Fast food chain Leon launches new product range with Sainsbury’s October 14, 2019 Fast food chain Leon has launched a partnership with Sainsbury’s to sell its first range of grocery products. Customers will be able to buy a range of Leon condiments, oils and bread in more than 600 stores as the chain expands beyond its London focused restaurant portfolio. Read more: Leon reports widening losses as rising [...]
Spotlight on Pizza Express as debt pile sparks fears for chain’s future October 13, 2019 Speculation over the future of Pizza Express mounted over the weekend amid reports of potential store closures and debt restructuring talks. The pizza chain, which is looking to slash its £1.1bn debt pile, has denied suggestions that it is mulling mass closures after a tough spell of trading. Read more: Twitter is scared Pizza Express [...]
Weekly Grill: The world-famous Nobuyuki Matsuhisa on his mother’s miso soup and how he used to hustle for eels October 8, 2019 Who are you and what do you do? I am Nobuyuki Matsuhisa, also known as ‘Nobu’, sushi chef proprietor of Nobu and Matsuhisa restaurants, author and father. I currently own 49 restaurants in 44 cities on five continents around the world. What’s new at Nobu in London? We are hosting a series of ‘Tastemakers’ dinners at Nobu [...]
Fitness advice: Fix body and soul in the great outdoors October 8, 2019 The City is great. I’ve owned a gym here for almost 10 years. It can be invigorating being around so many people, seeing all the new buildings fly up, checking out all the new bars and restaurants. But there’s a flip-side. Being around so many people can be mentally and physically draining. An office full [...]
Oh (dough) balls: Twitter’s scared Pizza Express will fold like a calzone October 7, 2019 Pizza Express fans were thrown into panic today following reports the restaurant chain has called in financial advisers over its mounting debt pile. The firm has hired advisers from Houlihan Lokey ahead of talks with creditors, while a group of secured bondholders has tapped Perella Weinberg Partners, Bloomberg reported, citing people familiar with the matter. [...]
Can Gordon Ramsay hit gold again on the site of Maze with pan-Asian eating house Lucky Cat? October 4, 2019 Ten years and several lifetimes ago, Jason Atherton was heading up the kitchen at Gordon Ramsay’s Maze. Back then, Ramsay could do no wrong. He was decorated with more Michelin awards than he could comfortably carry up a flight of stairs, owned lauded restaurants from New York to Tokyo, and was the sweary star of [...]
Weekly Grill: Executive chef of Bōkan Restaurant in Canary Wharf Guillaume Gillan on how to improve your knife skills October 4, 2019 Who are you and what do you do? My name is Guillaume Gillan, executive chef of Bōkan Restaurant in Canary Wharf. Tell us about your new menu We’ve just launched our new three course Early Sunset Dockyard menu. It’s seasonally led so changes every couple weeks, and is served from 6pm to 7.30pm, giving guests front row [...]
Deliveroo losses deepen in expansion drive October 2, 2019 Deliveroo deepened its losses last year despite soaring sales as it pushed forward with expansion plans. The food delivery app said losses before tax were £232m in 2018 from £199m the previous year. Global sales increased by 72 per cent to £476m for the year. Read more: Deliveroo ad banned over misleading claim it could [...]
The story of the world’s best beef: How Kobe conquered the globe October 2, 2019 Wedged between the Rokko mountain range and Osaka Bay, Kobe is the sixth largest city in Japan with more than a million and a half people. Its namesake beef doesn’t come from the city itself but from the surrounding farmland of Hyogo Prefecture where Kobe is the capital and the key port. As the story [...]
Diversity can prepare City firms for uncertain times ahead October 1, 2019 City bosses need to keep the issue of diversity and inclusion high on their agenda as the UK heads into uncertain times and use it as a tool to both leverage opportunity and improve resilience, according to a panel of experts. In the first of a series of events hosted by City A.M., executives from three of the City’s largest [...]