Scottish catering and hospitality news in Scotland

To celebrate the 10th year of its highly successful fundraising lunch, the Hospitality Industry Trust Scotland (HIT) will be gambling on the generosity of its supporters to host a record-breaking lunch on Monday 6 November at the Sheraton Grand Hotel & Spa in Edinburgh. Themed Monte Carlo, the 10th HIT Edinburgh lunch promises to be a spectacular event.


The HIT Edinburgh lunch has grown in stature over the last nine years, becoming a sell-out weeks before the event, and raising over £250,000, which provides bursaries and scholarships for students in the hospitality industry across Scotland.

Guest speakers over the past 10 years have included: Simon Willis from Terence Conran, Simon Woodroffe, founder of Yo Sushi; Susan Harmsworth, founder of E'Spa; Charan Gill OBE, Harlequin Leisure and Susan Rice, CEO Lloyds TSB Scotland.

Early Bird Tickets are now available for £60 each or £550 for a table of ten. In September ticket prices will rise to £65 each or £600 for a table of ten. The lunch, from 12 noon until 4pm, will be followed by an 'after lunch party'.

For further details, ticket enquiries or sponsorship opportunities contact Caroline McGarrity at Angelfish on 0141 331 0424 or hit@angelfish.co.uk.

South Trafford College were at the top of their league during the finals at The Sunday Times 'Home Show', scoring a win against the opposition teams of Sheffield, Lancaster & Morecambe and Kilmarnock colleges. The South Trafford team of chefs - Stuart Fairbrother, Marvin McGogg-Singh and Thomas Sporrer were captained in the kitchen by Richard Carver and supported by Richard Brown and Jess Smith up front serving a demanding public.

The winning menu kicked off with a delicate spiced Parsnip Soup garnished with fruit dumplings. This was followed by an ambitious yet extremely well delivered Trio of Lamb - a herb crusted lamb cutlet, home-made Lamb and Mint Sausage and individual miniature Shepherds Pie, all served with a medley of seasonal vegetables. To finish the meal was a dessert Chocolate and Coffee Bread and Butter Pudding drizzled with Orange and Vanilla Foam.

Martin Webster, event organiser, Nestlé FoodServices comments: "Each year I am amazed at the passion, commitment and ability of the students competing at Toque d'Or and this year was no exception. Cooking for 100 guests in an unfamiliar kitchen is a daunting experience in itself and is made more so with the added pressure of a competition environment and members of the public watching every move. I would like to congratulate all four teams in this year's final - the standard of food was exceptional, providing the judges with a difficult decision in choosing a winner."

Now in its 18th year, the prestigious Nestlé Toque d'Or competition is unique to the industry, as it challenges the stars of the future to excel in all aspects of running a restaurant in addition to serving high quality dishes. The tough line-up of judges at this year's event, refereed by James Martin, critiqued each team on a range of skills including team work, culinary expertise, front of house service and organisation, business acumen and the ability to work as a team under pressure.

Webster continues: "Nestlé FoodServices is committed to supporting the hospitality industry and the next generation of chefs, restaurant owners and Maitre d's. Winning Toque d'Or is an accolade on any CV and I look forward to seeing the members of the South Trafford team as major players in the industry in years to come."

As this year's winners, the six students will soon be jetting off to North Carolina, USA to continue their unique Toque d'Or experience on a study trip at Johnson & Wales University. As part of the trip to one of the leading culinary and state-of-the-art universities, the students will have the opportunity to meet some of the USA's leading catering professionals and enjoy an insight into the stateside hospitality industry and current food trends. The college, along with the other three finalists, will also receive catering equipment from Electrolux Professional.

A dramatic change in the way consumers buy products is predicted during the next few years.

Sorrell Fearnall is managing director at Purely Nutrition and says "Consumerism is changing. With instant research abilities at their finger tips, thanks to the World Wide Web, consumer power is fast taking over the power held for so long by manufacturers, advertisers, and marketers. Consumers concerned with health, community, and environment benefits in relation to what they eat are becoming the norm".

British spending is estimated to be at £1 trillion (a million, million) per year. The health food sector (including free from foods and organic products) contributes massively ? the organic market alone has long since passed the £1 billion per year mark, proving consumers really do have an appetite for healthy, nutritious goods.

Sorrell adds "Caterers, manufacturers, hoteliers, and other industry professionals must keep up with the emerging consumer trends. It would be foolhardy to ignore this market sector of health conscious adults and children whose force and numbers are set to rise and rise. To do so would surely be commercial suicide. You only have to look at the nations spending habits over the past few years to grasp that our consumers are demanding nutritional content and information in and on everything they eat".

With around 70% of adults admitting they are confused over nutritional information, the food industry has a long way to go in satisfying this market. Those who have already taken matters into their own hands are reaping the commercial benefits. Even fast food chains are keeping their share of the market through new healthy and nutritional alternatives added to menus throughout the UK.

Dr Jennie Cockroft, nutritional director at Purely Nutrition adds "The UK's biggest killer is heart disease, causing 1 in 5 deaths in men and 1 in 6 deaths in women. Heart disease is linked to obesity, a disease also linked to big killers such as diabetes and cancer. Food companies can really take the lead in appointing nutritional experts to work closely with them".

Sorrell adds "The commercial sense of this tact is quite obvious. What's more consumers will become loyal, trusting and appreciative as companies go all out to sustain the nation's insatiable quest for health and nutritional information, and products. Organisations corporate social responsibility objectives can be further achieved through our approach. Recognised by The Food and Drink Federation and the Nutrition Society, our services are compliant with the latest scientific, Government, and European guidelines as well as offering advice and guidance on food labeling and advertising in keeping with the Advertising Standards Agency".

For information contact 01423 858123 or visit www.purelynutrition.co.uk.

The 1st of July 2006 marks the fifteenth anniversary of staff catering firm, Charlton House, founded by a former school dinner lady, Robyn Jones, and her husband, Tim, a chartered accountant.


The pair established Charlton House in the summer of 1991. Robyn worked initially in their spare bedroom, armed only with a telephone directory, a telephone, a wallpaper pasting table as a desk and banana boxes as filing cabinets. Tim managed the accounts while keeping on his day job as group financial director of a large translation company. It was at the height of a recession, and they launched the business on the strength of a £50 weekly Government enterprise allowance.

Fifteen years on, the mother and father of two are running a £50 million enterprise. Charlton House is now the largest independent contract caterer in the UK to have grown without acquisitions. Clients include Her Majesty's Treasury, the Royal Society of British Architects and the corporate headquarters of BUPA, Sony (United Kingdom) Ltd and Network Rail.

44-year-old Robyn and her husband, Tim, wholly own the company. They have never once sought finance, and all of their business growth has occurred organically, through recommendation and extension to existing business. Charlton House?s annual turnover is projected to leap to £80 million by 2009.

Known for their cutting edge approach to food in the workplace, Robyn Jones (chief executive) and Tim Jones (chairman and finance director) employ 1,350 people nationwide.

A group of top chefs will be in the North east next week to find out more about the origins of the beef they serve on their menus.

The visit - which will take place between Sunday (June 25th) and Tuesday (June 27th) has been organised by Inverurie-based Scotch Premier Meat Ltd and customer Aubrey Allen of Coventry in a bid to help chefs learn more about the production of beef.

A series of meetings and visits will take place during the visit, including trips to George Ritch's East Fingask Farm at Oldmeldrum, Ballindalloch Castle, the Royal Lochnagar Distillery on Deeside and Scotch Premier Meat Ltd's premises on Inverurie's North Street.

Commenting on the forthcoming visit, Scotch Premier Meat Ltd managing director Raymond Wight said: "These 'farm to fork' visits always prove immensely popular with chefs as its gives them the chance to enhance their knowledge of beef production. They are also very useful for us because we are able to meet the people using the end product and find out more about their requirements."

Peter Allen of Aubrey Allen added: "This gives our clients the opportunity to understand why Scotch beef is the best in the world and such visits always lead to increased sales."

Enterkine Country House by Ayr is due to unveil its new 'Bothy Accommodation' in late summer 2006. Nestling among the rhododendrons at the front of the house, the Bothy will have a Tardis-like appearance inside, with a magnificent en suite bedroom with bathroom, relaxation area and dressing area.
'Staying in a Bothy will take you back to childhood and evoke magical memories of fantasy and romance,' says Enterkine's proprietor, Angela Tremble.

To view more Bothy pictures, visit Enterkine's website.

Gary Goldie, award-winning Head Chef at Ardanaiseig Hotel near Oban, has been selected as Chef of The Month for the launch of the new website for food fanatics,wildfoods.com.
The website, whose sister company Caledonian Wild Foods supply many of Britain's top chefs, has been created 'to inspire those who enjoy cooking with exotic and wild foods', and offers extensive culinary inspiration from its Chef of the Month column.

'We chose Gary as he is passionate about food and an excellent chef,'
says Liz Walsh, Managing Director of wildfoods.com. 'In particular he is as mad about mushrooms as we are, so he is the ideal person to launch the site. He has been great to work with, and he's given us some really excellent recipes.'

Gary is sharing some of his favourite recipes using wild foods, and he also shares some valuable tips on how to cut mushrooms and how to season dishes naturally:
'I have worked with sister company Caledonian Wild Foods for many years, and their products are fantastic, so I am delighted to be part of this,' he said.

wildfoods.com sells mushrooms, herbs and truffles, which are harvested from the wild, as well as a range of gourmet products such as Avocado Oil, Bilberry with African Basil dressing and Sevruga caviar, which are selected from around the world for their wild flavours. The site will also have a food forum for food fanatics who love to chat about food as well as eat it. Wildfoods.com will also demonstrate its commitment to its natural heritage by making a donation to the Woodland Trust for every order made on the site.

For more information, visit the Wild Foods website.

Chef Tom Kitchin is inviting graduating honorary doctorates Jackie Stewart and Midge Ure, along with the rest of Edinburgh University's graduating students, to celebrate their success at his newly opened restaurant, The Kitchin.

Edinburgh born Kitchin's own rite of passage took him from Gleneagles Hotel, on to the three-Michelin starred La Tante Claire in London, before spells in the similarly three-starred restaurants, Louis XV in Monte Carlo and Restaurant Guy Savoy in Paris. Kitchin has spent over a decade working alongside some of the world's most famous chefs including Pierre Koffmann and Alain Ducasse.

Kitchin (pictured above with fiancee Michaela Berselius,) hopes to welcome the newly graduated students as part of his own celebrations, after opening The Kitchin in Leith's buzzing Shore district earlier this month.

'This is a wonderful time for graduates starting out on their professional careers and some of my best memories come from those days,' says Kitchin.

Situated opposite the Scottish Executive, the restaurant is a standard bearer for rejuvenated and thriving Leith, which is fast becoming renowned as the centre of Edinburgh's fine dining and social scene.

Edinburgh-based Festival Inns yesterday announced the opening of its newest venture, The Hudson Hotel. The hotel, situated on Hope Street, is the 21st addition to Festival Inns' expanding portfolio. Built at a cost of £7 million, the project aims to meet the demands of an expanding market of demanding, technology-savvy clientele.

The Hudson will offer 31 bedrooms set over three floors, including nine executive rooms and an exclusive balcony room. Hudson's Bar will provide a lively vantage point for the nightlife of the West End, while the Hudson Club will provide 'a refreshing approach to late-night entertainment in a discreet and refined environment.'

'In today's generation of house-proud, lifestyle-orientated consumers, a hotel now needs to reflect a home-from-home environment for the busy professional and demanding leisure traveller,' says Iain Pert, Festival Inns' Operations Director. 'Our mission is to provide cutting edge, innovative facilities with first-class service in a central Edinburgh location, but without the high price tag.

For more information, visit the Hudson Hotel website

Picture shows (L-R): Iain Pert, Operations Director; Nikki Foulis, Interior Designer; Susi Conchar, Operations Assistant and Gary Hazelwood, General Manager

Local youngsters from 20 schools will be sampling a real taste of India at the Ashoka at the Mill restaurant in Darnley, Glasgow, over the coming weeks.

'We see it as one more way we can contribute to the community,' said the Ashoka at the Mill's Operations Manager, Rajesh Saraf. 'We already do a lot of cooking demonstrations for older pupils at secondary schools, women's groups and so on. Then we kept being approached by teachers, heads, parents and even children in the restaurant who suggested it would be a great idea tolet the younger ones see what goes on.'

The children will go into the kitchen and be shown how some classic Indian dishes are prepared.

'We hope they get an idea of Indian culture and tradition, such as giving the 'Namaste' greeting when meeting people,' continued Rajesh. 'We also want to do our bit to educate people from an early age in healthy options in diet and why they don't need to eat junk food. Indian food has a strong tradition, going back thousands of years, of being healthy and nutritious.'

The Ashoka at the Mill was opened in 2000 by Glasgow-based Harlequin Leisure Group, Europe's largest chain of Indian restaurants employing 350 staff in 16 outlets.

Sodexho has appointed Ian Thomas as Parent Account Manager, a role established to maximise sales opportunities and grow market share with international organisations based in the UK and Continental Europe.
Ian (pictured right), who joined Sodexho from Compass Group where he was a Managing Director responsible for helping the company move into the multi-service environment, will be responsible for leading the strategic relationships with some of Sodexho's most significant global clients.

Craig Millar, Director of Butler & Company Delicatessen St Andrews, collected Britain's Best Delicatessen Award in Scotland and the North at a ceremony at The Taste of London Show in Regents Park today.

Britain's Best Delicatessen Award, run by the Guild of Fine food Retailers in association with Food from Britain, was held as part of the finals of the World Cheese Awards which took place at the Taste of London for the first time this year. Hundreds of the finest cheeses from around the world were available to sample. Butler and Company competed against the very best delicatessens in the world and were presented with the award at a lunch in front of 150 guests.

Edinburgh based Festival Inns has announced the opening of its newest venture - The Hudson Hotel. The West End based hotel, bar and club will celebrate its official opening on 14 June 2006.

The Hudson Hotel is situated on Hope Street and is the 21st addition to Festival Inns' expanding portfolio. The building, which is a former post office, was bought by Festival Inns in March 2004. Built at a cost of £7 million the chic urban style will promote The Hudson Hotel's ethos - extravagance without pretension.

The aim of the project is to meet the demands of an ever expanding market of demanding, technology savvy clients who realise that quality and style doesn't always need to come at a high price.

After 12 months of rigorous staff recruitment and three months of extensive in-house training, a highly skilled team of 40 staff, led by General Manager Gary Hazelwood, will provide the highest levels of personal service.

The Hudson Hotel will offer 31 elegantly appointed bedrooms, including nine executive rooms and an exclusive balcony room, set over three floors. Hudson's Bar will provide a lively vantage point for the nightlife of the West End. The Hudson Club will provide a refreshing approach to late night entertainment in a discreet and refined environment.

The bespoke design of The Hudson Hotel incorporates innovative features such as art and light installations by local designers and LCD in-room TV systems. Natural tones and luxury materials have been used throughout including American walnut panelling and marble flooring. The overall effect adds an impressive contemporary edge to the traditional features of this Georgian building.

Iain Pert, Festival Inns' operations director says: "In today's generation of house proud, lifestyle orientated consumers a hotel now needs to reflect a home-from-home environment for the busy professional and demanding leisure traveller. Our mission is to provide cutting edge, innovative facilities with first class service in a central Edinburgh location, but without the high price tag.

"Our philosophy - 'It's all about you' - encapsulates our attitude and shows that we are embracing Edinburgh's rapidly developing consumer needs. We are committed to enhancing this wonderful city's profile as a global player within both business and leisure tourism."

Rooms are available from £130 including VAT. For reservations or more information please contact The Hudson Hotel, 7-11 Hope Street, EH2 4EL or call 0131 247 7000 or visit thehudsonhotel.co.uk

The Sheraton Grand Hotel & Spa has announced that Peter Murphy, General Manager, will be leaving the hotel on 1st September to take up a new role with McDonald Hotels.

Peter started his career with Starwood in 1986 and has held a number of jobs in the company throughout Europe. In 1996, he moved back to London as Manager of The Park Lane Hotel Piccadilly, and in January 2000 he took up his first General Manager role at the Sheraton Grand Hotel & Spa in Edinburgh. During his six years at the Sheraton, Peter has overseen the opening of the highly successful One Spa and the renowned Santini Restaurant, as well as placing the hotel firmly on the map as one of Edinburgh's best-regarded five-star hotels.

'We are very sad to see Peter go, but this is a great opportunity for him to use the experience gained at Starwood over 20 years,' said Michael Wale, Senior Vice President and Director of Operations, North West Europe, Starwood Hotels & Resorts. Additionally, this move allows Peter to remain in Edinburgh where his family have settled over the past six years.'

Scotland's best-known chef Nick Nairn cooked up a treat for Chester Zoo visitors when he opened a new £2 million café.

Nick (pictured right with school pupil Jonathan Barnes, one of two Cheshire Junior Chefs and a Food and Drink Ambassador for Cheshire schools, and Silvio Liedtke, Chester Zoo's Commercial Director) won the main course heat in the Great British Menu and will now cook for the Queen's 80th birthday celebrations, officially opened the zoo's new 270-seater Café Tsavo.

The new café, where the emphasis is on healthy eating and recycling, has been built on one of the former rhino sites and offers diners the chance to tuck in under the watchful eyes of some of the animals including rhinos, mongoose and warthogs. Plates and cutlery can all be recycled and the tables and chairs are all made from reclaimed railways sleepers. Even the light fittings are made from old chimney pots.

As Scotland's youngest chef to be awarded a Michelin star, Nick officially opened the café before putting on a cookery demonstration for guests.
'I think it's great that Chester Zoo is putting so much thought into their new café, particularly the healthy eating aspect,' he said.

Having taken 12 months to build, the café brings extra catering facilities to west side of the 110-acre zoo. 'We are undergoing a period of transformation and the new café will enable us to offer another level of service for our valued visitors. We are a very green, environmentally friendly attraction and the café and its facilities enables us to tie in with this ethos,' said Liz Child, Head of Visitor Services. 'We are delighted that Nick was able to join us for the celebration and officially mark the café's completion.'

Staff from three of Edinburgh's leading hotels will take to the city's streets next week to raise money for charity in the Great Scottish Walk.
Teams from Malmaison, the Sheraton Grand Hotel & Spa and the Caledonian Hilton hotels will all step up to the mark on Sunday 18th June with thousands of other walkers from all over Scotland and the UK.
The Great Scottish Walk includes a one-mile, six-mile and 12-mile course. The latter, which is sponsored by the Scottish Centre for Healthy Working Lives, takes walkers from Holyrood Park to the city's West End (home to the Caledonian Hilton and Sheraton Hotels) before heading down to Leith (home to Malmaison) and finishing at Meadowbank Stadium.

A team of 12 staff from the Hilton Caledonian Hotel are walking the course in aid of the Hilton in the Community Foundation, which supports projects for young people throughout the world. Six employees from Malmaison are walking to raise money for Edinburgh's Sick Kids Hospital, while 12 employees from the Sheraton Grand Hotel & Spa are walking in aid of Marie Curie Cancer Care. The teams include night porters, waiters, chefs, reservations and room service staff as well as representatives from sales, human resources and accounts.

The Sheraton's team has been putting in some weekend and lunchtime training for the walk, which they are also entering for the first time. Marketing Manager Sandra Kelly said: 'The walk is a great opportunity to raise some funds for Marie Curie and also enjoy some team-building with colleagues. Earlier this year the hotel staff all wore pedometers at work to see how many miles we clock up in a day and this got us all thinking about doing a bit more exercise, including joining the Great Scottish Walk.'

Around 150 workplace teams have entered the walk this year to compete for the Healthy Working Lives trophy and raise vital funds for a range of charities. Sponsored by the Scottish Centre for Healthy Working Lives the trophy is awarded to the workplace team that is first to cross the finish line of the 12 mile walk.

The Great Scottish Walk has raised over £5 million for good causes since it began in 1998 and has attracted over 100,000 walkers during that period. Some 5,000 walkers have already signed up for this year's event which is being sponsored by NHS Health Scotland and the Scottish Centre for Healthy Working Lives to promote the benefits of walking and encourage more Scots to take up walking as part of a healthier lifestyle.

The Great Scottish Walk is open to individuals, groups and workplaces and there is
still time to enter for this year's event. To find out more visit the Great Scottish Walk website.

Photo shows Paul Moran, Executive Sous Chef at Caledonian Hilton; Sharon Watt, Resort Sales Agent at the Sheraton, and Laura Campbell, Graduate Manager, Malmaison.

Woodward Foodservice has been appointed to supply the Little Chef chain by The People's Restaurant Group (PRG) - the company behind the £52 million purchase of Little Chef last year.

The three-year deal - worth over £12M annually - sees Woodward deliver fresh, frozen, chilled and ambient food to the full Little Chef estate, which includes 230 outlets across the UK attracting 14 million customers a year.

The announcement comes as PRG presses on with its major re-think of the Little Chef brand, including the launch of its Coffee Tempo! 'grab and go' venture to tempt customers away from motorway service stations, introducing self-service menus and a total review of the Little Chef offering.

Woodward will supply a 400-strong food product range to Little Chef and the restaurant chain's 16 Coffee Tempo! concessions from its 14 state-of-the-art regional distribution centres.


Nick Smith, development director at PRG said: "Woodward has worked with national restaurant chains for a number of years and fully understands the dynamics of our business. With this expertise and its recent investment in a new fleet, the company is best placed to give us a highly efficient and flexible service.

"This is a textbook partnership - sealed at an exciting time for us. This year, we will be making major changes to our Little Chef restaurants - this includes the roll out of our Coffee Tempo! café brand and fully modernising our sites."

Ed Hyslop, chief executive of Woodward Foodservice said: "We're very excited about working with Little Chef - it is one of the UK's best-known restaurant brands. The offering will change significantly this year, and we will be playing a key role in this."

"With our recent investment in a new £9 million fleet of 150 vehicles, and continued expansion of our food product ranges, we're in a perfect position to deliver a high quality service to national restaurant chains and independents who are working harder than ever for every customer pound."

Woodward Foodservice is the UK's fastest growing foodservice company. The company, headquartered in Chester, supplies a wide range of products including fresh fish and meat, frozen, chilled and ambient food to national restaurant and pub chains including Pizza Express and Spirit Group, as well as independents, hotels and schools across the UK.

The People's Restaurant Group was established in October 2005 and is owned by catering industry entrepreneurs Lawrence Wosskow, chairman, and Simon Heath, chief executive. They are the co-founders of the Out of Town Restaurants Group Ltd (OOTG) that is today ranked the 9th largest UK restaurant group. They purchased the Little Chef chain for £52million from Travelodge Holdings, owned by private equity firm Permira.

St Andrews Bay Golf Resort & Spa is to change ownership in a move described by its founder Don Panoz as providing 'significant opportunities'.

The announcement follows a partnership agreement between Apollo European Real Estate Fund II, L.P. and Fairmont Hotels & Resorts. Apollo has purchased St Andrews Bay from Château Élan Hotels & Resorts with financing from Bank of Scotland Corporate, while Canadian-based Fairmont has entered into a long-term contract to manage the 209-room resort from 1 July 2006.

While the investment figure has not been disclosed, Apollo has committed to a £10million multi-year refurbishment programme which will include guestrooms, public areas, meeting rooms and technology upgrades.

St Andrews Bay joins Fairmont's elite group of luxury hotels worldwide which includes The Savoy, London and the Fairmont Monte-Carlo in Europe.

The acquisition follows a record year for St Andrews Bay with gains in the conference market and a rise in the number of golfers visiting from North America helping boost turnover by 18 percent to £14.8 million. The resort has recorded growth across all aspects of its business which includes luxury Spa facilities and two championship golf courses.

'Apollo came to us with a proposition and it posed a very difficult decision for myself and the rest of the senior management team at Château Élan Hotels & Resorts,' says Don Panoz. 'We quickly realised this presented significant opportunities for the resort. Having developed this internationally renowned facility we have a very strong emotional attachment to the business, its employees and the town of St Andrews.

'The senior management team had, however, to evaluate what was in the best interests of the resort's long-term future and we came to the conclusion that there would be major benefits from the financial strength, international links, global marketing capability and excellent reputation that the partnership of Apollo and Fairmont offers.'

The current owners will not be cutting all ties with St Andrews Bay. Henk Evers, president and CEO of Château Élan Hotels & Resorts, will continue to oversee the planning application for the resort's second-stage development.

Rob Bracken is 2006 Hospitable Climates Champion of the Year for Energy Efficiency at one of Britain's Busiest Motorway Services Areas

The Hotel and Catering International Management Association (HCIMA) is delighted to announce that the recipient of the 2006 Hospitable Climates Champion of the Year Award is Rob Bracken, Area General Manager for Moto, for his personal commitment and inspirational leadership in making Moto's Toddington Motorway Services Area, on the M1 in Bedfordshire, more energy efficient - reducing energy costs by nearly £20,000 over two years! Hospitable Climates is the HCIMA's Carbon Trust-backed free-of-charge energy efficiency advisory programme, designed to reduce energy costs in the UK hospitality industry by as much as 40% whilst significantly reducing CO2 emissions.

Reading out the citation for the award at HCIMA Annual Lunch at the Jumeirah Carlton Tower in London on the 22nd of May, Karen Germain, Networks Manager, the Carbon Trust, said: "Rob Bracken has proved by his inspirational management of energy consumption in his unit that he is a worthy Hospitable Climates Champion."

Rob proved that turning things off saves significant sums of money. One of Britain's busiest motorway services areas, opened in 1958, Toddington - operated by Moto Hospitality, part of SSP UK - has been taking part in a Hospitable Climates pilot to see how the contract catering sector can become more energy efficient. The total energy saving for both the northbound and southbound facilities at the Toddington Motorway Services Area for 2005, compared with 2004 - incorporating Moto's headquarters - was an impressive £19,729.13p, according to Energy Cost Advisors (ECA) which provides a bureau service for Moto's 48 sites in the UK.

"As much as 80% of our energy savings have come from asking: 'do we really need this on?',"explained Rob. "For example, the broiler in the Burger King unit used to be turned on at 7am, in readiness for opening at 10am! It is now turned on half-an-hour prior to service; and at a recent Moto management conference, it was estimated that if all the broilers in operation at Moto's 48 sites were turned on an hour later, it would save a staggering £140,000 per annum! In our 24-hour restaurant, the three ovens were being left on unnecessarily throughout the night - we now use one oven around 3am to 4am for pastry preparation for the following day."

Two years ago, an energy efficiency audit was carried out at Toddington by Carbon Trust accredited consultants Briar Associates; and Rob said that, as a result, there has been a lot of improvement, amongst other things, in the energy efficiency of the lighting systems - for instance, light sensors have been installed for external lights. They have replaced timers, ensuring that lights do not come on unnecessarily during daylight hours in summer. A very recent innovation has been the replacement of the existing original boiler with a modern state-of-the-art installation, utilising heat exchange technology - with all the pipework, valves and flanges properly insulated to prevent heat loss.

Other environmental measures include Hippo bags being placed in the cisterns of the automatic flushing toilets to reduce the amount of water used in the toilets. In addition, the showers for the lorry drivers are now all temperature regulated, which avoids scalding; and, by inserting a token, each user gets a three minute shower, preventing over-use of water.

"We had been overheating our showers water by as much 10%, which is serious when you consider that one degree represents a cost of £1,000," said Rob. "Energy efficiency is all about being passionate as well as extremely vigilant, and adopting common sense measures which you continually train your staff to be aware of - this is where the Hospitable Climates fact files, together with training materials produced by SSP UK, have come into their own."

The Old Waverley Hotel, situated on Princes Street is hosting a 'Healthvibes' clinic on Wednesday 21st and Thursday 22nd of June 2006 in a bid to help people stop smoking. Ricky Kapoor the Commercial Director of The Old Waverley heard about the touring clinic and invited Healthvibes to come and stay at The Old Waverley hotel to help Edinburgh people 'Quit Smoking' a hot topic with the recent changes in the law. The Old Waverley was one of the first hotels in the Capital to introduce no-smoking, throughout the hotel prior to the ban which commenced in March.

Ricky Kapoor commented: "It is important to promote a healthier environment for all our customers and our staff and that is a message that we feel it is important to get across. I am delighted that The Old Waverley is hosting this event and I hope that Healthvibes continue to help people overcome nicotine addiction."

Healthvibes is making ground breaking progress in the battle to overcome nicotine addiction to help people stop smoking. The company, under the direction of Savita Bhandari a dispensing pharmacist for over twenty years, report phenomenally high success rates with clients who have kicked the habit, 70% after one treatment, rising to 90% after two treatments. The treatment involves the use of bio resonance therapy which works to reduce the effect that nicotine has over the body and substantially lessens cravings. It is a simple, painless, non invasive treatment which involves the client in nothing more strenuous than holding two brass balls. The bodies' need for nicotine is then 'cancelled' by an inverse electrical current.

Overlooking Princess Street and The Scott Monument, and with views across Edinburgh Castle, The Old Waverley is just a short walk away from Edinburgh's train station and many other central tourist attractions and shops. Ideally based for shopping, culture and wandering around the city's Old Town, The Old Waverley also boasts a restaurant with breathtaking views and excellent cuisine and service. Both Cranstons Restaurant and The Abbotsford Room overlook Princess Street, where you can sit, relax with a drink and indulge in the sites of Scotland's charming capital and in the evening the restaurant welcomes non-residents to dine. It is the perfect venue for a city break, and its central location makes it an ideal setting.

After securing three new contracts since their move North of the Border in March, Host Contract Management have appointed Martin Howie (pictured) as Regional Manager, Scotland. Originally a hotelier in senior positions within the Stakis and Hilton Groups, Martin has over the last 13 years moved through contract catering in various roles and sectors. Having worked with Sodexho Prestige as General Manager since 2002, he brings a wealth of experience to Host, including having managed the Sponsors' Hospitality at the Olympic games in Sydney.

'We are delighted to have Martin on board, as he has vast experience over so many disciplines and is a great man manager,' says Roy Miller, Host's Director. 'He will really assist us to grow in Scotland and to ensure we deliver exceptional service every day.'

Martin adds: 'I have only been on board a few weeks and we now have three contracts, with many more in the pipeline. With the IT systems Host have in place for myself and unit management I have yet to be in the office which is such a change from corporate life.'

For more information, visit the Host Management website

The Kitchin restaurant has opened on Leith's waterfront, showcasing Chef Tom Kitchin's unique marriage of seasonal Scottish produce with the classical French techniques he has mastered working alongside some of the world's greatest chefs.

Owned and operated by Kitchin and his fiancee Michaela Berselius (pictured above), The Kitchin features a menu which emphasises the freshest seasonal ingredients.

Edinburgh-born Kitchin, who spent more than a decade working alongside some of the world's most famous chefs, spent nearly five years working for Pierre Koffmann in the three-Michelin-starred La Tante Claire in London. Kitchin also worked at the three-star Restaurant Guy Savoy in Paris, and spent two years at Alain Ducasse's Louis XV restaurant in Monte Carlo.

For more information, visit The Kitchin website

A nationwide search is now on to find exciting recipes that include Lea & Perrins Worcestershire Sauce. Recipes submitted should illustrate the versatility of Lea & Perrins and demonstrate that it is a key component in giving the dish its unique flavour.

The competition is open to all professional chefs and is split into two categories: Best Main Course and Best Light Bite. Only one entry will be accepted per category per person with all entries to be typed with a clear method and be produced for 4 covers. £5,000 will be awarded to the winner of each category with each 1st runner-up winning £500 and each 2nd runner-up winning £300.

To enter, simply create a recipe that contains Lea & Perrins - the Original and Genuine Worcestershire Sauce. With no restrictions on style or nationality, whether you want to create a twist on a British classic, flavours from the Orient, a taste of Italy or something totally unique, the choice is yours.

If the addition of Lea & Perrins into your recipe really 'makes the difference' to your dish, call the HP Foodservice hotline now on 020 8686 8939 for an entry form and full details of the competition.

Closing date for entries is Friday 30th June 2006.

Creevy LLH, acting on behalf of Finn Inns Ltd, has sold the Beancross Hotel, a popular bar, restaurant, hotel and function room at Falkirk / Grangemouth to London & Edinburgh Inns.

Alan Creevy says that the sale was "a full circle instruction for his company".

"I originally met with the Directors of Finn Inns at Beancross when it was nothing more than a farm house and barn in the 1990s," says Mr. Creevy.

"I acted on their behalf and acquired the site and watched the original development of a fantastic family restaurant and bar facility and, thereafter, a subsequent extension of a hotel and function room. I have worked with Finn Inns throughout the entire project and was delighted to finish this off in a disposal of the business to London & Edinburgh Inns."

Beancross, which comprises a large bar and restaurant facility with three distinct dining areas, including the feature "Horse Engine Restaurant" and indoor and outdoor children's play area, a separate function room with a capacity for up to 375 persons, 14 top quality bedrooms and 130 car parking spaces.

The sale was conducted on a totally confidential basis off an asking price of £3.5 million. Alan Creevy comments: "This was a multi-million pound transaction with both sides delighted with the outcome."

"The licensed, leisure and hotel property market remains very active, with many corporate buyers around, as well as individuals keen to assemble groups.

"The hotel market in particular remains buoyant and, whilst it is early days, the smoking ban, introduced in March 2006, seems to have had little impact operationally and, therefore, there are many buyers returning to the bar and restaurant market. The risk associated with the post smoking ban in England means that funds are now flowing into Scotland for corporate acquisitions," adds Mr. Creevy

Duck's at Marché Noir in Edinburgh and Duck's at Kilspindie House Hotel in Aberlady, East Lothian have recently expanded the team.

New Manager for Duck's at Marché Noir

Kenneth Syer formally the manager at Bar Epernay and Brassiere at the Mailbox, Birmingham, has moved back to his roots to become the new manager of the renowned Duck's at Marché Noir in Edinburgh. Kenneth is a full member of the Academy of Wine, was trained at the famous Gleneagles Hotel and has over 20 years' experience in the hotel and restaurant business.

Marketing at Duck's Restaurants and Rooms

Jennie Nilsson, ex-manageress of Get Shirty; Edinburgh's leading shirt retailer has also been appointed as sales and marketing manager of Duck's Restaurants and Rooms. This new role will involve raising the Duck profile locally, nationally and internationally.

With her Swedish background Jennie is well placed to concentrate on the Scandinavian market which has a great interest in Scotland and golf. Jennie will also be launching Duck's series of wine tasting dinners, various talks and themed nights at both Ducks at Marché Noir and Duck's at Kilspindie House Hotel.

PR for Duck's Restaurants and Rooms

Thompson PR has been appointed to look after Duck's Restaurants and Rooms' Public Relations. Consultant Diana Thompson will be responsible for all media relations for Duck's.

"I'm delighted to be appointing Kenneth, Jennie and Diana" says proprietor Malcolm Duck. "This is an exciting time for Duck's Restaurants and Rooms and I am confident that the new team will contribute considerably to raising the awareness of Duck's throughout the UK and internationally."