Latest news with #ESF
Edinburgh Reporter
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Edinburgh Reporter
Let ESF Entertain You – during the Robbie Williams weekend
Edinburgh's popular food hub Edinburgh Street Food (ESF) is set to transform into a tribute venue for Robbie Williams fans this weekend, offering the perfect pre-concert experience ahead of the star's Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium show. On Saturday, 31 May, from 12-4 pm, ESF will be hosting a special Robbie Williams-themed extravaganza, allowing concert-goers and fans alike to immerse themselves in the charismatic performer's greatest moments before the main event. The venue's big screen will showcase a series of Robbie's most memorable live performances throughout the afternoon, beginning with 'Live at the Albert' at 12pm, followed by 'What We Did Last Summer: Live in Knebworth' at 1:15pm. The entertainment will conclude with a compilation of Robbie's greatest hits from 3pm. Food vendors across ESF will be offering special Robbie-themed menu items and drinks for the occasion, providing fans with the opportunity to fuel up before dancing the night away. Located just five tram stops from Murrayfield Stadium, ESF is perfectly positioned for concert-goers looking to start their celebration early, so it's the perfect place to kick the party off in style before the stadium action. And for those who weren't fortunate enough to secure tickets to the sold-out concert? As Robbie himself might say, 'No Regrets' – ESF welcomes all fans to join in the festivities, enjoy the food offerings, and soak up the vibrant atmosphere. With Edinburgh expected to be bustling with excited fans throughout the weekend, this food and entertainment hub promises to be a highlight for both locals and visitors looking to make the most of Robbie Williams' return to the Scottish capital. Like this: Like Related
Al Etihad
22-05-2025
- Business
- Al Etihad
Aldar breaks ground on bespoke cold store facility for Emirates Snack Foods
22 May 2025 10:18 ABU DHABI (ALETIHAD)Aldar has commenced construction of a purpose-built cold storage and distribution facility for Emirates Snack Foods (ESF), a leading fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) distributor in the UAE. The project, which also marks a strategic partnership between the two entities, was formally inaugurated at the Make It In The Emirates in Dubai South's Logistics District, the facility will serve as ESF's regional headquarters and is designed to consolidate its entire cold chain and office operations under one roof. The Grade A structure is expected to significantly enhance operational efficiency and expedite product distribution across the a leasable area of nearly 20,000 square metres, the facility will feature modern racking systems to optimise space usage, specialised insulation and humidity controls to handle a variety of temperature-sensitive products, and an automated warehouse management system to ensure real-time inventory Saleh Busaibe, Chief Executive Officer at Aldar Investment, commented: 'This build-to-suit project for Emirates Snack Foods highlights our ability to deliver best-in-class logistics facilities tailored to the needs of businesses seeking to scale their operations in the UAE. As we expand our logistics footprint in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, we are committed to delivering facilities that meet and exceed global standards.'Feda Saimua, Managing Partner at Emirates Snack Foods, stated: 'Our investment in world-class facilities reaffirms our commitment to delivering exceptional service to customers, brand partners, and consumers. These new facilities will support our continued growth and enhance service delivery across Food Service, Retail, and E-Commerce channels.'The facility is also designed to comply with Dubai Green Building standards, incorporating energy-efficient cooling systems, sustainable lighting, solar-ready infrastructure, and an onsite ammonia plant for efficient cold storage. Strategically positioned near Al Maktoum International Airport and connected to Jebel Ali Port via a bounded logistics corridor, the new logistics hub is scheduled for handover in Q4 2025. It will also include state-of-the-art culinary innovation and training capabilities, reflecting ESF's forward-looking approach to operational excellence and workforce development. Source: Aletihad - Abu Dhabi
Edinburgh Reporter
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Edinburgh Reporter
From queue anxiety to culinary delight – Edinburgh Street Food's comeback story
I'll admit it: when Edinburgh Street Food (ESF) first opened in February 2023, I ran in the opposite direction. The queues snaking out the door triggered my university canteen PTSD – that dreaded fear your preferred option would vanish before you reached the counter. Two years later, I'm eating my words (and much more) after giving this vibrant food hub another chance. Tasked with finding somewhere to accommodate an old Bass colleague from 35 years ago and his rugby-mad sons before a Six Nations match, ESF's location and diverse offerings made it the perfect choice. In fact, I've become something of a convert, visiting twice in just one week. My first return was purely accidental – playing tourist in my own city after the Tartan Day Parade left me famished. Despite the glorious weather drawing crowds to both their indoor and outdoor seating areas, I easily secured a spot. L-R Gail Porter who hosted the after party at the Usher Hall with Grand Marshal, Kyle Dawson President of National Tartan Day New York Committee, and the Rt Hon Lord Provost Robert Aldridge What struck me immediately was the welcoming atmosphere for solo diners. I found myself sharing a table with a young Australian traveller from Adelaide who had chosen noodles from Harajuka Kitchen. We struck up a delightful conversation that transformed a simple meal into a memorable half-hour exchange. Service runs with impressive efficiency under George, a familiar face in Edinburgh's hospitality scene, who expertly commands his energetic young team. The ordering system offers welcome flexibility – scan a QR code, flag down a blue-shirted server, or order directly from vendors. My positive experience prompted another pre-theatre visit before catching Moulin Rouge at the Playhouse. On a Tuesday evening, ESF hummed with energy without feeling overwhelming. This time I sampled those Harajuka's Stir-Fry Udon Noodles with Vegetables and Karage Chicken that had tempted me on my earlier visit, while my companion tackled Fred's Back Your Barbecue's gloriously messy Texas Whole Hog Sandwich and Fries with San Marzano Ketchup from Fat Patty's. The venue isn't just about everyday dining – it's becoming an events hub too. Their Eurovision party on Saturday promises European-inspired street food alongside cocktails and big-screen viewing of all those questionable performances and political voting patterns. They're even taking bookings for groups of 10+ specifically for this glitter-filled extravaganza. ESF's genius lies in accommodating diverse tastes within one location. My friends remain baffled by my pizza aversion, but here everyone finds something to satisfy their cravings. The new seasonal menu offers mouthwatering options like Street Food Sessions' Crispy Shredded Chilli Beef with Szechuan sauce and egg noodles, Bundits' Instagram-worthy Tornado Potato (a deep-fried spiral-cut whole potato on a skewer), and Antojitos' Crispy Enoki Tacos. For meat lovers, The Peruvian's Lomo Saltado – stir-fried steak strips, spring onions, tomatoes and coriander, served with chips and garlic rice had me hooked and satiated, while Fred's Backyard Barbecue Alabama White Sauce Chicken Drumsticks with just the right kick, and Street Food Sessions slow-roasted Char Sui Pork Belly in soy caramel glaze, both came a close second choice. Sweet tooths won't be disappointed with SoftCore's Sundae. I loved by Miso Caramel and choclate with honeycomb bits or you could go for a diabetic coma and try one of their very sticky, candy floss encased SoftCore's cones. Not for me but the kids around me seemed to be loving it. Whether you're catching a show at Edinburgh Playhouse, heading to Edinburgh Rugby, or simply seeking somewhere to enjoy sunshine and good food, Edinburgh Street Food deserves another look. I'm genuinely glad I set aside my initial queue-phobia and rediscovered this gem. In a city renowned for its culinary offerings, ESF has carved out a special niche – casual yet high-quality, bustling yet accessible. It's the perfect solution when dining with friends who can never agree on what to eat, or when flying solo and open to conversation with fellow food enthusiasts. So next time you're in the neighbourhood, do what I didn't do two years ago – look past any queues and dive into the vibrant world of Edinburgh Street Food. Trust me, this time it's worth the wait. Edinburgh Street Food, Leith Street (next to Omni), Edinburgh Like this: Like Related
Edinburgh Reporter
15-05-2025
- Business
- Edinburgh Reporter
Edinburgh Street Food Revolution: Top Markets and Must-Try Dishes Transforming Scotland's Capital in 2025
Why 2025 Is the Year Edinburgh's Food Scene Went Curb-Side Ten years ago the city's informal eats consisted of late-night chippies and a handful of festival pop-ups. Fast-forward to 2025 and Scotland's capital is being hailed by The Times as the UK's 'leading foodie capital,' thanks largely to a surge in chef-driven street food that feels as curated as any tasting-menu restaurant. Local councils have relaxed licensing, developers have repurposed empty warehouses, and a younger generation of chefs—many trained in Michelin kitchens—now see street stalls as creative labs rather than stepping-stones. Photo by Clem Onojeghuo: Mapping the Movement: Edinburgh's New-Look Markets Edinburgh Street Food (ESF): The Omni Centre Flagship Opened in 2023 and expanded twice since, ESF is a neon-pink food hall packed with 11 permanent vendors and three craft-beer bars, open 12 p.m.-10 p.m. daily. Diners can move from Malaysian laksa to Viet-Scot haggis dumplings in the time it takes the tram to glide past the front door. What sets ESF apart is tech: an in-house app pushes two-hour flash specials based on real-time footfall, and a 'zero-queue' pickup shelf has cut average wait times to six minutes. Expert view: Emily Tan, former R&D chef at Momofuku, notes that the predictive-menu system 'lets independent vendors test flavour combinations overnight, see data by lunchtime, and pivot before dinner—no white-tablecloth restaurant iterates that fast.' The Pitt, once a weekend event on a windswept Leith street, relaunched in December 2024 on Granton Prom and has just unveiled a 50,000-square-foot covered warehouse. Besides 20 food trucks and a rotating brewer-in-residence, the complex includes live-music stages, a kids' adventure zone and Edinburgh's first on-site composting unit. In May 2025 it also hosts the Scottish Street Food Awards, underscoring its role as the movement's beating heart. Personal take: I visited during opening week; the smell of peat-smoked brisket mingled with Korean gochujang wings, while a Ceilidh band sound-checked thirty metres away. It felt like a Highland games, a music festival and Borough Market rolled into one—minus the London prices. Community Staples: Stockbridge, Leith & The Neighbourgood Sunday strolls through Stockbridge Market remain essential for wild-venison sliders, cold-smoked trout tacos and raw-pressed cider. Leith Market extends the shoreline vibe with seafood paella ladled straight from 70-centimetre pans. And the summer-only Neighbourgood Market in Stockbridge has teamed up with ethical-coffee roasters and zero-plastic cutlery suppliers to become the city's most sustainable outdoor feast. Plates That Define the Revolution Global Fusion at ESF Satay-Haggis Bao from Bundits: Scottish offal meets Singaporean peanut sauce in a steamed cloud bun. from Bundits: Scottish offal meets Singaporean peanut sauce in a steamed cloud bun. Ube & Irn-Bru Doughnuts by Dr Dough: a wild colour-wheel mash-up that tastes better than it should. Each stall sources at least 60 % of produce from Scottish farms, a stipulation written into ESF leases to keep supply chains local. Sea-to-Shore at The Pitt Hand-dived Scallop Ceviche garnished with foraged sea buckthorn. garnished with foraged sea buckthorn. Brisket Stovies Bao slow-cooked over reclaimed whisky-barrel staves for an oak-sweet finish. Chef Callum MacInnes says the low-overhead kiosk model lets him 'serve a £4 scallop snack that would be £14 in a restaurant, yet still pay divers properly.' Vegan Vanguard at Stockbridge Look for Tempura Nettles with Black-Garlic Mayo and Miso-Caramel Apple Crêpes—proof that plant-forward cooking is no longer fringe. Nutritionist Dr Leila Gordon notes these markets have cut the gap between indulgence and sustainability, citing a 30 % uptick in veggie orders versus 2023. While you wait for your order, make good use of the downtime by grabbing a quick casino welcome bonus on your phone. Numbers Behind the Nosh: Economy, Tourism and Talent Jobs and Revenue Edinburgh Council reports that street-food enterprises now support 1,800 direct jobs and contribute £96 million annually to the city economy, up 44 % in two years. Vendor permits have outpaced traditional restaurant licences for the first time, and many graduates from local culinary schools choose a container kitchen over a brick-and-mortar lease. Festival Effect During August's festival season, footfall at ESF averages 9,000 visitors a day, while The Pitt's ticketed music-and-food nights sell out in under an hour. Tourism chiefs credit street food with extending visitor stays by 1.2 days on average—a meaningful bump for hotels still clawing back post-pandemic occupancy. Culinary Brain Gain High-profile chefs such as Stuart Ralston (of Lyla) moonlight with limited-edition street-food pop-ups, blurring lines between haute cuisine and kerbside creativity. The result: a 'brain gain' that keeps talent in the city rather than haemorrhaging to London. Sustainability & Social Impact Zero-Waste Kitchens The Pitt's new composting hub processes 800 kg of food waste monthly, turning it into fertiliser for on-site herb planters. ESF mandates biodegradable serviceware, and the Neighbourgood Market operates a 'Bring-Your-Own-Box' reward: stallholders give a 50-pence discount if you refuse single-use packaging. Community Outreach Leith-based charities partner with vendors to run 'Pay It Forward' vouchers; customers buy an extra meal token that frontline workers distribute to those facing food insecurity. Local NGO Cyrenians holds monthly cooking masterclasses—from Singaporean street staples to Korean comfort food—at their Leith cook school to promote cultural exchange through cuisine. 2025's Must-Attend Street-Food Events Insider tip: Many events release 'secret code' discounts 48 hours ahead via Instagram Stories—set alerts for @edinburgh_streetfood and @thepittstmarket to snag early tickets. Navigating the Scene: Practical Advice for Hungry Travellers Timing & Transport Weekday afternoons (before 6 p.m.) mean shorter queues and easier seating at ESF. (before 6 p.m.) mean shorter queues and easier seating at ESF. Cycle or tram to Granton Prom; parking near The Pitt is tight on event nights. to Granton Prom; parking near The Pitt is tight on event nights. Many Leith vendors close by 5 p.m. on Sundays, so start your crawl midday. Budgeting Your Bite Expect £6-£9 per dish at markets—still cheaper than comparable gastropub plates. Download multi-vendor apps where available; they often bundle a drink-and-dish combo for under £10. Dietary Diversity Gluten-free? Vegan? Halal? Look for coloured stall markers: green (vegan), blue (gluten-free), purple (halal). Stockbridge boasts the widest vegan variety; The Pitt's seven-day schedule makes it easiest to plan allergy-friendly outings. Looking Ahead: What's Next for Edinburgh's Curb Cuisine? Tech-Driven Personalisation ESF is piloting a loyalty programme that uses AI to suggest dishes based on weather, time of day and past orders. Think hot ramen recommendations on rainy evenings and gelato alerts at 24 °C. Regional Pop-Ups Plans are underway for month-long residencies by Aberdeen's Asian fusion truck Wok & Roll and Glasgow's smash-burger icon El Perro Negro, creating an inter-city flavour exchange. Michelin's Radar Industry rumours hint that the Michelin Guide may introduce a 'street category' for the UK, mirroring Singapore's hawker stars. If so, Edinburgh's disciplined approach to hygiene, sustainability and chef-led stalls gives it a competitive edge. Final Whistle: Why Edinburgh Deserves a Place on Every Food Map Street food here is no longer an off-shoot of high-end dining—it is the vanguard. The city's nimble chefs, data-savvy organisers and community-minded markets have created a scene where a £4 bao can showcase local terroir as proudly as a £120 tasting menu. For visitors, it's democratic gastronomy; for locals, it's proof that cultural evolution can start with a shipping container, a fryer and a fierce desire to feed people well. Whether you're plotting a festival pilgrimage or just hungry after a hike up Arthur's Seat, Edinburgh's 2025 street-food revolution offers a one-stop tour of global flavours rooted in Scottish soil. Bring an appetite, a reusable fork—and maybe a spare stomach—because missing even one stall feels like leaving before the encore. Like this: Like Related
Forbes
07-05-2025
- Forbes
Latest Matter Update Focuses On Smoother Smart Home Setup
The Matter smart home Paul Lamkin The latest Matter update is here, but instead of shiny new device types, version 1.4.1 is all about behind-the-scenes improvements for you to get your smart home devices up and running with less hassle. This is the first time the Connectivity Standards Alliance (CSA) has released a 'minor' Matter update, under a new naming system that separates major and minor versions. In the past couple of years we've seen standard 'dot' updates, like December's 1.4 launch that added the likes of hybrid solar/battery systems, battery walls, storage units, heat pumps and water heaters to the mix. The CSA isn't relenting on its bi-annual update cadence for Matter, but we're told that the 'dot' numbering will be for major releases and the 'dot dot' for minor releases… so we can consider 2025's first update minor. However, there's plenty in the update to get Matter users excited about, and you could argue that these application refinements are more useful than expanding device categories at this point. That's because Matter 1.4.1 is entirely focused on making setup easier and more consistent across devices and ecosystems, which has been a huge bugbear for smart home enthusiasts getting to grips with the Big-Tech-backed smart home standard over the last couple of years. 1.4.1 introduces three new features: an Enhanced Setup Flow, multi-device QR codes, and NFC onboarding - all aimed at reducing friction and improving the user experience when adding new Matter devices to your system. Enhanced Setup Flow (ESF) makes it possible for manufacturers to display their terms and conditions (and collect user consent) directly within the ecosystem app you're using to onboard a device. That might sound pretty dry but it should mean less jumping around different apps just to accept legal terms before setup can finish. A more visible update is the QR code one. If you've ever set up a multi-pack of smart bulbs or plugs, you know the pain of scanning each device's QR code separately, waiting for one to finish before starting on the next. Matter 1.4.1 introduces support for a multi-device QR code, which lets brands place a single code on the box that can onboard several devices at once. This should be a big time-saver once the major players like Amazon, Apple, Google and Samsung allow it within their respective ecosystems. The 1.4.1 bump also adds support for embedding onboarding data into NFC tags, meaning you'll soon be able to tap your phone to a device to begin the setup process, with no camera or QR code scanning needed. This will be especially useful for products where the QR code is hidden after installation, such as light switches or ceiling-mounted fixtures. Until now QR codes and manual numeric codes were the Matter onboarding methods, so the addition of NFC tapping gives users more flexibility depending on their setup situation. So while we'll have to wait for 1.5 for new device types (speakers and security cameras please), the enhancements 1.4.1 brings could significantly cut down on setup frustrations, especially for less tech-savvy users or those just starting to build out a smart home. It's just what Matter needed.
