restaurants including London’s Arros QD - wins its first Michelin star, only eight months after opening its doors.

Celebrity Chef Quique Dacosta’s restaurant, Deessa QD, located in Madrid’s Mandarin Oriental Ritz Hotel has been awarded its first Michelin star at the Michelin 2022 Gala Awards this

month. The award comes just eight months after the restaurant opened its doors. As chef patron of Deessa as well as London’s Arros QD, the Valencia’s Dacosta now holds six Michelin-stars – one of very few chefs in The Michelin Guide’s history to do so.

months and our relatively new team has already positioned it as one of the best restaurants in Madrid, in what has been the hardest era for hospitality ever. It is a recognition of the talent and work by a team that care about what they do, and of whom I am so proud.

On winning the star, Quique Dacosta said: “This Michelin star is special.

Deessa has only been open for eight

“We are excited and motivated to continue on a path that has only just begun.”

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January/February 2022 | Restaurant Industry News | 27

OPENINGS

CAIA - A NEIGHBOURHOOD WINE BAR AND RESTAURANT TO OPEN ON GOLBORNE ROAD THIS MARCH This March, Caia, a lively new neighbourhood wine bar, restaurant and music venue will open on Golborne Road, just off London’s famed Portobello.

Founded by locals Rishabh Vir and Tim Lang, Caia named after the Roman goddess of fire - will offer an extensive list of wines from storied producers and young upstarts alongside a seasonally changing menu of wine-friendly fare cooked on a custom-made, open fire grill.

The warm, sixty cover space designed by upand-coming agency Atelier Wren will welcome locals and passersby inside with a vibrant bar and open kitchen, allowing ten guests a full sense of the action as they watch the chefs at work. Cosy banquette seating will stretch through the room, providing the perfect spot to enjoy a glass or two, alongside small plates from the grill, whilst at the rear, a 12 cover wine room, complete with a floor to ceiling wine display, will offer the ideal space for groups.

The basement, set to be a buzzing space with music at its heart, will feature a Kuzma R record player and Auditorium R-25 A speakers designed by

Living Voice founder Kevin Scott, which will create a space with incomparable acoustics. Guests can enjoy a carefully curated vinyl collection by Stranger Than Paradise Records founder Noreen McShane, taking them from the heyday of rare jazz, funk, tropical and disco right up to the more sophisticated soulful selections from the here and now. Co-founder Tim will also draw on his vast experience of London’s music scene to curate a monthly program of musicled events including guest DJ’s, listening events, live acoustic sessions and artist Q&As. Both upstairs and down, diners will be able to choose from a selection of seasonal dishes, made using carefully-sourced ingredients from their local supply chain.

Complimenting the dishes, a number of ferments, vinegars and preserves will add depth to the dishes, incorporating sharp flavours to cut through the charred meats and vegetables.

Caia will open on Golborne Road on the 24th of March.

Caia 46 Golborne Rd London W10 5PR

28 | Restaurant Industry News | January/February 2022

SAINT ESPRESSO LAUNCHES AT ANGEL CENTRAL CBRE Investment Management celebrates the new year and launch of the neighbourhood café and coffee roasters, Saint Espresso, for its flagship London location at Angel Central, joining its firstever café on Pentonville Road in Islington.

Situated in the bespoke glass fronted kiosk within the revitalised central plaza of Angel Central, a key part of the refurbishment, Saint Espresso has been specifically chosen to complement the offer at the

community-led retail and leisure destination and will include additional outdoor seating.

Saint Espresso produce and roast the highest quality coffee, available to purchase in-store and online.

The coffee is sourced ethically and transparently from small producers across the world.

Saint Espresso dealt direct.

CBRE and CWM represent Angel Central for both retail and leisure enquiries.

SECTION

CAMPDEN BRI TESTING PROVES HYGENIKX KILLS AIRBORNE CORONAVIRUS the air and surfaces clean, pure and fresh, controlling odours and providing extra reassurance for customers…”

Nick Falco Product & Technical Director at Mechline explains how the trials worked: “Trials were conducted within the Campden BRI aerobiology laboratory to determine the efficacy of HyGenikx towards airborne Phi6 - a recognised SARS-CoV-2 Surrogate (the coronavirus that causes COVID-19). Phi6 was nebulised into an aerobiology test chamber to represent heavily contaminated air.

Air samples were taken every 20 minutes for a period of 3 hours, to determine levels of Phi6.”

Independent laboratory trials conducted by Campden BRI have confirmed that the HyGenikx air and surface sanitisation system from Mechline, is effective at removing airborne Coronaviruses, including SARS-CoV-2 which causes Covid-19.

The results of the trials proved that HyGenikx removed up to 99.99% of an airborne Covid-19 surrogate in under 3 hours.

These results back up the real-life experience of customers including Cyrus Todiwala OBE DL, owner of Café Spice Namasté, who said: “HyGenikx has proven what it can do for us – keeping

It is essential that we keep the doors of business open – but physically keeping doors and windows open is neither comfortable nor sustainable. Indoor air quality, however, is a primary driver when it comes to the transmission of the Coronavirus.

As a tried and tested technology, HyGenikx has a huge role to play in controlling infections - in fact HyGenikx is the most rigorously tested unit of its type on the market. Affordable, easy to install, and with models to suit every business, HyGenikx is a plug and play solution for a challenging world.

Cyrus Todiwala, OBE DL added:“I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend HyGenikx as it is the ideal complement to manual cleaning. It helps to protect customers and staff.”

For more information on the HyGenikx testing at Campden BRI visit: https://info.mechline.com/hygenikx-testing

CHEF STUART GILLIES TO OPEN NUMBER EIGHT This February, Chef Stuart Gillies launches his new restaurant and bar, Number Eight in the historic market town of Sevenoaks with his wife Cecilia.

A family run business with local charm, Number Eight will occupy an impressive 16th century corner site, sourcing produce from local independent, artisan suppliers to deliver a seasonally-heavy menu with some unique dishes that harp back to Gillies’ global travels, taking inspiration his time in Stockholm, Rome, New York and London.

Highlight dishes will include whipped cod’s roe with a sprinkling of hazelnuts, green beans and homemade focaccia; truffled artichokes with creme fraiche dressing and Mache salad; Buttermilk chicken, bbq sauce, blue cheese shavings; Confit leg of Goosnargh duck, roasted ceps, Cavolo Nero, garlic fried potatoes; Rye Bay Monkfish curry; roasted loin of Chart Farm venison, swede mash, sour cherry, chocolate sauce and Fettucine of Dorset crab, chilli, spring onions, garlic.

xx | Restaurant Industry News | January 2022

January/February 2022 | Restaurant Industry News | 29

ORDU.IO - THE NEXT GENERATION OF ONLINE ORDERING SYSTEMS Ordu.io is the newest Food Ordering Technology company on the scene and it’s making big waves within the industry! This Irish tech start-up is providing an industry first, EnterpriseLevel Online Ordering Platform as a White Label Solution, bringing incredible power and flexibility to the QSR & FSR markets. The Ordú platform provides Restaurants & Takeaways with all the tools they need to trade online and bring back control of their brand from the Marketplace Aggregators.

The system is fundamentally different from the traditional off-the-shelf White-label platforms on the market currently. Based around advanced SKU management, it allows for unlimited menus, pricing structures and locations.

The Ordú platform is designed to work as well for 100,000 restaurant locations as it is for 1, and is currently the only system of its kind. The out of the box offering provides a Food Business with a

customer-facing website & mobile app, customised around their Brand.

For businesses with multiple locations, customer engagement happens through the Ordú EcoSystem of their own Branded website and ordering system, Mobile Apps, In-Store Kiosk, or Table Ordering System. The Ordú platform provides a direct ordering flow for the specific location of the customer - so there is no need for multiple apps for each location or multiple websites. Businesses can then market to their own customers and increase customer loyalty. Ordú is built around best-in-class User Experience, leading to increased revenues, order values, customer retention, and operational efficiencies.

For business owners, the system has some very neat features that can really

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help with operational efficiencies.One such unique feature is Smart Timeslots, which facilitates the automatic scheduling of bottleneck product orders. This is particularly useful for customers with limited capacity ovens, and prevents them from being overrun with orders. Other clever features include Polygon Mapping Functionality, which allows for the accurate specification of multiple delivery zones and associated pricing. The backend administration system is designed to be easy to use, with powerful functionality allowing food business owners full control over their ordering system and data. The reporting engine within the Ordú platform allows for key operational decisions to be made with quantifiable data gathered by their own customer’s behaviors.

With minimal upfront costs and commissions ranging from 5.5% for small chains to 3.5% for large chains (+ €0.40 Per Transaction fee + Payment gateway fee), contact us today for a product demo. For full details of see www.ordu.io

COMPANY NEWS

PALI HILL, FITZROVIA WARMS UP FOR WINTER...

Celebrated Head Chef, Avinash Shashidhara has new additions to his menu at his fast becoming firm Fitzrovia favourite, Pali Hill. His seasonal menu showcases the best British produce, and traditional specialties derived from home recipes and ancient techniques of India.

Pali Hill’s winter menu is a comforting feast of dishes inspired by India’s diverse culinary range, brought to Fitzrovia. Head Chef, Avinash Shashidhara (previously River Café

and Hibiscus) has developed a seasonal menu to draw in guests from the cold, bustling streets of London for a taste of traditional home Indian dishes, elegantly elevated in smart surroundings, and alongside an innovative wine and cocktail list, perfectly judged for the celebratory months.

The new menu brings together the regional flavours of Mumbai’s vast culinary communities and ingredients sourced

BOPARAN RESTAURANT GROUP TAKES ALL 10 OF ITS BRANDS INCLUDING GBK AND CARLUCCIO’S CARBON NEUTRAL Boparan Restaurant Group (BRG) is proud to announce that all of its brands are now certified as carbon neutral, a significant milestone in the group’s long-term sustainability commitment.

All ten brands within the group – Carluccio’s, Caffè Carluccio’s, Gourmet Burger Kitchen, Slim Chickens UK, The Cinnamon Collection (including The Cinnamon Club), FishWorks, Ed’s Easy Diner, Giraffe, Rebel Vegan and the umbrella BRG brand – have been using green energy from renewable sources since 2019 and have now been certified

as carbon neutral by Carbon Neutral Britain after offsetting all of their direct emissions.

This certification sees BRG actively helping to fund renewable energy, woodland preservation, and tree planting projects around the world, regulated by the Verra Verified Carbon Standard, Gold Standard Voluntary Emission Reductions, and the United Nations Certified Emission Reductions programmes. In addition to offsetting carbon emissions, these projects offer numerous secondary benefits, from improving the local biodiversity and wildlife, to offering education and creating jobs within location communities that are working to build a better future.

Brand-specific sustainability initiatives – such as Carluccio’s partnership with The Rainforest Alliance which sees every coffee bought preserving 33m2 of rainforest – will continue alongside wider group initiatives.

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from local and high-quality suppliers, combining Avinash’s classical training and inspiration from his upbringing in Bangalore, for dishes that are warming and packed full of flavour with surprising details.

His most popular dishes on the menu such as his Chettinad style Veal shin, unctuous and punchily spiced, paired with layered flakey rotis; his lamb biriyani headily perfumed, and homestyle Chicken curry, are joined by the likes Kulcha topped with fontina, mixed wild mushrooms and black truffle, Grilled octopus with Jerusalem artichoke, cumin and black cardamon and Bottle gourd kofta immersed in cashew cream, kashmiri saffron & toasted pine nuts. His summer hit Alphonso mango cheesecake is replaced with a festive Chai Panacotta with warm ginger custard. Or for something fruity and light, Pomegranate ice Gola is his garnet bright dessert of choice.

Pali Hill is perfectly placed for diners to escape the excess of festive shopping and find themselves in a tranquil cocoon for predinner drinks at the secret bar Bandra Bhai downstairs, or for feasting with friends in the restaurant.

COMPANY NEWS

LA BODEGA LAUNCHES ‘LIMITLESS LUNCH’ MENU La Bodega Leeds is celebrating 2022 with open arms with the arrival of its permanent Limitless Lunch. The underground wine bar La Bodega, from the city’s favourite Spanish tapas restaurant, Ibérica, is putting a spin on the classic bottomless brunch with a lunch menu of 3 tapas for £20 with unlimited drinks available as an optional add-on for £20. Available from 12pm to 5pm, Tuesday to Saturday, La Bodega will be the perfect destination to step out of the cold blustery streets of Leeds and be transported to the warmth of Spain’s famously inviting wine bars for a siesta from real life.

A menu of both cold and hot classic tapa dishes includes Cecina de León, Sobrasada, Spanish Tortilla, Fried chorizo lollipops and Croquetas de jamón, offering delights from across Spain’s culinary regions and the perfect starting point for anyone less familiar with the Spanish snacking concept.

Vegetarians and Vegans need not despair, with options for them to choose from as well. Limitless drinks include beer, sparkling Cava, Sangría and a Tropical cocktail – the perfect accompaniment to the delicious tapas treats.

For those who know lunch is the best meal of the day, a loyalty card will also be available, and diners will be able to receive a free limitless lunch (food only) after their fifth visit.

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January/February 2022 | Restaurant Industry News | 33

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LONDON RESTAURANT MARKETING AGENCY’S EXPANDED DIGITAL SERVICES HELP DRIVE 100,000 BOOKINGS FOR HOSPITALITY CLIENTS After 5 years of managing successful Search Marketing projects for restaurants, hotels, and bars in London, one of the UK’s leading restaurant marketing agencies’ expanded digital services have now helped deliver over 100,000 bookings for their clients.

SideDish Media (www.sidedishmedia.co.uk) was established when the founders, Andrew Nicholas and Matt Goodfield,

realised that, despite the growing need for more effective online marketing for the restaurant and hospitality sector, the standard of services provided and the results they achieved left a lot to be desired.

Many of their clients had experienced underwhelming campaigns that promised a lot, but failed to deliver. Worse still, despite the significant budgets these campaigns required, it was often difficult to understand exactly what business they had brought in and what the return on the investment was.

SideDish knew the capital’s bars, restaurants, and hotels deserved a better, more accountable approach and so they focused on providing a painless, transparent, and trackable way for hospitality venue owners and managers to market themselves online.

They realised that these businesses didn’t necessarily want to become digital marketing experts, but they did want to trust the agency partners they worked with could deliver more bookings from the Internet and see the proof of what they were getting for every penny of their precious marketing budget.

This is exactly what SideDish set about offering their clients, who benefited from an effective, scaleable, and measurable approach to their online marketing. This approach means that their recent projects can be shown to have delivered over 100,000 bookings for their clients.

From the wedding venue client whose project delivered more bookings in one month than they’d had in the whole of 2019, to the restaurant owner who restarted their campaign as soon as the lockdown lifted and has had over 700 confirmed bookings from their project since then, SideDish’s proven approach helps businesses achieve their online marketing goals.

The recent expansion of the range of Digital Marketing services SideDish are able to offer their clients will build on the success of these previous campaigns and their tried and tested approach.

They are now able to offer hospitality business owners and managers comprehensive, integrated campaigns across all marketing platforms and promises to deliver more business for the capital’s restaurants, bars, and hotels and even greater returns from their marketing spend.

The hospitality sector continues to face unprecedented challenges, which makes the drive to attract more customers, and the costs of achieving this, as critical for business success as it’s ever been. Over 100 business owners and managers now trust SideDish Media’s effective and transparent approach to meet these challenges, with the resulting 100,000 confirmed bookings confirming they made the right choice.

For more information and to find out how to get more from your online marketing channels, visit www.sidedishmedia.co.uk.

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RESTAURANT DESIGN PROJECT

FETTLE UNVEILS DESIGN FOR BEVERLY AT THE HOXTON, ROME London and LA based studio design farmto-table concept for Hoxton Hotel Group’s newest outpost.

Fettle, the LA and London based studio is pleased to have worked in collaboration with Ennismore Design Studio for the interiors of Beverly, a West Coast American restaurant at The Hoxton Rome with a farm-to-table ethos and Californian spirit in the heart Parioli.

Beverly, a 98-cover restaurant, complements Fettle’s design of the public areas of the hotel including the lobby, Cugino café bar and terrace, which opened in May 2021. Fettle drew on the existing aesthetic synonymous with The Hoxton brand and used the building itself and its locality as reference points for the design. The building was constructed in the 1970s and the interiors drew inspiration from mid-century Italian design, pairing this with classic architectural details found within some of the more traditional buildings in the neighbourhood.

Beverly has been designed by Fettle to feel comfortable and inviting with layered accessories and lighting. The theatrical open kitchen has been positioned to offer guests great views of the food being prepared.

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Beverly features a long fluted sage green leather banquette that wraps the entire back wall of the restaurant to create an intimate environment and helps define the space. An additional fabric banquette to the left of the space provides a point of contrast and helps separate the restaurant from the adjacent bar and café.

A large central skylight, surrounded with lush planting, allows natural light to flood the main dining room.

At night Beverly is lit by two custom brass chandeliers with frosted glass globes, while elsewhere, bespoke semi-flush Murano inspired ceiling lights help provide soft illumination.

Additionally, a selection of vintage

table lamps have been employed to provide a soft glow around the perimeter.

A natural palette has been utilised with finishes including a timber clad feature wall along the back of the restaurant. This is offset by a parquet floor in a grid pattern and eclectic artwork. A collection of playful ceramic plates features across one side of the restaurant.

Round marble tables with bespoke leather covered dining chairs have a strong vintage feel, while wooden square tables service the banquettes around the edge of the restaurant, with bespoke timber and leather dining chairs.

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EVENTS & AWARDS NEWS

THE BAR DOURO CHEF SERIES RETURNS WITH BAR DOURO X KRICKET Following its inception in 2019, Bar Douro is delighted to announce the return of their Chef Series. Taking place throughout 2022 at their London Bridge bar and restaurant, the series will return with a charity supper club hosted by Kricket’s Will Bowlby, exploring Portuguese influences within Indian cooking, through the cuisine of Goa. Whilst the first Guest Chef Series saw them play host to four of Portugal’s hottest culinary talents, this iteration will see some of London’s top restaurants invited to the restaurant to showcase the wide-reaching influences of Portuguese cooking across the world.

The Bar Douro x Kricket supper club will take place on 22nd February at Bar Douro London Bridge with a five-course tasting menu inspired by the time Bowlby has spent in Goa.

Will Bowlby

HOUSE CAFÉ COMPANY SPREADS SMILES WITH NEW CHARITY PARTNERSHIP There will be a particular focus on seafood – something seen in Goa and Portugal alike. All proceeds from the evening will be donated to the Apne Aap Women’s Collective, a charity that Bowlby has worked with for many years which empowers women and children within Mumbai’s red light district.

Tickets for the Bar Douro x Kricket supper club will be available through OpenTable from 20th January here and will cost £60 per person with tables available from 6pm - 9.30pm. A supplementary Portuguese wine pairing will also be on offer. Future dates for the rest of the Bar Douro Chef Series will be announced in due course.

House Café Company are delighted to announce the launch of their new charity partnership with Spread a Smile, which supports critically ill children in hospital with enhanced play and entertainment, family events and art initiatives.

The partnership will include multiple initiatives across Riding House Café, Rail House Café, and Riding House Bloomsbury, launching in the new year, as well as 25p donated from each customer’s bill, with the goal to spread much needed smiles to some of the country’s most vulnerable children and young people.

To mark the occasion, their November launch event saw up to thirty children and their families attend an exclusive tea party at Riding House Café in Fitzrovia to enjoy a specially designed menu of sweet treats, including deep dish pancakes, hot doughnuts and the café’s renowned, Red Velvet Cake, plus entertainment from Spread a Smile’s professional magicians, singers and fairies.

Adam White, Founder of House Café Company: “We are thrilled to be working with Spread a Smile on our new charity partnership. Supporting those in our local community has long been important to us, with this being the ethos behind both restaurants - as well as the forthcoming Riding House Bloomsbury, so we are delighted to be able to bring some joy and comfort to critically ill children in local hospitals. It was brilliant to be able to launch this partnership with a ‘Tea Party’ and we really look forward to continuing to work with Spread a Smile into the future.”

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