Amuse-bouches: The latest restaurant news bites

As lockdown in the UK continues, the hospitality industry continues to display ingenuity, from chef-led cook-alongs to wine therapy sessions.

Adam Handling’s famous cheese doughnuts

Adam Handling’s cook-along: Chef and restaurateur Adam Handling has been forced to close his restaurants due to the Covid-19 crisis, but this isn’t keeping him out of the kitchen. Handling, whose restaurant The Frog came top in Wine List Confidential‘s best London restaurants for wine last year, is posting videos on his social media channels with recipes. These include maple-glazed baby back ribs, waterfall beef and, of course, his signature cheese doughnuts. The chef has also set up a crowdfunding page with packages available for customers to use once the restaurants reopen.

Berkmann Wine Cellars: Drinks distributor Berkmann has launched its ‘Help 4 Hospitality campaign’ to deliver wine to customers while donating a share of the revenue to the hospitality industry. Berkmann is launching a new online platform giving its customers direct excess to an exclusive range of products. Any hospitality outlet that joins the scheme will be given a voucher code it can share with its mailing list. This code will give users a 5% discount, and Berkmann will also donate 12.5% of the order value to the outlet in question. There is also an option for the donation to be split between the two charities supporting the hospitality industry: The Drinks Trust and Hospitality Action.

Carluccio’s collapse: This week brought the sad news that UK high street restaurant chain Carluccio’s had fallen into administration, putting around 2,000 jobs at risk. The restaurant chain, which was founded by chef Antonio Carluccio in 1999, had already been hit by competition in the casual dining sector and challenging economic conditions before the impact of coronavirus.

Comfort Cookbook: A team from Devon and Cornwall have come together to produce a digital cookbook to “inspire comfort in adversity”. Called Comfort Cookbook, the publication will be available to all through a JustGiving platform. The authors ask that people give what they can to support the charity Hospitality Action. The e-book will feature recipes from chefs including Mitch Tonks, Michael Caines, Nathan Outlaw, Elly Wentworth, Paul Ainsworth, Emily Scott, Ben Tunnicliffe, Mick Smith, Jude Kereama and Chris Eden. The project is a collaboration between writer Lucy Studley of PR and marketing agency Cornwall Content; Gabriella Dyson, editor at publisher The Maverick Guide; and food stylist, photographer and designer, Ali Green.

Wine therapy sessions: Online wine retailer Honest Grapes has adapted its event line-up to suit the times. Its new plans include wine therapy sessions, touring the world in 48 wines. Led by wine director Tom Harrow, each tasting will comprise a set of three wines sent to your home in advance. The event will be held via Zoom and for those unable to access the facility, a five minute video about the wines will be included with each pack. To find out more information, please click here.

Eleven Madison Park: Three Michelin-starred New York restaurant Eleven Madison Park has been turned into a commissary kitchen to help feed frontline workers during the Covid-19 crisis. Head chef Daniel Humm revealed the news on Instagram this week, having shut the restaurant on 21 March in line with government guidelines. Humm has teamed up with Rethink Food NYC with the goal of producing thousands of meals each day to feed frontline workers and those “deeply affected” by the coronavirus crisis. Rethink Food NYC has partnered with American Express to help fund the project.