Scottish catering and hospitality news in Scotland

The search is on to find the best young people with talent and drive to represent the British hospitality industry in the WorldSkills Competition in Japan, 2007.

This week, leading chef and broadcaster Brian Turner, CBE, issued a challenge to employers in the hospitality industry: to find the most talented young people in the hospitality industry, who have the passion, technical precision and flair to compete with the best in the world for Gold, Silver and Bronze medals.

WorldSkills is the largest skills competition in the world, bringing together, biennially, hundreds of people, aged 18 ? 22, form across the globe, to compete in more than 40 different skill categories, ranging from engineering to beauty therapy to landscape gardening. In the hospitality industry, competitors are being sought to represent the United Kingdom in:

Cookery

Pastry and Confectionery

Restaurant Service

The 39th WorldSkills event, will take place in Shizuoka, Japan in 2007, with the 40th scheduled for Canada in 2009 and the 41st in London in 2011. WorldSkills was first established in 1953 as a means of raising the standards of vocational skills and training around the world.

Speaking at the launch of the challenge, Brian Turner, CBE, Chair of Hospitality Skills said: "We are a service economy and it's vital we attract more young people to work in Hospitality". He continues: "To compete professionally with the best in the world, we have to take skills and training seriously."

All entrants must have been born on or after 1 January 1985, and must have the motivation, stamina and commitment to dedicate themselves to intensive preparation and training, supported by some of the leading professionals in our industry, including Brian Turner and his colleagues at the Academy of Culinary Arts and the Academy of Food and Wine Service.

There is no doubt that this is an incredible opportunity for the right candidates, leading to greatly increased skills and technical ability, along with enhanced employability and, potentially the experience of a lifetime!

Helen Barker, the UK pastry chef and confectioner entrant at the 2005 WorldSkills Competition, held in Helsinki, Finland said: "It was a brilliant experience and the standard of the other competitors was amazing. I learnt an enormous amount that I could take back with me."

If you have what it takes to win, or know someone that does, and would like further details, go to the Hospitality Skills website

Alternatively, contact, Natalie Peters, Hospitality Skills, Tel: 020 8977 4419 or skills@halm.co.uk

The deadline for all applications is Friday, 18th August, 2006.

Entrepreneur, Michael Modlin is to open a new bar and bistro in Glasgow's southside, called Michaels, on Friday 21st July.

Joel Modlin, his son, will be the General Manager and Aaron Stewart joins as Food and Beverage Manager, with a distinguished background, having been restaurant manger at Rogano, Glasgow, as well as Atlantic Bar and Grill and Che in London. Aaron worked with Gordon Yuill for many years, launched Salty Dog and was latterly restaurant manager at Chinawhite.

Set to reflect the style and standards expected of a city centre venue, the ambience will ooze comfort and style, from the interior design to the range of food and drinks on offer. As well as the regular brands, the bar will offer an extensive choice of cocktails, an exclusive selection of champagnes, and 32 flavoured vodkas, truly catering for southside revellers.

A wide range of bistro food will be on offer from Head Chef, James McWhirr, including classic favourites, a Chargill section, featuring the best of Scottish steak and roast chicken with traditional sauces, to Japanese udon noodle bowls and an extensive range of modern Italian pizza. Sunday Brunch will also be on offer, a real hit in Newton Mearns for families or late night party goers, which will offer a constantly evolving menu of classic Scottish, American and French dishes. An extensive children's menu will also be available along with smoothies, settling cocktails, for those feeling the effects of the weekend, and many fresh juice cocktails.

Commenting on the opening Aaron Stewart said, "I wish to bring a level of service that I have installed in the previous operations I have run and what the clientele have learnt to expect from me. There will be a great product range in our bar, with contemporary snacks served until very late in the evening. The level of cooking will be higher but the favourites will remain, along with some interesting additions. The ambience, attention to detail and an assured, but discreet, service standard will create a wonderful restaurant environment".

Designed by Michael Modlin, the bar bistro, which is located on Ayr Road in the heart of Newton Mearns, will feature a dramatic interior, dominated by erocco wood, feature lighting and a marble bar running the length of the one wall. An open fireplace provides a central feature which is surrounded by an informal leather seating arrangement which comfortably caters for 72 covers.

With a background of bar and nightclub successes under his belt, including The Warehouse and The Mardi Gras in Glasgow, Michael Modlin was known in the 80s for his innovative interiors which included introducing the very first moving dance floor in the country, as well as placing tills on the bar counter in front of customers, making it easier for bar staff to serve.

"We've invested heavily to bring this city centre concept to Newton Mearns as the area has been sadly lacking such a venue for sometime. We've worked hard to ensure that we've got the right combination of food and bar offering to attract a broad spectrum of customers, no matter the age, and we are sure the interiors will also be equally appealing. We're all really excited at welcoming our first clients when the doors open", said Michael Modlin, Owner.

Prestige Scotland - part of Sodexho Prestige - has been appointed by the Scottish Rugby Union to supply the catering, as well as match-day and non-match day sales and marketing services, at Murrayfield. The contract is worth around £3 million in turnover a year.

"We bid against all the big names in the business - but I think our market knowledge and previous experience helped win the day," said Alyson Cawley, Managing Director of Prestige Scotland. "It also reinforces our position as leaders in stadia catering in Scotland."

Apart from major rugby fixtures which will see Murrayfield playing host, over consecutive weekends in November, to Romania, the Pacific Islands and Australia as part of the autumn test series, the 67,800 seater stadium may also be used to host European football to give nearby Heart of Midlothian FC the additional capacity required for matches on this scale.

However, conference and banqueting will continue to be a key part of the Murrayfield business. "There are very few venues in the East of Scotland where 1200 people can sit down to dine in one room and that means we are uniquely placed in that section of the market," said Ms Cawley. "There is also free parking for hundreds of cars - which in Edinburgh is a great advantage. The stadium facilities are regularly used by blue chip companies, as well as local authorities, for everything from conferences and training courses to social events."

Added Ms Cawley: "The Scottish rugby team is playing well and gave a good performance in the last RBS Six Nations tournament, which has had a positive effect on business at the stadium. There is a feel-good factor around about the way the team is playing at the moment - and, of course, this is currently the home of the Calcutta Cup."

Conference and Banqueting

Today the historic home of Scottish rugby boasts facilities that offer the conference buyer one of the largest, most flexible and unique venues in Scotland.

With purpose built conference facilities to accommodate small meetings to major conferences, Murrayfield can accommodate between two to 500 delegates with a selection of 26 meeting rooms to choose from.

At Murrayfield this summer one day delegate packages, based on a minimum of 20 delegates, cost £30 per person. The package includes: main meeting room; private catering room with summer sports coverage; arrival tea, coffee and biscuits; mid morning break served with fresh fruit; finger buffet followed with strawberries and cream; afternoon break, chilled fruit juice with ice cream; iced mineral water.

The offer is available during July and August 2006, subject to availability.

Corporate Hospitality

There are three major autumn test fixtures in 2006 - Romania on Saturday 11 November, Pacific Islands on Saturday 18 November and Australia on Saturday 25 November, with all kick offs at 2:30pm.

Prestige Scotland offers a range of hospitality for these events. In the Murrayfield Boxes there is champagne and canapés, complimentary bar pre and post match, player appearances, three-course gourmet meal, after match buffet and a car park pass.

Prices for these are: Scotland v Romania - £150; Scotland v Pacific Islands £150; Scotland v Australia - £225. All prices are per person, plus VAT. Packages in the 1925 Suite starts from £99 per person, plus VAT.

Businesses in the hospitality sector (small and large) could be in line to receive a share of £300,000 to help provide training opportunities for their employees. Many young people are making a success of their careers through apprenticeships and work placements. Edge, the educational foundation, has created the Edge Employer Awards to highlight and reward employers who provide excellent training opportunities for young people and that's not the only good news. The deadline has been extended to July 21 2006, giving companies one extra week to apply.

A judging panel made up of local business leaders and young learners will decide which three organisations from each of the UK's regions deserve to be rewarded for offering quality apprenticeships, excellent work placements and other practical-learning opportunities. These three organisations will then be entered into the national competition. Entries will be judged on cultures in which learning is valued and can flourish, achieving results and setting future ambitions. The prize will be in the form of a grant to be invested in training opportunities for young people.

Despite the large prize fund, employers have so far seemed reluctant to enter, compared with last year. Andy Powell, chief executive at Edge said: "This deadline extension should encourage all those organisations who are doing great things to give the Edge Employer Awards a go. It only takes ten minutes to apply and it literally could result in £50,000 for your organisation. It could be the best ten minutes you ever spend!"

To enter, organisations will need to demonstrate how they already offer excellent learning-by-doing and training opportunities within the hospitality sector and explain their ambitions for the future. Applications can be made online at www.edgeawards.co.uk or by calling the helpline on 0800 980 3343.

Bernard Alessi, Managing Director of Simple Simon's Pies invited local primary school children from Coulter Primary to create a filling for one of Simple Simon's Perfect Pies.

Primary pupil Colm Harvey aged 11 was the winner of the competition with his Hedgerow Pie. Colm's chosen filling for his Hedgerow Pie was Rabbit, Wild Garlic, Thyme, Woodland Mushrooms and Brambles.

The children were to create a filling using any fresh produce that they can find locally. Pupils submitted a drawing of their pie and its ingredients, describing their chosen filling. Bernard Alessi selected Colm's Pie as he believed the Hedgerow Pie was the healthiest and most creative out of all the entrants.

The children visited the Simple Simon's Pie factory and the winner was announced with Colm Harvey receiving 6 Hedgerow Pies baked especially by Bernard Alessi.

With recent media attention focusing on healthy eating within schools, Bernard Alessi thought it would be enlightening to run a competition encouraging the local primary school children to think about local produce and the fresh meat and vegetables available to them within Scotland.

Bernard Alessi commented: "I believe that it is really important to think about what you eat and where the produce comes from. For children this is even more important and hopefully this competition will encourage them to understand more about the things they eat."

Simple Simon's Perfect Pies are produced to order and have a shelf life of six days but can be frozen for a recommended maximum of two months. All the meat fillings are organic and come from Blackmount Foods Organic Meats. All pies are handcrafted and specially 'crimped' which ensures no leakage. Orders are not just local as the pies can be posted anywhere on the UK. Customers need only telephone, e-mail or write to Bernard to have their pies delivered.

A well-known Glasgow restaurant has become the 150th establishment in Scotland to receive a prestigious food hygiene award.

Urban Grill, on the city's Kilmarnock Road, recently became the 35th business in the Glasgow City Council area to receive an Eat Safe Award for excellence in food hygiene and food safety management.

The scheme was launched by the Food Standards Agency (FSA) in Northern Ireland in June 2003 and was rolled out across Scotland last year. It aims to improve public confidence and consumer choice in catering establishments across the country.

To date, 17 local authorities, the length and breadth of the country, have presented Eat Safe Awards to establishments within their areas, while other councils are working towards their first presentations to local businesses.

Peter Midgley, Head of the FSA's Local Authority Food Enforcement Branch, said he had been delighted with the response to the scheme in Scotland so far, and particularly in recent weeks.

He said: "We reached the 100 award milestone back in April - just 14 months after the launch of the scheme in Scotland - which was extremely encouraging, but to present the next 50 awards in just the past six weeks has been a fantastic effort from everyone concerned.

"There is a growing enthusiasm across the country for the Eat Safe Award - from catering businesses, their customers and local authorities - and as the number of Eat Safe recipients across Scotland continues to grow, so too does awareness of the scheme, both within the catering industry and also among the general public."

Thirty one of Scotland's 32 Local Authorities have given their backing to the scheme, which was launched following discussions between the FSAS, the Society of Chief Officers of Environmental Health of Scotland, the Scottish Food Advisory Committee (SFAC), Scottish Local Authorities and the FSA in Northern Ireland.

Eligible establishments are assessed for the Eat Safe Award as part of scheduled food hygiene inspections carried out by Environmental Health Services. The issue and control of certificates is through local authorities and Awards are reviewed at every planned food hygiene inspection.

Charlton House has won a staff catering contract with Reynolds Porter Chamberlain, (RPC), the leading commercial and insurance law firm, at its stunning new City offices at St Katharine's Way, London E1W 7HA.

Under a three-year contract worth £600k in annual turnover, a team of 12 Charlton House staff now provides a breakfast and lunch service, as well as extensive hospitality and fine dining, for 500 RPC staff on site since the building opened on 19th June 2006. The independent caterers are also managing reception and switchboard services for the 62 partner firm.

Nico Prinsloo, Charlton House Business Development Manager, said: "RPC is a dynamic and approachable firm with a friendly ethos and a commitment to removing barriers and opening doors. The catering function is seen as an important facet of how they work and how they value their clients and employees. For example, the staff facility has panoramic views over St Katharine's Dock, and RPC have incorporated a client lounge into their reception/hospitality area where they can greet and entertain clients and guests. Our food offer reflects the company's vision and attitude towards its business, people and excellence."

The FM aspect of the contract adds to Charlton House?s growing portfolio of FM business.

Charlton House is now the UK's largest independent contract caterer to have grown without acquisitions. Annualised turnover currently stands at £50 million, and the company employs 1,350 people nationwide. Clients include the American Embassy in London, Her Majesty's Treasury and the corporate headquarters of BUPA, Sony United Kingdom Ltd and Network Rail

The Quality Hotel Glasgow is delighted to announce the appointment of Jill McRorie as the new Sales Manager for the hotel. Following a £3 million plus refurbishment programme, Jill has been appointed to drive business into the new look hotel, with a particular focus on the meeting and conference market. This follows the introduction of a 'Meetings Focus' floor, a new Choice Hotels Europe meeting product, offering flexibility, simplicity and a bespoke service for today's medium size meetings market.

Jill, 25, was chosen for her excellent track record in sales and her extensive regional contacts, following several years in the field. Jill's last position was as a Territory Sales Executive for Bunzl Catering Supplies, where she was responsible for accounts both within Glasgow and across the southwest Scotland region. Other positions have included work with Golden Wonder and the Castle Leisure Group in a variety of similar roles.

On her appointment as Sales Manager for the hotel, Jill comments: "I can think of no better opportunity than to be involved in the re-launch of this superb hotel. The Quality Hotel Glasgow has been a landmark hotel in the city for well over a hundred years and, with its complete refurbishment and introduction of our new meetings floor, I look forward to introducing the hotel to a great many new customers as well as continuing to welcome our many regular guests who will be delighted by the changes we have made."

Frank Long, General Manager for the Quality Hotel Glasgow comments: "We were immediately impressed with Jill's energy and drive and are delighted to welcome her into our Sales team. As we set about capitalising on all our recent developments, Jill will prove an invaluable asset in generating awareness of all this to our existing and new clients alike."

Three new executive members of staff have joined the catering team at the Scottish Parliament where the service is provided by Sodexho Scotland.

Mark Baker has been appointed to the key role of executive chef with special responsibility for preparing menus for all major events and VIP visits to the parliament building at Holyrood.

Mark has extensive experience in top hotels including as the Savoy Grill and the Dorchester in London and other five-star hotels such as the Mandarin in Hong Kong. He has also worked in Geneva and America.

However, a love of Scotland has seen him return several times and set up his family home in Elie, Fife. "My wife, children and I came to Scotland in 1994 and I worked at the Old Course for six years before moving to the world-renowned Belfry," said Mark. "We liked Scotland so much we returned to Fife while I worked at the Crown Plaza in Glasgow.

"This appointment is the highlight of my career. The parliament is basically a five-star hotel without the bedrooms - and that's the level I like working at. I aim to take the food to a higher level by refining and improving what has already been done and, wherever possible, using the best that Scotland has to offer."

Kieran Blake (36) takes up the post of catering manager from another Sodexho Scotland contract at Standard Life where he was assistant catering manager. Next to his job at the parliament, Kieran's other great achievement since coming to Edinburgh was on the cricket ground at Raeburn Place. Here he achieved his own best score of 88 not out which saw his side, Kirkbrae, beat Edinburgh Accies by 1 run with a score of 237 against the home side's 236 for 45.

With a degree in hospitality management from Bournemouth University, Mr Blake, a self-confessed sports all-rounder, has worked extensively in the hotel and leisure industry in the UK and overseas.

Having been brought up in Auchterarder, it was quite natural for Andrea Aird (35) to begin her catering industry training at Gleneagles hotel. However, a desire to travel saw her joining the catering crew of the QE2. Now living in Dunfermline, Fife, Andrea has worked in several top Edinburgh restaurants and most recently was responsible for the opening the Bollinger bar at the Balmoral hotel. Now she has joined Sodexho Scotland as hospitality manager at the parliament.

"I was attracted to this job simply because it is the parliament," said Andrea. "It is a prestige venue and the variety of hospitality and the numbers involved makes it attractive. It rates on a par with the Gleneagles and Balmoral as a career opportunity."

In recognition of its culinary excellence, Macdonald Hotels & Resorts, the UK's largest independently owned hotel group, has picked up 11 new AA Rosettes taking its total to 34. Reflecting its ongoing commitment to improving its food and beverage services, ten of its 65 UK-based hotels were awarded either new or additional awards.

The AA Rosettes come a year after the Group's massive £30m investment in its food and beverage services, which included the enhancement of its menus to use only fresh, quality produce, with the emphasis firmly on its Scottish heritage.

Showing a mastery of basic techniques in producing menus, new Rosettes were awarded to five of the Group's recently refurbished properties, including the Macdonald Marine Hotel & Spa in North Berwick which recently completed its £13.5m redevelopment. Four of the Group's prestigious hotels picked up their second Rosette. The Macdonald Parkside Hotel showed an even greater skill, along with innovation and judgment, and scooped two Rosettes just five months after the arrival of Head Chef, Brett Cambourne-Paynter.

Commenting on the Group's outstanding achievement, Alan Swinson, Head of Catering, said: "Picking up 11 new AA Rosettes is a great achievement. It is a positive reflection on the culinary excellence of our dedicated chefs, who blend stringent quality standards with flair and imagination, producing creative cuisine using the finest and freshest ingredients.

"With 34 Rosettes in total across the Group, Macdonald Hotels is now ranked amongst the most successful hotel groups in the UK that offer fine dining. However, we not a company to rest on our laurels: we are now focussing on building on our success and adding to our Rosette tally in the coming year."