Latest news with #MillionPoundMenu
Wales Online
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Wales Online
Fred Sirieix's Olympic star daughter, mystery wife and 'crying every day' on BBC show
Fred Sirieix's Olympic star daughter, mystery wife and 'crying every day' on BBC show The beloved TV personality is on BBC show Who Do You Think You Are? alongside his daughter Fred Sirieix and Fruitcake attend the Royal Albert Hall on March 07, 2025 (Image: Getty Images ) Fred Sirieix has built a distinguished career in the hospitality industry, becoming one of the UK's most recognisable television personalities. After training in a Michelin-starred restaurant in France, he moved to London, where he worked at esteemed establishments such as La Tante Claire and Galvin at Windows, the latter of which he managed for 14 years. Sirieix's transition to television began with Channel 4's "First Dates," where his charm and professionalism as the maître d'hôtel endeared him to audiences. His television repertoire expanded to include shows like "Million Pound Menu" on BBC Two and ITV's "Gordon, Gino and Fred's Road Trip," showcasing his versatility and charisma. In 2023, he was a contestant on "I'm a Me Out of Here!" further cementing his status as a beloved TV figure. Tonight, viewers can see a different side of Sirieix as he delves into his family history on BBC One's "Who Do You Think You Are?" In this episode, he travels to France with his daughter Andrea Spendolini-Sirieix, to explore their roots. Here, we take a look at parts of his life away from the TV screen. Olympic star daughter Andrea Spendolini-Sirieix has established herself as one of Britain's most promising diving talents. Born in London in 2004, she made her international debut at just 13 and clinched her first solo international gold at the 2020 FINA Diving Grand Prix in Rostock. That same year, she was honoured as the BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year. Article continues below Her breakthrough came in 2022 when she secured gold in the women's 10m platform at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, becoming the first English woman to win the event since 1966. She followed this feat with European Championship gold in the same discipline and added further accolades in synchronised and mixed synchro events alongside partners Lois Toulson and Noah Williams. In 2024, Spendolini-Sirieix continued her impressive trajectory. At the World Aquatics Championships in Doha, she contributed to Great Britain's gold in the team event and earned bronze medals in both the individual 10m platform and the synchronised 10m platform with Toulson. Later that year, at the Paris Olympics, the duo clinched bronze in the women's 10m synchronised platform, marking a significant milestone in her career. Although she finished sixth in the individual event, her performance solidified her status as a leading figure in British diving. Her achievements were recognised with titles such as European Aquatics' Female Diver of the Year and The Sunday Times Young Sportswoman of the Year. "Amazing," Fred said of his daughter's Olympic achievement in an interview with OK! "Andrea has been training since she was eight. The Olympics was her dream. And to win a medal in Paris – it was incredible. "She's won medals for Britain and Italy, but never in France. She trained so hard she barely went to school, but she still got brilliant results. I've always said if you want something, you've got to work for it. No shortcuts. You're going to suffer. It's got to be painful." Beyond her athletic accomplishments, Spendolini-Sirieix's journey has been marked by resilience. She has openly discussed overcoming personal challenges, including mental health struggles, and credits her family, particularly her father, for their unwavering support. Their emotional embrace after her Olympic bronze win became a poignant moment of the Games. Spendolini-Sirieix (right) was in tears after winning bronze New wife and her nickname Sirieix recently married his long-term partner, affectionately nicknamed "Fruitcake," in a picturesque ceremony at Pattoo Castle in Negril, Jamaica. The couple, who have been together since 2018, exchanged vows on February 18, 2025, after postponing their original wedding plans due to Covid. The bride, however, has not publicly disclosed her real name, leading to an air of mystery around her. On the wedding day, she looked stunning in an elegant white gown, while Sirieix donned a classic white tuxedo jacket and black bow tie. The intimate celebration was attended by close friends and family, including Sirieix's children from a previous relationship, Andrea and Lucien. When asked in the same OK! interview why he nicknamed her Fruitcake, Sirieix replied: "That one's just between her and me. It works for us. She's Fruitcake. That's all you need to know. And that's all she wants you to know. We're happy that way." Despite the couple's public profiles, they have maintained a level of privacy regarding their personal lives. Fruitcake, a fashion enthusiast, has occasionally appeared alongside Sirieix at public events, but the pair have kept details about her personal background and profession private. Sirieix has spoken fondly of their bond, noting how their connection deepened during the pandemic lockdowns, strengthening their commitment to one another. Crying 'every day' on BBC show Sirieix will appear tonight on Who Do You Think You Are? and the journey is an emotional one for the TV star. Sirieix delves into his family history on the BBC One show, during which he travels to France with his daughter, Andrea, to explore their roots. The journey uncovers stories of wartime romance and resilience, including the tale of his grandfather René, a prisoner of war during World War II, and his great-grandfather Léonard Bordas, who fought in some of the most harrowing battles of the First World War . "Oh, I cried every day in fact, because it was very emotional," he said. "I went to Burgundy, where my grandfather was a prisoner of war. I went to the very place he was held during the Second World War. He escaped from there to go home, crossing the whole of France. "It was so dangerous. The penalty was being shot. What I didn't realise is that my grandfather was suffering from PTSD, and so was my great-grandfather, who, incredibly, took part in the First World War from the very first battle to the last. And he survived. Article continues below "I mean, it's just incredible."
CairoScene
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- CairoScene
Mo Bistro Will Open in New Cairo's U Venues
Mo Bistro is serving up another helping of its beloved brand at U Venues in New Cairo. May 19, 2025 Just when you thought New Cairo's U Venues had it all, they've gone and filled the final gap in their culinary lineup. The latest addition? Mo Bistro, the beloved brainchild of Million Pound Menu judge, investor, and acclaimed chef Mohamed Abd El Hak. The launch was cheekily teased with El Hak's signature phrase, 'صباح الفل والحلاوة وربما ينصرهم,' a playful nod to the cult following his videos has earned. Already a staple at District 5 and Garden 8, Mo Bistro's arrival at U Venues completes its New Cairo trifecta, and let's just say, we're more than here for it.
CairoScene
29-04-2025
- Business
- CairoScene
TBS Welcomes ‘Million Pound Menu' Star Panzini to Its Menu
TBS and Million Pound Menu alumnus Osama Abou El Seoud team up to bring Italian street food startup Panzini to TBS. Apr 29, 2025 'Million Pound Menu' gave audiences a front-row seat to the next generation of culinary talent—and now one of its standout stars is making waves in Egypt. After impressing on the show, Osama Abou El Seoud's Italian street food startup, Panzini, caught the attention of Sameh El Sadat, co-founder of TBS and a seasoned investor. Through TBS&YOU, TBS's platform for food entrepreneurship, Panzini is now officially available at TBS stores, offering a fresh take on Italian panzerotti and quick bites. Instead of a traditional investment, the collaboration gives Panzini immediate access to select TBS stores, providing a launchpad to grow the brand and reach new audiences. The partnership with Panzini goes beyond just adding a new menu item. Its quick, handheld Italian bites fit naturally with the TBS style—easy to grab, hard to resist. By plugging straight into TBS's existing network and operations, Panzini gets a head start without the heavy costs of rent, labour, or logistics, making it a smart win for both sides. The collaboration was officially launched on April 23rd with a special event, featuring tastings of Panzini's signature items and a live acoustic set by rising singer Tasneem El Aidy. Panzini is now available in TBS branches across Mivida, Golf Central, and Square 1.
Telegraph
21-04-2025
- Business
- Telegraph
Tax raid has made running my business ‘a f---ing struggle'
Scott Collins has just spent £1.2m on a brand new underground bar in Covent Garden. Named Bloodsports, 30 flat-screen TVs adorn its walls, playing a combination of live sports and classic 1980s horror movies, while beers and bar snacks are served late into the night. It is the kind of bar many could only dream of opening. So why is Collins, the co-founder of burger chain Meatliquor and one-time star of BBC Two's Million Pound Menu, so downbeat? Running bars and restaurants, he says, just isn't fun any more. Rather, it has become 'a f---ing struggle'. Collins signed the lease on Bloodsports last September. One month later, the Chancellor announced a swathe of tax rises on employers that kicked in earlier this month, heaping pressure on already-stretched hospitality firms. 'Had I known what the current financial climate was going to be like now, and the lack of consumer confidence, I wouldn't have bought this place,' says Collins. 'It was quite a tricky deal. It took a lot longer than expected, and since then the f------ world's got worse, which no one was expecting. So if I could turn back the clock, I wouldn't have done it. 'I can't see us making any money in the next financial year, and that's with opening a brand new site, so the coffers are empty.' Of greatest concern to Collins is the rise in employers' National Insurance (NI) contributions and the lowering of the threshold at which contributions are due, from £9,100 to £5,000. This, alongside a 6.7pc increase in the minimum wage, disproportionately hurts hospitality businesses because of the number of lower paid and part-time workers in the sector. 'We did our calculations in November, and just the National Insurance rise and the Living Wage rise – which then affects everyone being paid more that, because you can't not give everyone else a raise – we needed to find, as of April 1, an extra £300,000 per year,' says Collins. 'Things have got progressively worse' That is easier said than done when consumers are cutting back on dining out after years of inflation and uncertainty. Restaurant sales fell by 0.6pc in February, according to data firm CGA, while hospitality sales within the M25 fell further, slumping 1.2pc year-on-year. 'Lunch has just fallen off a cliff, and you're now up against everyone discounting, especially the groups that have private equity backing.' Collins is also facing pressure from suppliers who are attempting to pass the impact of the tax rises down the supply chain. 'Our big food supplier has just tried to pass on the 5pc uplift ... Everyone's trying to pass it on someone else. It's a never-ending story.' Ultimately, 'it would be a lot easier to just shut up shop,' he says. 'But we employ 220 people. We're not going to let them go.' Collins is the latest in a long line of boss to sound the alarm over the impact of October's Budget. Many have said they will have to cancel or pause investments and cut jobs as a result. In a move seemingly designed to placate them, ministers have promised to slash red tape and consult with hospitality bosses on ways to boost the sector. Sir Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London, will also be handed fresh powers to 'call in' blocked planning applications. Collins says this is all 'welcomed in theory, but it needs to be more than just a press release'. He does not say whether he backed Labour in last year's election, offering only a 'no comment'. Things were not easy under previous governments either, going as far back as the smoking ban in 2007, he says. 'Things have just got progressively worse. It's just laughable. There's no way I would be in this industry now if I'd had that all that laid in front of me 22 years ago when opening my first place, I don't think I could have done it.' 'One-stop fun shop' A 30-year veteran of the hospitality industry, Collins ran pubs before launching Meatliquor as a pop-up kitchen in south London in 2011 with co-founder Yianni Papoutsis. Since then it has grown into a 10-site chain that is credited with helping drive a renaissance in British burgers. 'The first Meatliquor was pretty bonkers,' he says. 'We had two-hour queues almost every night the week for about two years, and at the time, that was my biggest problem in life – how to manage the queues.' Meatliquor has endured while rival chains like Byron have been forced into restructuring and closures. Collins says this is because, unlike rivals, he never took private equity cash. These owners often load up their investments with debt to fund rapid expansion. However, high borrowing costs in the wake of the pandemic have hamstrung many of these businesses. 'A lot of people that have taken venture capital or private equity money are regretting that decision because they're just getting ground into the ground,' says Collins. 'We're fortunate. We've got very little debt.' Meatliquor is backed by a handful of investors, including David Page, the founder of Franco Manca and former boss of Pizza Express, without whose advice Collins says he would have 'probably thrown in the towel a long time ago'. Bloodsports, Collins' latest outing, is based on the dive bars found in the US. It serves Meatliquor's burgers, hot dogs and bar snacks such as deep fried mac and cheese, onion rings and chicken wings. Collins calls it 'a bit of a one-stop fun shop'. 'We get the theatregoers, the theatre workers, the performers. The ballerinas from the Royal Opera House are in here quite regularly.' But even getting the doors open at Bloodsports has been a battle. 'Just as we were about to sign [the lease], squatters moved in. The vendor was in Bali ... They came in like Die Hard. Police couldn't or wouldn't do anything. They were paid £15,000 cash to leave.' Problems persist: it has been burgled twice since opening in February. 'The first one was just an iPad, but did a bit of damage. The second one, they took a lot of booze.' Despite all of this, Collins remains a believer in the importance of pubs, bars and restaurants as part of the social fabric of the UK. 'We're a key pillar of the economy. We support jobs, communities, recovery,' he says. 'Hospitality brings people together. It's full of passion and potential. The red tape needs to be cut, the tax load needs to be eased, and then we can just do what we do best.'
CairoScene
15-04-2025
- Entertainment
- CairoScene
Screams, Sweat & Sriracha: Inside Egypt's Biggest F&B Showdown
Million Pound Menu is what happens when serving shisha and streaming BeIn Sports on five screens no longer counts as a business model. There was a time roughly five years ago - which in Egypt's F&B timeline counts as the Mamluk dynasty - when launching a successful restaurant required exactly two things: an industrial-strength shisha setup and at least five flatscreens showing BeIn Sports on loop. It didn't matter what was playing. Football, fencing, underwater synchronized wrestling - just keep the screens on and the smoke billowing, and you were in business. Plates were optional. If you served food on actual ceramic instead of cardboard, congratulations - you were officially 'fine dining.' But then, something deeply unsettling happened: people started caring. About ingredients. About concepts. About décor that didn't involve laminated menus and LED strip lights in seven shades of anxiety. And just like that, Egypt's F&B scene began evolving at a pace typically reserved for Dubai Bling and bread prices. It's now one of the fastest-growing industries in the country - second only to our waist-to-hip ratios, which, much like sourdough starters, are expanding with alarming enthusiasm. Entering the food scene with all the subtlety of a fajita platter in a silent dining room is Million Pound Menu - a reality show that dares Egypt's most ambitious culinary hopefuls to do the unthinkable: open a fully functioning restaurant, impress a panel of hardened investors, and survive 48 hours without weeping into the beurre blanc. Produced by IMPCO (co-founded by Amr Mansi and Ahmed Luxor - the same duo behind Shark Tank), the show hands three chefs per episode a pop-up space in District 5 by Marakez, where they must prove that their concept amounts to more than a mood board and a well-lit Instagram grid. Real diners show up (after registering online, naturally). Real money is at stake. And yes, someone eventually plates a single scallop adorned with interpretive microgreens and calls it a 'journey.' Presiding over this polite chaos is a panel of actual industry operators - not consultants, not lifestyle bloggers, but people who've endured breakfast service on the first day of Eid. We're talking Mirette Aly (The Lemon Tree & Co.), Ayman Baky (Baky Hospitality), Mohamed Abdelhak (Mo Bistro), Omar Fathy (Eatery), Loay Torky (Buffalo Burger), and Sameh El Sadat (The Bakery Shop). Between them, they've launched hospitality empires, survived menu overhauls, and most likely extinguished a fire caused by a flaming wheel of imported cheese. They determine which chef can make the leap from dreamer to operator - which, in industry terms, is the chasm between having a poetic concept about pickled turnips and actually sourcing, storing, pricing, and justifying them to a customer who believes their sandwich should arrive faster because they 'followed you on Instagram.' Because these days, launching a restaurant is less about culinary innovation and more about surviving a soft launch full of entitled friends, a supply chain held together with duct tape and denial, and a walk-in fridge that's one sausage wheel away from quitting. Still, one winner walked away with real capital, real mentorship, and the mildly terrifying promise of turning a vision into a viable, brick-and-mortar reality. It's part dream, part pressure cooker - and in this economy, perhaps the most optimistic gamble one can make.
