News round-up

Du Vin man is named Hotelier of the Year

Robin Hutson, co-founder of the six-strong Hotel du Vin chain, was officially named Caterer's Hotelier of the Year 2003 at a lunchtime ceremony at London's One Aldwych hotel. Hutson - pictured here with last year's winner Gordon Campbell Gray, managing director of One Aldwych (right), and Patrick McGrath, managing director of Hatch Mansfield Agencies (left) who presented the award on behalf of event sponsor Louis Jadot - said he was "over the moon".

Corporate spending looks set to rise

Almost a quarter of corporate hospitality budgets will increase in 2004, according to research commissioned by Sodexho Prestige. Of the companies surveyed, 24% said they would increase spending on entertaining, while 65% said budgets would remain fixed. The survey found that four times as many companies in the South spend more than £150,000 a year on hospitality compared with the North and Scotland. But the North spends most on individual guests - on average £551 each.

Zuma wins accolade in restaurant poll

Zuma, the London-based Japanese restaurant, is Restaurant of the Year in the new Square Meal 2004 restaurant guide. The views of 8,000 readers included "simply the best", and "a really happening place with great food, an excellent atmosphere and fantastic wow factor". Zuma, which seats 130 and opened in summer 2002, belongs to Rainer Becker, a former executive chef at London's Hyatt Carlton Tower hotel.

Celtic Catering's flying high

Celtic Catering Partnership has been named as one of the fastest-growing companies in Wales. It was placed at number 14 in the key barometer of Welsh entrepreneurial success, Fast Growth 50 list, which studied small and medium-sized businesses and was compiled by the University of Wales, Bangor. Between its foundation in 2000 and 2002, Celtic's turnover almost tripled, and it expects sales of more than £3m this year. It has 40 business and industry contracts and employs 135 staff. It plans to expand by opening offices in Bristol and Swindon and launching new divisions covering event catering and providing "grab-and-go" food for staff restaurants.

Wrong listing

The telephone number for the Institute Paul Bocuse was wrongly listed in Caterer, 4 December, page 28. It is: 00 33 4 72 18 02 20.