Customers hundreds of pounds out of pocket after closure of celebrity chef’s Birmingham restaurant

A Michelin-starred restaurant run by the Saturday Kitchen chef Glynn Purnell has left customers with gift vouchers hundreds of pounds out of pocket after announcing its sudden closure.Purnell said he could “only apologise for this difficult situation” after customers were told their vouchers, many worth hundred of pounds, could not be refunded or redeemed.Purnell announced in October that his Birmingham restaurant, Purnell’s, was closing after 17 years, citing economic pressures and the challenges faced by the hospitality industry.He said he was heartbroken and that “in this current climate, no one is bulletproof”, adding that bookings had fallen by more than 20%.Therese Roberts, 58, from Coventry, said she had spent £750 on vouchers for the restaurant for friends and family after dining there herself

Notes on chocolate: time for a nice spicy cup of hot chocolate or three

All you need is the comfy socks to slip into firstAs we are deeper into winter and the clocks have changed, I have thrown myself fully into cosy chocolate pursuits. I will scatter the column with Christmas ideas, too, in the coming weeks.First up this week is Table’s hot chocolate, £12.50/250g. All single origin and they come in flakes

Joseph’s Brasserie, London: ‘Let’s celebrate’ – restaurant review

With its smoky flavours and heady scents, this new west London restaurant showcases the best of Lebanese foodJoseph’s Brasserie, 221 Kensington High Street, London W8 6SG (020 3337 9356; josephsbrasserie.co.uk). Wraps from £9; mezze £8.50 – £16; main courses £16

Jamie Oliver pulls children’s book from shelves after criticism for ‘stereotyping’ Indigenous Australians

Jamie Oliver has pulled his children’s book from sale after condemnation from First Nations communities that the fantasy novel is offensive and harmful.Penguin Random House UK on Sunday notified the Guardian that Billy and the Epic Escape would be withdrawn from sale in all countries where it holds rights, including the UK and Australia.Oliver, who is now in Australia promoting his latest cookbook, has issued a second apology.“I am devastated to have caused offence and apologise wholeheartedly,” the British celebrity chef said in a statement.“It was never my intention to misinterpret this deeply painful issue

Nine in ten honey samples from UK retailers fail authenticity test

The honey industry faces new demands to overhaul its supply chain after more than 90% of sampled products bought from large British ­retailers failed pioneering authenticity tests.The UK branch of the Honey Authenticity Network sent 30 samples last month from Britain for a novel commercial test based on the DNA profiles of genuine honey. Five were from UK beekeepers and 25 from big retailers, including supermarkets.The tests found that 24 out of the 25 jars of honey from retailers were considered suspicious. All five samples from UK beekeepers were considered to be genuine

How to turn old bagged salad into a nutritious soup – recipe | Waste not

There’s a fine line when a bag of salad turns. One minute, it’s perfect, and the next it has turned into compost. To save a wilting salad, chefs are taught to refresh it by picking out and discarding any imperfect leaves and gently plunging the rest into ice-cold water (the addition of a large pinch of salt and acidulating the water with a splash of vinegar or lemon juice will help clean the leaves and remove any unwanted odours). Carefully lift the leaves out of the water rather than drain them, otherwise sand and dirt might cling to them.If your leaves are no longer fresh and appetising-looking, but still fine to eat, why not cook them? Salad leaves make a great substitute for leafy greens such as spinach, kale or cabbage