All the ingredients for growth: D&D London’s Des Gunewardena explains how the restaurant group is building a platform for long-term expansion July 11, 2016 Why has the City become such a vibrant restaurant destination? It’s two things, says Des Gunewardena, chairman and chief executive of D&D London, owner of such Square Mile stalwarts as Coq D’Argent, South Place Hotel, the Paternoster Chop House, and Madison. “A lot of people have started living in East London rather than West and [...]
Adarsh Radia and new business partner Ignacio Macias are matchmaking startups and corporates July 11, 2016 If you've already been a fund manager and serial entrepreneur, how do you seek a fresh perspective on work – and life? For Adarsh Radia, who’s ex-Merrill Lynch and co-founder of popular Indian restaurant Dishoom (you may have queued to get in), the answer was to enrol himself at the Singularity University, a Silicon Valley think [...]
Focus On Croydon: Concrete jungle of Zone Five is increasingly popular with young professionals July 8, 2016 It’s a concrete jungle out there. At least, it is if you live in the London borough of Croydon. Despite birthing Kate Moss, Sir Philip Green and Tracey Emin, it’s not an area that’s known for glamour, largely due to a preponderance of outdated 1960s office blocks. Though there have been many attempts to revive [...]
The newly crowned king of pastry Pierre Hermé talks about getting a sweet deal July 7, 2016 This time, it was personal. Experts across the world had voted on the world’s best pastry chef for two years running, and neither time did the accolade go to a Frenchman. For this proud nation of dessert-makers, this is tantamount to a national disgrace. This year Pierre Hermé, the man variously called the Picasso of [...]
Foley’s in Fitzrovia review: Food that’s from everywhere and nowhere, but still impresses with its sense of fun July 5, 2016 The spice trail, if your GCSE history is a little cloudy, is the network of shipping routes linking Japan to Europe, via China, Indonesia, India and the Middle East. It formed the primitive tentacles of globalisation that began to inch around the planet from around 2000BC, giving man the first opportunity to screw over his [...]
Eight of the best cheese boards in London: Post-Brexit, are you wondering where your next brie is coming from? July 5, 2016 1. Fenchurch at Sky Garden, 20 Fenchurch Street, EC3M If you like to scoff cheese and wine while looking down at the great thronging crowds of London town, then there are few places that can compete with the glass magnificence of the Walkie Talkie. Its cheese platter comes from Covent Garden-based Neal’s Yard Dairy and it’s accompanied [...]
Cobra Beer founder Lord Bilimoria explains the immigration policy behind Britain’s curry crisis July 3, 2016 Since they first started becoming popular in the 1940s, curry houses have become a staple of Britain’s towns and evenings out. The nation’s favourite cuisine was adopted and then adapted from its spicy, South Asian roots to suit our more sensitive tastebuds. Along the way, it has spawned an industry worth £4bn and, directly and [...]
Five stocks to watch following the Brexit market meltdown June 30, 2016 The UK’s stock market has quickly and efficiently established a pecking order in the wake of the EU referendum vote. Low-volatility stocks, defensives and dollar earners have generally done well, or at least much less badly, than cyclicals and, domestic plays such as retailers, banks and house builders. In addition, gold and silver miners have performed extremely [...]
Work and Pensions and Business, Innovation and Skills Select Committees continue to quiz Richard Caring on BHS demise June 27, 2016 The two parliamentary select committees investigating BHS have deepened their inquiry into clothing tycoon and restaurateur Richard Caring. The Work and Pensions and Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) select Committees have written to Caring for a second time, asking 20 further questions related to his business dealings with Sir Philip Green, Lady Green and BHS. [...]
Focus On Harrow: Why this north west London suburb is popular with families and first time buyers June 24, 2016 The north west London suburb of Harrow is all too often synonymous with the prestigious boys’ boarding school with which it shares its name. Certainly, the school has influenced the growth of central Harrow through the centuries; following a big expansion of the school in the 19th century, housing was built for its staff resulting [...]