Human Resources

📖 Joanna Fantozzi, with over seven years in the industry, is a Senior Editor for Nation’s Restaurant News and Restaurant Hospitality since August 2021. Holding a bachelor’s degree from The College of New Jersey and a master’s from CUNY, she joined Informa’s Restaurants and Food Group in 2018. Fantozzi has written for The New York Times, Forbes, and Vice, and has previously worked for Insider and The Daily Meal. Her expertise spans restaurant news, operator solutions, and political/cultural issues.

🍴 Bret Thorn, Senior Food & Beverage Editor for Nation’s Restaurant News and Restaurant Hospitality since 1999, writes on food trends and F&B coverage. Host of "In the Kitchen with Bret Thorn" podcast and columnist for The New York Sun from 2005 to 2008. Magna cum laude from Tufts University, studied French cooking at Le Cordon Bleu, Paris. Won 2006 Jesse H. Neal Award, inducted into Disciples d’Escoffier in 2014, and authored entries in Oxford food reference works (2012, 2015). Lives in Brooklyn, N.Y.

🍴 Ben Murphy, head chef since 2017 at Launceston Place, a D&D London restaurant in Kensington, West London, is set to depart on October 31, 2024, without specifying his next move. His career started at Koffmann’s at The Berkeley in 2010, followed by roles in France and other prestigious London restaurants. In 2022, Murphy was named National Chef of the Year. Launceston Place opened in 1986 and D&D London acquired it in 2017. Murphy’s successor is not yet announced.

🍴 Allegra, a restaurant located in East London, will close after five successful years. General Manager Ashley Shaw cites 'inextricable changes' in London's culinary scene as the reason. The announcement follows the departure of Patrick Powell, who launched Allegra in 2019 and achieved a listing in the UK's Top 100 Restaurants. Allegra's final service is scheduled for Saturday, 31 August. The Stratford hotel will soon announce a new dining concept to replace Allegra.

🍽 Seamus Sam, having led Muse to its first Michelin star, will helm Evelyn's Table starting September, succeeding James Goodyear who departed on July 13. The Michelin-starred Soho restaurant, previously guided by Goodyear since November 2022 after Luke Selby's exit, will reopen on September 4 following a closure from August 17.

🍴 Chris Eden, appointed executive head chef at Gidleigh Park in 2019, regained the Michelin star for the Chagford property in 2023. Before Gidleigh Park, Eden earned a Michelin star at Cornwall's Driftwood in 2012 and maintained it until his move to Devon in 2019. Gidleigh Park had two Michelin stars under Michael Caines until 2016. Eden plans to leave Gidleigh Park in autumn 2023 to spend more time with his family. The search for his successor is currently underway.

🏠 Chef Adejoké ‘Joké’ Bakare of Chishuru in London won a Michelin star in the Michelin Guide Great Britain & Ireland 2024. Since then, Chishuru experienced a 60% increase in trade and relocated to Fitzrovia last September. Joké was named Chef of the Year at the National Restaurant Awards and ranked at number 31 in the UK's Top 100 Restaurants. Earlier, she was titled Woman of the Year by Code Hospitality. Chishuru's set menu increased from £75 to £95 post-Michelin star, and the kitchen brigade grew from two to eight, many with Michelin experience.

🍝 Nikita Pathakji, the winner of "MasterChef: The Professionals" in 2022, is now the head chef at The Princess of Shoreditch gastropub, owned by Noble Inns Group. She replaces Thomas Lemercier, who left to lead La Bibliothèque. Pathakji, with past experience at two Michelin-starred Bibendum and one Michelin-starred Kitchen W8, brings a menu merging classical cooking with global flavors, featuring dishes like gazpacho with smoked anchovy and spanakopita with whipped feta.

🤝 Pita Pit appointed Meghan Haugen as Chief Operating Officer, to oversee Operations, Marketing, and Franchising departments and support company growth. Haugen, with nearly 20 years of experience, previously held various leadership roles at Pita Pit. CEO Peter Riggs commends her hard work and dedication. Haugen's focus will be on operational efficiencies, continuous improvement, and franchising success.

💸 Meghan Haugen has been promoted to Chief Operating Officer at Mediterranean fast-casual brand Pita Pit. With nearly 20 years in the restaurant and hospitality industry, Haugen will oversee Operations, Marketing, and Franchising. CEO Peter Riggs highlights her strategic vision and operational expertise, which are pivotal for the company's continued customer and franchisee growth. Haugen's focus will be on enhancing operational efficiencies and driving continuous improvement initiatives within Pita Pit’s franchise network.