The book

Growing demand from customers prompts Michelin-starred chef to challenge competitors to follow his lead on sustainable fishing

As the credit crunch continues, so too does the rising tide of restaurant closures. Anthony Worrall Thompson has been moaning about the deserting diners and foreclosing banks which have forced him to close four restaurants.

Simone Kane suggests how you can turn the annual search for presents into a overnight stay

I don't think I could ever run a restaurant. It's not that I haven't thought of it. I even know exactly what it would look like – a mish-mash of old wooden furniture, roaring log fires, cosy red walls and a tip-top wine cellar. I actually think it would be quite a nice place. I'd call it something stupid like The Windy Pillar and I'd write to Raymond Blanc telling him to keep away as I didn't want any of his fancy advice. Never trust a Frenchman who has lived in the UK for more than 30 years but who still speaks like Inspector Clouseau – that's my motto.

Try to grin and bare it

Jack Straw was last night looking increasingly isolated over his disclosure that he would prefer Muslim women not to wear the veil, as Cabinet colleagues publicly distanced themselves from his remarks.

Jazz bassist

THERE WAS no fanfare, no emotional goodbye or even thank you. Marco Pierre White, Britain's most flamboyant and notoriously bad-tempered chef, simply worked his last shift, cooked his last restaurant meal and left by the back door.

Location

Ten years ago Jeremy Round, The Independent's food writer, died tragically young. We launch a competition in his memory, and fellow foodies celebrate his work

When the young Frenchman came to Britain in the early Seventies to learn English, the food was so bad he realised that he'd better learn how to cook too

Which are the best restaurants for gourmet food in London and around the country? Which are the best places to eat out on a budget? In association with The Good Food Guide, Britain's most respected restaurant guide, The Information unveils the foodies' 50 favourites

Emily Todhunter is an interior designer whose clients include the smart society set and London restaurants Daphne's and Floriana (about to open in Beauchamp Place)