All sizzle and all stake: Salt Bae’s restaurant owner to sell stake to Qatar wealth fund May 31, 2022 Internet meme and meat seasoner Salt Bae’s steakhouse owner is in talks to sell a 20 per cent stake to Qatar’s $450 billion wealth fund. Dream Group, owner of restaurants including the Nusr-Et steakhouse – which was founded by Turkish butcher and salt sprinkler Nusret Gökçe, who later became an Instagram sensation – confirmed discussions [...]
Why you should drink Cava for the Jubilee May 31, 2022 Cava did itself a disservice after its popularity boom in the 1950s and 60s, flooding the market with cheaper versions and paying the price by putting off discerning consumers for the last few decades. Now they are taking steps to create and cultivate a premium product through greater care and stricter regulations – and the [...]
Hatching a plan: Tesco to use 100 per cent British eggs for next five years May 26, 2022 Tesco has committed to use 100 per cent British eggs after signing lengthy contracts with five suppliers. The supermarket giant signed up its main producers to five year deals this week, against the backdrop of challenging market conditions, rising costs of living and inflation. It made the announcement as farmers also face supply chain problems, [...]
The A-Z of wine: G is for… Grenache, your secret favourite grape May 26, 2022 What’s this then? Grenache is a red grape variety, until 2000 the second-most planted variety in the world. It’s most commonly associated with France but actually believed to have originated in Spain – so we should probably refer to it by its Spanish name, Garnacha. It’s capable of making ripe and juicy quaffers, hefting bruisers [...]
Liquid investment: How a new breed of rum is biting at the heels of whisky May 25, 2022 The rise of rum has been predicted for some time. The staggering rise in the fortunes of the whisk(e)y industry – I’ll omit the “e” from now on for aesthetic purposes – over the last couple of decades means many enthusiasts and would-be collectors are now being priced out of that market, and rum is [...]
A toast to a famous Ukraine Eurovision win – with vodka of course May 20, 2022 Ukraine’s triumph at last weekend’s Eurovision Song Contest came as a surprise to no-one. The competition’s traditional regional, ethnic, and political voting blocs were abandoned, as voters from across the continent delivered their overwhelming support to the embattled people of Ukraine, and while the folk-rap number Stefania, by Kalush Orchestra, may not have won strictly [...]
McDonald’s agrees to sell its stores in Russia and warns of $1bn exit loss May 19, 2022 Fast food giant McDonald’s has agreed to sell its Russian stores across 45 regions – but warned it is likely to make a $1bn loss. The chain announced it entered into an agreement with an existing licensee Alexander Govor, who has operated 25 restaurants in the eastern region of Siberia since 2015. This comes after [...]
Getting the party started at Sumosan Twiga, Knightsbridge May 19, 2022 The crisp white tablecloths, framed black and white photographs and floor length houndstooth curtains may look discreetly chic, but the DJ working the decks on the floor of the restaurant lets you know that this is where the party starts. A place to see and be seen, the flash of selfies pop and sparkle just as [...]
A Bed of Rosés: The story of Bon Jovi’s new fine wine May 19, 2022 “Real men drink pink” announces Jon Bon Jovi at the European launch of Hampton Water rosé, going on to explain that he used to refer to the wine as “pink juice” because “I didn’t want my children to know I drank it so much. I love wine and I love rosé”. Hampton Water is an [...]
Pub group Marston’s returns to profitability as sales bounce back to pre-Covid levels May 18, 2022 Pub group Marston’s today announced it has returned to profit after sales at its 1,482 pubs bounced back to 97 per cent of pre-pandemic levels. The pub and hotel operator posted profits of £39.9m for the 26 weeks running up to 2 April 2022, compared to a £57.2m loss over the same period in 2021. [...]