Caterer and Hotelkeeper – 17787

100 years ago

} "How to work the wine at dinner" - a good story is told of a dinner given by Mr Jerome K Jerome. He was discussing the problems of the wines to be served with the head waiter, a kind, fatherly old man, before the guests arrived.

"Well," said the waiter, "if you take my advice, you will give them a good Champagne to begin with - let's say Deutz and Gelderman (1880) - and let that go round twice. After that, sir - well, here's a very good wine that I always recommend, at five shillings a bottle; and then, if I were you, sir, I would finish up with this," and he pointed to a modest little brand at three shillings and sixpence.

"And, don't you think," said Mr Jerome, "that they will know the difference?" "Lor' bless you no, sir," replied the old man, "we generally do it that way. I would not undertake to tell the difference myself between Champagne at 16 shillings and Champagne at 5 shillings after the first two glasses."

~50 years ago

} New regulations which come into operation on 1 May will apply to the sale and service of ice-cream in hotels, restaurants, cafés and canteens whether it is supplied through a manufacturer or made on the premises by the caterer.

Copies of the new regulations have been sent to all local authorities by the Minister of Health and they will be enforced under the Food and Drugs Act. Known as the Ice-cream (Heat Treatment &c) Regulations 1947, they have been made (states the minister) "for the better protection of the public health against risk of infection from the consumption of ice-cream".

~10 years ago

} Ladbroke Hotels has reopened a London hotel without a reception desk. The 71-bedroom Ladbroke at Park Lane has just a few pieces of furniture designed to hide the necessary paraphernalia.

Ladbroke's is aiming to remove the reception desk barrier found in many hotels and create a more homely atmosphere.

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