Daily news round up: our selection of food and chef news from the world's press

Roma restaurant project sours in Slovenia

It could be a cultural breakthrough - an EU-wide chain of restaurants that puts Roma hospitality, food and music centre-stage, building relations with a much-maligned community. But plans to set up the first link in this chain are in jeopardy, and ethnic relations have soured, after a Slovenian local council stepped in to prevent the first restaurant from opening.

Norwich chef wins national competition

Sundar Ali, head chef from Rishi Indian Restaurant on Mousehold Lane, won the Chef of the Year award for the East Anglia region out of all Indian restaurants in the area. Read more from Eastern Daily Press

Pub licensees overwhelmingly in favour of VAT cut

Pub licensees have voted overwhelmingly in favour of a campaign to reduce the level of VAT on food and drink from 20% to 5%. A survey

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undertaken by independent market research agency Cardinal Research, on behalf of the VAT Club Jacques Borel, found that 96% of the licensees say the pub and restaurant industry should campaign for the reduction, 94% support the campaign by the VAT Club JB and 86% agree that it’s unfair that supermarkets don’t pay VAT on food while pubs have to. Read more from Caterer & Hotelkeeper

Kayal restaurant in Granby Street, Leicester, closed after group of dining health inspectors fall ill

A popular restaurant has been temporarily closed after a group of council health inspectors got suspected food poisoning on a work night out. South Indian restaurant Kayal, in Granby Street, Leicester, has received five-star ratings in its last three council inspections, as well as winning awards for its service and standards. Read more from Leicester Mercury

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