Hotel Operations

🍕 Dallas-based Legendary Restaurant Brands revived the Steak and Ale brand as a franchise in Burnsville, Minnesota on July 8. The concept, created in 1966, had closed in 2008 due to parent company Metromedia Restaurant Group's Chapter 7 bankruptcy. The new franchised location at Wyndham Nicollet Inn encompasses 5,000 square feet, seats 225, and includes a patio. CEO Paul Mangiamele purchased the rights years ago and is now realizing the dream of its return, managed by franchisee Roy Arnold with a 15-store agreement in the Midwest.

🍴 Pat Cobe visited Blank Street for their summer matcha drinks and noted the $42 lobster rolls at Salavar’s in Montauk. Bret Thorn dined at Iron Hill Brewery in Philadelphia, enjoying spirit-free cocktails, and at Zahav, tasting the $85 prix-fixe menu. Both attended Electric Shuffle's debut in NYC. Dan Kluger, chef-partner of Greywind in New York, discussed his culinary journey and the restaurant's multiple venues, including a bakery and speakeasy-style bar.

🍕 Akbar and Sanobar, refugees from Uzbekistan, joined London's McCain Streets Ahead Programme by KERB+ in 2022, aiming to share their cuisine through Samarkand Palav. By June 2023, they received operational training and successfully pitched their food concept. In 2023, McCain invested £10,000 into their business, enabling equipment purchases for weekly market presence at locations like Cowcross Yards and Fleet Place. They plan to support societal causes, including education and women's empowerment, and envision opening a café. Over 18 months, Streets Ahead supported over 200 participants, with McCain investing over £146,000 into start-ups.

🍴 Michael Solomonv’s CookNSolo plans to open Jaffa Bar, an Israeli influenced oyster bar, in fall at 1925 N. Howard St., Philadelphia. The 5,000-square-foot, 120-seat space is being developed by Boxwood Architects. The bar will be managed by Kailey Jenkins and chef Andrew Henshaw, with Ryan Mulholland as a partner. Menu items include oysters with passion fruit mignonette and a variety of Middle Eastern inspired seafood dishes. The cocktail program, managed by Sean Byrne, features a Jaffa Orange cocktail. CookNSolo was founded in 2008.

🍴 In the Mediterranean, aïoli is made with garlic and olive oil. In the U.S., aïoli has evolved to include various ingredients and is often used synonymously with mayonnaise. Truffle aïoli, notably made with truffle oil, is trending in the U.S. and is present on 1.7% of restaurant menus, marking a 22% increase over four years. This variety is sought-after for its rich aroma and creaminess, complementing dishes from French fries to highly acidic meals.

🍴 The Braywood, a contemporary restaurant, is set to open in November on the historic site of Royal Oak in Paley Street, near Bray. It will feature a 70-cover dining area and a cocktail bar, with Sam Brennan as head chef. WSH Restaurants expands its portfolio to six with this opening and another in London's Fitzrovia. The company, known for its high training standards, celebrates over a decade of career development for its talent.

🍽 Spanish chef José Pizarro plans to open an all-day dining restaurant named Lolo on Bermondsey Street in London. Revealed in April, Lolo reflects Pizarro's love for the UK and Spain. The menu includes a ‘bikini’ sandwich, pastries, eggs with PX sherry-cured salmon, fresh salads, tinned fish like Anchoa Catalina Gran Reserva, and a variety of Bloody Marys. The Mediterranean-inspired venue transforms from café to wine bar and will feature local art, with 46 covers and counter seating at the bar.

🍴 Created by Alan Yau, Yamabahçe in Central London serves Turkish street food with an average lunch spend of

🍴 Heritage restaurant in West Sussex, launched in 2019 after a successful crowdfunding campaign by Matt Gillan, is set for a transformation. The venue, formerly a pub in Slaugham, will become an events-led space offering unique dining experiences such as high-end garden dining, masterclasses, gourmet retreats, and private parties. Heritage's final service under its current guise will be on 5 August. Gillan, a Michelin-starred chef, plans to continue the ethos of hospitality at the transformed venue.

🍕 In Waco, Texas, The Butcher’s Bar features thousand layer potatoes with crème fraîche and trout roe by Hell’s Kitchen contestants Alejandro Najar and Alyssa Osinga. Noisette in Denver offers chicken wings stuffed with sausage, topped with American sturgeon caviar. Valla Kitchen in New York City presents a som tam with strawberry and guava. Miami’s Lafayette Steakhouse serves octopus with local burrata. The National Bar in Nevada City, Calif., mixes rye, Licor 43, and Cynar for a summer cocktail.