 | |
| Company type | Private company |
|---|---|
| Industry | Casual dining |
| Genre | Latin American |
| Founded | 1991, Bristol, England |
| Founders | Eren Ali and Ajith Jaya-Wickrema |
| Headquarters | London, England |
Key people |
|
| Products | Latin American food |
| Parent | The Big Table |
| Website | www |
Las Iguanas is a casual dining restaurant chain originating from the UK, with a Latin American theme. [1] Founded in 1991, it operated 57 outlets in the UK as of July 2019. [2] It specialises in Latin American food from Brazil, Mexico and beyond.
The first Las Iguanas opened on St Nicholas Street, Bristol, in April 1991, [3] offering a Latin American-themed menu. A further 53 restaurants have opened in the UK including Bath, Manchester, London and Edinburgh. [4]
In 2003, the group acquired its own Cachaça sugar cane field and distillery on the Fazenda do Anil estate, outside Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. [5]
One of the co-founders, Ajith Jaya-Wickrema, left Las Iguanas in August 2009 to start a Caribbean-themed restaurant chain, Turtle Bay. [6] The first overseas branch of Las Iguanas was opened under franchise in Gibraltar in July 2018. [7]
Las Iguanas was bought by Casual Dining Group in June 2015. [8] In 2016 the first Las Iguanas Restaurant at Center parcs, opening at their Longleat resort. This has Since Expanded to Other Center Parcs sites. In light of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, in May 2020 Casual Dining Group announced that it was working with advisors on next steps for the overall business as a prudent measure to protect the company whilst planning for the future. [9] On 2 July 2020, the company entered administration, [10] with 11 branches of Las Iguanas set to close. [11] In August 2020 Casual Dining Group was acquired by the British private-equity firm Epiris and relaunched as The Big Table. [12]
Las Iguanas menus include Latin American food such as nachos, burritos, xinxim, fajitas and tapas, along with steaks and burgers. They include vegetarian and vegan options such as veggie chilli, moqueca and empanadas, and gluten-free options. Las Iguanas is approved by the Vegetarian Society. [13] [14]
Las Iguanas made it on to the 2019 Sunday Times 100 Best Companies to work for in 26th place. [15] The list celebrates UK companies with the highest levels of staff engagement. Las Iguanas also made the list in 2015 and 2013. [16] Las Iguanas retained the Investors in People Gold award in 2015 and also holds IiP Champion status. The company held a Glassdoor.co.uk rating of 4.5 and a 92% approval rating of MD Mos Shamel in July 2019. [17] Shamel stepped down from his role in July 2019, handing over to Julie McEwan who was promoted to brand director. [18] In December 2019 Las Iguanas was recognised as the top-rated hospitality business on the Glassdoor Best Places to Work 2020 list, ranking 11th overall. [19]
Las Iguanas won best restaurant drinks offer at the Restaurant Magazine R200 Awards in October 2014. [20]
It won the overall award at the National Burger Awards 2017 with the Buenos Aires Burger. [21] It won Best Non-traditional Cuban Sandwich and was runner up in World's Best Traditional Cuban Sandwich at the International Cuban Sandwich Festival in Tampa, Florida in April 2018. [22]
In August 2015 the tips policy operated by Las Iguanas was the subject of press reports. Staff were required to pay back 3% of all sales (4.4% in London) to the company at the end of every shift out of their tips. Some staff said that this charge was taken even when they had received no tips for some tables forcing them to "pay to work". Las Iguanas, however, said that the charge was never taken from staff wages. Since then an internal vote held amongst all staff has agreed a new policy.
100% of cash tips are now shared by the team. When tips or service charge are paid for by a credit card or debit card, 100% also goes to employees. Tips and service charges are in addition to the National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage. [23] [24]
PizzaExpress (Restaurants) Limited, trading as PizzaExpress and or Pizza Marzano, is a British multinational pizza restaurant chain, with over 500 restaurants across the United Kingdom and 100 overseas in Europe, Hong Kong, Canada, China, India, Indonesia, Kuwait, the Philippines, the United Arab Emirates, Singapore and Saudi Arabia. It was founded in 1965 by Peter Boizot. In July 2020, the business was taken over by its bondholders under a debt-for-equity swap with previous owner Hony Capital. In November 2020, Hony Capital left the business and the group restructure was completed, helping to cut the casual dining chain's debt by more than £400 million.
The Cheesecake Factory Incorporated is an American restaurant company and distributor of cheesecakes based in the United States. It operates 219 full-service restaurants: 206 under the Cheesecake Factory brand and 13 under the Grand Lux Cafe brand, not including the number of restaurants operated under the North Italia nor any of Fox Restaurant Brands' names. The Cheesecake Factory also operates two bakery production facilities—in Calabasas, California, and Rocky Mount, North Carolina—and licenses two bakery-based menus for other foodservice operators under the Cheesecake Factory Bakery Cafe marque. Its cheesecakes and other baked goods can also be found in the cafes of many Barnes & Noble stores.
Robert Earl is an English-American film producer, investor, restaurateur, and television personality. He is the founder and CEO of Planet Hollywood, chairman of the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, and host of Robert Earl's Be My Guest television program which airs weekly on the Cooking Channel.
Various Eateries Trading Limited, trading as Strada, is a chain based in the United Kingdom of branded restaurants specialising in Italian cuisine with two Strada sites and six Coppa Clubs, all in Southern England.
Café Rouge is a French-styled restaurant chain, with 13 sites across the United Kingdom. Café Rouge is part of a bigger restaurant network owned by The Big Table.
Joseph Bastianich is an American restaurateur, winemaker, author, and television personality. He, along with his mother and business partner Lidia Bastianich, co-owns thirty restaurants in four countries, including Osteria Mozza in Los Angeles, which the owners expanded in 2010. Earlier that same year, they teamed up with businessman Oscar Farinetti to bring Eataly, an upscale food and wine market, to Boston, Chicago, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, New York City and London.
Conrad Gallagher is an Irish-born chef/restaurateur from Letterkenny, County Donegal, based in Dubai since 2016. He was the youngest chef ever awarded a Michelin star at the time, for Peacock Alley in Dublin, at the age of 26 in 1998. In a career that has attracted both accolades and controversy, Gallagher has owned restaurants in Dublin, New York, London, Las Vegas and Cape Town, and has featured in two reality television cooking series. He opened restaurant consultancy Food Concepts 360 in 2018. Gallagher also owns chef recruitment agency The Chefs Connection and opened The Chefs Playground in Johannesburg, South Africa, in April 2020 as a culinary training centre and specialist shop for chefs’ apparel and equipment. In February 2021, Gallagher opened "Off the Menu Food Emporium", a delicatessen, coffee and wine shop serving tapas-style meals, in Port Elizabeth, South Africa. He also opened Bistro Vin de Boeuf, in St Francis Bay.
The Big Table Group Limited, trading as Bella Italia, is a chain of over 90 restaurants offering meals inspired by Italian cuisine in the United Kingdom and Ireland. The chain is part of The Big Table, which also owns Café Rouge and Las Iguanas.
IHOP Restaurants LLC is an American multinational pancake house restaurant chain that specializes in American breakfast foods. It is owned by Dine Brands Global—a company formed after IHOP's purchase of Applebee's, with 99% of the restaurants run by independent franchisees.
Taste of Cincinnati is the longest running culinary arts festival in the United States. Starting in 1979, the festival has been held annually on Memorial Day weekend in Downtown Cincinnati, Ohio. More than 40 fine restaurants are featured at the festival, and "Best of Taste" awards are given out each year. In addition to food, the festival highlights local musical talent. The four stages for performances feature country, rock, pop, and jazz music. Approximately 500,000 people attend Taste of Cincinnati each year, making it one of the nation's largest street festivals.
A fast casual restaurant, found primarily in the United States and Canada, does not offer full table service, but advertises higher quality food than fast food restaurants, with fewer frozen or processed ingredients. It is an intermediate concept between fast food and casual dining.
Jamie Barber is a British restaurateur, founder and CEO of Hush restaurant in Mayfair, London, the Hache Burgers chain and the Cabana Brasilian Barbecue group. He also founded and co-owned restaurants including Villandry, Japanese restaurant Sake No Hana, and Italian casual dining brand, Kitchen Italia.
Elevation Burger is an American fast casual restaurant chain that specializes in organic hamburgers. The company originated in Falls Church, Virginia, within the Washington Metropolitan Area. They have over 40 locations operating in the United States, Bahrain, Kuwait & Qatar.
Tortilla Mexican Grill PLC is a Mexican fast-food restaurant chain based in the United Kingdom, founded by Brandon and Jennifer Stephens in London, 2007.
Joey Restaurant Group is a Western Canadian premium casual restaurant chain based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The Joey chain of restaurants was founded by Jeff Fuller. Joey restaurants are a part of a chain of family-owned restaurants, expanding throughout North America. The restaurant focuses on Asian, American, Mediterranean and other global dishes. The company operates 27 full-service restaurants in Canada and the United States. All Joey restaurants feature a bar area and serve alcoholic beverages.
Casual Dining Group (CDG), formerly Tragus Group, operated 250 restaurants in the United Kingdom. CDG operated restaurants primarily under the Bella Italia, Café Rouge, and Las Iguanas names. It also operates sites under the Belgo, Huxleys, Oriel Grande Brasserie and La Salle brands. The company was backed by investors including KKR and Pemberton Capital Advisors.
Dishoom is a small Bombay (Mumbai)-inspired restaurant group with locations throughout the UK.
Pieology Pizzeria is a Tustin, California-based pizza chain within the fast-casual dining restaurants category. Founded in 2011 by Carl Chang, the brother of former tennis player Michael Chang, Pieology's mission is to "turn one of America's favorite food into an affordable and interactive experience". Pieology's main rivals are Blaze Pizza and MOD Pizza. By October 2018, Pieology had a single unit in Mexico plus approximately 140 units in 23 American states and territories with more than half of those restaurants located in the state of California.
Bit House Saloon was a bar and restaurant in Portland, Oregon, United States. Established in 2015, the business operated in the Nathaniel West Buildings in the city's Buckman neighborhood. The high-energy squad "Team Riff-Raff" managed the bar from 2016 to 2021, hosting pop-ups and inviting other chefs to collaborate.
Handmade Burger Co is a restaurant chain in the United Kingdom serving beef, chicken and vegetable burgers.
Media related to Las Iguanas at Wikimedia Commons