Industry news from Scattergoods Agency Ltd.

October News

Heston Blumenthal's Fat Duck comes
top in National Restaurant Awards 2009

Heston Blumenthal's Fat Duck restaurant has been voted Restaurant of the Year in the National Restaurant of the Year Awards 2009, beating Hibiscus and The Walnut Tree to the top spot.

Ashley Palmer-Watts, head chef at The Fat Duck picked up the award on behalf of Blumenthal, who was away filming the next series of Feast, in front of the nation's top chefs and restaurateurs at the ceremony at the Hurlingham Club in London last night.

Source: Big Hospitality

Three Michelin Star Restaurants

The Fat Duck, Bray, Berkshire

Restaurant Gordon Ramsay, Royal Hospital Road, London

The Waterside Inn, Bray, Berkshire

Two Michelan Stars

LONDON
The Capital hotel, Knightsbridge
Le Gavroche, Mayfair
Marcus Wareing at the Berkeley, Berkeley hotel, Knightsbridge
Pied á Terre, Bloomsbury
The Square, Mayfair
Alain Ducasse at The Dorcester, Mayfair
Hibiscus, Mayfair
L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon, Covent Garden

ENGLAND
The Dining Room Whatley Manor, Malmesbury, Wiltshire
Le Champignon Sauvage, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire
Gidleigh Park, Chagford, Devon
Le Manoir Aux Quat'Saisons, Great Milton, Oxfordshire
Midsummer House, Cambridge
The Vineyard at Stockcross, Newbury, Berkshire

One Michelin Star Restaurants in England

Drakes on the Pond, Abinger Hammer, Surrey
Michael Wignall at The Latymer, Bagshot, Surrey
Fischer's at Baslow Hall, Baslow, Derbyshire
Bath Priory, Bath, Somerset
The Park (at Lucknam Park), Bath/Colerne, Somerset
The Terrace (at Montagu Arms), Beaulieu, Hampshire
The West House, Biddenden, Kent
Fraiche, Birkenhead, Mersey
Simpsons, Birmingham
Purnell's, Birmingham
Turners, Birmingham
Northcote, Lancashire
Morston Hall, Norfolk
The Burlington (at The DevonshireArms Country House), Bolton Abbey, North Yorkshire
Lords of the Manor, Bourton-on-the-Water/Upper Slaughter, Gloucestershire
Casamia, Bristol
Le Poussin at Whitley Ridge, Brockenhurst, Hampshire
Christophe, Guernsey, Channel Islands
Atlantic, Guernsey, Channel Islands
Bohemia, Guernsey, Channel Islands
Manor House hotel and Golf Club, Castle Combe, Wiltshire
Simon Radley at The Chester Grosvenor, Chester, Cheshire
West Stoke House, Chichester, West Sussex
Apicius, Cranbook, Kent
Ockenden Manor, Cuckfield, West Sussex
The New Angel, Dartmouth, Devon
36 on the Quay, Emsworth, Hampshire
Read's, Faversham, Kent
Nathan Outlaw, Fowey, Cornwall
L'Enclume, Cartmel, Cumbria
Harry's Place, Grantham, Lincolnshire
The Star Inn, Harome, North Yorkshire
The Neptune, Hunstanton, Norfolk
Box Tree, Ilkley, West Yorkshire
The Stagg Inn, Kington/Titley, Hereford
La Becasse, Ludlow, Shropshire
Mr Underhill's at Dinham Weir, Ludlow, Shropshire
The Harrow at Little Bedwyn, Marlborough, Wiltshire
The Hand & Flowers, Marlow, Buckinghamshire
The Nut Tree, Murcott, Oxon
Restaurant Sat Bains, Nottingham
Hambleton Hall, Hambleton, Rutland
The Yorke Arms, Pateley Bridge, North Yorkshire
JSW, Petersfield, Hampshire
L'Ortolan, Reading, Berkshire
Drakes, Ripley, Surrey
The Dining Room ( at Mallory Court), Royal Leamington Spa, Warwickshire
Seaham Hall, Seaham, Durham
Old Vicarage, Sheffield, South Yorkshire
The Masons Arms, Knowstone, Devon
The Olive Branch and Beech House, Clipsham, Lincolnshire
The Elephant , Torquay, Devon
Sharrow Bay Country House, Ullswater, Cumbria
Auberge du Lac, Welwyn Garden City, Herts
The Sportsman, Seasalter, Kent
The Hambrough, Isle of Wight
5 North St, Winchcombe, Gloucestershire
Holbeck Ghyll, Windermere, Cumbria

July News

Older workers plan to delay retirement

A recent survey by Watson Wyatt a leading global consultancy, has revealed that a significant number of older workers are now planning to delay retirement.

The survey conducted earlier this year, found that 44% of workers have increased their planned retirement age within the last 12 months, 44% of those aged over 50 plan to delay their retirement, compared to only 25% of workers under 40.

Recruitment industry was worth £26.22bn in 2008

According to a new report the recruitment industry was worth £26.22bn in 2008, in 2007 the industry was worth £28.19bn.

MBC Comer predicts that after taking into account an expected recovery in 2010 the industry will contract by 3%, between 2009 and 2013.

February News

Some of the Scattergood's temp waiting staff in action at one of the marquee functions last year.

We have clients who regularly call us for staff for their events during the year and you could become one of the team too! Interested? Then please call our Temp Section on 01483 461950.

October/November Thoughts!

Not so much news as such but in these times of "credit crunch" here are a few few foodie quotes - to make you smile perhaps and to provide some food for thought!

"I drink it when I'm happy and when I'm sad.
Sometimes I drink it when I'm alone.
When I have company I consider it obligatory.
I trifle with it if I'm not hungry and I drink it when I am.
Otherwise I never touch it, unless I'm thirsty."
- Lily Bollinger

"We are living in a world today where lemonade is made from artificial flavors and furniture polish is made from real lemons."
- Alfred E. Newman

"Large, naked raw carrots are acceptable as food only to those who lie in hutches eagerly awaiting Easter."
- Fran Lebowitz

"It's difficult to think anything but pleasant thoughts while eating a homegrown tomato."
- Lewis Grizzard

"After all the trouble you go to, you get about as much actual 'food' out of eating an artichoke as you would from licking 30 or 40 postage stamps."
- Miss Piggy

"One of the very nicest things about life is the way we must regularly stop whatever it is we are doing and devote our attention to eating."
- Luciano Pavarotti and William Wright, Pavarotti, My Own Story

"It would be nice if the Food and Drug Administration stopped issuing warnings about toxic substances and just gave me the names of one or two things still safe to eat."
- Robert Fuoss

August News

Gold Medal Winners, Team Mexico

On Thursday 24 July 2008 we held the Annual Barbecue on the Cricket Green here in Shalford. We had postponed this event from the original date, 09 July, when the weather forecasters had promised a miserable day with plenty of rain - and, for once, they were 100% correct! The back-up date was perfect - blue skies with puffy white clouds and sunshine too. Leading up to the evening, there was much behind-the-scenes organisation - the planning, gathering various required equipment, ordering the evening's supplies together with all the allied paper work and flag making (Claire certainly heads our Blue Peter team here in the office!).

The chosen activity for this year's jolly was the Scattergood's Mini Olympics 2008; in previous years we have played Rounders but hey, with the Beijing Olympics just around the corner, what else could we do? Competing countries comprised Mexico, Holland, Trinidad & Tobago, Ireland, G.B. and Solomon Islands and the events were as follows:- 100 metre dash (egg & spoon race), Hammer (wellie throwing), Weight Lifting (eating doughnuts off strings!), Football (penalty shoot-out), High Jump (limbo - how low can you go??), Discus (frisbee chucking), 5 X 300M Relay (Fancy dress!). and, finally, Tug of War (not terribly certain how that fits into the Olympics, but still!).

The competitors (local Clients, Temps and their families, friends et al) started to arrive from about 17.00 and were welcomed by the smell of the sizzling sausages and burgers on the barbecue courtesy of Andy Langley 'The Chef', and the ice-cold beers and endless jugs of Pimms. After a pleasant hour or so spent mingling, chatting and catching up, whilst they were all lulled into a relaxed state, they were then divided into teams for the Games - one person from each team was selected to be the Team Mascot and dressed in suitable attire (there were some pretty amazing sights to be seen!).

The competitors then entered into the spirit of the Games and gave their all - a pleasant couple of hours ensued with much encouragement from the sidelines and an occasional shout for a referee's final decision - all ably controlled by Liz and her team.

Order was maintained and the scoreboard kept up to date - the final activity being the Tug of War which was between Team Mexico (led by Steph) and Team Holland (led by Antoine - Steph's team pulled through (!) and won the day and were presented with the Gold Medal. Team Holland attained Silver and Team Trinidad and Tobago (ably led by Andy in his Rasta hat!) won the Bronze. By this time dusk had been overtaken by night and people started to drift off homewards - the general consensus was that a good time was had by all and now we're all looking forward to next year (any ideas for a theme for 2009?).

July News

Albert and Michel Roux celebrate with Silver Catey Award

Albert and Michel Roux were the big winners in Tuesday night's Cateys at London's Grosvenor House, picking up the specially commissioned Silver Catey award, which commemorates the 25th anniversary of the hospitality industry Oscars.

The Roux brothers beat off strong competition from Gordon Ramsay, Sir Terence Conran, Sir Rocco Forte and Marco Pierre White to pick up the Silver Catey, in a vote decided by users of Caterersearch.com and readers of Caterer and Hotelkeeper.

More than 1,000 of hospitality's most important decision makers were witness to the spectacular occasion, which saw Harry Murray, managing director of Lucknam Park Hotel, picking up the Lifetime Achievement award for his long and distinguished service to the hotel industry.

Elsewhere, there was a double success for John Campbell, the executive chef and head of food and beverage at The Vineyard at Stockcross, as he picked up both the chef award and the education and training award.

Cateys 2008: Full list of winners

Accessibility Award
Claridge House, Lingfield, Surrey

Best Group Marketing Campaign
Best Western Hotels

Best Independent Marketing Campaign
The Vineyard at Stockcross & Donnington Valley Hotel

Best Use of Technology
Domino's Pizza

Chef Award
John Campbell, executive chef/head of food and beverage, The Vineyard at Stockcross

Education and Training Award
John Campbell, executive chef/head of food and beverage, The Vineyard at Stockcross

Food Service Caterer Award
Kate Martin, managing partner, The Brookwood Partnership

Green Award
Strattons Hotel, Swaffham, Norfolk

Hotel of the Year - Group
The Stafford, London

Hotel of the Year - Independent
The Isle of Eriska Hotel, Argyll, Scotland

Leisure and Tourism Award
David Sharpe, managing director, The London Eye

Manager of the Year
Duncan Pitfield, general manager, Skylon/The Royal Exchange Grand Café and Bar

Newcomer Award
Tom Kitchin, chef/owner, The Kitchin, Edinburgh

Pub and Bar Award
Rupert Clevely, managing director, Geronimo Inns

Public Sector Caterer Award
Alison McCree, associate director of facilities, County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust

Restaurateur of the Year - Group
Simon Kossoff, managing director, Carluccio's Caffe

Restaurateur of the Year - Independent
Anthony Demetre & Will Smith, owners, Wild Honey/Arbutus

Menu of the Year
Scott's Restaurant, London

Special
Anne Pierce, chief executive, Springboard

Lifetime
Harry Murray, managing director, Lucknam Park Hotel

Silver Catey
Albert and Michel Roux

Source: CatererSearch.com

June News

Smell from Tom Aikens's fish restaurant angers neighbours

The smell of stale cooking fat emanating from Tom Aikens' fish and chip restaurant in Chelsea has "halved the value" of flats in the area, local residents have claimed.

Laura Benjamin, who lives next door to the Michelin-starred chef's Tom's Place, told the Evening Standard: "The smell is everywhere. The value of our flats has been halved and everyone is furious."

Sir Michael Jenkins, who lives 40 yards from the restaurant in Cale Street, said "I get a horrible smell" and claimed that Aikens had refused to listen to complaints.

A fan that Aikens has installed to disperse the smell only increased the problem, according to Benjamin.

"There should be a state-of-the art filtration plant," she said. "Instead, there is a fan the size of two aircraft engines three inches from my terrace which spreads a poisonous so-called deodorant."

Aikens insisted that he done his best to improve the situation.

"The deodoriser is tested and approved or we wouldn't be allowed to use it," he said. "We've also changed our fat from beef to vegetable. It's very difficult to please everyone."

Source: CatererSearch.com

Fine food guild slams Asda over 2p sausages

The Guild of Fine Food has hit out at Asda after the supermarket chain launched a range of sausages priced at 2p each.
Bob Farrand, national director of the guild, said the sausages - which only contain 30% meat - show that Asda has given no thought to British farming or "for the state of fatso Britain's diet".

"Will supermarkets ever look beyond the next set of trading figures and consider even the medium term impact of their quest for cheap food?" he asked.

"BSE resulted from the need to produce cheap food on a massive scale. Foot and mouth spread like wildfire mainly because live animal transportation needed to satisfy supermarket centralised distribution and the loss of 50% of our dairy farmers was the result of milk prices kept artificially low by, guess who?" he added.

Asda insisted it was focusing on customer needs.

Jenny Liggat, the retailer's sausage buyer, said: "Families are feeling the impact of the credit crunch in their pockets. Food prices have increased but Asda is committed to continually offering customers great value products at an everyday low price."

Source: CatererSearch.com

May News

Blanc's The Restaurant winners quit after seven months

Jeremy and Jane Hooper, winners of Raymond Blanc's TV series The Restaurant, have quit Eight at the Thatch after just seven months running the business.

The pair, who were victorious in the BBC Two reality TV series last October, are now looking to return to their home county of Cornwall where they will open their own restaurant.

They moved to Thame in Oxfordshire to run Eight at the Thatch after winning the reality TV show.

In a joint statement the Hooper's said: "We feel very disappointed that this hasn't worked out. We feel that we did not have the chance to make our concept work in the environment of a pub.

"Having said that, we were thrilled to win the prize and we have learned a lot. It has not proved possible to continue at Eight at the Thatch but we have not lost our dream."

Raymond Blanc said: "Jeremy and Jane worked very hard to make a success of Eight at the Thatch. I am happy that we were able to give them this chance and delighted that they have gained the experience and the confidence to start a new business.

The second series of The Restaurant is set to air on BBC Two later this year. The BBC said that the pair were "admirable winners" of the show.
Eight at the Thatch will now become a gastropub called The Thatch, run by Caterer adopted business Peach Pub Company who acted as consultants to the winners.

Sara Bates will act as the general manager.

It emerged that head chef Christian Cillia has been sacked from the restaurant less than three months after joined the site.

Source: CatererSearch.com

School meals recovery underway at primary level, say experts

Leading school meals providers and sector experts believe the worst is now over for the primary school dinners service post Jamie Oliver.

At a Caterer round table debate held last month, supported by Apetito, the participants from both local authority direct service organisations and food service companies said the primary school food service was now heading into a period of growth.

Last summer the Local Authority Caterers Association reported uptake at primary school level had fallen to a low of 40%, although it added that the rate of decline appeared to be bottoming out.

Successes highlighted at the debate included the London borough of Ealing, where Harrison Catering Services operates the contract in 60 primary and special schools.

Bill Graney, manager of the Harrison contract in Ealing, said: "We have had a 3% growth in uptake this year."

Alan Bowey, operations director of Sodexho Education, reported a dramatic rise in take up numbers in another London borough, Richmond, despite being described by the previous contractor as unviable.

In the eight months the contractor has run the service it has seen a 70% increase in the number of meals served across the borough each day from 2,100 to 3,700.

"By demonstrating that the quality of the food we serve is high, we gained the confidence of parents and teachers and take-up numbers started to rise rapidly," he said.

Source: CatererSearch.com

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