Restaurants

The Restaurants section on Catering Today delivers comprehensive coverage of the UK restaurant industry, from independent operators to national chains. It reports on business performance, openings, acquisitions, and leadership changes, alongside analysis of market trends, menu innovation, and consumer behaviour. With insight into finance, operations, technology, and sustainability, Catering Today provides hospitality professionals with the intelligence and updates shaping commercial strategy across the UK dining landscape.

Jan- 2019 -

15 January

Gaucho appoints Max Castaldo as executive chef

Steak restaurant chain Gaucho has appointed Argentinian-born Max Castaldo as the group’s new executive chef. Castaldo has worked at some of the world’s most renowned South American and Asian restaurants, giving him experience producing top quality food and leading multiple teams of chefs. His role at Gaucho will see him…
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14 January

Damian Wawrzyniak returns to London with Salt Flakes restaurant

Polish chef Damian Wawrzyniak is to return to London as chef at Twickenham’s Salt Flakes restaurant. The restaurant claims to offer “modern world cuisine with a French touch”, and will represent Wawrzyniak’s first foray into London since opening his first London based restaurant Jan in Clapham, which closed less than…
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14 January

Allergens found in JustEat listed takeaways

A new investigation has found that a number of restaurants listed on food delivery app JustEat, have been selling food that could cause allergic reactions. The research by the BBC’s Panorama programme, also found that over 100 restaurants listed on the app had a food hygiene rating of zero, despite…
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14 January

Carluccio’s strengthens senior team with new additions

Carluccio’s has announced two new appointments as it continues to strengthen its senior management team to support the brand’s ‘Fresca’ transformation programme. Bruce Craig has started in the newly created role of IT director, responsible for leveraging technology to enhance the customer experience and improve processes. Craig has a wealth…
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11 January

Wei Guirong to open new restaurant in London’s Bloomsbury

Wei Guirong, the founder of London’s Xi’an restaurant is set to open her first restaurant in the city’s Bloomsbury area. Guirong has not yet announced an opening date for the restaurant, which is expected to have a menu made up of local Chinese dishes and snacks. It is reported that…
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11 January

ETM Group reports record Christmas trading

The 14-strong bar and restaurant group, ETM, has reported its “best ever Christmas” with overall revenue up 16% and like-for-like sales rising to 13.1% for the five weeks up to 31 December. One of the biggest growth areas for the company was in pre-booked event sales which saw an uplift…
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10 January

Pubs and restaurants provide boost as consumer spending reaches low

Consumer spending grew 1.8% year-on-year in December, the lowest rate of growth seen since March 2016. With inflation at 2.3%, this equated to a contraction in real terms. Data from Barclaycard, which sees nearly half of the nation’s credit and debit card transactions, revealed essential spending growth dipped to just…
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10 January

Sushi Daily expands to standalone restaurants with New Oxford Street outlet

Sushi Daily has announced it is to open its first standalone restaurant on London’s New Oxford Street. Previously, the sushi chain existed as a concession in branches of John Lewis and Waitrose however it has now followed smoothie chain Joe and the Juice in branching out of the stores. Sushi…
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9 January

Wallfish & Wellbourne Bistro closes after two months

Wallfish & Wellbourne Bistro has announced its closure less than two months after being collaboratively launched by two independent restaurants in Bristol. The bistro opened on 14 November in the city’s Clifton Village area and saw the Wallfish Bistro come together with the Wellbourne restaurant. Wellbourne opened in August 2017…
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8 January

Michelin-starred Imperial Treasure debuts in London

Imperial Treasure, Chinese restaurant group and holder of four Michelin stars, has made its European debut in a Grade II listed building on St James’s Waterloo Place. Award-winning restaurateur, Alfred Leung has curated seasonal ingredients, sustainably sourced fish and live seafood to serve his customers, including Gillardeau oysters from France,…
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