Recipe For Success by Karl Oakes

Recipe For Success Your guide to profitable food sales

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Your guide to profitable food sales sales

Warm Welcome

4–5 What Food Can Do for Your Pub Scottish & Newcastle Pub Companys’ lessees tell us, in their own words, how successful food can be for all types of pubs.

All this means that now is the time to put food at the top of your pub’s menu and the good news is that establishing or upgrading your food offer has never been easier. There is a vast range of menu ideas, kitchen equipment and catering supplies available that can help any pub make the most of food’s profit opportunities. In fact there is almost too much out there which is why we at Scottish & Newcastle Pub Company have produced this guide. In the following pages I want to show you just how easy it is to turn good food into good profits. I want to introduce our new dedicated food website www.snpcfood.co.uk where you can find everything from menu templates to legal advice. I want to let you in on the fabulous food deals available to Scottish & Newcastle Pub Company’s lessees and explain how even the smallest pub can make the most of its indoor and outdoor dining facilities.

Above all I want to show you that food can attract new customers, encourage regulars to spend more and add a hugely enjoyable extra dimension to your pub. So without further ado, let’s tuck in...

Ben Bartlett, Scottish & Newcastle Pub Company Food Development Manager, MIH, FBII, Master C.G.C

Contents

This is a truly exciting time to be in the food business. Cookery books sell by the millions, TV chefs are superstars and more and more people are taking a real interest in what they eat.

I also want to show you that many of the myths about food are just that – myths. The rules and regulations surrounding food in pubs may appear complex but in fact they are simple common sense designed to help you run a profitable food offer. Accordingly, the attached CD contains many of the legal forms you will need, all you have to do is print them out and fill them in!

6–9 Recipes for Success A great food offer starts with a great business plan and we have a simple formula for you to follow.

32–33 Get Fresh! Our seasonal food calendar offers a month by month guide to what is in season for fruit, vegetables, fish and meat.

10–13 What Everyone Wants Find out what your food customers really want with our guide to conducting simple customer audits.

34–37 Inside Out Making the most of beer gardens and terraces for barbecues and outdoor dining.

14–17 Preparing a Menu for Profit From designing menus to controlling costs we will show how to make the most of your menus.

38–39 Slash the Red Tape! How to use your free CD to print out legal forms, design and order menus and much more.

18–21 Serving Suggestions Stay ahead of the game with our guide to what’s hot and what’s not in the food industry.

40 Food Training A guide to food training.

22–25 Keep it Clean How you can ensure your pub receives the maximum food hygiene rating from the Scores on the Doors scheme. Whilst every effort is made to ensure the accuracy and reliability of material published in Recipe For Success, neither the publishers nor Scottish & Newcastle Pub Company accept claims made by the contributors, manufacturers or suppliers. The views expressed by the contributors are not necessarily those of Scottish & Newcastle Pub Company. Copyright of all materials published in Recipe For Success remains with Scottish & Newcastle Pub Company. Articles may not be reproduced without written permission from Scottish & Newcastle Pub Company. All prices are current at time of going to press. See separate Terms and Conditions for Enterprising Times promotions. Recipe For Success is published by Scottish & Newcastle Pub Company, Broadway Park, South Gyle Broadway, Edinburgh, EH12 9JZ.

28–31 Mouth Watering Deals Find the best offers available with our directory of the best catering suppliers.

26–27 Food on the Web Introducing www.snpcfood.co.uk, a website especially designed for Scottish & Newcastle Pub Company’s lessees’ food offers large or small.

41 Find Out More Useful Contacts.

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Your guide to profitable food sales

What food can do for your pub

THE MARKET TOWN PUB “Since the recent refurbishment of my pub, food and coffee have become increasingly crucial to my trade. Before the makeover I opened at noon and didn’t have a proper kitchen. Now I have three chefs and open at 10am with a breakfast menu. We’re full by 10.30am! Newport has been crying out for good food and coffee so at noon we move from breakfasts to lite bite lunches and a mains menu which runs to early evening. I’m really pleased with the success of my food which now accounts for around 45% of my business. Furthermore, food has helped us reposition The Barley is far ahead of the local competition.” Paul Lloyd, The Barley, Newport, Shropshire

Take a look at these charts showing how food income has become increasingly important to pubs over the last five years... These figures represent the sector totals for the British pub industry and as you can see, food has boomed from 23% of total turnover in 2004 to a massive 39% for the year ending 2008. But figures tell only half the story. I believe it is Scottish & Newcastle Pub Companys’ lessees who provide the best examples of what food can do for you – whatever type of pub you run...

THE SUBURBAN PUB “We serve traditional English food and we source as many ingredients as possible from our local high street. We are still lucky enough to have a butcher, baker, greengrocer and fishmonger and they have all been able to give me fantastic deals. A local pub ought to support local suppliers and I am getting bonus benefits through excellent PR, mutual advertising and customer feedback. I recommend the butcher; he recommends the pub and so on. All of us supporting each other is just like having a free marketing campaign.” Dwayne Kent, The Royal Oak, Great Bookham, Surrey

THE CITY PUB

Share of Pub Turnover by Sector

2004

2008

“We installed a new food offer just over a year ago. Our chef is Italian, so there is a Mediterranean influence to our menu but, at heart, our food offer is unashamedly British. We feature fish & chips, sausage & mash and burgers at lunch with more adventurous items, such as swordfish, in the evening. It’s a recipe that’s proved hugely popular with our customers and food now accounts for 30% of our trade.” Rupert Beak, The Ruby Grand, Hammersmith, London

THE COMMUNITY PUB “There is another community style pub in the area which does food but most of their menu is cooked from frozen. At the Turks Head we prepare everything we can fresh on the premises especially the local favourite of ‘rag puddings’ which are mincemeat wrapped in a suet pastry case. Having this Oldham speciality on the menu is a great way to show our customers we are really committed to serving traditional, home cooked food.” Stephen Butterworth, Turks Head, Oldham

THE VILLAGE PUB

Source: BBPA & Office for National Statistics

68% Drink

53% Drink

23% Food

39% Food

2% Accommodation

5% Accommodation

“We decided to make The Five Bells famous for steaks so good rumps and rib eyes are the centrepiece of our menu but there are plenty of alternatives. We have fish favourites such as scampi and traditional fish ‘n’ chips, and a vegetarian menu featuring spinach & ricotta tortellini and bubble & squeak. Everything is freshly prepared and our chips are handmade. We’re finding people are making the journey for our chips just as much as for our steaks!”

7% Entertainment

3% Entertainment

Steve Cannon, The Five Bells, Bugbrooke, Northamptonshire

Your guide to profitable food sales

Recipes For Success.

Bu ilding a business plan for your food offer... OK, you’ve decided that food is the way forward for your pub and you want to plan a food offer; as with all cooking the first step is to find the right recipe...

Decide on your basic ingredients Take a good look at your pub and decide what sort of catering operation you want to run. The following table lists the most common forms of pub food and the basic cooking equipment needed to get started...

Preparation To help you decided what type of food offer you want to run you should prepare a proper business plan and your business plan should address the following: Profit Margins: before you switch on the oven, decide how much profit you need to make from your food to cover all your costs (gross profit) and provide you with the extra income you expect (net profit). As a general rule, you should add the following percentages to each dish’s cost price to establish your gross and net profit margins: • low price menu 50-60% GP • mid price menu 55-65% GP • high price menu 60-80% GP

Catering Type

Food Served

Equipment Required

Cold back bar

Cold pre-prepared sandwiches, salads

Chilled bar display plus fridge and freezer

Hot back bar

Pre-prepared ‘heat & eat’ pizzas, toasties, hot dogs, burgers and chips

Specialist food heater such as halogen oven or back bar fryer

Menu Pricing: whether your menu falls into the low, high or mid price category will depend on these factors:

Simple catering

Hot, freshly prepared toasted sandwiches, burgers, soups and baked potatoes

Small kitchen with oven, hob, grill, microwave, fridge and freezer, optional hot/cold display cabinets

• your location

Freshly cooked (from frozen or homemade) traditional food such as pies, casseroles, grills, burgers, salads and simple pre-prepared or homemade desserts

Large kitchen – equipment as above but add a bain marie, soup kettle, griddle, dishwasher, extraction equipment and grease traps

• local customer expectations

Family dining

As above but with increased capacity to cope with larger parties

Professional catering kitchen

Gastro-pub/fine dining

Highly creative food combining a range of tastes and flavours in every dish – premium prices but premium investment in equipment and staff required

Professional, restaurant grade kitchen

Pub grub

• the local demand

• travelling customer expectations • your competition • your facilities • your experience • your staff/chef’s experience • the quality of your food and service levels (see Demand/Expectations on the next page).

10 Your guide to profitable food sales

Demand & Customer Expectations

Front of House

Summary

Take a little time to establish exactly what your customers want in terms of food quality, menu type and levels of service. Assess demand and expectations by answering these questions:

We will look at menu types in more detail shortly; here we need to assess how you will establish that crucial element of every food offer called ‘Front of House’.

• Do your customers expect food at traditional meal times?

Front of House (often abbreviated to FOH) simply means the interaction between you and your serving staff and the customer. From meeting diners at the door to collecting tips at the end of the meal the levels of FOH service will depend on your food offer.

The success of your food offer will depend on careful market research, accurate forecasting of demand and a firm control of costs but in putting together a food business plan, and monitoring the ongoing success of your food, you are not alone. Your Business Development Manager will always be delighted to help you establish or upgrade your food – just ask!

• Do your customers expect snacks and/or full meals to be served throughout the day? • Do your customers expect full table service or bar service or a mix of the two (i.e. order/pay at the bar but food served at tables)? • Are your main customer groups: single diners, families, couples, pensioners or mixed/single sex groups of friends? • How much time do your customers expect to spend eating their meal? Remember times will vary; weekday lunches need to be fast and convenient but Sunday lunches may be long and leisurely. • How much are your customers prepared to spend on a starter, main course, dessert and snacks for breakfast, lunch and dinner? • Do your customers expect a certain type of menu such as traditional, adventurous, children’s, ethnic and/or healthy eating?

For example snack food ordered at the bar will place less emphasis on FOH whereas a destination food pub with a large dining room will find it a crucial element of the business. But whatever type of food operation you run, the following FOH factors are always crucial... • Staff appearance and demeanour – no one likes to be served by grumpy or scruffy staff! • Staff knowledge of products – your staff cannot sell your food to the customer unless they know what products you offer. Ensure all staff know the full range of your food, the ingredients of every dish, relevant allergy advice and the local source of ingredients where appropriate.

You can answer all these questions by looking at your local competition and simply asking your regulars (see also our next article on Customer Audits).

• Staff skill at serving – simple tricks of the trade can enhance the customer’s dining experience. For example serving from the left and removing dishes from the right show a commitment to professionalism and even back bar food should always be properly presented.

Strengths and Weaknesses

• Staff skill at up-selling – ensure you staff are trained to mention side dishes, speciality drinks ‘specials’ recommendations and relevant discounts/offers to increase sales of high margin items.

Now analyse you and your pub’s strengths and weaknesses; be brutally honest with yourself and even if you identify a problem remember there is always a solution... Problem

Solution

Lack of lessee expertise

Employ experienced staff and/or undertake on/off site training

Lack of suitable staff

Work with local catering college to recruit trained staff

Inadequate kitchen

Consider back bar alternatives or invest in new facilities

Limited investment capital

Ask your BDM how Scottish & Newcastle Pub Company can help!

• Reading the room – ensure your staff know how to read your dining areas so they can clear and clean tables/bar areas promptly, identify customers who are waiting to order food or drinks (especially drink reorders and desserts) and waiting to pay. Seated diners find it difficult to make eye contact with serving staff so train your waiters and waitresses to look at diners’ faces.

12 Your guide to profitable food sales

What everyone wants.

Managing your customers’ food expectations... Food sales by Preferences Price/value for money

Locally grown

I like what the family likes

Animal welfare

Eating food that is healthy

Food in season

Food hygiene

Additives/E numbers

A treat

Familiarity

Convenience

To make money from food all you need do is offer well cooked dishes that appeal to your customers’ tastes and budgets. The $64,000 question is, of course, just what food appeals to what customer? Take a look at this chart, compiled by the government’s Food Standards Agency, which lists the factors affecting diners’ choices when eating out:

As you can see the largest factor on the chart is food hygiene, closely followed by a menu suitable for all the family, healthy food and something that offers a treat. If we look at the smaller slices of this pie we can see that locally grown, seasonal food from responsible producers are important factors for a growing number of diners. It hardly needs to be said that the factors listed in this chart are averages taken from a nationwide survey and that their importance will vary hugely from pub to pub. For example a city centre pub with a sophisticated customer base will find demand for adventurous food higher than the village local catering for families. So let’s take seven typical pub types and see what food appeals to their particular customers...

The Rural Pub Even without the support of a large local population this type of pub will see customers travelling large distances at weekends and holidays provided their menu offers something special. The food focus here should be on local fresh produce and the menu offer a 50/50 blend of traditional dishes and modern British cooking to tempt the more experimental diner. During the week the passing trade may evaporate completely in which case the menu should become more ‘workaday’ providing quick lunches for travelling business people and value for money fare for locals. Menu Speciality Suggestion – local game dishes, homemade puddings and local cheeses.

The Village Local The village local with a loyal band of regulars needs to take care not to alienate their core customers with food designed for the more sophisticated travelling diner. Again the key is a balance between traditional pub grub and cutting edge cuisine. The food focus here should be on simple but exceptionally well cooked traditional dishes with a limited number of more adventurous ‘specials’ to add interest to the menu. Menu Speciality Suggestion – Sunday lunch carvery, superb steaks and classic puddings. If you have a beer garden, offer summer barbecues and hog roasts.

The City Centre Bar The customer profile here is highly fluid and will change both during the day and during the week. The most successful food offers include opening early for late breakfasts, providing mid morning coffee for shoppers and lite bite lunches for busy office workers. In the evening, value for money ‘early bird’ specials will attract theatre, cinema and concert goers whilst a lite night supper menu will catch the same crowds on their way home! Besides more substantial meals, city centre pubs could consider offering snack foods and plates-to-share for couples and those on their way to night clubs. Menu Speciality Suggestion – continental style breakfasts, mid morning coffee & cakes, pasta/salad/sandwich lunches, early evening tapas plates to share.

14 Your guide to profitable food sales

The Town Centre Pub The same principles as for the city centre pub apply here but on a slightly smaller scale and the food focus shifting to more traditional dishes. Again the changing pattern of daytime shoppers and office workers mixed with evening revellers. Weekday Menu Speciality Suggestions – quick and convenient lunches balanced with more substantial evening dishes. Weekend Menu Speciality Suggestion – Saturday Shopper or Football Fan menu, family Sunday lunches.

The Suburban Local Commuters on their way home, ladies who lunch, families looking for an afternoon out and everyone from party goers to pensioners looking for a place to socialise means the suburban pub has the broadest spectrum of customers. Accordingly the menu should be built around quality and value for money with extra emphasis placed on children’s menus and family favourites.

Conducting Your Own Customer Audit Large restaurant chains spend hundreds of thousands of pounds on market research but all you have to do is ask your customers what they want! Offer your customers this simple questionnaire or ask the questions verbally and make a note of their replies: 1) How often do you eat in a pub in the evening?

5) How much would you spend on a starter?

Once a week

£5 or less

Once a month

£5 to £10

Only on special occasions

£10 and over

2) How often do you eat in a pub during the day?

6) How much would you spend on a main course?

Daily

£5 to £10

Once a week

£10 to £15

Once a month

£15 and over

Occasionally at weekends

If you have noticed your sports bar emptying at half time there is a simple explanation – your customers are popping out to the nearest takeaway for a bag of chips or a burger! Yet it is very simple to keep your customers in your bar thanks to any one of the back bar snack options now available. You can offer hot dogs, chips, pizzas and toasties for very little capital outlay and you will soon see your money back as customers order a pint with their freshly cooked snack.

Occasionally during the week

Menu Speciality Suggestion – homemade pies and burgers, freshly prepared children’s dishes.

The Sports Bar

3) Do you prefer?

Traditional Pub Grub

Exotic dishes

Menu Speciality Suggestion – hot dogs, toasted paninis and freshly cooked French fries.

A mix of the two

The Small Pub

4) What would you like your pub to serve?

The back bar catering solution is also ideal for the smaller pub with little or no space for dining tables. A snack style menu offering finger food that can be eaten standing up will provide higher margins than crisps or nuts and stop your customers leaving early for a curry.

Late Breakfasts

Morning Coffee/Tea

Convenient Light Lunches

Daytime/Evening Snacks

Full Restaurant Meals

All of the above

Menu Speciality Suggestion – oven baked pizzas, fresh sandwiches and salads to eat in or take away.

7) How much would you spend on a dessert?

£5 or less

£5 to £10

£10 and over

8) Are there any particular dishes you would like to try here?

You should ask between 50 and 100 people for the results to have any significant meaning and to encourage your customers to take part why not use the questionnaires as entries for a prize draw – with the prize being a free meal from your new menu!

16 Your guide to profitable food sales

Preparing a menu for profit.

Six simple steps to making money from food... Every food offer, whether it is back bar snacks or gastro pub fine dining starts with the menu. Your menu should be designed to increase the amount your regulars spend in your pub and bring new customers to your dining areas – so here are six simple steps to preparing menus for profit...

Step 3

Decide Your Table/Dish Ratio – the number of items on your menu should never exceed the number of tables in your dining areas. This simple rule ensures your menu will never be over complicated and your kitchen will always be able to cope.

Step 4

Balance Your Menu – naturally you need to produce a range of food that appeals to your customers but your menu should match the rest of your offer. For example a wet led sports bar will make more profit from back bar snacks for eating during a TV match than from a full service restaurant. Equally a ‘destination’ food pub will soon lose its customers if all that is on offer is hot dogs.

Step 5 Step 1 Analyse the Competition – even if you have a Pizza Hut on one side of your pub and a McDonalds on the other you can still make money from pizzas and burgers! They key to beating the competition is to do it better and/or do it differently; in other words your burgers should be handmade using fresh ingredient or your menu should provide an alternative to competitors’ fast food such as well cooked classic pub grub.

Step 2

Find Your Focus – whether you are launching a new food offer or upgrading an existing menu concentrate on doing the basics well. It may seem obvious but too many pubs forget that poor food is the number one reason why diners don’t come back. Marketing consultants point to the so-called BEP (Bad Experience Pyramid) to highlight the fact that customers who have one bad meal experience tell, on average, 64 other people. In other words, one unhappy customer tells eight friends and those eight people tell eight of their friends. To avoid the effects of the BEP, simply focus on the food you can cook well and if you don’t feel confident cooking Thai green curry don’t include it on your menu. Equally, if your pub’s steaks are the best in town, your dining room will always be full.

Design Your Menu For Profit – your menu is the most effective tool you have for selling your food so take a little time to make your menu look as good as your food... • Use eye catching artwork and prepare good, appetising food descriptions. Promote your food in writing, for example don’t just say: ‘main courses’, say: ‘our home-cooked main courses’. • Use a font that suggests care and attention has gone into each dish and use (where appropriate) words such as ‘fresh’, ‘locally sourced’, ‘home-made’ and ‘seasonal’ wherever possible. • That said, don’t go overboard; keep descriptions short and avoid using French words when describing English dishes. If your menu advertises ‘oeufs avec pommes frites’ your customers will be disappointed to receive simply egg & chips! • On three page fold out menus, most customers notice the central panel first, whilst with two page menus customers start at the top right-hand corner – so put your high profit items in these areas. • Boxing items on a menu draws a customer’s attention and this is a good way to highlight specialities and high margin items such as mixed grills or vegetarian dishes. • People most often choose the first two items or the last item in each category so place dishes with the highest gross profit in these spots.

50%

18 Your guide to profitable food sales

Step 6

Crunch the Numbers – the number one reason for restaurant closure is failing to control costs. Too many restaurateurs let their hearts rule their heads and produce menus that are simply uneconomic. You can avoid this by costing every ingredient for each dish to determine its cost price; then use the gross profit calculator on the attached CD to calculate the correct menu price. If that price is higher than your customers are prepared to pay take it off the menu. That said, you should avoid compromising the quality of each dish’s central ingredient. For example the fish in your ‘traditional battered cod’ should be the best quality possible but you can shop around for the best value chips (not necessarily the cheapest). Keeping a firm hand on the amount you spend running your kitchen will add hundreds, if not thousands, of pounds to your monthly bottom line and all it takes is a little planning... • Print out the stock sheets from the attached CD and tape them to your fridge, freezer and food storage cabinets. Highlight items approaching use/sell by dates and adapt menus accordingly. • Fill in the stock sheets at the end of each day and mark items for reorder in a different coloured ink. • Conduct a weekly audit of dry goods (rice, pasta and so on) and basics (salt, sugar, flour and so on) to ensure accurate reordering. • Use the CD’s temperature charts to ensure equipment is operating efficiently and food is being stored at the correct temperature. Nothing costs you more than having to throw away spoiled food. • Make sure your menu items match the capabilities of your chef. Wastage through spoiled cooking can be another huge drain on your profits. • Don’t choose the most expensive ingredients when there are cheaper alternatives available. For example langoustines (Dublin Bay prawns) are far cheaper than lobster but taste just as good! (see also our guide to food in season.) • Test your pub’s market for new high cost dishes by offering them as specials. If they sell slowly either reduce the cost/price ratio or take the dish off the menu. • Shop around for the best deals and don’t be shy about changing suppliers. However if you have built up a long standing relationship with a supplier offer them the chance to match a new deal before you change. • Don’t forget to factor kitchen costs (wages, heating, lighting and other ‘hidden’ overheads) into your menu prices.

Tricks of the Trade The most profitable food offers balance your customers’ desire for a good value dining experience with your need to make a profit. Provided you keep in mind the below should be used to add value, try these tricks of the trade... • Always look for simple ways to add value to dishes to increase margins; for example serving soup with a swirl of fresh cream, a sprinkle of garnish and a fresh crusty roll adds pence to the cost but adds huge value to the menu price. • Offer ‘sides’ such as onion rings, mushrooms and speciality sauces on your menu. These are low cost, high margin items and don’t forget to encourage your staff to upsell these side items. • Encourage your staff to sell slow moving dishes by helping hesitant diners with such words as “I can recommend the fish today...” • A study from the University of Leicester in 2003 revealed customers spend 10% more in dining rooms where classical music is played! • Keep your menus clean. Customers associate dirty menus with dirty kitchens so wipe down menus daily. • As well as your specials board put a ‘specials’ paper insert in each menu – especially if views of the specials board are restricted in your pub. • Include on your menu positive reviews or awards your pub has received. Good reviews from your local paper can increase your business dramatically. • Put your regular and specials menus on your website and update them regularly. • Remember the key to success in any food offer is a simple formula: good food + good service + properly controlled costs = maximum profit.

m u m i x a m profit

20 Your guide to profitable food sales

Serving Suggestions.

Making the most of industry trends..

As the graph shows the number of people eating out regularly in the UK has grown year on year over the last decade. Even with the reduction in disposable incomes during the recent economic downturn people are still eating out and whilst the current trend is to eat out less often diners are actually spending more when they do.

Eating Out Total UK Consumer Expenditure 1997-2007 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007

The quarterly Quickbite Survey published in January 2009, (compiled by food industry analysts Horizon) revealed the highest ever average dinerspend at £12.46 per head. The survey also revealed that the high street coffee shop/take away average spend fell during the last quarter of 2008 to below £5 per head and value food outlet spend also declined to £5-£11 per head in the same period. However premium restaurants saw average spend actually rise during the Credit Crunch to over £17 per head. This last figure is the so called ‘save it for something special’ effect that has governed food trends in recent months and its meaning for pub food is that quality and adding value will pay dividends. So where can you add value to your pub food offer?

22 Your guide to profitable food sales

Coffee – pubs are ideally placed to attract customers who still want their morning coffee but are unwilling to pay the specialist coffee shop’s premium prices. A pub coffee offer that serves a quality hot beverage for around £1.50 will attract day time shoppers, business people and office workers to slow pre-lunch periods and establish your pub as an ‘oasis’ on the high street. Discounts – with less money in their pockets, customers are looking to maximise the value of every penny they spend on food and discounting can certainly help but offer selective discounts rather than slashing every menu price. For example create one or two lunchtime and early evening specials, such as ‘early bird’ deals, that tempt diners to step inside your pub. Control Cost – analyse each dish and remove costs that don’t add value – not those that erode service. For example introduce more pies and casseroles that use cheaper cuts of meat but don’t reduce staff levels to a point where customers are kept waiting for service. Identify New Customers – if your pub is in a busy town centre consider offering a take away service for sandwiches, pizzas and back bar catering products – all you need is a supply of suitable boxes! Similarly, if your pub is in the heart of the countryside, consider advertising your pub on tourist information sites. Add ‘Hidden’ Value – link your food offer to free entertainment; live music, quiz nights, theme nights, party nights and taking part in local festivals are a great way to get customers off their sofas and into your pub’s dining room.

What’s Hot & What’s Not – top f ive food trends for 2009 The good news is that pubs offering quality mid-priced food are ideally placed to make the most of the current trends in hospitality catering. Take a look at the following surveys...

4. Eating Healthily – According to research conducted by the government’s Food Standards Agency, around three quarters of people (72% England, 78% Wales, 79% Scotland) had made at least one change to the food that they ate over the previous 6 months in terms of healthy eating. Women (78%) were more likely than men (68%) to have made changes to their diet with the most common changes being trying to eat more fruit and vegetables (35%). Naturally pubs should respond to this increased awareness of healthy eating by providing more health conscious dishes in their menus. 5. Small is Beautiful – the good news for pubs without the space for a full catering operation is that the trend towards smaller portions means snack food, sandwiches and tapas are experiencing a boom in demand. As with coffee, pubs can capitalise on this by offering freshly prepared sandwiches at a fraction of the cost of specialist high street outlets. 6. Word on the Web – according to a survey conducted by trade magazine The Publican and on-line directory Thomson Local, the phrase ‘pub food’ now tops the charts of internet searches. In fact the number of people using the internet to find the best pub food has risen by a massive 681% in the 12 months since March 2008. The message from this trend should be clear – put your menu on the web without delay!

A word about special diets Another increasing trend in UK food is for special dietary requirements. According to the Food Standards Agency, just under a third of UK consumers (31%) have particular food concerns broken down as follows:

Avoidance of Particular Menu Items

1. Buy British – a recent survey conducted for Olive and Eat Out magazines revealed that British diners are becoming increasingly patriotic. Eating British food in a pub topped this poll, with 23% of those surveyed saying pub grub was their favourite dining experience (the nearest rival was Italian with 22%). You can capitalise on this trend by featuring local produce, local specialities and fresh seasonal ingredients on your menus. 2. Old Favourites are Back – according to the biannual Menurama Survey (compiled by food analysts Horizon) Great British grub is hot and experimental dishes such as bacon & egg ice cream and snail porridge are not. In the first quarter of 2009 the top five menu main courses were: chicken breast, fish & chips, Sunday roast, sirloin steak and [vegetarian] risotto.

Medical Reasons Diet / Slimming

3. Informal is In – a survey of industry insiders for The Caterer magazine highlighted a trend away from formal fine dining to less formal brasserie, trattoria, bistro and (of course) pub style cuisine. The explanation for this trend is simple: customers perceive informal pub dining as offering better value for money compared to silver service restaurants.

Allergy Partially Vegetarian Completely Vegetarian Religious Reasons

Source: Food Standards Agency

Naturally a good food pub’s menu should reflect these proportions with at least one of the following on the menu: • A low fat/low salt healthy option. • A fully vegetarian option (no meat and no animal products, such as lard, used in preparation). • A partial vegetarian option (fish cooked without animal products). • An allergen sensitive dessert (i.e. contains no nuts and prepared in a nut free environment) if this is not possible include allergen advice in menu descriptions and brief staff on allergen advice. • Depending on your customer base you may want to include Halal or Kosher items but remember each dish’s preparation needs to be certified by the relevant religious authority before you can use these terms on your food descriptions.

24 Your guide to profitable food sales

Keep it clean Explaining the ‘Scores on the Doors’ food hygiene star system and how to achieve the maximum five s s s s s rating... As you can see from the pie chart, only 5% of today’s diners are unconcerned about food hygiene – which means no professional food offer can afford to ignore food safety regulations. Yet despite this increasing awareness there has been no way to tell your customers that you take food hygiene very seriously – until now. Scores on the Doors was introduced in 2006 and the scheme awards stars for good food hygiene practice and allows you to display these stars on your premises as well as on the official Scores on the Doors website and potential customers can even check scores via a mobile phone text message service. The scheme is backed by 89 UK local councils and the scores are based on how a kitchen performed in its last Environmental Health Inspection.

How People Assess Hygiene in Food Outlets

65% General Cleanliness

11% Smell

61% General Appearance

6% Awards

34% Staff Appearance

4% Certificates

16% Reputation

5% Unconcerned

Unlike many other food awards you do NOT join the scheme voluntarily and scores are awarded with, or without, your participation. This is because the Freedom of Information Act says your kitchen’s health inspection results are a matter of public record and the information has to be made available to everyone. That said, the Scores on the Doors system is NOT designed to highlight failing premises. Instead the scheme is meant to reward good practice and help consumers make informed choices.

Source: Food Standards Agency

How do you score? Please turn over >

26 Your guide to profitable food sales

The best way to ensure you receive the maximum five stars is to carry out a simple self-audit of your kitchen before your next health inspection. Just ask yourself the following ‘yes or no’ questions which are divided into three categories:

To achieve the highest Scores on the Doors rating you should have answered ‘Yes’ to all the questions and any ‘No’ answers need action to resolve the problem immediately.

Food Hygiene Practices and Procedures

Perhaps the most difficult area to improve is the food management category but help is at hand at www.food.gov.uk. Here you can download the booklet Safer Food Better Business, which explains how to set up a proper food management system, and download a DVD to help you train your staff. Alternatively you can order these by telephone on 0845 606 0667 or email at foodstandards@ecgroup.uk.com.

• Have you considered what food safety problems and hazards could occur within your kitchen such as bacterial, chemical or physical (e.g. stray hairs in the soup) contamination?

Yes

• Do you have safe methods of working and good control of hygiene practices to stop these problems occurring?

Yes

• Are you making regular checks to ensure these controls work?

Yes

• Do you and your staff practice good personal hygiene including frequent and thorough washing of hands?

Yes

• Do your staff report if they are suffering from sickness and/or diarrhoea?

Yes

• Do you and your staff use clean protective clothing?

Yes

• Do you and your staff use colour coded utensils and equipment to avoid cross contamination?

Yes

• Do you also have proper delivery, storage, preparation, cooking and service controls to prevent cross-contamination?

Yes

• Do you and your staff clean as they go?

Yes

• Do you keep foods at the right temperature (chilled foods kept below 8 C; hot food, cooked and/or reheated to a centre temperature above 75oC and kept above 63oC)?

Yes

• Do you use a probe thermometer to make sure food is thoroughly cooked?

Yes

• Are work surfaces and equipment kept clean and disinfected? o

Premises’ Structure • Does the design and construction of your premises meet legal requirements?

Yes

• Are floors, walls and ceilings in good repair and kept clean?

Yes

• Are there adequate food preparation surfaces which are kept in good repair?

Yes

• Are your food rooms free from rats, mice, insects and other vermin?

Yes

• Do you use licensed waste disposal contractors for waste oil and refuse?

Yes

• Do you have a written Food Safety Management System?

Yes

• Does each member of your staff understand your Food Safety Management System and follow good food handling practices?

Yes

• Do you keep proper records, diaries and temperature record sheets and regularly review your safe methods of working?

Yes

• Have your staff received food hygiene training and/or adequate instruction and supervision?

Yes

Food Management

You can also find out more about the Scores on the Doors star system at www.scoresonthedoors.org.uk. The site also has links to each participating council’s website where you can read about your local authority’s environmental health policy. Scottish & Newcastle Pub Company too has a range of practical resources that can help you organise your food hygiene schedules and meet your legal requirements. For example the enclosed CD features an industry-standard colour coding chart for your surfaces and utensils and there are complete step-by-step guides to current food hygiene regulations (for full kitchens and back bar catering) on our new website www.snpcfood.co.uk. No pub catering operation should be without these guides which you can download direct to your computer or email us to obtain a hard copy. Last, but not least, you can organise your food hygiene training through www.snpcfood.co.uk. Scottish & Newcastle Pub Company have teamed up with Esky on-line learning courses to give you and your staff access to effective, low cost training materials. Esky’s easy-to-follow courses have been built around the Royal Institute of Public Health’s food hygiene syllabus and take around two and a half hours to complete. Progress can be saved, so trainees can return later, and remain ‘live’ for a year. The cost starts at only £22.50 (+VAT) per person per course and Scottish & Newcastle Pub Company’s lessees qualify for a massive 30% discount! But perhaps the most important thing to remember is not to panic about food hygiene. Yes, the penalties for causing food poisoning to customers are steep but thanks to the help and support offered by Scottish & Newcastle Pub Company, eliminating the risks couldn’t be easier.

28 Your guide to profitable food sales

Food on the web

Wouldn’t it be great to have your own catering manager available 24 hours a day seven days a week? Well that’s exactly what our new website is designed to give you.

At www.snpcfood.co.uk you will find everything you need to run a successful catering operation whether you are new to food offers or an established operator. Simply register* your pub to take advantage of these unique special features...

Bar Solutions Even if you lack the space for a full sized kitchen you can still make the most of food with any one of the imaginative back bar catering solutions currently available. In this section you will find the latest deals and equipment offered by the best suppliers so whether you want to serve coffee & cakes or pizzas & paninis there’s a back bar solution for you.

Promo Calendar One of the best ways to boost an existing food operation, or announce a new offer to new customers, is with a themed food night. Our regularly updated Promotional Calendar offers day-by-day suggestions for unusual celebrations guaranteed to deliver a fabulous fun filled evening!

Beer & Food Increase your wet sales by matching your beers and ciders to your food. In this section you can access tasting notes for your beers, cask ales and ciders to create a beer list to compliment your wine list! Besides classic combinations such as lagers with barbecues and cask ales with traditional pies, you can serve Jacques fruit ciders with fish, John Smith’s Extra Smooth with soups and there are suggestions for many more winning combinations.

Suppliers Whether you are looking for a new kitchen range or fun party items to decorate a dining room, you can find everything you need in our live suppliers guide. This section comes complete with links to each supplier’s website and details the latest discounts available only to Scottish & Newcastle Pub Company’s lessees.

When It’s Gone... It’s Gone... Menu Printing

Free offers, exclusive deals and the best discounts we can find are all listed in this members only section.

Create stylish menus and arrange for their printing and delivery from the comfort of your computer. You can choose from a range of designs exclusive to Scottish & Newcastle Pub Company’s lessees, customise the text on line, proof read the finished menus and place your order at the click of a mouse.

Hygiene

Gross Prof it Calculator Working out realistic margins is crucial to the success of any food operation and fixing your gross profit on each dish couldn’t be easier thanks to this on-line calculator. Just type in the cost of the dish, add the percentage margin required and the selling price appears instantly.

If you are terrified by the tangle of red tape surrounding commercial food operations here is a handy knife! The step-by-step guides in this section cover everything from food storage and preparation to legal forms and cleaning schedule templates. There’s an invaluable guide to compiling food management systems and helpful advice on dealing with everything from pest control to Health & Safety regulations. There are even separate sections for back bar operations and full kitchen services so you can be sure you are always getting the best advice for your particular pub.

Control Panel Perhaps the most useful resource on the entire website is the Control Panel. Simply create an account and you can manage your entire food operation from your computer at anytime, any day of the week. You can order food, menus and catering supplies; monitor delivery dates and progress of orders and even email a query to our team of experts.

Next Step — Sign up today at snpcfood.co.uk

30 Your guide to profitable food sales

Mouthwatering deals With the credit crunch eating into pub profits it is vital to get a good deal from your catering suppliers. To help you get the best discounts, on everything from frozen food to catering uniforms, Food Development Manager, Ben Bartlett has compiled a list of suppliers who give Scottish & Newcastle Pub Company’s lessees the most mouth watering deals...

To obtain your discounts from the companies listed here, order via the snpcfood.co.uk website or mention you are a Scottish & Newcastle Pub Company’s lessee when ordering.

save up to 45% Brakes Foodservice consistently leads the way in modern catering. Their fish is certified by the Marine Stewardship Council, they have a comprehensive range of Fair Trade products and their website is packed with hints and tips on how to make the most of your food offer. • Contact: Jayne Bell, 01913 774 425 jayne.bell@brake.co.uk • Website: www.brake.co.uk • Sample Saving*: ten portions of ‘chicken breast with Parma ham and asparagus spears’ catalogue price £56.25 (total for main ingredients), discount price £31.75, save £24.50

30% off light equipment From car park signs to convection ovens, and from waste bins to baking sheets, Brakes Catering offers a vast range of light and capital equipment that’s perfect for your pub. With a massive 30% off light equipment for our lessees Brakes is the one stop shop for all your catering needs. • Contact: Kim Sagar 07801 646 593 (direct line) or 0845 931 9494 (order hot line), email via the website. • Website: www.brakesce.co.uk • Sample Saving*: 48 Crown Viking Pint Glasses catalogue price £36.45 (ex VAT), discount price £25.53, save £10.92

32 Your guide to profitable food sales

To obtain your discounts from the companies listed here, order via the snpcfood.co.uk website or menton you are a Scottish & Newcastle Pub Company’s lessee when ordering.

5% off purchases Booker has a members only website reserved for Scottish & Newcastle Pub Company’s lessees. The site is designed to help you choose from their extensive ranges of food and non-food products and there are exclusive discounts available when you register.

Cafe Bar are world leaders in pub coffee and offer everything from stateof-the-art machines and staff training, to top quality dispense ingredients. Their coffee beans and tea leaves are sourced from the best importers such as Lavazza, Fairtrade, Kenco SD and PG Tips.

• Contact: John Dolan 07501 228740 (direct line) 01933 371 000 (general enquiries), john.dolan@booker.co.uk

• Contact North Area: Donna L Brown 07711 825801 (direct line), donna.brown@cafebar.co.uk

• Website: www.booker.co.uk/snpe • Sample Saving*: Two cases of Kit Kat chocolate bars catalogue price £21.98, discount price £20.89, save £1.09

• Contact South Area: Christian Jones 07811 940998 (direct line), christian.jones@cafebar.co.uk

Chicago Town don’t just make pizza – they make pizza better! They also apply their ‘no more boring frozen food’ philosophy to a range of pastas, desserts and snack food. • Contact: Martin Corbett 07976 412469 (direct line) 08459 319494 (general enquiries) martin.corbett@schwans-europe.com • Websites: www.theschwanfoodcompany.com www.chicagotown.com

15% discount

10% off catalogue prices

10* & 20%** off

Don’t compromise your superb food with poor menu presentation. Menu Shop offer stylish menu personalised covers as well as a range of food promotion accessories including menu inserts, placemats, table numbers, LED displays and much more.

What could be more fun than looking through a Peeks catalogue? This 60 year old company is the market leader in themed party decorations, fund raising accessories and novelty items.

Porter & Woodman’s eye-catching chalk boards, A-boards and POS material are a cost effective way to advertise your pub’s food offer.

• Contact: Karen Ainsworth 07917 667033 (direct line) 01985 217000 (general enquiries), karen@menushop.co.uk • Website: www.menushop.co.uk • Sample Saving*: Ten ‘Milan Wave’ plain leather A4 menu covers with corner mounts catalogue price: £133.50 (ex VAT), discount price £113.48, save £20.02

• Contact General Enquiries: 0800 230 0097. • Website: www.cafebar.co.uk

• Contact: Mike Crook 07967 598 047 (direct line) 01202 489 489 (general enquiries), mike.crook@peeks.co.uk • Website: www.peeks.co.uk • Sample Saving*: St Patrick’s Day Mega Pack catalogue price: £95.00 (ex VAT), discount price: £85.50, save £9.50

10% discount In Australia Jumbucks Pies are a national obsession and Scottish & Newcastle Pub Company are delighted to be able to offer these luscious lamb pies to our lessees. Now you can bring a true taste of The Outback to your pub. • Contact: Ceri Jones 07711 005 565 (direct line) 08444 773 250 (general enquiries), ceri@jumbucks.co.uk • Website: www.jumbucks.com

The UK’s leading supplier of seafood to the catering industry (now affiliated to Brakes) works closely with conservation bodies to ensure all their products are sourced from responsibly managed stocks.

Nestlé is not just a household name in coffee and confectionery. The Nestlé Professional division offers a range of back bar catering solutions such as Herta – the number one selling hot dog frankfurter in the UK.

• Contact: Tanya Downes 07780 955 783 (Corporate Account Manager) Emma Towersey 01296 333 845 (Corporate Sales Operations Coordinator), etowersey@mjseafoods.co.uk

• Contact: Dave Allan 07767 808486 (direct line) 0800 742 842 (general enquiries) david.allan@uk.nestle.com

• Website: www.mjseafood.com

• Website: www.nestleprofessional.com

Quality workwear helps keep staff focused and motivated and the best catering workwear is sold by Rossums. Chef and waiter uniforms can be personalised to your pub with a bespoke lettering/logo embroidery service and there is a range of accessories including aprons and tablecloths. • Contact: The Sales Team, 01709 372345, info@russums.co.uk • Website: www.russums-shop.co.uk • Sample Saving*: Ten waitress uniforms (blouse, waistcoat, skirt) catalogue price: £371.90 (ex VAT), discount price: £334.71, save £37.19

• Contact: The Sales Team, 01384 445844 sales@chalkboardsuk.co.uk • Website: www.chalkboardsuk.co.uk • S&NPE Discount: *10% discount off pens, **20% off wooden items • Sample Saving*: Quality A-Board with Rounded Top catalogue price: £62.95 (ex VAT), discount price £50.37, save £12.58

15%* & 25% off** Your food deserves the best setting so Stalbridge Johnsons offer a complete linen hire and laundry service under a quality ‘no contract’ package. There’s also a sales range which includes everything from bed sheets and bath towels to chefs’ whites and napkins. • Contact: Debbie Rosher 0800 093 9933 debbierosher@ stalbridge-linen.com • Website: www.stalbridge-linen.com

As one of the UK’s leading foodservice companies 3663 deliver quality ingredients, finished products and catering equipment to the hospitality industry. Everyone in the company participates in ‘First for Service’ training which encourages the whole team to take a fresh look at what they do, find better ways of doing it, and pass the benefits on to you. • Contact: Daryl Hyde 01614 553662 (direct line), or Paul Hibbit 07917 091195 (direct line) 0870 3663 100 (general enquiries), paulhibbit@3663.co.uk • Website: www.3663.co.uk • S&NPE Discount: *15% off dry ambient products and **25% off frozen contract products. • Sample Saving: for sample savings please visit the website

34 Your guide to profitable food sales

Month & Menu Suggestions

Fruit

Fish

Meat & Game

Cauliflower, Leeks, Purple Broccoli, Spring Onions

Bananas, Kiwi Fruit, Oranges, Lemons, Passion Fruit, Pineapple, Pomegranates, Rhubarb

Cockles, Cod, Hake, John Dory, Lemon Sole, Mussels, Oysters

Rabbit, Early Venison

Welsh Cockle chowder served with new season asparagus spears, spring lamb served with new potatoes and kiwi fruit served with lime syrup are superb suggestions for April menus...

Asparagus, Broccoli, Jersey Royal New Potatoes, Radishes, Rocket, Sorrel, Spinach, Spring Onions, Watercress

Bananas, Rhubarb, Kiwi Fruit

Cockles, Cod, John Dory, Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout

Rabbit, Venison, Farmed Duck, Wood Pigeon

Spice up your May menu with sea trout stuffed with asparagus, honey & soy glazed duck breasts and a simple rhubarb tart...

Asparagus, Broccoli, All New Potatoes, Radishes, Rocket, Sorrel, Spinach, Spring Onions, Watercress

Bananas, Elderflower, Kiwi Fruit, Rhubarb

Cod, Crab, Halibut, John Dory, Lemon Sole, Sea Bass, Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout

Rabbit, Wood Pigeon

Celebrate summer with beetroot & orange salad, grilled mackerel with gooseberry sauce followed by rhubarb & strawberry crumble...

Artichoke, Asparagus, Aubergine, Broccoli, Carrots, Courgettes, Fennel, New Potatoes, Mange Tout, Peas, Radishes, Rocket, Runner Beans, Sorrel, Spring Onions, Watercress

Cherries, Elderflower, Kiwi Fruit, Gooseberries, Strawberries

Cod, Crab, Dover Sole, Haddock, Halibut, Herring, John Dory, Lemon Sole, Mackerel, Plaice, Salmon, Sardines, Sea Bass, Sea Trout, Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout

Lamb, Rabbit, Wood Pigeon

Laze away the long hot summer with chilled cucumber & dill soup, fennel & smoked salmon salad and peaches in a butterscotch sauce..

Artichoke, Aubergine, Beetroot, Broad Beans, Broccoli, Carrots, Courgettes, Cucumber, Fennel, French Beans, Garlic, Kohlrabi, Mange Tout, New Potatoes, Onions, Peas, Main Crop Potatoes, Radishes, Rocket, Runner Beans, Sorrel, Tomatoes, Turnips, Watercress

Apricots, Blackberries, Blueberries, Gooseberries, Greengages, Kiwi Fruit, Loganberries, Melons, Peaches, Raspberries, Redcurrants, Strawberries

Cod, Crab, Dover Sole, Haddock, Halibut, Herring, John Dory, Lemon Sole, Lobster, Mackerel, Plaice, Salmon, Sardines, Scallops, Sea Bass, Sea Trout, Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout

Lamb, Rabbit, Wood Pigeon

Try something exotic for the holiday season with cold pasta salad starters followed by Louisiana Gumbo main course, and finished with an almond & greengage crumble...

Artichoke, Aubergine, Beetroot, Broad Beans, Broccoli, Carrots, Courgettes, Cucumber, Fennel, French Beans, Garlic, Kohlrabi, Leeks, Mange Tout, Marrow, Onions, Peas, Peppers, Main Crop Potatoes, Radishes, Rocket, Runner Beans, Sorrel, Sweet Corn, Tomatoes, Watercress

Apricots, Blackberries, Blueberries, Damsons, Figs, Greengages, Logan Berries, Melons, Nectarines, Peaches, Plums, Raspberries, Redcurrants

Cod, Crab, Dover Sole, Grey Mullet, Haddock, Halibut, Herring, John Dory, Lemon Sole, Lobster, Crayfish, Mackerel, Monkfish, Plaice, Salmon, Sardines, Scallops, Sea Bass, Squid, Turbot, Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout

Lamb, Grouse, Rabbit, Hare, Venison, Snipe, Wood Pigeon

The harvest season offers a near endless choice of food combinations. Try corn on the cob wrapped in bacon for your children’s menu whilst traditional roast lamb followed by blackberry & apple pie is always a winner.

Artichoke, Aubergine, Beetroot, Broad Beans, Broccoli, Carrots, Courgettes, Cucumber, Fennel, French Beans, Garlic, Kohlrabi, Leeks, Mange Tout, Marrow, Onions, Peppers, Potatoes, Radishes, Rocket, Runner Beans, Sorrel, Sweet Corn, Tomatoes, Watercress, Wild Mushrooms

Blackberries, Blueberries, Damsons, Elderberries, Elderflowers, Figs, Grapes, Melons, Nectarines, Peaches, Pears, Plums, Raspberries

Clams, Cod, Crab, Dover Sole, Grey Mullet, Haddock, Halibut, Herring, John Dory, Lemon Sole, Lobster, Mackerel, Monkfish, Plaice, Salmon, Sardines, Scallops, Sea Bass, Squid, Turbot, Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout

Wild Duck, Wild Goose, Grouse, Guinea Fowl, Autumn Lamb, Rabbit, Hare, Partridge, Snipe, Venison, Wood Pigeon

OCT

Spiced carrot & butternut squash soup, wild mushroom pâté with cranberries, chocolate and chestnut tart are the perfect partners for autumn menus.

Artichoke, Aubergine, Beetroot, Broccoli, Butternut Squash, Carrots, Celeriac, Celery, Courgettes, Fennel, Garlic, Kale, Kohlrabi, Leeks, Marrow, Onions, Peppers, Potatoes, Pumpkin, Radishes, Rocket, Sweet Corn, Turnips, Tomatoes, Watercress, Wild Mushrooms

Apples, Blackberries, Chestnuts, Elderberries, Figs, Grapes, Pears, Quince, Walnuts

Brill, Clams, Crab, Grey Mullet, Haddock, Halibut, John Dory, Lemon Sole, Lobster, Mackerel, Monkfish, Mussels, Oysters, Plaice, Scallops, Sea Bass, Squid, Turbot

Wild Duck, Wild Goose, Grouse, Guinea Fowl, Hare, Lamb, Partridge, Pheasant, Rabbit, Snipe, Venison, Woodcock, Wood Pigeon

NOV

Curried parsnips & vegetable chips, roast goose & chestnut stuffing and sticky ginger & quince pudding will warm your diners on a cold november day...

Artichoke, Beetroot, Butternut Squash, Celeriac, Celery, Chicory, Jerusalem Artichoke, Kale, Kohlrabi, Leeks, Parsnips, Potatoes, Pumpkin, Swedes, Turnips, Watercress, Wild Mushrooms

Apples, Chestnuts, Cranberries, Elderberries, Pears, Quince, Walnuts

Brill, Clams, Crab, Haddock, Halibut, Hake, John Dory, Lemon Sole, Lobster, Monkfish, Mussels, Oysters, Plaice, Scallops, Sea Bass, Squid, Turbot

Wild Duck, Goose, Grouse, Guinea Fowl, Hare, Partridge, Pheasant, Rabbit, Venison, Snipe, Woodcock, Wood Pigeon

DEC

December should be about more than turkey! Sea bass stuffed with wild mushrooms, sweet ginger glazed lamb and crispy pear & toffee fritters will provide welcome alternatives to turkey and xmas pudding...

Beetroot, Brussels Sprouts, Cauliflower, Celeriac, Celery, Chicory, Jerusalem Artichoke, Kale, Leeks, Parsnips, Potatoes, Pumpkin, Swedes, Turnips

Apples, Chestnuts, Clementines, Cranberries, Passion Fruit, Pears, Pineapple, Pomegranate, Satsumas, Tangerines, Walnuts

Brill, Clams, Haddock, Halibut, Hake, John Dory, Lemon Sole, Monkfish, Mussels, Oysters, Plaice, Scallops, Sea Bass, Turbot

Wild Duck, Wild Goose, Guinea Fowl, Hare, Partridge, Pheasant, Rabbit, Venison, Snipe, Wood Pigeon, Turkey

Carrot & coriander soup, honey roast duck & smoked bacon and that old favourite rhubarb crumble are just the thing to beat the winter blues...

Beetroot, Brussels Sprouts, Cauliflower, Celeriac, Celery, Chicory, Jerusalem Artichoke, Kale, Leeks, Parsnips, Potatoes, Swedes, Turnips

Apples, Clementines, Kiwi Fruit, Lemons, Oranges, Passion Fruit, Pears, Pineapple, Pomegranate, Rhubarb, Satsumas, Tangerines, Walnuts

Brill, Clams, Cockles, Haddock, Halibut, Hake, John Dory, Lemon Sole, Monkfish, Mussels, Oysters, Plaice, Turbot

Wild Duck, Wild Goose, Guinea Fowl, Hare, Partridge, Pheasant, Venison, Snipe, Woodcock

Seared scallops with celeriac puree, somerset cider guinea fowl and baked chocolate mousse with passion fruit will add a touch of gourmet dining to your specials board...

Cauliflower, Celeriac, Chicory, Leeks, Purple Sprouting Broccoli, Spring Onions

Bananas, Kiwi Fruit, Lemons, Oranges, Passion Fruit, Pineapple, Pomegranates, Rhubarb

Cockles, Cod, Hake, John Dory, Lemon Sole, Mussels, Scallops, Oysters

Guinea Fowl, Hare, Rabbit

APR MAY JUN

‘Seasonality’ is the current buzz word in hospitality catering but cooking with fresh fruit, vegetables, fish and meat is about much more than pandering to the latest foodie fad. Using local sourced and seasonal produce demonstrates to your customers your commitment to quality food and can add pounds to your bottom line.

Vegetables

Poached salmon with spring onion pancakes, lemon pork and chocolate orange profiteroles make the most of March’s seasonal fare...

MAR

Get fresh!

JUL

AUG

SEPT

Furthermore, when food is in season it tends to be cheaper than preserved or imported alternatives and your local supplier will be happy to give you a great deal on surplus stock!

JAN

So what is in season and when? To help you plan your seasonal menus, we have compiled a complete 12 month calendar of seasonal food together with some suggestions for your specials board...

FEB

36 Your guide to profitable food sales

Inside out.

There is something irresistible about dining outside especially during warm summer days and long summer nights. Barbecues especially appeal to customers looking for a relaxing way to spend an afternoon or evening. More importantly, a barbecue is a very cost effective way for your pub to make the most of an outside area.

Making the most of your outdoor areas...

Barbecues can... • Offer something different for regulars and attract new customers. • Maximise the return from your available indoor and outdoor space. • Encourage customers to stay longer and spend more. • Encourage post-ban smokers to return to your beer garden. Even if you don’t have facilities for an outdoor grill you can create a ‘virtual’ barbecue; simply add some barbecue style dishes to your special’s board, prepare the food in your kitchens (using a char-grill skillet pan to replicate an outdoor barbecue’s distinctive flavour) and serve to diners seated inside or outside. Either way, just follow our guide to outdoor dining to create a valuable extra dimension to your summer menus...

What to cook • Spice up standard steaks, burgers and sausages with barbecue marinades. Most catering wholesalers can supply pre-made marinades but it is relatively simple to make your own:

Apple Cider marinade; 1part Bulmers’ Original apple cider, half part Soy Sauce or Teriyaki sauce, one teaspoon black pepper, one tablespoon olive oil; mix ingredients in a large bowl, marinade steaks for 24 hours in the combined ingredients and grill on the BBQ until brown.

• Grilled trout, tuna and salmon provide a ‘healthy option’ alternative to red meats. • Order plenty of buns, salads and vegetable side dishes – they’re a cheap way to fill up hungry customers! • Grilled peppers and vegetable kebabs provide a mouth watering vegetarian option for your barbecue. The website www.vegsoc.org has a number of vegetarian BBQ recipes. • For a superb selection of meat, poultry and fish barbecue recipes, including sauces and marinades, try www.barbecue-on-line.co.uk • Don’t forget desserts – ice creams are a simple way to keep the summer theme going.

38 Your guide to profitable food sales

Top Tips For all the equipment you need to transform your beer garden call Impact-09 (a division of S&N) on 08457 101010 for their Breefreeze brochure or view the entire product range on the internet at www.impact-on-line.co.uk Impact has everything from professional gas grills to stylish picnic tables that are guaranteed to turn your tired terrace into an outstanding outdoor dining area. Take a look at the Butcher’s Market range from catering wholesaler’s Booker. The minted lamb chops and smoky barbeque pork loin steaks are just made for the barbeque season and will prove a popular addition to your BBQ menu. The range offers you an opportunity to serve quality fresh meat that also offers high POR’s of up to 34%. For more information call 01933 371 000 or visit www.booker.co.uk/snpe

How to cook it

Getting the Right Look

Ten Tips for a Brilliant Barbecue

If you are already running a food offer you will know the importance of food hygiene but it is worthwhile repeating that extra care is needed when running an outdoor grill. One of the major sources of food poisoning is bacteria spread from raw to cooked food; you must avoid this cross contamination so it is vital to:

Great food is essential for great outdoor dining and your great food deserves a great setting. Spend a little time and money tidying up the beer garden and the reward will more than repay the effort.

1. Check the diary – make sure your barbecue doesn’t clash with another large event in the area such as a village fete or agricultural show.

• Wash your hands thoroughly before preparing food and after touching raw food.

• If you are going to grill outside, invest in a proper professional barbecue and an outside portable bar.

• Prepare and store raw and cooked food in separate containers and, ideally, in separate fridges (see storage advice below).

• If table umbrellas and other outdoor equipment are looking tired, replace them with new items.

• Use separate colour coded knives and chopping boards for different foods including meat, poultry, fish and vegetables.

• Ask your BDM about the range of outdoor equipment currently available (see below) from Scottish & Newcastle Pub Company partner suppliers.

• Use different colour coded utensils for raw and cooked foods. • Clean knives and chopping boards thoroughly after preparing raw meat. Cooking food properly will kill bacteria which can cause food poisoning. To ensure food is cooked properly: • Thaw frozen meat thoroughly before cooking. • Cook poultry, steaks, chops, burgers and sausages so that the centre of the meat reaches a temperature of at least 70°C for a minimum of two minutes. Use a good probe thermometer to check. • Never reheat food that has been frozen and never reheat fresh food more than once.

• If your garden furniture is old and weather-stained replace it.

• Don’t forget to provide plenty of carry trays, ashtrays and rubbish bins. • Colourful hanging baskets and patio planters can brighten the most unpromising outdoor space.

Afterwards It is very important that foods are chilled and stored correctly if they are going to be reused: • Cool hot food to be stored as quickly as possible and put cooled items in the fridge straight away. • If you can’t store raw and cooked items in separate fridges, unused raw meat should be stored in a sealed container at the bottom of the fridge to stop drips contaminating cooked food. • Don’t overload the fridge as it will not chill items efficiently. • Cold foods (like salads) can be kept above 8°C for up to four hours but after this time they must be thrown away or chilled below 8°C until used.

2. Plan ahead – make sure you have enough staff to cover the garden and all your bar areas. 3. Check your equipment – make sure the grill is clean and that you have enough seating (including baby/child chairs), plastic glasses, plates, trays, napkins and cutlery as well as enough gas or charcoal! 4. Trick of the trade – if you are serving kebabs, soak the wooden skewers in water to stop them burning. 5. Order enough – fresh is best but with frozen meat you can defrost more on demand and minimise wastage. Remember to defrost frozen food thoroughly in the fridge or microwave. 6. It never rains – but it pours, so provide plenty of wet weather shelters such as garden gazebos. 7. Advertise – use chalkboards, posters and POS material to advertise your barbecue well in advance. A-boards or large banners will draw in passing trade whilst an advert in the local press’ ‘What’s On’ section or village newsletter will attract new customers as well as regulars. 8. Be prepared – prepare marinades, salads and accompaniments on the morning of the event, cover and store them in the fridge. 9. Be patient – If you’re not using gas make sure you allow enough time for the charcoal to heat up (at least 30–40 minutes). Charcoal must glow red, with a powdery grey surface, before it will cook food properly. 10. Keep safe – keep a water spray and an appropriate fire extinguisher handy and never leave the barbecue unattended.

40 Your guide to profitable food sales

Slash the red tape!

For anyone starting a catering operation the paperwork can seem daunting but there is no need to panic because help is at hand. The CD attached to this magazine contains templates of the most important pieces of paper you will need. Just print them out and fill them in!

Costs, menus & stock control Costing sheet & GP Calculator – The costing sheet is a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet designed to help you calculate the cost of each dish whether the food is produced in batches or as a single serve items. Type in the costs and weights of each ingredient for each dish and the spreadsheet will calculate the cost price. You can also use this figure with the CD’s Gross Profit Calculator to determine the price you should sell each item. Daily Stock Record Sheet – Successful stock control is the key to maximising profits and this simple but highly effective record sheet lets you monitor daily cash takings, stock usage and gross profits. Stock Control Sheet – Controlling the amount of dry and frozen goods in your larder prevents wastage and adds cash to your bottom line. Use this Stock Control Sheet during your weekly/monthly stock takes to calculate the value of stock in storage and organise reordering schedules. Temperature Record – Simply print out the Temperature Record template for your freezers, fridges and display units to avoid wastage through forgetting sell and use by dates.

Legal Documents Health & Safety at Work Policy Statement – The law requires you to display a Health & Safety at Work Policy Statement in all kitchen and staff areas but nothing could be easier. Just print off and pin up this all purpose policy to satisfy this legal requirement. Food Premises Registration – To sell food or drink to the public you must register with your local authority. Again just print off this form, complete the empty boxes with the relevant names, dates and signatures and send it to your local authority.

Staff Food Handlers Form – By law, any staff member who handles food needs to know what infectious illnesses they must report to you. To fulfil this legal requirement print out this form, ensure all your staff read it, understand it and sign it. HACCP monthly cleaning check and food safety audit – This form will help you carry out an eleven point check to help you comply with HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) compliance.

Its on the Disc! health and safety polic y Health and Safety at Work etc. This is the Health Act 1974 and Safety Policy Statem ent of: ………………

………………

Good Practice Cross Contamination Colour Code Chart – Cross contamination, which can lead to serious food poisoning, is the worst thing that can happen in a kitchen. But by following this industry standard colour coding you can keep surfaces and implements apart (red tags for cooked meat, green tags for veg and so on) and easily avoid cross contamination between raw and cooked meats and other foodstuffs.

………………

………….....

..................

(name of house)

Our state ment

• To provide

adequate control

of gener al

...............…

………………

……………

policy is:

of the health and safety with our employees risks arising out of our work on matters activities. affecting their and maintain health and safe plant safety. and equipment • To ensure safe handling . and use of substances • To provide . information , instruction and supervision • To ensure all employees for employees are competent . • To prevent to do their tasks, and accidents and to give them cases of work-relate adequate training. • To maintain d ill health. safe and healthy working conditions. • To review and revise this policy as necessary at regular intervals. • To consult

• To provide

Signed:

(Employer)

Date: Review Date:

stock record sheet Date

Food Take

Food Take (inc VAT)

(ex. VAT)

Purchases / Food Costs

Total food take divided by 1.15

Example

£500.00

Gross Profif it%

Food take (ex. VAT) minus purchases

Gross profit divided by food take (ex. VAT)

284.78

150.00

434.78

65.5%

Imperial/Metric Conversion Chart – Some recipes are in pounds and ounces others in grams and kilograms but you can avoid confusion with this invaluable conversion chart.

Kitchen Designs & Equipment Typical Kitchen Specifications – Choosing the right equipment to suit your needs is essential for the smooth running of a kitchen and the profitability of your business. Use these specifications for a complete breakdown of equipment for different sizes of kitchens. Typical Kitchen Layout – A detailed plan of a typical kitchen layout. Equipment – To help you visualise the kitchen here are pictures of typical equipment available.

prevent cross contamination

Use the correct

colour coded Chopping

Board & Knives

Raw Meat – RED Raw Fish – BLUE Salads and Fruits – GREEN Vegetables – BROW N Dairy Products – WHITE Cooked Meat – YELLOW

kitchen appliances CHARGRILLS High Level of Volume 180 Burgers or 160 Steaks per hour

Medium Level of Volume 90 Burgers or 85 Steaks per hour

CONTACT GRILLS Medium Level of Volume 100 Burgers or 60 Steaks per hour

High Level of Volume 150 Burgers or 130 Steaks per hour

DEEP FRYERS

Heavy Duty Fryer 60kg of chips per hour

Medium Duty Fryer 42kg of chips per hour

Light Duty Fryer 28kg of chips per hour

Target Gross Profif it

65%

42 42 Your Your guide guide to quality profitable to profitable food food food in sales your sales pub

Food Food training training Three-HourCoaching CoachingVisits Visits from £130+VAT Three-Hour SFBB – HACCP SFBB – HACCP Background legislative requirements, work through and complete Background to to legislative requirements, work through and complete SFBB pack, review existing systems. SFBB pack, review existing systems. Menu Costings Menu Costings Supplier selection, portion control, stock and ordering system, selection, portion control, stock and ordering system, Supplier wastage control, forecasting. wastage control, forecasting. Menu Design and Planning Menu Design and Planning Size menu, range and nature dishes, operational efficiencies, of of menu, range and nature of of dishes, operational efficiencies, Size skill levels, celebration menus, commonality ingredients. skill levels, celebration menus, commonality of of ingredients. Stock Management Stock Management Review stock control system, stock sheet design. of of stock control system, stock sheet design. Review Kitchen Design and Equipment Kitchen Design and Equipment equipment suitability, general condition and Work-flow, Work-flow, equipment suitability, general condition and compliance. legislative compliance. legislative Post – EHO Visit Support Post – EHO Visit Support Trouble-shooting support following recommendations from Local Authority. Trouble-shooting support following recommendations from Local Authority.

In this guide I have tried to highlight the basic skills and first steps needed to start or upgrade a successful food offer. But of course nothing stands still and as your food offer grows I am sure you will have many more food questions that need answering. We are always trialing and testing new food innovation in the industry. If you would like to take part in on-going projects please let me know? For specific food related queries you can always contact me, Ben Bartlett, Food Development Manager, directly by phone on 07717 361509 (fax 0870 131 6031) or email at ben.bartlett@s-n.com, or write to me at... Scottish & Newcastle Pub Company Broadway Park South Gyle Broadway Edinburgh EH12 9JZ I will always endeavour to answer your specific food questions as promptly as possible and if I can’t I will try and direct you to someone who can!

General Troubleshooting General Trouble-shooting Recruitment, managing sales growth. Recruitment, managing sales growth.

For general food issues please contact your Business Development Manager in the first instance and if he cannot help he will pass your query on to me. Finally don’t forget to register with our new food website, www.snpcfood.co.uk where you will find the answers to many food queries.

Full-daySessions Sessions(6(6hrs) Full-day hrs) from £260+VAT

All that remains is for me to wish you every success in your food venture. Good food is, after all, one of life’s great pleasures and I am sure you will find your food offer provides a fun, and highly profitable, new income for your pub business.

Kitchen Start-Up Kitchen Start-Up Working alongside catering staff either a run-through Working alongside thethe catering staff either asas a run-through or or onon thethe first day service. first day of of service. Kitchen Troubleshooting Kitchen Trouble-Shooting Observing catering operation order determine which areas Observing thethe catering operation in in order to to determine which areas can become more efficient and therefore profitable. can become more efficient and therefore profitable. hoc Practical Support AdAd hoc Practical Support Practical catering support a site-specific basis. catering support onon a site-specific basis. Practical book a site visit please call 07717 361 509 ToTo book a site visit please call 07717 361 509 email ben.bartlett@s-n.com or or email ben.bartlett@s-n.com

LOCAL FOOD ROADSHOW Please ask your BDM for details.

44 Your guide to profitable food sales

Notes

Useful websites Scottish & Newcastle Pub Enterprises

Suppliers (see also our Suppliers Directory on page 28)

www.snpcfood.co.uk

www.brake.co.uk

www.s-npubcompany.co.uk

www.brakesce.co.uk www.booker.co.uk/snpe

Government

www.cafebar.co.uk

www.food.gov.uk

www.theschwanfoodcompany.com

www.scoresonthedoors.org.uk

www.chicagotown.com

www.jumbucks.com www.mjseafood.com www.nestleprofessional.com www.menushop.co.uk www.peeks.co.uk www.chalkboardsuk.co.uk www.russums-shop.co.uk www.stalbridge-linen.com www.3663.co.uk

46 Your guide to profitable food sales