The Kitchen Rat is back: Boris and the best of British, a Roux surprise and the heatwave fallout

Our insider has nibbled their way to freedom to once again sniff out the news behind the scenes of hospitality

Thinking of England

It came as no surprise that Boris Johnson chose Brown's hotel in London to celebrate becoming prime minister last week. Owner Sir Rocco Forte has been a vocal Brexit supporter, while it's one of the few remaining luxury hotels in the capital to be British owned. To add to the attraction, Adam Byatt is set to replace German chef Heinz Beck in the kitchen. The Rat assumes the PM was quaffing English fizz too, rather than anything that may soon attract import duties.

Cherry on top

Good intentions

The Drapers Arms in London's Islington picked up praise from across the sector for sending its chefs home on the hottest day of the year so far - but they did end up with at least one unhappy customer. Landlord and man-behind-the-plan Nick Gibson tweeted on the day: "Talk about shooting yourself in the foot. At the pub but it seems there's no food to go with my wine."

School's out

Last week saw Launceston Place's Ben Murphy win the Westminster Kingsway Culinary Alumni World Cup, a competition that pitted former students, including Ainsley Harriott, Jamie Oliver and Jeff Galvin, against each other in a public vote. Cool as a penguin, Murphy accepted his crown - having triumphed over the high-profile competition after a successful social media campaign, describing the college as an ‘incredible culinary platform'.

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