- Lisa Goodwin-Allen is to leave her role as executive chef of Northcote Manor’s Michelin-starred restaurant after 23 years cooking at the luxury Lancashire hotel. Goodwin-Allen, who has led the kitchen brigade at Northcote since the age of 23, confirmed in a statement that she would be moving on to explore new opportunities, describing her departure as ‘a bittersweet moment’. Northcote said Goodwin-Allen’s tenure has been ‘defined by a deep respect for British ingredients, pioneering seasonal menus that showcase the best of local produce’.
- Sally Abé will leave her The Pem restaurant at the Conrad London St James hotel at the end of next month. In a statement, the central London hotel’s owner Hilton confirmed that the site will continue to trade as The Pem for the time being. Abé leads The Pem project as a consultant and is also responsible for the Blue Boar Pub, The Hedgerow and The Orchard Room. It is understood that a new chef is being sought for The Pem space and that the appointment is likely to result in a rebrand in the near future.
- Bistrot Pierre has been sold in a pre-pack administration with the closure of eight restaurants. The future of the French restaurant group has been secured following a sale of a substantial part of the business to Cherry Equity Partners, a recently established investment platform led by Hush Collection CEO Ed Standring. Under the transaction, 10 Bistrot Pierre sites around the country will continue to trade, safeguarding 394 jobs. However, a further eight sites will close, resulting in 158 redundancies. The administrators will be providing all available support to those impacted as a matter of priority.
- Jack’s Creek, the Australian beef producer that has won the World’s Best Steak award at the World’s Steak Challenge for two years running, has secured its first UK retail listing. Now available via Ocado, the Wagyu X range features four highly marbled grain-fed wagyu products, priced from £17. They include the Jack’s Creek Wagyu X Sirloin, Jack’s Creek Wagyu X Ribeye, Jack’s Creek Wagyu X Fillet, and Jack’s Creek Wagyu X Rump.
- All-day restaurant group Bill’s is exploring possible expansion into the Middle East following a ‘remarkable turnaround’ in the past 24 months. The Times reports that the Richard Caring-owned group is actively seeking international franchise partners in the Middle East, as well as India and southeast Asia. Bill’s believes there is a gap in the market for a ‘very accessible, familyfriendly, value-led offer’ in the Middle East for people looking to have a ‘great experience but at a reasonable price point’. Tom James, managing director at Bill’s, said that places such as Dubai and Riyadh ‘look like strong opening locations for us’.