The CODE Bulletin

Dear

Conversation around the dinner table the other night turned to businesses and customer loyalty. Whether you're an airline, a shop, a hotel or restaurant - you need to reward loyalty in some way. We all know the importance of repeat business in this industry, especially with the ever increasing level of competition, and making customers feel special and valued is vital.

For me, it’s often the unquantifiable actions by a restaurant - such as the ease of being able to book a table or a complimentary glass of something every once in a while - that harnesses the greatest customer loyalty. And, of course, this cannot really be done through technology - it’s all about the human touch.

Have a good week.

Adam

Greyhound Café

Berners Street meets Bangkok with the launch of the Greyhound Café in January. The popular Thai brand (fashion and food) already has 17 branches but this is the first outside Asia; it will have a similar bright décor, sounds and menu. Expect ‘angry pasta’, ‘complicated noodles’ and other large and small plates inspired by, says founder Bhanu Inkawat, everything from foreign travels to midnight fridge raids. Intriguing.

EKTE Nordic Kitchen

Last call for openings in the Bloomberg Arcade! The stellar line up of the now-open centre is completed with EKTE Nordic Kitchen, a new Norwegian restaurant. It won’t open till April, but the 60-seater space sounds tailor-made for the City – swish Scandi sandwiches and pastries, and healthy lunch offerings. The man behind it, Danish-born restaurateur Soren Jessen, knows the market – he previously launched 1 Lombard Street.

Foodism 100

Here at CODE we support any initiative to recognise sustainability in the industry, so it’s good news that Foodism is launching the Foodism 100, to recognise the venues and businesses that put good ethics at the centre of what they do. There are categories from fine dining to street food, pop-ups to pubs and after voting closes on 10 November, there will be a shortlist of 100– the top 10 will then be announced in January. More details here.

Broadleaf

A greenhouse in the City? Not quite, but new bar and restaurant Broadleaf will have something of the Victorian glasshouse to its design, courtesy of Russell Sage Studio (think ironwork and botanical prints). The November opening will offer, like the other sites in the ETM stable, modern British food as well as a large variety of beers. Stone-throwing not encouraged, we imagine.

BrewPub

Talking of brews, there’s a lot of thirsty fundraisers out there – BrewDog has raised £2.5m for expansion by crowdfunding, and plans to open its first bar with a microbrewery inside. The BrewPub will be in the refurbished neo-gothic Minster Building on Great Tower Street, offering craft beers to City folk in a huge 8,500sq ft, 400-capacity site. Some of that fundraising will also go towards a ‘dedicated craft beer television network’, BrewDog says. May we suggest BrewView as a name?

Source: Propel

Cook for Syria

Clerkenwell Boy and crew got a well-deserved plaudit at the OFM Awards for their #CookforSyria fundraising and it’s great to see the initiative back this November for year two. A brilliant line-up of chefs and restaurateurs will put a Syrian-inspired dish on their menu for the month and donate £2 from each dish to the charity. There’s a swanky dinner at Petersham Nurseries and a #BakeforSyria event too. Check out cookforsyria.com for more information.

Matt Roberts

We’re more used to hearing about wine, cocktails and beers than healthy juices, but fitness figurehead Matt Roberts wants to change that with the launch of his café, opening next month on Berkeley Street, Mayfair. Matt Roberts Daily Dose will offer an array of high-protein drinks, with ‘cleansing boxes’ available from early next year. We might see you in the queue at 7am from 6 November.

James Ramsden

Remember the stellar Secret Larder Supper Club set up by James Ramsden? It’s back for one night only at Magpie, Ramsden and Sam Herlihy’s Heddon Street space. The pair are joined by Dan Doherty, Tom Oldroyd and Ravinder Bhogal for a dinner at £75 a head on 12 November. Proceeds go to the Shelterbox homeless charity. Click here for more information.

Senior Roles, Gerber Communications

Gerber is hiring for Senior Comms roles (AMs/ADs) and a Head of Digital. We are an innovative, forward-thinking integrated communications agency working with restaurants, bars, hotels and brands in London, New York and Ibiza. We work strategically to deliver results that actually matter across traditional media, social, and digital. We’re looking for people who are driven and think of the bigger picture, and who are genuinely passionate about food, drink and the restaurant industry.

Click here to read more and apply

General Manager & Sous Chef, Santo Remedio

Santo Remedio is seeking an inspirational and talented GM and Sous Chef to lead our fantastic team at our new 100-cover Mexican restaurant and upstairs Tequila & Mezcal bar in London Bridge. We strive to provide the best authentic Mexican regional cuisine, drinks and exceptional hospitality. If you want to be part of our exciting venture, described by Eater London as one of “The 18 Hottest Restaurants in London Right Now” please get in touch.

Click here to read more and apply

Jay Rayner writes a restaurant love letter to The Game Bird at the Stafford

Nice people serving pleasant food and wine in a comfortable place. Thumbs up for Noizé from Fay Maschler

Grace Dent hops on the Victoria Line and is reminded that Brixton is still worth visiting, especially for Salon

24 hours in San Sebastian

Chef Nuno Mendes on Lisbon

The art of the dinner party

Mon 30 Oct

Tues 31 Oct

Thurs 2 Nov

Fri 3 Nov

How many Michelin stars can you fit into one room? The Dumbwaiter joined in the 10th anniversary celebrations of Alain Ducasse at the Dorchester last Monday evening. The French chef welcomed guests into his three Michelin star restaurant in Mayfair where they dined on caviar, foie gras and gnocchi with white truffle. The Dumbwaiter spotted Gordon Ramsay, Pierre Koffmann, Anne-Sophie Pic, Clare Smyth, Tom Kitchin and Claude Bosi.

A rare outing to 5 Hertford Street last week for The Dumbwaiter for dinner in the Mediterranean restaurant on the top floor of Robin Birley’s private members’ club. While the club’s band played throughout dinner, The Dumbwaiter noticed a certain Jools Holland at another table. Sadly he didn’t feel inclined to tickle the ivories that night.

From Neal’s Yard to Noel Road. Click here for The Dumbwaiter’s best bites of the week.

The Coal Shed

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