Friday Wrap: A round-up of the week's hospitality news

Story of the week: Heston Blumenthal will not face legal action over the food poisoning outbreak at his three-Michelin-starred restaurant the Fat Duck, Windsor and Maidenhead Council announced this week. 

Gordon Ramsay has parted company with the chief financial officer of his multi-Michelin-starred restaurant group. Although documents were filed at Companies House last week stating that Gordon Ramsay Holdings had "terminated" Nick Fletcher's appointment, it is believed that he left the group a few months ago.

The majority of small hotel and catering operators believe the recession has made their business more efficient, research has revealed. In the survey of nearly 150 hotels and caterers by Barclays Local Business, 64% said the tough economic climate has made them more efficient, while 45% said they have made customer service improvements.

Pierre Koffmann's pop–up restaurant at Selfridges has been extended for the third time. The former three-Michelin-starred chef patron of the famous La Tante Claire restaurant will now run the temporary eatery on the roof of the Oxford Street store from 2 November to 27 November.

The Government received £174m less beer tax in the first nine months of 2009, compared to the same period last year, despite huge hikes in the duty that were designed to bring in more revenue, according to the BBPA.

Industry veteran Victor Ceserani has been awarded an honorary doctorate at Thames Valley University in recognition of his contribution to education. The tribute coincided with the 90th birthday celebrations for the chef, teacher and author who pioneered catering education in the UK.

InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) has signed a deal to open its second InterContinental-branded hotel in London. The company has agreed a 20-year management contract with franchisee Splendid Hotel Group for a 254-room six storey property in Westminster, scheduled to open in late 2011.

IHG has also signed a deal to open a new 218-room Holiday Inn hotel at the MediaCityUK in Manchester. The development will house 2,500 BBC staff from five departments, when it opens in 2011.

Former Caterer and Hotelkeeper Acorn winner Andrew Coney has been appointed general manager of a new, £20m hotel in York. The Grand hotel and spa is being developed by Yorkshire-based hotel group Cedar Court, which has four hotels in the region, as its first five-star venue.

McDonald's announced that it is "helping to power homes and buildings across the UK" in a London-based initiative that diverts restaurant waste away from landfill sites and converts it into energy.

Local restaurants and chain operators are alienating customers with policies such as automatically adding service charge to the bill and charging for bread that was not asked for, experts have warned.

The team behind celebrity hangouts Mahiki, Whisky Mist and The Punch Bowl is to open a new bar in the City of London next month. Kanaloa, the latest venture from Nick House and Piers Adam, aims to break the mould of the male-dominated Square Mile by specifically targeting women.

Greene King, the brewer and pub operator, is to quit its membership of the British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA) next September.

Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) is being prosecuted after environmental health inspectors reported finding cockroaches, mice and flies at one of its busiest UK restaurants.

Legislation forcing New York restaurants to put calorie information on their menus is leading to diners making healthier choices, Government research has revealed.
 

Editor's Pick 
Interview: Masterchef: The Professionals winner Steve Groves 
Video: Michel Roux pastry masterclass
Blog: Celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain becomes a cartoon character
Menuwatch: The Cheerful Soul (run by the 2008 winners of The Restaurant) 
 
 
Quote of the Week 
"Alain Passard was the one who really made the mark on my life, because he used vegetables like meat and fish."
Mauro Colagreco pays tribute to his mentor