BigHospitality Podcast: Recent Episodes
William Reed Business Media
The chef behind Chelsea’s Myrtle talks to BigHospitality editor Stefan Chomka about her high flying cooking career and what makes Irish dairy so special.
The chef behind Chelsea’s Myrtle talks to BigHospitality editor Stefan Chomka about her high flying cooking career and what makes Irish dairy so special.
Honest Burgers has done a better job than most of keeping its teams engaged throughout the pandemic, using Workplace from Facebook to host everything from 80s-themed HIT classes to interactive conversations about mental health.
The chef ambassador of FairKitchens discusses why chefs need to look after themselves - and each other - in this time of pandemic.
The co-founder of Soho-based Sri Lankan restaurant Kolamba describes his first full year in business as being a ‘rollercoaster’.
How publican Farika Holden created food business Grateful Pies after being forced to close her London pub because of Coronavirus.
Rare Restaurants is planning to expand its hot food delivery service by increasing the reach of its existing Gaucho and M Restaurants-branded offerings as well as introducing a number of virtual brands that aren't attributed to its existing restaurants.
Wingmans founders Ben Ford and David Turofsky say that while further expansion for their cult chicken concept is on the cards, it’s not something they’ll be considering any time soon.
The pair behind celebrated London restaurant Ikoyi have described the operational changes to their restaurant as a ‘cultural response’ to the pandemic.
Two Malaysian food entrepreneurs say the enforced lockdown of hospitality earlier in the year has been the motivation behind them changing their business model completely.
The Laughing Heart owner Charlie Mellor says the crisis has necessitated a drastic rethink of the East London restaurant's wine list.
Marc Bevan says re-opening his Roast Restaurant in Borough Market is not viable following the collapse of both the tourist and office worker markets in central London.
Pied à Terre owner David Moore says he is confident his restaurant will be able to weather the Coronavirus crisis, providing it isn’t hit with another enforced lockdown closure.
Jun Tanaka, chef-patron at The Ninth in Fitzrovia, says his restaurant won’t reopen until mid August when he has his full front of house team back in operation.
Digital menus, pay-at-table apps and even robots that deliver food could become more prevalent in restaurants following the Coronavirus pandemic as businesses look at ways to reduce contact between staff and customers.
Restaurateur Geetie Singh-Watson says that hospitality businesses should have been given earlier confirmation from the Government about when they could reopen and believes that the guidelines issued to the sector have been inadequate.
Selin Kiazim says the reopening of her restaurants post lockdown has given her a blank canvas on which to draw on, which is why the time is right for her to scrap service charge.
Shoreditch barbecue restaurant Smokestak re-opens its doors tomorrow with a simplified offer centred around meat cooked overnight sold by the 100g.
The founders of Nigerian tapas restaurant Chuku’s in Tottenham say physical distancing will not detract from the socially-driven spirit of their restaurant.
Claude Bosi is less confident about UK restaurants bouncing back than their continental counterparts because of differing attitudes to eating out on these shores.
MW-Eat chairman and co-owner Ranjit Mathrani is planning to open the whole of his 10-strong estate of London Indian restaurants on 4 July.
Mark Gurney, Nicholas Balfe and Matt Bushnell's follow-up to Salon and Levan was forced to close after just four day's trading.
Anthony Demetre has re-opened his King's Cross restaurant Vermuteria offering an abridged takeaway menu alongside coffee and vermouth-based drinks.
Bar and restaurant and immersive entertainment group Lollipop is opening a ‘Covid 19-proof’ interactive restaurant in Chelsea this summer.
Chef Arbinder Dugal has discussed the difficulties faced by those such as himself, who were forced to change their restaurant opening plans as a result of the Coronavirus pandemic.
Hammersmith restaurant Sam's Riverside plans to relaunch as soon as the Government allows with a new seafood terrace offering.
ASAP Pizza, the takeaway pizza restaurant that is being launched today (10 June) on the ground floor of Flor in London’s Borough Market, could occupy the site long after lockdown has been lifted, according to co-owner James Lowe.
Chef Anna Haugh says owner-operated fine-dining restaurants such as her own will face further significant pressure if forced to implement a two-metre social distancing gap between tables.
The founders of recently launched delivery brand Hot 4 U say there is plenty of opportunity for chefs to develop new concepts and ideas while the Coronavirus crisis is ongoing.
Sue Williams and Niall Keating have launched a food truck operation within the manicured grounds of their Cotswolds hotel Whatley Manor.
Edinburgh-based chef restaurateur Tom Kitchin says he is deeply concerned about the Scottish hospitality industry, which is expected to re-open for eat-in no early than August.
Big Mamma co-founder Victor Lugger says he is appalled at how the UK Government has managed the crisis within the hospitality sector caused by the Coronavirus pandemic.
Reopening a restaurant once lockdown is over is one thing, but chef Kray Treadwell will launch his debut venture, 670 Grams, in Digbeth, Birmingham, once the Government has relaxed its lockdown rules for hospitality.
Chef Tommy Banks says that his two restaurants will have to adapt to a post-lockdown word but that he wouldn’t be cutting prices in an attempt to attract people back to his venues.
Elizabeth Haigh is now back behind the stove at her Borough Market food stall Mei Mei making Singaporean preparations to aid home cooks, including curry pastes and sambal chilli sauce.
JKS Restaurants CEO Jyotin Sethi says that delivery should be a core part of most restaurant’s strategy post lockdown as the sector looks to soften the blow of social distancing measures and a possible lack of demand.
Social distancing measures when restaurants are allowed to reopen will present huge challenges for businesses, according to the chef-patron of two Michelin-starred restaurant with rooms Restaurant Sat Bains.
Parkers Arms chef patron Stosie Madi says she believes that rural pubs have a good chance of surviving the Coronavirus crisis.
Bristol-based chef restaurateur has reported a 200% rise in delivery orders following the closure of his four restaurants for eat-in.
Restaurant Associates managing director Alice Woodwark says she has been getting advice from the group’s colleagues in Asia on how the UK operations can reopen with social distancing measures in place.
Creams commercial and operations director Elton Gray has spoken about how the dessert-focused chain has maintained a portion of its operation throughout the Coronavirus shutdown, and is even preparing to open new sites this summer.
Birmingham restaurant Carter's of Moseley is now producing up to 140 high-end meal boxes per week for delivery locally and will soon take the service nationwide.
Restaurant consultant and Macellaio RC director Asif Muhammad has advised restaurant operators to keep cash within their businesses at all costs.
Ben Murphy has described the emotional upheaval that came with being forced to close his Launceston Place restaurant.
The street food sector could play an even more significant role in the UK’s dining out scene in a post lockdown world, say KERB founder Petra Barran and KERB CEO Simon Mitchell.
Yard Sale Pizza co-founder Johnnie Tate has described the first few weeks after the Coronavirus lockdown was announced as an “extremely hectic period” for the business.
Rik Campbell believes that delivery and takeaway could support some restaurants through a tricky post-lockdown trading environment.
With social distancing rules likely to be in place until the end of the year there’s a big question mark over 2020’s food festivals and other larger food-related events.
Angela Hartnett has praised the hospitality’s industry’s response to the Coronavirus crisis.
Honest Burgers has been impressively proactive during the Coronavirus crisis, with initiatives including HIT classes and state of the nation addresses for furloughed staff, helping out charities and even finding its team work in other sectors.
Chef and author Zoe Adjonyoh believes more support is needed for small enterprises such as her own that are looking to pivot and refocus their business as a result of the Coronavirus crisis.
The co-founder and CEO of Grind says that fewer tourists and fewer office workers alongside health and safety restrictions could create an extremely challenging environment for hospitality businesses when the UK's lockdown lifts.
Harneet Baweja believes that 30% to 40% of London restaurants will close if they don't get the necessary support from landlords and the government.
Mark Selby has implored landlords to take a more realistic view on rents during and post the Coronavirus crisis.
Jason Atherton has talked about the impact the Coronavirus crisis has had on his Social Company restaurant group, and the steps he’s taking to make sure it can bounce back.
The Michelin-starred chef is preparing thousands of meals a week at his Penarth restaurant to feed hospital workers on the front line of the Coronavirus crisis.
Grilled cheese maestro Mathew Carver on helping his cheese suppliers through the Coronavirus crisis, his upcoming barge restaurant and moving into the delivery space.
The founder of Lussmanns on turning one of his six restaurants into a dark kitchen for producing meals to heat at home and his advice to other restaurateurs looking to do the same.
Chef and restaurateur Paul Ainsworth has described the week that started with Boris Johnson advising people to stay away from pubs and restaurants (16 March) as the worst week of his life.
Hamish Stoddart on trying to turn his pubs into social enterprises, Peach’s Hardship Taskforce, and coming out bigger and better.
Simon Rogan on the pandemic's affect on his global restaurant empire and how he's using his Cumbria farm to feed people.
We speak to SpiceBox co-founder Grace Reagan about her decision to keep operating her vegan Indian restaurant concept through the Coronavirus crisis.
We speak to Alchemilla chef Alex Bond about the Government's support package for staff and how he's switched from tasting menus to cooking simple meals for NHS workers.
We speak to public relations expert Gemma Bell about what restaurants need to do to stay on people's radars during the Coronavirus crisis.
We talk to the Michelin-starred chef behind Trinity and Charlie's about turning his Clapham restaurant Bistro Union into Union Stores.
In our fist United We Stand podcast, we talk to Brighton and Hove restaurateur David Toscano about the challenges of keeping an independent restaurant brand alive through the Coronavirus crisis.
As the new year gets rolling, now is the perfect time for hotels, restaurants and pubs to determine the key developments that will impact their business in 2014. This short audio podcast, taken from Christie & Co's annual Business Outlook, should help you to ensure you're on the right track for the year ahead.
The likes of social media, online advertising and mobile loyalty apps allow businesses large and small to reach out to increasingly digital-savvy consumers. But how can these ‘digital innovations’ be used in the most effective ways to impact your restaurant’s bottom line?
They’re all on it. Big national chains, high-profile chefs and small emerging brands across the UK have realised the power of Twitter. But in the fast-moving world of social media, how can you use the networking site to convert followers to customers?
In the third part of our Dietary Requirements special feature, BigHospitality takes a trip to Terre à Terre vegetarian restaurant in Brighton, to find out exactly what it’s like running a venue that is not just continuing to push the boundaries in meat-free cooking, but also aiming to cater for virtually all other dietary needs.
What skills do you need to be a hotel manager? Following a special media masterclass for select hospitality journalists, this was the question posed to Arie van der Spek, chief executive of Glion Institute of Higher Education.
Now the dust has settled on George Osborne's fourth Budget speech, the race is on to identify the winners and losers from this year's announcements. BigHospitality has pored over the detail so you don't have to - our audio report contains everything you need to know, in less than 250 seconds.
Long hours, unskilled work and few career development opportunities: the hospitality industry, and pubs in particular, are constantly fighting to change these perceptions of jobs in the sector but now the team behind a new initiative gaining momentum believes it has found the answer.
Martin Chiffers, president of the UK's Coupe du Monde de la Pâtisserie club, has described the team's ninth place in the World Pastry Cup as 'disappointing'.
Ufi Ibrahim has told hospitality businesses across the UK that they must ‘walk the talk’ when it comes to job creation by making more opportunities available to young people if they want to receive more support from the Government in other areas.
From Travelodge to the Savoy, hotel design has always played a crucial role in reinforcing brand identities and differentiating a business from its competitors. But with an increasing number of 'design-led', 'luxury' and 'boutique' hotels populating the sector, how key is the design of a hotel to its overall success?
In a special audio report recorded at The Restaurant Show, Jacques Dejardin, head of operations at Jamie Oliver, reveals how the group is looking to retail, takeaway and collection, event catering and possibly all-day dining to protect its restaurants from the continuing downturn.
At 22.7bn and in growth, the UK on-trade beer, wine and spirits market remains a star performer. This panel discussion at The Restaurant Show explores some of the current trends and identifies how you should be revising your drinks list over the next 12 months accordingly.
Gordon Ramsay is dishing out the orders in the restaurant, Mary Portas is in charge of the rooms and Gok Wan is running the bar. The stars of Hotel GB think the show will have an eventual wider impact on our hospitality industry - are they right? BigHospitality went behind the scenes at the hotel to find out.
London hoteliers have questioned the assertion from the Government and tourism agencies that the hospitality industry will see a boost in trade from the Olympics in the next two years as hotels begin to assess the impact of the Games.
Sales in pubs in Stratford doubled on average during the London 2012 Olympics as visitors, volunteers and even athletes decided to celebrate victories and commiserate losses close to the Olympic Park.
The London 2012 Olympics may have reaffirmed Britain’s place at the toptable of world sport and sparked a wave of euphoria across the country, but for many of the capital's restaurants, the event has not yet proved to be so successful and business has ground to a halt.
TV shows like Great British Menu have led to a resurgence in popularity among chefs for cooking banquets or developing event catering, so BigHospitality went behind the scenes at a fine-dining three-course meal for 2,000 at the Royal Albert Hall to find out how do it.
To mark five years since the implementation of the ban on smoking in pubs and bars in England, BigHospitality has produced a podcast report investigating the current situation and possible future options for campaigners and publicans still hoping to change the law.
Discount vouchers have traditionally proved an effective tactic by some operators in encouraging consumers to eat in their outlets and have risen in popularity since the recession. But the popularity of these schemes has raised concerns that some operators are now becoming reliant on them.
Former Michelin-starred chef Marco Pierre White has spoken to BigHospitality in an exclusive audio interview on his new Channel 5 TV show Kitchen Wars which he says supports the restaurant sector by helping independent restaurateurs and encouraging employment in the industry.
With just two months to go before the start of the London 2012 Olympics, BigHospitality took a tour of central London with Transport for London's Ian Wainwright to find out what kind of logistical issues restaurants, hotels and pubs could face during the event.
The number of restaurants led by big-name chefs in branded luxury hotels has grown significantly in recent years, and having this 'brand within a brand' can, at first glance offer significant advantages for both parties.
With only three UK restaurants on the list at Monday night’s World’s 50 Best Restaurants awards, BigHospitality spoke with Noma’s René Redzepi, along with a 50 Best judge, a restaurant critic and two British restaurants that did make the grade, to find out why there was such a poor British showing.
As we celebrate the tenth year of the Worlds 50 Best Restaurant Awards, BigHospitality speaks to those both honoured by and involved in the awards to find out what impact, if any, winning a place on the list has on a restaurant.
Just over a week since the 2012 Budget, hospitality operators are weighing up the effects of the policies contained in the Chancellor's speech on their businesses - but what wasn't said or what was notably missing for hotels, restaurants and pubs and bars?
Minimum alcohol pricing which stops retailers selling drinks for less than the tax paid comes into force this year but reports now suggest the Government is looking to go further and may support a minimum per unit price; but what would the impact be on the hospitality industry?
Work experience has hit the headlines as Government talks with businesses concerned about the scheme to get unemployed youngsters on placements continue; BigHospitality asked hospitality industry leaders at Hotelympia, including Raymond Blanc, for their views on restaurant, hotel or pub and bar work experience.
In January the announcement the London 2012 organising committee (LOCOG) was releasing rooms sparked fears hotels might not be as full as hoped, so a week later BigHospitality spoke to those in the industry to see if hotels were reassessing expectations and how they were preparing for the Olympics.
The Live Music Bill was passed by the House of Commons on Friday 20 January but some in the pub industry are calling for it's implementation to be sped up alongside more deregulation for pubs.
Reviews website TripAdvisor has angered some members of the industry who feel the website does not do enough to protect businesses who find themselves victims of false or defamatory reviews.
You’ve found your dream job and have bagged yourself an interview, but failing to make the right first impression on the day can halt your job application in its tracks.
Kyle Rawles, sales executive at BigHospitality Jobs, gives his top tips on how to write a successful job advert to ensure hospitality business owners and HR managers attract the right candidates to their companies.
John Dyson, food and technical affairs adviser at the British Hospitality Association (BHA), gives his top tips to chefs thinking of introducing calorie details on menus.
Britain’s front of house staff lack the professionalism and respect found in the kitchen because ‘there are little to no service training schools’, Tim Zagat, co-founder of the eponymous restaurant guide has said.
The key to hiring the right staff first time round is a strict recruitment process, thorough training, and giving staff room to grow.
Restaurant and bar operators should encourage their British staff to take up sommelier as a career to balance the level of foreign sommeliers in the hospitality industry.
Businesses must be tech-savvy, improve their service standards and ensure their menus and design are innovative if they are to succeed in the future.
An exceptional sommelier is proud of his work and adaptable to any given situation, according to the UK Sommelier of the Year 2011, Yohann Jousselin.
Brett Graham, chef owner of The Ledbury in Notting Hill, entered the S.Pellegrino World’s 50 Best Restaurants Awards for the first time at number 34 this year.
Rasmus Kofoed, the Danish winner of the 2011 Bocuse d’Or and chef proprietor of Geranium in Copenhagen, has defied the odds and won a bronze, silver and now gold trophy in what is known as the Oscars of the culinary world.
Boutique hotel chain Hotel du Vin intends to grow its standalone Bistro du Vin concept to 12 sites by 2015 - concentrating only on London.
Raymond Blanc has set the benchmark for the UK hospitality sector for decades, with many chefs and waiters benefiting from his Oxfordshire hotel and restaurant Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons’ inspirational development and training practices.
With the 2012 London Olympics fast approaching, the hospitality industry needs to step up its service standards to provide visitors with a warm, British welcome.
Claude Bosi, chef proprietor of Hibiscus in London has recently been described as delivering “original, complex and highly-imaginative cooking” by Restaurant magazine, who claim he could be the best chef in the UK.
Jason Atherton is on the cusp of opening his first London restaurant apart from Gordon Ramsay Holdings, months after launching his first solo project in Shanghai.