Kitchen Rat has heard the rather heart-warming tale of a young Chris Galvin staring wide-eyed through the windows of Richard Shepherd's Langan's Brasserie as a boy to take in the kaleidoscope of celebrity colour within.
Whether this childhood experience of looking in from outside had a bearing on him accepting the gig at the Windows restaurant in the Hilton Park Lane hotel, which has a damn fine view, isn't transparent.
Politics is show business for ugly people as we all know and the general indifference our growth sector of tourism and hospitality is held in by the Government is perhaps uglier still.
Although the nature of governing leads to fluidity, if Labour retain power and Gordon Brown takes over the hot seat at Number 10 as widely trailed, Kitchen Rat has been told by sources close to the matter that current thinking would almost certainly lead to Visit Britain (VB) being killed off.
Rumour has it that south London's favourite restaurant Chez Bruce is to close in July for two months for a refurb. The Rat has heard the Michelin-starred restaurant is close to signing on the property next door and plans to knock through the walls to create an extra space for up to 20 further covers. Watch out for further details in Caterer.
Greene King wheeled out the big guns today as the newly appointed local pubs managing director Jonathan Lawson and regional manager Andrea Greenwood braved the protesting crowds at the infamous Lewes Arms in Sussex to announce that an order for Harveys bitter had been placed and would be ready to flow through the pumps from next week.
Even chief executive Rooney Anand got in on the act, saying via press release, that the brewer / operator had "underestimated the depth of feeling and level of reaction about our initial decision."
Love for drinking Harvey's in the Lewes Arms had lead to the creation of this web-site and a personal call through this blog by Mayor of Lewes Merlin Milner to get the brew back.
But Kitchen Rat was contacted this week by an anonymous Sussex drinker who indicated that the boycott fever against Greene King might not be over....
What does James Bond have for breakfast? Kippers? Frosties? Lucky charms? A Russian dissident with a lousy shot? Pussy Galore?
The answer is: we'll never know. Nor will we ever find out what brand of muesli Moneypenny brunches on, how Q likes his eggs or if M ever sneaks through two bread rolls with his soup.
According to Compass-held caterers Everson Hewett, details of their contract in London's MI6 Building are, in a line KR assumes was lifted straight from The Rock, on a "need to know basis", and discussing it would be breaking the official secrets act.
Vanity can get the best of us all at times and hoteliers are known for their love of immaculate appearances.
But a cheeky whisper has reached Kitchen Rat's ears that Grant Hearn, the feisty leader of budget hotel group Travelodge has succumbed to the narcissistic tug...
After several appearances in Caterer's news pages berating the government for contemplating slamming the industry with a bed tax, one reader notes his hair seems to have returned to its former glory - a touch of 'Just for Men' Grant? Well, we know you're worth it.
A recent poll by CatererSearch into whether the Swallow brand had any value left was unfortunately thwarted by pesky technology gremlins.
However, our spies tell us that at least one hotel's former brigade left their new owners in no doubt as to the worth they felt remained in the Swallow brand.
Ultimate driving machine? Maybe. Charlton House, damn good caterer, certainly (Caterer and Hotelkeeper doesn't dish out Catey's to just anyone, you know).
One thing is for sure, Kitchen Rat hears that after nailing the prestigious Law Society contract , Charlton House has another prestige deal signed in the shape of BMW's Bracknell, Berkshire, head quarters.
As ever, when we know more we'll let you know.
John Gater, previously boss of Ma Potter's before its sale to Cafe Rouge owner Tragus in February, is aware how important first impressions are.
He's currently pulling out all the stops to promote his new concept, Coal, and with a site in London's Wimbledon trading, and sites in central London and Manchester close to being signed, his current charm offensive seems to be working.
But that's not to say Gater hasn't in the past turned a blind eye to the odd inaccuracy when trying to build up his profile.
....another private equity rumour swirling around hospitality.
The Times is today reporting that Permira, owner of Principal Hotels, is among the front runners in the €1 billion auction of Jurys Inns, which has 14 hotels in Britain and six in Ireland.
The auction, which was kicked off recently by Dublin's Jurys Doyle Hotel Group, had been expected to be the preserve of Irish property investors, such as Derek Quinlan, the owner of Claridge's, and Paddy Kelly, who controls the Prem hotel group.
The pub going citizens of Lewes in East Sussex no doubt raised a pint or two during the Easter bank holiday but not for the reasons you might think.
Yes, after months of bad PR for Greene King, which has seen locals brandishing placards and posing for journalists and photographers alike, the brewer has finally backed down from its ill-fated decision to remove local brew Harveys from the Lewes Arms pub in favor of its own.
Kitchen Rat hears the long running battle of wills over iconic golf hotel the Belfry in Warwickshire is now over.
De Vere's new management and backers have reached a settlement with the property's Irish owners Quinn Group, ending their association with it.
De Vere's previous management completed a sale and leaseback deal on the Belfry in 2005 with Quinn worth £186m, but the relationship didn't go smoothly and they ended up in court arguing whose name should go where on the property.
Everson Hewett co-founder Stuart Everson's recent leaving do was, by all reports, a self effacing sort of affair as has always been his, and business partner Jon Hewett's, style.
A informal party for friends and colleagues was held at the company's London Centre Point contract on the 18th floor of the tower.
It was a relaxed affair without any big speeches to see Everson off on his year-long sabbatical, which will see him spend time in locations such as Peru and Italy.
With the growing trend for people to tell porkies on their CVs about job qualifications, it's good to hear De Vere's new group executive chef of Village and De Vere Venues, John Woodward, who starts this month, is the real deal when it comes to food provenance.
Kitchen Rat hears that the then executive chef at caterer Baxter & Platts, who is part of De Vere's new executive team charged with putting food at the very heart of what it does, took time out of his busy schedule last autumn to visit a Norwich based co-operative's abattoir and see slaughtering first-hand.
