UK’s top chefs urge government to appoint Minister for Hospitality

Claire Bosi, Editor of leading hospitality publication Chef & Restaurant Magazine, brings together some of the nation’s best chefs and hospitality representatives in a petition urging the UK government to impose a Minister for Hospitality.

The group, that includes world renowned chefs including Marcus Wareing, Angela Hartnett,
Asma Khan and Tom Kerridge (additional names below), is calling for the appointment of a
Minister for Hospitality to the UK government to ensure the representation of the interests of one of the country’s leading industries in Parliament. Responsible for around 3m jobs, generating £130bn in activity and contributing £38bn in taxation annually, the sector has been impacted heavily by Covid19 and the government’s thoughtless policy and communication surrounding the pandemic.

The group argues that, having a representative voice in Parliament, as the Arts and Sports
sectors do, would have been beneficial during what has been an exceptionally trying 6 months for the sector. Lockdown and the government’s contradictory communication around it was the start of many difficulties for the industry, with the introduction of a curfew across the country the latest. With no representation in Parliament, the government was ill-equipped to assess the potential damages of its policy, or the ways in which these might have been mitigated.

Commenting on the petition, Claire Bosi said: “2020 has been detrimental for our entire sector. Policy has been made and unmade without consulting those that are impacted most.

“Our country is renowned for having a hospitality sector that is synonymous with excellence, innovation and inspiration. As such a vital part of both the country’s economy and reputation, it seems fair that we, like other sectors, are given a representative voice in Parliament. We need a Minister who can listen to concerns on taxation and legislation and bring forward our suggestions to policy makers on our behalf. This is about efforts to secure our industry’s success in the future.”

Visit: https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/552201

Among the expansive group of industry figures supporting the petition are:

– Kate Nicholls, CEO of UKHospitality
– Angela Hartnett, Chef Restaurateur behind Michelin-starred Murano and the Café Murano group(London)
– Marcus Wareing, World-renowned British chef behind Michelin-starred Marcus at The BerkeleyHotel (London)
– Asma Khan, Chef and Owner of Darjeeling Express (London)
– Mark Birchall, Lancashire-born chef behind two Michelin-starred Moor Hall Restaurant with
Rooms (West-Lancashire)
– Tom Kerridge, British chef behind two Michelin-starred The Hand and Flowers (Marlow,
Buckinghamshire) amongst other restaurants in London and across the UK
– Andi Oliver – Founder of pop-up brand Andi’s Wadadli Kitchen, television & radio
broadcaster & food writer
– Michel Roux Junior and Alain Roux, Chairmen of prestigious world-renowned culinary
competition, The Roux Scholarship, and sons of key culinary figures Michel and Albert
Roux
– Clare Smyth, Chef Owner of two Michelin-starred Core by Clare Smyth (London)
– Mike Reid, Culinary Director for M and Gaucho Restaurants
– Paul Ainsworth, Cornwall champion behind Michelin-starred Paul Ainsworth at No.6, as well as other hospitality businesses in the region
– Neil Borthwick, Head Chef at The French House, Soho (London)
– Zoe Adjonyoh, Chef-writer, founder of Black Book and Zoe’s Ghana Kitchen (London)
– Richard Corrigan, Irish Restaurateur and owner of The Corrigan Collection (London)
– Atul Kochhar, Chef and Entrepreneur
– Thomasina Miers and Mark Selby, Wahaca Co-founders
– Tommy Banks, Chef Owner of The Black Swan Oldstead and Roots, York (North Yorkshire)
– Andrew Wong, Chef Owner of Michelin-starred A.Wong (London)
– Sally Abe, Head Chef at Michelin-starred The Harwood Arms (London)
– Patrick Powell, Executive Chef at Allegra (London)
– Dom Fernando, Owner of Paradise (Soho)
– Anna Haugh, Chef Patron of Myrtle (London)
– Sam Buckley, Chef Patron of Where The Light Gets In (Stockport)
– Allan Gage, Owner of Sweet & Chilli and Nine Lives Bar (London)
– Lisa Goodwin-Allen, Executive Head Chef of Northcote (Lancashire)
– Brad Carter, Chef Patron of Michelin-starred Carters of Moseley (Birmingham)
– Rik Campbell and Will Bowlby, co-founders behind London-based modern Indian restaurant group, Kricket
– Mark and Alan Wogan, co-founders of London-based pizza group, Homeslice
– Chantelle Nicholson, Chef Patron of Tredwells (London)
– Gary Hunter, Deputy Executive Principal at leading hospitality school Westminster Kingsway College (London)
– Galton Blackiston, Owner and Michelin-starred chef of Morston Hall country house and hotel (Norfolk)
– Ben Murphy, Head Chef of Launceston Place (London)
– Glynn Purnell, Chef Owner of Michelin-starred Purnell’s (Birmingham)
– David Moore, Owner of Michelin-starred Pied à Terre, Charlotte Street (London)
– Kenny Atkinson, Chef Patron of Michelin-starred House of Tides (Newcastle)
– Frances Cottrell-Duffield, Tonic Communications, Managing Director
– Will Murray, Jack Croft and James Robson, co-founders of recent London opening Fallow on Mayfair’s Heddon St (London)
– Gordon Ker, Founder of Blacklock Restaurants (London)
– Michael Wignall, Chef Patron of The Angel at Hetton (Yorkshire)
– James Waltera, Owner of Arabica (London)
– Gavin Adair, CEO of Rosa’s Thai Cafe (London)
– John Devitt, Owner of Koya (London)
– Amy Poon, Owner of Poon’s London
– Tanith West, Bone Daddies, Marketing Manager
– Aurelien Mouren, Operations Director for Gold Notting Hill (London)
– Simo, Executive Director at Milroy’s (London)
– Michelle and Matin Miah, Co-Owners of Rudie’s Jerk Shack (London)
– Brodie Meah and Max Venning, Co-owners of Top Cuvee (London)
– Tom Brown, Chef Patron of Cornerstone, Hackney Wick (London)
– Xavier Rousset and Gearoid Devaney, Co-Founders of The Black Book (Soho)

#Minister4Hospitality