Human Resources

🍴 Kyle Lynch named head chef at Ormer Mayfair by Sofian, located within Flemings Mayfair, in 2021. Previously at Adare Manor’s Michelin-starred Oak Room and Michelin-starred Ichigo Ichie, he now oversees the British five- and seven-course tasting menus at the newly-starred restaurant. Ormer Mayfair by Sofian earned its first Michelin star earlier this year.

🍳 Chef Chloe Coscarelli, formerly of By Chloe, is opening a new vegan restaurant, CHLOE, in New York City at 185 Bleecker St., Greenwich Village. By Chloe began in 2014, but after a 2017 legal dispute with ESquared Hospitality and CEO James Haber, Coscarelli was forced out. By Chloe filed for bankruptcy in December 2020, was acquired and renamed Beatnic in 2021, and sold again to Inday in December 2023. CHLOE offers vegan classics and operates Tuesday-Sunday, noon to 9 p.m.

🍕 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.

🍹 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.

🍴 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.