Latest news with #Bubala
Telegraph
27-05-2025
- Business
- Telegraph
The 13 best restaurants where you can eat into the early hours – and their special offers
Unlike in Spain or Italy, where eating at 9pm or 10pm is common practice, Britain has never been a late-dining nation. Our habits have become further entrenched since the pandemic: a 9pm booking at a restaurant was once normal, but restaurateurs now fret that late-night dining might become extinct. According to reservations platform OpenTable, 'early-bird dining' has increased by 5 per cent this year. Its research suggests that almost half of us plan to book earlier dinners in 2025, with many pointing the finger at social changes such as healthier lifestyles and the rise of streaming services. We'd much prefer a light supper and an evening on the sofa, it seems. Tom Rogers, who works in restaurant public relations, says some restaurants are focusing all their efforts on their early-evening customers. At Bubala, which has three branches in London, 5.30pm is now the prime-time slot, while The River Cafe Cafe, which opened last year, quickly ditched dinners on Monday to Wednesday, opening at breakfast instead. Now, chefs and restaurateurs are fighting back, hoping to encourage diners to 'reacquaint themselves' with later dining. Leading the charge is Jeremy King, who has announced a 25 per cent discount for post-9.15pm dining at his London restaurants Arlington and The Park. London Outside London Londoners are 'becoming strangers to the joy and fun of late-night dining', King told Restaurant Online. He isn't the only one on a mission to lure them back. Kitty Fisher's Group, which runs Kitty Fisher's in Mayfair and Cora Pearl in Covent Garden, has launched a 'Champagne on Us' offer, promising a free bottle for late diners. Vivek Singh of the Cinnamon Collection, a six-strong restaurant group he founded more than 20 years ago, recently told The Telegraph that 10pm bookings were once common; now, there are barely any past 9.30pm. Singh advocates dynamic pricing, offering cheaper meals after 9pm as a way to entice customers. While it's a myth that there are no late-night spots at all in London – or elsewhere in the UK – they are certainly less common than in many major cities abroad. The Government is exploring new licensing laws to help pubs and restaurants open later, but, for now, many operators are doing all they can to bring back the night owls. London The Park
The Guardian
29-04-2025
- Lifestyle
- The Guardian
Wanted: new sauces and dressings to jazz up weekday cooking
What sauces and dressings can I make to rejuvenate weekday meals?Sauces and dressings give dinner life, making even the simplest meals taste better. The formula, says Gurdeep Loyal, author of Flavour Heroes (published in June), goes something like this: 'You need two things: a really good fat and a really good sour.' Sure, that fat could be oil, but it doesn't have to be. 'It could be an egg yolk, it could be avocado, but if it's oil, go for a flavoured one,' Loyal says, and in place of the usual acid suspects (vinegar or citrus), try the likes of gherkins, capers or preserved lemons instead. 'My go-tos are preserved lemon whizzed up with a bit of their brine, some garlic-infused olive oil and maple syrup. Or avocado blitzed with gherkins, gherkin brine, a bit of sugar, if you want, and perhaps herbs such as chives or tarragon. Or chilli-infused olive oil blitzed with a teaspoon of tamarind.' These powerhouses are a dream on pretty much anything, he says, from a roast kale salad with chickpeas to baked butter beans or even as a dip for pizza crusts. For William Gleave, chef-patron of Sargasso in Margate, meanwhile, 'Something with anchovies is always nice, because it goes with so many things'. For him, a 'classic stolen/borrowed from the River Cafe' comes out tops: 'It's essentially a dressing with lots of chopped anchovy, grated garlic, red-wine vinegar, lemon juice, oil, black pepper and chilli flakes,' which is to say it's bright, umami-rich and versatile. 'Spoon that over everything from grilled fish to lamb or pork to crunchy veg, and it will feel as if you've put in a load of effort, even though it's super-simple.' Another shortcut to big flavour is zhoug, says Marc Summer, founder of Bubala, which has just opened a third restaurant in London's Kings Cross. 'Whizz up a load of different herbs – coriander, parsley, mint – with oil, garlic and hawaij [a Yemeni spice blend with lots of black pepper, cumin and coriander].' That will transform meals in seconds: 'Add it to pasta for an amazing herby sauce, or to fried onions, much as you might a curry paste.' Summer is also a big fan of crunches, especially when apricots are involved. 'Make it as you would a chilli crunch, with lots of fried shallots, garlic and Sichuan peppercorns, then add hot oil, dried apricots and harissa for a really amazing, smoky-sweet oil.' Drizzle over yoghurty roast carrots or blanch some noodles, add tahini and top with the crunch: 'That's so tasty.' And remember, it's the small things that count, so while the harissa's out, Summer suggests combining it with honey and using as a marinade for vegetables before roasting: 'That adds flavour quickly and puts a stop to same-old weekday meals.' Tahini sauce, meanwhile, is Xanthe Ross's salvation': 'It feels indulgent,' says the author of Stay for Supper, 'and it'll instantly jazz up roast veg and salads, or use it as a dip.' You'll most likely have all the ingredients (tahini, lemon, olive oil, sometimes honey and water) knocking around, anyway. That said, you can't go far wrong with a classic vinaigrette, either, but mix up the vinegar element to keep things interesting. 'It's hard to make in small quantities, so have a batch in the fridge for the week,' she says. 'That's good on so many things beyond a green salad, such as tomatoes on toast for lunch, although the French might hate me for saying so.' Got a culinary dilemma? Email feast@
Express Tribune
22-02-2025
- General
- Express Tribune
Female chefs slam sexism in UK kitchens
Dozens of female chefs have condemned "pervasive" sexism in British restaurant kitchens, saying in an open letter that the industry needs more women in top roles. Around 70 women signed the letter which was first published on Wednesday in response to a newspaper interview with Jason Atherton in which the Michelin-starred male chef claimed he had "not seen" sexism in British kitchens. The female chefs said the restaurant industry was "systematically flawed" and criticised a "pitiful representation of women" at the Michelin Guide UK awards presented earlier this month. "Sexism has been and remains a pervasive issue in our industry, shaping the culture of our kitchens in ways that diminish the potential and contributions of countless talented women," the letter said. "We need you to know that we are tired. Exhausted by an industry so systematically flawed that we struggle to see ourselves within it." The chefs highlighted "inappropriate comments and behaviours" as well as "unequal opportunities for advancement," noting that "over the last four years only two women have been awarded Michelin stars" in the UK. About a quarter of the country's 203,700 chefs are women, according to the latest Office for National Statistics figures. The letter's signatories stressed it was important to address a lack of diversity in the industry, saying "the only way to do this is by rectifying the lack of women and people of colour in leadership roles". Those who signed the letter included chef Sally Abe of London's The Pem and Helen Graham, former executive chef at Middle Eastern restaurant Bubala, according to The Times. "The industry is turning a blind eye to behaviour which is so endemic that it's not recognised as sexism, and it gets left unchecked," Graham told the paper. The Michelin Guide told AFP in a statement that it condemned all acts of violence and harassment. But it acknowledged that "gender stereotypes were deeply seated" in the industry, which was "unfortunately reflected" in their selections. "A chef's gender has never been and will never be a criteria for our selections," it said, adding that Michelin was "conscious of its responsibility" to promote diversity. afp
Yahoo
21-02-2025
- Yahoo
Female chefs condemn sexism in British kitchens
Dozens of female chefs have condemned "pervasive" sexism in British restaurant kitchens, saying in an open letter that the industry needs more women in top roles. Around 70 women signed the letter which was first published on Wednesday in response to a newspaper interview with Jason Atherton in which the Michelin-starred male chef claimed he had "not seen" sexism in British kitchens. The female chefs said the restaurant industry was "systematically flawed" and criticised a "pitiful representation of women" at the Michelin Guide UK awards presented earlier this month. "Sexism has been and remains a pervasive issue in our industry, shaping the culture of our kitchens in ways that diminish the potential and contributions of countless talented women," the letter said. "We need you to know that we are tired. Exhausted by an industry so systematically flawed that we struggle to see ourselves within it." The chefs highlighted "inappropriate comments and behaviours" as well as "unequal opportunities for advancement," noting that "over the last four years only two women have been awarded Michelin stars" in the UK. About a quarter of the country's 203,700 chefs are women, according to the latest Office for National Statistics figures. The letter's signatories stressed it was important to address a lack of diversity in the industry, saying "the only way to do this is by rectifying the lack of women and people of colour in leadership roles". Those who signed the letter included chef Sally Abe of London's The Pem and Helen Graham, former executive chef at Middle Eastern restaurant Bubala, according to The Times said. "The industry is turning a blind eye to behaviour which is so endemic that it's not recognised as sexism, and it gets left unchecked," Graham told the paper. The Michelin Guide told AFP in a statement that it condemned all acts of violence and harassment. But it acknowledged that "gender stereotypes were deeply seated" in the industry, which was "unfortunately reflected" in their selections. "A chef's gender has never been and will never be a criteria for our selections," it said, adding that Michelin was "conscious of its responsibility" to promote diversity. ctx/lcm-jkb/sbk
