Stricken Steak Chain Takes First Steps Towards Safety

Pide restaurant started by Alan Yau is closed

Babaji Pide — launched by Hakkasan, Wagamama and Yauatcha restaurateur Alan Yau in 2015 — is reported closed by CODE. The Turkish restaurant’s website blames a “technical issue” for the closure, but like the Soho restaurant called Flavour Bastard’s “air conditioning,” there are doubts as to whether this is just a smoke screen for real peril. Yau has not been associated with the Shaftesbury Avenue restaurant since 2017.

Ailing steak chain will go ahead with refinancing

Gaucho will move forward with a Company Voluntary Agreement (CVA), according to Big Hospitality. The stricken steak restaurant group — recently the subject of multiple buyout offers — closed its 22 Cau offshoots in July; former CEO and chain-broadsider Martin Williams is working with Investec to turn around the company’s future. Landlords are able to challenge the terms of the agreement over 28 days; the same agreements have been used to salvage Jamie’s Italian and Byron.

Basing things on plants: the latest

It’s the turn of fish and chips — north London’s Sutton and Sons will add a fully vegan “fish” and chips restaurant to its portfolio of restaurants in Islington, Stoke Newington and Hackney. The new site on Graham Road will serve exclusively banana blossom “fish”, as Hot Dinners reports, with a new, larger, traditional restaurant opening down the road for those who don’t yet to wish to base more things on plants. A chip restaurant serving chips also recently opened in Soho, for anyone wishing to ditch “fish” as well as fish.

River Café and Rochelle Canteen alum begins induction induction

Anna Tobias will start her residency at Eater restaurant of the year P. Franco 27 September. Her menus will feature soups, stews, and puddings — which might present an exciting departure from the more minimalist neo-fine-dining style brilliantly showcased by past occupiers of the inductions. Tegan Hendel’s brilliant artwork, on the other hand, shows no signs of changing tack:

St. Leonard’s and Brunswick House chef cooks free retro dinner

Andrew Clarke, the strangely un-profiled half of St. Leonards and Brunswick House, will cook a free dinner in Shoreditch on 10 October. ‘Endangered Dishes’ is in partnership with bookings behemoth OpenTable, and will include prawn cocktail, steak Diane, and jelly and ice cream. It’s also free: tickets here.