Human Resources

🍕 Joey Simons appointed as first CEO of Estiatorio Milos, a fine-dining Greek seafood restaurant in New York City. Previously CEO of Montclair Hospitality Group and COO at SBE in Los Angeles. Milos, established in Montréal in 1979 by Costas Spiliadis, boasts nine locations with plans for four more in Los Angeles, Singapore, Toronto, and West Palm Beach within the year. Milos also runs a wine bar, a hotel in Athens, and a yacht fleet in the Greek islands. Founder Spiliadis remains deeply involved in the business.

🏦 Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants opened Kimpton BEM Budapest, a 127-room boutique hotel, in Budapest's Buda side near the Castle District. Meliá Hotels International introduced Meliá Pattaya City (234 rooms) and Paradisus Jomtien Resort (698 rooms) in Thailand, expanding its local portfolio to six. Smith Hill Capital and Bain Capital provided a $72 million refinancing for the 208-room Hotel Viking in Newport, R.I. Crescent Hotels & Resorts will manage Virginia's first JW Marriott at Reston Station, opening in 2025 with 243 rooms and 94 luxury condos.

🍹 Lima Shoreditch, set to open in late September, will take over Quercus restaurant in a Shoreditch hotel. It follows the original Lima restaurant in Fitzrovia, launched in 2012 as Europe's first Michelin-starred Peruvian restaurant. Executive Chef Roberto Sihuay will introduce new Peruvian dishes with Japanese and Chinese influences. The venue will feature a Peru-inspired décor, private dining rooms (PDRs), and an outdoor terrace. Lima Floral in Covent Garden, after a 2021 rebrand, is now Lima Cantana.

🔔 Phil Cordell, after 40 years at Hilton, will retire and become an advisor from July. Kevin Osterhaus succeeds him, overseeing Canopy, Curio Collection, Graduate, Motto, Tapestry Collection, and Tempo brands after Hilton's acquisition of Graduate Hotels in March. Cordell started as a bellman, became general manager of the second Hampton Hotel in 1983, and grew the brand to over 2,300 hotels in 29 countries. This year, Hampton celebrates its 40th anniversary and opens its 3,000th hotel. Spark, launched in January 2023, opened its first hotel in October in Mystic, Conn. Cordell also helped create Hilton CleanStay during the pandemic.

🍴 After a seven-year partnership with Harry Handelsman, Patrick Powell is leaving The Midland Grand Dining Room and Allegra to pursue new culinary ventures. Final service at The Midland Grand Dining Room is complete, and Powell's last service at Allegra is scheduled for 14 July. Allegra was listed in the UK's Top 100 Restaurants, and The Midland Grand Dining Room was named One to Watch at the National Restaurant Awards, currently ranking at number 58 in the Top 100 list.

🍳 Bundobust, an Indian street food group, will close its Birmingham restaurant located in a Grade II listed building on Bennetts Hill on 14 July. Founded in 2013 by Mayur Patel and Marko Husak, the Birmingham location opened in summer 2023 and is their fifth site. The closure comes despite community support due to insufficient consistent trade. A third of the Birmingham staff will be relocated to Leeds, Manchester, and Liverpool venues, ensuring job security for teams across other locations.

🏨 The Manner, a 97-key luxury hotel by Standard International, is opening in Manhattan's Soho this September. Conceived by executive chairman Amar Lalvani, it features design by Milan-based architect Hannes Peer. Amenities include marble bathrooms, integrated audio systems, and dining options like the Otter restaurant and Sloane’s cocktail bar, with contributions from James Beard nominee Alex Stupak.

🍕 Capdesia exits after 4 years with Toridoll, launching Marugame Udon in the UK. CEO Keith Bird steps down, replaced by interim leader finance director Sam McIntyre. Marugame Udon expanded to 10 London sites in 3 years, won R200 Best Value Restaurant in 2022. Toridoll and Capdesia continue as co-investors in Fulham Shore. Takashi Sugiyama, EVP & COO of Toridoll, cites joint development of best practices. Bird confident in the brand's future growth under McIntyre.

🍕 L'Ortolan, a prestigious restaurant in Shinfield, is closing after 38 years. The current management, in charge for 23 years, announced the closure with 'a heavy heart'. The site, dating back to 1840, was converted into a restaurant in 1978 and received its first Michelin star in 1982. Under various chefs such as Nico Ladenis and John Burton Race, it earned two Michelin stars. Financial strains cited for the closure include Brexit, the lockdown, and the cost of living crisis.

🍴 Jack and Beth Bond, after joining as head chef and general manager/sommelier in January 2023, have acquired The Cottage in the Wood, a Michelin-starred restaurant with rooms in Cumbria's Whinlatter Forest. They took over from Liam and Kath Berney, who retired after 22 years. The Cottage in the Wood was established in 2002, earned a Michelin star in 2019, and has retained it since. The Bonds are committed to building on the restaurant's sustainability initiatives and its legacy.