Is the chicken good? No, it's foul
The 5pm blog has investigated unfortunately translated menus before. The Telegraph seems to have unearthed some more unappetising gaffes. ...
Author archives for Jonathan
Islay on a plate
Just back from a press trip to Islay where we were almost miraculously blessed with two days of sunshine. Apparently, it had rained every day during August and most days in September. For the people of Islay, two days of bright, dry...
Ondine launches
Despite a couple of short delays, Roy Brett’s first solo venture, Ondine, launches in Edinburgh tomorrow. After years spent working with people like Mark Hix and Rick Stein, as well as helping to launch the Malmaison brand with Ken...
Charity cup cakes
At the risk of being accused of sexism, I think it is fair to point out that probably more women than men might be aware that we are in the middle of National Cup Cake week. Whatever your beard-growing capabilities, you may be interested...
Farewell Floyd
The 5pm team was saddened to hear of Keith Floyd’s death last night. A pioneer among TV chefs, he blazed a trail, usually with a glass in hand, for many of today’s best known pot-bashers. A larger than life character, he led...
Food heroes on film
Meryl Streep discovering the joy of food in the film Julie and Julia Much as I enjoyed being provoked by Borat earlier this year, it’s good to see that you don’t have to be an equal opportunities offender to draw a good crowd at the Box...
Slumdog beats and banquet
Dancing will be on the menu at the new Slumdog bar and kitchen Following on from a chat with Charan Gill, we have more details about his new Slumdog venture on Sauchiehall Street. As the former owner of the massive Ashoka brand of Indian...
Eat the weekend away
The Scottish Food and Drink Fortnight moves onto the main courses this weekend with eatBute and the East Renfrewshire Food Festival. On Bute, this means food and craft fairs, cookery demos, market tours with chefs and tasting sessions. The...
Fancy a dram?
Whisky heads will be nosing their way towards the Thistle Hotel in Glasgow this Saturday for the annual Whisky Live event. The event has shrunk a bit from previous years and is now held on just the one day which is split into two sessions...
Service with a smile
Tales of waiting staff venting their frustrations crop up fairly regularly but this one in the Mail is fairly spectacular. ...
Fungi update
My pride and joy We still have some way to go before we reach The Good Life levels of self sufficiency but our fungi-growing experiment is going well. Five days after activating our mini-mushroom farm, the first woodland oysters have...
Master of the quiz
Following on from yesterday’s link to C4’s foodie quiz, the ever fab Guardian Word of Mouth blog have launched their own version here. I can see these food quizzes becoming the next weapon in dinner party one upmanship. Never...
Wine mark-ups corked
If ever you needed proof that London’s restaurant economy operates on another planet then take a look at this report on the Big Hospitality website. Bob Bob Ricard restaurant, which opened earlier this year, has capped the mark-up on...
Building a cocktail
At the risk of sounding obsessed, the weird and wonderful Bompas and Parr boys are at it again. I’ve blogged about them a fair bit on here in relation to the Hendrick’s Carriage of Curiosities but, strange as that experience...
Food fight
Did anyone else watch Channel 4’s Food Fight Quiz last night? I loved the first round in which the competitors had to name ten different variations on an ingredient in under twenty seconds. Team captains Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall...
Table manners alive and kicking
No texting at the table, me hearties Back in July, we reported on Debenhams launching their civilised dining campaign. Upset at the idea that people were buying more forks than knives, the campaign was supposed to highlight the importance...