Scottish catering and hospitality news in Scotland

Robyn Jones, Co-founder and Chief Executive of Charlton House, has appeared in 29th place on a league table of the UK's 100 most influential people in hospitality. She is one of only four women to appear on the listing and, at 29th, her ranking makes her the most influential woman in UK hospitality.
The CatererSearch 100 recognises key players in the industry whose actions are having the greatest impact in Britain in 2006. Incorporating key figures from all sectors of the industry, including hoteliers, restaurateurs, contract caterers, pub operators and chefs, the league table's criteria included direct power; wider influence within the industry; financial success; innovation and longevity.

Gordon Ramsay was named the most influential person in UK hospitality, while Raymond Blanc, Marco Pierre White, Brian Turner and Gary Rhodes all appeared lower down in the ranking than Robyn.

'Our training programmes, food standards and innovative approach have all been highlighted within CatererSearch 100,' says Robyn. 'Business growth and financial success are important but it is great to get recognition from our peers within the UK hospitality sector.'

Charlton House is now the UK's largest independent foodservice operator to have grown through organic growth, not acquisitions. The company is currently enjoying an annualised turnover of 50 million, and employs 1,400 people nationwide.

The HCIMA is hosting a Small Business Seminar, entitled 'Finding and Furnishing Your Property' on 28 September at The Bonham Hotel, 35 Drumsheugh Gardens, Edinburgh, from 2pm, - 5pm.

As part of the HCIMA's ongoing series of Small-Business Seminars, aimed at small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), the event will be of particular interest to hoteliers and restaurateurs. Speakers include Adam Lansdown, Managing Director, Colliers Robert Barry (pictured); Lisa Green and Patrick Crawshaw, Directors of Maxwell Green Design, based in Edinburgh; and Norman Springford MHCIMA, Executive Chairman of Apex Hotels.

Tickets for the seminar are free to HCIMA members and non-members who have not previously attended an HCIMA Small Business Seminar. For other non-HCIMA members, the cost is £75 + VAT.
Bookings can be made by contacting the HCIMA's event hotline on 020 8661 4948 or online at the HCIMA website

This Friday will see 70 primary schoolchildren from St Benedict's, St Joachim's and St Vincent's in Glasgow step into a professional kitchen for the first time as part of an initiative being run by the Glasgow Radisson SAS Hotel to show just how easy it can be to prepare a healthy and tasty meal.
For the third year running the Radisson SAS in Glasgow is contributing to the worldwide Hotels Environment Action Month (HEAM), with a series of workshops covering waste recycling, energy conservation games, farming with the Royal Highland Education Trust, seed-planting and animal handling with Animal Man's Mini Zoo. The main focus of the day will be with the hotel's Executive Chef, Richard Williamson, when the children will be shown how to prepare a roast chicken lunch.

'This initiative, now into its third year with us, is part of our ongoing Responsible Business Programme,' says Philip Mahoney (pictured), General Manager at the Radisson SAS Glasgow. 'Our Employee Representative Group has worked really hard preparing for the day, putting together activities which the children will enjoy and hopefully learn from. We're delighted to be involved with this initiative again and show our commitment to support a healthier lifestyle which we see as a positive contribution to Glasgow City Council's excellent school food programme.'

HEAM was initiated in 2003 by the Tourism Partnership (TP), the tourism section of the Prince of Wales International Business Leaders' Forum. HEAM's objective is to continue the education of employees and guests on environmental and social issues, and to raise awareness about the actions taken within individual hotels, and in turn the work of TP. During September, 159 Radisson SAS, Park Inn, Country Inn and Regent hotels and resorts will participate in a variety of initiatives.

Contact Fiona Cameron on 0141 225 2009 or visit the Radisson SAS Glasgow website for more information.

Eyck Zimmer, Executive Chef of The Lowry Hotel in Manchester, triumphed at the grand final of the KNORR National Chef of the Year 2006.

Adam Bennett, Head Chef of Simpson's Restaurant in Birmingham and Simon Hulstone, Head Chef of The Elephant Restaurant in Torquay, achieved second and third place respectively.

Eyck Zimmer also scooped the prize for Best Main Course, with Best Starter awarded to Craig Sandle, Sous Chef of The Balmoral Hotel in Edinburgh, and Best Dessert awarded to Robert Szewczyk, Head Chef of Cumberland Lodge.

The KNORR National Chef of the Year competition was contested live at the Restaurant Show, London Olympia, in a specially built competition theatre. The semi-finals took place over four heats on 18-19 September when 40 competitors produced their qualifying menus under the watchful eye of a live audience and the competition judges, to secure one of the 10 places in the Grand Final.

The Grand Final took place on Wednesday 20 September and the finalists were tasked with creating a three-course meal for four people from a mystery box of ingredients provided by Food From Britain, in just three hours. The competitors demonstrated culinary skill, expertise, creativity and determination under intense competition conditions, impressing both the panel of judges, including Paul Gayler of The Lanesborough, Andrew McLeish of Chapter One Restaurant and Lou Jones of the Culinary Institute of America, and the audience.
A panel of guest tasting judges also joined the Grand Final to sample all the dishes created by the finalists, including Cyrus Todiwala, Brendan O'Neill, Brian Turner CBE, Professor John Huber and Richard Corrigan.

The final decision of the judges was announced and the prizes awarded at a gala awards banquet, which took place on the evening of the Grand Final at The Dorchester Hotel, London. Winners, competitors, organisers, sponsors and guests celebrated the conclusion of a most successful competition long into the night.

Kilspindie House's restaurant Duck's at Aberlady has been awarded Best Hotel Restaurant Award 2006 at the East Lothian Food Awards.

Led by Head Chef Ben Sparrow who joined the restaurant team in December 2005, Duck's is a recently accredited three-star restaurant with rooms which was also awarded Very Highly Commended at the Scottish Hotel Awards 2006.

There were three categories in The East Lothian Food Awards; Best Restaurant Award, Best Hotel Restaurant Award and Best Pub Restaurant Award.

Andrew Fairlie has been awarded Chef's Chef of the Year, a unique award voted for by other AA rosette-achieving chefs.
'This award is particularly special as it represents recognition by our peers in the industry,' said Andrew (pictured), on being presented with his award by Raymond Blanc.

The Awards were presented by the AA's Chief Hotel and Restaurant Inspector Peter Birnie and Ruth Watson of Channel Five's The Hotel Inspector.

Meanwhile, Greywalls, one of Scotland's first country house hotels, will be awarded a much-coveted third AA rosette in recognition of its culinary excellence at the awards ceremony in Edinburgh on Thursday 5 October. The accolade comes in the wake of the arrival of new Head Chef, David Williams, who came to Greywalls from Kent's Michelin-starred Chapter One in April 2005.

'It is such a tribute to the team who has worked really hard over the last eighteen months to achieve this kind of recognition,' says David. 'In the last few years, I have worked in some of the best kitchens in Europe, and it is a real pleasure to be making my own mark here. I am fortunate to be working in such a well-known and well-loved hotel, and I hope this award will be the first of many awards.'

And Enverdale House Hotel, set in a quiet corner of Coupar Angus, has been awarded three AA Stars for accommodation, as well as an AA rosette in recognition of its culinary excellence. Head Chef Tristin Farmer was the runner up in the Scottish Food Scholarship 2006, making him one of the best chefs in Scotland under the age of 26.

Two further award ceremonies will take place to honour the Welsh winners at The St David's Hotel, Cardiff on 2nd October and Scottish winners at The Balmoral Hotel in Edinburgh on 5 October.

Staff at the Scottish Parliament are being urged to track down an intruder who will be lurking in the corridors of power at the Holyrood, Edinburgh, complex for the next two weeks. And finding the elusive fellow could lead to a reward.

Hunting the mystery stranger is the brainchild of Lynn Abernethy, general manager at the parliament for Sodexho Scotland, which provides the catering at Holyrood. "Scottish Food Fortnight begins on Monday 4 September," said Lynn, "and to raise awareness - and to bring a bit of fun to the event - we are encouraging the 1000 pass holders to the building to hunt for Hamish the haggis.

"Although, in common with many others, we'll be show casing the best of Scottish produce on our menus during the next two weeks, the haggis is synonymous with Scottish food - so I've had one specially made," said Lynn. "Its not edible just in case someone gets the urge to sink their teeth into it and spoil the fun."

Each day the person who tracks down Hamish will have his or her name entered into a draw and at the end of the fortnight the winner will be invited to have lunch for two in the Member's dining room at Holyrood.

"During the next two weeks Sodexho will be offering staff a rolling menu which will include, among other things, Rannoch Moor venison, chickens from Letham, bacon from Ayrshire, crab from Pittenweem and, of course, haggis from West Lothian," said Lynn.

"I'm hoping this novelty will bring a smile or two as well as focusing on the high standard of catering we supply at the parliament," she added.