Record number of restaurants receive food closure orders

Safety chiefs served a record number of closure orders on food firms last month, it emerged today.


A total of 13 outlets were hit for breaches of food safety laws in July, with regulators warning businesses to step up hygiene practices or face being shut down.
Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) chief executive Professor Alan Reilly said he was hugely disappointed by the record monthly figure for closures.

"The same recurring, but easily preventable faults continue to contribute to the closure of food businesses and this must be addressed by food businesses operating to unsatisfactory standards," he said.

"Dirty premises, unhygienic practices and improper storage of food simply will not be tolerated.
"Food inspectors across the country are as active as ever during the summer months carrying out food inspections, so that consumers can feel confident about the food they are purchasing."
Closure orders are issued when there is likely to be a grave and immediate danger to public health, or where an improvement order is not complied with.

The order can refer to the immediate closure of all or part of the food premises, or all or some of its activities.

The owners of four food stalls in Dun Laoghaire, Co Dublin, were reprimanded and made to cease trading during the popular Festival of World Cultures.

Failures in food standards were also found at a Chinese food stall at the Oxegen Festival.
July's closure orders were issued by environmental health officers in the HSE West Region, the HSE Dublin North East Region and the HSE Dublin Mid Leinster Region.

Outlets closed included:

:: Cherry Blossom takeaway and restaurant, unit 4 of the Watson and Johnson Centre, Church Road, Greystones, Co Wicklow on July 28. Ongoing.

:: Keenans Butchers and Deli (part of premises), Lanesboro Road, Co Roscommon, on July 23. Ongoing.

:: Liada Bakery Limited, trading as Merkurius D at unit 2, Quinnspares, Durrow, Co Offaly, from July 12. Ongoing.

:: Chinese Fast Food food stall at the Main Stage, Arena 2, Oxegen Festival at Punchestown, Naas, Co Kildare on July 7. Ongoing.

:: In Dun Laoghaire, Co Dublin the Taste of India food stall and a stall occupied by Keziah Mabunde were both closed from July 24 for one day, with Punjab Balti food stall shut on July 25 for a day. A closure order served on the Habesha Food Company food stall has been in place since July 24.

:: Hadi Indian takeaway, Main Street, Ballaghaderreen, Co Roscommon, from July 29 to August 4.
:: Saagar Restaurant on Harcourt Street in Dublin city centre from July 22 to July 26.

:: Rong Xing Supermarket, 157 Parnell Street, Dublin, from July 21 to July 23.

:: Patrick Ivory pub (kitchen only), 61 Castle Street, Dalkey, Co Dublin, from July 19 to July 30.

:: Hanlin Restaurant, 154 Parnell Street, Dublin 1 from July 7 to July 9.

Elsewhere a successful prosecution was also carried out by the HSE Dublin Mid Leinster Region on The Hogan Stand Butcher Shop at unit 2, Lyster House in Lyster Square, Portlaoise.

Equality Tribunal awards ex-hotel manager €100,000

A FORMER general manager at a Dublin city centre hotel has been awarded €100,000 by the Equality Tribunal for victimisation and gender discrimination.

The tribunal found that she was denied access to promotion, was forced to take redundancy and put under pressure to waive her right to legal action.

Denise Batt was employed as a general manager at Comfort Inn Hotel, Parnell Square, between 2003 and 2007.

The tribunal heard that her employer had planned to open a new hotel nearby which would be jointly managed with the Parnell Square hotel.

Ms Batt was told that she would be the preferred candidate for this management job. During her maternity leave she was refused an application for a four-day week but was granted an extension of maternity leave. In February 2007, shortly before she returned to work, the human resources manager told her she would return in a lesser management role.

This manager said she should “be relieved” as there would not be as much pressure on her with a baby to look after. When she objected it was agreed that she would remain in the general manager role.

When she returned to the hotel in March 2007, her colleague was also working as general manager, undermining her own role.

He had been appointed to the management role for the new hotel, but it was not ready yet. Ms Batt did not have the opportunity to interview for the position.

The tribunal heard that it would have been normal for an e-mail to be sent out inviting applications and Ms Batt had complained at not being permitted to interview.

In July 2007 she told her employer she was pregnant. The hotel changed ownership and in August 2007 the new employers told her they were to make her redundant.

She was hospitalised following this meeting due to blood pressure as her medical team feared she might miscarry. Two days after she was released from hospital on bed rest her supervisor called to her home.

He offered her a letter waiving her rights to take legal action in exchange for an opportunity to go on maternity leave. She did not sign this and was sent redundancy papers the following day.
The tribunal described as victimisation the communications to Ms Batt when she was ill and the pressure to waive her legal rights. It also found that she was discriminated against for promotion on gender grounds and by the refusal to grant parental leave.

Goat meat sales offer new opportunities

A NEW interest in eating goat meat across the developed world which will see it go on sale at almost £20 per kilo in Harrods stores in London next month may present opportunities for Irish herd owners.



Goat meat, which is seldom seen in supermarkets or butchers shops has begun appearing on the menu at top London restaurants Fifteen, Pied a Terre and St John, and also at a number of New York eateries.

International wire reports quoted a Harrods spokesperson suggesting roasting the meat or dicing it for stews or curries, adding it could replace lamb in a lot of recipes.

Low in calories, goat meat contains 122 calories per three ounces compared with 162 for chicken, 175 for lamb, 179 for beef and 180 for pork. It also has a lot less fat than all the other meats, at 0.79g compared with 3.0g for beef.

Bruce Langlands, director of the Harrods Food Halls, said goat has been on the culinary backburner in the UK for many years, but they “feel it is the right time to showcase its delicious qualities” to customers.

Bord Bia, the Irish Food Board, said yesterday it is monitoring the reports of the growing interest.

“Goat does appear irregularly on Irish menus but it is a very small niche market here. Goats are being kept here mainly for milk production,” she said.

She said there are currently 10,000 milking goats in Ireland and the main processor of goat milk was the Tullamore-based Glenisk creamery.

Ten days ago, Minister for Agriculture Brendan Smith announced the reopening of the the export of sheep meat from Ireland to Tunisia.

He said Tunisia had also agreed to allow beef into the country as had Morocco which had placed a ban on the import of Irish beef and live cattle nearly 15 years ago.

Thomond Park gig is a piece of cake says celebrity chef Richard Corrigan

Celebrity chef Richard Corrigan who will tog out at Thomond Park for a live cooking demonstration on September 16. THOMOND PARK is to host its first ever live cooking demonstration in September, as internationally renowned Irish chef Richard Corrigan hosts a demonstration of his skills in the legendary rugby ground.

'An Evening with Richard Corrigan', will offer an audience the chance to experience firsthand the work of the master chef, who will also be joined by three of Munster's rising young rugby stars Patrickswell scrum half Conor Murray, North Circular Road man Mike Sherry and Cork's Kieran Essex - members all of Munster's Rugby Academy - will line out with the celebrity chef for the live demonstration.

"I love the alchemy that surrounds Thomond Park, it is honest and pure, just like my cooking, I'm really looking forward to a great night in Limerick," said Corrigan .

"An evening of inspirational recipes, good food and wine, elegance style and fun, I mean come on - that's what it should all be about.

"Food matters, cooking for family and friends is as important to me as sending any morsel out to customers from my kitchen in Mayfair," added the celebrity chef, who has worked in some of the world's top kitchens, as well as appearing regularly on television, from BBC2's 'Master Chef' to Channel 4's 'Jamie's Kitchen' and BBC's 'Full on Food'.

Corrigan opened Lindsay House in Soho, London, in autumn 1997 and was awarded "Outstanding London Chef" at the Carlton London Restaurant Awards in 2000.

Stadium director John Cantwell said that the event was the "first step in working to develop and highlight the quality produce we have in the Munster area".

"Thomond Park is an innovative stadium: this is reflected in the magnitude and latitude of the various events run here. We hope that this is the first of many such events," he said.

The three Munster players will join in with Corrigan in his cooking displays to prepare some recipes that are in keeping with the nutritional advice they have learned as part of their academy training, and academy director Ian Shirwin explained that developing the up and coming for life as a professional player was a very important part of their work.

"We spend a lot of time and effort developing the technical skill and the supporting knowledge but we rethought our approach in 2010 and decided that practical application would solidify the learning so we developed the Munster Academy nutrition, lifestyle and food programme," said Mr Shirwin

Dunne's €379m hotel site plans get green light

DUBLIN City Council has given developer Sean Dunne the go-ahead to build a hotel and apartments on the former Jurys/Berkeley Court site in Dublin 4.

The council has approved plans to build 568 apartments and a 135-bedroom hotel on the six-acre site, subject to 28 conditions including a requirement that he pay €17m in development levies before construction work begins.


Mr Dunne bought the site at the height of the boom for €379m, a record price for land in Ireland.
Previous plans, which included a 37-storey tower, were thrown out after stiff local opposition, and it is likely that this decision will also be appealed.

The new scheme includes a dozen buildings including a 15-storey tower, with shops, restaurants, bars, healthcare facilities and a creche.

Man jailed for £250m plot to 'sell' London Ritz Hotel

A jobless lorry driver who pulled off an "elaborate and outrageous scam" to sell London's Ritz Hotel for £250m has been jailed for five years. Anthony Lee, 49, of Beal, North Yorkshire, found victims who were interested in the hotel in Piccadilly and duped them into handing over £1m.

He was convicted earlier this month of obtaining the money by deception. Southwark Crown Court heard that he pretended to be a close friend of the hotel owners, the Barclay brothers.

Sentencing him, Judge Stephen Robbins said: "You were found guilty by a jury of this elaborate and outrageous scam, purporting to sell the Ritz Hotel, thereby obtaining £1m from your victim."

Jurors heard that Lee was at the heart of the con which was based on "one great big lie".
He convinced potential buyer Terence Collins that he was a "close friend and associate" of the reclusive billionaire Barclay brothers who own the prestigious hotel.

But Sir Frederick and Sir David Barclay had never heard of Lee and were completely unaware he was claiming to be able to sell the landmark building.

'Reputations ruined'

Mr Collins turned to Dutch billionaire financier Marcus Boekhoorn to finance the £1m payment in December 2006, telling him the owners had "secretive reasons" for selling the property through a third party.

But the sale never happened, the promised paperwork never materialised and the money was never returned, the jury heard.

In court, Lee claimed the £1m payment related to a separate property deal he had with Mr Collins.

And Mr Collins had agreed to refer to the payment as an introductory fee for a deal in Flaxby, North Yorkshire, "for accounting reasons".

However Mr Boekhoorn, whose money it was, had never heard anything about this arrangement, the court was told.

The owners of the Ritz knew nothing of the sale

The judge said: "This con or scam or sting was probably motivated by your mistaken belief that Terry Collins had deprived you of another potentially lucrative property deal and it may be that this offence was done out of revenge."

Det Sgt Ridler, who led the two-year investigation for North Yorkshire Police and received a judicial commendation from the judge, said Lee's actions had not been "victimless".

"It was well-planned, it was well thought out and there were victims," he said. "Reputations were ruined."

After the four-week trial, Patrick Dolan, of Philip Lane, Tottenham, north London, was cleared of a conspiracy charge.

Solicitor Conn Farrell, 57, from Aldershot, Hampshire, was also cleared of trying to fraudulently sell the hotel.

First Lifestyle Airport Hotel to open in Beijing

Langham Place, Beijing Capital Airport opens on August 16, 2010 with a bold new mission: to revolutionize the way we see airport hotels.

Featuring DJs in the lobby, loft-style apartments and a stimulating 24-hour high-tech environment for work and play, Langham Place, Beijing Capital Airport will be the first airport hotel in the world to make downtown guests green with envy.

“We are not just creating a convenient stopover hotel but one of the most fun places to be in the capital of the world’s largest nation.” said General Manager Mark Francis. “We aim to make staying at the airport in Beijing an exciting thing to do!”

Cutting edge design, state-of-the-art technology and heaps of attitude are the hallmarks of this up-to-the-minute five-star lifestyle hotel that is situated right next to Beijing Capital International Airport’s iconic Sir Norman Foster-designed Terminal 3, just 10 minutes to the New China International Exhibition Centre and a mere 15-minute ride to the city on the Airport Express Railway.

The hotel also embraces the culture of Beijing with an art gallery showcasing unique contemporary Chinese artwork and a LIFE! boutique selling a selection of quirky and cool local designer and Langham Place branded gifts.

All 372 stylish guest rooms and suites (45 sq m – 300 sq m) are luxuriously appointed with signature Dream Big Beds, marble bathrooms with oversized baths and separate walk-in rain showers and gadgets galore like internet protocol phones, iPod docs, large flat-panel TVs, DVD / CD players, and WiFi.

Club perks are taken to new heights with the massive and exclusive two-level Club L lounge open around the clock and serving complimentary breakfast, all-day snacks, afternoon tea and evening cocktails and canapés, and providing useful and entertaining extras such as a boardroom, internet pods, a pool table and game stations.

Bars and restaurants include the 24-hour bar and internet hub Portal - Work & Play which allows guest to blur the boundaries between business and pleasure by accessing WiFi on big screens in a relaxed and fun setting. A more elegant Chinese dining experience is on offer at Ming Court, while The Place serves favourites from around the world. Guests can also rock into the night at Fuel which features hot bands and DJs and big screens for sporting events. And there’s more to come next March when interactive Japanese Robatayaki & Bar, Tokoro, opens.

There’s no excuse for not keeping fit either with the jetlag and stress-busting 24-hour Cardio Studio, equipped with the latest in revival technology, the greatest personal trainers and the loveliest lakeside views.

The hotel is perfect for meetings and events with over 2,700 sq m of gorgeous natural-light-filled function space ranging from 40 sq m to 800 sq m for anything from high-powered corporate meetings to the most glamorous of weddings, gala dinners and cocktail receptions.

Travellers can take advantage of the complimentary airport shuttle bus service. Painted from top to bottom in the trademark Langham pink, even the hotel’s buses have attitude!

For more information on Langham Place, Beijing Capital Airport visit:
beijingairport.langhamplacehotels.com

Cloned cow milk claim prompts urgent investigation

Stores seek to reassure shoppers over report that milk from offspring of a cloned cow is on sale in Britain.

Dairies, supermarkets and food regulators are urgently investigating claims that milk from the offspring of a cloned cow is on sale in Britain in apparent breach of the law.

As stores sought to reassure shoppers over milk supplies, which were worth £3.5bn last year, campaigners called for an EU-wide ban on the sale of food that could be sourced back to clones.
Research has suggested strong consumer opposition to such food but the EU has still to reach a verdict on the issue. The UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) believes that EU rules on novel foods ensure no food from clones' offspring can be legally sold without a scientific assessment as to whether it is safe.

No applications for authorisation have been made either to the FSA or the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). Any breach of this requirement could lead to a fine of up to £5,000. Food from clones themselves are banned.

European authorities have been caught on the hop, despite the US Food and Drug Administration deciding more than two years ago that meat and milk of clones and their offspring was safe, thus clearing the way for them to be sold in the States.

The EFSA, based in Parma, Italy, said in 2008 there was no indication from limited research that food from cloned pigs and cattle or their progeny would be any less safe than conventionally reared livestock, but raised concerns over health and welfare issues in the animals. The commission in Brussels recently requested further information and last month MEPs voted to ban the sale of meat and milk derived from cloned animals. A further formal scientific opinion from EFSA is not expected until October.

Dairy Crest, one of the largest milk producers in the UK, said it would carry out further checks on its suppliers, stressing they were already subject to regular inspections. About 70% of its milk comes from 1,400 suppliers – mainly farms – with the remaining 30% from third-party producers such as co-ops.

Marks & Spencer, which recently unveiled a new partnership with farmers giving incentives for improving animal living conditions, said reports from its stores today suggested shoppers were not worried about the claims. "Our customers can enjoy our milk safe in the knowledge that it comes from British farms with the highest standards," said a spokeswoman.

Waitrose said: "As a retailer with high standards of animal welfare, our position on this issue is simple. Waitrose does not sell milk or meat from cloned animals. We have absolute traceability for all our food and we only source from farms we know and trust."

Dr Steve Griggs, who led FSA research on consumer reaction to food from clones' offspring, said: "The overwhelming majority either did not want it or were unsure. They struggled to identify any convincing benefits for them as consumers. There were concerns about the ethical side of animal cloning, indeed whether we have the moral right to go down this road."

The RSPCA said: "Cloning has huge potential to cause unnecessary pain, suffering and distress which cannot be justified by purely commercial benefits."

On Thursday, the International Herald Tribune reported that an unnamed UK farmer was selling milk from a cow bred from a clone. The farmer said he was selling embryos from the same cow to breeders in Canada.

An FSA spokeswoman said: "Since 2007 the FSA interpretation of the law has been that meat and products from clones and their offspring are considered novel foods and would therefore need to be authorised before being placed on the market.

"As the UK authority responsible for accepting novel food applications the agency has not received any applications relating to cloning and no authorisations have been made. The agency will of course investigate any reports of unauthorised novel foods entering the food chain."

Three years ago it emerged that a calf from a cloned cow was born on a British farm. The farm reportedly bought frozen embryos from a cow that had been cloned by the US biotech firm Cyagra Clone.

Salads saltier than a Big Mac, says survey

Manufacturers of ready-to-eat salads have “a long way to go” in producing low-salt foods after a new survey revealed that one in ten salads contains more salt than a Big Mac.

The UK’s Consensus Action on Salt and Health (CASH) has found that the ready-to-eat salads on sale in UK supermarkets have massive fluctuations in the salt they contain. Of the 270 salads surveyed only six contained less salt than a packet of potato crisps, said CASH.

“Clearly the manufacturers still have a long way to go if we are to reduce our salt intake to 6g a day and save the maximum number of lives. Every gram of salt removed from our diet is estimated to prevent 6,000 deaths from heart attacks, heart disease and strokes per year, creating potential healthcare savings of £1.5billion per year,” said Professor Graham MacGregor of the Wolfson Institute of Preventive Medicine and Chairman of CASH.

Salt – a little but not too much

Salt is of course a vital nutrient and is necessary for the body to function, but the average daily salt consumption in the western world, between 10 and 12g, vastly exceeds recommendations from WHO/FAO of 5 grams per day to control blood pressure levels and reduce hypertension prevalence and related health risks in populations.

And with 80 per cent of salt intake coming from processed foods, many countries have initiated salt reduction programmes, with many holding up the UK’s Food Standards Agency as the torch bearer for national initiatives.

The benefits of a salt global salt reduction strategy were given blinding clarity by a meta-analysis published in The Lancet Chronic Diseases Series in 2007, which concluded that reducing salt intake around the world by 15 per cent could prevent almost nine million deaths between 2006 and 2015.

Survey results

CASH surveyed 270 salad and pasta bowls from supermarkets, high street cafes and fast food chains and found that, despite relatively high levels in some products, progress has been made towards low-salt reformulations.

Compared to 2005 data, the most recent survey showed an average reduction in the salt content in supermarket salads of 23 per cent, from 1.64 grams per portion to 1.26 grams today.
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Some products continue to contain high levels however, with the worst offender found to be a Spicy Crayfish Noodle salad from EAT., which contains 3.51g of salt per portion – over half the FSA’s recommended daily amount.

“Many women choose salad as a healthy and convenient lunch, particularly when watching their waistline” said Katharine Jenner, CASH Campaign Manager. “Rather than feeling healthy however, they often feel bloated and sluggish, symptoms of ‘water retention’, which can be caused by the hidden salt in these salads.

“In the long term the health problems are more serious as salt intake is linked to osteoporosis and high blood pressure. Given the healthy image of salads it’s surprising to find that they contain such high levels of unnecessary salt,” she added.

Encouragement

Commenting on the results of the survey, Victoria Taylor, senior heart health dietitian at the British Heart Foundation, said: “If you’re trying to look after your heart health by having a salad instead of fast food it can be frustrating to find your supposedly healthy option comes laden with salt.

“Some of the salads in this survey provide more than half the recommended daily amount of salt for an adult in just one dish. Over time, eating a diet high in salt can increase your risk of raised blood pressure, which is linked to heart disease and stroke.

“While it’s encouraging that some products have been reformulated since the last survey in 2005, we clearly need to go further to give people a broader choice for lunch on the go with options that are healthy in terms of salt as well as calories, fat and sugar. These need to be clearly labelled too so people know what’s really in the food they buy.”

Chef Ramsay in Tax Trouble

Celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay has been dealt a further blow after his company was hit with a demand for more than $2 million (£1.3 million) in unpaid taxes.
U.S. authorities have sent the beleaguered British chef's firm three outstanding tax bills in the last eight months. The most recent demand, sent last month, totalled a massive $484,500 (£323,000).

A spokesperson for Gordon Ramsay Holdings confirms the taxes are not the reality TV star's personal liabilities.

The rep says, "This relates specifically to a restaurant operation in New York which has been restructured. Conversations are in hand with U.S. authorities to settle outstanding corporate liabilities."

The news comes just two days after Ramsay was forced to shut down his restaurant in Cape Town, South Africa, on Friday.

Ramsay has recently been hit with a series of lawsuits over allegedly unpaid bills - fuelling rumours his business empire is in trouble

Celebrity chef cooks up a profit at his Michelin-star Dublin restaurant

ONE of the country’s most exclusive restaurants, the Michelin-starred Thornton’s, owned and operated by celebrity chef Kevin Thornton, returned to profit last year.

Abridged accounts just filed to the Companies Office by Conted Ltd, trading as Thornton’s Restaurant, show the 80-seater Dublin restaurant recorded an after-tax profit of €37,990 to the end of August last year, compared to a post tax loss of €17,354 in 2008.

In spite of the return to profit in a financial year which saw the closure of another Dublin-based Michelin-starred restaurant, Mint, Conted Ltd had total net liabilities of €52,590 at the end of August last year.

As a result, in a note to the accounts, Conted Ltd’s directors, Kevin Thornton and his wife, Muriel state they have "considered the uncertainty in the current economic and financial environment and are confident that the company will be in a position to trade through these difficult trading circumstances and continue to take appropriate steps to manage its business activities in this environment. The shareholders have indicated their willingness to continue to provide continued financial support".

The note adds: "In view of the foregoing, the directors are of the opinion that the accounts should be prepared on a going concern basis."

The company’s total net liabilities and the financial statements being prepared on a going concern basis also drew the attention of the firm’s auditors, Howarth Bastow Charlton.

As the accounts are abridged, they provide limited financial information and do not disclose turnover.

Thornton’s restaurant was first established in Portobello in 1995 before moving to its present location on St Stephen’s Green in 2002.

Cashel native, Kevin Thornton was the first Irish chef to receive the rare accolade of two Michelin stars and Thornton’s is today one of only six Irish restaurants to attain a Michelin star – Patrick Guilbaud in Dublin’s Merrion Square remains Ireland’s only two-star restaurant

BBC cancels Blanc's Restaurant

BBC Two programme The Restaurant, fronted by celebrity chef Raymond Blanc, will not return to TV screens, it has been confirmed. The reality show focused on couples competing for a chance to open a restaurant financially backed by Blanc. A BBC statement said "the time is right for The Restaurant to close its doors after three successful series."

Blanc is currently "in discussions" with the BBC about a new series of Kitchen Secrets and other projects.

The announcement comes as BBC Two launches its autumn and winter schedule.

China: The new fast food nation

Consumers around the world have developed a taste for American fast food, but demand for fried chicken sandwiches and pepperoni pizza appears to be particularly strong in China.

Yum Brands, the parent company of KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell, said Tuesday that profits from its operations in China surged 33% in the second quarter.

The company, which has over 36,000 fast food restaurants in more than 100 countries, generates about 60% of its profits in overseas markets, the largest of which is China.

Yum opens one new KFC in mainland China almost every day. It already has nearly 3,000 of the fried chicken restaurants operating in 650 Chinese cities. That's in addition to 560 Pizza Hut locations.

The company aims to eventually open at least 20,000 fast food outlets in mainland China. In the second quarter alone, Yum opened 59 restaurants in China, bringing the total for this year to 155 restaurants.

"A key driver of our overall growth continues to be new unit development in China and Yum Restaurants International," David Novak, the company's chief executive, said in a statement.