Smokin'

Suitably for the Burning Night Group, its latest opening has a fiery theme. Smokin’, just launched in Leeds, is a barbecue restaurant in the American style (think low’n’slow cooked meat and fish dishes). The group is based in Leeds, which informed its choice of the city for Smokin’ – although given chief executive Allan Harper’s comment that he wants Leeds customers “to be the first to experience what we think is something special” suggests a roll-out.

Ivy Collection

Followers of roll-outs, meanwhile, must watch the march of the Ivy Collection with interest. The latest site is in York for the company, which has taken the concept of the famed original London restaurant and planted it in towns and cities from Edinburgh to Harrogate to Bristol. The York Ivy, opening in January, will be a brasserie with leather banquettes and a marble-topped bar. Manchester and Leeds are in the planning stages, we hear.

Peaky Blinders

It’s back on TV and now it’s in Liverpool too… We’re talking Peaky Blinders, but there’s no connection between the period crime show and the bar beyond the name and a 1920s vibe. The Southport-based bar is opening a second site in the new year and unlike the original, it’s on two floors in a converted brewery and has lots of original features that fit the theme. Expect a wide range of beers and wines, plus vintage-sounding cocktails.

Black Sheep Coffee

It’s got 18 sites in London and now Black Sheep Coffee has arrived in Manchester. As the name suggests, there’s more to this than a decent Americano… some of the company’s branches in the capital offer cocktails too, and the company’s first Manchester spot, in Piccadilly Place, will serve alcohol. Meanwhile a second site is already planned for Spring Gardens next year. No doubt customers will come flocking (sorry).

Tinto

Didsbury’s food scene gets a new star signing with the arrival of Tinto. Located on Wilmslow Road, it’s the work of Ignacio Perez-Barreiro, the chef who was behind the success of La Tasca chain. The menu sounds strong on Spanish-influenced grill dishes such as Menorcan milk-fed lamb and Galician beef, plus produce from the wholesaler that Perez-Barreiro and his wife Natalia set up some 16 years ago.

Yukti

Those who enjoy the Indian fine dining at Yukti will find the food at the company’s second Liverpool opening a bit different. Yukti Indian Street Fusion, on Renshaw Street is a two-storey restaurant with the bustling atmosphere of street food, so popular in India. But given the location, there’s also a strong nod to the city’s music connections – Beatles memorabilia and music will be all around, as well as instrumental Indian music (we’d expect George Harrison’s My Sweet Lord too).

Matt Farrell

Belated congratulations to Matt Farrell, who won Young Entrepreneur of the Year at the recent Downtown in Business awards, also known more cheekily as the ‘Livercool’ prizes. As well as co-running the Graffiti Spirits Group, Farrell does a huge amount to promote the city, so it’s a fitting accolade. The group operates six sites in the city and has plans for more in 2018.

Aiden Byrne

Big transfer news –star chef Aiden Byrne is leaving his position at Living Ventures to join D&D London. However he’s staying in Manchester, as he’ll be launching a large restaurant, bar and grill for the company in the No1 Spinningfields building. Called 20 Stories, there’s no surprise that there will be a rooftop terrace to capture those views, but the name also references the building’s past as a newspaper office too. Byrne is working on a menu of modern British dishes ahead of a February launch.

India Silvani-Jones

One of the biggest stories of the year, and promising to get bigger in 2018, is the rise of vegan restaurants. Now India Silvani-Jones, the Leeds-based chef who has run vegan pop-ups and supperclubs, is crowd-funding to start a plant-based café, deli and cookery school. Called The Jungle Kitchen, Silvani-Jones hopes to spread the word about vegan dishes and cookery and is hoping to raise £3,000 via Kickstarter.

Stephen Crawley

Also in Liverpool, veteran brewing expert Stephen Crawley has a huge new project with the launch of H1780. As you’d expect from the man who ran Caledonian, and acquired Higsons and the Liverpool Craft Beer Company, developing the multimillion-pound site is no drama. As well as producing a new Higsons recipe and Love Lane beers in an on-site brewery, there’s a distillery and retail space in the former warehouse.

A dedicated platform for senior roles within the hospitality industry

To advertise, get in touch at careers@codehospitality.co.uk

Felicity Cloake pays a visit to Wreckfish, Liverpool

Food media is dominated by women. So why aren't we writing about female chefs?

How to open a restaurant

Marina O’Loughlin on Arras, York

Fri 8 Dec

• Meat Lust Presents: Sauce and the City - The Christmas Special

Sat 9 Dec

• GRUB Christmas Food Fair
 
• Belgrave Christmas Feast

Thurs 14 Dec

• Runaway for Supper with Yakumama

Fri 15 Dec

• Winter Table by Kiosk / Shutishuti / Food Circle
 
• The Walled Gardens Supperclub

The speculation is over…. It was announced last Friday that Grace Dent will be taking over the prestigious restaurant review column in The Guardian, vacated in October by Marina O’Loughlin, who’s now at the Sunday Times. After being limited to London restaurants for the capital’s free ES magazine, she commented that “It’s time that, on a regular basis, I left the M25 and had my dinner everywhere else.” The Dumbwaiter looks forward to her first column in January.

From Beaverbrook to Blacklock. Click here for The Dumbwaiter’s best bites of the week.

Rosso Restaurant & Bar

Monday - Thursday | 20% off food

Walrus

Sunday - Thursday | 25% off food plus drinks offers