May 2006 Archives

A month after industry bible Caterer launched its campaign "Say No To Bed Tax", H magazine, from the people who bring you Restaurant (or R as its affectionately known in some quarters), has dragged itself kicking and screaming into the debate with, you've guessed it, a campaign all of its very own. Quite where they got the inspiration from is unknown, but dubbed "Put The Bed Tax To Sleep", one has to ask who's been doing the sleeping? Perhaps, H, you could think of a campaign a little dearer to your heart next time? How about "Bring Back Steps"?

Poor taste press release of the week award goes to People 1st, the hospitality industry's sector skill council. Sniffing a gilt-edged opportunity to raise its profile, the organisation's PR machine leapt into action and grabbed onto the coat-tails of the Marriott West India Quay/Spurs lasagne "food poisoning" scandal. In a sanctimonious statement, People 1st boss Brian Wisdom said: "The industry should take heed of the Tottenham Hotspur situation as it clearly highlights the potential impact of food poisoning". Wisdom goes on to blame inadequate food safety training and urges the industry to put it at the top of the skills agenda. Right on, expect the Marriott has been exonerated and the illness blamed on an unconnected player virus. I guess this is what they mean when they talk about an own goal.

Poor taste press release of the week award goes to People 1st, the hospitality industry's sector skill council. Sniffing a gilt-edged opportunity to raise its profile, the organisation's PR machine leapt into action and grabbed onto the coat-tails of the Marriott West India Quay/Spurs lasagne "food poisoning" scandal. In a sanctimonious statement, People 1st boss Brian Wisdom said: "The industry should take heed of the Tottenham Hotspur situation as it clearly highlights the potential impact of food poisoning". Wisdom goes on to blame inadequate food safety training and urges the industry to put it at the top of the skills agenda. Right on, expect the Marriott has been exonerated and the illness blamed on an unconnected player virus. I guess this is what they mean when they talk about an own goal.

I bet Gerry Ford, boss of high flying Caffe Nero, isn't accustomed to any grief from his associates, being the spitting image of Hollywood hardman and occasional film-psycho, Ray "don't make me cranky" Liotta. If the boardroom meetings at Nero ape Liotta's acting style, which is described by movie reviewers as "intense", they must be fun. At least they can have plenty of strong black coffee to keep them going. Can anyone spot the difference between Liotta and Ford and let the Kitchen Rat know.

My rat spies at West Ham may have finally solved the Spurs/Marriot hotel food poisoning scandal. A rodent buddy snapped Tottenham midfielder Michael Carrick - who was pulled off during last Sunday's match - signing autographs and joking with fans 15 minutes after the fateful game. Does he look a bit peaky to you? My rat chum said he looked perfectly healthy and and would not have been able to stand and chat if he was really ill.

While Kitchen Rat was hob-nobing in Dubai last weekend, he picked ups some interesting snippets of information. Apparently, according to a source very close to the deal, the sale of the Savoy hotel in London in 2004 was the scene of a fierce bidding war between two of the world's richest men. Saudi billionnaire Prince Alwaleed bin Talal and the Sultan of Brunei entered into a straight auction as they tried to outbid each other, but not just by the odd few quid, but a cool £1m each. Just imagine been the agent on that deal, seeing your commission zoom through the roof, as two of the world's richest men tried to out do the other. Eventually, the two came to a gentleman's agreement , before the price tag became silly.... I suppose the reported £200m isn't a silly price for one of the world's most famous hotels.

Kitchen Rat had an interesting lunch meeting with a Lib Dem MP recently. The honourable member of parliament for Sutton, Paul Burstow, arrived for lunch a little late following his Friday morning surgery with his constituents. Kitchen Rat had got a little peckish during the wait and had tucked into, and finished, all the olives. When a slightly flustered Burstow, apparently London's hardest working MP, finally arrived he sat down and picked up one of my regurgitated olive pips and started to chew on it before he realised what he had done. It was one of those jaw-droppingly embarrasing moments as he had to endure the ignomy of spitting the pip out again. I just wanted to hide under the table to save his embarrassment. No wonder MPs prefer the olive-free zone of indian restaurant the Cinnamon Club in Westminster.