#hospitality

#hospitality

We were expecting to see houses and buildings dot the shore, as well as the hawkers who'd typically crowd around piers in Indonesia with food and wares to sell. There was none of that. It was just a pier next to a tiny village. After disembarking, we set off walking and within 100 metres ran out of houses, surrounded only by rice paddies and farmland. There was nothing to do and nowhere to go, and not even a tree to seek shade under.

John Vincent said the upcoming rises in business rates along with overall cost increases means the High Street is no longer as profitable. Leon has been losing 10m a year. Vincent, an original co-founder of the chain, bought the company back from Asda last year. But last month the firm appointed administrators and announced a major restructuring of its 71 restaurants, which employ 1,000 people.

Often, we have stated in advance that it is our treat and then we are surprised when more than half of the meal ordered by our friend or family member is boxed up to take home. Last night took the cake when we treated two of our dear friends to a dinner at a very nice restaurant. The wife barely touched her entree before having it boxed to take home.

This year, I'm making my own celebrations and reaching my peak social potential by hosting at least one dinner party a month, going all out each time. First on my lineup is a Ham Party - I was just gifted a 12-pound hock, so I'm using it as an excuse to gather friends on a Sunday. The invitation I made features a tiny watercolor ham with a bow, the dress code is pink, and I'm serving French 75s and homemade sides.

It's no coincidence that my last name, Mesa, translates to "table." I believe I was born to work in the hospitality industry, and my passion for hosting people was nurtured from a young age. Growing up in the Dominican Republic with my maternal grandparents not only introduced me to an immaculate home but also a beautifully decorated dining table. My grandmother took pride in creating bright floral arrangements, polishing silverware, and making name cards with magic markers.

I'd gently suggest that you're not helpless against the changing tide. You've noticed a pattern that seems to be in conflict with your hopes and expectations for the holiday. So, for next year, you have the opportunity to talk about it with your daughters in advance and find a solution that makes everyone happy. Every holiday meal is, of course, about the food, but its primary purpose is togetherness as a family.

At 22, deeply hungover, Lindsey Lauten lingered in her apartment in Little Rock, Arkansas, weighing a decision: whether to call in sick from her job as a server. It was a Sunday morning, and for the recent college graduate, the thought of navigating the smell of burnt coffee, the clatter of plates, and the constant demands of a packed breakfast rush felt almost unbearable. Still, she pushed herself out the door, unaware that the unremarkable act of showing up would become the starting point

New accounts show that Breanagh Catering Ltd, the company overseeing the celebrated nightclub, had revenues of €11.7m, down from €11.78m, in the 12 months to the end of January 31. New accounts for Cathal and Paula Jackson's company record nightclub and bar sales of €10.45m, which was down marginally on the €10.46m under that heading in the prior year.

For 35 years, Palio has been a fixture in San Francisco's Financial District, an Italian restaurant built on family legacy, craft, and the deep-rooted belief that dining is about far more than food. Owner Martino DiGrande, son of an immigrant Italian restaurateur, says he was raised with hospitality in his DNA. As he puts it, "when someone walks in the restaurant, I view it like they're walking into my home."

Hospitality has always relied on a diverse, global workforce,

Each year, the AD100 issue is our love letter to the extraordinary minds shaping the way we live,

A journey is best measured in friends, rather than miles, as travel writer Tim Cahill said. As a Pacific Northwest writer who frequently travels to Canada, I couldn't agree more. Living barely an hour south of the Canadian border, I've had the pleasure of hopping the 49th parallel countless times. The real magic of crossing that line is not just the immediate sense of spaciousness, but the feeling of a familiar, open-hearted welcome.

The milkshake tax is another blow to businesses already drowning in complex taxes and soaring fixed costs. If this isn't balanced with meaningful business rates reform for hospitality, leisure, and retail, it's a clear net negative for growth. While the levy targets only packaged drinks, not fresh café-made shakes, it still shakes up a struggling sector, and piles on administrative burden and cost at a time when margins are already diluted and consumer demand dwindles.

"We help F&B businesses build lean, profitable, and resilient models that give owners freedom, not burnout. Our focus is on streamlining operational structure, eliminating debt, and embedding robust financial systems that boost profit and cash flow. Ultimately, our goal is to help F&B owners step back, enjoy the reward of their hard work, and build a lasting legacy through their business."

We had this really unique culture, and we had sort of lost touch with it,

"It was a kick in the teeth," says Katya Milavic-Davies, who owns four Myla and Davis hair salons, as well as the restaurant Llewelyn's and the cafe Lulus, both in Herne Hill in south London. She says she had to increase her turnover across her four salons by 500,000 to cover the costs of the National Insurance contribution (NICs) hikes, and a national minimum wage rise, adding that businesses like hers had been "punished" for having a large number of employees.

Ask any visitor to Albania and they'll tell you the same thing: It's the warmth of the people that makes this country so memorable. And some of the best hotels in Albania present a stellar example. Yes, it has crystal-clear rivers, snow-dusted peaks, a glittering Ionian shoreline, and ancient UNESCO heritage sites galore, but it's the Albanians and their innate kindness and hospitality that make a visit here truly special.

There are meals that you simply eatand then there are meals that unfold like a story you want to keep retelling. House of Domes is the latter. I slipped in for a quiet weekday lunch with a dear friend, the kind of friend you can exhale with, laugh with, speak in soft conspiratorial tones with. The city outside felt brisk and urgent, but the moment we stepped through the glass-domed terrace, the pace of everything shiftedslowedbecame silkier somehow.