Miscellaneous

💎 On Valentine's Day 2025, AMANO Covent Garden's Penelope’s restaurant offers a special evening with a four-course menu by Executive Head Chef Fez Ozalgan. The set menu, priced at £180 for two, includes Charles Heidsieck Reserve Brut Champagne and an optional drinks pairing for an additional £100 per person. The dining experience is complemented by a DJ, with the menu featuring oysters, tuna pastrami, duck jamon, pistachio lamb cutlets, seared scallops, and a dessert assortment.

🚀 Air Europa expands partnership with Amadeus to deploy "Amadeus Value Cars" on its website, becoming the first airline to offer passengers access to multiple car rental options across thousands of global locations. According to Jesús Nuño de la Rosa, CEO of Air Europa, this move aims to provide travelers with more options and satisfaction. Francisco Pérez-Lozao Rüter, President of Hospitality at Amadeus, highlights the partnership's role in diversifying Air Europa's offerings and ensuring a seamless journey. Amadeus' research emphasizes the importance of self-service technology for airlines.

🍴 Bret Thorn, Senior Food & Beverage Editor for Nation’s Restaurant News and Restaurant Hospitality, reports on food and beverage trends. Hosts the podcast "In the Kitchen with Bret Thorn." Wrote for The New York Sun (2005-2008) and worked in Thailand as journalist and critic (1992-1997). Thorn's column won the 2006 Jesse H. Neal National Business Journalism Award. In 2014, inducted into the Disciples d’Escoffier. Educated at Tufts University (BA in History, 1990) and trained at Le Cordon Bleu Paris (1986).

✈ Global airline industry faces challenges in 2025, including strikes, IT failures, and severe weather. Analysis by ACI Europe reveals air traffic exceeded pre-pandemic levels in the first half of 2024. Cathay Pacific struggled with staff shortages, and a Singapore Airlines flight encountered turbulence, highlighting the importance of reputation management. 46% of UK travelers would avoid an airline post-delays/cancellations. Airlines are advised to utilize data from media, social platforms, and audience analysis for proactive reputation management and to foster customer trust and loyalty.

🏦 Juniper Group acquired InteRES GmbH, an airline industry specialist, from TUI Deutschland GmbH and founder Volker Herrmann, who sold his minority stake. Peakwork, which joined Juniper Group in April 2023, facilitated the deal to enhance connectivity and digital retailing expertise. InteRES will remain an independent brand with close cooperation with Peakwork and Juniper Group's travel businesses. The acquisition aims to accelerate InteRES's growth and enhance its global B2B distribution. Ennea Capital Partners advised on the transaction.

🔥 Every Saturday, a newsletter, 'Differentiated Design' by Hans Lorei, is read; recent California fires have impacted the content's resonance. On Tuesday, when the LA fires started, Hans was leaving the city. He reflects on the loss of homes, not just as structures, but as life and refuge. Hans, who has grown popular on Instagram, shares design insights that shape readers' perspectives, emphasizing observation, taste, and travel to better design and create.

🍴 Bret Thorn, Senior Food & Beverage Editor, has been with Nation’s Restaurant News since 1999 and Restaurant Hospitality since 2016. He hosted "In the Kitchen with Bret Thorn" podcast and wrote for "The New York Sun" from 2005 to 2008. Thorn was in Thailand circa 1992-1997, writing for "Manager" magazine and "Asia Times." A Tufts University magna cum laude graduate, he won the 2006 Jesse H. Neal Award and became a Disciples d’Escoffier member in 2014. Lives in Brooklyn, N.Y. Contact: [email protected]

💉 GLP-1 drugs, originally for diabetes, gain popularity for weight management and obesity-related health conditions. Semaglutide, a GLP-1 receptor agonist, is noted for blood sugar regulation and weight loss effects.

🍽 PostBoy, a modern American restaurant in New Buffalo, Michigan, launched its guest chef series "Abandon Ship" post-opening on November 1. January through May, a new chef features monthly. The inaugural event sold out with chef Zachary Engel. Upcoming is a $120 six-course dinner by Michelin-starred chef David Posey on January 12. Wine pairings cost an additional $50, with cocktails à la carte. The collaborative series aims to elevate local dining, capitalizing on the region's growth and attracting vacation traffic.