Ranjit Mathrani chairs MW Eat, the highly influential London group whose first restaurant, Chutney Mary, opened 35 years ago this month. A former senior civil servant and merchant banker, he runs the company alongside his wife Namita Panjabi (right in photo), the first Indian woman to become a merchant banker, and her sister Camellia Panjabi […]
If you want to keep staff for the long haul, it’s important to ensure their work leaves them feeling inspired, engaged and rewarded. Luckily, says the Sustainable Restaurant Association, getting your team involved in sustainability initiatives is a great way to increase job satisfaction and motivation. While staffing issues have been more challenging since the […]
Bellamy’s in Bruton Place, Mayfair, celebrates its 20th anniversary this year. Harden’s sat down with its founder, Gavin Rankin, to find out what makes it tick Tucked away in a mews off Berkeley Square, Bellamy’s is famous for its ‘club with no sub’ atmosphere. It’s a calm and welcoming place, “civilised” is the word its founder […]
Paco Tapas in Bristol and the Angel in Dartmouth are among the prominent restaurants to announce their closure this week, with Tom Kerridge’s Butcher’s Tap & Grill in Chelsea and the two Chick’n’Sours sites in London also shutting up shop. The loss of Paco Tapas means Peter Sanchez-Iglesias (pictured) and his family no longer have […]
Our round-up of what the nation’s restaurant critics were writing about in the week up to 11th May 2025 London Standard The Lavery, South Kensington Stepping in as guest reviewer, fashion designer Jasper Conran welcomed the opening of this venue of “restrained glamour” in an area that has been a “gastronomic wasteland” since the demise […]
Edinburgh chef Roberta Hall-McCarron and her husband Shaun have opened three restaurants in the city in less than seven years – The Little Chartroom, Eleanore and Ardfern – each to both critical and public acclaim. Harden’s caught up with Roberta at Ardfern, the newest of the trio. HARDEN’S: The hospitality industry is struggling around Britain, but […]
‘Bonjour, Chef!’ Marcus Rowlerson has turned a centuries-old greengrocer into an industry leader Just six boxes of the first crop of this year’s white asparagus from Provence arrived at Rungis market in Paris earlier this month. Two boxes found their way into Parisian kitchens – the rest were snapped up by a specialist grocer based in […]
The Sustainable Restaurants Association explains why recycling is not enough: we have to change how we think about waste. With the Simpler Recycling legislation being introduced in the UK from the end of March, the SRA explores the hidden horrors within the recycling system, why we need to go much deeper to solve our global […]
The Sustainable Restaurant Association shares nine top sustainability trends to look for in restaurants in 2025 1. Talkin’ ‘bout regeneration While regenerative agriculture as yet lacks a clear, legal definition, the concept of farming in ways that restore nature, protect biodiversity and replenish soils is gaining traction among industry, governments — and customers. What does this mean […]
Entries are now open for the prestigious UK Sommelier of the Year competition, hosted by the International Wine & Spirits Competition (IWSC) and the UK Sommelier Academy. Entry forms are available from iwsc.net and must be submitted by May 1st. Stage 1 of the competition is conducted online in three parts: a theory exam, an […]
