Exclusive – Wasabi ‘trading robustly’ with like-for-like sales growth, healthy pipeline of sites under development, hires new property director: Wasabi, the sushi and bento brand backed by Capdesia, has told Propel that trading in the first half of this year has been robust, with like-for-like sales growth across its 50-strong restaurant division. It comes as the Henry Birts-led business saw Ebitda rise from £4.6m in 2023 to £7.4m in 2024, underpinned by a “series of strategic investments and operational improvements”. It said growth was driven by continued momentum in its grocery business, including the rollout of its product range into Morrisons and Co-op, alongside expanded distribution and new product development in both Sainsbury’s and Tesco. Wasabi said investment in automation and operational efficiencies at its manufacturing facility in London’s Park Royal also played a key role, while the core restaurant estate delivered a “solid performance in a challenging market, supported by an ongoing and well-invested refurbishment programme”. The business also opened a new restaurant at Penn station in New York, which it said was “trading well and reinforces confidence in Wasabi’s ability to scale its US operations as part of its longer-term international growth strategy”. The company told Propel: “This momentum has carried into 2025, with like-for-like sales growth in the restaurant division during the first half of the year, continued expansion of the grocery channel and further investment in the group’s manufacturing and IT infrastructure and restaurant estate. One new restaurant has opened so far this year, in King William Street, with a healthy pipeline of additional sites under development both in and outside London.” The company is also preparing to launch its first franchise partnership, opening a new site at Luton airport with Lagardère Travel Retail this week. Wasabi said: “The move represents a significant step forward in our plans to grow through strategic partnerships, building on the brand’s strong performance in high-traffic travel hubs.” To support this next phase of growth, Wasabi has hired Louise Morgan, formerly of Cote, as its property director. The business said Morgan brings with her extensive experience across property acquisition, estate management and franchise operations, with a career that also includes senior positions at Costa and Burger King. Birts said: “I am extremely pleased with the continued progress we are making in growing the Wasabi brand and making our delicious food accessible to more and more customers, whether in the office, at home or on the move. Our ongoing investments in infrastructure, our core estate, our menu and people capability are laying the foundation for our ambition to create a truly multi-channel, international Asian food brand. We’re delighted to welcome Louise to the team as a key part of that journey.”

 

Propel’s Culture, Talent & Training Conference open for bookings, Brother Marcus co-founder Alex Large to speak: Propel’s Culture, Talent & Training Conference has now opened for bookings. The conference takes place on Thursday, 9 October at One Moorgate Place in London. Among the speakers will be Brother Marcus co-founder Alex Large. He talks to Abi Dunn, founder at Sixty Eight People, about the role he plays as a founder in creating culture, how he sees this changing as the business grows and what his people strategy is at this stage in its journey. For the full speaker schedule, click here. Tickets are £295 plus VAT for operators and £345 plus VAT for suppliers. Premium Club subscribers get a 20% discount. Email: kai.kirkman@propelinfo.com to book places.

 

Premium Club subscribers to receive updated Multi-Site Database with 3,444 operators and 26 new companies on Friday, videos from Operational Excellence Conference on Friday, 1 August: Premium Club subscribers are to receive the updated Multi-Site Database on Friday, 25 June. The next Propel Multi-Site Database provides details of 3,444 multi-site operators and is searchable in seven main segments. The database features 1,005 (29%) operators from the casual dining sector, 800 (23%) pub and bar operators, 597 (17%) cafe bakery operators, 480 (14%) quick service restaurant operators, 283 (8%) hotel operators, 225 (7%) experiential leisure operators and 54 (2%) fine dining operators. The database is updated each month, and this edition includes 26 new companies. The database includes new companies in the cafe bakery sector such as Bristol healthy fast-food café Double Puc Coffee, cycle themed café bar Mamil Café and Mootz, the fledgling sandwich concept. Premium Club subscribers will also receive all the videos from the Operational Excellence Conference on Friday, 1 August, at 9am. They include Keith Bird, former chief executive of Marugame Udon and chief operating officer of Gourmet Burger Kitchen, reflecting on the operations constants that apply within every kind of operation. Premium Club subscribers also receive access to five additional databases: the New Openings Database; the Turnover & Profits Blue Book; the UK Food and Beverage Franchisor Database, the UK Food and Beverage Franchisee Database and the Who's Who of UK Hospitality. All Premium Club subscribers will be offered a 20% discount on tickets to Propel paid-for events and discounts on specialist sector reports. Operators that are Premium Club subscribers are also able to send up to four members of staff to each of our four Multi-Club Conferences for free. Premium Club subscribers receive their daily Propel Info newsletter 11 hours earlier than standard subscribers, at 7pm the evening before. They also receive videos of presentations at eight Propel conference events two weeks after they are held. This represents around 100 videos of industry insight over the course of the year. Premium Club subscribers will be sent a dedicated monthly newsletter that will highlight key updates in the sector and direct subscribers to all the vital content their membership offers. Premium Club subscribers also receive exclusive opinion columns every Friday at 5pm, which include the thoughts of Propel group editor Mark Wingett and a host of industry leaders from across the sector. A Premium Club subscription costs an annual sum of £495 plus VAT for operators and £595 plus VAT for suppliers. Companies can now have an unlimited number of people receive access to Premium Club for a year for £995 plus VAT – whether they are an operator or supplier. Email kai.kirkman@propelinfo.com today to sign up.

 

UKHospitality – government needs to find the right balance with employer pension contributions and avoid ‘unintended consequences’: UKHospitality has said that the government needs to find the right balance with employer pension contributions and avoid the “unintended consequences” seen with the rise of national insurance contributions. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is reviving the Pensions Commission, which last reported in 2006 and led to the roll-out of automatic enrolment into pension saving. Despite that progress, the DWP warned that people retiring in 2050 will be worse off than pensioners today, with almost half of working-age adults not putting any money into a private pension at all. Kate Nicholls, chair of UKHospitality, said: “Adequately saving for retirement is so important, and the Pensions Commission is an opportunity for a comprehensive review that delivers sustainable solutions. This is not an easy problem to solve. Consumers are still contending with a cost-of-living crisis, with every penny in their pay packet counting, and the cumulative cost burden facing businesses is the highest in recent memory. We’ve already seen the unintended consequences increasing business costs, like employers’ national insurance contributions, has had on the employment market, costing jobs. It’s therefore crucial the commission embarks on a partnership approach with business and consumer groups to reach the right balance. The government commitment not to raise employer contribution rates during this parliament is the right one and reflective of the economic challenges facing many across the country.”

 

Urban Greens launches ‘room service salad experience’ at The Hoxton in Shoreditch: London fresh salad concept Urban Greens has launched a “room service salad experience” at The Hoxton in Shoreditch. With the hotel’s flagship restaurant, Hoxton Grill, undergoing a refresh, Urban Greens has stepped in to offer guests access to its signature salads and trays – all without leaving their rooms. Guests can choose from a curated menu that includes beef Saigon, salmon avocado and Urban Caesar salads, delivered straight to their door. Each order is placed via a QR code in the room and delivered to the hotel by a trusted partner, with The Hoxton team personally bringing them up to the guest’s room. “Partnering with The Hoxton is an exciting moment for us,” said Rushil Ramjee, co-founder of Urban Greens. “We’ve always been about bold, feel-good food that fits real life – and now we’re delivering it straight to your bed. From our new trays to our signature salads, we’re making sure hotel guests don’t have to compromise on flavour, freshness or convenience.” Urban Greens was founded in 2019 and operates five sites across the capital. Co-founder Houman Ashrafzadeh is also the founder of Padium, the high-end padel concept backed by Spotify co-founder Martin Lorentzon, with a site in London’s Canary Wharf and plans for a first regional location, in Cardiff.

 

Job of the day: COREcruitment is working with a branded hotel group in London that is seeking a general manager. A COREcruitment spokesperson said: “The general manager will be a born leader who is ready to invest in the development of their staff to create the best experience for their guests. The general manager will create a strategy to increase revenue and bring the brand to life, ensuring a positive working environment. They will create a training and development programme for the team, support the heads of departments with the day-to-day running of operations, lead from the front and be willing to get stuck in.” The salary is up to £90,000. For more information, email ed@corecruitment.com.

 

Upham Inns – we have the leadership in place for a bigger business, Oakman deal grows room stock by 60%: Ian Dunstall, director of Upham Inns, the southern England premium pubs operator, which has doubled its estate after acquiring 14 pubs from Oakman Inns & Restaurants, has told Propel the company has “the leadership and experience” to operate a larger business. Dunstall said the Oakman deal was a good example of “right investment and right opportunity” coming together. Upham acquired 14 Oakman sites and one accommodation block out of administration on Monday (21 July). Propel understands these were The Woburn in Woburn (55 rooms), The Pointer in Brill (nine rooms), the Kings Arms in Berkhamsted (13 rooms), The Penny Farthing in Berkhamsted (the nine-room accomodation block), the Betsey Wynne in Swanbourne, The Three Locks in Milton Keynes, The Red Lion in Leighton Buzzard, The Four Alls in Welford-upon-Avon, the Navigation Inn in Cosgrove, the Old Post Office in Wallingford, the Lost Boy in Farnham and the Beech House sites in Amersham, Beaconsfield, St Albans and Solihull. Upham currently operates rooms above 12 of its 14 original sites, with ten rooms per site on average. Dunstall said the Oakman deal increases its room stock by around 60% and “allows us – with The Woburn – to look into the hotel market”. Dunstall, the ex-Mitchells & Butlers (M&B) executive, leads Upham, with David Butcher and fellow ex-M&B director Kevin Todd. Dunstall told Propel: “We have been looking for the right opportunity from an investment point of view, and from a deal point of view, for the past two years. With Oakman, we looked at the freeholds as well (acquired by The Restaurant Group), but when that went, we were still keen to keep the conversation going for the leasehold sites. It is a business that is trading robustly – it was not a distressed business – and has had plenty of investment but has come off the boil, understandably so, over the past year. We will take time to reflect on the best way forward for these sites. We will also do the same for the Beech House concept, and we are interested to see what the potential is for that. We have the leadership and experience in place to look at other opportunities, but we are in no rush. We are still a small company, and we will help the Oakman sites trade and observe them for the next few months before deciding on the right investment strategy for each of them.” In May, Propel revealed Oakman had sold ten of its freehold pubs to The Restaurant Group, which will run the sites alongside its circa 80-strong Brunning & Price business before integrating them into its estate, in a deal valued at circa £50m-£55m.

 

Marta Pogroszewska steps away from day to day running of Bread Holdings, including Gail’s: Marta Pogroszewska has stepped away from the day to day running of Bread Holdings, the group that includes fast-growing bakery brand Gail’s, Propel understands. Pogroszewska, who will remain a non-executive director of Bread Holdings, initially joined the then 27-strong Gail’s in summer 2016, as retail director, after 12 years with Pret A Manger, including three years as director of operations for the brand in New York. In March 2019, she was named Gail’s managing director as the brand geared up to open its 50th site. In October 2023, she also took up the position of chief operating officer at Bread Holdings. Earlier this year, the company hired Nick Ayerst, formerly chief executive of Comptoir Group, as the new managing director of Gail’s, reporting into Pogroszewska. At the same time, Bread Holdings promoted Dan Barrett to managing director of The Bread Factory, its wholesale arm. During her time leading Gail’s, Pogroszewska has grown the brand into a national presence, expanding it to 175 sites and into new regions – including the north west and south west – and into transport hubs. Late last year, Gail’s opened its first site in a major travel hub location – in London’s St Pancras station. The business followed this up with openings in London Bridge station and Liverpool Street station. Gail’s will make its airport debut later this summer with an opening in the South Terminal, at Gatwick airport. The brand plans to open between 30 to 40 new bakeries this year. Pogroszewska also helped to secure investment from Bain Capital in partnership with Ebitda Investments, the McWin Food Ecosystem Fund, backed by entrepreneurs Henry McGovern and Steven K Winegar, in September 2021, which valued the business at circa £200m.

 

Individual Restaurants looking to launch more brands and enter new markets both here and overseas, posts 4% rise in full-year turnover: Individual Restaurants, the Restaurant Bar & Grill and Piccolino operator, is looking to launch more brands and enter new markets both here and overseas, after posting a 4% rise in full-year turnover. The company reported an increase in turnover to £76m for the year to end of March 2025, which it said was partly due to strategic investments in both new restaurant openings and its existing estate. The 34-strong group also said trading across the four weeks of December was a contributing factor, with a total sales growth of 14% across its portfolio and like-for-like sales up 8%. Looking to the future, Individual Restaurants chief executive Andrew Garton said: “It’s our ambition to further grow the business and invest for the future through developing our portfolio, bringing new concepts to market and entering new markets, both in the UK and internationally.” During the year, Individual Restaurants grew its Piccolino footprint with three new openings, expanding into the Home Counties and south of England with launches in Marlow, Henley-on-Thames and Chichester. Meanwhile, it’s Riva Blu concept grew to include two new restaurants in Leeds and Hull, while refurbishments took place to Piccolino restaurants in Sheffield, Virginia Water, Ilkley, Manchester and Birmingham, along with the remodeling of Opera Grill in Chester. Individual Restaurants also launched a new Neapolitan pizza concept, Forbici, in Manchester earlier this year, with plans to roll out the concept elsewhere in the UK. Garton said: “It has been a landmark trading year for Individual Restaurants for the second year running as we remain committed to our ambitious plans to build a better and bigger business and continue to invest in restaurants, both new and existing, alongside the ongoing evolution of our flagship brands. Despite challenging market conditions and consumer uncertainty, we have continued to outperform the market. Our increased guest satisfaction scores are testament to the industry-leading service that guests receive at all our restaurants. We’re proud to have invested extensively in our team, including strategic hires and training and development, leading to market-leading engagement and an all-time low on staff turnover.” The company was also named in the Sunday Times 100 Best Places to Work for the second year running and said it has achieved its fourth consecutive year of increased team happiness and reduced team turnover. The group said staff turnover has fallen by 60% and reached an all-time low of 75%. In June, Propel revealed Individual Restaurants plans to diversify into the hotel market, with a restaurant set to launch in Hilton London Tower Bridge this month, and further hotel partnerships on the horizon for 2025.

 

Steve Haslam-led AIM business to invest £1m in latest joint venture with Star Pubs: AIM, the pub and restaurant operator founded and led by Steve Haslam, is to invest £1m in a new joint venture site with Star Pubs. The seven-strong AIM is taking on The Plough in Elstree, Hertfordshire. At the same time, Haslam told Propel that AIM was just about to purchase its first freehold site for more than ten years. Last year, the company acquired its seventh pub – The Bread & Cheese in Benfleet in Essex – following a £500,000 joint investment with Heineken-owned Star Pubs. The Bread & Cheese was a second lease with Star for Haslam and his family, who also operate the award-winning pub with rooms Victory, in Mersea. At the time, Haslam said the business planned to add up to four more sites over the next four years. Speaking at Propel’s Operational Excellence Conference, Haslam said: “We are about to go on site [on The Plough], and we’re just about to purchase the first freehold into our business in ten years. So, in a short space of time, we’ve grown our business. What does the three-year journey look like? Growth of £1.5m in sales over the last three years, and in the three months to 1 June, £247,000, up 13.4%. Labour is coming down 29.3% in the current quarter, and that is prior to us being fully operational with S4labour, and we think that will further improve. Our gross profit on food has improved to 73%, and our wet to 72%. We’ve made savings with our merchant provider of £40,000 per annum, waste management of £12,000, and just a review of our gas supplier, was a further £2,000 saving. In the three months to 1 June 2024, AIM made £151,000 of site level profitability, and in the same period this year, it made £357,000.” Premium Club subscribers will receive all the videos from the Operational Excellence Conference on Friday, 1 August at 9am. A Premium Club subscription costs an annual sum of £495 plus VAT for operators and £595 plus VAT for suppliers. Companies can now have an unlimited number of people receive access to Premium Club for a year for £995 plus VAT – whether they are an operator or supplier. Email kai.kirkman@propelinfo.com today to sign up.

 

Jamie Oliver Group enters three new markets, six further openings lined up for rest of year: Jamie Oliver Group has opened six new sites across the globe since the beginning of 2025, including new territories – Oman, Greece and Montenegro – as it continues to roll out its “ambitious growth plan of opening 15 new restaurants by the end of the year”. The business, which currently operates 68 sites, said it is set to open at least six more locations – including three in the Middle East, a new format in Belgrade, two in India, and two new European launches still under wraps – by the end of 2025. In January and February, the group opened two new Jamie’s Italian restaurants in the Middle East: one in Bahrain’s Marassi Galleria Mall and another in the Mall of Oman, Muscat. April saw Jamie’s flagship cookery school open on the third floor of John Lewis Oxford Street. It came after a record year of double-digit revenue and profitability growth at its north London cookery school in Benwell Road. Adjacent to the new cookery school is the first Cafe Jamie Oliver. Jamie’s Italian launched in Montenegro in June, marking his first venture in the market. The new restaurant opened in Boka Place, the modern urban quarter of Porto Montenegro in Tivat. Also opening in June was Jamie Oliver Kitchen Athens, the first of the Jamie brands to reach the Greek market. Located in the Golden Hall shopping centre, the opening of the 116-cover site, marked the 24th country to open a Jamie Oliver restaurant. Ed Loftus, director of Jamie Oliver Restaurants, said: “As we look ahead to the second half of the year, our growth shows no signs of slowing. We’re set to open at least six more locations, including three in the Middle East, a new format in Belgrade, two in India, and two new European launches still under wraps. Here in the UK, Jamie Oliver Catherine Street continues to perform exceptionally well, with double-digit like-for-like growth. With a strong and diverse global pipeline in place, we’re excited to keep bringing Jamie Oliver brands to new audiences around the world.”

 

Pret hires Felipe Athayde as new president of North American business: Pret A Manger has hired Felipe Athayde, formerly of Authentic Restaurant Brands (ARB), as president of its 65-strong North American business. Athayde was previously chief executive of ARB and also worked for Burger King and Tim Hortons owner Restaurant Brands International for more than nine years. He replaces Jorrie Bruffett, who left Pret earlier this year to join Joe & The Juice, the juice and cafe bar brand, as its new managing director for the US. Pano Christou, chief executive of Pret, said: “We have appointed Felipe Athayde as president, North America, to take the business forward on the next stage of its growth, in what is the largest food-to-go market in the world. Felipe joins us from ARB, a platform of iconic regional restaurant brands, where he served as chief executive and led its growth from concept to more than $1bn in sales and $150m in Ebitda. He previously spent almost a decade at Restaurant Brands International, working in a variety of roles including president of Popeyes Americas, where he spearheaded the launch of the Popeyes Chicken Sandwich, one of the most successful product launches in quick-service restaurants. He has also served as president of Burger King Latin America and president of Tim Hortons USA. We are excited to have Felipe’s experience, passion and knowledge of our industry to help drive our North American team to continued success.” Athayde added: “I’m thrilled to be joining Pret and bringing my passion and industry experience to help drive the next chapter of growth in the North American market. The brand has a tremendous opportunity in North America.”

 

Wingstop UK opens 70th site and passes 3,000-employee mark: Wingstop UK, which is backed by US private equity firm Sixth Street, has opened its 70th site and passed the 3,000-employee mark. The restaurant has launched at Chantry Place in Norwich. Spanning 4,057 square feet, the site hosts 115 covers and has created 70 jobs. The site is one of 20 the brand is set to launch in 2025. Wingstop UK chief executive Chris Sherriff said: “This reflects the epic teamwork, consistency and ownership that everyone brings to the table every single day. None of this happens without a crew that shows up, supports each other,and keeps pushing forward. Huge thanks to everyone who’s been part of the journey so far – here’s to the next 70 and the big things ahead.” The restaurant is offering two new milkshake flavours that are now on the Wingstop menu – mango and, for a limited time only, mango habanero.

 

Creative Restaurant Group promotes Milena Floyd to MD: Creative Restaurant Group (CRG), which is behind London restaurants Endo at the Rotunda and sushi spot Sumi, has promoted Milena Floyd to managing director. Floyd has been with the group – which also has the Michelin-starred Humo, Kioku by Endo and Niju in its portfolio – for two years. She joined as head of operations in 2023, and for the past year, has been the group’s operations director. Floyd replaces Alex D’Aguiar, who stood down from the role in February to join hospitality group Belmond as its new global head of restaurants and bars. Before joining CRG, Floyd spent five years with Orange Brands Management, in roles including operations manager and head of operations, and before that spent four years at Gaucho, including three as a managing partner. She said: “Being promoted to managing director is an exciting milestone in my career. I’m incredibly proud to step into this role at CRG, not just as a leader, but as a woman in the industry, and I’m looking forward to playing a key role in shaping our strategic direction and supporting our continued expansion.” CRG chairman Misha Zelman said Floyd has been “hugely impactful on commercial growth” in her time with the business – implementing strategies that have resulted in record breaking sales. He added: “Her unwavering commitment, operational excellence, and passion for our industry have been instrumental in CRG’s growth. I have every confidence that under her guidance, CRG will continue to thrive and reach new heights.” In February, Zelman and his brother, Roman, resigned as directors of Goodman Steakhouses and Beast Restaurant to focus on growing both CRG and their Burger & Lobster business. Their long-time partners and co-founders, Ilya Demichev and George Bukhov-Weinstein, stepped down as directors of Burger & Lobster and took full ownership of the Goodman Steakhouses and Beast Restaurant businesses.

 

Rudy’s plans opening in London’s Clapham Junction: Rudy’s Pizza Napoletana, the Mission Mars-owned brand, is planning an opening in London’s Clapham Junction. The 34-strong business is set to take over a section of the Party Shop in Lavender Hill. In June, the company opened its first Rudy’s site in a London neighbourhood, taking over the former The Dairy space at 15 The Pavement, beside Clapham Common. Rudy’s has further openings lined up this year in the former Royal Bank of Scotland site in Baldwin Street, Bristol, and in the former TSB bank between the entrances to Lion Yard and Grand Arcade in Cambridge. The company recently opened a Rudy’s on the former Black Pearl Pub site in West Bridgford in Nottinghamshire. In May, Mission Mars, which is backed by the Business Growth Fund, said it had ten more Rudy’s opening or in legals, with further sites for its Albert’s Schloss concept also under negotiation.

 

Hall & Woodhouse makes eighth generation of family director board appointments: Brewer and pub operator Hall & Woodhouse has made its eighth generation of family director board appointments, with Tatiana Woodhouse promoted to family director, while David Wheeler joins as next generation family director. Woodhouse has a strong background in the charity and humanitarian sector and now runs CodeBrave Foundation, a UK charity funding innovative tech education projects for disadvantaged youth in Lebanon. Wheeler studied medicine at university and has just completed his Masters at The Royal College of Music. Chairman Anthony Woodhouse said: “We take the stewardship of our 250-year-old business extremely seriously. Each generation’s role is to make certain that the objectives of the company are aligned with those of the family during their tenure, and, working with the executive team, to ensure it is handed over to the next custodians in better shape than they found it. Both Tatiana and David will add greatly to the dynamic of the board.” Meanwhile, previous family director Mark Woodhouse, also a former managing director, has retired after 45 years with the company.

 

We Do Play opens Activate in Newcastle for regional UK debut: We Do Play – the multi-concept experiential leisure operator – has opened an Activate site in Newcastle for the Canadian immersive game brand’s regional UK debut. We Do Play, which also operates Flip Out and Putt Putt Social here and founded Boom Battle Bar before selling the brand, first brought Activate to the UK last year, launching at The O2 in London. Activate has now opened at Newcastle’s Metrocentre, featuring 12 spaces and nine immersive game types – including laser, grid, hoops and portals – where groups of two to five can take on challenges across various difficulty levels. Rich Beese, co-Founder of We Do Play, said: “After the incredible reception we had at The O2, Metrocentre was the obvious next step. It’s a leading leisure destination and the perfect setting to continue our UK expansion. The opening weekend has been a great success, and we welcomed hundreds through the doors.” Further Activate sites are planned in Leicester and London’s Oxford Street later this year, as We Do Play works towards its target of 30 UK sites for the brand. Beese is one of several leading players in the sector who gives his opinion on the growing experiential leisure market in The 2025 Experiential Leisure Report. The second year of Propel’s exhaustive report on the market, it will be published on Friday, 1 August at 9am. The report profiles the current shape of the experiential leisure market – including brands, estate size, trading type and geographical location and future trends. It also provides a detailed list of UK experiential leisure companies including key staff and Companies House information. The report includes 197 companies, marking a 10% growth in the sector since last year’s study, with 3,700 sites. The report is available for £595 plus VAT to pre-order now. Existing Premium Club subscribers can receive it on Friday, 1 August for £395 plus VAT. The report will be made available for free to existing Premium subscribers on Wednesday, 10 September at 9am. Email kai.kirkman@propelinfo.com today to order a copy.

 

Fundamental Hospitality’s Shanghai Me opens in London: Dubai hospitality group Fundamental Hospitality’s Shanghai Me brand has launched at London Hilton, replacing the closed Galvin Brothers restaurant at the Park Lane hotel. Already established in Dubai and Doha, and soon to open in Monaco, the London opening is a UK debut for Shanghai Me. Guests can expect “classic oriental dishes crafted with fine ingredients, alongside a cocktail list infused with exotic botanicals, all served in an atmosphere that evokes a cultural journey across south east Asia”. The restaurant seats approximately 120 guests, with two private dining rooms offering uninterrupted views of the city. Guests can book a table at its lounge bar, Bund, to enjoy signature cocktails and snacks while resident DJs play throughout the night. Evgeny Kuzin, chairman and founder of Fundamental Hospitality, said: “We are thrilled to officially open Shanghai Me and Bund at London Hilton in Park Lane. It’s the perfect location to base our restaurant and share our interpretation of pan-Asian dining and luxury hospitality.” Established in 2011, Fundamental Hospitality is also behind brands such as Gaia, Alaya, La Maison Ani, Piatti, Adaline, Sirene Beach by Gaia and Ina, as well as international franchises Scalini Dubai, Cipriani Dubai and Cipriani Dolci UAE.

 

North east brunch concept eyes franchise-led growth after securing funding for seventh site: North east brunch concept Pablo Eggsgobao is eyeing franchise-led growth after securing funding for its seventh site and first franchise store. The business was established by Emma Dent and currently has sites in Whitley Bay, Newcastle, Byker and Sunderland in the north east, as well as Inverleith and Morningside in Edinburgh. Pablo Eggsgobao has now secured the funding from the NPIF II – NEL Debt Finance Fund, to open a flagship store in Newcastle’s Pilgrim Street, which will also be the business’ first franchised outlet. Dent said: “We’re excited about the opportunity this investment brings. The support from NEL allows us to bring Pablo's to even more people, starting with our flagship site in Pilgrim Street. It also enables us to test and refine our franchise model, which is a key part of our long-term vision. We started with one grill and a lot of graft, and with this support we're ready to scale while staying true to our values of creativity, quality, and community.” Michael Williams, investment executive at NEL Fund Managers, added: “Pablo’s has experienced significant growth backed by strong customer engagement, which it now plans to leverage as part of an ambitious UK-wide growth strategy.”

 

Former Peach Pubs directors aiming to have up to five sites in next five years as they prepare to open second venue: Two former directors of Revel Collective-owned Peach Pubs are aiming to have up to five sites in their portfolio in the next five years as they prepare to open their second venue. Bex Wilkins and Sarah Robinson, who previously held marketing and pub director roles at Peach Pubs, last year partnered with head chef Peter Jackson, from Michelin-starred Carters of Moseley in Birmingham, to open The Wildmoor Oak in Wildmoor, Bromsgrove. As reported by Propel last week, Wilkins and Robinson are launching The Plough Inn in Wollaston, near Stourbridge, in September – their second lease with Heineken-owned Star Pubs. In terms of expansion, Wilkins and Robinson plan to grow their portfolio and have three to five “great pubs” across the region in the next five years. Wilkins said: “The make-up of our estate will reflect the opportunities that arise. What the pubs will share in common is high standards and great quality food and drinks. In the current climate, businesses have to be proactive, not reactive. To succeed, you have to have a comprehensive understanding of your position in the market and lean into that. The Wildmoor Oak is a real destination pub. The Plough Inn will cater to the needs of the village and surrounding areas. With rising prices and overheads, our view is that we need to focus on quality and stick to that. We will focus on quality and great service – that will be our point of difference.” Wilkins and Robinson are undertaking a £250,000 joint refurbishment of The Plough with Star Pubs. Wilkins, who spent ten years with Peach Pubs in various roles, is also the co-founder of pub and consultancy business, Makers of Hospitality.

 

Junk confirms plans to open second UK site for smashburger brand: Junk Group, the French-based business that operates four concepts across France, has confirmed that it is to open a second UK site under its eponymous smash burger brand, in London’s Marylebone. Propel revealed in February that Junk had secured the ex-Marugame Udon site in St Christopher’s Place. Junk, which debuted its first UK location in Soho last October, is set to open its second site this August. The site will be larger than the original, with 40 covers in total. A selection of freshly baked cookies from the group’s Parisian brand Puffy, which opened its first London location this summer, will be available on site. The first UK Puffy opened on the former Orée Boulangerie site in Old Compton Street, next to the debut Junk Burger site. Junk Group was founded by Wissem Ben Ammar and Majed Mansour in 2013. Mansour told Propel at the start of this year: “Our ambition for Junk remains the same: around ten locations by mid-2026.”

 

Founders of London Latin American restaurant group Crudo launch wine bar concept: Maria Yanez and Carlos Socorro, founders of London Latin American restaurant group Crudo Cocina Latina, have launched a new wine bar concept. Tiny Wine has opened in the former Crudo site in Fitzrovia, 21 Foley Street. Described as one of London’s smallest wine bars, Tiny Wine pairs a curated wine list with “bold” Latin American small plates and snacks. The wine list of around 50 bottles is made up of mostly natural or low-intervention wine sourced from small producers. The drinks menu also features a mix of spritzes, negroni and beer. The food offer features Gildas (savoury Basque skewers with a Latin American twist) and Bocadilllos (gourmet mini sandwiches including Mixto ceviche and smoky octopus). The 200 square-foot venue has a central bar, with seating for 22 covers, while a standing wine shop space holds up to ten people. Outside, there is space for ten covers, while downstairs, The Secret Room is a hidden private dining space for up to 16 guests. Yanez said: “We’re excited to launch Tiny Wine as a new concept. Tiny Wine was born from a love of the little things: small producers, cosy spaces and great conversation. The Fitzrovia space felt like the perfect home for a wine bar that’s all about big flavours in small pours and bold Latin American bites.” Yanez and Socorro launched Crudo in 2019, which now operates sites in Covent Garden and Shoreditch.

Taiwanese operator to open Edinburgh’s first Japanese-fusion izakaya restaurant: Taiwanese operator Max Wang is set to open Edinburgh’s first Japanese-fusion izakaya restaurant for his second site in the city. Wang, who grew up in Taiwan and learnt the art of sushi-making under Andy Mastuda at the Sushi Chef Institute in California, opened Yamata in Edinburgh’s Tolcross in 2018. He will follow that with Nishiki, opening in August in Edinburgh’s West End. Launching at 151-155 Morrison Street, the 40-cover restaurant will also feature one of Scotland’s first sake-dedicated bars. The drinks menu will be built around the Japanese beverage, with food inspired by izakaya-style dining. Nishiki will offer an all-day dining menu, with a focus on sharing plates and authentic Japanese flavours. A variety of izakaya-style small plates will include freshly hand-rolled sushi and a selection of grilled dishes. Wang said: “With Nishiki, we wanted to create something new for the city. We’ve visited lots of izakayas during our trips to Japan and really wanted to bring the concept to Edinburgh. We have designed the space to be welcoming for everyone – a bright, communal environment where people can come together to enjoy fantastic food and drinks.”

Michelin-starred chef Andrew Wong launches YouTube series: Michelin-starred chef Andrew Wong has launched a YouTube series: Secrets of the Chinese Kitchen. Aimed at the home cook, each episode will focus on one dish, guiding viewers through the techniques that have made Chinese cuisine one of the most popular in the world. From knife skills and velveting to pulling noodles and folding dumplings, Wong demonstrates each skill step by step. Viewers will learn techniques behind the art of dim sum, how to maximise control of a wok, and a new world of produce and store cupboard ingredients. Growing up in Central London, Wong first observed the chefs in his parents’ restaurant as a child, and then, as a young chef, worked in kitchens in China before taking command in 2012 of his restaurant, A Wong, in Pimlico. A Wong was awarded two Michelin stars in 2021 and remains the only Chinese restaurant holding this accolade outside Asia.