RDS Simmonscourt, Dublin 29th September 2008

For the first time in its 20 year history, the World Cheese Awards will take place outside the UK. The 2008 Awards will confirm the truly global status of the world’s largest international cheese competition when it takes place in Ireland this September.

Over 2,000 cheeses from the UK, Europe, the USA, South Africa and Australasia will be consolidated in the UK and freighted directly into Dublin for judging at the RDS Simmonscourt on 29th September. Staged in its own dedicated hall alongside Ireland’s largest retail food and drink trade show, SHOP, the 2008 World Cheese Awards will command massive international attention.

Over 80 international experts will be flown into Dublin to join the cream of the Irish cheese trade for judging. The morning’s judging to identify Gold, Silver and Bronze winning cheeses will be followed by the now traditional judges’ lunch. During the afternoon, the Supreme Jury will be filmed for television both in Ireland and the UK as it tastes each gold award winning cheese a second and a third time to identify the national champions and finally, the World Champion Cheese 2008.

For the next two days, all competition cheeses will be on display for trade visitors and the media to view and taste. The Awards presentation will take place in the centre of the Awards area on 1st October.
The global status of the World Cheese Awards is such that it is the competition cheese makers most want to win. Bob Farrand, the Awards’ chairman and National Director of the Guild of Fine Food comments: ‘Standards are incredibly high. Europe may well have held a monopoly on great cheese a decade or so ago but over the past few years, entries from the USA and South Africa in particular have consistently taken top awards.’

Farrand continues: ‘We’re delighted that Dublin is our first overseas venue. The Awards have become the cheese Olympics, so it is right they should be staged in different countries.’

The Guild of Fine Food is also planning a Great Taste Gourmet Food Hall within SHOP and 50 British speciality producers are expected to exhibit.

Eight of the industry’s tops chefs have come together to compete against a team of brewers in this year’s FLORA London Marathon on Sunday 13th April. The ‘Chefs on the Run’ team, led by Michelin starred chefs Michel Roux Jr and Anton Edelmann, will take to the capital’s streets, after months of healthy eating, training and preparation, to run 26.2 miles in pursuit of personal pride and fundraising goals.

The team of chefs1, brought together by FLORA, include the nine-times marathon runner and culinary legend Michel Roux Jr, chef de cuisine at Le Gavroche; Hospitality Action’s Ambassador Anton Edelmann; Jerome Ponchelle, chef de cuisine at The Wiltons; Robert Clayton, executive chef at Merchant Inns; Jean Luc Hoez, senior sous chef at Coq d’Argent; Paul Robinson, chef at Wheatsheaf Inn; Christophe Gueraud, former head chef of Michelin starred restaurant L’Escargot and Unilever Foodsolutions’ very own development chef, Shane O’Connor.

The challenge has been set to see which of the teams will cross the finishing line in the fastest time – individual times will be collated and an average time given to the team. A group of runners from Fuller’s2 ran last year to celebrate the company’s first year of sponsoring the event, so they were keen to take on the challenge and go head-to-head with the chefs.

Category Director Unilever Foodsolutions UK, Susan Gregory, comments, “We’re delighted to be working with London’s last remaining traditional family brewer in promoting the benefits of a healthy lifestyle and the importance of eating and drinking sensibly. The challenge will generate great excitement on the day and we hope it will incentivise the runners to push themselves that little bit further.”

Susan continues. “It’s fantastic to see so many of our industry’s finest coming together and competing in one of the world’s greatest marathons. For the runners to commit to such a worthy cause and to use the little spare time they have to train is really something. It’s going to take hard work and determination but we’re confident that they’ll do it and raise a lot of money for their charities in the process.”

It’s not just great music from the likes of Hello Sailor, Hollie Smith and Greg Johnson at this year’s event, festival goers will be able to pick up some hot tips from some of New Zealand’s most celebrated chefs.

At the Devonport Food, Wine & Music Festival (16th & 17th Feb) The North Shore City Council Marquee will house the Glengarry Wine Academy, and the Fisher & Paykel Kitchen, offering visitors a chance to expand their culinary skills and develop their wine appreciation.



Chefs appearing at these special cookery demonstrations include Geoff Scott from Vinnie’s in Herne Bay, Auckland. Geoff trained with the world famous Albert Roux in London and has worked in some of the best restaurants in the world. Also passing on tips and inspiration will be Paul Jobin from Pure Tastes in Paihia, Marco Kouch from FISHmart and Paul Cockburn from Caffe L’affare.

There will be three food demonstrations per day from 12.15 – 4pm and three wine appreciation sessions each day from 11.30 – 3pm.

Event Organiser Kathy Cunningham says “The 2008 Devonport Food, Wine & Music Festival is going to be the best yet. We’ve got an amazing and diverse entertainment line up with something for all musical tastes from some of New Zealand’s finest performers. Food and wine will continue to play a huge part in this iconic event and now festival goers can get even more out of their experience with the chance to learn direct from some our best chefs, food writers and wine experts”.

Limited tickets available.

What: Devonport Food, Wine & Music Festival
Where: Windsor Reserve, Devonport
When: Saturday 16th & Sunday 17th February 2008
Times: 11am – 7pm Saturday and 11am – 6pm Sunday
Info: http://www.devonportwinefestival.co.nz

Ticket prices: $35* incl. a glass of wine. Pre-purchase through iTICKET (*plus booking/delivery fee) http://www.iticket.co.nz tel. 09 361 1000

NZ$5 discount for local residents through Devonport Flagstaff voucher
NZ$40 gate price

Top trends for restaurants and bars range from artisan salt selections to Izakaya bar menus; chefs growing their own gardens, and cupcakes moving from kids plates to adult menus. Top hotel trends include the rise of smallish boho-chic hotels, to the introduction of interesting “get frisky” packages for feline pets. Industry veteran Andrew Freeman said of the 2008 trends to watch, “Today, the modern diner and traveler expect a more personalized and fun approach to their experiences from the bar to the hotel suite.” Freeman continues, “Savvy guests are up on all of the trends and expect to be wowed. They desire unique and one of a kind offerings.” He continued to say that now more than ever, guests make their choices based on great word-of-mouth and social networking online buzz.

From the marketing standpoint, the biggest trend of the year is that giving back is essential—and both restaurants and hotels are partnering more with charitable organizations that align with their values, benefit their communities and make good business sense.

The trend list was developed by AF&Co., from a combination of close industry observation, coast-to-coast travel, discussions with industry experts, meetings with hotel and restaurant clients, press contacts, conferences attended and media sources. During 2007, the AF&Co. consultants traveled 100,800 miles, ate 1,092 restaurant meals, produced 6 restaurant openings and 4 hotel launches and finally, slept for a total of 210 nights in hotels.


Herewith, are the trends for 2008:

May I Take Your Order Please: Restaurant & Bar Trends

Saline Solution
Artisan Salt: fleur de sel, sel gris, Hawaiian pink, Himalayan black; even smoked salt has appeared in dishes from tuna tartar to salted caramel ice cream.

The Aussie Invasion
OZ has arrived. Well beyond wine imports, menus are loading up with Aussie olive oil, honey, fruit pastes, and seafood.

The Lounge Around
More full-scale dining room menus and innovative bar menus are being offered in the lounge and bars. Now, guests can relax, order as much or as little as they like, and be casual as friends come and go.

Small Plates Go Global
From Japanese Izakaya, Indian Chaat, Middle Eastern Mezze to Spanish Tapas, the small plates craze keeps going and growing in every kind of restaurant concept across the country.

Artisans in Residence
From house-made salumi like prosciutto, sausage, coppa, salami, mortadella to house-cured olives. Chefs take more pride in making everything in-house. You say salumi, I say salami.

Blooming Chefs
Chefs with a green thumb are growing their produce, usually organic, on their own farms, behind their restaurants, or on rooftop gardens. You can’t get more local than this.

The Cupcake Revolution
From delicious cupcakes with buttercream frosting to homemade twinkies and old-fashioned butterscotch puddings, nostalgic desserts remain a favorite. Now many are garnished with retro treats like Pop Rocks and Caramel Corn.

That Size Fits You Perfectly
Dishes now come in small, medium, and large portions to satisfy a wide range of tastes and appetites. The entrée as we know it is not going away, but size does matter.

Fine Dining Re-Defined
Diners still crave four-star cuisine and service, only now they want these experiences in more relaxed settings.

I Can Get It For You Retail
Fine dining goes retail. Like that pasta or hand-crafted teapot? Today, even the best places have To-go sections or catalogs.

Sweet Says Hello to Savory
Caramel with foie gras, sorbet in your soup, salt on desserts, and truly tangy frozen yogurts – sweet and savory join forces with delicious results.

Extreme Green
Obeying the mantra of SOL food (seasonal, organic and local) is almost the norm. Now, restaurants are going completely sustainable with biodegradable disposable tableware, eco-conscious cleaners and a suite of green business practices.

Sexy Unisex Bathrooms
Please put the seat down when you’re done. Unisex bathrooms are popping up in hot restaurants, bars and lounges across the country. Will this be the end of long lines for the ladies?

It’s A Split Decision
A range of wine service options: by the glass, the bottle, the 2 oz. taste, even the quartino. Quaffers have plenty of choices now. Still can’t decide? Split the difference and get the half bottle.

99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall
Gastro-pubs with dedicated beer lists, featuring special brews, house-made drafts and hard-to-find ales are all the rage. Adding to the experience are custom glassware selections and special pairing menus.

Reaching Beyond Riesling
Gruner Veltliner and Blaufrankisch. These wines from Germany and Austria (and others from beyond) may be tough to pronounce, but they are easy to drink and pair. Will we be Hungary for more next year?

Bar None
The chef’s new signature dish - bar snacks. Homemade pretzels, paprika tossed nuts and hand-rolled sesame sticks take the place of stale popcorn and keep guests reaching for more.

Shaken, Stirred, Muddled and Organic
Bar chef/mixologists get more creative with hand-crafted one-of-a-kind organic cocktails utilizing fresh fruit, herbs, spices, vegetable purees, house-made syrups, and innovative infusions. More and more bars now have a selection of organic beverage options.

Staying in the Groove: Hotel Trends

Going In and Coming Out
Gay and lesbian travel (LBGT) continues to gain velocity and popularity. With a $64.5 billion market share, major cities and hotels around the world are opening their doors wide to welcome this very discerning crowd.

Netting New Clients
Catch potential guests on the Internet. Consumers today continue to rely less on printed and bound guides, turning instead to social media websites, travel sites and blogs for planning, scheming and dreaming. Savvy hotels are creating websites with a taste of things to come, and adding systems to make reservations a breeze.

Lounge Act
Stylish hotels are forgoing traditional lobbies and creating vibrant lounge environments. Sleek couches, oversize chairs and lighting are replacing the staid and stuffy reception area to create hip social spots for swanky cocktails and music that attracts guests and locals alike.

Wired from Door to Door
The technology boom continues. Free wireless Internet, remote paperless check-in and check-out, on-line reservations, Ipod docking stations, movies on-demand and in-room Play Stations are now expected by today’s modern traveler.

Heading for Greener Pastures
The green train has left the station and more hotel companies are jumping on board. Here’s the basic packing list: high-efficiency light bulbs, non-toxic paints and carpeting, low-flow showerheads and toilets, non-toxic cleaning materials, organic cotton towels and linens (laundered only on request, of course), air filtering systems and hotel collateral printed on recycled paper using soy-based inks.

Beyond the Bare Essentials
Forgot your Ipod? Covet that cozy robe? Now just about everything in your hotel is available for purchase. Left your toothbrush, deodorant or swim suit at home? Thoughtful hotels have amenities that cover just about every guest request.

At Your Leisure
Business is booming, but not with the typical business traveler. Leisure travel and multi-generational family adventure vacations are on the rise. Grandmother and granddaughter travel packages keep the generations connected.

Take a Deep Breath and Say “Ohmmm”
From Yoga studios to one-on-one gyms and medi-spas, hotels are seriously focusing on your well-being by offering personalized treatments packages including diet coaching, outdoor excursions, and rejuvenating boosts with custom massage menus.

Boho-Chic
Small boutique hotels are now popping up in bohemian neighborhoods surrounded by art studios, ateliers, and galleries. They soak in the local culture by supporting local artists with custom-designed rooms and unique decor.

The Halls of Comfortable Learning
Hotels get a “PhD” in service when they offer tours of local markets, in-depth peeks into local culture, cooking classes with the chef and other cultural educational experiences.

Creature Comforts Get Frisky
Get your bow wow going and say hello to Rover and Spike. Today, most hotels are already dog friendly, so get ready to welcome the next breed of pets – Frisky the cat and Polly the parakeet.

Barcelona Tapas Y Restaurante – the home of warm Spanish ambience, delicious tapas and award-winning wine provides Londoners with an authentic taste of Spain in the middle of The City. For over 15 years, the family-run Barcelona Restaurant group has been bringing a buzzy and convivial atmosphere usually found on Los Ramblas to its four locations boasting an extensive selection of the finest Spanish wines, complemented by its varied tapas menu created from directly sourced Spanish produce and all served in a vibrant setting.

Barcelona Tapas Bar Y Restaurante has recently been voted Wine List of The Year 2007 by Square Meal’s Imbibe Magazine and this award-winning collection is extensive and inclusive, allowing diners to sample wines of all manner of grapes and varieties, from all over Spain. On Barcelona’s wine list you can find selections from large renowned Spanish Winemakers such as the Torres Mas La Plana as well as lesser known family run vineyards such as Can Blau, an exciting new winery making one of the finest wines in Monstant, on the edge of Priorat.

Founded by father and son team Martin and David Dalmau in 1991, Barcelona Tapas Y Restaurante began as a small family-run basement tapas bar on Bell Lane. Now restaurants can be found within the Square Mile, with locations in Lime Street, Well Court and Middlesex Street, and in Dulwich, South East London, yet the family-run principles remain the same. Despite being within walking distance of each other, each venue is individually designed and created with a unique atmosphere in mind, although all the Barcelona restaurants boast trademark Gaudi-inspired mosaics, bright terracotta colour schemes and a relaxed typically Spanish vibe.

Owner David Dalmau is especially passionate about the wines he serves in his restaurant personally visiting the vineyards himself on his regular tours of Spain and choosing the wine list carefully in order to maintain quality and value as well as cater for the wide range of tastes his diners often display.

Dalmau’s recommended wines include a host of excellent Reds such as the Muga Reserva Especial Rioja, the Chafandin, Ribera de Duero and the Jean Leon Cabernet Sauvignon Reserva, Penedes. He also recommends the fine white Fefinanes Albarino and the Navarran Rosé, Ochoa Rosado de Lagrima.

The prestigious four-star Aldwark Manor hotel, near York, part of the Q Hotels Group, has welcomed back Bruce McDowell as its new Head Chef.

Bruce spent three successful years at Aldwark Manor as Senior Sous Chef and has now returned to manage all aspects of the hotel’s catering operations, including its award-winning two AA rosette restaurant.

A highly experienced and imaginative chef, he has over 18 years’ experience in the hotel and restaurant business.

Born and raised in York, he trained at York College before beginning his career at Claridges in London. Since returning to Yorkshire in 1991 he has held senior roles at places such as Linton Springs, Balmoral Hotel, Dean Court Hotel and The Living Room.

Most recently he was Head Chef at Loch Fyne restaurant in York, which he was responsible for opening, as well as acting as northern region trainer for Loch Fyne restaurants.

Commenting on his return to Aldwark Manor, Bruce said: “This is a fantastic hotel that not enough people know about. I want to help put it on the map in Yorkshire. We will be offering modern English and traditional Yorkshire fayre, using top quality ingredients from local suppliers.”

General Manager Deborah Heather added: “Head Chef is a key role in the Hotel. We are delighted to have recruited someone of Bruce’s calibre and experience who can not only maintain but enhance the hotel’s reputation for fine, well-prepared, good value food.”

Located in between York and Harrogate, Aldwark Manor was added to the QHotels portfolio in 2006. As well as a two Rosette restaurant, it has 55 bedrooms, six conference rooms, which can seat up to 240 delegates, an 18-hole golf course, plus fully equipped leisure club and state-of-the-art spa. source Food4Media

Luxury travel company Grand Tourist is staging exclusive gourmet events in Chester offering the chance to sample the cuisine of a renowned Michelin starred Chef. Mauro Uliassi will travel from Senigallia on the Eastern coast of Italy, a town which is twinned with Chester. Mauro will cook at The Arkle restaurant at the five-star Chester Grosvenor Hotel on Wednesday February 6 and Thursday February 7, 2008.

Mauro, 48, opened his restaurant Uliassi with his sister Catia on Senigallia harbour in 1990 and has since won numerous Awards. Grand Tourist, which specialises in the finest that Europe has to offer, organise exclusive wine tasting holidays to Senigallia and the surrounding Le Marche region of Italy, combined with mouth watering Italian food.

Director of Grand Tourist, Janet Simmonds said:

“Mauro Uliassi is one of the most innovative and contemporary chefs working in Italy today. Mauro is passionate about flavour, texture and presentation. As Senigallia is twinned with Chester it is particularly appropriate that we should welcome this wonderful chef to the North-West and especially to the Grosvenor Hotel. Senigallia, on Italy’s Adriatic Coast is a stunning place to visit with fantastic seafood. We are promised a cavalcade of beautiful, amazing dishes accompanied by a delightful array of Le Marche wines. As a region, Le Marche is relatively undiscovered, but Grand Tourist offer exclusive packages and insights into the delights there. These events bring just a little of the sparkle and a ‘taster’ of the region to Chester.”

Chester based Grand Tourist offer the finest of European culture; gourmet dining in rural France, hot-air ballooning in Burgundy, private chateaux and garden visits in the Loire. Whilst in Italy the art of Florence, Venice and Rome is there to enjoy. Grand Tourist also offer a range of travel guides for London, Paris, Geneva, Rome and Venice, the European cities visited by the original Grand Tourists. These guides provide ideas for the modern visitor including restaurants, sight-seeing, bars, galleries and museums.

Allium (1 London Street, Fairford, Gloucestershire GL7 4AH) is a relaxed contemporary restaurant situated in the pretty Cotswold Wool Town of Fairford between Lechlade and Cirencester. Located at the bottom of the market Square, the grade II listed building boasts warm, modern interior and offers Contemporary British cuisine using well-sourced ingredients with friendly service and an imaginative wine list.

Husband and wife team, James and Erica Graham, own Allium. James is Head Chef and Erica runs front of house. James's past experience includes a stint at the OXO Tower and The English House, after which he left the capital to work at Petit Blanc in Oxford, followed by Peter Gorton’s Horn of Plenty, then to return to Raymond Blanc to work at Le Manoir aux Quat’ Saisons. Erica and James have worked as a team since 2001 at Wickham Vineyard in the heart of Meon Valley where they were able to build up a solid reputation for fine modern cuisine using well-sourced ingredients, matched with friendly, warm service and an imaginative wine list. In 2004 the opportunity arose for James and Erica to purchase their own restaurant and Allium opened in May 2004.

Examples of starters include ‘ Linguini of Wild Rabbit, Toasted Breadcrumbs and Sage”, “Roasted Skate Wing with Snails and Beurre Noisette” Main dishes boast ‘Trio of Lucy Muller’s Mutton”, “Braised Brisket of English Rose Veal” and ‘Roasted Zander with Artichokes and Potato & Oilve Oil Sauce” Desserts offer ‘Assiette of Blood Orange’ and ‘Prune and Armagnac Soufflé”. The Cheeseboard is also well known for its vast array of British only cheeses, being awarded Restaurant British Cheeseboard of the year in 2006.

The wine list at Allium boasts about 400 bins, with over 30 dessert wines covering countries as diverse as England, India, Greece as well as a large contingent from France and the New World. Also available is an extensive list of local and International bottled beers and a full sherry list.

Allium has now completely recovered from the severe flooding it experienced in July 2007. The three month closure and subsequent kitchen refit have enabled the team to spend more time with local farmers and producers to produce a supply chain with unrivalled provenance and quality. The attention to detail of the kitchen produce has extended to James and Sous Chef Nick Bartimote regularly accompanying animals to the abattoir to ensure the welfare standards set during their production continues until they reach the plate.
The most recent venture is the launch of ‘Allium at home’ which is their new product range and available from their soon to be opened Deli Allium. It includes Sourdough Bread, Dark Chocolates, Lemon Biscotti, Kilner jars full of potted Foie Gras and Tomato Chutney. Cotswold Crunch Bread and Sourdough Bread are baked daily. The deli will be situated 100 yards away from the restaurant, on the bridge at Fairford.

Leading Indian restaurant chain Tiffinbites is switching to free range chicken at a personal cost to the owner of £150,000 a year - after he watched TV chef Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall’s impassioned TV plea last week.

Jamal Hirani, CEO and founder of Tiffinbites, says the move - which will increase food costs at his group of London restaurants by around £3,000 a week - is in direct response to the plight of intensively reared broiler chickens highlighted by Fearnley-Whittingstall in his series ‘Hugh’s Chicken Run’, screened on Channel 4 last week.

It will make Tiffinbites the UK’s first Indian restaurant group to go free range - and Jamal is promising menu prices will not increase to account for the higher chicken costs.

Jamal said: “Hugh’s Chicken Run series has really affected the nation. We immediately began receiving queries from customers as to the nature of the chicken we serve, and myself and all staff included instantly knew that we had to ensure all our poultry was free range. Although it’s challenging to source free range chicken, it’s a move that we hope other Indian restaurants will follow.”

Suppliers, however, are cashing in on the interested generated by the Channel 4 series with significant cost increases. A broiler chicken before would have set Tiffinbites back £1.88 per kg, but now this cost is set to rise to £4.88 per kg for free range birds.

Jamal added: “Poultry suppliers have been quick to spot the profit opportunity. Many restaurants may seek to maintain the higher costs by increasing menu prices. At Tiffinbites, however, we believe that our customers shouldn’t have to pay for the privilege of eating free range chicken, and as a result are committed to keeping our menu prices at the same level as before. We’re urging other Indian restaurants and food organisations to the same.”

For Tiffinbites, £3,000 a week is equivalent to a week’s staff wages in one restaurant or one ton of basmati rice. Each restaurant will need to serve an extra 600 meals week to account for the extra cost.

Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall described the move by Tiffinbites as ‘brilliant news’, adding: “Obviously the Indian restaurant sector accounts for phenomenal amounts of chicken sales – and mostly these are all standard, intensively farmed birds.

“We hope many other Indian restaurants, both independent and chains, will follow Tiffinbites excellent example, and decide to go free range.”

For more info on Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall’s campaign, visit http://www.chickenout.tv.

Award-winning Indian food producer Mignon Johnson is moving her Moorkhana range of meals into specialist delicatessens across the Westcountry.

Moorkhana, which is run from Mignon’s home near Wiveliscombe, on the edge of Exmoor, has been a regular feature in recent years of farmers’ markets in Exeter, Taunton, Wellington, Cotford St Luke, Glastonbury, Crewkerne, and Minehead.

But now demand for the home-cooked Indian meals has grown so much that the only way to keep up is to make them available through selected retail outlets.

Moorkhana, which is a trading name of the well-established business The Saffron Kitchen, is also available through the online specialist food service Somerset Local Food Direct.

Mignon, who is an Indian national, uses authentic recipes handed down through generations of her family, and she spends a great deal of time personally sourcing all of her fresh natural ingredients from local producers in the Westcountry.

She is passionate about dispelling the myths associated with Indian food in the UK and often gives cooking master classes to teach local people how to prepare and enjoy meals just as they would be in the sub-continent.

Mignon said: “Farmers’ markets have worked brilliantly for us and we have built up a large following of people who regularly come to see us whenever we are at one.

“But more and more we are finding people want to be able to buy our food at a time and place to suit themselves, so we have been carefully looking at local delicatessens and putting our dishes into those which offer good quality foods and maintain the highest standards for customers.

“And by also using Somerset Local Food Direct it means people can place an order and pay for our food with the click of a mouse and have it delivered straight to their doorstep.”

One of the first delicatessens to stock the Moorkhana range is Taste of the West 2007 Gold Award-winning Roots, in Bath Place, Taunton.

Roots was founded 18 months ago by Lisa and Vanessa Snowdon-Carr, who pride themselves in promoting ‘local and fairly produced foods’ to help protect the environment and put money back into the local economy.

Another is The Larder, in West Street, Wiveliscombe, which is run by Malcolm and Annette Borthwick, who took over the store two-and-a-half years ago after moving from Shepperton, Middlesex, where Mr Borthwick ran – an air conditioning company.

Last year, a pork vindalho by Mignon won a UKTV Food competition celebrating home cooking when she appeared on television with celebrity chefs Antony Worrall-Thompson and Paul Rankin. Mignon was also a finalist in an HSBC-sponsored national search for a new generation of business stars. source Food4Media