BertieWooster

It's a little more complicated than that. Supermarkets would, after all, rather charge higher prices for most products because the margins will tend to be higher. Demand for chicken is relatively elastic; as soon as prices rise it will be replaced in the average shopping-basket by other meats (or pseudo-meats). So demand from punters keeps prices down, and the supermarkets comply for fear of losing market-share. And with three of the supermarkets engaged in a price, rather than a quality, war (even if the slogan at Asda is 'you can't take on Tesco over price', that's exactly what they're doing with their current marketing campaign) increases in the price of chickens are systemically unlikely. However, to take a wider view, this comes about because of a lack of education. If, as is generally happening, people start to view battery eggs in the way they now view drinking and driving, and increasingly, smoking, a moral element is attached, which might affect the level of acceptable price. Of course, eggs are probably more crucial to diet (and therefore allowing more inelastic demand) than the chicken itself. UNderlying it all is the operation of global trade and the strange rulings of the OFT. Recently, the supermarkets were fined massively for operating a cartel over the price of milk. Which they were. What wasn't reported was that the higher milk price was also being returned to the producers. I'm not saying the supermarkets were being entirely alturistic, but they were attempting as part of their policy to support prices which had fallen to levels where farmers were losing money on milk production--the supermarkets needed to keep their suppliers operating of course. This was done with the knowledge of the NFU and MAFF, to support this sector of the industry. SO, decisions of the OFT, supposedly based in EU law (but not actually), stopped supermarkets supporting farmers. Now, milk is again more inelastic than chicken production. BUt, if we really want people to buy 'better' meat (and not just chicken, but pork, beef whatever), we have to find a way of supporting farmers to produce, fending off cheaper foreign imports, and making it morally unacceptable not to pay more for food. If the supermarkets and the farmers came together to agree a price that allowed farmers to stay in operation and make profits producing 'good' meat, if this was combined with proper labelling legislation so that only meat produced in the UK under such standards could be promoted as such (rather than meat being re-labelled as British because it is butchered here or packaged here), and crucially if there was a major campaign over a number of years to buy British because of quality and standards, you might start to get somewhere. Not that the OFT, and possibly the EU, would wear it!

think its just us two. Course, somebody might be hiding under a nom-de-plume, but that would never do.

He's involved with the Board, but he still doesn't get the branding right. Museum, indeed. Harrumph. *Admits to also having a professional interest in T'Modern* Still, its very good. Especially the monkfish. And the JOhn Dory. Actually, the latter is one of those dishes thats so simply and effectively constructed it simply rejects gastronomic flights of fancy. Damn. Good. And the cocktails aren't bad either. Otherwise on the modern British, there's the City INn which is very near Piccadilly. Excellent food, but its a hotel, which means it can be a little cavernous. The Market Restaurant in the NOrthern Quarter used to be my favourite place in the city. ITs like a seventies throwback, but lovely nosh. If you're prepared for a trip, there's Juniper of course, which tests the 30 minutes I would think, or Jem&I in Didisbury, which, despite the awful name, is an excellent bistro-ish type place. Heathcote's new Grado in the city centre is also worth mentioning, spanish tapas-y, getting rave reviews.

Yeah, but Bosi and Hibiscus are one, he's the chef-patron, slightly different...

Pretty sure it's the restaurant rather than the chef that has the stars. So Wignall might be billed as a 'michelin-awarded chef' but he doesn't have his star at the Latymer, the Dev keeps it. Of course, a starred chef leaving will usually/often trigger a re-visit and re-appraisal, as happened when the Schwabs left Winteringham Fields. And, vice-versa, a previously awarded chef will often more easily regain a star at a new place than if they hadn't been previosly rewarded (see Gueller at the Box Tree who got a star within a few months of opening there). SO I'm assuming Hibiscus even after the move remains a two-star, with no offical cut-off point, but the move to the bigger place would have led to some re-vsiits, and with the mixed press, might lead to a drop back to a single*.

Helmsley fast becoming the new Torquay/Ludlow, with Andrew Burton, late of Swinton Park (which deserved a star for its Samuel's restuarant), moving to the Black Swan. Menus look good, haven't had a chance to go yet. Apparently the clientele is still rather aged and country though. Not quite sure how Burton is still going to be on the Schrager TV programme as the schtick is he's head at Swinton, but apparently that's still the plan. Swinton, meanwhile, is suffering. THe food is great, but the service on a recent visit was dreadful. Seemed like only a handful of people were in the kitchen.

worth visiting in the summer (should the sun appear), the garden is lovely, and the views while dining are worth that extra drive.

I'm just disappointed that the survivalist thing with Gordon, Jamie and Hugh was only an ident and not a real programme. Bets were being taken on who would kill who first, and wh would cook the remains.

Well the Dev is still mentioning Wignall as their Executive Head Chef, so they obviously haven't recruited a name replacement yet.

Have you been since Michael Wignall moved to Latymer at the Pennyhill Park hotel in Bagshott late last year: click? ← Oh, you're so up with the news... No. Grr.

Haven't eaten at Anthony's in a year (jeez...), but some of Garry's reports early last year were suggesting they were accepting they wouldn't get a star and concentrating on other things. Anthony's at Flannels has a Bib which I'm starting to think shows places with more interesting cooking than (huge generalization) many of the one stars. LCS and Petrus were meals of last year, both worthy two stars. Arbutus was nice, and is a regular when in thatLondon because I can eat on my own at the bar, but star material? Missed Sat Bains, menu too limited for food faddists, but waiting to return to L'Enclume in April for full-on two day experience. One of the shining elements of LCS as I've said before was the lack of pomposity in the dining room, which added to the diners' experience but probably not to thir chances of getting a third. Very pompous but with wonderful food is still the Dev Arms at Bolton Abbey, four rosettes, must be teetering on two*. And The Box Tree to lose their one, please (I say that every year). Overton Grange in Ludlow did deserve one, though again didn't go last year... Contrary to Camdan, I find the problem to be at the one* end (but then I don't eat in enough three*). THere's a standard of one* cooking that's obviously designed to hit the mark with the inspectors but which is basically unsatisfying. My most commonly used word to describe one* meals this year has been 'incoherent'. Places like Fischer's at Baslow throw the kitchen sink at every dish, a mess of flavours and jus and whatever. Can't help feeling many of them need the GR 'simplify the menu' treatment. There was a good move forward last year of rewarding places where less 'Michelin-y' dining took place, but one wonders how long that will go on. And whether it would apply outside the smoke. The City Inn in Manchester provides every bit as good a meal as Arbutus, but its a) not in thatLondon and b) in a chain hotel. Likewise Heathcote's new Grado is great. Chances of them ever being rewarded? Less than zero.

We faced a table of 12 not showing up on our first Saturday open, and then (THEN!) discussed doing the credit card deposit thing. But I don't think young restuarants can get away with it. Yes, if you're rammed out, you have every right to do so, but if you're trying to appeal to people... Luckily some footballers from Blackburn turned up to fill the table. And very good tippers they were too. Or so my waiters tell me from Mauritius.

Sent 'em a couple of emails a month or so ago, checking availability for February, and they haven't deigned to reply. 'If you don't want my custom...'

He certainly was! The food at St James is pretty dire. I always found both White's (on the whole two occassions I've been there!) and the Reform to be good food in English public-school style. Which means they do proper puddings. And have great cellars. The INstitute of DIrectors is good too....

Fischers I've done a couple of times, and I'm still struggling to work out how it has a star. Its okay, but in thatLondon, I just don't think it would survive. It feels (and is) like the sort of hotel grandparents would drag one to for Sunday lunch. All the fussy service, because that's what ones meant to do, without really delivering on it. Spend far too much time in Hathersage and The Walnut Club was a great new opening. The whole organic, regional, seasonal thing is so done to death though isn't it? Its packed of a Friday and Saturday evening, but suffers from real identity crisis. Is it a great restaurant, is it a club for the movers and shakers, is it a laid back response to olde worlde tea shoppes? And its not really any of them. Course my real complaint about the place is the size of the portions. Last time I tok the olds there, Mrs W. ended up buying me a sandwich from the (exceptionally good) deli next door to stp my stomach grumbling. Course, I AM morbidly obese, so its my own fault. I prefer the George. Or, indeed, the cafe at David Mellor. Not only the best cutlery in the world, but excellent food too. And you get to see his magic traffic lights. Do ALL of the League of Gentlemen live in Glossop?

'Bosi is a singular chef?' Hate to think how a conjoined chef would do...

Just to be completely pedantic but there ain't no such thing as a vegetable in botanical terms. So there's no binary division fruit/vegetable. The tomato might be a botanical fruit but it can also be viewed as a culinary vegetable. Just like pumpkins...

They are all pretty good tables, but one of the ones at the far end of the restaurant away from the kitchen and by the window would be lovely ← I've only eaten there a couple of times, but would say completely the opposite. I don;t want to see the drunks wandering past. The kitchen end is lovely, can watch everything happening. Also, late bookings (10pm etc) are great. There's nothing more romantic (IMHO) about being the last couple in a restaurant, still receiving good/great service while they're cleaning up...last time we were there, the sommelier had gone and we ended up being treated to dessert wine because as the Head Waitress put it, 'she didn't feel she'd offered proper advice...' Oh and they did the Tarte Tatin (usually for two) just for me. Which marks the place out as dangerous to the cholesterol (sp?) levels...

Thanks Merlin, that's more info than we had before anyway. If we make it from Vancouver (that whole driving on the left, no right, no left thing y'know), we'll check those out.

Hi, Mrs. W and I are visiting vancouver next, uhhr, week (note to self: packing has to start soon)...we'll be in town for four nights and then off up-country stopping off in Kamloops. So, there's a huge mass of stuff to read on here obviously, but anyone have any suggestions in Kamloops? And is anything of foody-worth going on in Vancouver 30th through 5th? We're planning to hit West, The Fish House and do some bar hopping (any recommendations?)---we're staying at the Wedgwood I believe... Mrs. W particularly likes her raw-as-possible steak, so any help there would be appreciated. Thanks, pip pip.

What are you suggesting here? That he's a class fraud because he doesn't talk like Alan Bennett (rather than fellow Leedsonians Peter O'Toole and Jeremy Paxman)? ← They're called Loiners. To be fair, O'Toole went to RADA and Paxman went to Charterhouse so you'd expect them to have posh accents. I think White's came from having to work in Harrogate and Ilkley---last remaining homes in the north of proper pronounciation.

Indeed. A strange and totally arguable fact(oid) is that the two people to have most influence on 'high culture' in Britain over the last twenty years were from Leeds council estates---Marco and Mr. Damian Hirst.

I get the impression they're also doing a proper menu this time (ie two or three starters, etc). All the 'judging' is taking place in a couple of days (indeed, today), so no idea how much this is pre-selected. WOuld sort of assume it is. (edit to trim quotes)

A little birdie tells me Anthony Flinn is on the new one (so much for not being interested in TV)...wonder what he'll do as a starter? 'And how exactly is risotto a British dish?'

INterestingly, meals out at restaurants were 'off ration', which caused a lot of resentment (those with money could afford to eat more and more widely), though by the end of the war there were well over 200 'British restuarants' being operated by the LCC for bombed-out (and other) cvilians which served good meals for a ridiculously low price, which preumably made the council the biggest restaurant chain in the country at the time. My Grandad was a butcher in Epping (at Church's), and my Dad tells a lot of stories about slightly black-market operation involving raising pigs in the forest and delivering them to people across Essex. Mind, he also says they used to shoot a lot of squirrels for 'forest pie'. There was also a concerted effort to keep livestock from chickens to pigs, and 'dig for victory' through allotments. The Mass Observation Diaries suggest that a lot of the working class were far from antagonistic to the institution of rationing--it being seen as a fair way for everyone to help the war effort--, and many were opposed to its ending. Its always been said (though with how much evidence I'm not sure) that the British population at the end of the war was far healthier than its ever been, before or since, thanks to official nutrition guidelines, official cookbooks, etc. That's healthier if you hadn't been killed or injured by the war itself of course.