January & February 2017 Stir It Up Magazine

JAN/FEB 2017

THE COUNTRY RANGE GROUP MAGAZINE FOR CATERERS

Care catering

What elderly diners want and need

Super Powers

superfoods to boost your profits

SUITABLE FOR

CARE HOMES

JUST GOT BETTER

NOW IN CLUDES KITK AT ® 2 FING ER

QUALITY, HERITAGE BRANDS THAT RESIDENTS & VISITORS CAN IDENTIFY WITH AND ENJOY • • • •

EVERYONE’S FAVOURITE IN ONE BOX

70 ASSORTED CHOCOLATE BISCUIT BARS

® Reg. Trademark of Société des Produits Nestlé S.A.

Wastage is reduced as they are served as single bars Suitable for 24 hour menu and day trips Great for small bingo prizes Each individually wrapped bar is approx. 100 calories

Ingredients

Take health to the next level by adding d supplements an fruits to your food and drinks

Food

Features

Favourites

05 CUSTOMER

PROFILE – Curley’s

6-7 NEWS FROM

Dining Rooms

8-9

WELFARE - NACC

COUNTRY RANGE

THE MARKETPLACE

For starters...

17 ON THE RANGE

COOKS CALENDAR

LEADING LIGHTS

with Mike Rooke, Cheltenham College

- with James Devine

12-14

CATEGORY FOCUS - Care Homes

25 EDUCATION -

Challenge team puts in maximum “erfurt”

27

FIVE WAYS TO USE - Country Range Digestive Biscuits

28 HOSPITALITY

21 ADVICE FROM

Levy

food prices have to rise

- The Apprenticeship

30 MCA -

Contemporary Experiences and Execution

THE EXPERTS - Why

32-33 MELTING POT

Super Powers

31 RAISE THE BAR - Mocktails

In response to your comments in our 2016 Reader Survey, we’re launching two fab new features. Country Range development chef Paul Dickson has been given his own column – aptly titled ‘Dickson’s Diary’ – to chronicle his inspirational thoughts and observations, and we’re thrilled to welcome the UK Bartender’s Guild as our editorial partner with their ‘Raise the Bar’ column (page 31).

What a great start to the year!

04 READERS’ LIVES

18-19

DIARY

We’re also taking a look at the very specific demands facing care caterers on page 12, with lots of helpful tips and advice from industry experts.

We feature James Devine, winner of the National Chef of the Year 2017, as our Leading Light on page 18, and the all-girl triumphant trio of the Country Range Student Chef Challenge on page 25, talking about their winning trip to the Culinary Olympics in Germany.

Skydivers, Nutrition & Hydration week 2017

09 DICKSON’S

>> Happy New Year!

I hope you had a wonderful and prosperous festive season, and are raring to go in 2017.

With New Year’s resolutions fresh in people’s minds, plus food analysts predicting a surge in demand for healthy eating (see page 35), our Melting Pot feature this issue is all about Superfoods and how you can incorporate them into your menus (page 32).

11 HEALTH &

35 WHAT’S ON

THE MENU FOR 2017

41

FOOD & INDUSTRY NEWS

43

FOOD FOR THOUGHT Start your year with some inspiration

39 COUNTRY CLUB - Win a Crossley Executive USB Portable Turntable

Keep creating a stir!

Contact us...

EDITOR Janine Nelson editor@stiritupmagazine.co.uk WRITERS Sarah Rigg, Amy Grace SUBSCRIPTIONS Telephone: 0845 209 3777

THE COU

NTRY RANG E GROUP

MAGAZIN

E FOR CATE

RERS

Winte

subscriptions@stiritupmagazine.co.uk DESIGN & PRINT Eclipse Creative FRONT COVER Photographed by Ana at Theawesomegreen.com

TO get into the halloween spiri t

B illi ant

Bu ffet s

COUNTRY RANGE PHOTOGRAPHY

www.barrymellorphotography.co.uk

Visit our website for lots more advice, inspiration and recipes!

As part of our environmental policy this magazine is printed using vegetable oil based ink and is produced to high environmental standards, including EMAS, ISO14001 and FSC® certification.

@stiritupmag

Our editorial partners...

www.stiritupmagazine.co.uk

JAN/FEB 2017

3

COOKS CALENDAR

COOKS CALENDAR JANUARY brussel sprouts

venison

Read ers ' Li ves

1 Name: John Geach 2 Job title: Head chef and dining room manager

3 Place of work: Poldhu Care Home in Helston, Cornwall

4 Typical working hours: Usually it’s 8am till 10pm but whenever people want food

5 How long have you worked in the catering industry?

I’ve been working at Poldhu for 30 years, and I did 12 years in a hotel before that

6 Most interesting fact about you: I’m a big Formula One fanatic.

It’s on my bucket list to go to Monaco and Monza

7 Favourite cuisine: I like cooking with fish but I don’t like eating it! Duck and steak are my favourite meals to eat along with ham, egg and chips

mackerel

1

My Global 10 inch 10 Mustslicing knife for carving have by hand and my 7 inch kitchen Global vegetable knife gadget: You – but they have to don’t have to go be sharp! through the bain marie process to make a cracking Swiss roll.

Don’t warm up the eggs, instead put the eggs and sugar together in a mixing bowl and whisk them up till creamy and fold in sieved plain flour slowly. This quick tip saves time and they turns out great every time

11 Who is your inspiration and why? I’ve been inspired by

lots of different chefs, from Gordon Ramsay to James Martin

12 Favourite Country

Range ingredient and why?

I really like the Solid Pack Apples which are really nice and soft

4 JAN/FEB 2017

potatoes

guinea fowl

New Year’s Day

22 - 24

SCOTLAND’S SPECIALITY FOOD SHOW, THE SECC, GLASGOW,

www.scotlandsspecialityfoodshow.com

23-25 Great Hospitality

Show, NEC Birmingham www.hospitalityshow.co.uk

beetroot

25 BURNS NIGHT

28

CHINESE NEW YEAR

(THE YEAR OF THE ROOSTER)

30

TOP 50 GASTROPUBS, HITCHIN AWARDS CELEBRATING THE PREMIUM END OF THE PUB INDUSTRY www.top50gastropubs.co.uk

FEBRUARY rhubarb

oysters

8 Signature dish: Smoked salmon on seedy toasted bread with broccoli and poached egg and a crème fraiche, honey and Dijon 9 Top mustard sauce culinary tip

What’s in Seaso n?

What’s in Seaso n?

purple sprouting broccoli

turkey cauliflower

parsnips

Yorkshire 5 British Pudding

22-23 Casual Dining Show,

www.bramleyapples.co.uk

27 - 12 FAIRTRADE

6-12 Bramley Apple Week

Business Design Centre, London www.casualdiningshow.co.uk

14 VALENTINE’S DAY March FORTNIGHT 21-23

Catex 2017, RDS, Dublin, Ireland.

Ireland’s largest and most influential foodservice event. www.catexexhibition.com

www.fairtrade.org.uk/fortnight

28 SHROVE TUESDAY

CUSTOMER PROFILE

n e w a d v e nt u r e

FISHING FOR A

>> When Steve Kershaw stumbled across a beautiful disused reservoir whilst out riding on his motorbike in the West Pennine Moors, it proved to be a lightbulb moment.

He immediately had a vision to transform the run-down site into a thriving business – he just had to persuade his wife Helen first!

That was 14 years ago, and the Kershaws’ gamble paid off with Curley’s Dining Rooms and fishery transformed into a go-to destination for diners in Horwich, near Bolton in Lancashire.

Helen explains: “One day out of the blue Steve saw the ‘For Sale’ sign and came home and said ‘I’ve got this idea…’.

It literally took him two minutes to decide we were going to buy the six-acre site!

“We took a huge risk because it was green belt land and didn’t have planning permission for development but we employed a brilliant planning expert to help us. There were lots of traumas along the way. Neither of us were actually looking to change our careers at that point, Steve just fell in love with the place and said ‘We can do this!’”

Neither of us were actually at that looking to change our careers h the point, Steve just fell in love wit place and said ‘We can do this!’

In 2002, Curley’s was born as a fishery. It’s early incarnation as a fishing lake with a small cabin saw it grow and grow in popularity into one of the North West’s finest fly fishing waters.

Then, five years ago, the couple got planning permission to build a large stone building on the land with a large courtyard for outside dining, and they now live on site with their 16-yearold son Jon.

“It was really hard work and we had a lot of sleepless nights but it was definitely a good decision,” continues Helen.

Curley’s currently opens from 9am until 8.30pm seven days a week, and there are plans to extend this to 10.30pm subject to planning.

The venue specialises in traditional English food, fish and chips, and seafood, and visitors also get an added bonus.

“The majority of our customers are over 40s – it has always been the case since day one, and we also get a lot of families,” she adds. “We have a piano player three days a week playing everything from musical to modern tunes, and people really enjoy it and say it’s a bit different. You don’t really get that anywhere else and people like that personal touch.”

And the Kershaws are keen to develop their business further.

From this month (January), Curley’s is launching a new evening menu.

“We’re going more upmarket,” says Helen, “with steaks and different types of fish on the menu. Hopefully this coupled with extended opening hours will allow us to attract more people to come in the evenings.”

Country Range cakes feature prominently on the desserts menu and are always a big hit. “The Victoria Sponge and Carrot Cake are our best sellers,” confirms Helen. “They’re so light and tasty and have a lovely texture.”

JAN/FEB 2017

5

NEWS FROM COUNTRY RANGE

The Leading Independent Foodservice Brand

Are you in the mood for B love?!

>> Valentine’s Day is a hugely important date in the profit-sector catering calendar so make sure your menu is packed with plenty of romantic “mood food”.

Diners will be looking to indulge themselves in the spirit of the occasion and these aphrodisiacal ingredients are sure to get their hearts fluttering.

Here’s our guide to food to get you in the mood...

Honey I love you!

Honey is a proven aphrodisiac and adding it to your diet will boost your libido.

That’s because it promotes testosterone production in men and the mineral boron present in honey aids the use of oestrogen in women.

Honey is made through pollination and is a symbol of procreation. In fact, the word ‘honeymoon’ got its name from mead, an alcoholic beverage made from honey given to the happy new bride and groom.

Include it in dressings, marinades and in desserts to get those pulses racing!

Pine-ing for you

Pine nuts are high in energising zinc, which has been linked to a healthy sex drive, and are also considered aphrodisiacs because of the effort required to procure these oily gems from pine cones! Make a pesto with pine nuts, basil, olive oil and Parmesan and add to pasta or salad dishes.

Pump it up!

Pumpkin seeds are high in magnesium – 156 mg in just an ounce – which helps to raise testosterone levels and improve, erherm, performance! Try this recipe for Tapioca with rhubarb and pumpkin seeds if you don’t believe us… www.countryrange.co.uk/recipes/ tapioca-with-rhubarb-compote-and-toffeepumpkin-seeds/

Just desserts

• Country Range Pure Clear Honey is available in three pack sizes – a 454g glass jar, 680g squeezy bottle and 3.17kg bucket.

• Country Range Pine Nut Kernels 550g

6 JAN/FEB 2017

No Valentine’s menu would be complete with a sharing dessert featuring chocolate.

Chocolate is sensual, from its taste to its aroma, and dark chocolate has also been shown to cause a spike in dopamine, which induces feelings of pleasure. Delight your pleasure-seekers with this deliciously decadent Chocolate Fondant Pudding www.countryrange.co.uk/recipes/ warm-chocolate-fondant-pudding/

la and Baked Vanilcolate White C ho ke C heeseca

Indulge your diners with a romantic Valentine’s Day menu

B

Rooster

>> Chinese New Year takes place on Saturday 28th January this year and heralds the start of the Year of the Rooster.

It’s the most important holiday of the year for the Chinese – and a great excuse for all nationalities to indulge in the fabulous cuisine of the country.

You don’t need to be a Chinese restaurant to serve up oriental delights – pubs, schools, care homes and colleges can all get in on the act and Country Range has a great selection of products to get your Chinese offering started.

NEWS FROM COUNTRY RANGE

Welcome in the

Rooster Y ears of the , 1933, include 1921 69,1981, 194 5, 1957, 190 05 1993, 2

Happy New Year!

Xınnián kuàilè! (pronounced Gong Hey Fat Choy)

.

Country Range Soy Sauces are a must in your store cupboard. Our Dark Soy Sauce packs a full-bodied flavour making it perfect for marinades and dipping sauces, while our Light Soy Sauce is more often used in Chinese cooking to flavour dishes without darkening them.

Visit www.countryrange.co.uk/recipes for lots of inspirational Chinese recipe ideas.

• Sweet & Sour Sauce 2.25kg • Sweet & Sour Sauce with vegetables and pineapple 2.25kg • Medium Egg Noodles 3kg • Soy Sauce (Dark or Light) 1ltr • Sweet Chilli Dipping Sauce 700ml

Winning ways >> Country Range is widely regarded as the best own brand in foodservice – and we like to put our money where our mouth is and pit our products against our competitors on a regular basis to prove this.

At the end of last year, we entered our jams and Cornish pasties in both the Wholesale Q Awards and the Café Q Awards. Both awards recognise the best in food and drink, casting a spotlight on products that offer fine ingredients, great tastes and aromas, beautiful packaging and amazing value for money.

When it comes to pasties, the only way is Cornish and ours claimed a win in the Lunchtime Solutions category at the Café Q Awards. They’re handmade in Cornwall from prime minced beef, potato and swede and to the traditional recipe. They’re also free from MSG, contain no artificial colours, flavours or preservatives and meet 2017 Salt Guidelines. The judges commented that the pasty was well-filled and seasoned, the pastry was crisp and flavoursome and it was a good value product.

• Traditional Cornish Pasty 24 x 283g • Assorted Jam Portions – 100 x 20g (contains 40 x Strawberry and 20 each of Apricot, Raspberry and Blackcurrant jams)

Country Range Assorted Jam Portions picked up a win in the Grocery Ambient/Sweet category at the Wholesale Q Awards and also were ‘Highly Commended’ in the Added Ingredients category at the Café Q Awards.

JAN/FEB 2017

7

MARKETPLACE

T he Marketplace

Keeping you up-to-date on new products and services within the foodservice industry

Maxing up the coffee market

>> Instant coffee brand Maxwell House is being re-launched this month (January) with an exciting new look.

The brand, which began in 1892 in Tennessee, USA, and has its roots firmly in the out of home catering market, has a full range of six products. Maxwell House Rich has an intense, deep coffee flavour and comes in both in a tin and a refill pouch, whilst Maxwell House Mild offers a smooth, more rounded flavour profile.

Maxwell House Cappuccino has a rich smooth and creamy speciality coffeemix, and for the first time in the UK the brand is introducing Maxwell House Sticks, both smooth and decaf blends.

DRENCH ANNOUNCES NEW ADULT SOFT DRINKS RANGE >> Britvic has unveiled new sparkling variants to extend the Drench range into the carbonated segment.

With this latest launch, Britvic is offering adult consumers a more sophisticated carbonated soft drink choice and the perfect product to enable operators to take advantage of this growing segment.

The new flavour combinations, Raspberry & Cranberry and Grape & Elderflower, are available in a 330ml can format to meet the needs of the 30+ target consumer.

BACOFOIL LAUNCHES NEW BAKING PAPER Market Deli spices things up >> Walkers has added a brand new flavour to its premium Market Deli range.

>> Iconic foil brand, Bacofoil, has launched a unique baking paper featuring a 3D textured structure – the only one of its kind on the market.

The baking paper has an innovative textured surface which allows for less surface area for the bake to stick enabling the non-stick capabilities.

Developed specifically to meet demand in the out of home sector, Cayenne Chilli with Spanish Tomato joins the line-up of four other popular flavours, and is available now in a 40g single serve format.

The new flavour has been created to appeal to consumers looking for more exciting crisp flavours when snacking on the go or in cafés, sandwich shops, workplace canteens and other foodservice establishments.

SCHWARTZ LAUNCHES SRIRACHA SEASONING >> Schwartz has captured the mood of the moment with its latest launch – Sriracha Seasoning, a new kind of heat.

Feeling chipper! >> McCain Foods is helping operators to stay hot and ahead with the launch of new Menu Signatures Staycrisp Thin Cut Skin-on Fries and Staycrisp Thin Cut Fries.

Made to McCain Foods unique Staycrisp recipe using the very best of the British potato crop, fresh tasting, hot and crispy fries are guaranteed when cooked fresh and after holding.

The special Staycrisp recipe ensures caterers that they can now serve customers with a chip that stands out, and is fresh, hot and crispy, whether held or served fresh in the restaurant or for takeaway.

Food lovers are obsessed with heat right now, but their hearts are ever hungry for exciting new experiences.

Sriracha [See-rah-chah] is a spicy and tangy chilli and garlic paste, which has become the newest must-have sauce.

Now Schwartz Sriracha Seasoning is set to stir up a flavour sensation storm that will enable caterers to serve up authentic tasting dishes simply and easily, and increase margins.

With its garlicky, vinegary notes and hot finish, Schwartz Sriracha Seasoning is versatile and simple to use. It’s perfect for marinating and basting meat, fish and vegetables, and sprinkling onto finished dishes such as pizzas.

8 JAN/FEB 2017

McCain Foodservice has launched a new interactive website tool to provide instant recipe inspiration tailored to meet the needs of busy chefs. www.mccainfoodservice.co.uk/content/menu-mixer

DICKSON’S DIARY

Paul Dickson is Country Range’s development chef.

He has over 28 years’ experience in foodservice, has cooked for royalty, film and pop stars, and also works as a food consultant and stylist. He runs Lancashire’s only boutique cookery school.

Care home caterers are really up against it in terms of the amount of time they have to prepare a range of food that suits the varying needs of their residents.

Mealtimes are often the highlight of the day for care home residents and they belong to the generation who used to always make their food from scratch, so it’s important that you try to do the same.

Fortunately, Country Range has an amazing selection of products which work brilliantly for this sector, and time-pressed care cooks can make the most of the various mixes and ingredients on offer.

These clever products allow you to add your own signature to a dish

and it genuinely feels like home cooking - but with a bit of help! Not only is it more cost-effective but the end product is more wholesome too.

Use a good base product and make it your own. For example, use Country Range Sponge Mix and enrich it with chopped nuts, dates, spices and dried fruits or diced apples for a really delicious sponge pudding. Or make your own pies but cheat on the pastry to save time.

Try a lovely braised beef filling packed with plenty of fresh vegetables, then top with a lid of Country Range Shortcrust Pastry. That way you can control the quality of the meat. Country Range Bouillons and Gravy Mixes also provide an easy shortcut.

“Dysphagia” is a word we are going to be hearing more and more about in the care

setting, along with “fortification”.

Adding double cream and cheese to Country Range Frozen Vegetables is a simple way to make delicious purees.

Paul’s Prediction for 2017 The juggernaut that is street food shows no sign of slowing in 2017 and I think we’re going to be seeing even more artisanal offerings, as street food vendors specialise in making just one item, be it dumplings or noodles or burgers. It’s all about worldly, ‘super peasant’ food and it’s filtering into every area of foodservice.

Happy 2017!

Paul Dickson

T he Marketplace

BECOME A TEA MASTER >> Tetley has launched online tea training, specially designed for the out of home industry.

Tea Masters aims to improve industry standards and give caterers the knowledge and confidence to offer advice on the variety of tea blends they offer.

To register visit www.tetleyteamasters.co.uk

Macphie launches 30% reduced sugar range >> Macphie has announced the launch of a reduced sugar range of cakes and frostings which is trimming a healthy 30% of sugar from some of its favourite products – equivalent to more than three cubes of sugar in a regular sized muffin.

Not only does this figure beat the government’s recently announced sugar reduction target for food and drink manufacturers of 20%, but the company is also over three years ahead of those guidelines which companies are being asked to meet by 2020.

The Macphie reduced sugar range includes Mississippi plain and chocolate cake mixes and Rainbow vanilla and chocolate frosting.

JAN/FEB 2017

9

TRY A PROPER BREAKFAST Weetabix On The Go is a delicious, super-smooth breakfast option – easy to drink and perfect for your residents with all the protein, energy resealable bottles • Packed • 250ml and fibre of a Weetabix cereal in milk tasty and convenient in 4 classic milkshake • Available flavours – serve ambient or chilled

UK’s No.1 selling • The breakfast drink*

For more information, please contact Sarah Morris – Email: sxm@weetabix.com Tel: 07833 435742 *Source: Nielsen Scantrack data to 13.02.16 – Total Impulse

HEALTH & WELFARE

NACC skydivers raise over £6,000 for charity >> Five inspirational and thrill-seeking members of the National Association of Care Catering (NACC) have conquered the skies and leapt 10,000ft from an aeroplane to raise over £6,000 for The Food Chain and Alzheimer’s Society.

The philanthropic team cast all personal fears aside to complete tandem skydives, including a 45-second freefall, motivated by their desire to raise as much money as possible for the great work of the charities, which upholds the NACC’s ongoing commitment to making a positive difference to the lives of the vulnerable and elderly.

The heroic NACC skydive team featured: • Neel Radia, national chair, NACC • Preston Walker, director/owner, Oak House Residential Home • Oliver Smith, head chef, Hadrian Healthcare’s Wetherby Manor and NACC Care Cook of the Year 2015 • Billie Moore, managing director/owner, McCullough Moore • Sophie Murray, deputy chair, NACC Neel Radia, who described the jump as a ‘once in a lifetime experience’ said: “I can’t lie, the skydive is one of the most nerve-wracking things I’ve ever done, but it was worth it and I’m glad to have completed it alongside good NACC friends and colleagues.

“Despite all our fears, we were determined and driven to make the jump by the amazing support of colleagues, NACC members, families and friends. We would like to thank everyone for their enormous encouragement and generous donations.”

They were driven to make the jump by the amazing support of colleagues, NACC members, families and friends

Take a look at Neel Radia’s skydive video at https://youtu.be/YLPzz9wgm_4

Nutrition and Hydration Week 2017 >> Care caterers are being urged to get involved in Nutrition and Hydration Week, which takes place from March 13 – 19.

Originally a collaboration between the Hospital caterers Association, NACC and the Patient Safety Domain NHS England, the week has now become a truly global event with a life of its own.

The date for the Nutrition and Hydration Week Global Tea Party for 2017 will be March 15 and organisers are encouraging care cooks to put on afternoon tea in health and social care settings to show how to improve nutritional intake.

If you are having a tea party during Nutrition and Hydration Week 2017, please tweet photos @NHWeek and use the hashtag #NHW2017.

For more information visit www.nutritionandhydrationweek.co.uk

JAN/FEB 2017 11

CATEGORY FOCUS

Why not try?

Fortified diets support the health needs of the elderly.

Cream is perfect for creating a tasty, nourishing dessert.

Care caterers face very different challenges to other sectors of the industry.

As Neel Radia, national chair, National Association of Care Catering (NACC), explains: “The complex dietary and dining needs of elderly people can make them more susceptible to malnutrition and dehydration and related illnesses. Food intolerances, reduced appetites, dysphagia and dementia, for example, can prove a real obstacle in ensuring they receive the nutrients and liquid intake they require.

“Care providers therefore have an absolute responsibility to effectively recognise and respond to individual needs, through screening and monitoring residents and implementing comprehensive catering practices, to ensure that good nutrition and hydration is a fundamental part of quality care provision.”

Aine Melichar, brand manager for Kerrymaid, recommends making positive changes to improve residents’ quality of life. “From arranging regular tea and coffee mornings to encourage hydration to hosting regular cooking sessions focusing on nutritional benefits of a meal and avoid malnutrition, there are many ways that care home caterers can go above and beyond to ensure the wellbeing of their residents.”

12 JAN/FEB 2017

Vital vitamins Many over 65s run the risk of vitamin D deficiency over the winter months – an issue the medical profession is describing as the silent epidemic of the elderly.

Vitamin D deficiency can mean serious repercussions for the elderly, including osteomalacia which can cause bone pain and tenderness. Studies have also shown it contributes to heart disease, bowel and breast cancer, as well as type 2 diabetes and multiple sclerosis.

CATEGORY FOCUS

Top tips

Matt Dodge, 2015 Care Cook of the Year finalist, and head chef at Coombe Hill Manor in Kingston, has teamed up with Kerrymaid to provide these top hydration and nutrition tips: Bake

a selection of cakes and scones and serve with a big pot of tea to encourage hydration – you’ll be surprised how much tea people can drink when sweet treats are involved!

Place water points around the care of juices, flavoured water and hot drinks

home – offer a selection

Host monthly food meetings with residents, it’s a great chance to discuss what they’d like to see on the menu in the coming weeks Use Soil Association approved Food for Life products such as Kerrymaid to create healthy, tasty and sustainable meals for residents It’s

important to note that many residents have previously lived by themselves before moving to a care home and have stopped preparing an evening meal. Often they’re not used to eating in the evening so it’s key that chefs include a variety of light and nutritionally balanced options on the evening menu to encourage uptake

To help caterers take care of their residents, Pritchitts has released a recipe booklet containing 12 delicious dishes using Millac Gold Double with added vitamin D, to help them give menus a sunshine boost.

Caterers can claim their free recipe booklet and free sample by visiting http://www. pritchitts.com/care-home-fortificationsample-offer.

Fast facts There are an estimated 426,000 elderly and disabled people in residential care in the UK There are 11.6million over 65s in the UK (17.8% of the population) The cost of malnutrition is also staggering and accounts for nearly £20billion of health and social care spending in England (BAPEN, 2015) According to NHS England, 60-75% of care home residents may experience difficulty or discomfort with swallowing (dysphagia) It is estimated that up to 27% of residents in UK care homes have diabetes According to the Alzheimer’s Society, there are round 850,000 people in the UK who have dementia, which is predicted to rise to 1 million people by 2025. Two thirds live in the community whilst the other third are in care homes

Dysphagia Dysphagia is prevalent in care homes across the UK and it is a growing problem, according to the National Association of Care Catering (NACC).

People with dysphagia are at greater risk of malnutrition, dehydration, aspiration pneumonia and choking.

Chefs need to think carefully and nutritionally about the ingredients and

methods used in texture modification. For example, when thinning food it is not just about adding a liquid. It’s about adding a liquid that contains nutrients and much-needed calories, such as a stock or cream.

Well-thought out presentation of texture-modified food is also important in order to protect a resident’s dignity and boost their appetite. Reforming, piping and moulding food to look like the original dish will increase its appeal and naturally encourage eating.

Premier Foods has produced a Care Catering Solutions Guide packed with recipe ideas and practical tips to help create nutritious and appetising meals, which ensure dignity in dining for residents. It can be downloaded at www.premierfoodservice.co.uk.

Overcoming dehydration Inadequate nutrition and hydration can have serious effects, as many functions that are fundamental in protecting and conserving the body rely on sufficient water intake.

A mid-afternoon t e a deserves an ac cup of Offering regular cups of tea is a good solution, says Isabelle sweet treat ct ooo.mpanying Haynes, for Tetley. “It is a common myth that caffeinated beverages dehydrate the body due to their diuretic properties. In fact caffeine doesn’t affect hydration and a refreshing cup of tea can effectively help to hydrate the body.”

A mid-afternoon cup of tea deserves an accompanying sweet treat too.

Ben Bartlett, celebrity chef, advises: “Make a daily occasion of British bakes and serve up a slice of old-fashioned home comfort,

with indulgent chocolate and coconut marble cake, or light lemon drizzle cake. A goodquality butter alternative, like Whirl, gives the traditional buttery taste people love but with all the convenience and cost savings of a vegetable oil – not to mention lower saturated fat. A handful of fresh berries or sliced fruit on the side of the plate will add nutritional value.” >>

JAN/FEB 2017 13

CATEGORY FOCUS

Diabetic patients

The NACC’s Fo rt Book gives ca ified Meals Recipe terers the know -h and capabili ty to deliver th ow increasingly important elem is ent of care cateri ng.

Visit www.th enacc.c to find out mor o.uk e.

Care chefs should healthy meal options and individualised care plans to promote and maintain good weight control for diabetics.

Key nutritional advice for people with diabetes: Saturated fats should be limited and replaced by unsaturated fats, mostly monounsaturated fats such as oily fish (salmon, sardines), nuts and seeds Daily consumption of foods fortified with plant sterols or stanols significantly improve cholesterol for people with diabetes, irrespective of statin (drug) treatment A Mediterranean style diet lowers blood pressure and improves ‘good’ cholesterol In overweight individuals, a modest amount of maintained weight loss (4.5kg or more) results in improvements in blood pressure Consumption of oily fish, rich in n-3 unsaturated fats, is recommended at least twice a week

You can view a selection of care home friendly recipes from Ben Bartlett, Kerrymaid and Tetley on the Stir it up website www. stiritupmagazine.co.uk/recipes

14 JAN/FEB 2017

Fortification The demand for fortified diets to support the health needs of the elderly is increasing.

For people who are malnourished or at risk of malnutrition a fortified diet plays a vital role in helping to maintain weight and overall health. Food fortification is an effective and simple way of providing a few extra calories and nutrients in every mouthful through the use of ingredients such as milk, cream, butter, oils and nuts.

Create delicious recipes for your care home residents using MAGGI®Coconut Milk Powder Cater for residents who are increasingly adventurous with their tastes and enjoy eating ethnic cuisine

12 tins of 400ml coconut milk = 1 pack of MAGGI® Coconut Milk Powder 1kg bag makes 5 litres of coconut milk or 3 litres of cream Simply add 400ml water to 100g Coconut Milk Powder = 500ml coconut milk

Made from the finest Sri Lankan coconuts

• 1 bag is more cost effective vs 12 x 400ml tins* • Including a variety of interesting dishes on your menu helps

Gluten Free

combat 'taste fatigue'

No added preservatives or flavours

• Aids fortification -10g adds 71 calories

Suitable for Vegetarians

• Smooth texture vs coarse, gritty nature of desiccated coconut whilst still retaining the 'fresh' coconut taste

Shelf life 15 months

• Space saving vs. tins • Open packs can be stored for 15 months reducing wastage of food

*Booker pricing Oct 2016

® Reg. Trademark of Société des Produits Nestlé S.A. All rights reserved.

On the Range

Chocolate, Fruit & Nut Flapjack

ON THE RANGE

The Leading Independent Foodservice Brand

Mike Rooke

“The oat flakes are a very versatile product...

They’re great quality and a great price too”

You’d definitely want to be in the sports team if you were a pupil at Cheltenham College. The day before sports fixtures, the private school’s athletes are treated to Chocolate, Fruit and Nut Flapjacks to provide them with the vital energy and nutrients they need for the following day’s activities.

Mike Rooke the school’s executive head chef, explains: “It’s a ‘superbar’ packed full of goodness to get their energy levels up. They taste amazing and are very popular with the pupils.”

The recipe can be adapted depending on the age group of students they are being made for. The prep school is nut-free but the seniors’ version can include pine nuts, walnuts or other nut varieties.

Most of the ingredients Mike uses are from the Country Range brand, including Country Range Oat Flakes.

“The oat flakes are a very versatile product – we also use them to make different flavours of porridge, such as chocolate and mixed berries, and cakes. They’re great quality and a great price too.”

Ingredients 1.6kg Country Range Oat Flakes

1kg Country Range Mixed Dried Fruit

700g Country Range Cooking & Baking (block)

250g Country Range Pine Nuts

700g Country Range Butter

250g Country Range White Chocolate Drops

700g demerara sugar

250g Country Range Dark Chocolate Drops

700g golden syrup

Method

5. Portion it up as soon as it comes out of the oven

1. Melt together in a pan the margarine, butter, sugar and syrup.

6. Cook in a 155°C oven for 20 minutes (don’t pre-heat the oven).

2. Mix together the oats, dried fruit and pine nuts. 7. Leave to cool for one hour.

3. Combine all together.

8. Melt the white 4. Divide the mixture and dark chocolate into a shallow gastro separately and put tin (25mm deep), not each into a piping bag. greased or lined.

Drizzle over the flapjack.

JAN/FEB 2017 17

LEADING LIGHTS

Leading Lights James Devine

>> Northern Irish chef James Devine’s feet haven’t touched the ground since winning the National Chef of the Year 2017 title. We caught up with the sous chef at EIPIC in Belfast to find out how the victory has changed his life…

Congratulations on winning the Craft Guild of Chefs’ National Chef of the Year. Has it sunk in yet? How does it feel? Did you ever imagine you might win?

Even now, it still feels incredible, people ask if I’ve come down from Cloud 9 but I tell them I’ll come down when I’m good and ready! I was extremely honoured and proud to win the competition, I always thought I was capable of getting to the final but winning it outright was something I only ever dreamed of.

How would you describe your style of cooking?

My style of cooking is quite simple and uncomplicated, I don’t say that because it sounds good, it’s because I’m actually a pretty average chef and keeping things straightforward usually helps disguise any short comings.

How important is it for the Northern Irish culinary scene for a Belfast chef to scoop this top accolade?

Northern Ireland right now is in a state of transition, with the standard getting stronger each year. We have two Michelin star restaurants in Belfast city with other really strong places just outside such as Noble in Holywood and Wine and Brine in Moira. I hope that together with the good work being done in these places, winning the NCOTY will maybe give us a greater level of respect from chefs across the water.

What do you love about entering culinary competitions?

For me the best thing about cooking competitions is actually the months leading up to it. That’s usually the bit that separates the winners from the losers! I like to enter a state of intense focus and total obsession! It’s not for everyone but I genuinely enjoy a situation with the odds completely stacked against you and the only edge you have is how much you’re willing to sacrifice - time, sleep, money, friends, social skills, to name but a few!

I was extremely honoured and proud to win the competition, I always thought I was capable of getting to the final but winning it outright was something I only ever dreamed of.

18 JAN/FEB 2017

LEADING LIGHTS

tion with you a u it s a y jo n e ly e “I genuin pletely stacked against ch the odds conolymedge you have is how mu and the u’re willing to sacrifice” yo How will this award enhance your career?

This award has already enhanced my career massively. Twitter and Facebook alone have been crazy - I’ve never been so popular! I look forward to seeing what the coming year has in store.

You were a quarter-finalist in BBC’s MasterChef the Professionals in 2013. How did you enjoy the experience of being on the box?

I really enjoyed being in MasterChef, it’s still quite a raw nerve if I’m honest! Being knocked out still remains one of the worst days of my career to date. But all losses make you stronger I guess.

Michel Roux Junior referred to you as a “thinking chef”. What do you think he meant by that?

It was such a massive tick off the bucket list to cook for Michel Roux Jnr, meeting him on set remains a personal highlight. He was such a gentleman. I think and hope he meant that I take an idea or a dish or concept and I think about how I would like to make it my own. As I mentioned I like to focus and obsess and being original is part and parcel of that process.

And on a side note if you make an idea your own, people can’t correct it because you become the authority in it! Once again a means of hiding my mediocrity.

In the light of your new award, would you consider more TV chef work?

Yes, I’d completely love to do more or any TV work. I think average chefs make the best presenters so I’d fit right in.

You previously said you hope to open your own restaurant in Tyrone one day. Are you any nearer to achieving that goal? Why Tyrone?

No unfortunately Tyrone just isn’t ready for the style of food I’d like to do. I really love my home town and I’m a very proud country man, but Belfast is where my future is and I hope to have my own place open within the next year.

And now for three questions that we ask all of our Leading Lights…

1. What are your three kitchen secrets? i) Stay hydrated with plenty of water and tea. ii) Always admit when you’re in the wrong if you’ve messed up. iii) Lead by example, even when it stings.

Rib of beef, braised Puy lentils and watercress

JAMES’ winning main course from the final!

Ingredients 300g Rib of beef Sea salt 4 x Heritage carrots 10g Thyme Garlic, 1 clove 100g Puy lentils 50g Celeriac

1 x Shallot 5g Parsley 5g Chives 5g Knorr beef stock 100ml Red wine 20g Watercress

Method 1. Remove excess fat from rib and render down in pan, use this fat to cook the heritage carrots, add a little water, thyme and garlic and cook 15-20 minutes over low heat until tender.

2. Boil lentils in salted water 12-15 minutes until just cooked, drain and refresh in cold water.

2. What is your favourite ingredient and why?

3. Dice the celeriac and shallot and sweat off in butter, add

Potatoes - totally Irish response but they are amazing! If you need any more proof, see Mark Abbott – Great British Menu.

the cooked Puy lentils, stew for a few minutes before finishing with some butter and soft herbs.

3. Please could you share your favourite recipe, along with your reasons for choosing it?

4. Seal the beef on all sides in hot pan, until well coloured

Rib of Beef, puy lentils and watercress – my winning main course from the National Chef of the Year final!

all over. Transfer to oven 180°C for five minutes. Remove and rest for further five.

5. Carve and serve. Assemble all ingredients on plate and finish with fresh watercress.

JAN/FEB 2017 19

www.kerrymaid.com @KerrymaidDairy

* Cambridge Direction 2012.

Helping care caterers meet residents’ needs with a portfolio of great tasting dairy ingredients.

ADVICE FROM THE EXPERTS

By Andrew Kuyk CBE, director general of the Provision Trade Federation

>> The UK has one of the most efficient and competitive food systems in the world, supplying consumers with nutritious, safe and affordable products meeting the highest standards of quality and resource use.

We also benefit from an unprecedented range of choice and yearround availability. A generation ago, the diversity, convenience, shelf life and information levels on offer in the average supermarket would have seemed an almost utopian dream.

Next issue: Special feature on ways to beat food inflation are still at some of the lowest levels they have ever been. And for the average family, the percentage of their income spent on food is also lower than at any other time in the last couple of hundred years.

The same is true of the food supplied through the rather unglamorously named catering and out of home sectors.

But doing this day in, day out, across the entire country and in all weathers and seasons is a much under-estimated and under-appreciated logistical and manufacturing achievement.

But we are now approaching a point where something has to give. Fierce competition among retailers has kept prices in the shops below general levels of inflation in recent years, despite cost increases in a number of key inputs, Cheap oil means cheaper including labour, packaging and energy, as well as raw materials themselves. food. By contrast, rising

oil prices put pressure on the whole system.

It relies on an extremely sophisticated system of supply chains, sourcing raw materials and other ingredients from both domestic, EU and global markets and using some of the highest tech modern forms of processing, inventory and stock control and delivery systems to ensure that the whole operation is as continuous, consistent and seamless as it can be.

Naturally all this comes at a price. And one of the triumphs of the food industry is how costeffective this end-to-end process has become. In real terms, food prices

Many people are not aware of the extent to which food prices depend on oil prices.

This is because oil is not only a source of the energy used in production and transport, but it is also an important component of farm costs in terms of fertilisers, pesticides, cultivation etc.

Cheap oil means cheaper food. By contrast, rising oil prices put pressure on the whole system. And when much of that oil is itself priced in dollars, depreciation of sterling compounds the effect.

So the current 20% fall in the value of the pound is hitting a very wide range of key inputs to food production, manufacture, packaging, transport and distribution, at a time when margins in the industry for all concerned, including retailers themselves, are at almost historic lows.

Manufacturers (and others in the supply chain) are doing all they can to absorb the resulting cost increases. But there is a limit as to how long this can be sustained. People cannot carry on in business below the cost of production. Yet there is a very unfortunate perception, particularly in parts of the media, that any attempt to pass on perfectly legitimate cost increases is somehow taking advantage of consumers and a form of profiteering. This is especially the case where pack or portion sizes are reduced as an alternative to a straight price increase.

So basic economics tells us that prices are going to have to go up soon – if we want to keep all the benefits and choice that we have become accustomed to. At the end of the day, valuing food means paying a fair price.

JAN/FEB 2017 21

Smart Quality People have never been more interested in coffee, with 80% of coffee drinkers visiting coffee shops every week*.

In catering, instant coffee makes up around 78% of coffees served†. People love instant coffee because they get the taste they love in a format which is quick and easy to use.

For any business that wants to offer quality coffee in an easy, convenient and cost efficient way, Maxwell House is the way to go.

Maxwell House offers a range of great tasting blends, offering caterers great value without compromise.

The smart way to enjoy your coffee.

Make a smart choice, * Insites Consulting ,Q2’16 † Kantar WPO Paneldata to Mar 27th ’16

K O! LONOW

e bl la ai Av

EW

N

New Look from January

NEW

Maxwell House has a range of 6 products, all with a great new look.

We’re excited to let caterers know about the relaunch of Maxwell House and will be painting the town blue in January, with trade advertising, high impact point of sale, and sampling.

Maxwell House Rich An intense, deep coffee, in both a tin and a refill pouch.

6 x 750g

Maxwell House Mild

Maxwell House Cappuccino

A smooth, well rounded flavour.

A rich and creamy speciality coffee mix.

For the first time – Maxwell House Sticks, in Mild and Decaf blends.

6 x 750g

4 x 750g

1000 x 1.5g sticks

, serve Maxwell House

Maxwell House Sticks

NEW

Available Available inin retail retail packs, packs, bags bags inin box box and and bulks!* bulks!

* Not all products come in all formats - visit the website at www.cerealsuccess.co.uk to find out more

EDUCATION

Challenge team puts in maximum

“Erfurt”

The winners of the Country Range Student Chef Challenge have returned from Germany triumphant after an amazing trip.

Rebecca Brooks, Emily Bucknall and Daniella Bromley from Loughborough College were the first all-female winners in the Challenge’s history and part of their prize was to join the Craft Guild of Chefs’ Culinary Team to compete at the Culinary Olympics (17-22 October 2016) in Erfurt, Germany.

Their lecturer Darren Creed also joined the Craft Guild line-up – and, backed by the trio, he won a bronze medal for the Programme Culinary Art, creating four canapés plus a five course Wedding Breakfast festival menu.

Says Darren: “We were competing against the US, Australia, UAE, countries all over Europe, all rolling up in huge lorries and buses with the faces of their team’s chefs on the side. It was incredibly daunting but it was an absolutely amazing experience.

“We’d arrive at a freezing cold exhibition centre to set up before 5am but we were sweating because it was so pressurised.

I don’t get easily rattled but I’d be putting the garnishes on the dishes and my hands would be shaking.

“At the end, each chef was called up on stage before the results were announced.

It was incredible to even be invited to

compete in the International Culinary Olympics and, because of the calibre of the competition, I thought I would be very, very happy to even receive a diploma. So when they said I had been awarded a bronze medal I was over the moon.

“I am still on cloud nine. Without a doubt it was the highlight of my career.”

Darren admits he couldn’t have done it without his talented student team. “The opportunity would never have been there without Emily, Rebecca and Daniella working so hard and winning gold at the Country Range Student Chef Challenge final in London so the medal is just as much for them.

“They were the only all-female team competing in the Challenge final and they won and at the Olympics they were fantastic ambassadors for women in food.”

The Craft Guild team won three silvers and eight bronzes in total. Team manager Fergus Martin said: “It was a really successful trip.

The girls did really well and helped everybody.

I think they learned a lot from the experience.

Competing is very different from being in the kitchen and it’s a very different style of doing things so they have taken a lot away from this.”

“When they said I had been awarded a bronze medal I was over the moon”

What did the girls make of it all?

Rebecca Brooks: “I learned a heck of a lot from the experience. I hadn’t really experienced any competitions like that before. Everything I’d done previously had been judged live when we were cooking, whereas this was done before and glazed and you left it on the table.”

Emily Bucknall: “We talked to chefs from China, the USA, Cyprus… it was unbelievable and so inspiring to see their work. The scale of the competition was incredible. It was amazing for us all to support the team and watch everyone’s creations coming alive.”

Daniella Brooks: “It was so tiring but a brilliant experience. It was great for us to get our names out there with members of the England team and hopefully it will help our careers in the future.”

JAN/FEB 2017 25

tinsel away, last of the pudding and mince pies consumed, next we will be talking about brushing the BBQs down!

Well a lot will happen before then, and at the Craft Guild we have a full calendar for 2017 already, from competitions, to shows, festivals, national, international, you name it we have it. For the competition chefs out there we have not one, but two salons, one at Brockenhurst College and one at Central Bedfordshire College. For these, along with all our other events, please take time to look at our website and see just what you could be involved in.

Of course the highlight within the competition calendar for many is the pending Country Range Student Chef Challenge, with the final being held at ScotHot in Glasgow on March 15. It would be great to see as many of you up there supporting and seeing some great talented students working their magic.

Here at the Guild we are always interested in knowing what people are doing, what they want to see and how we can help. Please feel free to drop me a line at the Craft Guild office, for us communication is so important and the only way that we can improve and help others out there.

Really pleasing to see Ian Jaundoo let us know of Five Ways to cook with digestive biscuits and sharing these ideas always makes my mouth water. I myself love to try many of these, and food is there to be enjoyed and experimented with, it’s the best way to learn.

Well here’s to a stunning 2017 for everyone!

Andrew Green Craft Guild of Chefs 020 8948 3870 enquiries@craftguildofchefs.org The Craft Guild of Chefs is the largest UK chefs association with members worldwide in foodservice and hospitality, from students and trainees to top management working everywhere from Michelin starred restaurants to educational establishments.

For more on the Craft Guild, visit www.craftguildofchefs.org or follow the Craft Guild of Chefs on Twitter at @Craft_Guild

Five ways to use...

Digestive Biscuits

FIVE WAYS TO USE

That’s it, Christmas done and dusted for another year,

Digestives are a classic biscuit favourite that are not just for dunking in tea or for cheesecake (although there has to be a cheesecake recipe included!)

TIP:

Mix crushed digestives with melted 70% grade chocolate for a chocolatey twist

Sometimes described as a sweet-meal biscuit, the digestive was first developed in 1839 by two Scottish doctors to aid digestion and has been a national treasure every since.

Here, Ian A Jaundoo, whose tutored a team in the finals of the Country Range Student Chef Challenge 2016, gets creative with five deliciously different dishes with digestives…

1. Chilli Pineapple & Mango Fool A simple dessert using Greek yoghurt layered in a verrine glass with coarse mango puree, yoghurt, lightly crushed digestives and pineapple pieces that have been lightly caramelised with diced red chilli pepper then top with a little more yoghurt and biscuit crumb.

2. Chocolate Mousse Gateaux A rich chocolate mousse using 70% grade dark chocolate and Cornish whipping cream with flaked chocolate pieces set on a digestive, cocoa and butter mixed base. A honeycomb crumb could be added to the chocolate mix to give additional crunch.

3. Red Berry Trifle A British classic loved by all using framboise liqueur macerated strawberries and raspberries, chopped fruit jelly topped with a fresh custard sauce and finished with lightly whipped Chantilly cream and coarsely crushed digestive heaped on top. Even kids will like this but go easy on the framboise!

4. No Bake Digestive Rocky Road Another kids’ favourite that they can easily make themselves with minimum help from mum or dad, taking 30 minutes to prepare and just two hours to set! Simply add crushed digestives to melted 70% grade dark chocolate, dried fruit, mini marshmallows and chopped nuts of choice. Place in a suitable tray and chill in the fridge until set. When set cut into the desired shape and try not to eat too many in one go!

5. Has to be – Banoffee Cheescake Of all the many cold mix cheesecakes this has to be one of the best. I would personally use unsalted butter for the base due to the slightly salt crispness of the digestive biscuit. A toffee sauce swirl and mini fudge pieces added to the filling before placing on top of the bananas makes for an even more delicious eating experience and that is before a dollop of freshly whipped cream is added!

About Ian A Jaundoo Ian is the executive chef at the Academy Restaurant, The City of Liverpool College.

He has over 40 years’ experience in the Ian A Jaundoo industry, 30 of which have been in the education sector. He also works as a chef consultant at several restaurants and has been a Master Chef of Great Britain since 2011. In the same year he was named the Craft Guild of Chefs Education Chef of the Year and, in 2015, received the Chairman’s Shield for Advancement of Culinary Excellence in Education.

Ian led his team of e liv students to the 2016 try un Co e th final of Range Student Chef Challenge!

JAN/FEB 2017 27

HOSPITALITY

Rocketing rents could ruin London’s historic restaurateurs

Levy The Applorenngtiwcaeyshtoipwards will go a the skills of the building generation. next

In April this year, the Apprenticeship Levy will come into force.

>> Prime central London is on the verge of losing some of its best-loved historic restaurants, with nine in 10 restaurateurs gearing up to “adapt or die” if rents and rates continue as forecast.

Restaurant property agents, Cedar Dean Group, conducted a poll of 100 prime central London restaurateurs and, of those 87%, 40% said they anticipate shutting up shop entirely, while 57% say they will be forced to relocate to a cheaper area. Just 3% said they thought they could adapt their business model.

Prime central London has seen colossal rent rises over the last few years, far outpacing those seen in the rest of the capital. Rents in Mayfair have risen by around 400% in the last year, from £150 per square foot to £600 per square foot today.

By comparison, on average London restaurants coming up to their five-year rent review face an increase in rent of 50%.

David Abramson, CEO of Cedar Dean Group, comments: “To cling onto our family-run culinary heritage independent operators, Government, industry and restaurateurs must work together to call for change. It is time to adapt or die.

The Apprenticeship Levy: Four months to go Jill Whittaker, MD of HIT Training

With only four months to go until the most significant development in apprenticeship funding kicks in, Jill Whittaker, managing director of HIT Training - the largest specialist provider of training and apprenticeships to the UK hospitality industry – provides the low-down on the Apprenticeship Levy and what it means for those who won’t pay the tax…

“In April this year, the Apprenticeship Levy will come into force. This may sound a touch dramatic, but it is the biggest change to apprenticeship funding in a generation! The levy - designed to fund three million apprenticeships by 2020 - means organisations with an annual pay bill of £3million or more will pay 0.5% of their payroll amount to the initiative. This presents a big opportunity for companies of all sizes to provide quality training to employees at all levels, a move which can have substantial benefits for the hospitality sector.

It’s expected that less than 2% of companies will be required to make the payments, which may leave many operators thinking that the legislation doesn’t apply to them. However, smaller organisations will benefit from more structured training programmes and the flexibility for employers who will now have greater control over their apprenticeship programme. Non-levypaying employers will be required to pay 10% of training costs - the government invests the remaining 90%. For companies that have fewer than 50 employees and who take on apprentices under 19 (or those aged 19-24 who are care leavers or who have special educational needs), 100% of training costs will be covered.

In the catering and hospitality industry, the Apprenticeship Levy will go a long way towards building the skills of the next generation. I would describe it as a game-changer in the way apprenticeships are administered – allowing employers more influence and movement over the qualifications they offer. Courses will soon go right the way through to degree equivalent – there are currently qualifications available for management and higher-level apprenticeships, allowing everyone who has a genuine training need to receive the help they require to develop their careers, and hospitality businesses the chance to fill any skills gaps.

“While interventionist measures like rent caps or business rate relief could ameliorate restaurants’ woes, business owners must also play their part. Having the confidence to adopt all-day dining models can boost the covers a restaurant can process, helping increase profits. This is just one example. Restaurateurs need to be more innovative than ever before to make their increasingly expensive central locations work hard for their money.”

28 JAN/FEB 2017

Even if businesses won’t be paying the levy, preparations for April 2017 still need to be made in order to ensure the benefits are received. It’s about making sure operators arm themselves with as much information as possible, to develop strategic programmes for employees.

Businesses can look at where skills gaps lie and examine current training schemes to consider whether they can convert these training and development activities into apprenticeships and ensure that they’re developing their workforce in the best way possible.

The levy is coming with a wave of positivity for businesses under the £3million threshold, and if planned for and considered, it can make huge strides to upskilling workforces across the sector.”

For more information, visit hittraining.co.uk/apprenticeship-levy and download the Apprenticeship Levy Handbook.

The Apprenticeship Levy

nd three The levy – designedhiptos fuby 2020. es million apprentic nies will be Less than 2% of thcoempapaym ents. e required to mak will Non-levy-paying employeofrstraining be required to pay 10%ent invests costs – the governm. the remaining 90% fewer For companies that, have of than 50 employeesbe10co0% vered. training costs will wave of The levy is comingeswiseths aunder the positivity for busin . £3million threshold

MCA

Fillet Steak with chilli

By Mark Wingett Editor, MCA. Eating and Drinking Out Market Insight

Contemporary Experiences and Execution >> MCA’s latest UK Restaurant Market report details the growth in the branded restaurant market, however identified that this growth would be slowing down.

MCA believes that increased competition from a revitalised pub sector, together with greater challenges from new concepts, means that there is less opportunity for branded restaurants (casual dining brands) to expand.

This therefore puts pressure onto the operations to grow through their existing

customer base, and this has to be achieved through delivering great value and execution. Consumers are more discerning and more experienced, and expect much more from their eating out experience. MCA’s research with consumers also showed that the Millennial generation were demanding greater variety, healthier dishes, more vegetarian options, and were willing to try a wider range of cuisines.

MCA’s analysis showed that the greatest growth in branded restaurants was coming from new, contemporary concepts such as Argentinian brand Cau, or Caribbean brand Turtle Bay, which highlighted changing consumer tastes.

chicken with black beans

This change in consumer tastes and expectations was summed up by a key message, “Contemporary consumers seeking faster fashion food will fuel restaurant growth”.

So the MCA message for 2017 is to keep the offer contemporary so that you appeal to the Millennial generation, who tend to eat out more often, and not to be afraid to provide new cuisine styles or food trends, as they will appeal to younger consumers and will keep your offer fresh.

5041821_Cadbury Hot Chocolate Brakes Advert September 2016_160913_v3.indd 1

30 JAN/FEB 2017

Grilled jamaican jerk

15/09/2016 12:15

>> After the excesses of the festive season, many people choose to give up on alcohol in January as New Year diets and resolutions come into play.

Non-alcoholic cocktails and soft drinks are often overlooked when creating a drinks menu yet consumers expect a more exciting and sophisticated offering than just your normal glass of mineral.

One way to spice things up is to create a short (or long if you think there is scope among your guests) selection of nonalcoholic cocktails or “mocktails”.

Nowadays, the demand for less alcoholic, more healthy drinks has increased and the fact that alcohol is not part of the

experience should not affect the customer.

Offering a mocktail can give people the same feel of being special without the hangover the next day!

From an operator point of view there are a lot of advantages in producing such an offering, a wide range of guests to appeal to, young children, the health conscious and the people that are driving, for example.

You are also able to charge a bit more than your usual soft drink - at the end of year this could be worth thousands! It also offers the ability to use those juices/fruit that are nearing their use by date. If you have a kitchen in your venue and you’re already ordering fruit and veg, that will help keep your cost down and improve your margins.

Stir it up Mocktail

• 50ml Apple juice • 30ml Pineapple juice • 20ml Peach puree • 10ml Fresh lime juice • 15ml Elderflower cordial

Non-alcoholic cocktails are often overlooked when creating a drinks menu

Shake all the ingredients, pour in a stemmed glass over ice and garnish with mint and fruit.

This type of offering is most suited to restaurant/hotels and anywhere where there is a sporting activity or a spa, however in every cocktail bar I have worked we always had an offering of at least 2-3 choices. After all there is always someone who’s not drinking and it’s nice to be able to give that little bit extra to all of the guests.

I leave you with this simple Mock recipe and see you next month!

Luca Cordiglieri, president of the UK Bartender’s Guild

Puts the competition in the shade The easy way to fortify your menu, now with added vitamin D – the sunshine vitamin

MORE THAN JUST CREAM

Millac Gold Double is the versatile, high-performance choice to increase the calorific value of your menu.

• Can be used in all your recipes – savoury or sweet, hot or cold

• More stable than cream – it doesn’t split or over-whip and can be re-whipped • Whips up to 3 times its volume – giving great value for money • Has a long ambient shelf-life which means reduced wastage • Tastes as good as dairy cream

FREE SAMPLE

To request your FREE* 1 litre sample carton visit www.pritchitts.com or call 020 8290 7020 *Free sample request offer only valid for sample Millac Gold Double 1ltr cartons. Open to bona fide care home caterers in UK and Ireland only, available whilst sample stocks last. See www.pritchitts.com for full terms & conditions. Offer ends 30/06/2017.

PRI13420 - Stir It Up - MGD - HPH - Jan/Feb - v2.indd 1

07/11/2016 10:39

JAN/FEB 2017 31

RAISE THE BAR

RAISE

THE MELTING POT

Tasty, easy & alternative superfoods Allergen-aware consumers are increasingly seeking alternatives to wheat. People following a gluten-free diet or healthier diet should opt for gluten-free options such as millet, corn, quinoa and polenta.

Superfood sales have soared globally in the last few years led by wellness-obsessed Americans following healthy and ‘clean’ diets.

It’s an eating trend which has fast gained popularity this side of the Pond and chefs are being increasingly asked to incorporate so-called “superfoods” into their dishes.

Demand in the UK is being further driven by consumers wanting to know about the provenance of their food.

Mintel researchers say there has been a 202% increase in the number of new food and drink products launched globally containing the term “superfood” so how easy is it to include the likes of quinoa, moringa, spirulina and baobab into your menus?

Here, six creative chefs flex their muscles and show how you can incorporate superfoods onto your menu…

Superfoods explained: QUINOA A wheat-free alternative to starchy grains from the same family as beets and spinach. The seeds can be added to cereals and salads and also used as side dishes.

Spirulina A blue-green algae packed with nutrients and high in protein.

Moringa Virtually every part of the moringa tree is edible and the easiest way to consume it is in powder form (made from the dried leaves). It has 25 times the amount of iron than spinach and seven times more vitamin C than oranges.

Baobab The Baobab tree is known as the “Tree of Life” and its fruit is full of vitamins, fibre and twice the calcium of milk.

32 JAN/FEB 2017

Ben Bartlett

celebrity chef and brand ambassador for Lion sauces A superfood salad makes an incredible power lunch and a fortifying alternative to a sandwich.

Use sustainable wild salmon, baked, grilled or hot smoked, with a mixture of baby spinach leaves, avocado, shredded carrot, red onion, cherry tomatoes, finely diced cucumber, quinoa and flax seed, brought to life with Lion Cajun & Tomato Dressing.

It’s lean, packed with protein, vitamins and fibre, and both satisfying and refreshing.

The great news is that most of the ingredients are probably already in your kitchen – and familiar enough to serve in almost any setting, from cafés to care homes and schools.

Fergus Martin

Major’s new development chef and former head chef at Darwin College Cambridge Quinoa is a great ingredient to include in your recipes and boast on your menu, as it taps perfectly into consumer desires for ‘clean’ diets and healthy eating. Try a black quinoa vegan sushi or a warm Moroccaninfused grain salad with a serving of marinated fish or meat for your grab and go options, or even in your winter soups or Pan-Asian broths. Furthermore, with recent research proving that regular consumption of quinoa is great for controlling or preventing diabetes or hypertension, helping to reduce blood glucose levels and lower blood pressure, it is a great ingredient to use in the care sector too.

head chef at Michelin-starred Bohemia, Jersey www.bohemia jersey.com In recent months we have seen such a huge demand for superfoods. We’ve become very aware of the growing trend so we are incorporating them into our tasting menus more and more.

At Bohemia we are constantly updating our menus to work with the seasons and new trends. For 2017 we are experimenting with new dishes which include superfoods such as baobab and quinoa. Baobab works well in muffins with peach and mango, or for a savoury dish baobab tastes great in a soup with coconut and chilli mushrooms. On our current winter menu we have included beetroot, which is a superfood, in our Venison loin & ragut dish. Beetroot is a fantastic and easy superfood to use in dishes and contains a lot of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.

Oliver Smith

head chef at Hadrian Healthcare Group’s Wetherby Manor and winner of the NACC Care Cook of the Year award 2015 Superfoods are nothing new. We make menus around nutritious foods to benefit our residents’ health. By adding nuts and berries to muesli and adding vegetables like beetroot to cakes, we can find ways to enhance various dishes. Our residents often have specific dietary needs and preferences, and we discuss these with them in detail and choose the best foods for them to devise individual menus if that is required. Choosing high water content foods such as juicy fruits can also help with hydration for people for whom that may be necessary.

Hina Patel

food activation manager, Nestlé Professional

THE MELTING POT

Steve Smith

as lemon, parsley, spring onions, tomatoes and Maggi Liquid Concentrates (stock). For a meatier version, add tinned sardines or leftover meat.

Not only does it look appetising, it’s super tasty too!

Or impress your guests with the Root Vegetable Quinoa Casserole made with brown rice, quinoa, butternut squash, mixed fresh herbs and splash of stock.

Very simple yet delicious and healthy. For a twist, add some chillies to give a fiery kick.

For full recipes, please visit the Stir it up website.

Preston Walker

Quinoa tabbouleh

Add nuts and berries to muesli to enhance this breakfast dish.

You could even create a tasty smoothie

active member and supporter of the National Association of Care Catering (NACC) and director and chef at Oak House Care Home Superfoods are great for increasing nutrients in the diet, particularly for the elderly who can have suppressed appetites. It’s important to be innovative to ensure they are enjoyed by residents.

We’ve developed a delicious custard dessert using sweet potatoes and red lentils, for example, and we include super-fruits in smoothies and make vegetable dishes more appealing with tasty sauces and herb crusts.

A great meal for a double hit of omega 3 and vitamin D-rich oily fish is salmon served with my sardine and tomato sauce. This tasty combination goes perfectly with new potatoes and super-vegetables like broccoli or kale.

Regular consump is great for contr tion of quinoa diabetes, helpoinlling g or preventing blood glucose levteo reduce lower blood preslss and ure

Preston’s Sardine and Tomato Sauce INGREDIENTS

Allergen-aware consumers are increasingly seeking alternatives to wheat. People following a gluten-free diet or healthier diet should opt for gluten-free options such as millet, corn, quinoa and polenta. Superfoods are not only healthy but can also make delicious meals which are easy to prepare such as quinoa tabbouleh which uses staple fridge and cupboard ingredients, such

Yoghurt muesli with strawberries

40g Rapeseed oil 75g Onion – diced 75g Carrot – Grated 5g Garlic 120g Tinned Sardines in tomato sauce

METHOD 320g Tinned Tomatoes

1. Sweat the onion, carrots and

300ml Veg Stock

2. Add the sardines, tomatoes, cream

25ml double cream

and stock, simmer for 10 minutes

10g Chives – chopped

3. Blend the sauce with the remaining

Lemon Juice – to taste

4. Strain through a fine sieve, add

garlic in a pan with half the oil

oil to emulsify the chives, lemon juice and serve

JAN/FEB 2017 33

Ideas for Oriental meals UNCLE BEN’S® Oriental sauces are ideal for marinating and making stir-fries or decant them straight from the jar to use as a dip.

For more information on the range of DOLMIO® & UNCLE BEN’S® Ready to Use Sauce and Rice Foodservice products, please contact Aimia Foods Ltd, the sole distributor for Mars Foodservice products in the UK. Call Customer Service 01942 408600 Email customer.services@aimiafoods.com Registered Trademark. ©Mars, Incorporated 2016.

®

As we welcome in the New Year and recover from the busy festive season, it’s a time to catch your breath and look ahead to planning your menus for 2017.

Here, the foodservice industry’s leading experts and analysts predict the food trends for the coming year…

2017 will be a year of extremes, from ‘ancient’ products including grains, recipes, practices and traditions to the use of technology to create more and better tasting plant-enhanced foods. Opportunities will exist for more products to leverage the reputation of the tea category and use chamomile, lavender and other herbs in formulations as a way to achieve a sense calm before bedtime.

Expect to see more of the unexpected, including fruit snacks made with ugly fruit and mayonnaise made with the liquid from draining chickpeas, which has been dubbed aquafaba.

Jenny Zegler, Mintel’s Global Food and Drink Analyst

Other predicted trends:

SPECIAL FEATURE

What’s on the menu for 2017?

Street food is driving a spice revolution, creating interest in spicy food and pioneering new spicy flavours. The upshot is a more knowledgeable and adventurous consumer and high demand for new eating out experiences.

Street food vendors have thrown down the gauntlet and with consumers prepared to spend more on street food, there is a clear profit opportunity for foodservice operators to maximise on the trend.

Eimear Owens, country sales manager, UK & Ireland, Santa Maria Foodservice Healthy eating will continue to be an ongoing concern amongst consumers and operators will increasingly use the so-called ‘superfood’ ingredients with health-giving properties as part of their main dishes or side orders to appeal to health-conscious diners. Our latest Menu Trends survey noted a surge in the number of main course salads being listed on menus, this is a trend we envisage growing even further next year as health, fitness and clean eating become an even bigger concern amongst consumers.

Nicola Knight, Horizons analyst

Kimchi

Korean foods look set to grow in popularity in the form of kimchi, the traditional fermented Korean side dish made of vegetables, the mixed rice dish bibimbap, and bulgogi – which translates as ‘fire meat’ in Korean.

Bespoke food to order

The trend for bespoke food made to order is likely to continue with chains such as Tossed, which has now developed an app to allow customers to choose the ingredients they want for lunch. Burger operators are also increasingly offering bespoke choices with burger personalisation letting the customer put together their own choice of fillings.

Adding fruitpsorts and seeds saupting clean e

Natural sweeteners

Consumers are becoming keener to reduce their sugar intake prompting the use of natural sweeteners including apple, dates and coconut and agave nectar as a substitute for honey.

Dessert cafes

Horizons’ recent Ones to Watch research noted the rise of dessert cafes, and this is a phenomenon likely to grow in popularity, particularly amongst younger people as places to meet their friends and hang out, perhaps taking the place of fast food outlets.

Poke

The raw fish salad dish poke [poh-keh] is seeing an upsurge that will continue into 2017 and the Hawaiian appetiser is already creeping onto menus.

Biohacking

Adding ingredients and supplements to food and drink to take your health to the next level will grow in popularity.

Middle eastern cuisine

There will be a move towards Turkish food and upmarket kebabs, a trend led by successful Comptoir Libanis serving Lebanese and Middle Eastern foods. Dishes based on healthy, fresh ingredients such as tabbouleh, falafel and houmous and a number of vegan and vegetarian dishes are likely to grow too, as will superfood ingredients such as pomegranate, halloumi and pulses.

JAN/FEB 2017 35

COUNTRY CLUB

the COUNTRYclub

Exclusively for customers of The Country Range Group

Join the vinyl revival Forget CDs and downloads, today’s hipsters are enjoying a vinyl revival – and you could be joining them with this extremely stylish prize.

One lucky Country Clubber will win this Crosley Executive USB Portable Turntable, which can play 7 inch, 10 inch and 12 inch records. And the rate that the records are played are in a choice of three speeds - 33 ⅓, 45 and 78 RPM, so you can play both singles and LPs through the dynamic full range stereo speakers.

It would make a brilliant addition to a care home to play old favourites to residents during afternoon tea parties!

Unlike turntables of old, this clever gadget also takes your favourite vinyl and converts them to digital files. It works by plugging in the USB cable to a Windows equipped PC or Mac, and allowing the record to play on the belt driven turntable mechanism with a diamond stylus needle.

The Executive will then create digital files on your computer.

WIN A Crosley Executive USB Portable Turntable

For your chance to win, simply send an email titled “Portable Turntable”, along with your name, contact details and the name of your Country Range Group wholesaler, to competitions@stiritupmagazine.co.uk.

Grains of inspiration

A cracking prize!

The founder of London’s first ever Porridge Café has published a new book called ‘The Grain Bowl’ – and we’ve got two copies to give away to coincide with our feature on Superfoods.

With Easter just around the corner, why not put your creative hands to good use and make your own Easter eggs this year?

Published by Phaidon, the book offers a delicious take on the latest superfood meal, with innovative grain, seed and rice recipes ideal for everyday healthy eating.

• 1 x Diamond Pattern Polycarbonate Easter Egg Mould • 1 x Dark Chocolate Couverture 54% • 1 x Strawberry Flavour Chips • 1 x Orange Flavour Chips • 1 x Recipe Card

WIN

a copy of ‘The Grain Bowl’

Grain bowls and porridge are hitting the headlines with their nutritious properties and restaurants worldwide are adding grain-based dishes to their menus - and not just for breakfast.

Check out this egg-cellent prize for chocoholics everywhere!

Care home caterers could use it as an activity for residents – and schools could have some fun with this prize too.

We’re giving away two DIY Easter Egg Kits to one lucky reader.

Each kit includes everything you need to make at least 10 scrummy eggs:

& Sack

For your chance to win a copy, send an email titled ‘The Grain Bowl’, along with your name, contact details and the name of your Country Range Group wholesaler, to competitions@ stiritupmagazine.co.uk.

‘The Grain Bowl’ (hardback) is published by Phaidon RRP £19.95.

WIN

To enter, send an email titled “DIY Egg”, along with your name, contact details and the name of your Country Range Group wholesaler, to competitions@stiritupmagazine.co.uk.

a ‘Do It Yourself’ Easter Egg Kit

Closing date for all competitions: 28th February 2017. All winners will be notified by 31st March 2017. Postal entries for all of the competitions can be sent to: Country Range Group, PO Box 508, Burnley, Lancashire BB11 9EH. Full terms and conditions can be found at: www.stiritupmagazine.co.uk/about

JAN/FEB 2017 39

® Reg. Trademark of Société des Produits Nestlé S.A. .

industry news

FOOD & INDUSTRY NEWS

Food &

Putting the Great in Hospitality >>The Hospitality Show returns to Birmingham later this month (23rd-25th) with a brand new name.

Registration for The Great Hospitality Show, the UK’s largest exhibition for foodservice and hospitality in 2017, is now live at: http://bit.ly/2fqjlvh Show ambassador Cyrus Todiwala, says: “Shows like this give us the opportunity to work with young chefs, to showcase innovative thinking, and to celebrate those who work in this fabulous industry.”

Gender pay gap at 3.9% for foodservice sector

Tackling the UK gender gap could add £150 billion to our annual GDP in 2025.

>>The accommodation and foodservice sector has a gender pay gap of 3.9% -14.2% below the national average – according to new figures from the Office for National Statistics.

From April, the Government will be taking action to tackle the gender pay gap by requiring all employers with more than 250 employees to publish their gender pay and gender bonus gaps. This will help shine a light on the barriers preventing women from reaching the top.

The benefits of helping women to unlock their talents are huge and tackling the UK gender gap could add £150 billion to our annual GDP in 2025.

High-end independent and chain restaurants including The Chancery, Busaba Eathai, Le Garrick and House of Ho have signed up.

MICHAEL IS A KIKKOMAN MASTER >>Chef Michael Wickham has beaten off stiff competition from top UK chefs to be crowned winner of Kikkoman Masters.

Michael, 31, sous chef at The Royal Automobile Club in London, had 90 minutes to create a starter and main course.

His starter of ‘Miso Glazed Scallop, Pak Choi, Pickles, Miso Broth’ followed by his main course of Venison cooked in spiced fond, sweet potato dumplings, kohlrabi, sesame’ have won him a seven-day trip to Japan.

Restaurant convicted for blocking sewers with fat, oil and grease >>Severn Trent has successfully prosecuted a Codsall restaurant in a ‘landmark case’ for blocking the sewers with fat, oil and grease – which led to nearby businesses being unable to flush their toilets.

Café Saffron in Church Rd, Codsall, was ordered to pay a total of £5,495, including costs, at Wolverhampton Magistrates’ Court.

MASTERCLASS TO REMEMBER

Under section 111 of the Water Industry Act it is an offence to discharge anything into the sewer that may interfere with the free flow.

Church Rd, Café Saffron indered to pa y or s wa l, al Cods a total of £5,495,

>>The winners of Essential Cuisine’s Best Brigades 2016, the chef team at the Hilton Manchester Deansgate, have been treated to a culinary tour de force from the mercurial Aiden Byrne, chef patron of the city’s Manchester House.

Alongside the trophy and a cheque for £1000, the masterclass was part of the prize for winning the nationwide competition.

Said Aiden: “The idea of the demonstration was to give the young chefs an insight into day-to-day life at Manchester House, and also what 30 years of experience looks like.”

THE MOST BEAUTIFUL RESTAURANT IN THE WORLD >>The German Gymnasium in London has won a hat-trick of awards at the World Restaurant & Bar Design Awards.

The venue, within a Grade II listed former gymnasium, between King’s Cross and St Pancras stations, was awarded Best Restaurant or Bar in a Heritage Building, Best UK Restaurant and the evening’s biggest award, Best Overall Restaurant, beating off fierce competition from across the globe.

JAN/FEB 2017 41

Send your Food for Thought ideas to editor@stiritupmagazine.co.uk

1

Don’t be shellfish

Sharing is caring with a delicious Zuppa di Cozze and fresh crusty bread www.majorint.com/magazine/ recipes/mains/zuppa-di-cozza-musselsin-a-rich-tomato-sauce-/

this 2 Give a Whirl

Fall in love with this Baked Rice Pudding by TV chef Ben Bartlett.

Says Ben: “Valentine’s Day is devoted to love – and what could be

1

more loving, nurturing and comforting than baking a traditional rice pudding, warmly spiced with nutmeg or cinnamon?” www.giveitawhirl.co.uk.

2

a hash 3 Make of it!

These Eggs Benedict using Aviko’s round hash browns make for a hearty breakfast.

The prosciutto can be replaced by wilted spinach for an alternative Eggs Florentine or by smoked salmon for Eggs Royale.

4 Dive in

This delicious Cornish plaice with sea vegetables, mussels and saffron is one of many treasure on the menu at the

3 4

Manhattan-inspired Avenue St James www.avenue-restaurant.co.uk/.

5 Floral fusion

The flavours of Peru and Japan combine with this stunning scallop and razor clam tiradito from Robert Ortiz, head of culinary development for the Peruvian restaurants in the Lima Group, and Ross Shonan, chef proprietor of Soho’s favourite Japanese izakaya, Shackfuyu.

6 Have a heart 5

These heart-shaped fine decorations, created by Julie Sharp at Callebaut’s Chocolate

6

Academy, add the wow factor to Valentine’s desserts.

JAN/FEB 2017 43

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

FOOD FOR thought

Start th e with somyear e inspira tional winter dishes

“ONLY THE

BEST HAVE A PLACE IN MY KITCHEN” SIMON HULSTONE The Elephant

Philadelphia’s delicious fresh taste, soft creamy texture and unique cooking characteristics are the secrets behind great dishes and fine sauces.

Get inspired at philadelphiaprofessional.co.uk Check us out on twitter @PhillyProUK

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