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106. Inapub Spring magazine 2024 - Stories for the Summer menu
Stories for the Summer menu
by ARCHIE MILLS
“Pub grub” used to be perceived by many as little more than stodge to soak up the booze. But thanks to publicans’ efforts to attract custom by offering something a bit special, these days our sector has earned a reputation for contemporary, high-quality dishes served in a laid-back setting.
And despite the cost-of-living crisis, punters; desire to eat out remains strong. Industry statistics show 77 per cent of customers would describe themselves as “very valueled”, but they prioritise quality over quantity.
One big happy family
Jennie Higgins and her team at the Fox & Hounds in Riseley believe running a destination food house is all about personal touches. “We see customers and staff as an extension of our family. Nothing makes us happier than seeing customers leave with full stomachs and smiles on their faces. It’s all about offering a complete experience, not just about a meal or getting a drink – we want customers to get the most out of the time they spend with us”.
Assistant manager Ray Drummond adds: “Being family and dog-friendly and having a large garden helps to attract people and it is the personal touches that brings them back.”
Local stories
For summer menus, consider the provenance and sustainability of ingredients and feature the story of a dish on your menu. Bidfood’s latest trends report highlights that “sustainable thinking has become ingrained into customer choices” and that 76 per cent find dishes and ingredients that have provenance within the UK appealing.
Jennie says “Using locally sourced food, that we get from our local butcher and chilli sauce supplier, is great. Not only do you get fantastic quality produce, but we build relationships with other local businesses and create a point of interest for customers. We highlight these relationships by having QR codes on our menus that link to our partners’ information”.
Recent years have seen growing public awareness of the plight of the world’s oceans, with customers thinking more than ever about the impact of what they order for dinner. The Marine Stewardship Council (msc.org/uk) publishes a guide to its certified sustainable seafood, which can help you offer your customers ethical choices. Sourcing from small-scale fishing operations can also make an evocative story for your menu.
Ben English, operations director at seafood supplier Marrfish, says: “The company feels a great sense of responsibility for the ocean and does its part to help sustainability and to improve ocean quality. As we enter the summer we go into the ‘Hook & Line’ caught season. Our mackerel, from Peterhead, are caught in the most sustainable manner, using long lines loaded with shiny hooks, in boats operated by just one or two fishermen.”
Catering for all
The Fox & Hounds has been awarded a five-star hygiene rating and been nominated for Wells & Co’s prestigious best newcomer award already this year. Ellie Bromhall, head chef at the pub, explains there is even more to be excited about. “We launched our new menu about a year ago and have focused on pub classics. Our house special roulade of chicken has sold a remarkable 1,700 servings so far. We find offering the same menu all day every day makes classic dishes like roulade, scampi, burgers, and fish & chips extremely popular”.
“It is crucial to cater for all allergens and have vegetarian and vegan options too. Our gluten-free fish & chips has been flying out the door and demand for vegan options is definitely growing – it’s all about offering variety and I would say you must have four or five vegan and vegetarian options available all of the time,” Nick Smith, executive chef, explains “having super-competitive pricing helps but it’s about finding a good middle ground with a focus on quality and variety.”
Jennie adds: “We are classified as a destination food pub, but we really want to put community at the centre of everything we do to bring people together. We want to bring people to the village as well as our pub and by providing friendly service and outstanding pub classics, we are proud people come back again and again”.
Up in your grill
With summer, and National BBQ Week (3 to 9 June) fast approaching in the UK, it’s the perfect time for venues to maximise their income by incorporating grilling, smoking, and cooking over fire onto menus, or event schedules.
With a whopping 500,000 BBQs sold every year in Australia, where better to get some inspiration than the land that views grilling as a way of life?
Stephen Edwards, trained chef and UK Business Manager for Meat and Livestock Australia here in the UK says, “if you have an outdoor space at your pub or restaurant or the ability to grill over an open flame, then BBQ food is a fantastic way to create a buzz, enticing new diners or attracting those seeking a fun, party atmosphere. BBQing adds a rich depth of flavour to dishes and it’s a style of cooking that’s really gaining traction in the UK market”. Ben from Marrfish provides some useful tips on how to get the best barbecue dishes from your fish. “When barbecuing, concentrate on fish species with a high oil content – these will withstand the high heats of the BBQ. Tuna, trout, salmon, and seabass all lend themselves to being barbecued. Mackerel is an oily fish which we think performs best on the BBQ”.
