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December's key restaurant openings Sophie Pascoe and Benito Martinez Cardiff restaurants, Gilgamesh London Mayfair, and UK debut of Monaco and Duba...

Restaurant radar: December 2023

This month's key openings include two new ventures from Cardiff restaurateurs Sophie Pascoe and Benito Martinez, the return of Gilgamesh, and the UK debut of Monaco and Dubai-based restaurant Gaia.

Paul Burgalières promoted to executive chef at L’Enclume

Paul Burgalières has been appointed as executive chef at Simon Rogan’s three Michelin-starred L’Enclume following his time as head chef.

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Poke House Case Study, Iconic Project Management

Iconic Project Management are proud to work with several restaurants across the UK, helping them achieve their objectives and ensuring they can open their new site, on time, on budget and on brief. We spoke to Director of Project Management, Darren Hewitt...

Hackney restaurant Pidgin launches £100,000 raffle to raise money for a refurbishment

'Less destination, more neighbourhood': Pidgin launches raffle to help it return to its roots

Hackney restaurant Pidgin is looking to raise £100,000 to raise money for a refurbishment and to help take the restaurant back to it origins.

The Lowdown: Bistro Greggs

The high street bakery chain is looking to stake (bake) a claim on the dinner market with a month-long, pop-up restaurant featuring a Gallic-inspired menu.

Ruth Hansom to launch first solo restaurant

Chef Ruth Hansom is to launch a modern British restaurant and wine bar under her own name in partnership with her husband Mark Hansom-Rigby in Bedale, North Yorkshire.

Friday five: the week's top hospitality stories

This week's top news stories include tributes to the late Russell Norman, shareholders approving the sale of TRG to Apollo Global Management, and administrators announcing the closure of Birch Selsdon.

Turkish burger brand ZULA to debut in London next year

Turkish burger restaurant brand ZULA will make its UK debut next year with a site in London.

Can't get to Ynyshir? Let it come to you

The UK’s best restaurant has created a special menu that is available for delivery via Uber Eats.

Four chef Aaron Dalton on running a restaurant within his Worthing home

Meet the chef setting up a top-flight dining experience within his house

Former Fera at Claridge’s and Smoking Goat chef Aaron Dalton is hoping to hit a home run with his Worthing restaurant Four.

Dominic Chapman leaves The Beehive

Chef Dominic Chapman is moving on from his highly-rated The Beehive pub in Berkshire having sold on the lease to Tangy Treat Ltd for an undisclosed sum.

Gary Usher warns tough trading could force him to close Burnt Truffle

Gary Usher has warned he may be forced to close his Burnt Truffle restaurant in Heswall unless trade picks up.

Relief for restaurants as RMT votes to end rail strikes but businesses ‘not out of the woods’ with Aslef strikes still set to go ahead

Relief as RMT votes to end rail strikes but hospitality ‘not out of the woods’

Hospitality businesses are ‘breathing a sigh of relief’ after RMT union voted to accept a pay deal that will end their involvement in rail strikes until at least the spring.

Sunny Hodge founder of London wine bars Diogenes The Dog and Aspen & Meursault on wine

Uncorked: Sunny Hodge

The founder of forward-thinking London wine bars Diogenes The Dog and Aspen & Meursault on wine science, Uruguay’s Pablo Fallabrinos and the joys of Pugliese ‘plonk’.

‘Challenging’ recruitment landscape forces Ottolenghi group to cut opening hours as group sees turnover rise

‘Challenging’ recruitment landscape forces Ottolenghi to cut opening hours as group sees turnover rise

The Ottolenghi group has had cut operating hours across some of its sites as a result of challenges to recruitment caused by Brexit and the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Claude and Lucy Bosi to bring ‘a little piece of Lyon to Fulham’ with Josephine

Claude Bosi and his wife Lucy will launch their first joint venture early next year – a new neighbourhood-style French bistro in London’s Fulham.

Mitchells & Butlers posts 'record outperformance' against the market

Mitchells & Butlers (M&B) has reported like-for-like (LFL) sales growth of 9.1% in its latest financial results covering the year ended 30 September 2023.

Foodservice price inflation falls for fifth consecutive month and now at lowest level since August 2022

Foodservice price inflation falls to lowest level since August 2022

Inflation as measured by the CGA Prestige Foodservice Price Index (FPI) fell for the fifth consecutive month in October, dropping to its lowest level since August 2022.

Lee Westcott's restaurants Elodie and Vervain close as Birch Selsdon goes into administration

Administrators close Birch Selsdon

Two restaurants overseen by chef Lee Westcott have closed with the hotel in which they were located being forced to shut.

Straits Kitchen head chef Nick Yung on his career to date and tackling bad attitudes in the workplace

Flash-grilled: Nick Yung

The head chef at Pan Pacific London’s flagship restaurant, Straits Kitchen, on starting out as a prep cook, tackling bad attitudes in the workplace, and his favourite fast food joint.

Pizza Punks reveals plans for four more restaurants

Wood-fired pizza restaurant group Pizza Punks has plans to open new sites in Edinburgh, Manchester, Cardiff and Birmingham as part of its plans to grow into a UK-wide business.

Frequency of dining out occasions flatlines in October despite rise in consumer confidence

A combination of poor weather and financial strains led to the frequency of dining out occasions flatlining in October, research from Lumina Intelligence’s latest Eating & Drinking Out Panel shows.

Kricket tees up fourth London site as it secures further funding

Rik Campbell and Will Bowlby will launch a fourth restaurant under their modern-Indian brand Kricket next year in London’s Canary Wharf, alongside a second iteration of their SOMA bar concept.

The Naked Chef: “I’d love to open quietly and chip away but that doesn’t happen with Jamie Oliver”

Jamie Oliver has finally opened the doors at his new Covent Garden restaurant, marking the return of the Naked Chef.

Sandy Jarvis and Clément Cousin to open Bavette in Leeds

Sandy Jarvis, former head chef and managing director at The Culpeper Family Hospitality Group, is to open a restaurant in Leeds next year alongside his husband Clément Cousin.

Turophile Mathew Carver opens Rind British cheese restaurant in Yorkshire Dales

Latest opening: Rind

Turophile Mathew Carver has swapped central London for the rolling hills of the Yorkshire Dales for his latest restaurant venture.

Loungers CFO to step down as group toasts 'strong financial and operational growth'

Loungers chief financial officer Gregor Grant has told the company he plans to step down next July after six years in the role.

Knoops targeting 200 sites following milestone fundraise

Artisanal hot chocolate café concept Knoops is looking to grow its estate to 200 sites nationwide in the medium term following a milestone £8.3m fundraise.

The Restaurant Group shareholders approve sale to Apollo

Shareholders of The Restaurant Group (TRG) have formally approved its sale to private equity company Apollo Global Management for £506m.

Team England and Team Wales take bronze at World Young Chef, Young Waiter 2023 competition

Team England and Team Wales have taken third place in the World Young Chef, Young Waiter and Young Mixologist 2023 competition.

Manchester’s Higher Ground to run a series of dinners in South Africa at Meuse Farm

Joseph Otway: “With just 40 guests a night, we can really elevate what we do”

The trio behind Manchester’s Higher Ground will decamp to South Africa this January to run a series of dinners at Meuse Farm, a forward-thinking market garden run by their former Blue Hill at Stone Barns colleague Iming Lin.

Berenjak launches international outpost in Dubai

London-based Persian restaurant brand Berenjak has launched its first international location in Dubai’s Dar Wasl district.

We take a look at Notting Hill's hottest restaurants

Restaurant Eats Out: Notting Hill

Notting Hill has become one of the capital's hottest foodie destinations. Restaurant took a group of chefs and operators to check out three of the best places to eat in the area.

‘The most gifted of restaurateurs’ – restaurant industry pays tribute to Russell Norman

‘The most gifted of restaurateurs’ – industry pays tribute to Russell Norman

Tributes from across the hospitality sector have been paid to Russell Norman, the multi award-winning restaurateur and author who died last week at the age of 57.