Who better to give an insight in to the latest trends within German wine, particularly in terms of what diners are drinking, than Gus Pollard of 10 Cases in Covent Garden that only ever buys 10 cases of any particular wine and when it’s gone, it’s gone. German or not. Pollard was also one of the judges for the upcoming Get it On tasting that will highlight the best 50 German wines looking to find a place on restaurants and bars wine lists.
Joan Roca, head chef of El Celler de Can Roca, twice-ranked number one in The World’s 50 Best Restaurants awards, delivered a rare masterclass to the top chefs of Scotland. In it he revealed why he operates a split-shift system in his restaurant, how El Celler’s 70,000-strong wine cellar informs his cuisine and how you go about making a dessert that celebrates a home goal by Lionel Messi.
When he’s not busy running M Restaurant’s launch site in Threadneedle Street in the City, Zack Charilaou is happy relaxing with his young family and chilling out to Luther Vandross. Here he shares what he has been up to this summer and how he is enjoying living up to the challenge of constantly finding new ways to give his guests fresh experiences and ever better hospitality.
The wine industry is well blessed with leading, influential personalities from all parts of the trade, but few, if any, are as respected, admired or as decorated at Gerard Basset. Apologies Gerard for not following your name with the usual list of qualifications, but they need a drum roll all of their own, for Basset is unique in being able to have MW, MS, MBA and even an OBE after his name. As he celebrates, literally today, 10 years since he has his wife, Nina, opened Hotel TerraVina, Richard Siddle sits down with him to talk everything from St Etienne FC, Sven Goran Eriksson, to mentoring the next generation of world leading sommeliers.
Has there been more globetrotting member of the wine trade than Joe Fattorini in the last 12 months? As one of the presenters of ITV’s The Wine Show, which he has just finished filming a second series of, Fattorini has been here, there and everywhere quipping lines to camera. So what does he get up to when he’s back home and planning a summer holiday?
Whichever way the residents of Twickenham voted in the EU referendum they have got Brexit to thank for the imminent arrival of M Restaurants new M Bar & Grill concept. For it was only on the back of the Brexit vote that founder Martin Williams abandoned plans to open a third large venue in central London in favour of starting a new grill concept that could take premium dining to key London commuter towns. Richard Siddle joins Williams on a site visit of his new exciting venture a stone throw’s from the home of English rugby.
As we head in to August we thought it was time to reflect on the year so far with some key figures from the premium on-trade, to see how they see the world, their highs and lows for 2017 so far, what they hope to achieve in the rest of the year, and, what they are doing for their summer holidays. First up is Mark Andrew co-founder of Noble Rot restaurant and magazine.
Despite its reputation as one of Yorkshire’s leading pubs and restaurants, The Hinchliffe at Hebden Bridge, pulled off a coup when it convinced larger than life Manchester chef, Robert Owen Brown, to cross the Pennines and look to bring his classic, British dishes to a new Yorkshire audience. Shirley Kumar caught up with him in between increasingly busy services.
Last week Ben Walton of Ben’s Canteen hooked up with wine writer and PR consultant, Christina Rasmussen and regular contributor to The Buyer, to host a tasting with a difference: based on wines made by women winemakers. It proved a great success. Here we rewind the clock to when Christina and Ben first got to know each other whilst she interviewed him for an article looking at a business driven by burgers, wine and brunch. In that order…
Jack Dickinson, sommelier at TV chef’s Mark Greenaway’s eponymous Edinburgh restaurant, may only be 22, but he’s certainly got his head firmly screwed on when it comes to managing the restaurant’s 170-plus wine list. Helen Arnold talks to him about what inspires him and making sure he keeps traditional Old World customers happy as well as listing exciting new wines from Turkey, Lebanon and Armenia.
