Julie Mautner reports.
British Columbia James Walt is now exec chef at Araxi in Whistler, taking over from Andrew Richardson, who returned to England to work with chef Terence Laybourne in Leeds. Walt is back in Whistler after a year in Rome as exec chef to the Canadian ambassador to Italy; his history with Araxi dates to 1998. Meanwhile, Araxi's new restaurant director, sommelier Steve Edwards, was a manager at CinCin Restaurant in Vancouver for two years.
The Caribbean Stephen McGarrie is exec chef at the new Somerset on Grace Bay (Provo, Turks and Caicos) and its signature restaurant, O'Soleil. McGarrie comes from chef Harald Wohlfahrt's Palazzo (Stuttgart, Germany), where he was exec chef; Wohlfahrt claims three stars at his other restaurant, Schwarzwaldstube, in Baiersbronn. The Somerset officially launches this month, with 54 suites ranging in size from 2,600 to 5,300 square feet. Each suite has a fully stocked kitchen with Viking appliances and wine refrigerators.
On Anguilla, Laurie and David Brods, New Jersey restaurateurs for more than 25 years, have partnered with Armel Harrigan and chef Shawn Hodge to open Sunsets, on the site of the former Ship's Galley. Hodge worked previously at E's Oven and Capjuluca.
France The French government wants to ban smoking in all restaurants, some bars, and almost all other public places beginning January 1, 2007. Alarmed by an increase in smoking, especially among the young, health minister Xavier Bertrand says he's pressing ahead with the radical restrictions. Exceptions will be made for casinos, discos, and bar/tabacs, which have a license to sell cigarettes. A similar law goes into effect in England next summer.
London The Hoxton Hotel and its restaurant, Hoxton Grille, opened in September. The "urban lodge" was the brainchild of Sinclair Beecham, cofounder of the Pret a Manger sandwich chain. Rooms with duck-down duvets, flat-screen TVs, free WiFi, and breakfast begin at $147 (including tax) on weekends and $221 weekdays.
To run the restaurant, Beecham brought in John Pallagi and Simon Wright of Room Restaurants. Head chef is Sydney Aldridge, formerly of Terminus at the Great Eastern Hotel (London).
The Independent has released its annual list of the richest U.K. chefs. Heading the pack is Gordon Ramsay, who has seven Michelin stars, the most in Britain. Ramsay, who is worth an estimated $126.5 million, has published 12 books and starred in five TV shows. Naked Chef Jamie Oliver came in second, at $109.5 million. A string of TV shows and books, as well as his advertising deal with British food retailer Sainsburys, is said to earn him $1.9 million a year. Rick Stein, one of the BBC's biggest stars, is worth $68 million; his empire includes a restaurant, 33 room hotel, cooking school, bistro, cafe, fish and chip shop, and patisserie. Fourth place goes to Delia Smith ($47 million), who has produced 30 books in as many years and has appeared in several TV shows. Antony Worrall Thompson is fifth, at $39 million. Rounding out the top 10 are Marco Pierre White ($19 million), Gary Rhodes ($15 million), Raymond Blanc ($13 million), Nigella Lawson ($5.5 million), and Heston Blumenthal ($3.7 million).
Scotland Purchased in July by the London-based company Hotel du Vin, the well-known Glasgow hotel One Devonshire Gardens has just relaunched as Hotel du Vin at One Devonshire Gardens. The new head chef is Paul Tamburrini, previously at the fine dining restaurant at Cameron House in Loch Lomond (Scotland).
Asia and Polynesia Frédéric Colin is the exec chef and Lionel Richard the f&b director at the new 100 room St. Regis Bora Bora, opened in June. The hotel's signature restaurant, Lagoon, is operated by Jean-Georges Vongerichten, and the chef de cuisine there is Romuald Feger. Colin just spent three years with Hotels AB, at the Raleigh in Miami Beach and the Sunset Beach on Shelter Island, New York. Richard, meanwhile, came to Bora Bora from the Imperial in Delhi, where he was director of restaurants.
Pierre Mourez is the exec chef at Hilton's new five-star 219 room Fiji Beach Resort on Denarau Island, the first phase of which opened late this summer. (The second launches in early 2008.) He's been working on luxury cruise ships in the Caribbean and was at the Hilton Long Beach (Hurgharda, Egypt) before that.
At Le Royal Méridien Shanghai, opened in September, chef Stephane Tremblay comes from Le Méridien She Shan Shanghai and Le Méridien Khao Lak Beach & Spa Resort (Thailand) before that. F&B director Dieter Grun comes from the Westin Guam.
Sebastien Philizot is the new exec chef at Le Méridien Tahiti. He comes from the InterContinental Malta and replaces Michel Dujas, who has gone to Morrison's Café (Tahiti).
India The owner of Hitler's Cross, a new Mumbai restaurant, has agreed to change the name. The restaurant opened with a large portrait of the Füehrer and used the swastika in ads and decor. Owner Punit Shablok said he wanted a concept "that would stand out."
Send your international restaurant and hotel f&b news to Julie Mautner at WhiskNews@aol.com
