Latest news with #Lyla
The Herald Scotland
2 days ago
- Business
- The Herald Scotland
Why chef Stuart Ralston is closing Aizle in Edinburgh
'I wanted to work with producers who really care about what they grow and make people happy with our food,' Ralston said when announcing the closure online last month. 'Over the past 11 years, we have moved homes, met brilliant people along the way and grown into something to be proud of. 'We achieved what we set out to do.' Citing plans to shift his attention fully onto the three other restaurants in his group (fine dining venture, Lyla, NYC izakaya-inspired Noto, and pasta-focused Tipo) Ralston has said that the option to leave his lease was the initial catalyst for Aizle's closure. Read more: From washing dishes to a Michelin Star -Edinburgh chef celebrates win "There was no rash decision made overnight," he told The Herald. "It is very emotional, and something that I've been thinking over for months and months. 'If we wanted to keep going with Aizle, we could have, but when the option to leave our lease came up, I had to judge it accordingly and ask myself if it was worth staying. 'Within the restaurant group, my attitude has always been that if we're not constantly evolving, then there's no point in doing it. 'Aizle is the only restaurant in our group that is not fully independent, and because the Kimpton Hotel owns the site, there's only so much we can do with it. 'I love it so much as a brand, and it's given me everything I've ever wanted out of life. "Because of that, it's an entity that deserves more than just to be flogging a dead horse for any longer than I feel is needed.' Pictured: Aizle serves a 'blind tasting menu' revolving around produce from Scotland's larder (Image: Supplied) After securing his Michelin Star in February this year, Ralston now spends the bulk of his time at Royal Terrace restaurant Lyla, which has been fully booked since the win. 'The global recognition for the Michelin Guide means that it can bring a lot of attention to a city like [[Edinburgh]], or even Scotland, and to be a part of that makes you feel really good about what you've contributed to the industry as a whole,' he said. 'That's not something I ever really considered when I was younger. All I thought about was cooking in a restaurant. 'I spent a long time away from home working in New York and Barbados, so when I came back to Edinburgh, I was a total nobody starting from scratch. 'That means it's taken slightly longer than I wanted to get to this point, but now I feel like the most important thing you can do is leave a bit of a legacy behind you. 'I try to say it as often as I can, so hopefully the message gets out there, but I'm lucky to have incredible people around that support me as well as the restaurants. 'It's not just me cooking all this food. The group has around a hundred staff, so it's nice to see everybody get to celebrate something like our Michelin Star at Lyla.' These staff members are at the forefront of Ralston's mind ahead of Aizle's closure, with talk of a potential restaurant opening that would create new roles for his talented team members. 'Now I feel my main responsibility is to the staff, and I want to make sure that they've got other opportunities within the group. 'If I can make that happen, then I'll feel alright about it all." With just a few weeks left until the final service at Aizle on Sunday, September 21, this summer will be bittersweet for the Glenrothes-born chef as he prepares to say goodbye to the restaurant which started it all for him in Edinburgh. 'Closing a restaurant is a new experience for me, but what has made it a bit easier was the response we got when we put out the post on social media announcing the news," he said. 'There's such an overwhelming number of comments from people who have made special memories at Aizle. 'I'm proud to know that from a small, very casual restaurant on Leonard Street, which was opened with only around 25 grand, I've managed to build a group that's now become successful. "Aizle was the foundation for everything else to stand on. 'I'd say that, as well as the people who have stuck with me throughout the 11 years or started with us and have gone on to do great things of their own, is the most important thing we've achieved.' Aizle is located at 38 Charlotte Square in Edinburgh. For more information, visit
STV News
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- STV News
Trinny Woodall: There was nothing I could have done about ex-husband's suicide
What Not To Wear star Trinny Woodall has said there was 'nothing I could have done' about her ex-husband Johnny Elichaoff's suicide. On Fearne Cotton's Happy Place podcast, the 61-year-old reflected on the former drummer and businessman's death in 2014, and praised the work of charities looking into mental health and suicide. Asked about her regrets by Cotton, Woodall said: 'I think going back to earlier, it's that would've, should've, could've – so do I regret that I didn't do more for my ex-husband to stop him killing himself? No, because it was nothing I could have done. 'So to ponder on the regret of somebody who kills himself, it can take you into the darkest hole, but you can also know when somebody who is in that situation switches off, and that is their path and nobody can get in. 'I had to learn.' Woodall said there are 'fabulous charities' working in the area of mental health and suicide – which she said is the biggest cause of death in men under 50. She went on to speak about how she guided daughter Lyla, who was 11 at the time, through Elichaoff's death. She explained: 'When I heard about Lyla's dad, Lyla was at school and my first challenge was how can I even tell her, how can I say the words to tell her. 'My sister was a friend of a woman called Julia Samuel, who wrote an amazing book, Grief Works, and she's fantastic. 'Julia came around to our house and I just said, 'I need some words', and so she said, 'you're going to tell her he had a heart attack in his head'. 'We told her (Lyla) and she screamed really loudly and it was like an animal scream, and then 20 minutes later she's downstairs getting a snack, so children's absorption of what has happened is that there's that gut, she really loved her dad. 'This thing is just, she can't quite understand it, but she knows that he's not coming back in some daily way and then we had a cremation so then there's a real awareness. 'There's a lot of people saying, 'I'm so sorry about your dad, Lyla', so she's manic a little, she was running around with her friends and then there was a memorial only 10 days after that, and there were 1,200 people in the church. 'Lyla got up and read If, but she didn't read it, she said it with nothing and didn't cry and it wasn't that she was being strong.' The beauty entrepreneur was also asked if she regrets taking drugs for a decade. She added: 'I actually don't, because it gave me such a depth of having to deal with life at an early age, some testing things that it rounded me up more as a person. 'When I got into my 30s, I had a lot of experience to draw on to be resilient, so thereby I don't regret that it happened and I should draw upon it.' Best known for hosting BBC fashion show What Not To Wear with Susannah Constantine, Woodall is also the founder of cosmetics brand Trinny London. The full interview can be heard on the Happy Place podcast available on Apple Podcasts, YouTube and Spotify. Help and support is available now if you need it. The Samaritans can be contacted any time, from any phone, free on 116 123, email at jo@ , or visit to find your nearest branch. Details of other services and more information can be found on the NHS website here . Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
RTÉ News
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- RTÉ News
Trinny Woodall discusses husband's passing
What Not To Wear star Trinny Woodall has said there was "nothing I could have done" about her ex-husband Johnny Elichaoff's taking his own life.. On Fearne Cotton's Happy Place podcast, the 61-year-old reflected on the former drummer and businessman's death in 2014, and praised the work of charities looking into mental health and suicide. Asked about her regrets by Cotton, Woodall said: "I think going back to earlier, it's that would've, should've, could've – so do I regret that I didn't do more for my ex-husband to stop him killing himself? No, because it was nothing I could have done. "So to ponder on the regret of somebody who kills himself, it can take you into the darkest hole, but you can also know when somebody who is in that situation switches off, and that is their path and nobody can get in. "I had to learn." The make-up mogul said there are "fabulous charities" working in the area of mental health and suicide – which she said is the biggest cause of death in men under 50. She went on to speak about how she guided daughter Lyla, who was 11 at the time, through Elichaoff's death. She explained: "When I heard about Lyla's dad, Lyla was at school and my first challenge was how can I even tell her, how can I say the words to tell her. "My sister was a friend of a woman called Julia Samuel, who wrote an amazing book, Grief Works, and she's fantastic. "Julia came around to our house and I just said, 'I need some words', and so she said, 'you're going to tell her he had a heart attack in his head'."We told her (Lyla) and she screamed really loudly and it was like an animal scream, and then 20 minutes later she's downstairs getting a snack, so children's absorption of what has happened is that there's that gut, she really loved her dad. "This thing is just, she can't quite understand it, but she knows that he's not coming back in some daily way and then we had a cremation so then there's a real awareness. "There's a lot of people saying, 'I'm so sorry about your dad, Lyla', so she's manic a little, she was running around with her friends and then there was a memorial only 10 days after that, and there were 1,200 people in the church. "Lyla got up and read If, but she didn't read it, she said it with nothing and didn't cry and it wasn't that she was being strong." The beauty entrepreneur was also asked if she regrets taking drugs for a decade. She added: "I actually don't, because it gave me such a depth of having to deal with life at an early age, some testing things that it rounded me up more as a person. "When I got into my 30s, I had a lot of experience to draw on to be resilient, so thereby I don't regret that it happened and I should draw upon it." Best known for hosting BBC fashion show What Not To Wear with Susannah Constantine, Woodall is also the founder of cosmetics brand Trinny London.
Irish Examiner
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Irish Examiner
Trinny Woodall: There was nothing I could have done about ex-husband's suicide
What Not To Wear star Trinny Woodall has said there was 'nothing I could have done' about her ex-husband Johnny Elichaoff's suicide. On Fearne Cotton's Happy Place podcast, the 61-year-old reflected on the former drummer and businessman's death in 2014, and praised the work of charities looking into mental health and suicide. Asked about her regrets by Cotton, Woodall said: 'I think going back to earlier, it's that would've, should've, could've – so do I regret that I didn't do more for my ex-husband to stop him killing himself? No, because it was nothing I could have done. 'So to ponder on the regret of somebody who kills himself, it can take you into the darkest hole, but you can also know when somebody who is in that situation switches off, and that is their path and nobody can get in. 'I had to learn.' Woodall said there are 'fabulous charities' working in the area of mental health and suicide – which she said is the biggest cause of death in men under 50. She went on to speak about how she guided daughter Lyla, who was 11 at the time, through Elichaoff's death. She explained: 'When I heard about Lyla's dad, Lyla was at school and my first challenge was how can I even tell her, how can I say the words to tell her. 'My sister was a friend of a woman called Julia Samuel, who wrote an amazing book, Grief Works, and she's fantastic. Woodall recalled having to break the news to her daughter (Ian West/PA) 'Julia came around to our house and I just said, 'I need some words', and so she said, 'you're going to tell her he had a heart attack in his head'. 'We told her (Lyla) and she screamed really loudly and it was like an animal scream, and then 20 minutes later she's downstairs getting a snack, so children's absorption of what has happened is that there's that gut, she really loved her dad. 'This thing is just, she can't quite understand it, but she knows that he's not coming back in some daily way and then we had a cremation so then there's a real awareness. 'There's a lot of people saying, 'I'm so sorry about your dad, Lyla', so she's manic a little, she was running around with her friends and then there was a memorial only 10 days after that, and there were 1,200 people in the church. 'Lyla got up and read If, but she didn't read it, she said it with nothing and didn't cry and it wasn't that she was being strong.' The beauty entrepreneur was also asked if she regrets taking drugs for a decade. She added: 'I actually don't, because it gave me such a depth of having to deal with life at an early age, some testing things that it rounded me up more as a person. 'When I got into my 30s, I had a lot of experience to draw on to be resilient, so thereby I don't regret that it happened and I should draw upon it.' Best known for hosting BBC fashion show What Not To Wear with Susannah Constantine, Woodall is also the founder of cosmetics brand Trinny London. The full interview can be heard on the Happy Place podcast available on Apple Podcasts, YouTube and Spotify. - If you are affected by any of the issues raised in this article, please click here for a list of support services.
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Trinny Woodall recalls the harrowing moment she had to tell her daughter Lyla, 11, that her father Johnny Elichaoff had died by suicide
Trinny Woodall has recalled the harrowing moment she had to tell her daughter Lyla, then 11, that her father Johnny Elichaoff had died by suicide. The fashion and beauty entrepreneur, 61, who rose to fame as co-host of What Not to Wear spoke about losing her ex-husband Jonny in a candid new podcast chat on Monday. Former drummer and businessman Johnny died in 2014 at the age of 55 after taking his own life in a shopping mall. Trinny and Jonny, who share daughter Lyla, who is now 21, married in 1999 before getting divorced a decade later in 2009 - but they remained friends and spoke every day until his death. As well as daughter Lyla, Johnny had his son Zak from his first marriage Speaking on Ferne Cotton's Happy Place podcast this week, Trinny explained how she approached the task of telling Lyla the news. She said: 'I think it's different because both of Johnny's, Lyla was 11 and Zach was 21 and so you have an awareness of quite a lot but the concept of what death is different at 21 from 11. 'When I heard about Lila's dad, Lila was at school and my first challenge was how can I even tell her, how can I say the words to tell her and so my sister was a friend of a woman called Julia Samuel, who wrote an amazing book, Grief Works and she's fantastic. 'Julia came around to our house and I just said, 'I need some words' and so she said, 'You're going to tell her he had a heart attack in his head'.' Trinny continued: 'She came back from school and came upstairs and immediately felt, why am I getting upstairs? I've just come back. I usually go down the kitchen and get something to eat and Zach was in the bedroom and we lay her on the bed. 'We told her and she screamed really loudly and it was like an animal scream and then 20 minutes later she's downstairs getting a snack, so children's absorption of what has happened is that there's that gut, she really loved her dad. 'This thing is just, she can't quite understand it, but she knows that he's not coming back in some daily way and then we had a cremation so then there's a real awareness.' She also spoke about navigating her own grief and letting go of any guilt she may have felt over his death. Trinny explained: 'I think going back to earlier, it's that would've, should've, could've - so do I regret that I didn't do more for my ex-husband to stop him killing himself? 'No, because it was nothing I could have done. Yeah, so to ponder on the regret of somebody who kills himself, it can take you into the darkest hole, but you can also know when somebody who is in that situation switches off and that is their path and nobody can get in. 'I had to learn and I think there's some there's two fabulous charities who look at that. It's the biggest case of men dying under 50.' Jonny found fame as a touring drummer for U2, Siouxsie Sioux and the League of Gentlemen in the Eighties. Johnny, who had battled an addiction to painkillers for 20 years, took his own life at the Whiteley's shopping centre in Bayswater, west London, in November 2014. The drummer-turned-businessman had been talked down from the same spot 11 days previously and was sectioned briefly. But he returned to the shopping centre twice more in the space of five days before finally killing himself the next day. Johnny married TV presenter Trinny in 1999 in London's Knightsbridge and the couple had a child Lyla, now 21, before they divorced in 2009, but remained on good terms. An inquest into his death was conducted at Westminster Coroner's Court in November 2015, during which Trinny's brother Mark Woodall read a statement from the presenter. She wrote: 'Johnny Elichaoff was a much loved brother, father and husband and he will be sorely missed by all who knew him. 'Even in his darkest moments he was always there for those who needed him as a parent, brother, son and spouse with unconditional love and support. 'As a person he had the best sense of humour, he was unconditionally kind and never spoke ill of other people. 'He was heartfelt with his advice and had the ability to always make people feel better once they had confided in him. 'Everyone who met him had a story to tell about and not a day goes by his family don't think of him and the utter tragedy of his passing.' For confidential support call the Samaritans on 116123 or visit a local Samaritans branch. See for details.
