Propel Newsletter Archive Page

Michelin-star chef puts the heat on sexism in the kitchen: Leading restaurants have signed up to a pledge to protect women in the industry. The Times reports that Sally Abé, who has worked under Gordon Ramsay and was head chef of the Harwood Arms in Fulham when it became the first pub in London to be awarded a Michelin star, is unveiling the ten-point pledge today at this year’s Hotel, Restaurant & Catering Show. It calls on venues to take practical steps against sexism, bullying, harassment and discrimination. Signatories to the pledge include Ottolenghi, the popular restaurant and deli known for its Middle Eastern-inspired cuisine, and Hawksmoor, the high-end steakhouse. Compass Group, which provides contract catering for schools, offices, hospitals and Premier League stadiums, has also signed. Abé, now opening her own bistro, Teal, in Hackney, east London, hopes that hundreds of operators and restaurants will follow suit – whether it’s a neighbourhood pizzeria or a fine dining establishment. “The good thing about this pledge is that when somebody reads it, it’s going to make them think,” Abé said. “They’ve probably never had to think about these issues before because they come from a position of privilege. Especially around pregnancy, parenthood and the menopause, guys zip through life with not a care in the world about any of these things, and they’re not aware. So we need to be like: ‘Hey, this is happening’.” Signatories to the pledge must adhere to commitments including supporting pregnancy, parenthood and return-to-work transitions, fair pay and equal promotion pathways, women’s health awareness, and zero tolerance of harassment, bullying and discrimination. Abé would like to see the government appoint a hospitality minister who could step in to ensure that signatories adhere to the pledge. Abé, who is also the author of A Woman’s Place is in the Kitchen, an exposé of toxic professional kitchens in Britain, said that the pledge was necessary because it was a way to take action.

Premium Club subscribers to receive updated searchable and segmented New Openings Database on Thursday: The updated Propel New Openings Database will be sent to Premium Club subscribers on Thursday (2 April). The database will show the details of 136 site openings, including which company has opened a site or its plans to open one in the future. The database will have details on what type of site it is and its location, and there will also be a website link to the businesses. The database is published monthly, and Premium Club subscribers will also receive a 10,359-word report on the 136 new additions to the database. It is segmented into seven categories – cafe bakery, casual dining, experiential leisure, fine dining, hotels, pubs and bars, and quick service restaurants – making it even easier for users to search. Premium Club subscribers also receive access to five other databases: the Turnover & Profits Blue Book,the Multi-Site Database, the UK Food and Beverage Franchisor Database, the UK Food and Beverage Franchisee Database and the Who’s Who of UK Hospitality. All Premium Club subscribers will be offered a 20% discount on tickets to Propel paid-for events and discounts on specialist sector reports. Operators that are Premium Club subscribers are also able to send up to four members of staff to each of our four Multi-Club Conferences for free. Premium Club subscribers receive their daily Propel Info newsletter 11 hours earlier than standard subscribers, at 7pm the evening before. They also receive videos of presentations at eight Propel conference events two weeks after they are held. This represents around 100 videos of industry insight over the course of the year. Premium Club subscribers also receive exclusive opinion columns every Friday at 5pm, which include the thoughts of Propel chief operating officer – editorial, Mark Wingett, and a host of industry leaders from across the sector. A Premium Club subscription costs an annual sum of £495 plus VAT for operators and £595 plus VAT for suppliers. Companies can have an unlimited number of people receive access to Premium Club for a year for £995 plus VAT – whether they are an operator or supplier. A new Premium Unlimited Plus option, which costs £1,995 plus VAT per annum, has some amazing additional benefits including four free tickets to Propel’s paid-for conferences – Excellence in Pub & Bar (19 May), Operational Excellence (9 July) and Talent & Training (15 October) – and the opportunity to run one free sponsored message or situation vacant notice during the year on the newsletter. Email kai.kirkman@propelinfo.com today to sign up.

Fuller’s names Katie Horner as new CFO: Fuller’s has said that Katie Horner, its current head of finance, will succeed Neil Smith as its chief financial officer later this year. It said that as part of the company’s ongoing succession planning, Smith indicated to its board earlier this year that he was considering retiring from his executive role by the end of 2026. A search for a successor was subsequently initiated. The company said: “Following a comprehensive internal and external selection process, we are delighted to announce that Katie Horner, who is currently Fuller’s head of finance, will be appointed as chief financial officer designate with effect from 1 September 2026. Katie will succeed Neil as chief financial officer upon his retirement on 30 November 2026. This appointment ensures a smooth and well‑planned transition, with an appropriate handover period to support continuity and knowledge transfer. Katie brings extensive experience and proven leadership to the role. She joined Fuller’s in 2018 as group financial controller and was promoted to head of finance in April 2025. She has played an important role in some of Fuller’s key transactions, including the disposal of the brewing division to Asahi in 2019, the acquisition of Lovely Pubs in 2024 and the company’s bank refinancing most recently. She also previously served as the company’s Interim finance director during 2021.” Horner said: “I am very excited to step into this role, and I look forward to working with the board and leadership team to build on the company’s strong financial position and future success.” Fuller’s executive chairman Simon Emeny, said: “I am delighted that Katie has accepted our invitation to join the board as the chief financial officer. This appointment reflects our success in developing internal talent. Katie has a deep understanding of our culture and priorities, and I know she will provide excellent financial leadership. At the same time, I would like to thank Neil for his excellent contribution and wise counsel during his tenure with Fuller’s. He will leave the business in a strong financial position and I, together with the board, wish him all the best for his retirement later this year.”

Tom Kerridge – I don’t make money from restaurants: Chef Tom Kerridge has said that he makes more money from “being Tom Kerridge than being a chef”, and that his five sites are making no money at all. He told The Times: “You have to remember that what might be £8 in a supermarket, 20% is VAT in a restaurant, which is absolutely huge. Also, in a supermarket you have somebody just putting it on a shelf.” He said that “the reality is nobody in the hospitality industry is making money”. VAT on pubs and restaurants should be halved to 10%, he said. Kerridge did have success when he nabbed the business secretary Peter Kyle at a Christmas drinks do. By January he was in Kyle’s office and explaining what business rate increases were doing to his trade. There followed a U-turn in which the government announced a 15% reduction on business rates for pubs and music venues in England. “I was and am a Labour Party supporter,” Kerridge said. “So, I think it probably hits harder for them when somebody who is a supporter is going, ‘Guys, you’ve got this wrong’.” Sadly, the rate cut does not apply to restaurants, including his upmarket one in the Corinthia Hotel in Whitehall. But despite them making zero profit, he has no plans to close any of his premises. “When you do hospitality, you’re not doing it just because you’re making money. You do it because it’s a vocation you love and the trade is full of wonderful people and we have hundreds of members of staff that absolutely love their job. So, you have a sense of responsibility to keep doing what you do, irrespective of what happens to the profit margins at the moment.” The alternative to eating out is eating in, and for M&S Kerridge has for the first time produced his own range of eat-at-home dishes.