Pizza, Pasta & Italian Food - Issue 170

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pizzapasta and Italian food magazine

Issue 170 November 2015 www.papa.org.uk

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pizzapasta AND ITALIAN FOOD

Editor telephone e-mail

Clare Benfield 01291 636336 clare@jandmgroup.co.uk

Advertising telephone e-mail

Andrew Emery 01291 636334 andrew@jandmgroup.co.uk

Production telephone e-mail

Jayson Berry 01291 636339 jayson@jandmgroup.co.uk

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Welcome With the news that several US-based pizza brands now have their eyes on a slice of the UK pizza market, as well as the trialling by Domino’s of artisan-style pizza here, there’s a noticeable move within the sector towards more premiumisation and authenticity, reflected in this month’s features that cover artisan pizza and corporate social responsibility. We also review the recent Restaurant Show and Takeaway Expo, hear about a cookery school and profile several new launches.

Now is the time of year when our thanks go to all of 2015’s sponsors, competitors and judges in this year’s PAPA Awards. Turn to page 14 for the official shortlist, and to page 18 for details of the latest from the Pizza Chef of the Year and Pasta Chef of the Year competitions. Good luck to all those taking part! We look forward to catching up with many of you at the special awards night gala dinner to be held at the Lancaster London Hotel in London on 12 November 2015.

CLARE BENFIELD EDITOR clare@jandmgroup.co.uk

01291 636333 membership@papa.org.uk

J & M Group, Association House, 18c Moor Street, Chepstow, NP16 5DB. Opinions expressed in Pizza, Pasta & Italian Food magazine are those of the contributors and not necessarily those of J&M Group, Pizza, Pasta & Italian Food magazine or The Pizza & Pasta Association. No responsibility is accepted for the opinions of contributors. Pizza, Pasta & Italian Food is published by J&M group Ltd. and supports The Pizza, Pasta & Italian Food Association. It is circulated to managers, executives, buyers, retailers and traders in the pizza and pasta business. © J&M Group Ltd. 2015

Contents NEWS 4 Pasta restaurant chain to open five restaurants.

5 Countdown to the PAPA Awards!

52 All day treats – how changing eating habits are shaping the world of desserts.

ARTICLES

6 Antonio Carluccio becomes brand ambassador for Cirio.

34 Back to school – the Italian lawyer turned chef who’s aiming to coach UK chefs.

8 Kafoodle wins Food Allergen Awareness Innovation Award.

58 Re-inventing the after-dinner coffee – there’s so much more to coffee!

PAPA

60 The truffle hunters – an Italian tradition.

14 PAPA Awards 2015.

PROFILES

18 Pizza Chef of the Year 2015.

18 Pasta Chef of the Year 2015.

REVIEW 38 The Restaurant Show 2015.

42 Takeaway Expo 2015.

FEATURES 26 Artisan appeal – views and advice on artisan-style pizza.

44 Sustainability and social responsibility – good food made and served ethically.

62 Launched in London – Bella Cosa and pop-up pizza at Harrods.

64 Fine dining by the lake – Hertfordshire’s stylish Terranova restaurant.

66 Pizza My World – Ross Gibson of Pro Foodservice Reps.

REGULARS 63 New products.

68 Index of PAPA registered suppliers.

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Takeaway Innovation Expo grows in size

Pasta restaurant chain to open five restaurants Following its success in France, pasta restaurant chain Francesca® looks set to open five new restaurants in England this autumn (its flagship restaurant at 215 Baker Street, London, opened in 2012).

Francesca will soon be opening a restaurant in Birmingham’s brand new shopping centre, Grand Central and people on the move will also be able to enjoy authentic Italian cuisine on the food courts of four motorway service stations - Beaconsfield (M40 J2), Cambridge (A14 – M11), Baldock (A1M J10) and Peterborough (A1M J17).

Eat-in or take away, there will be a choice of up to 18 freshly prepared sauces and three varieties of durum wheat pasta, as well as an assortment of salads, antipasti, lasagne, cannelloni, panini, desserts, real Italian coffees and wine.

Founded in 1998 with over 50 restaurants in France and abroad, Francesca provides healthy and balanced meals that live up to Italian cuisine’s excellent reputation, reflecting the traditions upheld by high-quality Italian food and its respect for consumers and suppliers.

Francesca Albanese, co-founder of the Francesca franchise, says that she makes it her priority to source top-quality ingredients straight from Italy, which she then transforms into 18 deliciously fresh, homemade pasta sauces. All pasta dishes are free of preservatives or artificial flavours, and are based on traditional recipes and cooking techniques that have been passed down from generation to generation in Francesca Albanese’s family.

The Takeaway Innovation Expo (ExCeL, London, 29 and 30 September 2015) welcomed 6,312 visitors, having grown in size dramatically by over 1000 additional visitors this year, report the show’s organisers.

Along with independent restaurant and takeaway business owners, key figures from the major QSRs and large takeaway chains attended the event, (MD of Just Eat Graham Corfield; CEO of GBK Alasdair Murdoch; Head of Operations at Nando's Ben Taylor, and more) giving expert advice and judging the Takeaway Innovation Awards.

“The show has been a huge success, the hall was buzzing with excitement and the number of business owners and experts coming together to build profitable business relationships was inspirational,” said event director James Williams.

“Next year the show is going to be held once

again at ExCeL, London, and is already shaping up to be a much larger event, incorporating Takeaway Innovation Expo, Street Food Live, and new show Restaurant Design.”

Takeaway Innovation Award winners included the Innovation Award Winner, Handle-It (a drinks holder with handle for carrying coffee cups and other drinks, making it easier to carry multiple drinks and perfect for displaying promotional branding). The Enterprise Award Winner was AdGen (a user-friendly cloud-based platform allowing venues to create their own animated notices and ads even if they have no previous design experience). The Food Allergy Awareness Award was Kafoodle (an app to find allergen and intolerance friendly places to eat) and the Visitor’s Choice Award was Foam Aroma UK (an innovative lid that enhances the coffee or tea experience).

First Westminster Hospitality and Tourism Day 33 MPs from across the UK took part in a day in Parliament on Wednesday, 16 September, highlighting the importance of the hospitality and tourism industry to the British economy.

The event – which brought together politicians, policy-makers and businesses – was organised to celebrate the contribution the sector makes to Britain’s economic wellbeing (industry leaders have been asking the government for policy reforms to help make it more competitive with rival tourist destinations, particularly in Europe).

According to an independent Oxford Economics study commissioned by the British Hospitality Association, hospitality is Britain’s fourth largest industry, supporting 14% of total employment and delivering £143bn a year to Britain’s economy. It has also created one in five of all new jobs since 2010. However VAT is still levied at 20% - almost twice the European average. No fewer than 25 out of 27 EU countries have reduced rates for hospitality. Industry leaders are campaigning for a lower rate of 5% on hospitality in the UK.

The British Hospitality Association (BHA) – which organised the Westminster Hospitality and Tourism Day – also called on the government to speed up and simplify the VISA application process to encourage more visitors from growth markets such as China.

They also want to ban ‘Rate Parity’ clauses – which mean online travel agents receive the same rate as guests who book rooms with the hotel itself.

They argue that rate parity limits savings that hotels can pass on to guests who decide to book directly.

Ufi Ibrahim, chief executive of the British Hospitality Association told MPs that: “Hospitality is a wealth generator across the country, not just London and the South East, and we can contribute a lot more to this country in new well-paid jobs, exports and increased tax revenue.

“But we need government support to fully unleash our industry’s potential; on tourism VAT, on visas, deregulation, aviation capacity and on creating a fair digital marketplace by banning so-called ‘Rate-Parity’ agreements.”

New Edinburgh micro-brewery launches Paolozzi lager John Dunsmore, ex-CEO of Scottish & Newcastle and C&C Group, has founded a new craft brewery in his home city of Edinburgh, and launching with a lager called Paolozzi that has Scots-Italian Eduardo Paolozzi as its brewery muse.

Combining the ‘head’ of a career at the UK’s biggest brewer with the 4

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‘heart’ of a family-run start-up, John Dunsmore says that he is aiming for a new brewery that will bring Edinburgh inventiveness, openmindedness and playfulness to the beer scene.

In particular, John Dunsmore feels that Eduardo Paolozzi, the Edinburgh-born inventor of Pop Art deserves better recognition, with

the Edinburgh Beer Factory hoping to help achieve that in his home city and beyond. His eclectic and collaborative approach, international outlook and fascination with combining art and science sum up what the team are all about, says John Dunsmore, their launch product being a tribute to this Great Scot.

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Countdown to the PAPA Awards!

The countdown to this year’s highly regarded and eagerly-awaited PAPA Awards hotted up this month with the holding of the various Pizza Chef of the Year, and Pasta Chef of the Year heats around the country (turn to page 18 to find out who’s now in with a chance of becoming the overall winner in each category, as well as to find out which products and brands have been shortlisted).

Held at the Lancaster London Hotel near Hyde Park in London, the awards night has become a must-attend, networking event for all those keeping an eye on the latest trends and successes in the world of Italian food by providing a great celebratory opportunity for guests to meet and catch up with their contemporaries from across the industry. This year’s dinner takes place on 12 November 2015.

During the day, and for the third year running, popular Italian celebrity chef and entrepreneur, Aldo Zilli, will be involved in the

judging of the Pizza Chef of the Year and Pasta Chef of the Year finals. He will also be taking to the stage in the evening to present the lucky winners with their awards, and no doubt offering some words of wisdom from his varied career in the restaurant world (turn to page 17 to reserve your place).

MOD Pizza spreads to the UK MOD Pizza, the US-based pioneer of fast casual pizza, has announced that it has signed a joint venture agreement with Sir Charles Dunstone and his long-standing business partner, Roger Taylor, to bring MOD Pizza to the United Kingdom, spreading the MOD culture into its first international market, say the duo.

MOD co-founders Scott and Ally Svenson, who revolutionised the United Kingdom’s coffee culture when they launched Seattle Coffee Company in the early 1990’s, will work with Sir Charles and Roger to introduce MOD Pizza's unique purpose-led culture to the United Kingdom during the first half of 2016, followed by a rapid national rollout.

Sir Charles Dunstone, the entrepreneur who founded Carphone Warehouse and TalkTalk Telecom and is chairman of TalkTalk and Dixons Carphone, will be chairman of MOD United Kingdom. He successfully introduced Five Guys Burgers & Fries to the United Kingdom in 2013, and currently operates 30 locations of the American better burger concept across the UK, with plans to open its first location in France too.

“We are thrilled to partner with Sir Charles and Roger to launch MOD in the United Kingdom, a place that inspired much of the spirit behind the MOD brand,” said Scott Svenson, co-founder and CEO of MOD Pizza.“The most important factor in choosing our first international partner was

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finding someone who shares our values and will cultivate the MOD culture. Sir Charles and Roger not only believe in MOD’s people-first approach, they are committed to using the business to make a positive social impact. With their unique combination of passion and experience, we couldn’t imagine better partners to help bring MOD to the United Kingdom.”

Sir Charles Dunstone said:“With its compelling combination of superior food quality, value, speed and its culture of leveraging the business as a platform to do good, I believe MOD will translate extremely well across the United Kingdom.

As one of the fastest growing food concepts in the United States, I see a tremendous opportunity for MOD to disrupt the UK pizza scene with its ‘super fast’ pizza experience.”

As MOD continues rapidly expanding throughout the United States and internationally, it says that it remains focused on spreading the MOD culture into new communities by offering great jobs, excellent benefits, and career growth opportunities, all while giving back to its employees (the “MOD Squad”) and the communities it serves. To date, MOD has supported over 60 non-profit organisations with a focus on at-risk youth and families in need (MOD Pizza will have reached 2,500 MOD Squaders and approximately 100 stores by the end of 2015).

Franchisee anticipates brisk business in Bolton Papa John’s has announced Abhishek Sachdeva has opened in Bolton.

Abhishek Sachdeva, who joined as a franchisee at the start of this year, has tasted success already with his St Helen’s store and plans to open seven more Papa John’s within the next two years, with the help of the company’s franchisee incentive scheme.

“Bolton is a great location for us,” confirms Abhishek Sachdeva.“The city is undergoing much regeneration and it is densely populated with a mix of families and students all tempted to try our top quality pizza.

“We are planning some aggressive marketing. Leafleting, social media and sampling sessions will give our customers food for thought and, due to Papa John’s ‘Better Ingredients, Better Pizza’ concept, we know from experience, repeat business will be strong.

“The team are doing a fantastic job in-store.

They are customer facing day-to-day and are motivated and provide the very best service.

We believe we have the all the ingredients in place to keep us busy in Bolton!”

Papa John’s is currently running an incentive scheme to help franchisees in the early stages of growing their businesses which includes discounted royalty fees, contribution towards marketing spend plus free equipment for new stores opening our the enterprise development zones of the Midlands, Wales, The North West, North East and Scotland.

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Antonio Carluccio becomes brand ambassador for Cirio The managing directors of Cirio UK operations, Cesare Concilio and Diego Pariotti, have announced that Antonio Carluccio is the new Brand Ambassador for Cirio.

For over 40 years Commendatore Antonio Carluccio OBE, OMRI has been the face of Italian cooking in the UK. Regularly on our TV screens, he has been at the forefront and a key driving force in converting the British palate into a more Mediterranean one through his many cook books and of course the Carluccio restaurant chain.

He is credited for training and inspiring many celebrity chefs and is now seen as the godfather of Italian cooking and a national treasure, earning him both an OBE in the UK and a Commendatore OMRI for services to Italian gastronomy (the equivalent of a British knighthood).

As Italy’s most loved tomato brand, Cirio is now an icon of Italian cuisine in over 90 countries and the influence of tomatoes on

Catering firms advised to act now to maximise AIA tax savings Catering firms set to invest in business growth could save thousands of pounds by doing so before the end of the year, asset finance specialist Academy Leasing is advising.

The Annual Investment Allowance (AIA) will fall from the current rate of £500,000 to £200,000 from January 1, 2016, reducing the tax relief cap on investments in equipment and development capital. The AIA offers tax relief at 100% on qualifying expenditure in the year of purchase, deductible from taxable profits.

“Although the fall in AIA was less severe than expected in the Summer Budget, businesses can still make substantial tax savings by making their purchases before the end of the year,” said Academy Leasing managing director Michael Nolan.“The countdown is on to benefit from the higher existing allowance and the maximum possible tax break.”

For businesses that have accounting periods that straddle 1 January 2016, the AIA will combine both the existing and new limits (a company with a March 31 year-end, for example, will have an allowance of £425,000 - £500,000 x 9/12ths + £200,000 x 3/12ths). From January 1, 2016 to year-end however, the AIA will only extend to the calculated allowance for this period.

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Italian cuisine is unquestionable and since 1856, Cirio has been creating a range of tomato products to bring the authentic taste of Italy into every home.

Diego Pariotti said:“Cirio is now the UK’s fastest growing Italian brand in the UK, with an 8.8% share of the total canned tomato sector.

To further enhance our growing reputation as the true Italian tomato brand in the UK, we needed another true Italian icon to represent the brand and so Antonio was the perfect choice.”

Cesare Concilio added,“When we approached Antonio, we were delighted to discover that Cirio was already his tinned tomato brand of choice and he had grown up using the brand in Italy and still does today.

Antonio was quick to show us the Cirio in his own cupboards, plus he mentioned that he is pictured using the brand in one of his early cook books.”

Antonio Carluccio will primarily represent

the Cirio brand in the UK and Australia where he will promote the brand via his recipes, through radio and advertising promotions, editorial tips and advice, videos and personal appearances.

“I was keen to work with Cirio when the opportunity arose as they are part of a much bigger co-operative that represents 14,500 Italian artisan farmers,” said Antonio Carluccio on his Cirio appointment, “Tinned tomatoes are a staple ingredient for Italians and a key base ingredient for many of our dishes. I have grown up using Cirio so am now happy to be part of the Cirio team and now I have the occasion to help raise their profile in the UK and Australia.”

ASK Italian, Zizzi and Carluccio’s all to offer Qkr! MasterCard has partnered with ASK Italian, Zizzi (both part of the Azzurri Group) and Carluccio’s to bring their customers a more convenient, speedier and fuss-free way to pay for their meals via the Qkr! with MasterPass app on their phone.

The Qkr! app, developed by MasterCard Labs, allows diners to pay for their bill as and when ready. Benefits include convenience (customers are in control of how and when they pay - if in a hurry they can pay as soon as they wish or when dining with friends or colleagues they can split the bill and pay), simplicity (the app is easy to download and customers can register with any payment card, not just a MasterCard) and security (MasterCard processes 65,000 secure transactions a minute, meaning iners can be reassured their transaction will be safe and secure).

MasterCard partnered with wagamama earlier this year to launch Qkr! with MasterPass in the UK. It was the first restaurant chain to offer this new innovation in payments from MasterCard and has been a real success story for wagamama. Its popularity means new features will be made available soon, enabling wagamama diners to browse the menu using the app and order extra food or drinks straight to their table.

Scott Abrahams, group head of acceptance and emerging payments, MasterCard UK&I said:“With ASK Italian, Zizzi and Carluccio’s all soon to be offering Qkr! with MasterPass, their customers will have greater convenience, simplicity and security when paying their bills. We are

confident that their customers and the restaurants themselves will mirror wagamama’s experience, where both parties really benefit. Customers can enjoy their meal in the time they have and pay when ready, and restaurants can turn tables around more quickly and serve more customers.

“Qkr! is a flexible and powerful payment option and lends itself to environments beyond restaurants, such as cinemas and sports stadiums. We are delighted that three more major high street restaurants are joining Qkr! and we will continue to scale up the app for consumers in the UK and around the world.”

Doug Wooten, head of IT for the Azzurri Group added:“Our customers are great at giving feedback and we know that they are looking for faster and more convenient ways to pay. By working with MasterCard and implementing Qkr! our restaurant teams can focus on delivering great service to customers and serving our fantastic food.

We know that splitting bills is pain point for our customers and if they choose to pay with Qkr! it offers them a convenient solution, together with paperless receipts on the app for easy reference. This is all within a secure and trusted app that is easy for everyone to use with their card of choice.”

Qkr! with MasterPass app is available for wagamama diners and will be available for customers at Ask Italian, Zizzi and Carluccio’s towards the end of 2015. The app can be downloaded from The App Store or Google Play.

November 2015

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Kafoodle wins Food Allergen Awareness Innovation Award Kafoodle Kitchen, the menu management software system that identifies all allergens across a menu, is celebrating having won the Food Allergen Awareness Innovation Award at the recent Takeaway Innovation Expo at Excel.

The award was judged by the who’s who of the casual dining and takeaway market – and rumour has it that is was mostly unanimous!

Tarryn Gorre, Kafoodle cofounder has commented: “We are immensely proud and utterly delighted to have received this accolade. It really does feel like awareness around this subject is starting to be at the forefront of both diners’ and businesses’ minds.

“With over 10,000 business customers visiting Excel London we were definitely kept on our toes and it was great to speak to so many businesses that not only want to digitalise allergen information but are also

Kim Antoniou receiving the award from Just Eat’s Graham Corfield.

interested in different ways of improving the customer experience when looking for takeaway food. There were a few key topics that takeaway businesses were discussing and amongst these were how to communicate allergens in takeaway food as well as healthier menu options so that diners feel comfortable eating takeaway more frequently.”

De Palo’s Cucina Italiana restaurant installs temperature monitoring system Innovative family-owned Bride Street restaurant De Palo's ‘Cucina Italiana’ in the City of London has just invested in a revolutionary wireless temperature-monitoring system as part of its rigorous policy of food safety.

Described by reviewers as ‘buzzing’,‘delicious’,‘my favourite in the City’,‘amazing’,‘explosion of flavours’ and ‘everything an Italian restaurant should be,’ De Palo’s specialises in classic Italian dishes all lovingly prepared on the premises by Sicilian chef Agostino, and with thousands of pounds worth of top quality stock stored, maintaining optimum temperatures in and out of working hours is critical to assisting in early detection of refrigeration failure and ultimately eliminating wasted produce.

The restaurant’s groundbreaking new system – called IceSpy Notion Lite - is a smallerscale version of the monitoring system used in The Vatican and not only assists in ensuring the restaurant’s quality of stock is maintained 24/7, but also helps

meet strict Food Standards Agency compliance requirements.

“The system has been invaluable,” said owner, Daniele De Palo.“It’s exactly what we’ve needed and gives me the peace of mind I need in my equipment and quality of stock. I’ve only had it installed for a month and I already can’t be without it. I was initially wary of installing a wireless system as I am not the most technically-minded person, but it was much easier than I had expected taking less than an hour of my time before it was up and running.”

Daniele De Palo (left) with chef Agostino at Cucina Italiana

Craft Guild of Chefs endorses to Pan’Artisan’s sourdough and pizza dough balls

erlenbacher’s latest tiramisu erlenbacher’s say that their latest tiramisu is based on the traditional Italian recipe including soft sponge, delicious mascarpone cream and a smooth mocha flavour.

It also has a distinctive wavy design and is pre-cut into 12 slices per packet. This readyto-serve dessert also contains amarettoliqueur to offer a delightful and authentic almond aroma.

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Pan’Artisan’s range of dough balls have been ‘highly accredited’ under the Craft Guild of Chefs Product Endorsement Scheme, achieving 177 out of a possible 180 marks and use of the ‘Approved Product’ logo.

During the product endorsement programme, all three chefs unanimously agreed that the dough balls were easy to use, of superior quality and that they would be happy to continue using them.

Richard Jansen, managing director said: “We are absolutely delighted with this result and to have received this endorsement. We think that our range of dough balls provide a consistent, premium quality product for busy operators, eliminating the need for specialist skills or equipment and this has now been verified. To receive comments such as,‘I would struggle to notice the difference in the final product up against freshly made’ and ‘Sourdough and brioche are far better than any other product used’ is high praise indeed and makes us very proud.”

The time-consuming, specialist work has already been done so all that is required of chefs is for them to create their own doughbased recipes as if from scratch, including the addition of further ingredients, sizing and shaping to their exact needs.

Their pizza dough balls come in a variety of sizes and are made using an original Neapolitan recipe, which allows greater elasticity of the dough, for an exceptional, final flavour; sourdough is much in demand at present, yet can be time consuming and require skill to produce. Pan’Artisan’s sourdough dough ball offers busy caterers a tangy, distinctive flavour, claim the firm (www.panartisan.com).

November 2015

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news Conscious Hospitality visitors crown Free From Italy An Italian free-from food business has been voted the winner of the ‘Great New Idea’ competition at the recent Conscious Hospitality Show.

Free From Italy impressed show attendees with its range of high quality, authentic Italian food products free from common allergens such as gluten, wheat, eggs, dairy and soy.

Over 45 products were put forward for judging. Entries included 100% natural cleaning products, space saving multifunction furniture, water dispensing appliances, free-from common allergen food ranges, technology that reduces physical paperwork and more. Show visitors voted for the most deserving product or

New Sirman pizza dough rollers from FEM FEM has launched the Sirman pizza dough rollers to the UK catering market to help caterers make light-work of preparing the perfect pizza dough.

The Sirman Pizza Dough Rollers are practical and easy-to-use, making rolling out circles of dough to prepare pizza and speciality breads both simple and fast, claim FEM. To protect the characteristics of the dough, they operate without heat. The thickness and diameter of the rolled-out dough circles can be easily adjusted, based on the chef's preference.

Constructed from strong, durable stainless steel the Dough Rollers are perfect for heavy-duty use in commercial kitchens. Parts are easily removable for thorough cleaning. FEM supplies the Sirman Pizza Dough Rollers in two sizes, 12 inch and 16 inch. The smallest in the range, the SP 310/2, measures 440mm (w) x 380mm (d) x 615mm (h) and is available from FEM with a list price of £1,090.00 +VAT, with a one year parts and labour warranty (www.fem.co.uk).

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service on Twitter.

Checkit came in second place with their products and software offering wireless and paperless solutions for monitoring and recording legally required food health safety and hygiene procedures.

Elizabeth Duncan, Conscious Hospitality Show commercial director, said:“We were extremely impressed with the quality of entries and felt that exhibitors put forward some truly innovative and ground-breaking products that have the capacity to move the foodservice and hospitality industry forward in terms of sustainable, ethical, and health and nutrition focused operations.

Centre, Free From Italy’s Nigel Singh and Olga Aguilera-Lopez being presented with their award.

“The Free From Italy range is a deserving winner and a great example of new innovations making it easier to satisfy consumer appetite for free-from food.”

The Great New Idea competition featured as part of the inaugural Conscious Hospitality Show, sister show to The Restaurant Show.

Genetic ID launches new test for oregano authenticity Genetic ID (Europe) has announced the launch of a rapid and cost-effective detection method of myrtle and olive leaves in dried oregano.

Genetic ID says that it is applying a Real Time PCR based semi-quantitative method and the service is available with a turnaround time of the following day, if required.

The new method has been developed inhouse by the food authenticity test lab in order to assist food manufacturers with verifying the authenticity of dried oregano. Authenticity of the dried herb sold through a number of retailers was recently called into question following publication of a study conducted by Professor Chris Elliott which revealed that 25% of 78 samples of dried oregano purchased in the UK and Ireland contained ingredients other than oregano.

Most commonly, olive and myrtle leaves were found in the tested samples (in some cases 30 -70% of foreign botanic material was found - most commonly olive and myrtle leaves).

In order to filter out samples that contain only adventitious traces from those with substantial amounts of foreign botanical materials, Genetic ID says that it is applying a reporting LOD of 1%. As this assay is PCR-based, customers can easily combine it with GMO or other species tests to keep testing costs down.

Bill Thompson, managing director of Genetic ID Europe said:“Consumers do need to know that the product they are purchasing is what it says on the label. The only way that spice importers as well as manufacturers and retailers can be assured of the validity of the dried oregano, is by robust and reliable testing. Using its extensive experience in food authenticity testing, Genetic ID has introduced this new method, which can be combined with GMO or speciation testing to keep costs down and we believe it is one of the first to market.”

Genetic ID is offering a range of TATs from standard three business days upon sample arrival through to an express service with results available by noon of the following business day.

Brand-uniting pizza demonstration kitchen Innovative catering equipment supplier, Linda Lewis Kitchens, says that it has stayed true to its principles of doing things differently and after staging a demonstration kitchen launch attracting some of the biggest names in catering.

Linda Lewis, managing director of Linda Lewis Kitchens, thought outside the box earlier this year and recognised that she could possibly bring about a marriage between two major pizza oven brands – Cuppone and Valoriani. As a supplier of electric and gas-fired Cuppone pizza ovens, she could have viewed wood-fired and gas-fired Valoriani as a competitor, but instead chose to forge a relationship with its UK supplier, Orchard Ovens, and then convinced Cuppone that working with Valoriani would bring something completely different to the UK market.

As a result, Linda Lewis Kitchens moved not just two Cuppone ovens – the Paolo and baby

Giotto – into Orchard Ovens demonstration kitchen in Preston, but also a Cuppone pizza press and stand and a Cuppone dough mixer.

Additionally, the demonstration kitchen is now equipped with products from another Italian brand that Linda Lewis Kitchens imports and supplies – Friulco. Visitors can now see two Friulco dough dividers and rounders, and a dough roller. One of the rounders demonstrates pizza, whilst the other shows off its versatility in making naans and flatbreads for the ethnic restaurant sector. All of this equipment now sits alongside three Valoriani pizza ovens – the Igloo, OT gas-fired oven and a Fornino (woodfired and gas versions) and a Valoriani Forno Grill.

The facility was given an official launch on October 15, when demonstrations from Andrew and Dino Manciocchi, of Orchard Ovens, and Luciano Vendone from Deli Conti, brought the equipment to life.

November 2015

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New range of premium cooked meats

SHORTS New measures to protect UK workers Recruitment firms who recruit solely from overseas without advertising in Great Britain and in English will be prevented from doing so, under plans announced

by Sajid Javid, the business secretary. The government has announced that it will also consult on introducing a new criminal offence to tackle unscrupulous employers who subject vulnerable migrant workers to illegal working conditions and pay. The proposals are being put forward in two consultations on reforming recruitment sector legislation and tackling exploitation in the labour market.

PizzaExpress at Paddington’s Merchant Square Earlier this year, European Land announced that over 10,000 square feet of commercial space had been let at Merchant Square in Paddington to three leading restaurant and bar operators including PizzaExpress who are celebrating their 50th anniversary this year and have taken 3,600 square feet of double-height space on the ground floor of 3 Merchant Square (a mixed-use building next to Paddington Basin, London).

An Italian cookbook for vegans Mama Tried – Traditional Cooking for the Screwed, Crude, Vegan and Tattooed by Cecilia Granata has been published by Microcosm Publishing (www.microcosmpublishing.com). Cecilia Granata grew up cooking with her family in Italy, but as a vegan, has come to learn how to adapt her favourite recipes from around the country to be ‘animal-free’ while retaining the flavour and feeling of true Italian home cooking.

Quick and easy Italian recipes Published by Phaidon Press in September, The Silver Spoon: Quick and Easy Italian Recipes, does exactly what it ‘says on the tin’ by offering up some speedy Italian-themed recipes to try out.

All can be cooked in under 30 minutes, claim the publishers (www.phaidon.com) and dishes featured include panzanella, zabaglione and Milanese risotto.

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Portal Foods, a leading supplier of products to the independent foodservice sector, is introducing a new range of premium cooked innovative meat toppings called Cooked Cuts, developed in conjunction with its long-term cooked meats partner Dawn Farms.

Cooked Cuts is a range of high quality, on-trend products developed by the culinary team at Dawn Farms' state-of-theart facility at Naas in Co. Kildare, Ireland. It will enable Portal Foods to offer its UK foodservice customers a new selection of innovative cooked meat ingredients and meat toppings products at competitive prices.

David Page, Portal Foods' managing director said: "We are responding to consumers across the entire UK foodservice sector who are looking for punchier tastes as well as spicier meats and sauces. Cooked Cuts is an exciting new range which will be made available to independent chains and pub groups, enabling them to give their customers more taste and variety.

"In our view, the successful food companies of the next decade will be those that satisfy the changing tastes and demands of today's consumers. The new Cooked Cuts range gives our customers the best chance to compete against High Street brands. We have enjoyed a long and fruitful association with Dawn Farms and are delighted to distribute this excellent new range of products into the independent trade."

The Cooked Cuts range includes jalapeño pepperoni, a taco mince sauce and pulled pork and beef products. A fully integrated digital campaign aimed at Portal Foods' customers will also support the new brand offer.

Mary Harney, commercial manager for Cooked Cuts at Dawn Farms added: "The consumer interest in good food is growing so we have taken great ingredients and packaged them into the Cooked Cuts brand.

All the products are ready to order and ready to eat, fully traceable, culinary inspired and developed with the consumer in mind.”

DFI launches mozzarella sticks Cheese supplier, Dairygold Food Ingredients UK Ltd (DFI) has launched its popular mozzarella in a stick format ideal for multiple usage occasions.

The 2.25kg sticks of mozzarella allow full flexibility for foodservice operators, enabling them to dice, slice or grate the product to suit their own specifications, say the firm, and making them ideal for pizza and pasta, as well as applications including burger toppings.

“DFI prides itself on creating practical, innovative solutions to help foodservice operators deliver high quality, appealing and cost-effective dishes,” said Svitlana Binns, customer relationship manager for DFI. “We know that one size doesn’t fit all when it comes to ingredient requirements – and that’s why we have launched a new format

which operators can tailor to suit their own menus.

“The new mozzarella sticks are also compact and stackable, making them ideal for foodservice outlets where refrigeration space is limited.”

Mozzarella belongs to the pasta ‘filata’ group of cheeses that are characterised by a distinctive fibre-like structure, which occurs as a result of kneading/stretching fresh cheese curd in hot water. DFI’s mozzarella is known for its high quality and a consistently delicious flavour.

Vincent Donatantonio Vincent Donatantonio, former owner of food importer Donatantonio Ltd, grandson of the founder of the company and one of the pioneers of Italian food importing, sadly passed away during the summer after a short illness.

He worked for the family business over an incredible 60 year period as the company pioneered the import of Italian food into the UK. He was a tireless champion of authentic, quality foods with a focus on provenance, and his vast

knowledge and experience of the Italian food ingredients sector will be missed by many.

Simon Bell, Donatantonio’s CEO commented:“I was deeply saddened to hear of Vince’s death. He was hugely influential in the Italian food sector in the UK for many years. I was lucky to work with him for a short period after joining Donatantonio and to benefit from his vast knowledge of Italian food, his longstanding relationships with suppliers and unique sense of humour.”

November 2015

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Papa Awards 2015 Shortlist Announcement Excitement and expectation are now building towards the 26th Annual PAPA Awards, the jewel in the crown that is the great pizza, pasta and Italian food industry in the UK.

he shortlist for this year’s Pizza, Pasta & Italian Food Awards has now been finalised. Join the industry’s premier people on the night of 12th November for a gala dinner, held at the Lancaster London Hotel. We’ll be rewarding and celebrating the continuing success and innovation of the UK’s pizza, pasta and Italian food industry.

Book your table now to see who will take home this year’s awards and of course, the fabulous after show party. This year’s after dinner entertainment is sure to hit a high note as The Party Bandits bring their foot-

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Overall Supermarket Section Sponsor

Overall Independent Section Sponsor

stomping, booty-shaking wall of sound to the PAPA Awards.

Hailing from Wales, the Land of Song - with an Italian connection thrown in for good measure - the band showcases two exceptional singers backed by superb musicians. From all time classics to modern masterpieces, there’s something for everyone as the Bandits tear into hit after hit.

Hide your awards and lock all the doors the Party Bandits are coming to steal the show!

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papa awards 2015 shortlist

THE PAPA INDUSTRY AWARD This lifetime award will be presented to an individual, company or organization who the judges consider deserves recognition for the contribution made to the industry.

There is no shortlist published for this award

PIZZA RESTAURANT PLATINUM AND GOLD AWARDS These awards are given to independent pizza restaurants (businesses with 10 or fewer sites where pizza is the predominant item on the menu) that set a standard for others to follow. In assessing entries the judges will be focusing particularly on standards in terms of product, service and overall atmosphere.

Platinum awards will only be given if one or more restaurants is exceptional.

Those shortlisted are: ■ La Favorita, Edinburgh ■ Bella Napoli, Glasgow ■ Battlefield, Glasgow ■ Suffolk Stonehouse, Suffolk ■ Zia Pizza, Westbury, Wilts ■ Pizza Café, Newton Abbot ■ Pizzeria Venezia, Rushden

JUST EAT INDEPENDENT PIZZA DELIVERY STORE AWARD This award aims to recognise the independent operators who are successfully driving their businesses in the delivery/takeaway sector. We received a record number of entries from all over the UK for this award.

Shortlist: ■ Pizzaface, Hove ■ Stone Willy’s Kitchen, Birmingham ■ Florentino’s, Gainsborough ■ Hello Pizza, Liverpool ■ Cornish Pizza Company, St Agnes ■ Village Pizza, Ewell ■ Organica Pizza, London ■ Romeo’s, Derry ■ SubXpress, Peterborough ■ Yammo, Bath

NEW PRODUCT OR INGREDIENT AWARD This award aims to recognise those suppliers who are developing/sourcing new equipment, products and ingredients for use by manufacturers or restaurant/delivery businesses. The judges will be looking for innovative ideas which can positively benefit the market.

This award may be divided into two categories – Retail and Foodservice ■ Taste of Sicily – White truffle oil ■ Italia Formaggi – Raspadura cheese ■ Rondanini – Tiramisu gelato ■ Leathams – SunBlush® yellow cherry tomatoes ■ Snowbird Foods – Gourmet Plus Cumberland Sausage coins ■ Pan’Artisan – Sourdough Dough Ball ■ Meadow Cheese – Palatina mozzarella and cheddar

CHILLED PIZZA MULTIPLE RETAILER AWARD This award aims to acknowledge those retailers who are actively driving the chilled pizza sector of the market. All retailers are automatically considered for this award.

There is no shortlist published for this award as all retailers are considered

FROZEN PIZZA MULTIPLE RETAILER AWARD This award aims to recognise those supermarkets who are actively driving the frozen pizza sector of the market. All retailers are automatically considered for this award.

There is no shortlist published for this award as all retailers are considered

THE ITALIAN RESTAURANT PLATINUM AND GOLD AWARDS These awards aim to identify the best in genuine Italian restaurants in the UK. To this end they will be presented to specialist restaurants where the food served is rooted at the heart of Italian cuisine and which offers a genuine taste of Italy and experience.

This award is divided into Independent and Chain categories

INNOVATIVE FOOD TO GO AWARD This award will recognise the dynamic and expansive role played by businesses with Italian food at their core who bring authentic Italian cuisine to the ever growing food to go market.

This category is open to any business or division that has begun offering Italian Food To Go since 1 September 2014.

Those shortlisted are: Pizza Rossa, London Slice Pizza, Manchester Gino D’Acampo My Pasta Bar, London Project Pie UK, Dundee

www.papa.org.uk

Independent category Il Michaelangelo, Weston-Super-Mare ■ La Locanda, Gisburn ■ Tamburino, Street ■ Ennio’s, Southampton ■ Bar Italia, Edinburgh ■ La Piazza, Thornbury ■ San Carlo, Leeds ■ Del Villaggio, Birmingham ■

Chain category All Italian chain restaurants have been considered for this award.

After much deliberation, the judging panel have decided that the shortlist for 2015 is: ■ Prezzo ■ ASK ■ Zizzi

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papa awards 2015 shortlist Three separate awards will be presented within this category under the following headings.

They are:

PIZZA DELIVERY CHAIN AWARD This award aims to recognise the chain operators who are successfully driving the delivery/takeaway sector.

All chain delivery operators have been considered for this award.

After much deliberation, the judging panel have decided that the shortlist for 2015 is: ■ Papa John’s ■ Basilico ■ Firezza Ltd ■ Pizza Hut

PIZZA RESTAURANT CHAIN AWARD This award will be given to the pizza restaurant chain (a business with more than 10 restaurant sites) which the judges consider to have done the most in the last year to develop their business and which sets a standard for others to follow.

For the purposes of the awards, a pizza restaurant is defined as one where pizza forms the main focus of the business.

All Pizza chain restaurants have been considered for this award.

After much deliberation, the judging panel have decided that the shortlist for 2015 is: ■ Pizza Hut ■ Pizza Express ■ ASK ■ Toni Macaroni ■ Vapiona ■ Prezzo ■ Zizzi

PASTA RETAILER AWARD This award aims to recognise those supermarkets which are actively driving sales of pasta. All retailers are automatically considered for this award.

There is no shortlist published for this award as all retailers are considered.

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CONVENIENCE STORE PIZZA RETAILER AWARD This award aims to recognise those convenience store retailers who are actively driving the convenience pizza sector of the market. All retailers are automatically considered for this award.

There is no shortlist published for this award as all convenience retailers are considered

MANUFACTURED PASTA PRODUCT AWARD This award aims to encourage new product development in the pasta market by rewarding those who are striving to develop the market through innovation and recipe development. This category is open to any product launched within the 12 month period leading up to the closing date of 1st September 2015 and which is still on sale at the time of judging.

Products short-listed for this award will be presented to a panel of judges for sampling.

This award is split into two categories – retail and foodservice Retail Morrisons Signature Lumaconi ■ Tesco free range egg lasagne ■ La Tua Pasta – Tortelloni black truffle ■ Dell’Ugo – Tomato, mozzarella and basil ravioli ■ Drossa Ltd – Farabella gluten free fresh stabilized strozzapreti rustici ■ Strathmore Foods – McIntosh macaroni range ■

THE PIZZA AND PASTA MARKETING AWARD This award is aims to recognise successful marketing and promotional initiatives by businesses operating in the UK pizza, pasta and Italian food industry. This award is open to all those involved in the market, including suppliers.

The shortlist for this award is as follows: ■ Prezzo – The stars are coming out this Christmas campaign ■ La Favorita – 10th Anniversary marketing campaign ■ Iceland – Power of Frozen campaign ■ Gino D’Acampo My Pasta Bar – Summer Lovin’ campaign ■ Papa John’s – Papa Quality Guarantee campaign ■ McIntosh of Strathmore – Mr Macaroni campaign

MANUFACTURED PIZZA PRODUCT AWARD This award aims to encourage new product development in the pizza market by rewarding those who are striving to develop the market through innovation and recipe development. This category is open to any product launched within the 12 month period leading up to the closing date of 1st September 2015 and which is still on sale at the time of judging.

Products short-listed for this award will be presented to a panel of judges for sampling.

Everyday Category shortlist: ■ Aldi – Specially Selected Italian meats pizza ■ Iceland – Pizza Pala range – Ham, mushroom and mascarpone ■ Asda – Chosen by You extra thin and crispy Mediterranean vegetable pizza ■ Kiren Foods – Pizza Mia range ■ Morrisons – Pepperoni stuffed cheese and tomato pizza Indulgent Category shortlist: ■ Co-operative - Truly Irresistible Kashmiri butter chicken, red onion and spinach pizza ■ Tesco’s - Finest wood fired Verdure pizza ■ Asda Deli - Pulled pork double decker ■ Spar - Hand stretched sourdough pizza – Italian salami, smoky provolone cheese and caramelized red onion chutney ■ Asda – Chosen By You BBQ meat feast stuffed crust pizza Innovative Category shortlist: Asda - Chosen By You Carolina BBQ pulled pork pizza ■ Goodfella’s – Sweet Fella’s range ■ Aldi – Stuffed crust chorizo and pepperoni ■ Goodfella’s – Gluten free pizza – pepperoni, chorizo and mushroom ■

Official beer sponsor

Foodservice shortlist ■ Rondanini – hand made braised beef Tortelloni with Barolo wine ■ Brakes – Smoked haddock Conchiglioni ■ Pastaficio – Ravioli Aragosta (lobster ravioli) ■ La Tua Pasta – Filled Gnocchi – squid ink with chilli and cheese

November 2015

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2015 Reserve your place for a great night out With music, singing and dancing until 2am

At the The Pizza, Pasta & Italian Food Industry Awards Dinner Lancaster London Hotel, Hyde Park On Thursday 12th November 2015 DINNER BOOKING FORM (please complete and email back to Pam Sainsbury on pam@jandmgroup.co.uk)

To book your place at the PAPA Awards Dinner, please complete the following: Contact name . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Business name . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Address . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Draw in aid of

Dress code: Black tie Bar opens: 19.15pm Dinner called 19.40pm

Starring

.............................................................................. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Post code . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Tel. No . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Fax No . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Email . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

I wish to book: . . . . . . table(s) of 10 places at the 2015 PAPA Awards Dinner at £2250 + VAT . . . . . . place(s) at the 2015 PAPA Awards Dinner at £235 + VAT per place Please note that all bookings made and invoiced must be paid for prior to the event.

Cheques should be made payable to PAPA. Alternatively, payment can be made at the time of booking by completing the section below. A receipted invoice will be forwarded upon completion of booking.

Credit Card Payment Card No . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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Name on card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Post code……………. House No…………….. (for security purposes only) No refunds can be made if cancellations are made within 20 days of the event and any cancellations before this time will be subject to a 25% cancellation charge. Please email completed form to pam@jandmgroup.co.uk or post to: Pam Sainsbury, PAPA, Association House, 18c Moor Street, Chepstow, NP16 5DB.

Bandits at 10 O’Clock!

This year’s after dinner entertainment is sure to hit a high note as The Party Bandits bring their foot-stomping, booty-shaking wall of sound to the PAPA Industry Awards.

Hailing from Wales, the Land of Song - with an Italian connection thrown in for good measure - the band showcases two exceptional singers backed by superb musicians. From all time classics to modern masterpieces, there’s something for everyone as the Bandits tear into hit after hit after hit.

Hide your awards and lock all the doors the Party Bandits are coming to steal the show!

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pizz/pasta chef regional heats

PIZZA CHEF of the year 2015

PASTA CHEF

of the year 2015

he PAPA Tour Bus is just over half way through its annual voyage around the British Isles in search of the finest Italian chefs the UK has to offer. Kicking off the next 25 Years we’ve launched an all new Pasta Chef competition in association with Keck Pasta – a competition which is being run in parallel with the now established Pizza Chef contest.

Also new for 2015 is the

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Kukd.com Pizza Chef of the Year category with the aim to discover the best creative pizza in terms of design and/or taste. Back by popular demand is the blind tasting of a Margherita style pizza, once again sponsored by Whitworth Bros Vivo Italian Style Pizza Flour.

Harvey & Brockless will be bringing us Roasted Red Pepper Strips from the sunny plains of

Regional Heats Update Almeria in southern Spain as the central ingredient in their category.

Galbani will be challenging chefs to showcase their Mozzarella Cucina Balls and SuperTops have laid a choice of two gauntlets for the chefs of either their Premium Spicy Beef Chunks or Diced Chorizo.

The regional competition winners will go on to compete in the Grand Final on Thursday 12 November. The very best of the

UK’s chefs will be there and PAPA Director, Jim Winship will deliver a State of the Market presentation from 12noon. Jim will reveal the latest market data, insight and analysis to invited media. PAPA magazine readers are welcome to attend for free.

Audience members at the Grand Final will also be treated to tasting samples of the pizzas made, too.

The London and South West heats had not taken place at the time of going to press. On 1st November the winners of these heats will be announced on our website www.papa.org.uk

Pasta Chef of the year 2015 - Scottish Heat Filled Pasta Category Roberto Galici Nonna's Kitchen, won the filled pasta category with his pasta dish Tortelli del Cacciatore

Short Pasta Category Rocco Monaco from Tony Macaroni, won the short pasta category with a pasta dish of fusilli, aubergine and smoked cheese

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Long Pasta Category Roberto Galici Nonna's Kitchen, also won the long pasta category with his Pappardelle ai Sapori di Sicilia

November 2015

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pizz/pasta chef regional heats

Pizza Chef of the year 2015

Scottish Heat First there was the Scotland Heat, held at the delightful La Favorita restaurant in Edinburgh, on October 19th.

Philip McIntyre, from Amaretto Ristorante, won the Tulip Super Tops category with his Pizza Chorizo

Roberto Scarano from Eatalia's, won the Harvey & Brockless category with his Salento pizza

Fausto Rea from Fausto's Pizzeria, won the Whitworth category with his margherita pizza

Paolo Crolla from Paolo's Italian, won the Galbani category with his pizza of mozzarella, artichoke, prosciutto cotto and Calabrian Nduja.

www.papa.org.uk

Terry Barriga from Tony Macaroni, won the Kukd.com category with his aubergine, pine nut, bacon and pecorina romano pizza

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pizz/pasta chef regional heats

Pizza Chef of the year 2015 Northen Heat

Nicky Currie from Red Tomato Pizza, won the Tulip Super Tops category with his pizza ‘Let-Tuce Bee’

Second was the Northern Heat, hosted by our friends at Stateside Foods in Bolton, on October 20th

Ellie Barrie Ellie Barrie, from Stateside Foods, won the Kukd.com category with a Guinness pizza base topped with cod and potato and a béchamel and tartare sauce.

Matt McGuirk from Slice Pizza, won the Galbani category with his aubergine, mozzarella and tomato pizza

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Dominique Gill of Stateside Foods, won the Harvey & Brockless category with her ‘Roasted red pepper Mexican Feast’ pizza

Ellie Barrie Ellie Barrie also won the Whitworth category with a sourdough Margherita pizza.

November 2015

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pizz/pasta chef regional heats

Pizza Chef of the year 2015 Midlands Heat

Sean Ward from Portobello Restaurant, won the Tulip Super Tops category with his spicy beef, avocado and jalapeno pizza

Third was the Midlands Heat, the wonderful team at Portobello made their Aldridge restaurant available for us, on October 21st.

David Hurst of Portobello Restaurant, won the Whitworths category with his margherita, which was cooked on his behalf by colleague Matthew Graham (pictured).

Dino Ordu from Milano Restaurant, won the Galbani category with his Hawaiian pizza.

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Andrew Langford of Portobello Restaurant, won the Harvey & Brockless category with his chicken, roasted red pepper, mozzarella and baby onion bhaji pizza

Andrew Langford from Portobello Restaurant won the Kukd.com category with his ‘Portobello’s famous Mars bar cheesecake pizza’

November 2015

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pizz/pasta chef regional heats

Pasta Chef of the year 2015 - Midlands Heat Long Pasta Category Kim Hartley from 2 Sisters Food Group, won the long pasta category with Piato di Pasta

Filled Pasta Category Simon Wilkes from Planters Restaurant, won the filled pasta category with his tortell porcini, leek, prosciutto ham and tarragon pasta

www.papa.org.uk

Short Pasta Category Andrew Langford from Portobello Restaurant, won the short pasta category with Rigatoni con ragu di carne di Maiale

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pizza

Why you should opt in for Assurance In November 2014, the Pizza Pasta & Italian Food Association finalised a Primary Authority Partnership with Slough Borough Council which will transform the way members of the Association deal with enforcement agencies in the future. Here, we explain how the scheme will work and why it could have major benefits for everyone.

In partnership Every year thousands of food businesses across the UK are visited by Environmental Health and Trading Standards officers to check that they are doing everything correctly and not putting the public at risk.

While most of these visits are straightforward, every now and then businesses find themselves being challenged on their practices. Interpretation of law is not always consistent between local authorities. For those with multiple sites across the UK, this variance can cause major problems. Even for smaller businesses this can cause unnecessary cost.

To address this, the Pizza Pasta & Italian Food Association has formed a partnership with Slough Borough Council with the aim of helping members across the UK to get consistent and reliable advice. The partnership, which has the approval of the Government’s Better Regulation Delivery Office (BRDO) (part of the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills), will in future be issuing formal assured advice on compliance and interpretation of the law which, if followed, will offer members protection from enforcing authorities.

In essence this means members will have one point of contact for assured advice and guidance specific to the industry.

What is Assured Advice?

Assured Advice is advice provided by the Association’s Primary Authority Partner, Slough

Borough Council, which comes with an assurance that it will be respected by other regulators across the country to prevent inconsistent interpretation of the law. This means that guidance on issues directly affecting member businesses, and covered by the partnership, can be dealt with consistently across the UK so that everyone is treated the same.

It also means that, provided members correctly follow the guidance, enforcement officers everywhere (including environmental health and trading standards) have to respect for the partnership’s interpretation of legislation and if an enforcing authority disagrees with it, they have to take this up with Slough Borough Council and the Association, not with the member. Thus members are protected and can simply hand the issue over for the partners to deal with, saving themselves the hassle of arguing their case.

How does it work?

On issues that specifically affect the sandwich industry – such as the new EC labelling regulations the Association will draw up Assured Advice jointly with Slough Borough Council. Once this guidance has been issued, and provided that members follow it, they can be confident they are compliant and protected from challenge.

Members can also ask the Association to take up issues and

provide Assured Advice through the partnership. As long as the issue is one that affects a significant proportion of members, the Association can take it up through the partnership for assured advice to be produced.

What does Assured Advice cover?

In future members will benefit from receiving tailored sector advice on a wide range of areas, including food safety and food standards. One of the first pieces of advice to be covered will be the new EC food labelling requirements, which includes advice on how to deal with the new allergen requirements.

How to join the scheme The scheme is only open to all members of the Association. To take advantage of the Assured Advice and gain the protection of

You can find out more about the scheme by contacting PAPA director Jim Winship at jim@papa.org.uk

the coordinated primary authority partnership, members simply complete a straightforward on-line form.

There is absolutely no cost involved in signing up to the partnership, as it is included within membership. However, there may be a cost involved if the Association takes up a specific issue on behalf of a member but those involved will always be notified of any costs in advance.

Members can either sign up to all areas of the partnership, which means that they are automatically included in any assured advice issued (a copy will be automatically sent to all those involved), or they can opt-in to adopt specific areas advice, such as labelling. In such cases the member will only be protected when following advice in this specific area.

Those signing up to all areas of the partnership will also be involved in consultation on new guidelines being drawn up under the scheme.

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POPULAR MEMBER BENEFITS Text Message Marketing The BSA competitions have now moved on to a text message entry system. This Text Local service is charged at standard message rate and enables us to build a database of sandwich consumers. We can use this database to contact consumers directly. And you can too.

Text Local will provide expert 121 support so you to set up your own competitions and entrants can automatically be entered into our national contest too.

At just 4p per message you can then send them links to your website, special offer codes, new menus or whatever. A great tool to target sandwich consumers in your area.

Getting your electricity bills under control Electricity is a major cost for most food businesses.

Through an arrangement with E.O.N, BSA members can now get these costs under control and save money into the bargain. In tests run by the Association with some members, we were able to cut some bills by up to £800 a year!

Save Money on Overseas Transactions

Cut Your Delivery Costs

Cost savings and an all-round easier way to send and receive money internationally. Rates are generally much better than the High Street banks, by typically up to 3-4%. That equals an additional £30-£40 on a transfer as low as £1,000 and as much as £3000£4000 on larger trades of £100,000.

Through an arrangement the British Sandwich Association has reached with the Fuel Card Group, members can save 5p on each litre of petrol/diesel they buy 10p on motorways).

And the perennial favourite…

Special Credit/Debit Card Rates With debit and credit cards increasingly being used to purchase items like drinks and sandwiches, the British Sandwich Association has partnered with World Pay to give members the best available rates.

Food Hygiene Training. The BSA, in partnership with the Food Learning Company, offers its members new advanced online hygiene training for just £15 (plus vat) per course. With all food handlers legally required to have attained a basic certificate in food hygiene and typical courses costing up to £50 + VAT per head, the total investment can soon mount up. We’ve been providing this benefit to members for some time and it is always a very significant cost saving for businesses large and small

For full details see www.papa.org.uk

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Artisan appeal The trend for premium, artisan (some might say “customisable”) pizza – pizza hand-crafted to order with premium toppings and invariably baked speedily in a wood-fired oven or equivalent – is becoming more widespread, arguably now re-invigorating the whole sector (Pizza Rossa – main pictures - has just entered the motorway landscape and US brand Project Pie is up and running in Scotland with two more US brands - MOD Pizza and Blaze - believed to be next).

A fresh opportunity?

“If you are like many pizzeria operators, you might find yourself stuck in a pepperoni rut. Sure, the ingredient is the industry’s top seller, but how do you get your customers interested in more than just a bog standard pizza?

There’s a fine line between enticing taste buds and turning them off,” says Paolo Veneroni, director of sales at Continental Quattro Stagioni (CQS).

Over the course of the past year, CQS reports that it has been working closely with many up and coming ingredients in their kitchen, including ventricina piccante, Taleggio, guanciale (cured pork jowl), and many more. Indeed, considering pizza as more than just a fast food has become an increasing trend, say the company. Despite the onslaught of fast-baked pizza concepts entering the fast-casual market, many existing pizzerias have responded by placing more emphasis on quality over quantity.

“I think the single biggest trend impacting menus in all segments of the restaurant industry today is the demand for real and authentic ingredients,” says CQS’s chairman, Sandro

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Bevilacqua. “These concepts can be difficult to define. They can refer to the produce used, preparation techniques, presentation of a dish or a combination of all these factors.

“Even the big chains have taken notice of customers’ appreciation of better toppings.

With greater buying power, that means upscale ingredients are no longer reserved for the artisan pizzerias. In general, we should expect more upscale pizza toppings, especially as chains like Pizza Hut are starting to use higher quality ingredients.”

But that doesn’t mean independent caterers should give up when it comes to competing, believe CQS (www.continentalfood.co.uk).

“In many ways, pizzeria owners have a head start in meeting customer expectations for authenticity. The flour used, along with the produce, sauce and cheese, all offer potential marketing opportunities. Plus, pizzerias typically bake freshly to order, which is critical to customer expectations of authentic foods. The most important step for operators is to communicate with their clients and take credit for all that they

are doing,” adds Paolo Veneroni.

“Aside from ingredients, how you market your concept can make or break it when it comes to standing out. Pizzerias have taken a leaf from old-school baking techniques and have designed their pizzerias around their ovens, which take centre stage.”

The artisan renaissance has arrived and the two showpieces are the pizzaiolo and his or her oven, assert CQS. These take centre stage now and pizzerias are built around the kitchen –– not the kitchen around the pizzeria. It’s no longer hidden behind the wall. It’s literally in the dining room. This has always been common for the Neapolitan-style restaurants not only because of the beauty, pride and respect of the craft, but also for better airflow for the restaurant where the mouth of the oven faces the front door, point out CQS. “This growing trend not only bakes a better pizza but also gives your customers confidence in the quality and cleanliness of food handling –– not something that can be done with delivery or take away items,” says Paolo Veneroni. “In general, pizza

concepts are really emphasising the equipment used, such as what kind of oven it is (brick oven, wood-fired, ovens that can reach 400oC etc.). Some concepts also prepare the pizzas on wooden pizza peels as customers make their way down the line for an added gourmet effect.

“Fast-casual concept restaurants are taking these very ideas and speeding up the process to produce a pizza that bakes in under three minutes - a noticeable response to consumers with little time but a greater desire for quality. These techniques combine upscale ingredients like sea salt, fresh basil and roasted artichokes and bake in fast ovens in front of the customers. Obviously, portion control is critical to these operations.”

So what can you plan to do in the near future to excite your diners in 2016 with an artisan approach? Begin by offering a few limited-time-only specials, suggest CQS. Find out what your customers want in small steps.

Offer a new meat/cheese/vegetable topping or two in the next couple of months, and make sure your staff are able to recommend November 2015

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pizza Motorway pizza Roadchef, one of the UK’s largest motorway service area (MSA) operators, has announced the opening of Pizza Rossa, the awardwinning gourmet pizza company, at its Watford Gap site on the M1 with plans to open a second offering at Norton Canes on the M6 toll in the coming weeks.

The Pizza Rossa offering sits within the Fresh Food Café at Roadchef’s Watford Gap site, providing an authentic, rustic offering inspired by the food vendors of Italy. Having already opened two successful restaurants in London, Pizza Rossa is known for serving delicious pizza ‘al taglio’, by the square slice.

Using vegan dough and the finest sourced ingredients to create pizzas low in calories, with no sugars or preservatives, a healthier eating option will now be available to customers, say Roadchef.

With each pizza freshly baked daily, Pizza Rossa’s menu is ideally suited to the MSA environment enabling Roadchef’s customers to grab a healthy, delicious, hot bite to eat on-the-go. What’s more, the outlets will also be launching a special pizza each month with seasonal toppings.

The news follows the recent introduction of SPAR stores as an additional grocery offering to the Roadchef sites, signaling the next step in the company’s continued premiumisation of MSAs so as to ensure all customers receive the best possible experience with every visit, say the company.

Simon Turl, CEO of Roadchef, said: “We’re delighted to be introducing Pizza Rossa to our Watford Gap and Norton Canes sites. We have analysed the wants and needs of our customers and this new outlet will be a fantastic fit in our Fresh Food Café.

Good quality food on-the-go, served at speed, is a key focus for us at Roadchef. Our aim is to ensure customers have a pleasant trip to all our service areas and it’s great to now offer even more healthy options to our visitors.”

Corrado Accardi, co-founder of Pizza Rossa, added: “This opening at Watford Gap has given us an exciting new customer base, to be extended further with the Norton Canes opening.

Serving high quality, gourmet pizza is our passion and we’re able to provide this with minimal wait time, making this offering ideal for a service station environment.” complementary toppings to make those ingredients stand out.

Standing out from the crowd “A recent Mintel report suggests that 45% of customers regularly visit pizza, pasta and Italian food outlets making this sector of the market one of the most widely used in the industry. What’s more, with premium pricing points and low production costs, offering a range of authentic, artisan Italian food can often command enhanced margins for caterers,” says Michael Eyre, product

www.papa.org.uk

director at Jestic Foodservice Equipment (www.jestic.co.uk).

“By allowing the customer to choose their own toppings to suit their taste and then made fresh to order, an artisan pizza menu incorporates innovation and quality to give a menu a real sense of excellence, a consideration for the very finest ingredients and the use of traditional pizza making skills.

Fresh, packed full of flavour and available in an almost endless supply of different styles and tastes, artisan pizza is simple yet delicious.

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pizza A gold-domed Wood Stone oven is a show piece at Bella Napoli, Glasgow.

“So when it comes to making your pizza offering stand out from the competition, why not look to put the theatre back into the cooking process, by utilising the impressive sights, smells and tastes of a front of house, real stone-fired pizza oven?”

Offering outstanding quality, delightful flavours and pleasing aesthetics, stone-fired pizza

ovens – an essential part of ‘real’, artisan pizza - will intrigue customers and provide caterers with a real point of difference when it comes to a quality food menu.

Wood Stone can claim to have been a market leader in the provision of stone hearth pizza ovens for over 20 years, supplying one of the finest and

most complete lines of commercial equipment to the industry. Having already sold over 10,000 ovens in 75 countries around the world, operators will be reassured to know that the company has extensive experience to drawn upon.

“Equally suitable for positioning within a kitchen environment or in an open plan,

customer facing set-up, customers and operators alike will adore the rich, smoky flavour associated with cooking in the oven,” says Michael Eyre.

“These ovens are available as both a gas fired and traditional wood fired versions, and manufactured in a wide range of sizes and styles operators will be able to work closely with one of the experts from Jestic Foodservice Equipment to ensure their new appliance provides the optimum level of service they require.”

In a new development to the Wood Stone range, Jestic (the exclusive UK distributors) are able to provide chefs with what they claim is one of the most comprehensive aftersales packages in the industry with an exceptional 10 year comprehensive warranty on a number of appliances in the range. The extension to the warranty covers appliances under the Wood Stone Mountain, Bistro and Firedeck series and includes a complete parts and labour warranty backed by Jestic’s own nationwide service team of factory trained engineers.

Domino’s trials new premium artisan pizza range Domino’s Pizza UK announced recently that it is trialling a major new premium artisan pizza range in London. Customers in West Hampstead, Paddington and Henley can enjoy the handcrafted Italiano Range which burst onto the menu recently, and is available for both delivery and collection.

The hand-stretched, thinner crust pizzas use the finest Italian ingredients, from classic prosciutto and ventricina salami to crisp rocket leaves and Gran Movaria cheese, and all brushed with olive oil for extra flavour, say Domino’s.

Classic Italian sides such as handmade, thin-crust Garlic Bread and a fresh Tomato and Mozzarella Salad complement the new range. Those with a sweet tooth are in for an Italian treat too with heavenly Tiramisu and divine Sicilian Lemon Cheesecake also featuring on the new menu. Prices range from £16.99 for a Verona, to £5.99 for the Italiano garlic bread and £3.99 for the light and creamy Tiramisu dessert.

Prices will vary at each store, but the

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full range will includes Verona (Prosciutto ham, chicken breast and fresh rocket leaves – medium £16.99, large £18.99), Ardente (Ventricina salami, roquito peppers and jalapeños - medium £16.99, large - £18.99), Sicilia (chicken breast, Cajun spices, red pepper pearls and red onion – medium £16.99, large £18.99), Milano (Ventricina salami and prosciutto ham – medium £16.99, large £18.99), Roma (fire roasted red pepper, Gran Movaria cheese and fresh rocket leaves - medium £14.99, large £16.99) and

Napoli (mozzarella and Gran Movaria cheese - medium £12.99, large - £14.99).

Simon Wallis, marketing director at Domino’s Pizza UK said: “We take great pride in hand crafting all of our pizzas and the new Italiano range comes with some of the best authentic Italian ingredients around. We think Domino’s fans will go nuts for them - especially as our customers tell us that they’re always keen to explore new flavours and options. We look forward to their reaction. Buon appetitio!”

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pizza

Tamburino In the heart of small Somerset town lies a restaurant big on Italian flavours.

Combining warm, welcoming hospitality with traditional Italian cuisine and a vibrant family-friendly atmosphere, Tamburino (www.tamburino.co.uk) has been a favourite with residents in Yeovil for over a decade.

With upwards of 99 covers (and additional seating outside during the summer months) the restaurant prides itself on serving fresh, authentic Italian food - and boasts an extensive menu of pizza, pasta and other popular Italian dishes.

They were also crowned Platinum Italian Restaurant of the Year in the PAPA (Pizza, Pasta & Italian Food Association) Awards in 2014 (these annual awards aim to identify the best in genuine Italian restaurants in the UK and to this end are presented only to specialist restaurants where the food served is rooted at the heart of Italian cuisine and which offers a genuine taste of Italy and experience).

It is Sicilian owner, Domenico The Project Pie story The city of Dundee, located on Scotland’s east coast almost equidistant between Edinburgh and Aberdeen is perhaps not the most obvious city to launch a ‘revolution’ in the pizza industry, but earlier this year, the first of a projected 60 brand new eateries of Project Pie (www.projectpie.co.uk) opened its door on Dundee’s bustling Reform Street and this one location has, according to the franchise owners, sets it sights on welcoming its one millionth customer through the door later this year.

And this isn’t merely an

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Taravella’s, undeniable passion that has seen Tamburino go from strength to strength, with the quality of the food playing a key role in the restaurant’s success.

“Italian cuisine is not just about the food that you are eating’’ says Domenico Taravella. “It’s about really tasting the food and savouring all of the wonderful flavours. We want all of our customers to enjoy the true taste of Italy – and this starts with the very best ingredients.”

From locally sourced meat and fresh fish to the finest Italian extra virgin olive oil, quality is paramount to Domenico Taravella and his team, and when it comes to restaurant’s cheese, it’s no surprise to learn that the restaurant favours the Italian brand, Galbani (www.lactalisfs.co.uk).

“Galbani is huge in Italy,” says Domenico Taravella “An authentic brand that is renowned for quality and loved by Italian chefs - with so much of our menu made using cheeses such as mozzarella we wouldn’t use anything else.’’

In particular, Galbani mozzarella takes

ambitious boast. The sales figures and consistent footfall suggested that this prediction is no pipe dream. The queue which formed down Reform Street on the opening day – 14th February – stands testament to the realisation of a dream to bring a slice of fast casual pizza dining from San Diego to the shores of the River Tay. This concept of fast casual gourmet pizza dining has its origins in the West Coast of America and thanks to three visionaries - two ex-pat Brits working in real estate and one renowned restaurateur entrepreneur who built up a

centre stage on Tamburino’s extensive pizza menu – each made fresh to order, with everything from the pizza dough to the tomato sauce base made entirely from scratch. Galbani Cubetti pieces are used to top the pizzas, providing an attractive even melt and giving a smooth flavour to perfectly complement accompanying toppings.

“Our pizzas are hugely popular, so it’s important that they are created properly,” adds Domenico Taravella.

And it’s not just mozzarella the restaurant favours on their pizzas – Galbani Dolcelatte® has also proved a hit with diners, working well paired with toppings such as salami, red onion and chilli. Made exclusively by Galbani, Dolcelatte can be seen across Tamburino’s menu, with its mild and creamy flavour working well not only as a pizza topping but in pasta and risotto dishes and as a sauce to accompany meats such as chicken and steak. In fact, Tamburino’s fillet steak with Dolcelatte sauce is a personal favourite of Domenico Taravella himself.

global brand of Michelin starred Chinese restaurants – a foothold has been firmly established in the UK. This ‘fast gourmet food’ approach is a huge part of the Californian way of life. Project Pie’s became famous for its “Design – Build – Eat” theme of “Artisan Pizza Custom Built by You”.The concept was created and developed by James Markham, a young, serial entrepreneur and pioneer of the ‘fast casual pizza movement’ which has taken America by storm. He had previously created two other ‘artisan’ pizza brands ‘MOD Pizza’ and ‘Pie-ology’ on

America’s West Coast, before establishing Project Pie in Las Vegas in 2012, where it now has dozens of outlets across America and also in the Philippines, where it has eight stores.

Up to 15 pizzas – each 12 inches in diameter - can be simultaneously baked in the Woodstone stone-hearth oven at 630oF in under three minutes, which is the key to Project Pie’s fast casual ethos. All pizzas are one price regardless of how many toppings are added and with customers choosing from a range of 28 toppings – cheeses, meats, vegetables and herbs and spices.

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pizza Regular patrons at the Project Pie eatery in Hillcrest, San Diego were ex pat Londoners Sue and John Canavan who had successfully built up a luxury real estate business in Newport Beach and Palm Springs in California.

“A friend of ours was chairman of Papa Murphy’s Take and Bake Pizza which is huge across central and western USA and he casually suggested we go and have a look at Project Pie,” recalls Sue Canavan.

“John and I instantly fell in love with it. That’s when we thought, this would go down well in the UK and Europe because we knew there was absolutely nothing like here in the pizza world, but in the USA there’s a huge demand for this design, build and eat concept.

“Other Pizza businesses over there have followed on from James Markham’s idea. He was initially sold on the Chipotle Mexican Grill story and he thought he could assimilate a similar working model around Pizza and so that’s how project Pie began. Vision, foresight and the ability to adapt is all it takes.

However, that day back in Hillcrest’s Project Pie something just something grabbed us and we were both tremendously excited by this and we were right to be.”

Next, John and Sue Canavan looked for a partner with the experience to take their ideas and enthusiasm for Project Pie and bring it to the UK. Neil Howard, the former CEO of Hakkasan, one of the world’s most distinguished restaurant, lounge and nightclub (including the world famous MGM Grand Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas) brands, joined them as their partner to bring the concept to Europe. Having secured the Project Pie franchise, the hunt was on for a location which would be pivotal to the European ambition of 60 locations across the UK and Ireland in the next five years.

“Dundee may seem a different choice from the usual conurbations such as London, Manchester or Edinburgh, but it made a lot of sense to us. The demographic is clearly important and given the city has a very high student population density with its two universities based so close

www.papa.org.uk

to the city centre, it made a lot of sense to be looked in a bit more detail,” says Niall Howard.

“Also, Dundee is flourishing. It has a compact and bustling city centre with a consistently high footfall in the area chosen for the development. The new Victoria & Albert Museum is being built here, the SS Discovery ship which took Scott to the Antarctic is a major tourist attraction and the multi-million new waterfront regeneration project is a huge fillip for the city. We’re also midway between two world class golf resorts at St Andrews and Carnoustie, so this all started to make clear sense."

The investment in the 60seater Project Pie eatery in Dundee’s Reform Street is around £500,000 and initially created 26 jobs. The site is a former Santander Bank and has been transformed to create the feel and ambience of the Americanstyle fast pizza concept with its stripped back brick work, aesthetic and sympathetic use of ventilation and intricate exposed pipe-work although the centrepiece is the Wood Stone stone-hearth oven, which is supremely eye-catching.

And maintaining the American theme in supplementing the custom-built pizza, Project Pie in Dundee is selling a range of Boylan Fountain Sodas made from sugar-cane – the first time this

premium range of soda drink has been available anywhere in Europe.

So, with Project Pie now a firm favourite of Dundonians, what next?

“We have looked at a number of sites in both England and Scotland and we are very excited about our growth strategy,” says Sue Canavan. “People immediately ‘get’ the concept.

That’s what is so exciting about where we believe Project Pie can go.

“Eventually, the franchise route is going to be critical to our expansion plans, but we want to make one thing very clear, no matter how quickly we grow, Project Pie will always be about the food and the people first. We want to keep our pizza fresh and simple. We want to be individual in our unit growth and not just be the cookie cutter typical franchise. We are a project that plans to be always evolving and progressing."

“The phrase ‘Project Pie’ might not readily resonate here – yet!

‘Pie’ in the USA refers to pizza – think Pizza Pie – whereas we normally associate pie being a meat filling topped with pastry.

However, as more people experience Project Pie this side of the pond, they’ll see our pie being synonymous with a pizza designed by themselves.”

Authenticity and peace of mind Wood-fired pizza ovens are becoming all the rage in the UK, where 27% of British adults now say they prefer to eat wood-fired food, rather than barbecued food, at a garden party, according to a YouGov survey commissioned on behalf of a pioneer of wood-fired ovens in the UK - Orchard Ovens

by Valoriani (www.orchardwoodovens.co.uk).

However, with a variety of different choices now available, Orchard Ovens says the oven selection process needs to be a careful one. It says authenticity can only be delivered to the plate if the restaurant owner chooses the right oven.

To strictly comply with ‘authenticity’, any restaurant claiming to offer ‘true Neapolitan pizza’ must follow the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana’s (AVPN) specific list of ingredients and use an AVPN

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pizza approved oven, and in their eyes, this has to be a wood oven. Other than a handful of wood ovens, which include Valoriani, the only other oven approved by the AVPN is the gas-fired Verace from Valoriani, claim Orchard Ovens (the necessary certification was only achieved after an intense five-year collaboration with the AVPN – an organisation dedicated to promoting and protecting true Neapolitan pizza worldwide).

The Verace, which has a unique patented Re-cycling Heat System (RHS), which works in harmony with Valoriani’s unique

cotto clay and its heat retention properties, was rigorously tested throughout this period, with this including blindfolded taste tests conducted with diehard committee members reluctant to grant certification. It was these tests that ensured that the taste the Verace oven delivers has the distinctive characteristics of Neapolitan pizza the AVPN demands.

On this basis, claim Orchard Ovens, real Neapolitan pizza authenticity has to be achieved either with an AVPN-approved wood oven, or with the Valoriani gas-fired Verace supplied in the

Italio, Blackpool One restaurant owner already convinced of the benefits of a Valoriani oven is Nino Provenzano of Italio in Blackpool. Their bespoke-built Valoriani Elementare 140 wood-fired oven is operated by Tommaso Seneroso, who can boast 12 years’ experience as a pizzaiolo, and who has the job of achieving Nino’s dream of recreating the ambience, aromas and taste sensations he enjoyed during his childhood in Sicily. Here, pizza authenticity is that of the Sicilian home, with Nino offering his diners some creations made to old family recipes, with ingredient twists along the way.

Nino Provenzano (pictured) says that he didn’t hesitate to opt for a Valoriani oven, knowing of its reputation and position in the market. When it comes to his wood supply, he burns kilndried Alder logs from supplier Logs Direct, knowing that, with moisture content of under 20%, this wood will avoid burning, smoking and temperature inconsistencies.

The authentic Sicilian-style pizza is served up night after night, along with some amazingly shaped calzones, which seem to be the stars of Nino’s Valoriani oven. The great pizza produced here enabled Italio to become Logs Direct’s very first winner of a ‘Woody Award’ – the new dining award for pizzerias cooking with wood.

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UK by Orchard Ovens by Valoriani.

The AVPN is known to be a powerful organisation, determined to clamp down on false claims, so anyone claiming to offer true Neapolitan pizza, using an oven other than those specified, needs to be aware of their presence, feel the oven supplier.

However, by steering away from potentially unsubstantiated claims of “true Neapolitan pizza”, a restaurateur can still deliver a level of authenticity that pleases the customer, if not the AVPN. To do this, however, it is essential to have an oven that can maintain a consistent heat performance and be reliable, feel Orchard Ovens.

“I feel that too many of the me-too ovens on the market have tried to compensate for not having Valoriani’s unique cotto clay, which we feel has just the right alumina for the perfect firing of refractory brick, by trying technologies that Valoriani themselves dismissed many years ago, such as micro-mesh technology,” says Andrew Manciocchi.

“Unfortunately, these techniques are causing many restaurant owners to spend money on ovens that disintegrate within just a few years, often leaving us in the position of launching ‘rescue missions’ up and down the country, as eateries realise the meaning of false economy.”

The boom in the market has certainly been significant, note Orchard Ovens. They now report that they are selling ten times the number of wood ovens they sold ten years ago, despite having ten times the competition. They estimate the growth in the market to have been more than 100% and their YouGov survey would suggest consumer demand is underpinning restaurant decision-making when it comes to installing a wood oven.

This surge in demand has led to Orchard Ovens by Valoriani opening a state-of-the-art demonstration kitchen in Preston, in conjunction with Linda Lewis Kitchens – a UK importer and supplier that handles a variety of pizza making equipment, as well as Cuppone

electric and gas pizza ovens. This demo kitchen now offers chefs the opportunity to try before they buy, deciding which oven suits them best, as well as testing a Cuppone dough mixer, two Friulco dough dividers and rounders and a dough roller.

“With many diners having experienced culinary delights rustled up in wood ovens abroad, there is a new breed of sophisticated pizza eater, who wants nothing less than that same experience in the UK and this has underpinned our decision to create this unique UK resource for pizzaioli and restaurateurs,” says Andrew Manciocchi.

At the training centre Orchard Ovens’ owners - Andrew and Dino Manciocchi - demonstrate the food theatre that a wood oven plus skilled pizzaioli can provide, as it ‘entertains’ diners whilst they await their meal.

Orchard Ovens say that their advice to anyone buying a pizza oven for their restaurant is to really get to grips with the product, by trialling it, as they can at the new demo kitchen in Preston, but to also query what level of product training is provided, how the after-sales service works, how long the life of the oven will be (to determine the financial outlay per year, spread across years of anticipated usage) and whether or not the oven has vital insulation (some ovens are being sold cheaply, but without insulation).

An oven buyer should always ask to see certification that proves that the oven has been officially tested by a credible body, they advise. Similarly, they should ask for details of the energy efficiency of the oven and, if in a smokeless zone, most definitely ask for credible proof that the oven is approved by DEFRA for operation in these locations. Few ovens, other than Valoriani, claim Orchard Ovens, have the required certification from DEFRA and if inspectors call and want to carry out on-site testing to check your noncertified oven, you risk having to pay £10,000 for an on-site inspection, as well as having to cope with a week of oven downtime whilst tests are run.

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training

Back to

school

Bologna is known as ‘La Grassa’ for very good reason, being the cradle of Italian cuisine and food excellence, as well as the birthplace of ragù, tortellini and tagliatelle, to name but a few culinary delights. Now, the head of CIBO (Culinary Institute of Bologna, www.cookingclassesinbologna.com), Stefano Corvucci (centre, main picture), has his sights set on rooting the skills, traditions and secrets of authentic Bolognese cooking into restaurants here in the UK wishing to steal a march on their competition by offering something genuine, first-rate and totally different from everything else in the Italian dining out sector.

On-site teaching Stefano Corvucci’s restaurant consultancy service - How to Run a Successful Italian Restaurant has already seen him transforming eateries in the USA, by equipping them with all the components that make for a hugely successful Bolognese trattoria-style operation.

For five days, he tutors within the restaurant in need of new direction, often working with the head chef and sous chefs who will implement his vision, giving them an intense programme of multifaceted training encompassing everything from operations, equipment and site selection and staff relations, to food and menu creation, purchasing, finance and PR and marketing.

The training comprises demonstrations, hands-on sessions in which authentic Bolognese food is created, instruction, lectures, and opportunities to question and learn from a chef with over 30 years’ experience of working in and running his own successful restaurants, not to mention his CIBO cookery school, to which 34

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amateurs and professionals, from all over the world, flock in search of skills, inspiration and, at times, a reconnection with their Italian roots.

The practical modules focus on the history of Italian cuisine and regional cuisine, knife techniques, kitchen practice, Italian cheeses and antipasti, stocks, soups and sauces, fresh pasta making (dried, fresh and filled, plus accompanying sauces), risotto, pizza and flatbreads, fish and shellfish, meats and the meats of Bologna, contorni, Italian desserts, wines and wine matching and pastry.

Behind these sessions is a host of practical advice, management techniques, financial advice on budgeting and pricing menus and marketing tips.

Fresh focus During the five days, chefs are inspired to consider how they could transform their restaurant operation in a variety of ways, through new interior design planning, an authentic Bolognese menu, new ways of doing things, a different focus on the customer

and active and vibrant marketing, for example.

The training is aimed at anyone who feels their eatery requires a renaissance, or who needs to fight off high street competition, but is also perfect for any pub or hotel chain that wishes to offer customers something completely different, feels Stefano Corvucci.

Whilst chefs perfect the art of making fresh tortelloni, tagliatelle and lesser-know pasta such as strozzapreti, they also focus on different risotto rices, game that they might otherwise never have considered and desserts beyond tiramisu, such as pasta soffiata, crespelle and crostate.

“Their knowledge of stocks and soups is advanced until they are making truly authentic béchamel and zuppa di faro, and appreciating the different qualities of lentils, beans and grains and how these are used in the Bolognese kitchen,” says Stefano Corvucci.

“At the end of the training, the dishes the eatery could consider putting on their new menu include novel pasta choices such

as maltagliati, pasticcio and strozzapreti, very different sauces such as a rabbit or lamb ragù and mouth-watering terrines and starters such as Chicken Galantina and Rabbit Porchetta.

“Stews and roasts, plus a variety of sausage-based dishes, could join the main course, alongside fennel or spinach tarts or flans, whilst dessert could feature an authentic Bolognese trifle, or a delicious rice tart.”

Post-training, an eatery can also quickly differentiate itself through its chefs’ skills, with cotolette, scaloppini, pork tenderloin and pork sirloin, being just some of the techniques taught, points out Stefano Corvucci.“All will have discovered how to maximize benefit from every butchery or fish purchase, helping to increase revenue, whilst also enhancing flavours and the final appearance of the food on the customer’s plate,” he says.

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training

how to have fun in the kitchen.

He is a passionate foodie who trained as a lawyer and gave that up to follow his love of food. This had been instilled in him by his father when, as a child, he growing up in Forlì, 50km south of Bologna.

Stefano’s father would recount stories from the amazing book written by Pellegrino Artusi – the first ‘cookbook’ written after the unification of Italy in the mid-19th century and a highly entertaining travel journal recounting his visits to various parts of Italy and the food he encountered there.

Therefore, Stefano Corvucci says that he has developed the same style of teaching – being a raconteur as he shares the skills, techniques and recipes rooted in Bolognese tradition – which makes each session enormous fun. As a result, he feels that the advice imparted stays with the learner in a much stronger way than if everything were textbook and adhering to a rigid format with no humour built in.

Once Stefano has concluded the on-site programme, there is the option to extend the training, by sending a chef to CIBO, to continue to learn and cook with Stefano in the heart of the vibrant foodie paradise.

CIBO can claim to be the only purpose-built cookery school in Bologna and stages a wide variety of different courses, for those from beginner to expert chef.

Nestled just off the bustling Via dell’Indipendenza, in the quarter

www.papa.org.uk

of Bologna that houses the world’s oldest university, the cookery school shares its premises with one of Stefano’s restaurants – Trattoria Il Rosso.

Whilst in Bologna, chefs can continue their immersion in Bolognese cuisine in context, visiting the ancient Mercato di Mezzo, to discover what is fresh and on the stalls that day, as well as discovering more foodie havens in and around Bologna.

This chef training in Bologna is also a stand-alone, alternative way in which a restaurant can train perhaps one chef at once, and the length of time that the chef wishes to stay can be from anywhere from one day upwards, to around two weeks for a trained chef (those aspiring to be a chef can also book for an intensive 30 days or longer).

UK restaurateurs, pubs and hotel chains and independent hoteliers.

The Bolognese revolution has not yet hit a UK that still insists on serving a ‘spaghetti bolognaise’ dish with no place in Bolognese tradition, but given his increasing profile as the ‘Boho Chef’, at home and in the USA, and the unique training and concept that he can impart, he feels that this is set to change very soon.

“Brits know all about ‘bolognaise’, but relatively few discover Bologna, which is off the UK tourist track,” he says.

“Consequently, my restaurant training has largely been in the USA, because CIBO attracts many Americans and Canadians each year and word-of-mouth recommendation, and personal invitations from high-profile American families, have opened doors for me in New York and other parts of North America.

“Given my proximity to the UK, it is time to change that and I am convinced that a forwardthinking hotel or restaurant chain will soon recognise the unique offer that Bolognese-style cuisine could bring to their operation. I

am making my first personal appearances in the UK this November and that would be an ideal time for someone to arrange a meeting with me, to discover more.”

Stefano Corvucci will be a guest judge at the Seaside Chef of the Year final, at Aspect Bar and Bistro in Morecambe on November 17 and is then heading to four-star Langley Castle Hotel in Northumberland, to cook with the exciting talent that is Dan Grigg, formerly of The Samling and Gilpin Hotel in Cumbria (Stefano and Dan plan to create a fine dining fusion menu drawing on both Bolognese and British food tradition, with their dishes being matched with superb wines and followed by a tasting of fine cognacs).

At the time of going to print, UK training with Stefano Corvucci costs €850 (circa £625) per day, plus travel and accommodation. A two-week chef training programme in Bologna costs €2895 (circa £2130) plus accommodation and one-day chef’s training costs €495 (circa £364).

Producer visits Whilst at CIBO for an extended stay, Stefano Corvucci also offers once-in-a-lifetime opportunities for chefs to visit key producers, taking them to a butcher, pig farm, Tuscan olive oil producer, balsamic vinegar acetaia, Parma ham and Parmigiano makers and the Truffle Museum at Alba, in Piemonte. This enables a chef to get a true feel for the produce they could be using in their Bolognese-style restaurant, with this knowledge assisting every part of the restaurant operation.

Stefano Corvucci feels he and his cookery school is a font of knowledge as yet untapped by

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he demand for specialist flours for different purposes increases year on year. With Italian pizzeria and restaurant customers becoming ever more discerning, delivering genuinely authentic product is key for business success. Add to that the need to cater for gluten free and other allergy requirements and the choice of flour becomes a big thing.

T

WHAT’S COOKING? What are you making…pizza or pasta, or delicious Italian bread?

The choice of flour matters.

Where does it come from? Is it absolutely suitable for the purpose you have in mind? How long has your supplier’s producer been making flour? You need to be sure that your flour supplier has all the answers to your questions. Does your supplier run workshops where the flours are demonstrated making the

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products you will be making in your outlet?

Giuseppe Motisi, MD of Salvo1968 Ltd. – one of the UK’s leading specialist Italian wholesalers says: “We know how different people’s requirements are, so we stock a wide range of flours from our most trusted mill in Italy – Molino Dallagiovanna.

Dallagiovanna has been producing specialist flours for making pizza, pasta, Italian breads and pastries since 1832.

Whether it’s their fantastic La Vera Napoli flour for a traditional Neapolitan style pizza, or their La Triplozero for beautiful pasta, the right flour makes all the difference. All flours are definitely not created equal!”

PROVENANCE AND PROCESS In the case of a mill like Dallagiovanna, the difference lies in the meticulous attention to detail. Hand selected wheat

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promotional crops are procured from accredited farms - all of which have to supply a ‘wheat passport’ stating the origin of the grains and any treatments they’ve undergone. Flour is produced in a mill where quality control processes are strictly implemented. That way you can be assured of consistent, superior quality. Such stringent quality control processes -and in the case of Dallagiovanna - even a lab dedicated to testing the grain and the flour at every stage -are key to ensuring the ultimate end product.

PERFECT PIZZA What kind of pizza do you serve?

Do you use flour improvers? Do you leave your dough to prove overnight? Are you aiming for a thin or a thick crust? With pizza making- as every decent pizzaiolo knows, you need a dough that proves well and has excellent ‘stretch factor’ for perfect pizza crust every time.

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Make sure you choose the right flour. If you need help selecting the perfect flour product Salvo1968 are happy to advise on 0808 122 1968

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keeps customers coming back time and again for more.

Other pizza flours are produced within the range that result in different texture pizzas – such as the Nobilgrano flours which have wheatgerm added, but all undergo the same stringent quality control processes.

The range also includes organic, higher fibre content and gluten free flours.

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Cooking time is rapid and the end product is guaranteed to be firm and tasty with a great natural colour.

If you love to delight your customers with wonderful Italian breads such as pane pugliese, focaccia and ciabatta, you need the right flour. Dallagiovanna produces a wonderful range of generic flours for making breads and pastries, including light as air

panettone and croissants. For fabulous, effortless focaccia their La Leggera flour is a perfect choice.

EXQUISITE PASTA If you’re serving fresh pasta, you need to be sure the dough you create will have just the right degree of elasticity and will roll well and not crack. Authentic final product is the name of the game and the right flour determines whether that happens.

■ Again due to the meticulous milling process, the flour is virtually sediment free and works beautifully with egg to create a malleable pasta dough that maintains its moisture during kneading ■ The perfectly balanced composition of the flour helps the finished product maintain great structure, even if frozen.

Approved and accredited by the Verace Pizza Napoletana Association (AVPN), La Vera Napoli is pure, very white and the only pizza flour where the grains are washed in drinking water prior to milling – to ensure an absolute minimum of sediment in the final product.

The milling process is slow and steady, with the wet grains milled in various stages to ensure a perfect flour that holds water perfectly and ensures an easy to work with dough every time.

The resulting pizza is the wonderful textured traditional Neapolitan style pizza that

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The busy, three-day Restaurant Show held at Olympia, London (5-7 October 2015) offered a heady mix of ingredients and freshlycooked dishes to sample, the latest in a whole host of technologies, cutting edge catering equipment and educational presentations and demonstrations from some of the best in the business. For the first time, it was held in conjunction with the Conscious Hospitality Show.

Italian flavour Those with an eye out for all things Italian would no doubt have been quickly drawn to the London-based La Credenza (www.lacredenza.co.uk) stand where an impressive display of Italian ingredients – notably meats, cheeses, sauces, salamis, pasta and tomatoes – were on show. Visitors to the stand were invited to go on a culinary adventure with expert advisors on hand and a handy guide provided in which to make tasting notes for future reference.

La Credenza report that their sourcing team is constantly travelling around Italy to identify

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and promote geographically typical products made by artisan factories with traditional methods. They believe in valuing the producer together with the product as it is often the combination of the two that creates something unique (the producers, from family businesses to small-medium companies, are also screened by their compliance team against the current health and safety legislation).

Pitched as a gourmet pizza business solution was PizzaSi – a gourmet pizza concept already working with the likes of Raddison and Francesca

Ristorante Caffe. PizzaSi (www.pizzasi.co.uk) offers all that’s required to serve up high quality pizza without the need for a trained pizza chef. The supplied items included extra thin pizza bases (handmade fresh, and not frozen, point out the brand), tomato sauce, pizza boxes, wooden boards, a stone based oven, utensils, marketing support and all training.

The popular Italian rice brand Riso Gallo (www.risogallo.co.uk) successful in retail, and now looking for more of presence in foodservice was also present, and are the sole supplier of Italian rice to Annessa Imports Ltd, and to Ritter Courivaud.

The Venice Bakery (www.venicebakery.co.uk) were in attendance outlining their freefrom pizza bases which are wheat free, gluten free, milk free, egg free, nut free, soy free and corn free. Founded in 1950, the Los Angeles-based firm can claim to be one of the US’s largest familyowned pizza manufacturers, supplying the foodservice sector across Europe, the US and Australia. Their free-from products also include flatbreads and pasta.

With chefs and oven to hand, Pan’Artisan (www.panartisan.com) showcased their range of premium Italian breads, including

Focaccia Romana, Wood Fired Pizza Bases, Tascas, Topped Pizzas, Dough Balls and Gluten Free Pizza Bases.

Seggiano (www.seggiano.com), who specialise in bringing real food from Italy to food service, were there. For over 20 years the brand Seggiano Real Food from Italy has enjoyed a growing reputation in the UK’s independent grocery market as Italy’s best artisanal food range, claim the firm, and now its Seggiano Cucina project aims to dovetail with restaurants, food producers and food service outlets who share a commitment to offering the most delicious food. The company prides itself on a commitment to absolute quality at fair prices and for placing ethics at the heart of its food production.

Ascentia (www.ascentiafse.co.uk) launched what it claimed to be the most significant collection of catering equipment products to the UK market in over 10 years. Drawing on their 25 years of industry experience the product portfolio has been carefully selected to satisfy various applications within commercial catering environments, say the firm. Their official launch at the show featured three live cooking theatres demonstrating the wide

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ranging capabilities of each product in a portfolio encompassing prime cooking equipment, a new range of innovative bakery, patisserie and convection steam ovens, deck, conveyor and stone hearth pizza ovens, charcoal ovens and wide ranging high quality refrigeration units.

Food made good The Conscious Hospitality Show brought together over 50 exhibitors from across the sector to showcase a range of products and services from eco-friendly cleaning products to food waste management services and catering equipment.

A live theatre hosted a line-up of restaurateurs and food waste champions who inspired visitors with sustainable practice insight, hints and tips and live examples of eco-friendly initiatives that can be applied to most businesses to improve their CSER credentials and boost their bottom line.

Tackling real issues such as the true cost of ‘going green’, experts discussed the business case for moving towards sustainable and ethical practices. Local versus global sourcing was also addressed with a panel discussion untangling the complexities and contradictions at the heart of the sustainable

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sourcing debate.

Elizabeth Duncan, commercial director for Conscious Hospitality Show said: “Market sentiment indicates that many diners are choosing where to eat based on menu provenance, sustainable practices and how the restaurant gives back to the community. As consumers make more considered decisions about where they spend their money, outlets are aligning their practices to ensure that their offering is in line with the wants and needs of their target market.”

The Food Made Good programme, run by the SRA (Sustainable Restaurant Association, www.thesra.org) were part of the Conscious Hospitality Show, showing how they can help operators better analyse their sustainability credentials, in turn helping them with sourcing, as well as reducing food and energy costs, and helping diners to identify those venues that are doing the right thing (members of this scheme include Costa and Carluccio’s).

Chefs excel Larry Jayasekara, sous chef at Gordon Ramsay Holdings, was announced as the Craft Guild of Chefs’ National Chef of the Year 2016, the UK’s most sought after chef prize.

The Craft Guild of Chefs National Chef of the Year is the largest and most prestigious chef competition in the UK and the final was watched by more than 100 hospitality professionals and students at the show, with the competing chefs given just two hours to produce four covers consisting of a starter and main using seafood and meat selected from a mystery basket. They also had to create a hot or cold dessert using chocolate and coffee.

Larry Jayasekara joins an esteemed club of winners, which includes Gordon Ramsay himself, David Everitt- Matthias, Alyn Williams, Mark Sargeant and many more who have gone on to gain industry-wide recognition and achieve ambitious career goals thanks to their success in the competition.

Second place in the competition went to Paul Foster from Mallory Court and in third place was Martin Carabott from the The Royal Automobile Club.

The remaining finalists also included Luciano Lucioli, head chef, Marks & Spencers HQ (Lusso - CH&Co).

Technology Developments in technology means that in-house tasks, as well as customer-facing ones are becoming interactive, digital experiences that can improve you way of working and overall efficiency, as well as the dining experience.

For instance, the show saw the re-launch of Consolis' new cloud back-office system (the hospitality technology specialist's Inno on Demand software is designed to enable Point of Sale (POS) management by facilitating the monitoring, control and reporting on sales and stock through a hospitality provider's browser).

The ‘admin’ function of the software allows for central management and set-up of all of EPoS units across multiple locations. The tool can provide a quick dash board overview, through to detailed reporting that can be exported into Excel, Word or PDF - helping to improve business efficiency through immediate access to real-time data.

"We launched our back-office system, Inno on Demand, two years ago, and it has been very

Pepper education UK spice expert, Santa Maria Foodservice, used the show to announce that Dan Doherty, executive chef at London’s awardwinning and high-rised Duck & Waffle, has created four recipes exclusive to Santa Maria to inspire chefs to experiment with Tellicherry Black Pepper.

The dishes include Tellicherry Black Dan Doherty’s Pepper seared beef carpaccio, grelot Carpaccio Tellicherry. onions, English mustard, nasturtiums, dripping croutes, marinated scallops with Tellicherry Black Pepper, apple & sorrel, Tellicherry Black Pepper candy floss, crème fraiche, lime & roasted garlic sorbet and Tellicherry Black Pepper ice cream sandwich, salted caramel sponge.

In recent research, despite nine out of ten respondents considering black pepper an important ingredient and 78% of chefs using it in at least seven of their top ten selling dishes, 63% admit to having a lack of knowledge about black pepper. The research of more than 400 UK chefs conducted by the Staff Canteen in April 2015 on behalf of Santa Maria also revealed that 68% of chefs wanted to know more about black pepper and are particularly interested in its taste, authenticity and provenance.

To complement the partnership with Dan Doherty, Santa Maria has produced a free online pepper guide to give chefs the tools and inspiration to help them get the most out of the different types of peppers they use in their dishes (www.tasteofpepper.com). A major pizza chain is also thought to be interested in utilising this famous ingredient that originally comes from from India.

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Authentic, Italian ‘free from’ solutions Top chef, Giancarlo Caldesi and Coeliac UK’s Anne Maloney showed how to cook up some tasty, gluten-free pasta dishes with ideas on how to cater for the one in one hundred people who suffer from coeliac disease.

Showing how important the ‘free from’ sector now is in the restaurant business (it makes up a £100 million UK business), Free From Italy, who passionately believe that just because you have an allergy does not mean you have to compromise when it comes to authenticity or taste, attended the show. The company has focused on real Italian Free From food made and sold in Italy with the aim to supply UK diners with the same quality that Italians expect and enjoy.

The company plans to play its part in making good quality Free From Italian food available to restaurants, at the same time helping chefs, caterers with no cook, portion controlled sauces to avoid any risk of contamination. Portion control also helps with waste management, point out the firm.

“We feel that the quality of Free From Italy products are such that most diners would not be able to tell the difference between a good standard pasta or sauce or one from Free From Italy's range making them suitable for all, not just those suffering from allergies,” says Free From Italy’s representative in the UK, Nigel Singh.

The range consists of two tomato pasta sauces, two pesto sauces and four pastas, produced by two of Italy’s best-known quality food manufacturers - Pasta Lensi and Gruppo Fini – and was officially launched by Londonbased Woods Foodservice last month (Woods well-received by our customers across the hospitality sector,” said Peter Moore, CEO of Consolis. "We felt the time had come to develop the system to give our customers more flexibility. The upgraded Inno on Demand is cloud-based, and helps hospitality providers to manage their site and stock levels as efficiently as possible, so they can effectively run their business and plan ahead. The system is also scalable; with the ability to grow with a business.

"A restaurant owner or manager can be away from site, but can log into the dashboard to see how the site is performing and follow trading patterns and trends.

It also gives them the ability to keep an eye on staff activity, to ensure productivity is as high as possible. Effectively, they can stay in control of their business anytime, anywhere."

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having been voted the Best Food Service Company 2015 by Restaurant magazine readers).

Free From Italy reports that it has seen a growth in demand from consumers for higher quality, authentic Italian food in the Free From category both in and out of the home. Brits spent an extra £100m on free from foods in supermarkets last year, a rise of 26.9% according to Kantar World panel 52 weeks to Mar 15 figures (one million new consumers entered the market for the first time in 2014).

“Demand is driven not only from those suffering from allergies but also from consumers eating gluten free food for life style reasons,” adds Nigel Singh.“With sportsmen like Novak Djokovic, and celebrities Gwyneth Paltrow and Russell Crowe taking up a gluten-free diet for better health you know millions will take notice and follow. However, many consumers opt to cook at home due to the lack of choice in restaurants. I hope that the Free From Italy range will help outlets tap into this opportunity.”

La Buona Vita Pasta, in the form of gluten and egg free Fusilli, Penne, Spaghetti and now Lasagne Sheets is produced by Pasta Lensi who can claim nearly 100 years of pasta making experience. The pasta does not just look and taste like traditional pasta, but also cooks in the same way with none of the sticky mess that can be typical of gluten free pastas, claim the brand. The corn and rice recipe was developed by Pasta Lensi over a

launched Discgo at this year’s Restaurant Show, as a cool way to keep visitors to a venue connected (Discgo is a convenient, portable phone and tablet charging solution designed specifically for high volume, commercial use, but its potential can be seen in smaller venues too). Well established in Australia, but new to the UK, Discgo is portable so customers have the freedom to wander, safe in the knowledge that their device is securely with them whilst charging.

Discgo staff were on hand to draw attention to how the device can enhance customer experience, at the same time increasing dwell time and footfall.

It can charge two devices at once, and charges at a rate of 1% per minute (the same rate as being plugged into a wall). Discs take 40 minutes to charge from 0-100%,

number of years and though other manufacturers have tried to emulate their recipe the original is still unrivalled, feel many.

La Buona Vita pasta is also free from soya, potato and Lupin, and La Buona Vita Lasagne Sheets are now available the first on the market to be “no pre-cook”.

Le Conserve della Nonna Pasta Sauces have been created by the Fini Group, famous throughout Italy for high quality food. The two Tomato & Basil and Arrabbiata Free From pasta sauces are made with fresh tomatoes, which are prepared within 24 hours of being picked in order to give the sauces a clean homemade taste and silky smooth texture (whereas nearly every other manufactured pasta sauce on the market is double cooked giving an over processed taste which we have avoided with excellent results, point out Free From Italy).

Le Conserve della Nonna basil based Green Pesto Sauce and new sundried tomato based Red Pesto Sauce are gluten, dairy, egg and nut free, having been created to offer a superior taste that loses none of the flavour of the traditional pesto sauces (they are also suitable for vegans).

and there are five discs per docking station. They can also carry branding and sponsorship imagery if required.

Box Technologies, who have recently launched Cielo mOve - a docking station which allows staff to be more mobile – were at the show. Their latest devices can take orders and process payments at the customer’s table, for example, rather than making guests queue.

Useful especially in a bar, or fast food, environment, if there is a

long queue to order a drink, then many potential customers could possibly be lost to the competitor venue next door.

The show also saw the launch of SmoothMenu a tablet-based menu system using Android Technology to aid the restaurateur, bar, diner, café owner or other dining establishment. Are you still using regular restaurant menus? The paper menu is changing, with digital technology able to replace them, point out SmoothMenu’s creators.

Customers can browse through the menu selections, the culinary delights presented enticingly on an HD tablet screen with stunningly tantalising mouth-watering images, meaning that they can almost taste the items on offer while leaving staff time to focus on making the customer experience a memorable one.

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The diverse Takeaway Expo, Street Food Live and Food Entrepreneurs show held at ExCel in London (29 and 30 September 2015) was the place to be to check out new equipment of interest to takeaway businesses, as well as the now high tech’ world of the food entrepreneur in general. Online ordering and payment systems in the form of a comprehensive range of intuitive software and hardware products were particularly in evidence.

Informative insight This year’s event featured everything from street food entrepreneurs who have grown their independent business into incredibly successful enterprises, to industry leaders from the major QSR’s, as well as some of the most notable food entrepreneurs currently on the scene.

There was even a chance to pitch, Dragons’ Den-style for the chance to secure £10,000 of business-boosting investment (the eventual winner to be announced in the coming weeks). BBC One Breakfast was in attendance to cover the event, reporting live from the opening of the show.

Sponsored by Just Eat, their MD, Graham Corfield, was one of a number of keynote speakers taking part in a series of informative seminars held over the two days. He talked about how the takeaway sector is now at the heart of British life, in turn making a significant contribution to the economy as a whole, and 42

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arguing that it is now time for the sector to be better recognised to ensure its continued success.

Experts like Jason Richelson, who opened a wine store in 2004 and grew his fledgling business into a seven million dollar food and wine empire, also imparted their wisdom to the gathered visitors who came from across the food and takeaway industry.

Dan Thornton, head of solution development at Hughes Europe spoke about “dining in a digital world”, discussing the ways food outlets can utilise growth in smart devices to increase sales and provide a more seamless approach to dining. He highlighted how such establishments can add value to their business by implementing different technologies to enhance the dining experience which in turn can improve interaction with customers via social media to build brand value through loyalty schemes.

Ryan Sanderson of Aircharge talked about how the availability of wireless charging to mobile

phones and other portable electronics is growing rapidly, and how it can be used to drive additional custom, increase dwell time and enhance the overall customer experience.

Pizza Hut’s chief development officer, John Aizlewood, talked about the importance of customer retention, drawing attention to aspects such as meeting customer expectations (and pricing yourself correctly so as to not under- or over-deliver), and how good training and the presence of procedures could help guard against errors that risked losing customers. He

stressed how important it was for takeaways to “do everything right”, there being no room for getting things wrong (such as an annoying missing item on an order). He also presented the business case for how the cost of ignoring customer retention in turn impacts upon revenue, when in fact customer retention awareness can be a relatively

Pizza Hut’s John Hazlewood answered questions on customer retention.

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review which has never been more important (aside from the EU Food Allergen Laws factor, the gluten-free market alone is estimated to be worth around £175m in the UK).

low-cost way to increase profits.

In his seminar, ordering software company, Andromeda’s co-founder, Ben Portsmouth, also talked about what was required to ensure repeat business, offering operational tips on how to maximise profitability.

Kafoodle Kitchen, which recently launched in the UK, heralding a new age of trustworthy and potentially life-saving hospitality technology was present with visitors to the stand getting the chance to meet the two women entrepreneurs behind the technology - Kim Antoniou and Tarryn Gorre.

Kim and Tarryn joined forces last year to combine their years of experience in the technology and hospitality industries respectively to create Kafoodle Kitchen – an all-encompassing menu management system set to revolutionise the running of commercial kitchens and front of house.

The firm’s non-executive director, Jackie Grech, also held a panel session at the show entitled “Essential information on free from food and allergy awareness” which set out to advise operators on how to integrate free-from options into their menus - an area in catering

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On show Winterhalter ’s latest UC undercounter ware-washer was on display on the Williams stand, offering design and energysaving features, including a glass door with interior lighting, so you and your customers can even watch the wash.

“Lots of takeaway businesses have dishwashers, glass-washers or utensil washers under the counter, front of house, often where the customer can see them,” said Paul Crowley, marketing manager of Winterhalter (www.winterhalter.co.uk). “These glass-fronted UC models look great, especially when they are operating – the blue lighting makes the rotating arms and water spray almost mesmerising.

They can become a design feature!”

The UC machines are easy to use and, thanks to their VarioPower system, can be individually tailored to deliver the best possible results for each site, claim the company, with their quiet operation being ideal for front of house. Options include models featuring heat exchangers that minimise power consumption by recycling the machine’s waste heat.

The Williams stand also featured refrigeration, Williams supplying refrigeration for all aspects of the takeaway sector from kebab houses, burger bars, pizzerias to coffee shops. Models include space-saving back of house refrigerated cabinets and

The Original Pizza Maker - a small electric appliance designed to sit on a kitchen worktop, and that can cook all types of pizza, as well as many other meals (jacket potatoes, frittatas, omelettes, chicken and fish dishes, pancakes, fajitas, and even a breakfast fry up) – was in action at the show.

and energy-saving front of house merchandisers. Often takeaway kitchens are pushed for space and for these situations Williams has developed its Small Kitchen Range which features slimmed down products that offer all the benefits and qualities of their conventional versions, but in a compact format.

The takeaway sector needs robust, effective and value for money refrigeration, feel the firm, who suggest that their Amber cabinets and under-counters fit the bill, with and both on display for visitors. High efficiency fans improve air circulation and performance is guaranteed up to temperatures of 32°C. Amber models come with adjustable, nylon coated shelving, lockable

Light display – Winterhalter’s latest ware-washer.

counters, a mobile prep counter,

doors with easy clean magnetic

gaskets, and adjustable feet.

An innovative, space-saving solution for takeaway kitchens and prep areas is their PW4 mobile prep well, which can be moved around to wherever it is needed, ensuring chilled, fresh ingredients are always to hand.

It’s ideal for pizza, salad and sandwich preparation in businesses with limited space, suggest the company. And where there is a demand for chilled food and drink, Williams recommend their Multidecks and Bottle Coolers as stylish display options (the Multidecks are also available in a choice of formats and colours to suit any application and its surrounding décor).

Falcon Foodservice Equipment, a sister company to Williams, displayed a selection of cooking appliances suited to the takeaway market, including countertop ovens and fryers (www.williamsrefrigeration.co.uk).

Delivery bag company, Sweetheat, were also in attendance, showcasing some of their range of heated delivery bags, and Bushman Wood Fired Ovens was on hand to demonstrate how to do develop a mobile and most importantly, a profitable, pizza business.

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CSR

Sustainability and social responsibility Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is a term and acronym invariably associated with some of the most well-known foodservice brands. Many of these big names draw attention to their CSR credentials as part of their marketing activities. But what does it mean and how wide a spread of activities does it potentially cover?

THE SUSTAINABLE RESTAURANT (Tom Tanner, the Sustainable Restaurant Association) The British are eating out more than ever before. In fact we eat a staggering eight billion meals out of home every year. And as Brits’ taste for a meal out has grown, so has their appetite for information about where the food on their plate food comes from, how it’s been produced, what happens to any leftover, and whether their waiter is getting their fair share of the tips.

A decade ago it might have been possible to stand on the side lines and question why your restaurant should take these issues seriously. But, the more pertinent question now is whether you can afford for your restaurant not to go green. Just take a look at stories in the mainstream media over the last few months: the debate over the National Living Wage, the furore over some restaurants’ lack of transparency on tips and service charges, the debate over a levy on sugary drinks, concern over the sustainability of sea bass, the list goes on. These stories all chime with consumers and, as research conducted by Harden’s this summer clearly demonstrates, they want to know that the restaurants they eat in are

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operating responsibly.

In 2010, two successful restaurateurs, Henry Dimbleby, cofounder of Leon, and Mark Sainsbury, owner of The Zetter Hotel and Grain Store, came together with two influential figures in the world of corporate social responsibility, Giles Gibbons and Simon Heppner to launch the Sustainable Restaurant Association (SRA). They’d become increasingly aware of issues around provenance as well as environmental and social responsibility. They were keen to address them in their own restaurants and had spoken to many other restaurateurs many of whom were in a similar situation.

Others in the industry told them that they wanted to operate more responsibly but didn’t know where to start. A third group was already doing plenty, and wanted the independent accreditation so they could talk to their customers with third party approval.

Five years on, and the 50 founding sites have grown into more than 5,500. Independent cafés rub shoulders with Michelin starred restaurants and gastropubs amongst the SRA’s membership. And the geographical spread is equally diverse, from Cornwall to Shetland

the movement has grown – in large part mirroring the public’s increasing interest in provenance and other key sustainability issues.

Members include Belmond Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons, whose chef patron Raymond Blanc has been the organisation’s President since 2012. Costa joined in 2014 and award-winning restaurants as diverse as Barrafina and Frankie’s Fish and Chips are further examples of the organisation’s huge variety.

Anyone who still needs persuading of the business imperative for sustainability, should look no further than the consumer research carried out on behalf of the SRA this summer by Harden’s. The significance attributed to issues like sourcing local and seasonal produce, high welfare meat, sustainable fish, water and energy saving and treating staff fairly, when choosing where to eat out, was genuinely striking.

Here’s just a flavour of the findings: more than a three quarters said these issues had been a deciding factor in their dining decisions, while more than 90% said they were more of a factor now than five years ago and a similar proportion said they expected them to be even more

influential by 2020.

Perhaps most striking was how diners equated values with value.

A whopping three quarters said the ethical and sustainable achievement of a restaurant represented greater value than a 10% discount on their meal.

But the research showed that restaurants not only need to do be doing the right thing, but also telling their customers about it.

More than 90% said they’d be more likely to choose a restaurant if it told them about the provenance of its food and its impact on society and the environment.

FOOD MADE GOOD This overwhelming consumer demand for more information about ethical and sustainable places to eat at was on the big factors in the SRA’s decision to launch a new consumer movement – Food Made Good, in September. So now, diners who give a fork about their food can look for the Food Made Good stars in the windows and on the menus and websites of members of the SRA who have completed its Food Made Good sustainability rating.

The Sunday Times described

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CSR level of sustainability. The SRA’s assessors found that the company was already performing very strongly in two of the three pillars of sustainability – Society and Environment.

the rating as the Michelin Stars of Sustainability and it certainly provides diners with an authoritative stamp of approval.

The stars provide diners with the reassurance that the restaurant is taking care of the three main pillars of sustainability – Sourcing, Society and Environment, meaning they don’t have to check in their principles at the cloakroom. Food Made Good is also designed to inspire anyone who is passionate about genuinely good food and serve as a platform for chefs, restaurateurs and the great British dining public to engage in conversation on that shared passion.

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Food Made Good will be engaging in a number of consumer-facing campaigns, starting with Earth Hour on 19 March. This celebration of the planet, run jointly with WWF, will see restaurants across the country offer the customers a candlelit dinner.

Carluccio’s was one of the founding members of the SRA back in 2010. The company’s then CEO and now executive chairman, Simon Kossoff said at the time that the move was at least in part a response to consumer demand.“Our customers tell us that the broad issues around sustainability are more and more important. The SRA gives us the support and confidence to start the journey and make positive changes,” he said.

When Carluccio’s completed its first sustainability rating in 2011, the company described itself as being at the start of a long journey. Like a number of SRA Members, Carluccio’s was somewhat anxious to discover how it would perform in the rating and was pleasantly surprised when the SRA awarded it One Star – equating to a good

SOURCING With a company-wide determination to improve on this encouraging start to the journey, the SRA and Carluccio’s collaborated on a plan to build on this initial rating, particularly in the Sourcing section. The company had a policy of buying a good deal of its produce from Italy. Carluccio’s 2012 rating showed a significant improvement in all areas, doubling its score in the sourcing section and making marked advances across both Society and Environment, achieving Two Stars.

Changing the menu twice a year to match the seasons with fortnightly specials, sourcing the majority of eggs, milk, pork, beef and lamb from the UK and serving Rainforest Alliance certified coffee, all contributed to this improvement.

Some Italian restaurants have in the past cited sourcing as a barrier to sustainability and indeed joining the SRA, concerned about their reliance on ingredients from Italy. Carluccio’s has adjusted its sourcing for some ingredients, with assistance from the SRA, while maintaining its policy on other core ingredients.

The company wasn’t prepared to rest on its laurels and, with advice and support from a dedicated SRA account manager, was awarded Three Stars in 2014 – a significant achievement helped by a wholesale switch to free range eggs and environmentally friendly cleaning products. Carluccio’s had also started sending its food waste for anaerobic digestion, and reduced the amount of waste it was sending to landfill by a whopping 3,400 tonnes, equivalent to 1,000 fully loaded double-decker buses.

And in 2014 the company won the Innovation Award at the Sustainable Restaurant Awards for being the first restaurant group to sign up to Good Food Talks the app that helps the visually impaired access menus.

The Food Made Good rating assesses businesses across their

whole operation and while sourcing is key, environmental and social responsibility figure highly too. The rating rewards sustainable practices, rather than penalising less sustainable operations. The SRA’s experienced team of account managers can help restaurants look for alternative suppliers. It also operates a directory of Food Made Good Approved Suppliers, all of which have had their sustainability assessed to ensure they can match the requirements of the restaurants they supply.

Another, even larger, national chain demonstrating not just what’s possible, but eminently achievable across the industry, is Pizza Express. Its more than 400 restaurants now boast a One Star Food Made Good rating. As Charlotte Maxwell, the company’s commercial director, outlined when it received its rating, with a business this large, the positive impact is all the greater.“The success and scale of our business means that every bit of good we do has a huge impact on our people, our customers and our environment.”

Among Pizza Express’s noteworthy practices singled out for praise by the SRA, were an extensive range of healthy eating, gluten free and vegan options, as well as triple-certified coffee. The company wide smart meter energy monitoring and environmental awareness training also contributed towards its good score in the rating, alongside its commitment to supporting a number of national and international charities.

Pizza Express and Carluccio’s are just two examples of restaurant businesses that have seen the future.

As Simon Kossoff of Carlucccio’s says: “By changing the way we behave as a business, we are aiming to improve both the social and environmental impact of our operations. We know this is just the start of a long journey for us with much more work to do, but we’re proud of the steps we’ve taken so far.”

With an increasingly discerning population of diners, demanding their eight billion meals are sustainable, now is the time to start on that journey to serve Food Made Good.

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Earlier this year, Costa was awarded industry recognition for its work across sourcing, society and the environment by becoming a Sustainable Restaurant Association (SRA) Two Star Sustainability Champion of the café industry. Costa says that it works hard to ensure its food and drink products are sustainably, ethically, and where possible, locally sourced. Costa was particularly praised by the SRA for sourcing a wide range of ingredients from British producers, its seasonal sourcing policies and waste management practices – both key areas for focus across the hospitality industry.

50 YEAR CELEBRATION Celebrating 50 years of being in business recently, PizzaExpress customers were in for anything from free meals, bottles of Champagne and even Rugby World Cup tickets in September.

Having watched customers enjoy countless celebrations in its restaurants over the last 50 years – from birthdays to wedding receptions – PizzaExpress wanted to turn even the most ordinary of moments into special memories.

The brand’s Memorable Moments campaign was driven through PizzaExpress’ digital channels and above the line activity, with the aim of creating content that customers wanted to share online.

The campaign’s tagline, “These are the moments worth sharing” was inspired by the constant stream of food shots, group pictures and selfies shared by PizzaExpress customers through their own social channels.

Memorable Moments encouraged the socially savvy audience to directly engage with PizzaExpress’ digital channels using #PizzaExpressMoments. For example, PizzaExpress’ social followers were asked to nominate a friend, celebrating something important in September, for a special treat. Over 1,000 people responded and the first person to win an extra memorable moment was Natasha, who was planning to celebrate her 23rd birthday at PizzaExpress in Basildon (she received a meal for eight from PizzaExpress and took to Twitter

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to share her thanks).

Restaurant teams were also asked to keep an eye out for tables celebrating something special. Lucky groups enjoyed a host of surprises including a bill with the words, “This one’s on us” penned across the front and a total of £0.00. Other rewards throughout September included Rugby World Cup 2015 tickets courtesy of Mastercard.

Bringing a sense of nostalgia to the campaign, Polaroid-style images, the instantly shareable pictures of their day, informed the look and feel of the artwork and were sourced using images submitted by genuine PizzaExpress customers enjoying their own memorable moments in restaurant. The images were then used on out of home advertising across London, point of sale materials in restaurant, digital artwork and print adverts, putting PizzaExpress customers at the centre of the campaign.

Kicking off the campaign with engaging online content, PizzaExpress worked with magician, Damien O’Brien, to create a show-stopping video.

Dressed up as a waiter, Damien O’Brien wowed ordinary customers by turning water into wine, a £5 tip into a PizzaExpress gift card, and an empty pizza box into one containing a fresh pizza.

Hidden cameras also captured their reactions as, what they thought would be a normal meal out, it turned into a memorable occasion.

Head of communications at

PizzaExpress, Parveen Johal, said: “Over the last 50 years we’ve been hugely privileged to be the place where so many of our customers have either marked important life occasions, or enjoyed a moment they will never forget. From first dates to engagements, they’ve all taken place in our restaurants. Our customers are constantly capturing these special moments and sharing them online so this is our way of creating even more exciting moments for them to share, and demonstrating how much we’ve enjoyed being part of their lives since we opened in 1965.”

BEST COMPANIES As part of a wider campaign looking at employee engagement, Best Companies, the brains behind the Sunday Times 100 Best Companies to Work For List, conducted a case study of the Hawksmoor Restaurant Group who came twelfth in this year’s list.

Some of the CSR projects that Hawksmoor are currently involved include a commitment to sustainable sourcing (using only line-caught fish and environmentally friendly cleaning products in the kitchens) and the reduction of food waste by more efficient preparation and by using edible scraps to make staff meals. Their cooking oil is recycled into bio-oil (they make a lot of chips a year using 50,000 litres of cooking oil so that’s a lot of bio-diesel!).

Hawksmoor also have an SRA rep (Sustainable Restaurant Association representative) at every site, who is responsible for promoting sustainability.

As well as little things, like reminding people to turn off the lights, they have championed a heat recovery system which reclaims heat that would otherwise be wasted from the air con system and reuses it to heat water in the kitchen.

They have initiated a Food Save Programme to weigh and categorise all food waste in the restaurant from food trimmings to plate waste (the restaurant received a daily report with the results and a target to reduce the total volume and cost for the following week).

The SRA lead in their Head Office also removed all of the individual desk bins which have a tendency to collect paper waste to ensure everyone recycles their paper waste.

Finally, according to the survey, 80% staff say that Hawksmoor makes a positive difference to the world, 85% feel it is is run on sound principles by Beckett and co-founder Huw Gott, and 93% say it also encourages charitable activities.

OPTIMISING YOUR COMPANY’S CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY “When we measure employee engagement, some of the questions in our survey determine how employees feel about 'giving something back' the extent to which they perceive

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CSR their organisation has a positive impact on society. By focusing on charitable activities, helping out in the local community and minimising impact on the environment, organisations make their people proud to work there,” says Jonathan Austin (pictured), founder and CEO of Best Companies (www.b.co.uk), the brains behind the Sunday Times 100 Best Companies List.

“It's wonderful that standards in corporate social responsibility continue to rise alongside customer and employee expectations, as organisations are pushed to consider 'good growth'; an aspiration that many progressive leaders and entrepreneurs believe is also the route to sustainable profitability.

“Although corporate donations to charity and corporate sustainability policies are certainly part of the picture, it's also a great opportunity to get employees involved. People feel energised by having the chance to take paid time off to do some local charity work, or to take part in brainstorming sessions on how to cut your carbon footprint. Not only that, these efforts can have team-building benefits, bringing people together and building energy and relationship - the ingredients of engagement.

Working with the Best Companies we have seen some great examples of how businesses have tried to optimise their Corporate Social Responsibility and here are my top five tips.”

1. Look close to home An unsuccessful CSR policy is usually down to a businesses feeling disconnected from any charitable organisations or lacking the time. By staying local and helping a charity or community project on the business’s doorstep you can easily see that what difference your help is making. Put aside an hour on a Friday afternoon where you and your staff can make a mass trip to the local charity of your choice, if it’s only down the road people are a lot more likely to get involved.

2. Make it original One company on last year’s list created a Living Wall which covers 350 square metres with more than 10,000 ferns, herbaceous

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one with a member of the company’s team who helps them with their tech challenges. It’s about spending time with someone from their local community, over some tea and biscuits.

plants and 16 tonnes of soil meaning that the wall will be in bloom all year round. It has many green benefits including improving the local air quality, reducing the risk of flooding, attracting bees, insects and butterflies and the wall also makes for an attractive landmark in the area.

3. Give an incentive A great incentive we have seen is that staff could ‘buy’ one or two extra days of holiday with the money raised then being given to a charity. Employees were able to spread the cost over several months to accommodate all financial circumstances and ensure that our employees had as much flexibility as possible to participate in the scheme. It was a great incentive and benefitted both employees and the charity.

4. Make it fun A CSR policy doesn’t always have to be a dry burden or a drain on resources. Sometimes it can actually aid productivity by inspiring employee engagement.

Having a staff fun day every quarter, for example, not only gives employees something to look forward to but you can raise regular sums of money for a charity at the same time. Think School Sports day or Summer Fair and bring back ‘hook a duck’!

CSR IN ACTION “Now that the contemporary consumer is so environmentallyaware, it’s critical for operators across the entire foodservice industry – no matter the size or scale of their outfit – to consider their corporate social responsibility as being critical to their business operation,” says Stephen Charles, managing director at Vivreau (www.vivreau.com). “And, with increased encouragement from the government where green policies are concerned, it’s now a requirement to be seen to be doing your bit.

“For operators in the Italian restaurant sector, sourcing local ingredients can help improve CSR. Operators who pride themselves on authentic Italian produce within their dishes should stick with traditional items such as mozzarella and olive oil, but can opt for local meats, milk and eggs which will not only support regional business development whilst sustaining your company ethos, but will also cut food miles and in turn, your company’s carbon footprint.

“This idea can also be applied to drinks, where filtering water inhouse can allow your restaurant to serve environmentally conscious beverages; with bottled mineral waters being an

important part of a table setting within Italian restaurants, introducing a water filtration and bottling system can eradicate such a detrimental impact, and ultimately increase your green credentials.”

With a Vivreau Table Water Bottling system plumbed into the mains water supply, for example, operators are then able to serve filtered, chilled still and sparkling water, and in Vivreau’s reusable designer glass bottles too. These are also entirely dishwasher safe for an environmental plus, say the company.

“No outsourcing means fewer carbon emissions throughout the process of making the bottles, as well as their supply, distribution and storage. Furthermore, operators can choose to implement the 425ml size for optimum eco-effectiveness, where on-demand refills will reduce water wastage,” adds Stephen Charles. “With outsourcing being one of the key affecting factors in regards to the sustainability of any business, taking water filtration in-house can be one of the secrets to CSR success.”

WASTE MANAGEMENT While your customers are indulging in the delicious food and drink you supply, behind the scenes you may find that your restaurant could well improve upon its waste management strategy and save money.

Restaurants, of course, produce a steady stream of waste types including cardboard, plastic, glass bottles and food waste.

5. Share what you know Many of the companies on the Best 100 List are experts in their field and so have a lot of knowledge to share. One great example is a well-known ‘phone service provider who run “Techy Tea Parties” for Age UK and other local charities, where guests can spend around two hours one-to-

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CSR baler is small enough to fit into their limited space and takes up less room than one wheelie bin.

Not only do QCR supply waste and recycling equipment but they also organise free collections of baled material. They will arrange for a recycler from their network to collect your bales for free. These recyclers may even give you a rebate for your waste bales, report the company, so if you are currently paying for your waste to be collected, this could be worth investigating.

QCR Recycling Equipment is a UK supplier of waste and recycling equipment and report that they have now helped a wide variety of businesses to reduce their waste. In attendance at the recent Restaurant Show, they specialise in supplying kit and equipment to help outlets save money and improve waste handling efficiency.

Their QCR 102 baler, for example, is ideal for restaurants that have limited space or who do not produce large amounts of cardboard or plastic (it is half the size of an 1100 litre bin and can fit indoors in most cases), advise QCR. Their QCR BB01 under counter glass crusher can handle 90 bottles per tray. It fits perfectly under a bar counter for easy disposal of glass and is aimed at restaurants that produce lots of empty glass bottles as it reduces volumes 5:1.

Framptons Café Bar & Restaurant, based in Ringwood, Dorset are one business to be benefitting from a QCR indoor recycling solution. They have been able to remove all bins from their previously cluttered courtyard, which has now been turned into an outside dining area (their cardboard is collected for free by a local recycler and the crushed glass is recycled).

QCR say that they know space is at a premium for many restaurants, but introducing a machine or two to your premises can reduce the amount of bins on site or remove them altogether. A QCR 102 baler was also installed at the Bournemouth branch of Brazilian restaurant chain, Casa Brasil. The

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ENERGY-SAVING Three quarters of restaurants fail to serve up sustainability because they don’t know how, claim E.ON after their research showed that implementing energy savings could increase profit margins by almost 5%. As a result, they decided to team up with Michelin-starred chef Glynn Purnell to help restaurants save energy.

According to the Carbon Trust, Britain’s restaurant sector consumes more than £1.3 billion in energy each year – and is responsible for higher carbon emissions than the state of Costa Rica (according to www.eia.gov) – but three quarters of restaurateurs admit they don’t know how to implement energy saving measures, new OnePoll research commissioned by E.ON in June 2015 has revealed.

The survey of 150 restaurant owners, managers and chefs shows energy worries come second only to staff issues. Yet despite more than 80% of restaurateurs saying they consider sustainability when making business decisions, 75% say they do not have the tools and knowledge to make changes.

Energy costs make up almost a quarter (22.5%) of overheads for the restaurant and catering industry, with an estimated 10% of overheads lost on wastage.

Working kitchens admit to leaving on gas hobs, grills, deep fryers, heat lamps and ovens throughout service so high quality food can be turned out quickly – making it one of the most energy intensive consumer industries in the UK. The Carbon Trust estimates that the hospitality sector in the UK spends more than £1.3 billion on

energy each year, generating the equivalent of about eight million tonnes of carbon - greater than the entire carbon emissions of Costa Rica or Kosovo.

Reducing energy use by an average of 25% across the sector could save up to £325m for the restaurant and catering industry.

Michelin-starred chef Glynn Purnell and E.ON are launching a campaign to help small businesses save energy and save money by highlighting E.ON’s Energy Toolkit which has been created to help its small business customers manage their energy use and plan greater efficiencies.

Restaurants in particular are in need of help with energy efficiency and cost reduction.

Cash is considered a driving force for nearly 80% of restaurateurs when it comes to cutting energy bills, but 40% are motivated by ethical reasons too.

With the survey showing the average restaurant generates a profit margin of 8% and estimated energy savings of nearly 25% achievable in most restaurants, the business case is clear: energy savings could improve profit margins by approximately 4.6%, giving the average restaurant a margin of around 12.6% according to the Carbon Trust.

The research also reveals that restaurant owners, managers and chefs massively underestimated how much their customers care about choosing restaurants with sustainable practices such as energy efficiency – estimating that only 25% of customers care when in fact four out of ten diners consider sustainability when choosing a restaurant, reported the OnePoll research.

“You wouldn’t throw food or money away so why would you throw away energy? Yet that’s exactly what you’re doing if you leave things on,” said Glynn Purnell, who recently reduced his energy use by nearly a quarter at his Michelin-starred restaurant, Purnell’s, in Birmingham.

“Running a restaurant is quite tight when it comes to making a profit so energy efficiency is obviously really important. We changed all of our lights to LED which made a massive difference.

When I had gas stoves, they were on all day and the fans too. We

scrapped gas and went all electric so we’ve got induction hobs and the thermo range which contains the heat within it.

The kitchen is much cooler as a result so we don’t need as much cooling, increasing our energy savings even further and making it a better environment to work in.

“All of this was achieved without compromising the cooking techniques and quality of the food. I would never compromise the quality of food for the cost of energy or any other ingredients but everyone wins when you can find a way to let them work together.”

Iain Walker, head of SME at E.ON, added: “The restaurant business is incredibly energy intensive and the desire to cut energy use is clear. The industry clearly understands the impact of energy efficiency on the bottom line, but our survey suggests there is a real need for greater awareness and help when it comes to how to tackle that.

“That‘s why we’ve created our Energy Toolkit for our small business customers, which provides analysis of energy use based on real consumption data to help firms manage their energy use more effectively.

Glynn is a beacon of good practice when it comes to the energy efficiency of his kitchen as well as the quality of the food he serves to diners. His business has already realised the benefit of energy savings so he makes a very good case for what is possible.”

While many of the chefs and restaurants polled took simple steps such as turning off lights and encouraging staff to take part in energy efficient behaviour, only around a third have installed energy efficient light bulbs and just a quarter had insulated dining areas, managed their air conditioning better or regularly maintained refrigerators.

Refrigeration alone accounts for an estimated 20% of energy costs and regular maintenance or switching to newer fridges could save 20% on that energy consumption (Carbon Trust data).

Lighting too can account for up to 25% of restaurant energy costs, making it an obvious place to look for efficiencies.

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Chef, Glynn Purnell (E.ON customers can access energy efficiency advice via their online account, including the Energy Toolkit).

GLYNN PURNELL’S TOP 10 ENERGY SAVING TIPS 1. When investing in new equipment, don’t just think of the upfront cost, think in terms of the lifespan of a use including factors such as preheat energy consumption, idle energy rate usage, production capacity, operating hours and maintenance and disposal costs. I have to admit when setting up the restaurant we had a million things to think about and energy efficiency wasn’t one of them. When you look back you realise how much money you could have saved if you had put in these measures at the start. I opened my first restaurant 12 or 13 years ago but if I were to open another I’d make sure energy efficiency was one of the top priorities.

2. Retrofit old equipment with high efficiency parts and accessories. Consider installing control technology, which automatically switches off or turns down unused cooking equipment. Automatic pan sensors are available for gas and electric hobs, which turn the hob off or down. Install a door closer on refrigerators, hang strip curtains on coolers to maintain moisture levels or use programmable thermostats to automatically adjust ventilation and air conditioning.

3. Consult an energy consultant or a commercial kitchen designer and installation team.

4. Locating refrigerators and freezers away from the hot kitchen will work far more efficiently and use less energy, and it will reduce unwanted heat gain in the kitchen. Install

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door closers or alarms to prevent employees from accidentally leaving fridge/freezer doors open. At Purnell’s, we also use a refrigerator that was made for tropical climates and so is adapted to allow as little temperature change as possible.

5. Use energy efficient lightbulbs or LEDs. We changed all our lights in Purnell’s from gallery lighting to LEDs which made a massive difference to our bills and even improved the ambience of the restaurant (contrary to popular belief!)

6. Don’t keep frozen foods at temperatures colder than needed - increase the temperature of frozen food and product stores from -25°C to -20°C and save 10% of the refrigeration energy (Carbon Trust data).

7. An induction hob is up to 50% more efficient than a traditional electric hob and can power up quickly, reducing the need for them to be on all the time. They generate less heat which means less cooling in the cooking areas is needed.

Consider switching from gas permanently and make the change to induction when you do. They are also easier to clean, which can save extra money and time!

8. A combi oven, which offers convection, steam and combination cooking, can reduce energy costs by around 50% (Carbon Trust data) because they offer faster cooking times.

9. Pass-through dishwashers are the energy-hogging workhorses of many professional kitchens but the new generation has lots of energy-saving features.

Choose a dishwasher model with a heat recovery condenser device to reuse waste hot water to heat the incoming supply of water.

10. New grill designs can detect something placed underneath them and heat up in seconds. Good designs will respond in less than ten seconds, offering energy savings of 75% (www.greenhotelier.org).

SUPPLIER COMMITMENT Bidvest Foodservice, one of the UK’s leading foodservice providers, has recently published its Sustainability Report which highlights community activities the company has initiated over the past year and steps it’s taken to protect the environment for the future.

The theme of the report is collaboration. In particular, working together with key industry bodies such as Foodservice Footprint, Planet Mark and WRAP and suppliers, customers and charities such as Hospitality Action and the Dallaglio Foundation, to ensure the foodservice industry is sustainable.

The report, which is independently verified, launched just after a collaborative sustainability steering group meeting where key stakeholders discussed what they would like to see Bidvest Foodservice doing for the environment in the future. The comments from the meeting will influence the company’s sustainability plan for the year ahead, say the organisation, whilst this year’s report highlights progress against a number of targets focused on the areas of community, environment, product and people over the last year.

Over the last twelve months Bidvest introduced 237 Euro VI vehicles to improve fuel efficiency of delivery vehicles in line with the company’s pledge to phase out all vehicles that achieve less than the Euro VI emissions. It also ensured that 44% of products in Bidvest Foodservice’s own brand range already met or exceeded the government’s 2017 salt targets by the end of June 2015.

Ensuring 100% of Bidvest Foodservice own brand products were in packaging that complied

with the new EU Food Information Regulations by December 2014 was another milestone, as was an 8.7% increase between June 2014 and June 2015 on the number of company cars which deliver carbon emissions under 100g/km. The company also raised over £39,000 for Hospitality Action at one single event — the supplier golf day 2014. Refining their Quality Assurance system to enable customers to identify over 2,000 products which contain at least 65% British ingredients was another achievement.

In the spirit of collaboration, the Bidvest Foodservice Lee Mills and Edinburgh depots have teamed up with local food groups Taste of the West and Food and Drink Scotland to promote and find ways of working with local producers to support small and local businesses and also satisfy consumers’ desires for more local products.

Shirley Duncalf, head of sustainability at Bidvest Foodservice, said:“Our vision is to be the best foodservice provider and leading the industry’s sustainability and social responsibility agenda is a key part of this.

“Our teams have already made great strides in achieving the sustainability and social responsibility goals set out in our 2013/14 sustainability report. In some cases, we have actually exceeded some of our targets such as achieving a 15% reduction in average weight used for our own brand packaging, versus a target of 5%.

“Working closely with customers, suppliers and key industry partners is essential for us to serve up the right sustainability recipe for our customers’ and the industry’s success.”

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CSR CSR central to business philosophy As a family-owned company, Dawn Farms (www.dawnfarms.ie) says that it is acutely aware of its responsibility to the environment, consumers, suppliers, its staff and the community in which it operates.

A leading European supplier of innovative cooked and fermented ready-to-eat (RTE) meat toppings for some of the best known pizza brands in the world, Dawn Farms is a founder member of the Origin Green Programme, the first nationwide sustainability programme of its kind in the world, and run by Bord Bia (the Irish Food Board).

The company is also a sponsor and firm supporter of the Origin Green Ambassador Programme which seeks to promote best practice by combining an academic qualification with work placement in sustainability roles within major global food companies, who are thought leaders in this area.

"Corporate social responsibility, or social sustainability, is a core element of the wider sustainability remit and as a result we have made it a pillar of our Origin Green Sustainability Plan, the first phase of which ran from 2010 to 2015,� says Ian Ritchie, UK sales director for Dawn Farms.

"Our goal is to maintain and grow our position as the leading European supplier of cooked meat ingredients and in doing so, deliver sustainable profitable growth that is good for our shareholders, our people, our community and the planet."

Dawn Farms was the first company in the Origin Green Programme to develop a truly holistic approach to sustainability by incorporating targets and measures across four key sustainability pillars.

1. Environmental footprint reduction for manufacturing processes.

2. Sustainable sourcing initiatives.

3. Development of healthier products.

4. Staff and community initiatives.

Environmentally, the company is a zero waste to landfill site, a target achieved one year ahead of schedule in 2014 and it has achieved notable reductions in relative energy usage, water usage 50

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and carbon emissions too. With sustainable sourcing in place, the company has switched to free range egg as an ingredient and has developed a new animal welfare policy following guidelines published by Compassion in World Farming.

As a firm supporter of Irish industry, Dawn Farms says that it strives to source raw materials and consumables from local businesses as much as possible. Following a renewed drive by the company to "buy local", purchasing of ingredients and packaging from local companies increased by a third in the 12 months to October last year.

In the development of healthier options, all Dawn Farms products from its factories in Naas, County Kildare and its cooked bacon facility in Northampton are 100% free of artificial colours, as well as palm oil, nut and MSG, and it is believed to be the only company in its sector able to make this claim.

A positive health and nutrition policy has also been implemented, which calls for all pipeline new product development products to be developed in line with FSA salt guidelines, free from MSG, artificial colours, added hydrogenated fats and allergens.

The company recognises its important role as one of the largest employers in County Kildare. Some 85% of the 600 people working in its Naas factories are Kildare-based and the company encourages staff to be active members of the local community through volunteer involvement with local charities and sports clubs.

"We are keenly aware of our role as an employer, a neighbour and a major contributor to the local economy," adds Ian Ritchie.

"We support chosen corporate charities and each year pledge funds to assist local issues and charitable causes. These have included sponsorship of the road roundabout landscaping near our food campus in conjunction with the town of Naas Tidy Towns committee. We also continued our support for National Breast Cancer Research Ireland with a staff-run fundraising event."

Other beneficiaries are the local Naas St. Vincent de Paul Society, which helps people in need, the

Irish National Heart Foundation, and the Saplings School for Autism in Co. Kildare, again through the company's active sports and social club.

"We initiated a highly successful work placement programme with local Naas second level schools and offered six placements to students," said Ian Ritchie. "We also offered 15 placements to college and university students in 2014 from both national and international third level institutions."

A number of staff initiatives at Dawn Farms also demonstrate social sustainability. Two new career development programmes commenced in 2015 aimed at nurturing young managers and enhancing the skills of senior management. The course for senior management was devised in conjunction with the University College Dublin Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School, Ireland's leading business school. The course for young managers was devised in conjunction with IBEC, the national voice of business in Ireland, and all participants receive a diploma in professional competence from the Dublin Institute of Technology on successful completion of the course.

In addition, Dawn Farms is a founding member of the Nutrition and Health Foundation and a sponsor of the Newman Fellowship in food safety in University College Dublin. The company has also fostered strong links with the education institutes of Ireland such as the Dublin Institute of Technology and the School of Culinary Arts in Dublin for graduate placement and recruitment.

At work, employees have set up a communications forum for fellow employees to give everyone a greater say in the business at grass roots level and to make suggestions for improvements.

Free employee seminars held in

the last 12 months included topics such as sustainability, healthy eating and smart money management.

"In the last three years, 28 members of staff have received long term service awards in relation to 15 years and over, reflecting a skilled, experienced and committed local workforce," notes Ian Ritchie.

"As a European leader in our particular sector, it is only right as a reputable company that we should operate a socially sustainable business and it is an aspect we are constantly working on as by improving sustainability, we are able to deliver benefits across all areas of the business.

"At present, we are creating the roadmap for the second phase of our sustainability charter to 2020.

CSR and sustainability are central to all our customer meetings and presentations. We find the initiative is particularly well received in the UK market, as it matches the demands being made on our business to business customers by leading retailers and foodservice operators, and increasingly by an engaged customer."

The company feels that its commitment to CSR has assisted it in cementing partnerships with some of its key customers in both the foodservice and food manufacturing sectors, recognised by the Irish Exporters Association Sustainable Exporter of the Year award and the Sustainable Energy Ireland Industry Award in 2014.

"Our philosophy is to provide a safe and nurturing environment for all our people, to be active and positive contributors in the communities in which we live and work, and to be good stewards of our environment. How we treat our people, how we use the natural resources and how we interact with our communities are central tenets of our overall approach to sustainability,� concludes Ian Ritchie.

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NEW PRODUCT

Rinnai Space Heaters give it large for big spaces Rinnai energy saver units are very easy to install as they do not need expensive (and extensive) ductwork, nor do they involve the necessity to run domestic heating circuits for radiators or pipework to boilers, cutting down drastically on cost and time at the point of installation.

They deliver energy-efficient and consistent warm air-powered by Natural Gas or LPG options and are built with fully modulating burners so heat output and energy input is reduced as the space warms up.

The units may also be controlled via a central timer for added economy and occupant comfort.

Encased in a low surface temperature (LST) casing to avoid any risk of unnecessary discomfort, they are swift to warm up, easy to control and are very economical to run, offering easy on/off operation and intelligent features such as self-diagnostics and a self-learning pre-heat time to maximise heat up time and energy consumption (call 01928 531870 or visit www.rinnaiuk.com).

www.papa.org.uk

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Tear & Share Doughballs with Dark Chocolate Sauce from Callebaut meets the demand for chocolate.

s t a e r t y a All d come into their own ats tre t ee sw d an rts sse de ar when are in It will soon be the time of ye now means that sweet treats ing din y da all , ion dit ad In . during the festive season . demand across all day parts BEYOND DESSERT Almost two-thirds of people are now eating outside of traditional meal times, and with consumer eating habits changing, caterers are being urged to reposition their sweet offering to go beyond traditional dessert and tap into the booming all day dining market.

New independent research (Toluna/Callebaut August 2015) commissioned by Callebaut – makers of premium Belgian chocolate – shows that the traditional three meals a day no longer exist. Instead, 46% of consumers will eat out midmorning, with 47% opting for mid-afternoon and 32% eating

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out late at night, report the company. With this shift in eating habits comes a unique opportunity for caterers to generate increased profits by shifting the emphasis beyond desserts as simply a way to round off a meal and instead to a dish that can be savoured anytime of the day or night, feel the firm.

Delving further into why people eat out, the research reveals socialising with friends to be the main driving force behind consumers dining out (39%), a trend which Callebaut recommends caterers tap into by introducing sharing platters. A collection of scaled down

desserts, this concept not only meets the sharing demand but also appeals to consumers of all ages, ensuring desserts have universal appeal, claim Callebaut.

What's more, sharing platters are ideal for encouraging additional sales from customers who might not have been able to fit in a fullsize version. In fact, add sharing platters to the menu and, according to Callebaut's research, 65% of customers say they will be more likely to order a dessert.

Their findings also reveal that over half of consumers would be more likely to indulge in a dessert if a mini taster was offered with a drink, such as cappuccino, giving rise to menus

which match miniature desserts and beverages. Add mini desserts to the offering in a pick 'n' mix style and this jumps to 71%, presenting further opportunities for caterers to drive profits by allowing diners to personalise their desserts, suggests their research.

“With the increasing trend for all day dining this concept of moving beyond desserts as a third course on a menu is key,” said Robert Harrison, sales director at Callebaut.

“Caterers need to be aware of the fact that a slice of cheesecake or a bowl of ice cream just won't cut it anymore. They need to offer a more exciting range of sweets, November 2015

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desserts market them throughout the day and present them in a variation of styles so that they prove too tempting for diners to resist.

“Including sharing platters, mini selections and personalised dishes are a must if caterers are to encourage customers to choose a dessert. Of course, with the consumer love affair with chocolate showing no signs of easing, caterers need to think about how they can incorporate chocolate in order to maximise their profit making potential.

With 50% of customers more likely to order a sweet if there is a chocolate option, our research clearly highlights the hold that chocolate has over a diner's choice to have a dessert or not – it really can make or break a menu.”

CHOCOLATE TREND Chocolate is also proving popular first thing in the morning.

According to the Callebaut’s findings, nearly half of people would order a breakfast that included chocolate, prompting the need for caterers to offer more varied breakfast dishes such as waffles, pancake, muffins and pastries, feel the company.

“With the breakfast eating out market recording steady growth over recent years, there is a key opportunity for caterers to increase morning sales, especially if they introduce chocolate to the mix,” adds Robert Harrison.

To inspire chefs and help

Creed’s Salted Caramel Cheesecake.

encapsulate these trends on their menus, Beverley Dunkley, head of Callebaut’s Chocolate Academy™, has developed a range of innovative recipes including Tear & Share Doughballs with Dark Chocolate Sauce for a sumptuous sharing platter, as well as Chocolate Covered Waffle Bites for a versatile option that can be served for breakfast, with coffee or as part of a sharing platter or pick ‘n’ mix dessert. In addition, there is Passion Fruit & White

Chocolate Drink with Choux Pastry, which ticks the boxes for smaller desserts people can have with a beverage, as well as personalisation as people can mix and match their drink and dessert choice, point out Callebaut (www.fortheloveofchoc.com).

FESTIVE PREPARATIONS Creed Foodservice, the Gloucestershire-based regional delivered wholesaler has launched its Christmas 2015

Creed’s Trio of Desserts Combine Macphie Pots (lemon and red berry), individual New York Baked Cheesecake and Bite Size Christmas Pudding to create this stunning mini dessert trio.

To create the lemon and red berry posset, boil Macphie pot contents in a pan.

Pour a little into a shot glass and place in the fridge for an hour to set. Boil the red berry pot contents and fill the remainder of the shot glass. Return to the fridge to set.

Position the posset shot glass on a long plate and add a garnish of your choice to decorate – red currants, raspberries or candied peel. Decorate the centre of the plate with raspberry coulis and position the individual cheesecake on top. Finally, pipe some brandy cream onto the final third of the plate and add the individual Christmas pudding.

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range with new products plus a selection of easy to use and profitable recipe and finishing ideas to enable chefs to add their own touch to their Christmas menus. Developed in partnership with Creed’s executive development chef, Rob Owen, this year’s Creed Christmas range and concepts give caterers a range of solutions to match their skills, budgets, preparation time and customer preferences.

“From my experience in the trade, I know that it can be challenging to develop Christmas menu ideas each year that are profitable and can be finished consistently by the team,” says Rob Owen. “I would usually seek a number of core products from Creed Foodservice, and finish them in-house before serving so that I could make the dish my own. This is the approach I have taken with the new Christmas range and I hope other chefs will be inspired by some of the simple but effective concepts we have developed.”

In particular, there is a comprehensive range of ready to thaw and use desserts, individual cakes and puddings. New for this year are on-trend desserts and flavours including a Country Range Salted Caramel Truffle Cheesecake that’s pre-cut for convenience and portion control plus an individual baked cranberry and orange cheesecake from Eatons, that is full of festive flavour say Creed.

Rob Owen has also given caterers a number of options for creating desserts with the wow factor, using bought in products as a starting point, such as the Trio of Desserts featuring MacPhie posset solutions. With sharing plates still popular on the desserts menu, this added value Christmas meal finisher is easy to prepare, visually impactful and can command a premium price, feel Creed.

Continental Quattro Stagioni (www.continental-food.co.uk), a supplier of a wide range of food and drink to multiple and independent restaurant groups, hotels, bars and clubs, fast food outlets and regional catering wholesalers is also offering a range of delicious desserts designed to tickle the taste-buds of customers this Christmas.

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desserts Reflecting the trend for traditional puddings is CQS’s Individual Grand Marnier Bread and Butter Pudding.

Their Individual Grand Marnier Bread and Butter Pudding featured slices of bread cooked with fresh milk egg custard and flavoured with Grand Marnier (1 x 12 at a special seasonal price of £16.20), and their Mulled Wine and Winterberry and Kentish Apple Orange Crumble consists of a thin layer of oaty orange crumble topped with rich red wine, cinnamon, orange, mixed berries and Kentish Bramley apples compote topped with zesty orange and oaty shortbread crumble (1 x 12 at a special seasonal price of £9.00).

CQS’s Nougart Glacé is French frozen dessert with honey, whipped cream and egg whites mixed with glacé cherries, roasted hazelnuts, pistachios and sultanas (1 x 12 at a special seasonal price of £14.40), and their Cherry Chocolate Charlotte is a handmade sponge centred with cherries and filled with a dark chocolate mousse, and topped with a chocolate ganache and decorated with a red cherry (1 x 12 at a special seasonal price of £10.20).

They can also offer a Salted Caramel and Chocolate Cheesecake with a digestive biscuit crumb base filled with vanilla and salted caramel cheesecake slowly baked decorated with a rich Belgium chocolate ganache, swirled with white chocolate and gold dust (1 x 14 pre-sliced at a special seasonal price of £10.80).

www.papa.org.uk

WAYS TO ENHANCE “The dessert market has recently been invigorated by the number of new choices now available.

Gone are the days of five or six standard choices and in is innovation – including a return to some of the long-forgotten traditional British puddings and new, exciting options from other countries such as Italy,” says Paolo Veneroni, CQS’s director of sales.

“As a supplier with an Italian heritage, we work very closely with our catering customers to help them understand what the public is looking for, and to introduce new choices through sampling and tastings. This is particularly true for our range of desserts that really benefit from trial to appreciate the quality and flavours of these products.”

So how can you be in step with the top trends when enhancing a dessert menu? CQS draw attention to the following.

1. Small serves Despite the continued pressure to eat healthily, many diners still desire something sweet at the end of the meal, and CQS’s assorted fruit cheesecakes (a selection of mango, strawberry, raspberry and Amarena cherry) or chocolate individual pralines fit perfectly in this category.

2. Fun desserts to sample Many operators now offer "signature" desserts such as Chocolate Brownies, Banoffee

Pie and Spiced Sugar Donuts - in three formats: as full-size, mini-size individual portions, or as a selection of three.

Another, more "Italian" angle is the so called "Piccoli Dolci" (small cakes) -mini portions of rich desserts such as tiramisu, dark chocolate tartufo and torta amaretto.

3. Meals with options Mini desserts are a great way to keep the popularity of the three-course meal. Another alternative is “meal for two promotions” with one dessert and/or one starter - both suitable for sharing.

4. Desserts turn healthy!

For those on a diet, but craving something sweet, there's always the ultimate healthy dessert: fresh fruit.

Many restaurants now offer a variety of fruit in more appealing serves. For example mixed-fruit skewers served with Amarena, caramel or chocolate sauce.

Healthy ice cream? Yes, that’s available in CQS Joe DeLucci’s range of gluten free and vegetarian true Italian Gelato.

5. Creative ways with cakes With cup-cakes still going strong, more and more standard-style cakes are appearing in different formats, as well as a return to some of our best-loved cakes from years ago. Caramel and ginger, cinnamon, chocolate and beetroot, caramelized apples, blueberries, cranberries, or spiced cakes, are all delicious served with either mascarpone or whipped cream.

DESSERTS MADE EASY “Cheeseboards are still a favourite with many diners but after a heavy meal this is unlikely to be a best-seller on a dessert menu.

With sharing platters so in vogue, one way to overcome this and boost sales is for restaurants to offer cheeseboards for two or more diners to share,” suggests senior brand manager for Galbani®, Christopher Pihoue.

“Use at least two or three Italian cheeses and aim to vary the texture and flavour profile within each board. Galbani Dolcelatte, for example, is a great blue cheese option, available in

either Original or Piccante. Both are available in 8x 150g individual portions.”

“For diners who can’t resist a sweet treat at the end of their meal, the Galbani ready to mix range includes products such as Galbani Panna Cotta and Galbani Tiramisu au Mascarpone. Ideal for busy restaurants, these delicious desserts offer operators a chance to present a menu which is of a high standard without the time and effort required to make these offerings from scratch. Little prep time is required as both can be mixed in a matter of minutes,” says Christopher Pihoue.

Available in six one litre cartons and simple to prepare, these can be a welcome time saver, claim the brand (www.lactalisfs.co.uk/galbani).

A sweet treat at the end of the meal is still very much on the menu as a way in which caterers can add value to their overall business offering – consumers will remember a good dessert, although small portions, ‘cake as desserts’ and sharing plates are increasing popular, agree Dawn Foods.

For many small restaurants, however, the time and skill involved in making desserts from scratch is prohibitive. Traditional American-inspired brownies are more popular than ever, observe the supplier - Google Trends shows that searches for the term “brownie” within the summer desserts search category have increased, while the Horizons Menurama Callebaut research for the nation’s favourite chocolate

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desserts dessert showed that chocolate brownies had moved from eight to fourth place.

Brownies and carrot cake feature more on dessert menus with combinations such as warm brownie and ice-cream and sharing platters cementing popularity, claim the company, who suggest that their Scoop & Bake Brownie dough, available in stackable and re-sealable 2kg tubs, is ideal for caterers to create smaller batches of signature brownies, finishing them in their own creative way.

For caterers pressed for time, Dawn’s American-inspired Brownie Sheet Cakes are ready baked and supplied frozen to simply thaw and then ice, frost or cover and decorate. Brownies can be loaded with a variety of products, including marshmallows, sauces and honeycomb, and served warm with a scoop of premium ice cream for a simple and delicious dessert, while carrot cakes can be finished with frostings, such as Dawn’s smooth and delicious Cream Cheese Frosting, sliced and offered to customers on wooden boards as an innovative rustic style dessert.

Mini sharing platters also encourage customers to opt for desserts as they are ideal for consumers looking to indulge without over-indulging (a recent survey by Callebaut revealed that socialising with friends is the main driving force behind consumers dining out (39%) and that if sharing platters were added to the menu 65% would be more likely to order a dessert). In the same survey, mini tasters were also popular alongside a pick 'n' mix style desserts with 71% of those surveyed preferring to personalise their desserts.

“Micro desserts are especially trendy,” reports Fabien Levet, Foodservice Sales Manager at Brioche Pasquier, a French family business that manufactures and sells, fresh and frozen pastries and patisserie, with traditional products such as croissants, pain au chocolat and filled brioche, to macaroons, éclairs and tarts.

“Offer these as part of your dessert menu as a way of encouraging diners to stay for an extra course, without them

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Dawn’s oyster cookies.

feeling as though they’ve over indulged or spent too much on their meal.

“Our range of classic Macarons can be offered as a dessert in their own right or served alongside an after-dinner coffee to perfectly round-off the occasion. Likewise, our Petit Fours – which are available in a variety of flavours and textures – can also be served in these ways.

What is more, the visual appeal of both products will impress diners and contribute towards the overall impression of the quality

of service provided by your establishment.”

Founded in 1936 and originally specialising in brioche, the brand has expanded by various acquisitions, primarily in the field of patisserie and now has numerous factories across France, Spain and the US. The company advise that operators develop a dessert menu which features a small variety of options – this is always better than offering a large choice of dishes, which can be overwhelming to customers.

“Encourage diners to purchase something to finish off their meal, even if they are full, with a selection of mini desserts. A choice of mini puddings provide a taste of indulgence which needn’t break the bank or leave diners feeling as though they’ve over eaten, and desserts such as Macarons or Petit Fours are the perfect choices for caterers looking to offer a quality, authentic dessert that is aesthetically pleasing without being too large a portion,” adds Fabien Levet.

“Look to serve desserts which offer a great taste experience as well as a ‘wow’ factor. Our traditional French patisserie range has wide appeal, and Macarons and Petit Fours can be presented in ways which showcase the products as a real work of art – whether in beautifully created Macaron ‘sculptures’ assembled as trees or pyramid shapes from which diners can indulge at a buffet, or as individual puddings which are created with accompaniments especially chosen to bring out the particular flavour of the Macarons.

“Alternatively, serve trays of delicious Petit Fours that will leave mouths watering. Dessert choices using a range such as this require minimal effort from the caterer, but serve a real impact to the customer!

“Using pre-prepared desserts allows caterers the chance to present a menu which is of a high standard without the time and effort required to make these offerings from scratch. This also means that any member of the kitchen team, no matter what their skill set or ability, can prepare and assemble the dessert menu whenever required.”

A PUDDING PARTY “Desserts present a significant profit opportunity during the colder months and, to maximise sales, caterers should consider creating an Italian themed dessert menu to entice customers,” advises Jessica Lalor, brand manager for Kerrymaid.

“A Kerrymaid Pudding Party is as good as it sounds and is a great way for chefs to liven up a slow winter evening. A Pudding

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desserts Party is about trialling a selection of different desserts, and all customers have to do is sit back and indulge, while scoring the puddings as they go.

“Kerrymaid has recently partnered with award-winning pastry chef Thomas Leatherbarrow. Thomas has worked with some of the biggest names in the industry including Tom Aikens, and his latest selection of indulgent recipes, which have been created exclusively for Kerrymaid, are set to delight diners and help your event succeed.

“Thomas suggests instead of experimenting with flavours, change the texture of the dish.

For example replace raspberry coulis or puree, with a raspberry granita or a raspberry biscuit to crumble – the dish retains its flavour, but is served with a point of difference.

“Over the last few years there has been a specific focus on shaking up the dessert offering, especially flavour fusions, such as salted caramel. Caramel will continue to play a big part on

hosting a Pudding Party, including free supporting point of sale material and ideas on how to use the opportunity to boost sales during normal service, visit www.puddingparty.kerrymaid.com.

New from tabletop and barware distributor, Artis, is Etore, an innovative and contemporary way to present desserts, notably ice creams, sorbets, layering desserts and sundaes (Etore is a ‘stepped’ dessert glass manufactured

by Durobor, renowned for producing glassware that is stylish and elegant, as well as highly durable and dishwasher proof).

menus in the coming months with caramelised fruits such as figs or pears, or even caramelised nuts and herbs making an appearance.”

For further information on

ICE CREAM New Forest Ice Cream are promoting their Brownie & White Chocolate dairy ice cream in time for the festive season. This luxuriously decadent variety offers the texture of freshly baked brownie with the creamy notes and velvety texture of real white chocolate pieces interspersed throughout, report the company who can claim 30 years’ ice cream making expertise.

This latest addition to the company’s ever expanding range of ice creams and sorbets is manufactured using only the finest ingredients and formed by gently combining a host of ingredients including fresh double cream and milk delivered daily, perfectly baked brownie chunks and shavings of quality white Belgian chocolate, say the firm. Made without the use of

eggs and in a nut free environment, the Brownie & White Chocolate ice cream is also suitable for vegetarians making it ideal for establishments catering for the needs of all customers, point out New Forest (their Dairy Brownie and White Chocolate ice cream is available in 4ltr and 4.75ltr catering tubs).

New Forest Ice Cream also has an ever-expanding collection of over 40 other flavours, including the continental and the real dairy ranges. Alongside this, there is an assortment of delectable, which are ideal for the lighter appetite, as well as a vividly colourful range of pre-wrapped children’s desserts (www.newforesticecream.com).

The Ice Cream Alliance is the only membership trade association for the Ice Cream Industry in the UK. As the organisers of the only annual Ice Cream Expo in the UK, the show attracts companies and visitors from across the world looking to take a scoop of the £1bn UK market. If you're looking to exhibit or visit for new products, suppliers, inspiration or a new business venture, don't miss out in attending this exhibition. The Ice Cream Expo takes place at the Yorkshire Event Centre in Harrogate from the 16th -18th February 2016.

www.papa.org.uk

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desserts

Re-inventing the after dinner coffee Tired of serving coffee after dinner, but feel like your desserts are lacking a personal touch? Then coffee experts, rijo42 (www.rijo42.co.uk, a UK supplier of commercial coffee machines, coffee beans and coffee ingredients established in 1989), can suggest five classic coffee-infused recipes which they say have been designed to help take your dessert-making skills to the next level.

Coffee Toffee A sweet treat, rich sticky toffee enhanced with intense notes of espresso, topped with chocolate and chopped nuts. This moreish coffee toffee is perfect for serving alongside lattes and cappuccinos, or just storing in a tin for those ‘sweet tooth’ moments.

Ingredients 225g butter ■ 115g light brown sugar ■ 115g white sugar ■ 1 ½ tsp molasses ■ ¼ tsp salt ■ ½ tsp finely ground espresso powder ■ 170g good quality dark chocolate ■ 115g chopped hazelnuts (toasted, skinned and cooled) ■

Dark Chocolate and Coffee Granita A dark chocolate and coffee granita that is simple to make and can be prepared in advance, making it the perfect dessert to store in the freezer.

Ingredients ■ 235ml freshly brewed black coffee ■ 150g granulated sugar ■ 150g cocoa powder Method 1. Add coffee, sugar and cocoa into a medium saucepan and place over a medium heat. Whisk until the sugar has completely dissolved and a smooth consistency is achieved.

Add the vanilla extract and chocolate and again, whisk until smooth.

2. Transfer the mixture into a bowl and refrigerate for two hours.

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■ ■

1 tsp vanilla extract 85g good quality dark chocolate, finely chopped

3. Once chilled, transfer the mixture into a plastic container and freeze for five hours, briefly stirring the mixture with a fork once every hour.

4. Return to the freezer for a further three hours or until completely frozen.

5. Prior to serving, use a fork to break up the granite and serve in chilled dishes to prevent granita melting.

Serve and enjoy.

Method 1. Begin by lining a small baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.

2. Add the butter, brown sugar, white sugar, molasses, salt and espresso into a medium saucepan and heat over a medium heat. Add a thermometer to the pan and stir occasionally until the mixture approaches 120°C, then stir constantly until it reaches 150°C.

3. Pour mixture into the lined baking sheet and spread evenly with a silicone spatula. Sprinkle the chopped chocolate pieces over the toffee and leave them until they’ve softened. Once soft, spread the chocolate over the toffee and sprinkle with the chopped hazelnuts.

4. Place in the fridge and leave to set for at least four hours, then break into pieces and store in an airtight container.

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desserts Coffee and Chocolate Truffles These coffee and chocolate truffles cost a fraction of their shop bought counter parts, taste great, and are really easy to make and provide an all-important personal touch. Ideal if you want to impress your guests!

Ingredients ■ 8oz of good quality dark chocolate minimum 80% cocoa solids – chopped ■ 120ml double cream ■ 28g unsalted butter – cubed ■ 2 tablespoons of espresso – cooled Method 1. Add the double cream and butter into a saucepan and place on a medium to high heat.

2. Once the cream begins to boil and the butter has melted, remove the pan from the heat.

3. Place your chopped chocolate into a bowl (heatproof).

4. Pour over the cream mixture, leave for 30 seconds until the chocolate starts to melt.

5. Stir together slowly until smooth, if any chunks of chocolate remain, place in the microwave for a few seconds until melted thoroughly.

6. Add the 2 tablespoons of espresso.

7. Cover the bowl and place in the fridge. Leave overnight so the mixture can set.

■

■

100g of cocoa powder – sweetened or unsweetened depending on preference Finely chopped nuts – optional

8.

Once the coffee chocolate truffle mixture has been set, use a spoon to take a small amount of the mixture and place into the palm of your hand and roll the mixture into a ball.

9. Drop the ball into the cocoa powder (you could also use finely chopped nuts, shredded coconut, shaved chocolate or even melted cooled milk chocolate to contrast with the flavour of the dark chocolate, it is entirely up to you) and place onto a plate.

10. Use of all the truffle mix in the same way.

11. Place your coffee chocolate truffles in the fridge. They should keep for approximately two weeks.

12. To add an extra special touch place your finished truffles into a gift box and decorate with a bow.

Classic Tiramisu This is a great recipe for the classic Italian Tiramisu.

Ingredients ■ 4tbsp Tia Maria, brandy or Marsala ■ 150ml espresso coffee cooled ■ 2 eggs, separated ■ 3tbsp caster sugar ■ 250g mascarpone cheese ■ 150ml double cream ■ grated dark chocolate or cocoa powder for dusting ■ 3/4-1 packet of Savoiardi biscuits

Method 1. Using an electric hand whisk beat together the egg yolks and caster sugar until thick and pale.

Beat the mascarpone cheese until it’s smooth.

2. In a separate bowl, whisk the cream then fold into the mascarpone mixture.

Whisk the egg whites until they form soft peaks.

Using a metal spoon, gently fold into the creamy mascarpone mixture.

3. Pour the espresso coffee and chosen liqueur into a

bowl. Dip each biscuit into the coffee liqueur for a few seconds, to soak up some of the liquid. Place the biscuits the base of 68 glasses.

4. Cover with a layer of creamy mascarpone.

Repeat the process by adding another layer of biscuits topped with another layer of the mascarpone mixture.

5. Top with grated chocolate or dust with cocoa powder. Keep in the refrigerator for at least two hours before serving.

Calypso Liqueur Liqueur coffees are a great way to round off a good meal. Whether you’re looking to offer liqueur coffees in your restaurant, or would like to serve them to guests at a dinner party, there are some great recipes to choose from. The Calypso coffee is a wonderful fusion of aromatic Americano coffee and Tia Maria liqueur.

Ingredients 1 freshly brewed Americano coffee ■ 25ml of Tia Maria liqueur ■ 1 teaspoon of Demerara sugar ■ 25ml fresh pouring cream ■

www.papa.org.uk

Method 1. Take a latte glass from your cup warmer. If you don’t have a cup warmer then place a spoon into the glass and fill with boiling water, the spoon will absorb the heat from the water to prevent the glass cracking.

NEVER pour boiling liquid into a glass.

2. Pour the shot of Tia Maria liqueur into the bottom of the latte glass.

3. Brew the Americano coffee from your bean to cup coffee machine. Pour the Americano into the latte glass leaving a 15mm gap at the top.

4. Add the teaspoon of Demerara sugar and stir until completely dissolved, it is important the sugar dissolves completely as this ensures the cream floats.

5. Place a teaspoon face up into the coffee so that the curved part of the teaspoon is just touching the surface. Pour the cream from a small jug onto the spoon, the cream will flow off the sides of the spoon and float on top of the coffee. Serve immediately.

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truffles White truffle.

The white winter truffle season opened on 1 October 2015, and London-based WTAtruffles is in the midst of sourcing the best quality truffles for UK restaurants, catering services and private chefs.

The

truffle

hunters Fresh product Offering next day delivery, their recently up-dated website (www.WTAtruffles.com) and mail order facility have been designed to make it easy for customers to order fresh truffles on-line at wholesale prices, say the firm (chefs can order the minimum amount required ensuring that they can have fresh truffles on their menu).

“Truffles are not an easy product to deal with – their value and relatively short shelf life mean chefs are often split between ordering enough, not wasting such a product and most importantly being able to offer their customers that ‘just-unearthed’ experience,” says Nadia Howell, director of the WTAtruffles.

It is with quality and freshness in mind that the company ships pre-ordered truffles from Italy, on the same day as the hunters find them.

“This allows us to always deliver the freshest truffles, and not to inflate prices as we do not have to compensate for unsold stock,” adds Nadia Howell.

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The company’s Anglo-Italian heritage gives them the necessary language, appreciation and understanding of Italian food culture to forge trusted relationships with truffle hunters and unravel the myths associated with buying truffles, feel the firm, who have created a base in Umbria, by-passed brokers and through regular orders are able to secure lower prices for the pick of Italy’s truffles, whilst developing a range of innovative truffle products.

Truffle hunting Everything starts in the Italian woods, where truffle hunters arrive just before dawn, often leaving their cars miles away from the truffle spots, as to not disclose the most well-kept of secrets. Unlike their ancestors, present-day truffle hunters no longer hunt with pigs, as these proved too enthusiastic and heavy to wrestle with once they have scented a truffle.

Today, WTAtruffles Italian truffles are un-earthed by dogs who are a mix of breeds that includes the

famous short-haired curly Lagotto, Pointers and mongrels, all with incredible noses. Each began learning their art by playing catch with balls perfumed by truffle oil, moving on to burrow and hide with pieces of cheese and bread.

After locating the truffles, the dogs begin to dig, are called off, rewarded for their work and then the truffle hunters take over with their small hoe called a vanghino, with which they delicately prise the truffle out of the ground.

Once a truffle is uncovered the hunters recognise through its perfume if it is has reached its moment of ripeness (they re-bury those which are not quite mature enough, gently brushing away the soil on those which are ready for market). They then hurry into town so that the truffle can be classed and priced ensuring that truffles can be shipped immediately on the same day to preserve freshness upon arrival.

Weekly prices vary according to supply. Bumper harvest conditions entail damp periods followed by plenty of warm sunshine that is not too hot so that the truffles dry out. Thus, it is a delicate balance between the elements that makes everything happen; although truffles like rain (it is their water molecules that transport their heady scent to your nose), and with too much rain they will become mouldy.

Flexibility Every Friday, WTAtruffles communicates prices for the coming week to their customers.

With minimum orders set at 50g for White and Black Winter Truffles, and 100g for Black Autumn Truffle, chefs can order the minimum amount they require.

It is with quality and freshness in mind that the company ships securely from Italy via courier immediately on receipt of order November 2015

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truffles on the same day as the hunters find the truffles, upon their arrival next day within most of the UK and Europe, and fastest available delivery worldwide.

The truffles are shipped by airfreight, wrapped in absorbent paper, packed with Styrofoam and kept cool in transit by ice packs.

“On your truffles’ arrival, gently wrap them in absorbent kitchen paper (or a paper napkin), and store them in a dry glass/plastic airtight container in the least cold part of the fridge – truffles have a very strong aroma which quickly impregnates other foods, particularly dairy,” advises Nadia Howell.“Change the absorbent paper that is wrapped around the truffles daily and ensure that the container is kept dry. Fresh truffles can be stored for about a week.”

All WTAtruffles fungi are delivered brushed, which means their skin and cavities are free from soil. Up to 15 minutes before serving chefs simply need to carefully rub a damp cloth over their edible skin, afterwards placing them on a clean tea towel to bring them up to room temperature before serving.

“

Cooking, pairings and recipe ideas White Winter Truffles (Tuber Magnatum Pico, available 1 October - 31 December) are the king of fungi and the most expensive food in the world offering an intense floral garlic aroma. They work well with any mild and sweet-based ingredient like cheese, butter, eggs, rice, pasta, potatoes etc.

To allow their uniqueness to shine, simplicity and exceptional quality ingredients are the rules.

Italians’ staples for White Winter Truffles are risotto, Tajarín (thinly cut fresh egg pasta made with double the yolks) with butter, fried eggs, beef carpaccio or tartare. They must never be cooked and, on the contrary, it is recommended to let the dishes to slightly cool down before topping them with truffles at the very last minute, possibly shaving them right in front of the customer.

Also try White Winter Truffles on homemade gnocchi with Taleggio cheese fondue and hazelnut, top a salsify and potato soup or shave over a creamy Parmesan and chestnuts risotto.

Black Winter Truffles (Tuber Melanosporum, available 15 November - 15 March) are an earthier version of the fungi, with a long lasting pungent aroma and a musky flavour, supporting more elaborate, earthy and meaty dishes.

Black Winter Truffles, in addition to the dishes where White Winter Truffles work well, pair well with foie gras, duck and game birds in general, mushrooms, scallops and lobster.

This truffle stands the heat better than the white variety, but it is nevertheless recommended not to cook it - slice or grate right on top of the dishes, or gently and briefly warm it in butter if using in a sauce.

Why not try Black Winter Truffles sliced on a porcini and saffron risotto, grated on braised duck ravioli, or use to top a Jerusalem artichoke and scallop soup?

Fresh Black Autumn Truffles (Tuber Uncinatum, available 1 October - 31 December) are more abundant and therefore their price is lower than Winter Truffles.

Their greater availability and

delicate aroma with a flavour reminiscent of hazelnuts and underwood make them perfect to experiment with – and to test out your customer audience on the truffle field.

Black Autumn Truffles can be used in any plate, both simple and elaborate, where white or black truffles are required. Cookingwise, they can be treated as the Black Winter Truffles: sliced or grated on top of dishes, or quickly and very gently sautéed. Along with the classic Camembert baked with autumn truffles, this variety can be used to create luxurious takes on everyday dishes - think pizza with Parma ham mascarpone and mushrooms, or an upscale truffled beef Wellington.

Melanosporum.

If I was looking to open a high street

retail pizza business today and needing

sound advice and information, PAPA would be my first point of contact Maurice Abboudi RED HOT RESTAURANTS LIMITED

”

tel: 01291 636333 web: www.papa.org.uk www.papa.org.uk

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Launched

London in

London is the traditional hot bed for new launches, and not least when it comes to Italian food. Bella Cosa and a pop-up gourmet pizza offering temporarily located at Harrods are just two that have debuted in recent times.

BELLA COSA Launched in early October, and claiming to be the hottest new addition to London’s Italian restaurant scene, is Bella Cosa (www.bellacosarestaurant.com), which is bringing the soulwarming food of Italy to the South Quay of Canary Wharf. Perched on the Quayside, the glass-fronted restaurant boasts spectacular cityscape views of Canary Wharf from across the rippling water.

A versatile restaurant with a strong Italian character, Bella Cosa can boast one of the most exciting new talents in Italian cuisine at the kitchen’s helm. Executive chef, Kentaro Torii is renowned by critics in the US and Italy for his Japanese approach to Italian food, and now he is serving his signature contemporary Italian dishes with Japanese flair and presentation for the first time in the UK. Kentaro Torii’s culinary style combines generations of Italian traditions with modern techniques, as well as Japanese rigour and precision. Working alongside a purely Italian kitchen brigade, Kentaro and his team are serving up seasonal risottos, grilled octopus, smoked potato puree, Trapani pesto, olives, celery salad, five cheese ravioli, saffron sauce, beetroot puree, suckling pig cheek, autumn truffle, black cod in 62

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prosciutto, baby cuttlefish in black ink and polenta.

The restaurant specialises in dishes based on fresh seasonal produce of outstanding quality, with significant PDO (Protected Denomination of Origin) ingredients imported from Italy.

Yet the dishes, no matter how complex the preparation may be, are presented in a neat, unfussy, yet original and modern way, the overall aim being to surprise the customer with both simple beauty and the amazing taste of the dish.

On the ground floor, the

seating is spread around a central bar and ‘chef’s isle’ constructed of glass, marble and stainless steel, with front row seats to enable guests to watch skilled chefs at work preparing fish, seafood, antipasti, Italian salumi meats and cheeses. An additional open-plan kitchen is visible towards the rear of the restaurant, complete with a stone oven producing gourmet pizzas.

The upper floor provides casual fine-dining from the à la carte menu. Stylish oxblood red chairs are gathered around white linen covered dining tables, and the contemporary theme is continued in the chic decor using luxurious materials such as marble flooring and statement coloured glass lights. To the far right of the room, an Artisan Beer Corner provides a warm convivial area for guests to enjoy a wide selection of Italian November 2015

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craft beers. Communal scrubbed wooden tables give a rustic and relaxed feel and an adjoining Wine Room displays the restaurant’s carefully selected wine collection (90% Italian of course!) for those who prefer the grape to the grain, and all helping to make this space perfect for private dining.

Designed by Italian interior designer Francesco Pizza, the chic

interior is spread over two floors including a glass-fronted mezzanine area. On entering the restaurant, guests are greeted with a spectacular ‘living wall’ of lush green plants.

Bella Cosa is open Monday to Saturday for lunch and dinner, providing a versatile space for business lunches and dinners, aperitif gatherings, or dining with friends.

OP-UP A GOURMET PIZZA P AT HARRODS Harrods launched a pizza gourmet pop-up in October in association with Identità Golose.

Italian artisan chefs Franco Pepe and Simone Padoan took the helm of The Pizzeria at Harrods to offer discerning gourmets six special gourmand creations for a limited period only (Tuesday, 27 October until Saturday, 31st October). The famous store introduced Pizza Gourmet as a pop-up to entice London foodies and pizza enthusiasts to try the six limited edition varieties with the aim of tantalising the taste buds.

Taking residency at the Harrods Pizzeria and Canti Prosecco Bar, on the second floor, the famed Italian chefs provided food lovers with pizzas specially crafted, including vegetarian options. Sharing two completely different backgrounds, cooking methods, recipes and ingredients, Franco Pepe and Simone Padoan celebrated their own unique styles in a five-day pizza feast.

Franco Pepe, whose own restaurant, Pepe in Grani, is located just a few kilometres from Naples, created a menu

combining Neapolitan tradition and innovative cooking technology to offer customers a contemporary twist on the classic Italian pizza. Menu highlights included the Mistaken Margherita, which involved the tomato being cold reduced to maintain and enhance its strong taste before being added to the pizza at the end of the cooking process.

Simone Padoan, born in Verona in the northeast of Italy, is known as the inventor of the new Italian pizza. In his restaurant I Tigli di San Bonifacio, he has changed the way classic pizza is perceived, cementing its place on the restaurant map in Italy. His menu highlights included the ‘From Land to Sea’ pizza featuring Mazara del Vallo fresh red shrimps and Mediterranean vegetables, the vegetables exalting the buttery flavour of the shrimps but also countering it thanks to their crispier consistency. This pizza was inspired by Simone Padoan’s culinary roots which are, he says, equally influenced by land and sea ingredients.

Gourmet pizza creations by Franco Pepe (left) and Simone Padoan (right).

www.papa.org.uk

NEW PRODUCTS

New – SuperFast Thermapen® 4 Thermometer The SuperFast Thermapen is the UK’s number one selling food thermometer measuring temperature over the range of -49.9 to 299.9 °C, offering a combination of speed, accuracy and convenience of use.

Electronic Temperature Instruments Ltd, the UK manufacturers of the Thermapen thermometer have now made it even better…

Advanced technology makes the new Thermapen 4 even more intuitive than previous models. The patented 360° self-rotating display automatically turns so the user can read the thermometer in any position — in either hand, left or right.

The Thermapen 4 knows when it’s dark and turns on the backlight for you, making it easy to read in poorly lit areas or complete darkness.

Alternatively, just touch the sensor window with your finger and the display lights up.

The Thermapen 4 is powered by a single AAA battery with a life expectancy of 3000 hours in normal use. Both low battery and open circuit (broken probe) are displayed, when applicable. Each Thermapen 4 is supplied with a traceable certificate of calibration (call 01903 202151 or visit www.etiltd.com).

Kamut pasta – the healthy and sexy super food!

Pasta is now being taken to a whole new level with the introduction of Kamut Pasta – a food that’s good for your insides and, due to its high level of protein and mix of minerals, can help the sex lives of people who eat it! Not only that, but it also helps control cholesterol and Type 2 diabetes.

In a world where food is so often tampered with Kamut Pasta is made from Kamut Khorasan which, when translated from ancient Egyptian – where the grain originated from – means “wheat”.

This ancient wheat grain has never been genetically modified so it is as pure and healthy as it was when it was first grown over 2000 thousand years ago. “The aphrodisiac element is one of the fun benefits of adding Kamut to your diet, but it is the overall benefit of this ancient grain that will appeal to consumers,” says sales director Nigel Singh.

Available from Pasta Lensi in the form of 500g packs of Spaghetti, Tortiglioni and Conchiglie in Ocado and Wholefoods Markets at an MRSP £2.99 (call 01904 738604 or visit www.freefromitaly.co.uk).

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profile

Fine dining by

the lake

The stylish Terranova Italian restaurant (www.terranovarestaurants.com) enjoys an enviable location at Stanborough Park near Welwyn Garden City in Hertfordshire, overlooking a lake and making it a popular place for relaxing dining all year round, but particularly during the summer months.

A successful formula Founded back in 1995 by Sicilianborn, Vince Terranova, the 60 cover restaurant celebrated its 20-year anniversary this year in September with a celebratory gathering of its regulars, new and old, having carved out a successful niche for itself by offering a welcoming, familyfriendly environment alongside its high quality, home-cooked Italian food and fine wines. At the heart of things is Vince and head chef, Stefano Saturno (who has been at the restaurant since the beginning).

“When we opened in 1995, we wanted to bring family-friendly service and good home-cooked Italian food to all our customers and friends. Our aim is to source the freshest ingredients and offer good value menus, and that remains our mission today. Be it a special celebration, lunch or a

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night out with your friends you can expect a warm Italian welcome,” says Vince Terranova, who makes a point of personally greeting his guests at the restaurant’s doorway when they arrive.

“There is more competition these days, from more types of food, but we’re still here! Good food, nice customers and good service are required. You get to know your customers and they become your friends.”

Typically, their restaurant day will start around 10am, but as Vince Terranova points out, that is usually after a very late finish the night before, and there is little time to rest and relax when it comes to running a successful restaurant! There are tables to be cleared and prepared, the lunch time trade to be planned and catered for, as well as new bookings to be taken and

arranged, and a specials board that changes twice a week to be provisioned for.

They have very good, longstanding relations with local suppliers including a butcher and a fishmonger who are able to advise on that week’s ‘best buys’ – recommendations and selections that might well then find their way on to the restaurant’s daily specials board.

Dover sole for example, is always popular as a treat, and the restaurant is keen to point out that any price advantage they receive via competitive prices at the fish market for this healthy dish can, in turn, be chalked up on the specials board and passed on to the consumer to benefit as well. Vince Terranova feels that offering deals and discounts can be a dangerous route to go down, with the risk of devaluing your menu.

With good relations and communications now in place across the years, the restaurant is clearly confident in being able to simply call up their suppliers by telephone the night before to place their orders via an answerphone service - an arrangement which helps to make for a flexible way of operation in a busy restaurant environment (their suppliers include Stickleback for fish, APS Meats and Cicero Delicatessen for their vegetables and other authentic Italian ‘essentials’ imported direct from Italy). Their dry egg pasta tends to be of the De Cecco or Barilla brands, and includes gluten-free variants.

In line with recent changes in legislation, the restaurant has made a notable effort to clearly convey the presence of any allergens in their dishes via their self-published Allergens

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profile

Information Booklet, as well as their web site (www.terranovarestaurants.com) where a detailed list informs diners of the contents. Their inhouse paper menus also encourage diners to alert restaurant staff if they have a food allergy or intolerance that they need to be aware of.

Interestingly, Vince Terranova feels that catering for diners with food intolerances and allergies is a way to increase business, for as he points out, if one person in a party cannot be catered for due to a food allergy, then it risks a table’s worth of diners being lost when they decide to eat elsewhere. The restaurant’s single floor layout and easy access with a car park right outside also means that disabled customers are easily welcomed.

Other changes that have impacted the restaurant, if not the restaurant business as a whole over the years, include the smoking ban and more stringent drink-driving rules, which in turn, have meant that people now tend to spend less on drinks.

Recommendation These days, most bookings come in via email as well as by telephone, reports Vince Terranova, with companies tending to use the restaurant’s web site to book ahead. As you might expect, Saturday is their busiest day of the week. In the

www.papa.org.uk

last few years, however, dining patterns have changed somewhat, and the weather and the end of the month and whether or not payday is close can also impact upon things.

“People are now dining earlier in the evening, with a 6pm start,” observes Vince Terranova who says that he doesn’t get involved in TripAdvisor, preferring, one feels quite rightly, to deal with any problems and customer feedback inside the restaurant itself, as opposed to getting involved in what can potentially be dubious online ‘complaints’.

The younger generation tend to meet at the bar area - where there is an expertly operated Faema coffee machine – which is a destination in its own right for some café culture, and diners can also avail themselves of the free Wi-Fi. “Saturday night is our busiest night, and noisy!” adds Vince Terranova, who also points out that you ‘never know who’s coming in next!’, which keeps life interesting.

“The new generation like to dress up, which is a nice touch. At the end of the day, in my opinion it’s the customers who really help to create a great atmosphere.”

The restaurant has become a regular ‘home’ for engagement celebrations, birthdays, children’s parties, first communion celebrations, as well as all manner of get-togethers for both young and old, and it is popular with the local Italian community too.

Given its location – close to a main arterial road, but tucked away from a main high street site (and in that respect, any immediate competition) – the restaurant relies in no small part on its nice view and relaxing surroundings as being its major draw, but not least its repeated word of mouth recommendation about the menu and food served.

Dishes include many Italian favourites such as seafood risotto and various pastas, as well as plenty of sumptuous beef dishes featuring luxurious sauces.

Half portions are available for youngsters.

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pizza my world

Pizza My World Ross Gibson is sales director at Pro Foodservice Reps (PFR, www.profoodservicereps.co.uk).

PFR represents innovative catering equipment manufacturers operating in the UK hospitality industry. Working in partnership with catering equipment distributors and design consultants, PFR uses its product portfolio to find solutions to everyday challenges faced by foodservice operators. Ross Gibson has been in the industry for 10 years and before that spent some time behind the scenes as a ‘fryer operative’.

2.15pm 2.15pm Back into the car and a quick check of emails and voicemails, followed by a call to the office before heading off to my next meeting…

7.00am 7am Before heading to the office I check on emails that have come in overnight, mostly from the USA. We have just entered into an agreement to represent Mercer Culinary here in the UK. Mercer Culinary is an American manufacturer of premium quality knives and chef’s tools and recently introduced a range of allergen safety products including, amongst other items, pizza cutters.

8.00am 8am Social media is becoming an ever growing part of how we engage with our customers so one of the first tasks is to co-ordinate the schedule for the day in relation to our twitter feed @prorepsuk, and the emails that are going to be sent out today advertising our latest products and promotions. Once that is done I respond to emails and messages that have been left asking for more information on the allergen tools following yesterday’s e-shot.

This range is proving very popular following the introduction of the new allergen legislation.

9.30am 9.30am My first meeting is with a local catering equipment distributor who is working with a new restaurant that wants to put authentic pizza on its menu. We go through the Cuppone range which is ideal for their customer because they have limited space and their staff have little experience of cooking fresh pizza. As the conversation develops it emerges that there is also an opportunity to talk to them about other Cuppone products including a dough mixer and pizza press. Before the distributor leaves we raise a quotation so that they can go straight to the restaurant and seal the deal.

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11.00am 11.00am Into the car for a meeting at Ovention’s UK head office in Loughborough. On the way I return a couple of phone calls, one of which looks very promising – a customer who wants a baking oven with a rotating base, the Cuppone ‘Giotto’ is perfect for this.

3.00pm 3.00pm This meeting is with a chain restaurant who emailed us last week wanting to talk about kitchen utensils, especially our allergen range. They already offer a ‘free from’ menu but need to implement awareness back of house. After they emailed us I sent samples to two of their sites and I am hoping to get some positive feedback from them. As it turns out, the trial has gone even better than I expected and I leave with an order for no fewer than 73 allergen kits which will be distributed across their estate. It also transpires that they serve chargrilled chicken with their pasta dishes and we get onto talking about our Hell’s Handle range which can withstand temperatures of up to 232oC. As with the utensils they request that samples be sent to a couple of sites - I can only hope the outcome is the same as it was for the allergen kits!

12.00pm 12.00 The meeting at Ovention is with a leading UK leisure group that wants to take advantage of the trend for hot food on the go by introducing a range of pizzas and paninis. The way their kitchens are set up means they need equipment that doesn’t require ventilation so naturally they want to see an oven in operation to ensure it is entirely suitable. The live demo goes down a storm and we agree that the next step is to place two ovens on trial at one of the group’s sites and evaluate them after three months with a view to implementing a rollout across the whole estate if successful.

4.30pm 4.30pm Back in the car, and a chance to re-run the ritual of returning missed calls, checking emails and catching up with the office.

Although I am now heading for home my day is not yet done. I am merely stopping off to get myself ready for the opening of a new Italian restaurant in Leicester which has installed one of our Valoriani ovens. We like to support our customers wherever possible, not just with advice and product training but also at events such as this. It’s also a great opportunity for us to network and meet potential clients interested in the authentic Valoriani pizza ovens.

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index registered suppliers C.Carnevale Ltd Carnevale House, Blundell St, London N7 9BN Contact: Mr C Carnevale Tel: 0207 607 8777 Fax: 0207 607 8774

The following businesses are members of The Pizza Pasta & Italian Food Association (PAPA) and subject to its rules and guidelines. While the Association cannot guarantee the products and services supplied by those listed, it does believe that those listed are reputable and is confident in recommending them.

The Pizza Pasta & Italian Food Association, Association House, 18c Moor Street, Chepstow NP16 5DB Telephone: 01291 636335 or email kevin@jandmgroup.co.uk REGISTERED SUPPLIERS

999 Pizza Toppings (UK) Ltd. Unit 6, Teakcroft, Fairview Industrial Park, Marsh Way, Rainham, Essex RM13 8UH Contact: Homayoun Aminnia Tel: 01708 558885 Fax: 01708 555022 sales@999pizzatoppings.com Allied Mills Ltd. Sunblest Flour Mill, Port of Tilbury, Tilbury, Essex RM18 7JR Contact: Chris Brown Tel: 01375 363100 Fax: 01375 363199 chris.brown@allied-mills.co.uk www.allied-mills-semolina.co.uk Bakkavor Pizza Forward Drive, Christchurch Avenue, Harrow, Middlesex, HA3 8NT Contact: Soum Ghosal Tel: 0208 4242666 Fax: 0208 4200606 soum.ghosal@bakkavor.co.uk www.bakkavor.co.uk Bel UK Ltd Suite 1, 2nd Floor, 160 London Road, Sevenoaks, Kent TN13 1BT Contact: Cedric Blanpied Tel: 0333 900 2020 Fax: 01732 467596 cblanpied@groupe-bel.com www.bel-uk.co.uk Benier UK 56 Alston Drive, Bradwell, Abbey, Milton Keynes MK13 9HB Contact: David Marsh Tel: 01908 312333 Fax: 01908 311481 www.benier.co.uk sales@benier.co.uk

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Cater-Bake UK South Boundary Road, Knowsley Industrial Park, Merseyside, Liverpool L33 7RR Contact: Mark Hutchings Tel: 0151 548 5818 Fax: 0151 548 5835 www.cater-bake.co.uk sales@cater-bake.co.uk Chefsrange Unit 3&4 Turnpike Close, Lutterworth, Leicestershire LE17 4YB Contact: Tim Charlton Tel: 01455 559969 Fax: 01455 559979 tim@euro-catering.co.uk www.chefsrange.co.uk

Continental Quattro Stagioni 8 - 33 Royal Elizabeth Yard, Kirkliston, West Lothian EH29 9EN Contact: Mr Paolo Veneroni Tel: 0131 3191919 Fax: 0131 3315566 p.veneroni@continental-wine.co.uk www.continental-food.co.uk

Cooktek c/o MCS Technical Products Ltd MCS Technical Products, Building 2, Westmead Industrial Estate, Westmead Drive, Swindon, Wiltshire SN5 7YT Contact: Steve Snow Tel: 01793 538308 Fax: 01793 522324 sales@mcstechproducts.co.uk www.mcstechproducts.co.uk

Dawn Farm Foods Ltd. Lodge Way, Lodge Farm Industrial Estate, Northampton NN5 7US Contact: Ian Ritchie Tel: 01604 583421 Fax: 01604 587392 iritchie@dawnfarmfoods.co.uk www.dawnfarms.ie

BY APPOINTMENT TO HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN FINE FOOD INGREDIENT IMPORTERS AND DISTRIBUTORS DONATANTONIO LIMITED BOREHAMWOOD

Donatantonio Ltd. Lupa House, York Way, Borehamwood, Herts WD6 1PX Contact: Simon Bell Tel: 0208 2362222 Fax: 0208 2362288 www.donatantonio.com sbell@donatantonio.com

Eurilait Ltd Leighton Lane Industrial Estate, Leighton Lane, Evercreech BA4 6LQ Contact: Paul Bates Tel: 01749 838100 / Fax: 01749 831247 paulbates@eurilait co.uk www.eurilait.co.uk

E.ON UK PLC Callflex Business Park, Golden Smithies Lane, Wath upon Dearne, Rotherham, South Yorkshire S63 7ER Contact: Sales Tel: 0330 400 1147 sales.partnerships@eonenergy.com

Euro Pizza Products Smederij 13, Amstelveen, The Netherlands 1185 ZR Contact: Llay Ben Hamo Tel: 0031 347 38 88 Fax: 0031 347 38 89 Llay.benhamo@europizzaproducts.nl

Freiberger UK Ltd Broadgate House, Westlode Street, Spalding, Lincolnshire PE11 2AF Contact: Richard Harrow Tel: 01775 767655 01775 767656 richard.harrow@freibergerukltd.co.uk

General Mills UK Ltd. Harman House, 1 George Street, Uxbridge, Middlesex UB8 1QQ Contact: Bianca Coeln Tel: 01895 201246 / Fax: 01895 201101 bianca.coeln@genmills.com www.generalmills.co.uk

Glanbia Cheese Ltd 4 Royal Mews, Gadbrook Park, Rudheath, Northwich, Cheshire CW9 7UD Contact: John O’Brien Tel: 01606 810900 / Fax: 01606 48680 johnobrien@glanbiacheese.co.uk

Granarolo UK Ltd. 23 Church Street, Rushden, Northamptonshire NN10 9YU Contact: Anthony Bosco Tel: 0843 1781450 anthony.bosco@granarolo.co.uk www.granarolo.co.uk

Integer 167 Heywood Road, Prestwich, Manchester, M25 1LB Contact: Geoff Whittle Tel: 0161 7987307 / Fax: 0161 7733151 geoff@integeruk.com www.integeruk.com

Jestic Units 3+4, Dana Industrial Estate, Transfesa Road, Paddock Wood, Kent TN12 6UU Tel: 0845 5048050 Fax: 0845 5048051 Email: info@jestic.net www.jestic.co.uk

Just-Eat.co.uk Ltd. Imperial Place (IP4), Maxwell Road, Borehamwood WD6 1JN Contact: Paul Griffith Tel: 0208 7362001 b2bmarketing@just-eat.co.uk www.restaurants.just-eat.co.uk

Kukd.com Ltd EFG Food & Technology Park, Llantarnam Park Way, Cwmbran NP44 3GA Contact: Imran Jabbar Tel: 0333 370 9000 imran@kukd.com www.kukd.com

Kiren Foods Unit 3 Small Bridge Industrial Park, Riverside Drive, Rochdale, Lancashire OL16 2SH Contact: Mr Nazir Mackmood Tel:01706 526732 / Fax: 01706 869749 nazir@kirenfoods.com

Leathams PLC 227-255, Ilderton Road, London, SE15 1NS Contact: Mr James Faulkner Tel 0207 6354026 / Fax 0207 6354017 ingredients.sales@leathams.co.uk www.leathams.com

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index registered suppliers Martin Mathew & Co 50 St Andrew Street, Hertford, Hertfordshire SG14 1JA Contact: Mr M.J. Donnelly Tel: 01992 641641 / Fax: 01992 641333 matthewdonnelly@martinmathew.co.uk www.martinmathew.co.uk

Meadow Cheese Co. Limited Hazel Park, Dymock Road, Ledbury, Herefordshire HR8 2JQ Contact: Robert Kennedy Tel: 01531 631300 / Fax: 01531 631300 robert.kennedy@meadowcheese.co.uk www.meadowcheese.co.uk

Med Food Wholesale Ltd. 9 Bethune Road, Park Royal, London NW10 6NJ Contact: Jean Marc Nehme Tel: 0208 965 6528 Fax: 0208 961 1359 j-marc@medfoodwholesale.com www.medfoodwholesale.com

Norseland Ltd. 1 Furzeground Way, Stockley Park, Uxbridge, Middlesex UB11 1BD Contact: Nicola Gavey Tel: 01935 842800 ngavey@norseland.co.uk

Pan’Artisan Ltd. Unit 25/26 Holmbush Industrial Estate, Midhurst, West Sussex GU29 9HX Contact: Sam Davies Tel: 01730 811490 Fax: 01730 811491 enquiries@panartisan.com www.panartisan.com

Pasta King (UK) Ltd Plantation House, Milber Trading Estate, Newton Abbot, Devon TQ12 4SG Contact: Lesley Treeby Tel: 0800 458 7898 Fax: 01626 334481 www.pastaking.co.uk lt@pastaking.co.uk

Pizza Plus Foodservice Light Industrial Estate, Liverpool Road, Walmer Bridge, Preston PR4 5HY Tel: 01772 610415 Fax: 01772 617610 Contact: Chris Smith chris@pizzaplusfs.co.uk

Stateside Foods Ltd 31 – 34 Great Bank Road, Wingate Industrial Park, Westhoughton, Bolton BL5 3XU Contact: Ian Kent Tel: 01942 841200 Fax: 01942 841201 sales@stateside-foods.co.uk www.stateside-foods.co.uk

Portal Foods Ltd. Unit 14 Somerville Court, Banbury Business Park, Adderbury, Banbury, Oxfordshire OX17 3SN Contact: David Page Tel: 0844 9674797 dpage@portalfoods.co.uk

Premier BusinessCare Caton Road, Lansil Way, Lancaster LA1 3PE Contact: Gary Skipworth Tel: 0330 102 6174 gary.skipworth@premierbusinesscare.co.uk www.PremierBusinessCare.co.uk

Riva Foods 32 Copenhagen Road, Hull HU7 0XQ Contact: Marie Gawley Tel: 01482 837285 Fax: 01482 824323 marie.gawley@rivafoods.co.uk www.rivafoods.co.uk

Salvo 1968 Ltd. Salvo House, Maxwells West, Great Cambridge Road, Cheshunt, Hertfordshire EN8 8XH Contact: Giuseppe Motisi Tel: 0800 122 1968 Fax: 0207 607 5928 giuseppe@salvo1968.co.uk www.salvo1968.co.uk

Sorrento Express Ltd. Unit 10 Southall Business Park, 142 Johnson Street, Southall, Middlesex UB2 5FD Contact: Alfonso Amitrano Tel: 0208 843 4990 sales@sorrentoexpress.com www.sorrentoexpress.com

Tasker Insurance Brokers Unit 4 Diss Business Centre, Dark Lane, Diss, Norfolk IP21 4HD Contact: Alex McAusland Tel: 0845 548 8220 Alex.Mcausland@taskerinsurance.co.uk www.taskerinsurance.co.uk

Technomic Inc Knowledge Center, 300 S Riverside Plaza Suite 1200, Chicago, Illinois, IL60606 USA Contact: Patrick Noone pnoone@technomic.com Tel: (01) 205 991 1234 Fax: (01) 205 980 3770 www.technomic.com TICCO Foods Ltd. Unit B2Y, Skyway 14, Calder Way, Colnbrook, Slough SL3 0BQ Contact: Emma Hallam Tel: 07779 167474 Fax: 01753 689813 emmahallam@ticco.co.uk Whitworth Bros Limited Victoria Mills, Wellingborough Northants NN8 2DT Contact: Alan Ribakovs Tel: 01933 441000 Fax: 01933 222523 enquiries@whitworthbros.ltd.uk

Taste of Sicily Ltd. Unit 2 Lismirrane Industrial Estate, Elstree Road, Elstree, Hertfordshire WD6 3EE Contact: Carlo Diforti Tel: 0208 953 5453 Fax: 0208 953 1453 info@tasteofsicily.co.uk www.tasteofsicily.co.uk

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Southern Salads Limited Units 1 & 2 Cannon Bridge, Cannon Lane Tonbridge, Kent TN1 9RP Contact: Mr Ray Boakes Tel: 01732 362444 Fax: 01732 361919 ray@southernsalads.co.uk www.southernsalads.com

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P&PNovember15_p68-72_Layout 1 27/10/2015 16:12 Page 70

index of products BEVERAGES Beer Carnevale Ltd. Coffee Carnevale Ltd. Mineral Water Carnevale Ltd. Soft Drinks Carnevale Ltd. Wine, Spirits & Liqueurs Carnevale Ltd. Sorrento Express Ltd.

Online Ordering Solutions Integer Computers Just-Eat.co.uk Ltd.

DELIVERY & PACKAGING Heated Pizza Delivery Bag Systems Cooktek (MCS Technical Products)

DOUGH & PIZZA EQUIPMENT

BREAD, CAKES & DESSERTS

Dough Preparation Equipment Cater-Bake (UK)

Bread Rolls & Wraps TICCO Foods Ltd.

Pizza Accessories Pizza Plus Foodservice Salvo 1968 Ltd

Cakes & Confectionery TICCO Foods Ltd. Garlic Bread Riva Foods Desserts TICCO Foods Ltd. Ice Cream General Mills UK Ltd.

CHEESE, DAIRY & EGGS Cheese 999 Pizza Toppings (UK) Ltd. Bel UK Ltd. Carnevale Ltd. Donatantonio Ltd. Eurilait Ltd. Glanbia Cheese Ltd. Granarolo UK Ltd. Leathams PLC Meadow Cheese Co. Ltd. Sorrento Express Ltd. Stateside Foods Ltd. The Cheese Warehouse Eggs Leathams PLC Mozzarella Carnevale Ltd. Eurilait Ltd. Glanbia Cheese Ltd. Granarolo UK Ltd. Pathos Continental Foods Ltd. The Cheese Warehouse Salvo 1968 Ltd. Parmesan Eurilait Ltd. Granarolo UK Ltd. Pathos Continental Foods Ltd.

COMPUTING SOLUTIONS Computer Delivery Management Systems Integer Computers Computers/Software Integer Computers

Pizza Making Systems & Equipment Benier (UK) Ltd. Cater-Bake (UK) Chefsrange Cooktek (MCS Technical Products) Jestic Pizza Direct UK

FRUIT & VEGETABLES Chargrilled Vegetables Carnevale Ltd. Martin Mathew & Co. Ltd. Pathos Continental Foods Ltd. Taste of Sicily Ltd. Italian Fruit & Vegetables (in cans) Pathos Continental Foods Ltd. Olives Donatantonio Ltd. Leathams PLC Med Food Wholesale Ltd. Pathos Continental Foods Ltd. Taste of Sicily Ltd. Salad Southern Salads

INSURANCE Premier BusinessCare Tasker Insurance Brokers

KITCHEN & SERVING EQUIPMENT

Pizza Ovens Benier (UK) Ltd. Cater-Bake (UK) Chefsrange Jestic PD Catering Internatonal Pizza Plus Foodservice

Bakery Ovens Cater-Bake (UK) Chefsrange

FISH & SEAFOOD

Displays Chefsrange

Other Fish & Seafood Leathams PLC

FLOUR & BAKERY

Drinks Systems Carnevale Ltd. Chargrills Chefsrange

Drinks Systems Carnevale Ltd.

Concentrates Allied Mills

Fryers Chefsrange Jestic

Durum Semolina Allied Mills Carnevale Ltd.

Griddles Chefsrange Jestic

Flour Allied Mills Carnevale Ltd. Salvo 1968 Ltd Sorrento Express Ltd. Whitworth Bros. Limited

Holding Ovens Jestic

Icings Allied Mills Improvers Allied Mills Premixes (Bread & Cakes)| Allied Mills

FOOD WHOLESALERS Continental Quattro Euro Pizza Products Stagioni Ltd. Leathams PLC Salvo 1968 Ltd. Stateside Foods Ltd. TICCO Foods Ltd.

Italian Meat & Sausages Dawn Farm Foods Donatantonio Ltd. Salvo 1968 Ltd TICCO Foods Ltd. Pancetta Carnevale Ltd. Pepperoni Carnevale Ltd. Dawn Farm Foods Salami Carnevale Ltd.

OILS & VINEGARS Balsamic Vinegar Pathos Continental Foods Ltd. Olive Oil Donatantonio Ltd. Leathams PLC Martin Mathew & Co. Ltd. Med Food Wholesale Ltd. Pathos Continental Foods Ltd. Salvo 1968 Ltd

PASTA, POLENTA, GNOCCHI & RICE Gnocchi La Tua Pasta Ltd. Pasta (Dry) Carnevale Ltd. Donatantonio Ltd. Leathams PLC Pasta (Fresh) Med Food Wholesale Ltd. Salvo 1968 Ltd. Ticco Foods Ltd. Rice Pathos Continental Foods Ltd.

PIZZA DOUGH, BASES & CRUSTS Dough Balls Euro Pizza Products Kiren Foods Pan’Artisan Ltd. Pizza Plus Foodservice

Pizza Bases & Crusts Kiren Foods Pan’Artisan Ltd. Pizza Plus Foodservice Salvo 1968 Ltd. Stateside Foods Ltd.

PIZZA TOPPINGS Fish Carnevale Ltd. Martin Mathew & Co. Ltd. Fruit & Vegetables Carnevale Ltd. Meat 999 Pizza Toppings (UK) Ltd. Carnevale Ltd. Dawn Farm Foods Pizza Plus Foodservice Stateside Foods Ltd. Pizza Sauces Donatantonio Ltd. Pizza Plus Foodservice Portal Foods Ltd. Stateside Foods Ltd.

READY PREPARED Prepared Pasta Meals Bakkavor Pizza Freiberger UK Ltd. Pasta King (UK) Ltd. Prepared Pizza (Chilled) Bakkavor Pizza Stateside Foods Ltd. Prepared Pizza (Frozen) Freiberger UK Ltd. Pizza Plus Foodservice Stateside Foods Ltd. TICCO Foods Ltd.

Pasta Sauces Leathams PLC Martin Mathew & Co. Ltd. Pasta King (UK) Ltd. Salvo 1968 Ltd The Fresh Pasta Company Ltd Pesto Taste of Sicily Ltd. Pizza Sauces Euro Pizza Products Leathams PLC Portal Foods Ltd. Salvo 1968 Ltd.

SPECIALIST FOOD CONSULTANCY & MARKET RESEARCH Retail The Cardinal Group Specialist Food Consultancy Technomic Inc Market Reasearch Technomic Inc Training Publications The Cardinal Group

TOMATOES Canned Tomatoes Donatantonio Ltd. Martin Mathew & Co. Ltd. Salvo 1968 Ltd. Fresh Tomatoes Southern Salads Passata Donatantonio Ltd. Martin Mathew & Co. Ltd. SunBlush© Tomatoes Leathams PLC

SOUPS, SAUCES, STOCKS & DRESSINGS

Sun-Dried Tomatoes Carnevale Ltd. Donatantonio Ltd. Leathams PLC Martin Mathew & Co. Ltd. Taste of Sicily Ltd.

Garlic Spreads & Mixes Riva Foods Stateside Foods Ltd.

Tomato Products Pathos Continental Foods Ltd.

Preparation Counters Chefsrange

The Pizza Pasta & Italian Food Association is the trade body representing the UK pizza, pasta and Italian Food Association. The Association is given direction by a Management Committee comprising:

Refrigeration Chefsrange General Mills UK Ltd. Serving Pasta King (UK) Ltd.

MEAT Bacon Dawn Farm Foods Leathams PLC Beef Leathams PLC

Ian Kent, Stateside

Richard Harrow , Freiberger

Alan Ribakovs, Whitworths

Cedric Blanpied, Bel UK

Geoff Parsons, Basilico

Ian Ritchie, Dawn Farm Foods

Chicken & Other Poultry Leathams PLC

Richard Burgham, Pizza Hut

Maurice Abboudi, Consultant

Andrew Gallagher, Papa John

Matt Simpkin, Just Eat

John O’Brien, Glanbia Cheese

Jemma Robinson, ASDA

Ham Carnevale Ltd. Dawn Farm Foods Leathams PLC Stateside Foods Ltd. TICCO Foods Ltd.

(* Primary members of the committee – others generally attend as substitutes when primary members are unable to attend meetings)

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