DO YOU NEED MORE USABLE SPACE OUTSIDE?
IRIS OUTDOOR ROOM You could trade all year with this outdoor room. Great for social distancing rules. For more information or a formal site survey please contact: 01223 915822 | www.Lanai-commercial.co.uk
CONTENTS
FEATURES
APRIL 2021
30
NEWS 04
Interview: Ash Finch, Head Chef at The Farrier
40
Henley Bridge expands gelato range & “scoops” category first
16 Vegan & Plant-Based Feature - By Louise Palmer-Masterton
CONTACTS
Editor Maria Lapthorn – editor@restaurantindustry.co.uk
Editorial Assistant Francesca Amato – editorial@restaurantindustry.co.uk Production/Design Laura Whitehead – design@restaurantindustry.co.uk
Shelley sandzer secures first permanent site for Sidechick
35
Sales Manager Chris Lewry – chris@restaurantindustry.co.uk Sales Executive Abi Ashworth – sales@restaurantindustry.co.uk Accounts Richard Lapthorn – accounts@restaurantindustry.co.uk Circulation Manager Leo Phillips – subs@restaurantindustry.co.uk Phone: 01843 808 115
Website: www.restaurantindustry.co.uk Twitter: @ri_social
Lapthorn Media Ltd: 5-7 Ozengell Place,
Eurokent Business Park, Ramsgate, Kent, CT12 6PB
Jimmy Lee announces new ‘Salt & Chilli Oriental’ Every effort is made to ensure the accuracy and reliability of material published in Restaurant Industry News however, the publishers accept no responsibility for the claims or opinions made by advertisers, manufactures or contributors. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, mechanical, electronic (including photocopying) or stored in any information retrieval system without the prior consent of the publisher.
April 2021 | Restaurant Industry News | 03
COMPANY NEWS
HENLEY BRIDGE EXPANDS GELATO RANGE AND “SCOOPS” CATEGORY FIRST Premium ingredients supplier Henley Bridge is dramatically expanding its ice cream and gelato range to meet growing demand for specialist products and flavours. The company has added 113 new products from Italian gelato experts Rubicone to its listing to give customers more choice, and is fast becoming the UK’s go-to supplier for all things gelato. The new additions include a wide choice of flavouring pastes and powders - including lemon cookie, apple pie, wild berries and dulce de leche - and rippling sauces, such as chocolate profiterole, sour cherry, peach and orange, and butterscotch. Other additions include a black charcoal waffle mix and ruby chocolate flavour cream. Steve Carrigan, gelato and ice cream technician for Henley Bridge, said: “Today’s consumers are demanding more premium treats and we’re seeing a lot more artisanal gelato and dessert parlours opening up in the UK. In addition, restaurants, bars and cafes are also recognising the financial benefits of having a bespoke gelato offering. “Social media channels, particularly Instagram, are fuelling interest in weird and wonderful flavour combinations and creations in the gelato category, and our new range extension and menu development facility will help support our customers to keep on track with changing trends, as well as help them to push the boundaries in terms of their own innovation.” To mark the launch of the new products, Steve and fellow Henley Bridge ice cream
and gelato technician Mark Eastman have created 18 gelato recipes which are all accessible via the company’s website www.hbingredients.co.uk. They include saffron and honey cremini; strawberry Eton Mess; kefir and lime gelato; licorice and blackberry, eggnog, Turkish Delight, plus a range of refreshing sorbets. The range extension coincides with the launch of Henley Bridge’s dedicated ice cream and gelato magazine, The Scoop, a bi-annual publication aimed at providing industry insight and inspiration for customers. The launch issue includes recipes inspired by the forthcoming Olympic Games in Japan and a focus on the growing popularity of soft serve gelato. Mark Eastman commented: “Having our own bespoke ice cream and gelato magazine provides a brilliant tool for us to communicate our ever-expanding range to our customers and keep them up to speed with the latest trends and techniques. We are constantly developing new recipes and
SPITALFIELDS SMOKEHOUSE HOTBOX WELCOMES BACK EXECUTIVE HEAD CHEF LEWIS SPENCER HotBox are thrilled to announce the return of Lewis Spencer who re-joins the company this month as Executive Head Chef. Having been a key element in the development of the HotBox brand from its street food roots back in 2012, Lewis’ return signals a shift in focus towards HotBox all-fire cooking roots. Lewis is joining
04 | Restaurant Industry News | April 2021
the magazine will allow us to share these on a regular basis.” In addition to Rubicone, Henley Bridge is also a leading supplier of the Irca Joygelato range of ice cream and gelato products.
ahead of refurbishments taking place on the restaurant’s interior, as well as an update to the much-loved menu. Details to follow early next month. HotBox is a modern smokehouse with a collective effort to source the best possible ingredients with Lewis’ return bringing a renewed focus on provenance and quality. His food centres around low and slow meat cookery, with classics such as pork ribs and wood-fired chicken being key elements on the menu. Side dishes will also take center stage, with dishes like charred pointed cabbage with olive oil & cider spritz benefitting from the char and smokey flavour of the grill.
COMPANY NEWS
D&D LONDON RECOGNISED FOR COMMITMENTS TO COVID-19 TRAINING D&D London is the proud winner of the Springboard Award of Excellence for Best Internal Covid-19 Training Program.
QUICKE’S UNVEILS FLAVOUR MAPPING PROJECT, A NEW FRAMEWORK FOR TASTING CHEESE
the big differences between artisan cheddar and mass-produced block cheddar. Going above and beyond the reductive 1-5 strength rating that is so often associated with Britain’s favourite cheese, the story of the pastures and the seasons at Home Farm is perfectly encapsulated within the Quicke’s Cheddar Tasting Box, with all wedges now coming with their own flavour map.
Devon-based clothbound cheddar producer, Quicke’s has launched a new framework to enhance the world’s appreciation of cheese.
Illustrating the breadth and complexity that can be achieved from working in harmony with the land, the flavour maps attest to the powerful influence of the aging process and the unique microflora within Quicke’s cheese stores. The 3-month matured Buttery Clothbound Cheddar begins with an initial taste of fresh milk, with buttery notes carrying through from mid taste to after taste, joined by peeled almond at the finish. At the other end of the scale, the 24-month matured Vintage Clothbound Cheddar has a caramel sweetness running through the full flavour journey, accompanied by umami halfway through the initial taste and featuring buttery, sharp and salty notes along the way.
Responding to a growing interest in artisan and farmstead cheese, the Flavour Mapping Project has been undertaken to chart the full tasting journey, from Initial Taste to Mid Taste to After Taste, providing a simple tool for cheese lovers to immerse themselves even more deeply into the eating experience. Having now mapped the tasting notes of its full range of clothbound cheeses, Quicke’s hopes to shine a spotlight on
Announced on Thursday 18th March, the hospitality group is recognised for its dedication to the safety of both staff and visitors; a feat all the more impressive considering their expansive portfolio of 43 hospitality venues. With the pandemic wreaking havoc in the sector, D&D London acted fast, hosting a series of webinars and developing detailed and contextual online training resources for their 1200+ workforce. The results were standout and benefits were quickly felt from team to customers - “The restaurant team were very covid-safe and always ensured everyone was following guidelines.” (Customer feedback through Sevenrooms) Coming in just in time for the resurgence of hospitality, COO of the group, David says of the win: ‘We are thrilled with the recognition from Springboard, and I must extend the win to the entire team at D&D London, their dedication and hard work in a time of such overwhelming uncertainty was unwavering. It is the perfect way to punctuate the new beginning we have been so looking forward to.’ The Springboard judges said that ‘D&D London demonstrated a complete all rounded approach to safely training staff and re-opening sites’. They were impressed with the incredible feedback of staff, who not only felt safe with the procedures in place but had a firm understanding in their own role to play in the overall process.
April 2021 | Restaurant Industry News | 05
COMPANY NEWS
STEM & GLORY MOVE TO A NEW, LARGER SITE IN CAMBRIDGE Vegan restaurant brand Stem & Glory is moving to a new larger site at the prestigious CB1 site in central Cambridge, part of the city’s burgeoning new business and cultural quarter. The award-winning plant-based restaurant will take up the ground floor in one of Cambridge’s largest office buildings at 60 Station Road. The restaurant, which has been designed by world renowned designer, Afroditi Krassa, fronts Station Road, just metres from Cambridge railway station, and has a large outdoor terrace. Supported by a generous landlord package and a capital grant from Cambridge & Peterborough Combined Authority the site will open end May 2021.
“We survived and thrived during 2020, and we are looking forward to resuming our expansion plans in 2021 and beyond. We feel very fortunate to have had the amazing support of our customers and our 1200 strong investor community throughout the past year.”
At this new site Stem & Glory will offer its new vegan pizza concept (currently piloting on the Stem & Glory online store) alongside its healthy and innovative vegan menu, and will also feature breakfast and brunch offerings. The site is built to service both dining and off-site sales, which is a rapidly growing part of the business. Stem & Glory founder Louise PalmerMasterton said, “We have been looking for the perfect site in Cambridge for quite a while, after outgrowing our existing Cambridge site soon after opening. We’ve watched the amazing CB1 regeneration project grow over the past few years, and we are really looking forward to joining now that it is nearing its completion. For us, it’s the most exciting quarter in our home town of Cambridge”. Stem & Glory will join some of the world’s most successful brands at the
06 | Restaurant Industry News | April 2021
mixed use CB1 development, including Microsoft, Apple and Amazon. As well as the restaurant, Stem & Glory will provide a stylish cafe within the office building at 60 Station Road, which is also home to WeWork. “We survived and thrived during 2020, and we are looking forward to resuming our expansion plans in 2021 and beyond. We feel very fortunate to have had the amazing support of our customers and our 1200 strong investor community throughout the past year. Opening our doors again last year saw both our sites extremely busy, and we are feeling very optimistic for the rest of this year. With more and more people opting for healthier lifestyles post Covid, we see our expansion as a fantastic opportunity to help people live healthier and more compassionate lives.” Said Palmer-Masterton.
FOR ALL YOUR ACOUSTIC SOLUTIONS Helping you create the spaces your customers will want to relax in Reduce unwanted noise Soften room acoustics Create intimate spaces Improve privacy Unique interiors Bespoke design Contact us to discuss your ideas +44 (0) 1580 230980 info@viska-acoustics.com
NICOTINE POUCH
What is Nordic Spirit? • 100% tobacco-free nicotine pouch for a full-strength nicotine experience
• The UK’s leading tobacco-free nicotine pouch brand*
• Available in Mint, Bergamot Wildberry and Elderflower, in varying strengths - including Regular, Strong and Extra Strong in Mint
• The fastest growing nicotine pouch brand in the UK over the last 12 months*
• The product has a gum base, which allows the pouch to fit comfortably under the top or bottom lip • Nordic Spirit has an RRP of £6.501 *
Why stock it?
1. Hospitality owners are of course free to sell JTI products at whatever price they choose.
• The nicotine pouch category in the UK is growing and is now worth approximately £11.2 million a year* • Already built a strong consumer reputation by winning the nicotine pouch category* in the Product of the Year Awards for 2020
HOW TO USE IT 1
2
POP UNDER YOUR LIP Position the pouch to the side for a more comfortable fit
3
TINGLING SENSATION This lasts around 15 minutes
4
ENJOY A fresh nicotine experience that lasts for up to an hour
DISPOSE RESPONSIBLY Use a non-recycling bin or the handy container at the top of the can
A NEW EXPERIENCE FOR YOUR CUSTOMERS
BENEFITS FOR HOSPITALITY • Customers are looking for alternative nicotine products that can be used for when smoking and vaping might not be possible • Nordic Spirit is discreet and easy to use, without smoke, vapour or odour • No need to leave the premises, it is perfect for use inside restaurants, bars, cafés and hotels • Presents an additional profit opportunity for operators as demand grows
Kieran Marsh, Portfolio Manager at JTI UK: Since launching in the UK in 2019, Nordic Spirit range has gone from strength to strength in traditional retail thanks to having a quality product which meets consumer demand. Moving into the hospitality space is a new venture for us, and we’re sure it will be a beneficial move for our new partners across the sector. We want the new relationships we forge to be collaborative and create the best possible results, and our team is on hand to help. We look forward to working together and are excited about what the future will bring.
SCAN TO REGISTER
YOUR INTEREST AND
**
CLAIM YOUR
FREE SAMPLE
*For verification and sources contact us at nordicspirit.co.uk/contact. **Winner Nicotine Pouch Category, Survey of 9,865 people by Kantar. Dec 2020
Excellent
RESTAURANT DESIGN PROJECT
OWIU STUDIO UNVEILS “RAPPU,” SINGAPORE’S LARGEST OMAKASE BAR LOCATED IN THE TANJONG PAGAR DISTRICT Restaurant Industry News explores this newly designed restaurant that encapsulates a dynamic design structure that allows for functionality as well as showcasing unique design elements that create the ‘wow’ factor. OWIU Studio, the architecture and design studio founded by Amanda Gunawan and Joel Wong in 2017, officially unveils its latest restaurant project, RAPPU, in Singapore’s vibrant Tanjong Pagar district. The 36-seat RAPPU is a new omakase sushi bar concept by The Feather Blade group and offers a striking design worthy of the largest venue of its kind in Singapore.
10 | Restaurant Industry News | April 2021
RESTAURANT DESIGN PROJECT On RAPPU’s dining floor, OWIU Studio’s parametric optimizes guest and staff circulation while at the same time enabling kitchen to dining room flow. A customized 20 meter-long-steel profile RGB LED light wraps the space above the counter, mimicking the overall profile of the bar. The light syncs with music and changes color overtime as the day progresses. RAPPU is a specialty hand roll omakase sushi concept that has officially opened its inaugural location in Singapore. “Omakase” is the Japanese word for “chef’s choice” and is a common concept in traditional sushi bars. Omakase is centered around a bar behind which a chef serves his or her customers directly. An ambitious idea and the first of its kind, the design concept for RAPPU’s dining bar features a single continuous piece of quartz bar spanning nearly 20-meters long.
Housed in a heritage-preserved shophouse on Duxton Road, in the commonly referred to as the neighborhood with a bustling dining and bar scene, OWIU Studio’s design for RAPPU is based around the preservation of two shophouses and transformation into one structure. With the intention to preserve the charm of the heritage shophouse, OWIU Studio maintained the exposed timber ceiling beams and raw concrete flooring to still showcase the industrial-chic aesthetic of the original space while reimagining it as a chic restaurant. RAPPU’s sushi bar counter boasts 36 seats that make it the largest sushi omakase bar in Singapore.
and burger into bite size izakayas. The former is aptly named the Beef Bomb, an explosion of smoked quail egg awaits as diners savour familiar flavors of sukiyaki wagyu beef, garlic chips, and furikake. RAPPU’s name takes on two meanings: In Japanese, the term refers to rap and hip-hop music bringing the likes of Wu-Tang Clan to Kendrick Lamar to the state-of-the-art sound system across the restaurant. Another meaning of rappu is wrap, and hence, the RAPPU restaurant will offer “onigiris” and tea for breakfast, and seaweed tacos as an izakaya bar snack. In addition to RAPPU’s interior architecture design, OWIU Studio assisted in the new restaurant’s overall branding and visual touchpoints, including working closely with top Indonesian ceramicist Ayu Larasati on designing custom ceramics and other wares.
Echoing The Feather Blade group, RAPPU’s main dining menu is laser-focused and features a set offering of 6 rolls ($36) with premium toppings that include Kanpachi (Amberjack), Engawa (Fluke Fin), and Toro (Tuna Belly). For diners seeking additional indulgence, the decadent High Roller ($28) features wagyu beef or toro, topped with uni, caviar, ikura, and gold flakes, served aptly with gold flakes sake. Thirsty diners can also pair with each roll with a curated list of sakes ($18 for a flight of 6) whilst Japanese inspired tipples, such as Umami Old Fashioned and GinZu, provide refreshing alternatives (ranging from $10 to $16). A running theme on RAPPU’s izakaya menu will be collaborations with other restaurants. To kick things off, The Feather Blade will reconstruct its famed gyudon
PHOTOS: © FINBARR FALLON
For RAPPU’s industrial-chic aesthetic and ambitious design, OWIU Studio developed various creative solutions to accommodate the existing architectural constraints and showcase the restaurant’s signature 36seat omakase bar. The studio’s approach required creating a six-meter-long (19.6 feet) opening through 0.3 meters-wide load-bearing brick and installing a new steel post and lintel system on a new foundation to support the structure. The result is a dramatic open space with a continuous quartz bar that spans nearly 20 meters long, an ambitious idea and the first of its kind in Singapore. The dramatic dining surface is accented by a 20-meterlong steel LED lighting system suspended above the bar counter that mimics the bar’s shape and adds scale. The light syncs with music and illuminates the venue with dynamic color as the day progresses.
April 2021 | Restaurant Industry News | 11
INTERIOR DESIGN FEATURE
RESTAURANT INTERIOR DESIGN IN A SOCIALLY DISTANCED WORLD Almost a year on from when COVID19 changed the game for businesses across the world, it’s clear that we aren’t going to see a return to normality for some time. With restaurants currently closed and the hospitality industry undeniably one of the hardest hit sectors, it is crucial venues are diversifying to provide a welcoming and secure environment to attract customers when they reopen. Scarlett Blakey, founder of Ophelia Blake Interior Design, shares how clever interior design tweaks can make a restaurant more inviting to guests: Space planning This is the most crucial element in ensuring that guests feel comfortable whilst maintaining the distance required, and this period where restaurants are unable to open is a good time to make sure it is right. Before doing anything else, take a look at the space available and how best to maximise it without compromising on safety. Things to
and practical options that help prevent viruses. The power of plants Plants have been a big trend in interior design for a while now, but using planting displays for their natural benefits helps to create a clean, breathable environment. Plants reduce the CO2, help to filter out pollutants and purify the air we breathe. Opt for dangling English Ivy or large palms to reap the most benefits. Plus, they look great and are a fantastic option for filling newly created space that may otherwise make the room feel bare.
consider include how guests will move around the space, both to the table and to the bathroom facilities, and how to make every table feel significant whilst distanced. It’s also vital that restaurants offer varied seating options for a range of guests, as well as for those who just want a drink or prefer a sit-down meal. Antibacterial fabrics If you have the scope to do so, investing in an antibacterial fabric on any upholstered surfaces will help you stand out and provide extra peace of mind to customers. Antibacterial fabrics have been around for a while, but have never been as relevant as they are now. Brands such as Everclean and Panaz offer stylish
12 | Restaurant Industry News | April 2021
Upgrade your screens They’re not going anywhere, so why not take the opportunity to make a feature out of the screens separating tables? Opt for glass screens with feature coloured glass instead of the common plastic ones to maintain a luxurious feel and add design notes where possible with planting troughs and decoration. They don’t need to be an eyesore! Al fresco dining A desirable selling point that should be a priority for businesses who have previously had an outdoor area as an afterthought. If guests still feel uncomfortable dining inside, it gives the option to dine outside, which is particularly important as we move back towards the warmer months. It is important we provide guests with the same special dining experience as they would receive inside restaurants. Things to consider enhancing this experience are using decorative planters to divide tables with high planters, use heaters, lighting
INTERIOR DESIGN FEATURE and comfortable seating to ensure guests still receive the same welcoming feel as if they were sat inside. Focus on front of house A warm and welcoming host point on arrival puts guests instantly put at ease, and that extends to the design. If guests are greeted at a beautifully designed waiter station, they will instantly feel comfortable and have a positive start to the experience. If the space doesn’t currently have one, it’s worth investing and created a feature out of it, so staff can still provide a personal service by showing guests to their table and create that WOW first impression. Lighting With the current regulations, it’s going to be hard for guests to still feel the same inviting, atmospheric dining experience. this can be achieved by using soft lighting on a dimmer system, so it can be altered to suit a daytime setting or an evening environment. You can add a music system to play background music and use soft furnishings in curtains and blinds to bring a softer light into the room. Natural materials Set to be a big interiors trend for 2021, we will see a lot of places implementing natural, organic materials into their restaurants and homes. With guests wanting to know more now than ever where materials and food are coming from, bringing natural materials into a restaurant will help with creating a clean, pure ambience that will further put guests at ease.
April 2021 | Restaurant Industry News | 13
DESIGN PROJECT
DEN INTERIORS UNVEILS SPECTACULAR AUTHENTIC BRAZILIAN RESTAURANT IN EAST YORKSHIRE, ENGLAND East Yorkshire-based design studio is behind the interior design of The Brazilian Churrascaria & Bar.
the main restaurant and a flamboyant floral wall to mark the main restaurant entrance.
The restaurant and bar are within in a beautiful, listed building built in 1884 situated on the glorious marina in Kingston upon Hull.
Emma explains, ‘The restaurant is so vast that we had to design and build the giant bespoke light fittings on-site to fill the
Emma Hare, of DEN Interiors, is behind the project’s design and explains that ‘The Brazilian Churrascaria & Bar is by far the most exciting project that I have had the pleasure of designing. The vibrant interior is reminiscent of Rio de Janeiro’s carnival atmosphere and will leave you wanting to samba your way home after an exquisite meal.’ The restaurant is split into 3 separate areas, has ceilings over 4 metres tall, and every inch of the space has been designed in great detail. Firstly, you are taken into the main bar area for drinks before being taken to your table. The bar features a theatrical water vapour fire with views through to
14 | Restaurant Industry News | April 2021
huge ceiling space. Our client completely trusted our vision for the restaurant and is absolutely overjoyed with the finished project. Even when we presented the idea of a giant exploded high-level gold cow and the wall of kissing cows, they trusted our judgement, and the result is fantastic.
DESIGN PROJECT To contact Den for any bar or restaurant project, please contact emma@deninterior.co.uk www.deninterior.co.uk The restaurant is looking forward to opening its doors to the public on May 18th. www.thebrazilian.co.uk contemporary Brazilian culture. Emma explains ‘it was really important to us that the artwork was created solely for this restaurant. Every element of the design is unique, and the artwork is a major part of the design and we knew that it had to be just perfect. We employed Emma Spencer Design to design the artwork, branding and menu design to ensure that the restaurant had an extremely strong brand, ready for expansion early on as we could see straight away the potential for the growth of this business model.’ Behind the artwork the walls are covered in bright clashing patterns reminiscent of Brazilian street fashion and carnival costumes.
We absolutely love making every single project that we ever design completely unique, and this one was so much fun to create.’
restaurant by Emma Spencer, an illustrator based in Paris. Den appointed Emma Spencer Design to create unique illustrations to depict traditional and
The entire design from the cuisine, beverages, interior design, and branding has been seamlessly developed to create the most authentic Brazilian experience for their patrons and will give a massive boost to the hospitality industry in Hull and the wider Yorkshire area. The Brazilian Churrascaria & Bar is the latest interior design project by award winning designers Den Interiors.
The main dining area is split into 2 rooms. The first being the grand dining area, with a split level for guests to sit and overlook the beautiful marina. The second room is slightly smaller but has luxurious features, including suspended monkey lights hiding within a rainforest ceiling feature and another water vapour fire feature. A rodizio experience is predominantly about experiencing different cuts of meat marinated with the most unbelievable Brazilian flavours. Still, this restaurant has developed a fantastic vegetarian, pescatarian, and vegan menu as they wanted to ensure that everyone could experience this gorgeous venue, no matter their taste. All of the artwork within the restaurant has been created bespoke for the
April 2021 | Restaurant Industry News | 15
LATEST NEWS
UNIVERSAL ROBOTS POWERS THE WORLD’S FIRST ROBOTIC KITCHEN Universal Robots is pleased to announce its partnership with Moley Robotics, the creator of the world’s first robotic kitchen. Moley has chosen Universal Robots’ world-leading collaborative robot (cobots) arms to provide the dexterity and accuracy needed the world’s first consumer robotic kitchen. Moley’s robotic kitchen was unveiled to the consumer market on 6th December.
life. But for us at Universal Robots, it’s been great to see our collaborative robots being deployed in such an innovative way,” commented Mark Gray, UK Sales Manager at Universal Robots.
Moley’s robotic kitchen is designed to allow customers to enjoy a wide-variety of healthy dishes, no matter how busy they are. Each kitchen integrates two Universal Robots’ cobot arms, to allow the system to mimic human movements, and carry out the complete array of programmable cooking processes.
The main components of the robotic kitchen comprise of robotic hands, engineered to learn from human movement, attached to two cobot arms. The system creates dishes from a database of hundreds of recipes, as well as having the ability to learn new recipes. The complexity of these recipes meant that 6-axis cobot arms were the perfect solution to complement the rest of the system – as ease of programming and the
“I’m sure Moley’s robotic kitchen will mark the beginning of a more autonomous home
“The ground-breaking work Moley is undertaking really illustrates the varied capabilities of our cobots. With the right programming they can be set to any task.”
SHELLEY SANDZER SECURES FIRST PERMANENT SITE FOR LOCKDOWN SUCCESS, SIDECHICK Roast Chicken concept, Sidechick, will be opening its very first Central London restaurant this May. The 1,200 sq ft space at 56 James Street was secured by leading specialist UK leisure property agency, Shelley Sandzer, on behalf of the brand. Split over two floors with an open kitchen and dining area ground level and a second dining room below, the restaurant will seat 50 covers indoors
and 20 outdoors. The spine of the offering will be juicy corn-fed roast chicken, with seasonal vegetables, salads, and flatbreads cooked over coals playing an equal counterpart. Sidechick will have a drinks menu focused on showcasing natural and biodynamic wines, and cocktails designed specifically to complement the food. The brainchild of Patty and Bun founder, Joe Grossman, Sidechick is a concept
built-in safety measures means they are well suited to take on a wide-variety of different tasks. that was established as a delivery-only brand during national lockdown earlier this year, inspired by a sense of home, and the experience of dining with friends and family. The first bricks and mortar restaurant is located next-door to Patty and Bun Marylebone, which has in part influenced the name. Sidechick founder, Joe Grossman, commented: “This site is absolutely perfect for Sidechick’s first foray into bricks and mortar dining, next-door to sister restaurant Patty & Bun Marylebone, also a debut location, having opened back in 2012. The overwhelmingly positive response to our delivery-only service during the Spring-Summer 2020 lockdown encouraged us to source a permanent location for the concept, which Shelley Sandzer have helped us secure. Hospitality faces an uncertain future, so we are doing all we can to create jobs and bring diners new concepts to look forward to in the coming weeks, months, and years.” Ted Schama, Managing Partner at Shelley Sandzer, added: “We have played our part in the expansion of Patty & Bun, and are proud to advise Joe and his team on this new concept too. Pushing Sidechick into bricks and mortar at a challenging time for the industry is a real success story from the first lockdown, highlighting the adaptability, creativity, and innovative qualities in hospitality.” Shelley Sandzer acted for Sidechick, BGP acted for the landlord BMO Real Estate Partners.
16 | Restaurant Industry News | April 2021
StableTable® Nouveau™ When tradition meets innovation
StableTable® Nouveau is a selfstabilising design table steeped in tradition. With its soft curves, understated Scandinavian appeal and updated contemporary lines, the table stands out as a design classic. True to our Swedish design heritage, form goes hand in hand with functionality. The table stand firmly in place thanks to the® unique, patented StableTable technology inside. It will never wobble as it automatically adjusts to both bumps and grooves up to 25 mm. Developed to meet the aesthetic needs of modern cafés, bistros, bars and restaurants. StableTable Nouveau may have a foldable top and is stackable. The handle makes it easy to carry and lock. Produced in Sweden and fully recyclable.
®
“No more wobbly tables!” www.stabletable.se - info@stabletable.se
ZICO LIGHTING
PHOTOS: ADAM LYNK, © THE MAYFAIR TOWNHOUSE
SHEDDING LIGHT ON THE MAYFAIR TOWNHOUSE A row of fifteen Georgian terrace houses have been reconfigured as one - a fusion of histories that is now The Mayfair Townhouse. Part of the Iconic Luxury Hotels group, it has been variously described as ‘Imaginative, flamboyant, witty, engaging and the quirky English home’. Kate & Sam Lighting Designers deserve some of the plaudits. With twenty five years of experience, the award-winning team are well known for their business projects as well as home lighting designs, and come highly recommended for their impeccable attention to detail, ability to work to customer specification and of course, the stunning results. Working on The Mayfair Townhouse project with the amazing interior designers Goddard
light to reflect the changes in natural daylight, moods and activities, further underpinning the luxurious designs and finesse of the surroundings. As you enter, the reception is welcoming and the Dandy cocktail bar itself tantalizing. The light invites your gaze to view and rest on the rich interiors. The ambience is instantly relaxing. Littlefair since March 2018, they have set the lighting scenes, washed the interiors with light, embraced the spaces and set the different moods from morning to night. At the Townhouse, the aesthetic is all important, but refinement and leisure have also been cultivated. It is the spirit of the Georgian dandy that influences the design process, with only the best accepted. When it comes to lighting, K&S used Zico Lighting’s dimmable decorative lamps throughout the hotel to achieve the stunning finishing touches, deserving of this venue. Recognised in the industry for their excellent dimming capabilities and compatibility to dimming systems, Zico lamps offer seamless transition of
18 | Restaurant Industry News | April 2021
On the lower ground floor, there is no supporting sunlight, so lighting takes the lead. Wall detailing changes from morning bright white to evening soft white, layered with glowing pendants, up-lighting and picture lights. The gym is motivational. It employs simple, indirect lighting for low glare. All the bedrooms and suites are luxuriously comfortable. They allow for different moods down to the intimate bedside light. Bathrooms are both practical and enjoyable. The lighting caters for all the guest’s needs and compliments their activities adding to the overall enjoyment of their stay. For those in search of elegance, refinement and relaxation, The Mayfair Townhouse reopens its doors on 17th May and is well worth a visit.
SHINING A LIGHT ON THE WORLD'S MOST BEAUTIFUL INTERIORS Exceptional quality LED filament lamps, relied on by the world’s finest interior and lighting professionals. • CRI 95 • Ultra dimmable • Energy efficient
+44 (0) 207 223 3087
www.zico.lighting Zico Lighting, 3rd Floor, 207 Regent Street, London, W1B 3HH
EVENTS & AWARDS NEWS
BRAKES RETAINS SUSTAINABLE SUPPLIER OF THE YEAR AT THE FOOTPRINT AWARDS Holistic approach to CSR wins judges’ plaudits The 2ZERO20 pledge to remove black plastic packaging initiative, community support programme and waste reduction programmes were among the key reasons that saw Brakes, the UK’s leading foodservice supplier, scoop the Sustainable Supplier of the Year at the 2020 Footprint Awards, for the second consecutive year.
The judges praised Brakes’ holistic approach to CSR as it retained the award it first won in 2019. Janice Rockwell, CSR lead at Brakes, said: “Winning this prestigious award for the second year running highlights how integral CSR has become to our business. Our CSR Council is drawn from across the business and puts the microscope on every aspect of our business as we look to continuously improve what we do. While we’ve taken the lead and driven the sustainability agenda through our own initiatives, working in partnership with our suppliers, including packaging, transport and waste, we would welcome the industry working together as that’s how we will gain maximum environmental benefit and create long-term change.” In alignment with parent company, Sysco, the world’s leading foodservice distributor,
Brakes strives to deliver superior products and services to customers in a way that balances the needs of people, products and planet. This approach was central to Brakes’ success at the Footprint Awards, with judges recognising initiatives that included: • Brakes 2ZERO20 campaign, which saw the company remove all hard-to-recycle black plastics from its supply chain, equating to more than 1,000 tonnes a year. • The roll out of a new refrigeration system to smaller depots, saving 225 tonnes of carbon • Becoming the first wholesaler to offer RSPO-accredited palm oil products • Initiatives to reduce waste and improve recycling across the business. Collecting the award on behalf of Brakes, CSR Council Member, Tori Hickson, said: “All our colleagues will be so proud that we’ve retained this hugely meaningful award, and that in such a difficult year we never reduced our focus on our CSR goals.”
“Our CSR Council is drawn from
across the business and puts the microscope on every aspect of our business as we look to continuously improve what we do.”
NEW PLANT-BASED FOOD AWARDS PUT TASTE FIRST The plant-based industry is growing rapidly and is supported by an unprecedented level of innovation, with new products that push the boundaries of taste entering the market every month. Now, the World Plant-Based Taste Awards 2021, created in association with Plant Based World Europe, have launched to celebrate the extraordinarily flavoursome foods that are pushing boundaries and captivating consumers. One of the first of its kind, the awards focus solely on the taste of a product. The awards encompass a range of categories, from meat, dairy and seafood alternatives to plant-based meal solutions, snacks and beverages, and present brands with the opportunity to be recognised officially as a taste sensation. Entries are now open across 12 categories, with five set to be judged live at Plant Based World Europe in London on 8th and 9th April. The foods submitted to these categories, which
include the best sausage and the best cheese, will be tasted and scored in front of a live audience by a panel of leading culinary experts. The winners will be announced on the second day of the event during the official World PlantBased Taste Awards Ceremony. Both established brands and exciting start-ups are encouraged to enter the awards to highlight their newest and best tasting innovations. The deadline for entries is 19th February 2021. Jonathan Morley, Managing Director at Plant Based World Europe, comments: “We are incredibly excited to be hosting the Plant-Based Taste Awards at Plant Based World Europe in 2021. “Taste is fundamental to our enjoyment of food and the plant-based sector has some of the most flavoursome products on the market right now. I can think of no better way to celebrate the incredible innovation taking place in this rapidly growing industry than with a dedicated awards platform.”
20 | Restaurant Industry News | April 2021
The full list of categories available for entry: 1. Best plant-based sausage (cooked) – LIVE 2. Best plant-based burger (cooked)– LIVE 3. Best plant-based chicken alternative (cooked) – LIVE 4. Best plant-based seafood (cooked)– LIVE 5. Best plant-based cheese (chilled)– LIVE 6. Best plant-based convenience meal (cooked) 7. Best plant-based milk (chilled) 8. Best plant-based yoghurt (chilled) 9. Best plant-based beverage (ambient/ chilled) 10. Best plant-based snack (ambient) 11. Best plant-based dessert (chilled/ frozen) 12. Best plant-based confectionery (ambient) To find out more information on the awards and how to enter, please visit http://www.plantbasedworldeurope. com/landing2.asp
EVENTS & AWARDS NEWS
COTSWOLDS DISTILLERY ANNOUNCES MASTER DISTILLER ACHIEVEMENT Cotswolds Distillery is delighted to announce Production Director, Nickolas Franchino, has been awarded the prestigious title of Master Distiller by the Institute of Brewing and Distilling (IBD).
NESTLÉ PROFESSIONAL 2021 TOQUE D’OR® COMPETITION HEATS SHORTLIST REVEALED Nestlé Professional has announced the shortlist of rising industry talent set to compete in the heats of the 2021 Toque d’Or competition. Despite the current climate, this year saw a record-breaking 956 entries from 40 individual colleges and 40 businesses looking to take part in the competition. This year’s Heats will welcome 112 students, apprentices, and young professionals from a wide range of colleges and employers across the country. Each candidate, lecturer and employer will receive an email from Nestlé Professional to indicate whether they have been successful. Katya Simmons, Managing Director of Nestlé Professional UK&I, says: “In what has been a challenging year for hospitality, I am delighted with the standard of entries we have received.”
“The passion and dedication of each competitor is a credit to our industry, and I am excited to welcome them to the heats. We are proud to support the next generation and provide them with the opportunity to learn and grow in their career. Good luck to all of the 2021 competitors.”
The tasks for the heats have also been announced today. For Back of House, recently crowned winner of MasterChef: The Professionals, The Festive Knockout Louisa Ellis has challenged competitors to create their own vegetarian sauce to accompany her gnocchi dish and demonstrate why it is vegetarian, nutritional, and sustainable. Front of House competitors will need to create a non-alcoholic, mixed drink based on a high-quality Jasmine Green Tea. Educator and drinks expert Alison Taffs will be looking for competitors to consider the nutritional content in their drinks by keeping sugar levels to a minimum. With the increasing importance of the role of digital in the industry, all competitors will be asked to bring their dishes and drinks to life via a digital challenge. This will consist of creating a video, a series of stories and a post to present and promote their creations. All competitors will partake in a virtual cooking / drinks challenge on 15th April. Once complete, they will package their dishes / drinks for distribution through OLIO, the online platform that connects neighbours and businesses with each other to reduce food waste. Finalists will be announced on 30 April 2021.
The IBD Master Distiller qualification is the world’s highest level of recognition in the technical management of the distilling production process, through a combination of knowledge and experience and is the culmination of many years of learning and putting science into action. “This is an incredible achievement,” says Cotswolds Distillery Founder, Daniel Szor, “and we are incredibly proud of Nick’s hard work and dedication over several years of gruelling study to achieve the pinnacle of professional distilling qualifications.” Nick has been involved with the development of The Cotswolds Distillery since its inception by Daniel Szor, whom he met at an IBD-led distilling course in Edinburgh. His interest in artisan spirits was piqued at an early age when tasting his Italian relatives’ homemade liqueurs and spirits. “I am really looking forward to continuing with my distilling journey at Cotswolds Distillery and creating new and exciting expressions,” says Nick Franchino.
Timeline: • Heat task communicated – 26 March • Virtual cooking challenge to take place - 15 April • Finalists announced – 30 April • Grand finals hosted – w/c 28 June • Awards (on the last day of the finals) w/c 28 June • Awards broadcast – July 2021
April 2021 | Restaurant Industry News | 21
RYAN RILEY INTERVIEW
Restaurant Industry News speaks with Life Kitchen’s Ryan Riley on the launch of his new book Taste & Flavour, for people suffering loss of taste and smell as a result of Covid-19
Firstly, congratulations on the launch of the new cookbook! It is amazing that this is particularly for those suffering loss of taste and smell as a result of Covid-19, tell us a bit more as to why this inspired you to create the cookbook? We’ve been working with taste loss caused by cancer treatment for years now, people kept coming to us asking if we could help, we knew we had to do something but it took some time to bring together the research, support and finances, writing books is expensive! Your work at Life Kitchen is truly inspiring; please tell us more about what Life Kitchen is and how it helps people. Life Kitchen is a free cookery school that helps cancer patients enjoy food again. Cancer treatment can often take away the pleasure in food and we simply couldn’t let that happen, both myself and my co-founder Kim lost our mothers to cancer, so we knew the problem well, Life Kitchen was born to help people enjoy food again. What motivates you to support people through cookery? When I lost my mother, my life felt empty, to an extent it still does, but I wanted to give back, food brings me the most joy, so it felt right to try to help others. Continued...
22 | Restaurant Industry News | April 2021
INTERVIEW
RECIPE: APPLE AND GINGER LOLLIES WITH SHICHIMI TOGARASHI DIP MAKES 6 • 300ml (101/2fl oz) cloudy apple juice • 50g (13/4oz) golden caster (superfine) sugar • 4–5cm (11/2–2in) fresh ginger, peeled and grated • shichimi togarashi, for dipping Pour the apple juice into a small saucepan over medium heat and add the sugar and grated ginger. Stir well for about 3–4 minutes, until the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat, allow to cool completely (about 30 minutes), then pour the mixture into ice-lolly moulds. Transfer the lollies to the freezer to set (about 3–4 hours). To serve, run the moulds briefly under a hot tap, then remove the lollies. Dip the ends into a bowl of the shichimi togarashi (or sprinkle it over) for an extra flavour hit.
Many are still suffering or going through this, how can the cookbook help people? We looked at some of the world’s first research from the likes of professor Barry smith, charities such as AbScent and Altered Eating and our own independent testing to research trigger ingredients, things like garlic, onions, roasted meats and more have been found to be deeply unpleasant tasting to long Covid suffers, so we used this base information to create delicious recipes with our signature Life Kitchen flavour principals. Talk us through one of the recipes in the book and what ingredients are used. The apple and ginger ice lollies with shichimi togarashi dip is such a simple recipe but designed to be extremely refreshing, the shichimi togarashi dip is the perfect blend of spice, citrus and savouriness, giving the palate a boost of flavour at every opportunity. How important was it to ensure research was carried out in order to create specific recipes? Life Kitchen has always been based in science so this was no different for us, Professor Barry Smith has been part of the LK team since the beginning and when we heard he was working on one of the world’s first pieces of early research we knew we had to use it wisely.
“The apple and ginger ice lollies with shichimi togarashi dip is such a simple recipe but designed to be extremely refreshing, the shichimi togarashi dip is the perfect blend of spice, citrus and savouriness, giving the palate a boost of flavour at every opportunity.”
How vital was the ingredient selection process? We tested hundreds of recipes but more importantly we had to carefully look at every ingredient and make sure none of them were trigger ingredients. Rediscovering food and what appeals to the palate can be difficult, how does Life Kitchen support people? We offer free recipes and cookery classes to people living with cancer and now Covid, it just seems right that we help everyone enjoy food again. Food can sometimes be underestimated in recovery, how can people become excited by food again? Eating without taste is without pleasure and that can be dispiriting, so cooking a visually interesting, delicious recipe that’s been tested and developed specifically to help people, that can give an emotional lift. How can people access the cookbook? The book is free to order at LifeKitchen.co.uk (£3 p+p)
24 | Restaurant Industry News | April 2021
Photography by Craig Robertson Food styling by Angela Boggiano Design by Lawrence Morton Edited by Judy Barratt Project management by Dayna Brackley and Shaun Riley Printed by Hardback Books
TECHNOLOGY FEATURE
TIPS AND TECH TRICKS TO GET COMFORTABLE WITH BEING UNCOMFORTABLE Dan Joyce, General Manager EMEA of SafetyCulture, explains how hospitality can tap into tech to ease the pain of new processes. After months spent in lockdown limbo, restaurants will soon be able to open their doors once more. With this gradual reopening plan comes a wave of enthusiasm as customers venture back to their favourite restaurants, keen to make up for lost time. Demand is high and so are customer expectations. In our line of work, we’ve seen firsthand how staying proactive is key in managing health and safety. But doing so involves a shift that’s bigger than ticking the compliance box — it means getting comfortable with being uncomfortable. In this new world, there are new rules. Fresh government guidelines require new processes to be put in place, most of which will be unfamiliar to both customers and employees. As the eyes and ears on the ground, staff members are best placed to implement such protocols. But our new reality also increases the potential for high-pressure situations, whether it’s balancing existing duties with new hygiene checks or managing a customer who is reluctant to comply with social distancing. Businesses will need to re-learn the ropes and do so quickly. Now more than ever, the hospitality sector is looking to technology to meet safety standards and manage the ongoing changes in operations. After all, the right tools can act as a buffer and a boon for staff as well as customers. Discomfort in the face of the new and unfamiliar is only human. Here’s how you can introduce ease into the process — and it starts by removing daily stressors and empowering staff members to take action. Get up to speed and on the same page Now is the time to consider what new training your staff need to do their best work. Providing guidance and clarity
is essential to reopening on the right foot. As guidelines continue to shift, retraining staff will become a key part of business. It goes without saying that most staff members in hospitality businesses often don’t have desks, computers, or corporate email accounts. In order to get everyone on the same page, consider introducing new safety training methods that lean into the ways people are consuming media. For instance, mobilefirst platforms featuring smaller chunks of information. When repeated often, these micro-lessons can help ingrain practices in memory. Confident staff lead to better customer experiences — it’s a win-win when everyone is up to speed. Dull the discomfort: use your venue as a mouthpiece for safety Make your venue work hard for you on the safety front so that your staff members aren’t the only mouthpiece for compliance. Reduce opportunities for negative interactions by using the space to your advantage, adding physical enhancements that make it easy for patrons to do the right thing. Details like displaying real-time safety checks, signage, sanitiser stations, and easily navigable layouts, allow your venue to become a safety signal. This frees up staff to focus on elevating the consumer experience in other ways — rather than their first interaction with customers being purely instructive. Instil confidence with the simplest of methods: the humble checklist Don’t underestimate how overwhelmed
your staff might be returning to work. Working environments are suddenly unfamiliar territory and learning new protocols compounds the pressure. Plus, missteps at work can come with big consequences in a pandemic. Help ease the mental load by making ways of working simple when it comes to COVID-safe protocols. Start with the humble checklist. It breaks down information into manageable chunks that people can act on. Simple checklists, repeated often, can be the most effective method for keeping on top of evolving compliance measures. Tech can make inroads for ease. Let digitisation do some of the heavy lifting for hospitality workers. Moving from paper to digital checks through a mobile-based platform like iAuditor helps make both dealing with safety and team accountability easy. With actionable tasks, employees have a clear endpoint to complete. Digital checklists eliminate red tape and effortlessly streamline the whole process from collation to analysis — and to action. Great hospitality always puts people at ease. Today’s circumstances may look different, but the aim remains the same even amid the pandemic. Hospitality businesses that make the unfamiliar easy for both their staff and their customers will gain their trust and ongoing patronage. Technology paves the way for that process. For more on how to reopen safely this spring, view SafetyCulture’s COVID-19 Resource Hub with free digitised COVID-19 guidance from governments and leading industry bodies.
April 2021 | Restaurant Industry News | 25
Revolutionise your hospitality business All the tech you need to successfully run your business
Easily manage reservations, EPoS, rotas and more – all in one solution.
From £299 up-front + £59 £49pm* Your core Access Juice software consists of: Access Collins Juice Easily manage reservations
Access EPoS Juice Set your business up to take transactions
Supported by world-class additional features: Access Tonic Quickly organise events
Access SODA Sell e-gift vouchers to your customers
Access Learning Lite Give your employees access to training
Find out more 0845 340 4542 hospitality@theaccessgroup.com www.theaccessgroup.com/juice
This Week’s Reservations
BOOK A HOLIDAY
Access TNA Juice Manage employee schedules and absenteeism
Access Right to Work Confirm a candidate's RTW status in less than 5 steps
*T&Cs apply. See website for more information
TECHNOLOGY FEATURE
THE VALUE OF TECHNOLOGY IN RESTAURANTS’ FIGHT AGAINST FOOD WASTE Danilo Mangano, General Manager Europe at SevenRooms, discusses technology’s integral role in combatting food waste in the restaurant industry Driven by consumer demand and sustainability awareness, food waste in the hospitality industry has been thrust into the spotlight in recent years. Yet, despite it being a high priority for consumers, around a fifth of all food produced worldwide is thrown away – and 26% of this comes from the food service industry. While the hospitality sector has taken important steps in eliminating singleuse plastic, it has been less effective at addressing food waste to the same degree. In addition to environmental benefits, research has shown a clear financial advantage to eliminating even a small portion of the food waste restaurants generate. Sustainability organisation WRAP has found that over a three year period, for every £1 a restaurant invests in reducing food waste, they save an average of £7 in operating costs – a staggering 600% ROI. The prospect of a return like this is likely to be welcome news to operators who have been forced to close on-premise dining throughout the pandemic. Clearly, there is an environmental and economic need for restaurants to reduce food waste – and technology can help move the needle towards this goal. Many
restaurants use technology to manage day-to-day operations, including guest bookings and table management, but it’s less common to find operators that make full use of these platforms to learn where wastage can be avoided. In view of this, we have looked at ways in which restaurants can employ technology to its fullest capabilities, in order to optimise the guest experience while tackling the issue of food waste. Adjust supply orders according to customer data A major cause of food waste in restaurants is inaccuracy in supply ordering. Historically, it has been challenging for chefs to make precise predictions of the ingredients they will need on a given day, making over-ordering the norm. In the first few weeks after reopening, guest numbers are likely to fluctuate due to uncertainty and reduced capacity. Therefore, it will be more important than ever to have as precise an idea as possible of the supplies a restaurant will need – particularly when maximising profits and minimising costs will be top of mind following the lockdown.
With the right technology in place, restaurants can build a far more accurate picture of the guests that will be dining in and their preferences, which can in turn inform supply ordering. If a restaurant has a fully-integrated guest experience platform with the ability to capture data such as dietary requirements, preferences and order history, chefs and managers have a goldmine of information at their fingertips. This information can help restaurants to place more accurate, datadriven supply orders, reducing the amount of food that will be thrown away, and also continue to provide a positive diner experience that makes them feel valued and more likely to rebook. Imagine a restaurant, on average, orders and serves 20 orders of lamb chops in a typical dinner service. If one evening there is an influx of vegetarian guests, many of the lamb chops would go to waste. However, if the restaurant were to leverage the customer data from its guest experience platform, this situation can be avoided. Looking at the data, a restaurant manager may see that several of the guests booked in had dined in the restaurant before and are vegetarian – this can be factored into their meat orders from suppliers to avoid ingredients being thrown away. While on-premise dining has been unavailable during the lockdown, many customers have also continued to enjoy food from their favourite dining spots through takeaways. Restaurants that have facilitated their own direct online ordering, collection and delivery services have access to even more customer data as a result, which comes in useful when organising inventory. In a similar scenario to the above, if a customer has ordered a specific chicken dish for delivery over the past few months, chances are they are going to order it again when they can eat at the venue. This information can also be used to proactive plan food inventory orders.
28 | Restaurant Industry News | April 2021
TECHNOLOGY FEATURE Make changes to your offering Using diner data within a technology platform can be helpful in reducing the volume of food that is wasted. However, restaurants can go one step further by offering new ways for customers to engage with their business. In addition to offering delivery over the past few months, many hospitality operators also created digital retail storefronts to continue serving their customers – and this should continue through the post-COVID recovery period. Selling surplus food and ingredients is an effective and profitable way to help operators eliminate food waste. Plus, with many of the high-end restaurant suppliers largely inaccessible to the everyday consumer, this also provides customers with a unique opportunity to purchase these specialty items. Lockdown also saw the explosion of at-home meal kits, both from specialist companies and from well-known restaurants. Continuing to offer these kits with surplus ingredients is an easy way for
customers to connect with the brand if they still feel hesitant about dining on-premise. Restaurant customers are loyal: they want to support their favourite local dining spots, and they’ll likely feel good knowing their delicious meal is helping the environment by reducing waste, too. A proactive approach to food waste needs to be incorporated into business strategies upon reopening to ensure restaurants are minimising waste while maximising profits. These initiatives are only possible if operators own their customer data and direct relationships with their guests. Restaurants can only leverage a customer’s order history, check dining preferences, and access their contact information for marketing purposes if they have full access and ownership of this data. It’s time that restaurants started to turn to technology to better understand and better combat the problem of food waste. With today’s increasingly ecoconscious consumers, prioritising the environment ticks an important box that is likely to get more diners through your doors, more often.
MORE THAN 5000 HOSPITALITY AND LEISURE BUSINESSES UTILISE CARDSSAFE IN THE UK
The CardsSafe system is specifically designed to securely retain customer bank cards while the cardholder runs a tab. The wireless technology helps pubs, bars, and restaurants to increase spending by allowing secure tab-keeping and encouraging upselling. This simple solution gives peace of mind to customers and hospitality managers alike. CardsSafe also acts as an active deterrent against walkouts and can save restaurants hundreds of pounds by virtually eliminating this serious problem. Existing users report at least a 50% reduction in walkouts after they install CardsSafe units. Trusted by Hilton Hotels, Young’s pubs and numerous golf courses, CardsSafe is affordable and simple to use. “Average spend is up, and walkouts have virtually disappeared after we installed CardsSafe.” - Timothy, Bar Manager from Young’s pubs. For more information on how CardsSafe can help your business, please visit www.cardssafe.com
“Average spend is up and walkouts have virtually disappeared after we installed CardsSafe.” Timothy, Manager at Young’s Pubs
UK Rental Cost
0845 500 1040 sales@cardssafe.com
www.cardssafe.com
£9.95 per unit per month
One-off sign-up fee of
£39.95
prices ex. VAT + PP
Or contact the sales team on 0845 500 1040
RI321008 Cards Safe Quarter Page Edit.indd 1
31/03/2021 14:11:00
April 2021 | Restaurant Industry News | 29
ASH FINCH INTERVIEW
Restaurant Industry News interviews Ash Finch, Head Chef at the new neighbourhood restaurant & pub, The Farrier
How excited are you to get in the new restaurant and bring the menu to life? British produce is at the heart of the menu - it’s both the theme and the cuisine and a lot of our menu will focus on modern comfort food at it’s best. However in some elements, our menus also have links with Scandinavian methods; we make our own vinegars, we ferment our own Pearl Barley Koji and we are always considering what produce we can use that is locally sourced and foraged. What is the theme of the menu? What cuisine is the focus? British produce is at the heart of the menu - it’s both the theme and the cuisine. In some elements, our menus have links with Scandinavian methods; we make our own vinegars, we ferment our own Pearl Barley Koji and we are always considering what produce we can use that is locally sourced and foraged. Who or what inspires you? Throughout the course of my career, different well known Chefs have influenced my methods and passions, but as for inspiration – this comes from my first Head Chef and mentor, John Dicken. His work ethic, his passion, his own career (working in fine dining in London luxury hotels to running his own 3 fine dining restaurants). Continued...
INTERVIEW I wouldn’t say he was patient with me… but he took the time to make sure I delivered every dish to his high standards! To this day, I imagine what feedback he would give to each dish that I do. He is a true mentor and inspiration to me. What are your favourite ingredients to get creative with? Vegetables. I feel we have just scratched the surface with what we can achieve with them! Vegetables are so versatile and can be utilised in more ways than any meat and fish, and my menu showcases delicious, vibrant flavours from vegetables alone! They have been the wingman to meat & fish for so long, and I love creating dishes where vegetables taste so good, they steal the show. Alfresco dining is the focus for the opening. How will this help with the dining experience? For The Farrier personally, our outdoor dining is going to be a way for our customers to temporarily escape London and find that holiday feeling. Our Courtyard can accommodate 60 guests, and we have enhanced the space to include heaters, overhead covers and fire pits, so our guests will be able to enjoy the comfort of a warm, welcoming pub experience within the heart of Camden Market – what an experience! How important is seasonal produce? In my opinion, seasonal produce should be at the forefront of every menu’s development. Using seasonal produce ensures that ingredients are at their best quality, brings regular diversity to every menu and reduces your carbon footprint. Talk us through the menu, what are some standout elements?
Our standout element is the inclusive nature of our menu. We have developed a range of dining styles to accommodate all types of customers - from bar snacks to small plates and single main courses to sharing roasts. All dishes have been developed with the highest quality of ingredients and are bursting with flavour. What’s your favourite dish? Spring baby vegetables, smoked honey, burnt crème fraiche, dashi & wild mushroom broth. In it’s simplicity, it’s well balanced, has a depth of flavour contrasted with a freshness, and is perfect for Spring. How important is it to find the perfect wine pairing for different dishes? Wine pairing can enhance a dining experience. It can also completely change the flavour profile of a dish, or the wine itself. It’s extremely important that a wine is selected to compliment the flavours of the food, and for this reason, The Farrier does have a broad wine offering and professionals to assist in the ordering process.
32 | Restaurant Industry News | April 2021
How vital is it to create new dishes that bring a new modern edge that perhaps hasn’t been explored before? The hospitality industry is huge. People are always looking for something new to try, because its exciting! So as a Chef, it is extremely important to deliver a menu that excites and intrigues your customers and staff, and this is the motivation behind the creativity in The Farrier’s menu. In a few words, why should people head to The Farrier when lockdown lifts? The Farrier is set to become an iconic cornerstone of Camden and will promise the welcome and warmth of your neighbourhood local; something I think everyone’s been missing during the last year of lockdown. We’re serving up an exciting and diverse menu, incredible Sunday sharing roasts and an extensive selection of artisan and natural wines. If you’re looking for great food, a vibrant atmosphere and unique setting (we’re housed in a beautifully restored former horse hospital and stables buildings) we’re confident you’ll find it at The Farrier.
PEOPLE ON THE MOVE
HENRY HARRIS JOINS WRIGHT BROTHERS IN A NEW ROLE OF CHEF & BEVERAGE DIRECTOR Wright Brothers has appointed Henry Harris to a new role of Chef and Beverage Director. Harris’ role covers food, drink and service in Wright Brothers’ four restaurants, product development for Wright Brothers’ online “At Home” range, and as an ambassador for Wright Brothers’ wholesale business. This heralds a new Wright Brothers era as they introduce fabulous British steaks and meat - and the occasional flourish of Racine, Henry’s famous Knightsbridge restaurant which closed in 2015 alongside their signature seafood dishes. Henry will put his spin on Wright Brothers renowned seafood classics and add some new dishes to the
menu. These will be inspired by his wealth of experience from Harvey Nichols, the Harcourt Inns group, Racine and Bibendum. Co-founder Ben Wright says “We were extremely proud to have served Henry at Racine and even prouder today to be working with such an experienced and respected chef on this exciting new chapter for Wright Brothers. Henry shares our passion and vision for great food, drink and hospitality, as well as our values when it comes to nurturing talent and inspiring teams.” Henry Harris adds “After almost 20 years as a customer and friend of Wright Brothers I’m excited to be working with Ben, Robin and the teams in the dining rooms and kitchens to start a new chapter for Wright Brothers.”
Luxury Hotel Collection www.sleepeezee.com/contract contract@sleepeezee.com E V E R Y T H I N G’S E A S Y W H E N YO U S L E E P E E Z E E
April 2021 | Restaurant Industry News | 33
OPENINGS
ON A ROLL: SHELLEY SANDZER SECURES SECOND LONDON SITEFOR GORDON RAMSAY’S STREET BURGER Specialist property advisor in the hospitality sector, Shelley Sandzer, has announced the leasing of 24-28 Charing Cross Road in the heart of London’s West End to Gordon Ramsay’s Street Burger. The new 2,070 sq ft restaurant, spread over two floors, was designed to create an inviting and relaxed atmosphere, with street art inspired feature walls. The restaurant is set to open in April utilising outdoor seating. Street Burger debuted in St Paul’s in December 2020, with the new Charing Cross Road site the second for the brand in the capital. The menu will focus on seven statement burgers, with meat, vegetarian and vegan options. Made with ingredients sourced from UK providers and perfected by Gordon Ramsay over the course of the last 18 months. Shelley Sandzer represented the landlord, Gascoyne Holdings.
RICK STEIN OPENS NEW SPECIALITY COFFEE SHOP IN PADSTOW Rick Stein restaurants to open new coffee shop in partnership with Cornish speciality roastery, Origin Coffee. On 7 April Padstow is to welcome a brandnew speciality coffee shop in a prime site in the middle of the harbourside town. Working with Cornish-born world-class coffee roasters Origin Coffee, the Rick Stein Coffee Shop marks the arrival of the first speciality coffee shop in the area. Spearheaded by Charlie Stein – director of drinks across all Rick Stein restaurants – the launch aims to bring Cornwall some of the very best, ethically-sourced coffee from the Certified B Corporation roastery, and its global producer partners. Housed in the former Rick Stein Patisserie, the building has undergone a complete redesign by the family-owned restaurant group’s Directors of Design, Jill and Ed Stein. A mason and carpenter by trade, Ed Stein has built a stained wood service bar with bespoke zinc countertop – complementing exposed brick walls and the modern, paired-back style of the shop. Wooden benches sit in the shop’s windowfront overlooking the cobbled streets of Padstow, bringing a little LA café culture to Cornwall. The Rick Stein Coffee Shop brings a simple menu of premium single-origin coffee selected by Charlie and Origin. Three single-roast coffees will be used for each of the core milk-based, black and filter coffees. Championing exceptional quality, sustainably-sourced coffee, each cup will be uniquely influenced by the terroir of its origin, connecting drinker with producer.
34 | Restaurant Industry News | April 2021
The house filter coffee will change regularly, working with the best in season, and white-based espresso drinks will be made using 1942 family-farmed Das Almas from the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. Sourcing milk from the local St Ives dairy, Trink, and using industry-leading coffee machine, the La Marzocco KB90 with inbuilt portafilter, will make the Rick Stein Coffee Shop a destination for some of the very best coffee in the South West. Focussing on coffee-to-go, with a few tables for sit-in dining, the food menu will feature elevated all-day favourites. Locally baked sweet and savoury pastries like Cinnamon buns from Truro’s Da Bara Bakery, Reuben bagels and sandwiches filled with Local crab, Cornish gouda, Pork and warm apple chutney and Clam chowder and crusty rolls. There will be ice cream from the luxury soft-serve brand Happy Endings. The partnership with Origin is a natural fit – with two of Cornwall’s most establish and long-standing food and drink brands joining forces to champion the best of the county.
OPENINGS
TV CHEF JIMMY LEE ANNOUNCES NEW ASIAN STREET FOOD POP UP ‘SALT & CHILLI ORIENTAL’
CHEF DANIEL CALVERT ANNOUNCES EXCITING NEW PROJECT OPENING IN TOKYO THIS SUMMER Surrey-born Chef Daniel Calvert is to launch a brand new restaurant, Sézanne, at Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo at Marunouchi this June. Named after a small city in the Champagne-Ardenne region, the restaurant will showcase techniquedriven French cuisine, with a focus on classic flavour profiles featuring produce from across Japan. Calvert will oversee the boutique Hotel’s entire food offering with a more casual bistro bar also opening. Previously Head Chef of Belon in Hong Kong, Daniel won the restaurant a coveted Michelin star within two years of opening, making him Hong Kong’s youngest Michelin-starred chef. In 2018 the restaurant reached No.4 on Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants List. Prior to moving to Hong Kong, Daniel trained at three Michelin-starred Epicure in Paris and Thomas Keller’s Per Se in New York where he stayed for five years, holding the position of sous chef for three. Set against spectacular views of Marunouchi and Tokyo Station, the 40-cover restaurant will also feature an extensive champagne
list with an eclectic range of vintages available by the glass. Poised to become a go-to for epicures in Tokyo, Sézanne will offer a dynamic, technique-driven tasting menu in a refined yet approachable ambience.
A mash-up of East and West, Old and New and Salt and Chilli - a taste of Hong Kong’s frills-free street food is coming to Glasgow.
his team from award winning Lychee Oriental, Salt & Chilli Oriental will open in the former Ninja Turtles Pizzeria site at 911 Dumbarton Road.
Salt & Chilli Oriental is Cantonese street food reimagined, remastered, and given a playful twist.
From Tangy Peking Ribs and Chicken Satay with Spicy Dip to Bao filled Katsu Chicken or Pulled Aromatic Duck as well as the signature ‘Salt & Chilli Menu’ with options of Chicken, King Prawn, Crab, Calamari or Tofu Salt & Chilli - all served with Yutaka Slaw. The menu will be homely and hearty cantonsese with ‘small bites’ available for £5 and ‘big bites’ including Katsu Chicken Curry and Macau Beef Curry from £8.
The new pop-up on Glasgow’s Dumbarton Road will serve comforting Chinese classics alongside curious fusion concoctions, mixing conventional Hong Kong street food with a strong dose of modern Glasgow attitude. Spearheaded by Celebrity Chef Jimmy Lee and
Elwyn Boyles, former Executive Pastry Chef at Per Se, also joins the restaurant’s brigade. Daniel Calvert commented, “I’ve always been drawn to Tokyo so to be given the opportunity to work here is really every chef’s dream. I want to make sure that the highest quality is felt across the board, so whether you’re having breakfast in bed, a working brunch or a celebration dinner at our flagship restaurant, Sézanne, you can expect an impeccable standard of food and drink, along with deeply personalised service. It’s the smallest Four Seasons property in the world, and you can really feel that personality and sense of place throughout”. The Hotel’s food and beverage outlets are currently undergoing a dramatic renovation project led by Daniel in partnership with acclaimed interior designer, André Fu. Reservations for Sézanne will open in May 2021.
April 2021 | Restaurant Industry News | 35
OUTDOOR SPACE FEATURE
HOW HOSPITALITY VENUES CAN MAXIMISE THEIR OUTDOOR SPACE AHEAD OF RE-OPENING AFTER LOCKDOWN After a turbulent 2020 which saw the entire hospitality sector remain closed for the majority of the last 12 months, many establishments will be looking at ways to adapt their outdoor spaces in preparation for an influx of guests who may wish to dine and entertain al-fresco after the current lockdown restrictions begin to ease in just a few weeks’ time. Many restaurants, bars and cafes rely heavily on their outdoor space to set them apart from their competitors, so showcasing this space with high-quality external structures can help encourage guests to enjoy the outdoor amenities and surrounding views (no matter the weather), all whilst adhering to social distancing guidelines. Outdoor restaurants & dining With the virus less likely to spread in an open-air setting, adequate outdoor seating and service will encourage both alfresco and casual drop-ins at a time when other income streams are less feasible. The addition of licensed outdoor space will allow certain establishments to mitigate capacity and ensure that trade can continue in a responsible, measured, and safe manner. By taking full advantage of all available outdoor space, venues can effectively create an element of supply where indoor volume is largely restricted. Outdoor restaurants should consider a range of different seating options to safely add density back in. Clear signage on display explaining new protocols and managing the flow between kitchen and dining will help to build customer confidence. Patio awnings & external blinds For those requiring a quick, easy, and affordable transformation to their outdoor space, the addition of patio awnings could be the perfect solution. Both
practical and stylish, they provide instant shade and shelter and can be designed and built to a bespoke brief to suit the specific application, requirement, and budget of the venue. Some awnings can also be designed with LED lighting and heater features to create a comfortable environment all year round. Where existing structures exist, such as verandas and pergolas, high-performance external blinds can be mounted to the top and sides to provide effective shielding from the elements, including sun, wind, and rain. Outdoor structures Covered outdoor areas such as canopies and pergolas with opening roofs are a great addition to a large outdoor space, especially when these structures can be installed with multiple personalisations in mind, including remote-controlled rotating or retracting roofs, sliding glass, zip screens, separate entrance doors, weather sensors and LED lighting and heaters. The UK’s external shading experts, Caribbean Blinds, have designed an exclusive pergola canopy branded the Outdoor Living Pod™. Created for those who want to ‘live life outdoors’, the innovative rotating louvered roof permits the user to play with light and shade,
offering an open-air alfresco feel when left fully open, and ensuring a completely water, wind and even snow-tight roof when closed. Optional windproof screens, ambient LED perimeter lighting and instant infra-red heaters provide the ultimate luxury, all-weather, outdoor living space that gives the customer complete control of the elements, 365 days a year. Practicality vs functionality While a number of establishments boast considerable outdoor space, the cost of servicing a reduced number of customers over a larger area and with additional sanitation costs will make re-opening unviable for many. For this reason, time and money should be expertly invested in utilising your outdoor space to create new socially distanced offerings and tempt guests and diners back, however, this should never come at the expense of comfort or practicality. Through enforcing small additions that also serve a practical purpose, the result will be a great outdoor space that will impress your customers and keep them coming back time and time again. Stuart Dantzic Managing Director, Caribbean Blinds www.cbsolarshading.co.uk
36 | Restaurant Industry News | April 2021
Where versatility, usability and individuality count
The new X10
Coffee pleasure – freshly ground, not capsuled Customised coffee via 4.3" colour display thanks to One-Touch function for 31 programmable specialities Professional Aroma Grinder for ideal grinding results over the entire service life One-Touch Lungo function for delicious, aromatic barista specialities
Ideal areas of use: pubs, bars, hotels, restaurants, private clubs, coffee lounges, private function areas Recommended maximum daily output: 80 cups
JURA – If you love coffee
JURA Products Ltd., Vivary Mill, Vivary Way, Colne, Lancashire, BB8 9NW, Tel: 01282 868266, Fax: 01282 863411, sales@uk.jura.com, uk.jura.com
KLOSTERHAUS, BRISTOL DesignLSM transform an 18th century Quakers Friars building into a spectacular restaurant destination Restaurant Industry News takes a look at a refreshing new interior and branding project that includes a complementary design, merging the heritage of the building with new ideas that feature modern sophistication. DesignLSM introduce their latest interior and branding work for D&D London as part of a new wave of exciting hospitality projects that the studio is currently undertaking. Located in Bristol’s Cabot Circus, within a historic Grade 1 listed Quakers Friars building, Klosterhaus is a new sister restaurant to the iconic German Gymnasium in London composing of a ground floor and gallery restaurant, bar, event spaces and outdoor terrace. The Narrative The acclaimed design studio (behind D&D projects Issho, 20 Stories and the new design of Paternoster Chophouse, which is relocating this year.) were commissioned to create a luxurious all-day dining destination that infuses the building’s spectacular heritage with a sleek and contemporary design. DesignLSM’s vision for the space was inspired by the curious origins of the listed building which was originally built as a Quakers meeting house in 1747. From the outset of the project, the designers immersed themselves into the historic roots and fabric of the building, exploring ideas around the neo-classical architecture, a movement known as
38 | Restaurant Industry News | April 2021
RESTAURANT DESIGN PROJECT
‘Klassizismus’ in Germany that idealises simplicity and clarity over adornment. “It was very important to us that we respected the DNA of the building and were extremely sensitive when unifying together the original architecture with a contemporary design approach. We wanted to ensure that our design celebrated the building’s dramatic splendour by taking influence from the distinctive lines and shapes of the architecture. We developed the narrative around this whilst also encapsulating the vibrant sprit of the European-mittel café scene alongside the subtle references to Bristol’s rich history.” said Tom Munson, Senior Designer, DesignLSM The Design The show-stopping cocktail bar is a key focal point of the ground floor space drawing guests in with its elegance and grandeur. An imposing metal fretwork staircase adds to the drama, exquisitely framing the bar with illuminated wine walls and decorative pendant lighting that is emphasised by bespoke arched metal work screens. The design purposefully positions seating around the bar providing a nod to the building’s historical roots as a meeting place.
DesignLSM worked closely with Studio2c art consultancy to curate a bespoke selection of artwork that playfully depicts the fictional characters behind the Klosterhaus concept. Drawing inspiration from the Bristol-Hannover connection the pieces play on Bristol’s industrial past, inventively mixing earthy toned imagery with the rich colours of Renaissance Old Masters portraits. A medley of intimate and social dining spaces has also been designed to accommodate D&D’s multi-purpose events programme comprising of Cutlers Hall, Bakers Hall, Private Dining Room and the Sunken Terrace. The outdoor terrace plays host to a lively bar and grill area dressed with abundant lush planting and terracotta pots giving guests a relaxing space to enjoy with views across the Piazza. DesignLSM were also asked to devise and develop the brand for Klosterhaus – taking their influence from the historic narrative and simplistic beauty of the building to create a visual identity that reflects the key architectural lightwell within the centre
of the building. Developing a series of elegant and contemporary icons that also pays homage to the notion of the meeting house and people coming together crafting a flexible visual language this unique to Klosterhaus. The Results The overall design sets bold features and luxurious finishes against a classical, simple backdrop, creating strong visual drama that gives way to a lively and glamorous Grand Café ambience. The designers have successfully crafted a sophisticated and glamorous interior that brings the meeting house back to life showcasing the luxury hospitality experience that the D&D brand is famed for. “This project has been a real joy to work on. It is always a pleasure to collaborate with D&D and we have enjoyed researching and curating a design narrative that pays homage to the origins of the building and its locality – creating an exceptional space within an impressive historic monument.” commented Tom Munson, Senior Designer, DesignLSM
A confident palette of cladded brass, warm timbers, stone and velvet upholstery adorned in rich tones of terracotta and deep greens has been adopted to enhance and complement the original period features.
April 2021 | Restaurant Industry News | 39
VEGAN & PLANT-BASED FEATURE
WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN VEGAN AND PLANT-BASED AND DOES IT MATTER IN A RESTAURANT? By Louise Palmer-Masterton, Stem & Glory Whether we are vegan or plant-based is something that comes up often at our restaurant, most recently because our new tagline is ‘Gloriously Plant-based’. I get asked quite frequently if that means I have abandoned veganism? I find that rather curious, as for me the two things mean the same. In fact, if you really want to get down to the nitty gritty, the truth is, Stem & Glory is all about wholefood plant-based ingredients, ethically sourced, low carbon, circular, compassionate and cruelty free. So, is that vegan or plantbased? And what is the difference anyway? So, I decided to dip my toe into this argument, and try to deconstruct it in my own mind once and for all. Whether you are a vegan restaurant or have vegan and / or plant-based offerings on your menu, it may be useful to you too. The origins The term vegan was first coined in 1944 by Donald Watson and friends, although it wasn’t until the 80s that veganism was clearly defined as follows: “a philosophy and way of living which seeks to exclude—as far as is possible and practicable—all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing or any other purpose; and by extension, promotes the development and use of animal-free alternatives for the benefit of humans, animals and the environment. In dietary terms it denotes the practice of dispensing with all products derived wholly or partly from animals.”
Interestingly, in the US Dr. T. Colin Campbell coined the term ‘plant-based’ around the same time following research at the National Institutes of Health which showed the therapeutic impact of a low-fat, high-fibre, vegetable-based diet on cancer. He was seeking a term that described this diet without invoking ethical considerations. The term was further defined by Campbell by adding ‘whole-food’ to plant-based to draw the distinction that it is specifically a wholefood plant-based diet that has health benefits. In other words, veganism is about the abstention from animal products, not necessarily with reference to healthy foods, whereas whole-food plant-based is very much focussed around the health benefits of following the diet. So, it looks like vegans in this case do have the ethical high ground, but from that perspective, it looks like I, and Stem & Glory, are neither vegan or wholefood plant-based, but rather vegan AND wholefood plant-based.
How things have changed! But the above perspective doesn’t account for younger people who may well be ethical vegans but prefer the term plant-based. Certainly, looking at my own evolution within the movement, when I was in my early twenties in the early 80s, veganism was very fringe, and plant-based was unheard of. But through the 80s and 90s as people’s consciousness started to shift. Mad cow, and other animal borne diseases played their part in a growing awareness of poor farming methods. And as well as these perceived health risks, people started to question the ethics of eating meat. At this time, it was activist movements, such as the Hunt Saboteurs that were driving the vegan movement forward. But the activist associations were uncomfortable for some people, and a mainstream negative association kept veganism as a fringe movement. Veganism just didn’t seem attractive to the average person. Once we turned the corner into the noughties, that started to change, and the term plant-based began to break into the mainstream. There were a few notable American plantbased chefs, such as Matthew Kenny who were well ahead of the game both in using the term, and also writing books from 1995. But it was as we moved into the ‘Teenies’ that the movement, and the term, suddenly started to gain traction.
40 | Restaurant Industry News | April 2021
VEGAN & PLANT-BASED FEATURE But is it a bad thing for the vegan movement that the term plant-based was popularised? I would like to suggest that the term plant-based has contributed significantly to the rise in popularity of veganism, and that they share responsibility for the rise of interest in the vegan movement with regard to animal welfare and health. Environmental Impact But there is another huge factor in the growth of both movements, and that is the environment. Back when I became vegan, it was for the animals. But back then, in the same way that health was not a key driver for those adopting a vegan lifestyle, the environment also wasn’t mentioned. Climate change wasn’t a thing, and it was for pure ethical reasons that people became vegan. But now, the environmental arguments have become increasingly compelling to the point that they can no longer be ignored. Most people I know now actively try to eat fewer animal products. But are these people eating more vegan food or more wholefood plant-based food? And is one better for the environment?
I had an academic friend that questioned my veganism many years ago. He held up a processed vegan product and said to me ‘this doesn’t contain animals, but it does contain humans’. He made a good point, and one that has stayed with me. The life blood of humans goes into processing and manufacturing, and processing is wasted energy. The more you process a food product, the more energy you use. Much in the same way that if you feed a cow food fit for human consumption and then eat the cow, that’s a very wasteful and extravagant way to eat. Now eating processed vegan food isn’t as bad for the environment as eating a cow, but it is on the same spectrum. As is eating vegetables air flown from Peru (that’s a whole other topic!). So, on this point, and this point alone, a wholefood plant-based diet is definitely better for the environment and health than a vegan diet containing processed foods. All this actually feels like my life has gone round in a huge circle. When I first gave up eating meat, I became very interested in certain principles of macrobiotics, namely eating whole food natural pulses, legumes and seasonal vegetables grown in a climate local to you. This seems to tick all the boxes for animals, health and sustainability.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
For our restaurant, we are going to stick with being both wholefood plant-based and vegan, but I do think we will see wholefood plant-based and veganism converging in the coming years. Indeed, I would like to see wholefood plant-based and vegan people, making their peace with one another. After all, they have both made a huge contribution to the growth in the movement towards living in a more compassionate and sustainable world.
Louise Palmer-Masterton is founder of multiple award-winning restaurants Stem & Glory; hip and trendy but accessible wholefood plant-based restaurants, serving delicious gourmet vegan food from locally sourced ingredients. Stem & Glory also offers a range of ready meals and recipe kits available for delivery across the UK. www.stemandglory.uk
April 2021 | Restaurant Industry News | 41