Da Terra’s Rafael Cagali is breaking down borders December 5, 2025 This piece is published in City AM The Magazine, Winter edition, distributed at major Tube stations and available to pick up from The Royal Exchange Brazil, Bethnal Green, Brighton: Rafael Cagali is cooking from his roots, writes Carys Sharkey What little I know about Brazilian food stems from two places. Hungover lunches in Southwark at small cafes [...]
The best (and worst) Christmas sandwiches in supermarkets, from Tesco to Pret December 3, 2025 Has there ever been a more exciting way to pep up a working lunchtime than with a Christmas sandwich? Probably. Still, take a moment out of your day this week to celebrate the arrival of December by treating yourself to a seasonal sarnie (if you’re a seasonal Scrooge, here is our pick of the most [...]
Hôtel Dame des Arts: Literary legacy in this Parisian neighbourhood November 25, 2025 Saint-Germain-des-Prés was once Paris’ artistic beating heart and a notorious meeting point for writers, Carys Sharkey checks in to Hôtel Dame des Arts to see how its legacy lives on The neighbourhood: Saint-Germain-des-Prés There’s a scene early on in James Baldwin’s landmark 1956 novel Giovanni’s Room in which David, a young American living in Paris, [...]
Knife edge: Hospitality calls on government to serve up change November 19, 2025 Industry insiders – from chefs to independent brands – are calling on the Chancellor to provide real support in next week’s Budget, writes Carys Sharkey “I’d rate it one out of 10. Frankly, it’s been negligible”. Ask any chef across the country how they would rate this government’s support for the hospitality sector and you’ll [...]
Michael Caines checks in at The Stafford November 19, 2025 Legendary chef Michael Caines is taking on his next big project – and returning to London after decades away. He speaks to Carys Sharkey Michael Caines last worked in London when he was just a teenager. Now aged 56, he’s one the UK’s most recognised chefs, – and he’s back in the capital. This time, [...]
Gorse: A star is born in Cardiff November 12, 2025 After winning Cardiff’s first Michelin star, Gorse is opening a new chapter for fine dining in the Welsh capital, writes Carys Sharkey On a quiet street in the leafy Pontcanna neighbourhood of Cardiff is Gorse. A small, unassuming restaurant with an open kitchen and just a handful of tables, Gorse is the first place to [...]
The knifemakers going a cut above September 30, 2025 From social media influencers to top chefs, artisan knives are slicing across the UK’s culinary scene. Carys Sharkey meets the makers behind the metal Translucent wafers of sea bass are topped with diaphanous slivers of grape; chives are chopped into oblivion; and steak is sliced bloody. If you’ve spent any time watching social media chefs, [...]
Is late-night dining dead in London? September 23, 2025 With more and more London restaurants banking on earlier reservations, Carys Sharkey asks whether after hours dining is a relic of London’s past Is late-night dining in London dying at the hands of tee-totalling park runners, or is it having a resurgence driven by their collective hospitality nemesis? The diagnosis is polarised and necessarily hesitant. [...]
Where to eat in Paris, from pho to foie gras August 22, 2025 It’s easy to eat badly in Paris. Of course it’s easy to eat badly in every major city, but instead of the chain restaurants that stitch together London and temper expectations, Paris eating often involves a sprawling brasserie with tiny tables and an average steak haché at far from average price. Paris Syndrome is real. [...]
Swipe for baby: Behind the app hoping to revolutionise fertility treatments July 23, 2025 How much would you pay for a vial of sperm? It’s something not many people have to consider, but this question of cost is just one of the issues at the heart of the donation industry. In the UK, donors cannot be paid more than £45 per donation, and this is ostensibly to cover travel [...]
