Ambrette’s Tobias in Final of Restaurant Manager of the Year The Academy of Food & Wine Service (AFWS) has named the four restaurant managers that have made it to the final of the 2012 UK Restaurant Manager of the Year competition.
After a tough semi-final testing a range of practical and management skills, the finalists are: Tobias Barfoot, the Ambrette restaurant, Rye, Clement Joseph, RAC, London, Peter McAlister, Culloden Estate and
The four will join last year’s runner-up Paul Shanahan, assistant food & beverage director at London’s Syon Park, Waldorf Astoria, at the final on 22 October at the Westbury, London W1.
The competition tests entrants’ front-of-house skills, ability to manage and inspire a team, and business acumen.
Eight restaurant managers qualified for the semi-final, at which the contestants had to answer a broadranging 15-minute questionnaire, write a response to a customer’s letter of complaint, present ideas on social marketing, and tackle a crisis scenario testing their ability to deal with a typical, but stressful situation and manage a team of staff through the problem.
“The semi-finalists had a tough, but enjoyable day and we are delighted that this year’s entries came from a broad spectrum of establishments, from contract caterers to high street chains,” said Sophie Roberts- Brown, AFWS executive director.
The winner will receive a stage in a top New York establishment, where they will gain a unique insight into the running of various departments.
Back The Rooms Is Back
Bridget Christie kicked off new season of Back in The Room at The School Creative Centre, Rye B & Productions presents a new season of their monthly cabaret revue night Back In The Room – having sourced the cream of the crop from Edinburgh Festival.
First up on Saturday 29th September was the brilliantly insane BRIDGET CHRISTIE and her brand new Edinburgh show War Donkey that received ten 4 star reviews and was featured on BBC2’s Culture Show as one of Sue Perkins’ Top 5 Edinburgh shows.
What are Tory feminists? How did Hitler choose soups in restaurants? Why isn’t there a Spielberg blockbuster about donkeys, and why did Colonel Gadaffi hate them? Bridget Christie knows. And will wear stilts. Christie is a mischievous delight onstage, consistently funny and physically daring and inventive and when no one thinks feminism can be funny, she makes an entire show around it – a show that isn’t just enjoyable, but properly silly and joyful too.
Sharp and surreal, Bridget Christie has been on Radio 4’s News Quiz, E4’s Cardinal Burns, Sarah Millican’s Support Group and Harry Hill’s Little Internet Show and is a regular on the sketch and stand-up circuit, performing as herself, A Ant, the circuit’s top ant comedian, and Jason the War Donkey.
As always the show was hosted by the fabulous Lamp & PIl with special guests Malcolm Head, Gardyloo SpeW, Joe Bloggs, John Doe and Rich The Doorman and Big Hands Men plus our resident DJ Matt Prince. It was the perfect pick me up, with songs, sketches, surprises and standup.
Back in The Room returns on October 27th with Marek Larwood and his hit Edinburgh show Typecast and November 24th with Edinburgh Festival Comedy Award nominee David.
Tickets only £10 in advance (£12 on the door) and students £8 all available from www.theschoolcreativecentre.co.uk or call 01797 229797