As another year passes and another one approaches and we ring in the New Year, let's take a look back at our most popular stories to feature on The Staff Canteen in 2017.
From your top 10 list of restaurants you would most like to visit, to a whole new group of chefs ready to battle it out for a place at the Great British Menu 2017 banquet; we countdown the top stories to feature on the site from January to June 2017.
Just making it into the top 10 was our 10 minutes with chef and co-owner of The Marram Grass, Ellis Barrie. Ellis spoke to us about his unassuming tin-roofed cafe and bistro and being recognised by the Good Food Guide.
9. Claude Bosi to make Bibendum ‘accessible’ with carvery trolley and no tasting menu
Claude Bosi to make Bibendum ‘accessible’ with carvery trolley and no tasting menu
Sitting pretty at number nine was the news that Claude Bosi would be bringing back the carvery table at Bibendum which opened at the beginning of the year. Speaking to the Evening Standard the chef claimed 'fine dining has a bad name'.
With the new series of BBC's Great British Menu hitting our television screens earlier this year we contacted past contestants (off the record) to find out just how expensive it can be to appear on the show.
6. Pierre Koffmann warns 'young chefs' salaries are an impossible wage to live off'
Pierre Koffmann warns 'young chef’s salaries are an impossible wage to live off'
Just missing out on the top 5 was Pierre Koffmann comparing young chefs' salaries in London to living in poverty when he expressed his concerns about the industry earlier this year.
5. Clare Smyth’s first solo restaurant - Core by Clare Smyth – to open July 2017
Clare Smyth’s first solo restaurant Core by Clare Smyth – to open July 2017
Rounding out the top five was news of former Gordon Ramsay protege, Clare Smyth opening her first solo restaurant.
Following reports that Pierre Koffmann had branded salaries in the UK as “stupid”, we wanted to get your opinion on the hot topic and it seemed you were all eager to share your views as it enters our top 10 at number four.
3. Chef line up for Great British Menu 2017 revealed
In April we revealed the name's of this year's contestants to appear on the new series of Great British Menu. This year the four contestants that made it through to cook at the banquet were Pip Lacey, formerly head chef for Angela Hartnett at Michelin-starred Murano, Tommy Banks from the Black Swan at Oldstead, Michael Bremner, chef patron at Brighton-based restaurant 64 Degrees and Selin Kiazim, co-owner of Oklava.
This year also saw Andi Oliver replace Prue Leith as one of the judges.
2. Michelin starred chef, Mark Poynton to open The White Horse pub next month
Michelin starred chef, Mark Poynton opens The White Horse pub
Just missing out on the top spot was the news of former Michelin starred chef, Mark Poynton opening his second venture the White Horse pub in Cambridgeshire.
Speaking to The Staff Canteen at the time, Mark said: “We wanted something that was going to compliment Alimentum and not work against it. The White Horse has an outside beer garden and outside bar and we’re going to try and run it as a classic English food pub. We’re not going down the gastropub route, we just want to cook really good, simple food."
1. Top 10 restaurants on chefs' bucket lists for 2017
Top 10 restaurants on chefs' bucket lists for 2017
From the first Danish restaurant to be awarded three stars in the Michelin Guide to a restaurant whose chef scored a perfect 10 on the Great British Menu, we found out which restaurants were on your bucket list for 2017. And it seemed you all had your own opinions as this editorial was the most read from January to June.
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