food1

It may still be a bit dusty then!! Let us know how you get on.

Apparently, the Piazza is not now due to open until Monday 24th November. Went by today and saw the sign saying so, which the bloke looking after the Corn Exchange backed up. He did also say that he reckoned another week before opening was somewhat optomistic. Thats a caretaker for you though! So we'll just have to wait and see!

Would be an excellent choice. I can vouch for Robs cooking. Top draw stuff. I know him very well, a great chef. I know he is SORELY missed now at Winteringham fields, who still try (very unsuccessfully) to pretend he still there!! Send your folks!

Loooks like it packs a real punch!!! Thanks very much, could be interesting for what I have planned.

Hello I've got a glut of lamb to use up and im after a good recipe for a lamb sausage. If possible, I want to avoid having to add pork fat. Open to any ideas just as long as its good! Many thanks

Blooming heck Gary, has AF got you on the sales team, thats a class description!! I have to ask (sorry) who's going to be doing all the cooking? Surely Anthony can't be in four places at once!! Or can he?!!!! I imagine AF is starting to get a tad nervous. From a blunt point of view, I personally wished AF had concentrated fully on his flag ship restaurant before branching out, but hay. Leeds definately needs a quality mid market gaff. Not been the same since the loss of Pool Court, York Place dumbing down and the demise of the Calls Grill. Does anybody ever now bother with Brasserie Forty Four? That place was the pits when I last visited a year or two ago.

Wouldn't have lunch at either to be honest with you, although Maze is a fine spot, loads of better options ( in my humble opinion) to be had. I.E The Ledbury, La trompette, Pied a Terre, The Square - fab, Tom Aikens - JOKING!! ETC.

Been a few times to hipping hall. Its a cracking place with ambition. Excellent breakfasts. Particularly ended their home made fruit musli, which is strange as I can't usually stand the stuff! Only slight nagg, is that menu hasn't changed agreat deal since it opened, which more than likely signals their intention of wanting a star. Overall though, a quality restaurant, well worth visting.

The more I read and hear, the less I think TA difficulties are to do with the 'credit crunch' Theres obviously been some serious goings on in the TA camp, which has lead in part to its current situation. In my humble opinion,the departure of his first wife was a major blow to the feel of the restaurant. She gave it a sense of realism, which the place now lacks.

Interesting point. I don't think for one minute Michelin will make the slightest bit of difference either way. As most of us know, Michelin are a complete law to themselves, which makes them such a talking point. I can think of several places that have been awarded stars within six months of opening and god knows how many places that are still waiting after years. I wouldn't be at all suprised if TA was to have two stars in the forhcoming guide, let alone a deletion!! I believe the guide will have gone to publication now, so we'll see!

I do think we all need to keep things in perspective at the moment and not be totally influenced by the media whipping everything up. Sure things are hard, theres no denying it, but listening to some you would think England is shutting down to make way for the 'four headless horseman of the appocolipsy'!

Its probably a multitude of things that has sent TA to the wall. I have to say the times I've meet him, his attitude stinks, a bloke with a definate opinion of himself, which I would of though would'nt help. I can't recall the law to businesses buying stock from creditors, when they know they are not in a position to pay. If anything, its a total lack of respect. Suppliers will know not to touch the likes of TA with a barge pole in the future. Could end up like another certain UK michelin starred chef who has to pay all supplies, COD.

If you go and take your team for a meal, then Do pay, even if it is fifty pence. Otherwise is can be treated as theft. I can imagine you must be feeling totally pi..ed off at the moment and some of these'uber chefs' do need to be brought down a peg or two. Totally crap behaviour on chef part, when he knows full well he can't pay his creditors. Hope you get it resolved one way or the other.

Be prepared to write lots of letters and don't give up! I believe Thomas Keller has a a fairly long waiting list but what an experience that would be. If your looking at going to Yountville, its a great location with lots of food interests for a chef. His kitchen is also fantastic, you would learn an awful lot. Also bear in mind you will have to finance the whole experience and may have arrange your own accomadation. Hope that helps in some way.

Who cares how the likes of Ramsay etc are getting on? Im far more interested in the small, independants out there, the real restaurants of the land. In my opinion, the only way to survive the coming hardships (which the media keep reminding us of constantly), is to simply offer the very best value one can, without letting standards slip. A real balancing act. I hope everyone who's passionate about their business gets by and this down turn rids us of the jokers, who couldn't give a toss about being in the hospitality industry. As for the likes of Aikens going into administration, well I sort of feel for him but he is a chef who seemed to treat his customers like they should be honoured to dine in his establishments. On the upside he's a chef who will live to fight another day, which I would like to see most do. Hang in there!

Sad thing is, theres still plenty of restaurants around where you can get all those 'lovely' golden oldies!!! How about deep fried camembert or mushroom vol e vants or if you were posh, prawn vol e vants!

You've hit the nail on the head Gary. But to my mind and alot of others, the point you have made is WF biggest floor. They may well be using the same produce as before but the cooking ( as so many people who have been, including myself note) is no where near what it was under Schwabs/ Thompson. It does not have it. We all know just how long Germain slogged away. Reputations have to be earnt, not bought. The fact remains they are now only a two rosette restaurant but charging almost three star prices. Nothing stacks up with place at the moment, other than it trying to get by on past, unassiociated reputations.

At ninety five quid for four courses, there should be no 'bad days'. WF has to be now the most outrageously priced restaurant in the UK. You can't help feeling the place is desperately trying to get by on previous reputations. The menu reads like, lets use as many expensive ingriedients as possible and put them all together. There seems to be no individuality or honesty to the food. Its almost car crash avant garde. At these prices and with the lack of reputation or track record, WF could be in for a very bumpy ride. Forget the stars for now and get back to reality.