Take Stock Magazine - July/August 2016 by the fabl

Take

Stock CHAMPIONING INDEPENDENT BRITISH CATERING â&#x20AC;¢ JULY - AUGUST 2016

Put Your Walking Boots on! Get into the Spirit

A Sizzling

Summer! Perfect

Pasta

THE NATION’S FAVOURITES

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& Welcome

I can’t believe it is half way through the year already. Time may be whizzing by, but I don’t mind as summer is my favourite season. Not only does everyone seem happier (even when it rains!), it presents an endless opportunity for you to make extra sales, boost profit and generally have a good time! We have an exciting couple of months ahead with sporting events including Wimbledon, EURO 2016, the Rio Olympics and the start of the Premier League - plus a bank holiday and the school summer holidays. It’s sure to be a non-stop, busy time so make sure you are stocked up on alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks (see our features on pages 27, 33 & 39), have ordered the relevant POS material and sorted a summer staff rota. The next two months should see an increased footfall of customers coming through your door outside of traditional eating times, so a snack menu is perfect. Read our feature on page 18 to help you get prepared. And whether or not the sun decides to shine, with 77% of customers looking for al fresco dining, make sure you have dusted off that BBQ and sorted out your outdoor area (refer back to the May/June

Take Stock if you need some pointers). Our feature on page 10 will give you some tips on what to cook, so it won’t only be your food sizzling but your profits too!

Tweet us @TakeStockMag

In this day and age if you aren’t ‘posting’ or ‘tweeting’ about what is happening in your business then you are going to get left behind. Social Media is a powerful tool that every business should take advantage of. But we understand it can seem daunting for the beginner or novice, so read our feature on page 56 for some handy hints. And finally, I’m sure you've noticed that in the last few editions we’ve been giving away a competition prize in our Time Out section. Past prizes have included Crabbie’s Grand National tickets, Alton Tower tickets and in this issue it’s a picnic basket and free membership of the National Trust to encourage you to get out and about - so make sure you enter! As always, the Take Stock team and Today’s have loved putting this issue together, so we hope you enjoy it too. But please do get in touch if there is anything you wish to see in future editions - after all, it’s your magazine! Enjoy your summer!

Tracy x 3

Published by the fabl. Nesfield House, Broughton Hall Skipton BD23 3AE www.thefabl.com hello@takestockmagazine.com For advertising contact david.jackson@thefabl.com Editor-in-Chief Mags Walker

Art Director Richard Smith

Editor Tracy Johnson

Designers Mark Longson Joe Harrison

Cheers Editor David Jackson News and Features Sarah Hardy Alex Hinge Fiona Kyle Hollie Pickles

Social Media Vicky McNeill

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CONTENTS FEATURES 10-14 A Sizzling Summer! 15 The Takeaway Trend 18-19 Fancy A Nibble? 20-21 Perfect Pasta Pairings 25 Best Beer Festivals 27-31 The Soft Sell 33-37 Pitching for a Perfect Summer 39-43 Gin Fizz 47-48 St Olave's A-star Menu 51 Open for Business 55 New Notes 56-57 Get Social 63 Be Disability Aware

20 33

PERFECT PASTA PAIRINGS

THE SOFT SELL

PITCHING FOR A PERFECT SUMMER

65-66 Plan Ahead

A SIZZLING SUMMER!

OPEN FOR BUSINESS

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GET SOCIAL

EVERY ISSUE 7 Calendar 8-9 What’s New 16-17 We Grill - Peter Sidwell 23 Feed Your Eyes 59-61 Time Out

WHAT’S NEW

WE GRILL PETER SIDWELL

TIME OUT

RECIPES

12 14

12 Texas - Skinny Pineapple

14 Pizza on the BBQ!

& Shredded Chicken

66 Lamb in Indian

Salad Wraps

Pickling Spices

TEXAS SKINNY PINEAPPLE & SHREDDED CHICKEN SALAD WRAP

PIZZA ON THE BBQ!

66 5

LAMB IN INDIAN PICKLING SPICES

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BIG TASTE MADE EASY

Research shows that consumers are willing to pay more for new and innovative flavours* with US/Mexican style foods continuing to thrive. Authentic North American relishes No artificial colourings, flavourings or MSG Versatile, perfect to complement any dish Easy to use in a convenient format *Source: Technomic

Including New Zingy Onion and Fiery Jalapeno

lsa Hot Chilli Sa ican ex finishes off Mrfectly! Mollettes pe For recipe inspiration and product information visit www.mccormickflavoursolutions.co.uk

@McCormick_FS

Calendar July-August

ROYAL 29- HENLEY REGATTA 3

YORKSHIRE 12- GREAT SHOW 14

224

1417

JUNE JULY

TOUR DE FRANCE

JULY

SKILLS FOR CHEFS CONFERENCE Sheffield

THE ALLERGY & FREE FROM SHOW Olympia, London

22- WHITSTABLE OYSTER FESTIVAL 31 26- INTERNATIONAL CHEESE AWARDS 27 Nantwich, Cheshire

JULY

810 JULY

BRITISH GRAND PRIX Silverstone

12 AUG

1213 13

GOODWOOD 26- QATAR FESTIVAL 1730 20 AUG

Goodwood

AUG

DORSET SEAFOOD FESTIVAL

5- 21

OLYMPIC GAMES

GROUSE SHOOTING SEASON OPENS SHREWSBURY FLOWER SHOW Quarry Park

AUG

JULY

9- 10

Olympia, London

AUG

GOLF BRITISH OPEN

JULY

8- 10

GREAT BRITISH BEER FESTIVAL

JULY

6-7

Harrogate

JULY

913

27 AUG

Rio, Brazil

PREMIER LEAGUE STARTS WELCOME TO YORKSHIRE EBOR FESTIVAL York Racecourse

LADBROKES CHALLENGE CUP FINAL Wembley Stadium, London

AUG

Weymouth Harbour

JULY

WIMBLEDON ENDS

JULY

10 JULY

EURO 2016 FINAL Stade de France, Paris

613

COWES WEEK

BANK HOLIDAY

AUG

29- TENNIS - US OPEN 11

AUG

New York

SEPT

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New What’s

July-August

Mug Cake Dr. Oetker UK has launched the ultimate convenience product for caterers - an innovative Mug Cake Mix, available in Lemon, Rich Chocolate, and Chocolate Chip flavours.

Sophisticated simplicity It was Leonardo Da Vinci who said “Simplicity is the ultimate form of sophistication”, something perfectly illustrated by the new look that Schweppes is rolling out across their whole range during 2016.

Mug Cakes are a growing trend, first seen in America and now expected to enjoy huge popularity in the UK. The product conveniently contains all the ingredients needed for a fresh cake in one sachet and can be ‘baked’ in the microwave. Simply pour four tablespoons of milk into a mug, stir in the mix and pop into the microwave for 70 seconds. Then serve, straight from the mug, either by itself or with a dollop of ice cream. This fun but simple-to make dessert is perfect as a low skill option for caterers who want to serve fresh cakes

The iconic yellow Schweppes swoosh stays, but it’s now showcased

but sometimes lack the time to bake

on a black background that shouts premium! Then there’s a coloured

from scratch.

band below the swoosh to allow different varieties to be easily

More details at www.oetker.co.uk

spotted. Finally, Schweppes’s proud heritage is shown with a ‘Creator of Bubbles since 1783’ moniker on every label. Bold and simple, the new branding gives a premium look to the whole Schweppes range, taking this modern classic into the next phase of what has been over 230 years of taste and design evolution.

Nothing Without Stuffing! Stuffing has long been a favourite with British diners. Now, Colman’s Sage & Onion stuffing mix is available in a format that’s perfect for food operators. A new 1.5kg re-sealable plastic bucket means that busy chefs can use as much of the mix as they need, while the remaining contents stay safe and fresher for longer. They’re also durable and easy to stack. Most importantly, within the new packaging is that same high quality mix of real breadcrumbs, onions and sage that chefs have trusted for years. Just add water, leave for a few minutes and then either roast or microwave for consistent, great tasting results. No added MSG. Free from artificial flavourings and colourings and suitable for vegetarians too. www.unileverfoodsolutions.co.uk

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Double Oak

Delight Brand new Jim Beam Double Oak starts life much like other Jim Beam, the difference being that after its first four years of maturation in charred American oak barrels, it’s transferred into a second freshly charred barrel. There, over the next six to nine months, it acquires even more of that famous oak character. The result? A bourbon whiskey that has the caramel and burnt toffee aromas you’d expect, and that woody spice on the palate… but with more caramel and dark chocolate and mint tones too. Absolutely crying out to be used in a Double Oak ‘Old Fashioned’ but perfect too in a whole range of cocktails, Jim Beam Double Oak is at 43% ABV. Look out for the brand new, broader bottle that has real presence behind the bar!

Zeroing in

Barmy Sarnie

on Sugar

Consumer demand for new and exciting crisp flavours has never been higher, so Walker’s ‘limited edition’ range are the perfect addition to your snacking listings. Recreating classic sandwich

Consumer concern about sugar

combinations, there are six great new flavours

is having a negative effect on

- Bacon & Tomato Ketchup, Cheese Toastie &

the soft drink category, which

Worcester Sauce, Sausage & Brown Sauce, Ham &

is bad news for revenues in

Mustard, Roast Chicken & Mayonnaise, and Cheese,

the hospitality and catering

Cucumber & Salad Cream. And tapping into demand

sector. The good news is that

for authentic tastes, all have been created with brand

manufacturers are responding

names like Heinz, HP and Lea & Perrins. The August

to these concerns with a raft

launch is being supported by an eight week TV, press

of changes, not least one

and social media campaign.

of the biggest brands in the

www.walkers.co.uk

world - Coca-Cola.

Disruptive Cider!

Backed by a £10m TV, OOH, press, social media and sampling campaign, new Coca-Cola Zero Sugar has

Innovation in the cider market is nothing new - just

undergone extensive consumer testing,

look at the growth of fruit ciders in recent times - up

the verdict being that with the new bottle

over 35% year on year, driven by demand from under

it “Looks more like Coke, tastes more like

35-year-old drinkers of both sexes. And it’s these

Coke” than the Coke Zero it replaces. With

same ‘new experience seeking’ drinkers that will love

cola a consistent top seller in the soft

Smirnoff’s brand new cider and spirit combination

drink category, Coca-Cola Zero Sugar is

‘spiders’. Two variants are available - Smirnoff Cider

an absolute necessity behind every bar.

with Raspberry & Pomegranate and Smirnoff Cider with Passion Fruit & Lime. Offering drinkers the best of all worlds, these combinations of fruit cider and the world’s number one vodka are full of crisp fruit flavours, but with a less sweet, lightly carbonated taste. Both Smirnoff ciders are at 4% ABV and available in distinctively modern shaped 500ml bottles that have real fridge appeal.

In Hi-Spirits Hi-Spirits has launched Tails - a range of pre-mix cocktails that are perfectly timed for the summer cocktail season. Developed in collaboration with Lucas Bols - reputedly

In the Pink

the oldest spirits distillery brand in the world - there are three individual bottled cocktails and three different recipes in 1ltr

In the UK, super premium vodka is growing at +36% v. last year

bottles. The single serve 20cl bottles are

- and it’s Cîroc that’s leading the charge, with GB on-trade sales

Moscow Mule, Elderflower Collins or Berry

nearly doubling in the past 12 months!

Mojito cocktails, all at 10% ABV. Then, in the

57% of that sales success can be credited to Cîrocs range of flavoured vodkas. So it’s exciting news that joining Cîroc’s portfolio of five established flavoured favourites that includes top sellers Cîroc Red Berry and Cîroc Pineapple, is brand new, limited edition Cîroc Pink Grapefruit. The new flavour taps straight into the current demand from male and female 21-34 year olds for citrus flavours in spirits and cocktails allowing these aspirational luxury seekers to enjoy an ultra-premium vodka experience that tastes of candied pink grapefruit

15% ABV 1ltr format, take your pick from Espresso Martini, Amaretto Sour or Pornstar Martini. Simply measure, add ice, shake, pour and garnish these pre-mixes allow consistently high quality cocktails to be prepared with the minimum of training and maximum of customer

and blood orange, with a dry, warm, citrus oil finish.

satisfaction.

Get your customers celebrating the taste of summer - either on the rocks or through your cocktail listings - with Cîroc Pink Grapefruit! Visit www.ciroc.com for cocktail suggestions and more.

Discover the range and more at www.tailscocktails.com

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A Sizzling Summer!

Al fresco dining during the summer months - especially outdoor BBQs - presents a huge opportunity to drive sales and footfall. Yet, according to Premier Foods, a quarter of caterers are missing out on this opportunity.

In our May/June edition we showed

Keep burgers simple for the kids.

you how to get ready for outdoor eating

Offering a meal deal is a good way to

- whatever size of business you have.

target families, so include a soft drink and

In this issue, we’re showcasing some

ice cream in the price - and make sure

summer dishes for couples and groups

you have stocked up on tomato ketchup!

designed to make your profits sizzle this summer!

No 1 burger

77% of customers look for

al fresco

dining

American appeal The American influence is still smoking hot, and appeals to all tastes thanks to

Beef burgers remain the number one item

it being so versatile. Ribs, chicken and

on menus, according to Horizons' Menu

pulled pork are still firm favourites - and

Trends Report, so make sure they’re part

don’t forget steaks for hearty eaters. “The

of your summer offering. For the loyal

Americana trend and burgers continue

burger eater, according to Kraft Heinz,

to thrive in the foodservice sector with

burgers should be served in a brioche

customisation and premiumisation

bun with a bacon topping and multiple

playing a key role,” says Andy Bacon,

sauces; options include yellow mustard,

culinary development innovation

classic barbecue, gherkin relish or

manager for Kraft Heinz, Foodservice

mayonnaise. For the adventurous,

Europe. Sandwich shops and delis can still

wagyu beef, cholla buns and a chilli jam

get in on the trend by serving a Texas-

filling is a new trend. Chicken burgers

influenced skinny pineapple and shredded

are also becoming more popular, and

chicken salad wrap or a New York-style

don’t forget to offer a vegetarian option.

tangy and tasty hot salt beef sandwich.

80% of caterers see the

summer season

as a ‘busier’ trading period

Source: Premier Foods Summer Sizzlers Guide

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Go the whole hog A hog roast is a great way to bring in customers and reap extra profits. Use it to boost sales during a normal weekend, or to feed the crowds during an event-filled weekend such as the Euro 2016 final or the

Ben’s Hog Roast Tips

August bank holiday. A whole roast pig can also make a fantastic centrepiece if you are holding your own beer festival. Add a selection of sides such as spicy wedges - which you can charge a premium for - and serve a selection of matching drinks too - cider is superb with roast pork! It is also great for portion control - suiting families and small eaters - as they can decide how little or how much they want.

“Whole hog BBQs are very profitable and a great way to cater for large numbers of people,” says BBQ expert Ben Bartlett. “Any outlet planning to do this really needs a BBQ with a rotisserie because it turns the meat so that it is fully cooked throughout -

Flavour the pig using a brine marinade. One brine that works beautifully with pork is apple cider brine and to add more flavour add herbs, onions, lemons and oranges to it. A whole pig should be marinated for at least 24 hours or overnight. Proper trussing (tying) of the whole pig to the rotisserie spit is critical. It should be tight and the spit should go between the thighs, along the inside of the body just under the spine and out through the mouth. Use a large trussing needle and heavy-duty kitchen twine to secure the spine to the spit every 6 inches along the length of the meat, tied as tightly as possible with the knots on the back. Cut off excess twine so that it will not burn.

Don’t rush! Cook slowly at a low temperature, around 120°C. Baste frequently to prevent it from going dry. Mixtures vary but perfect ingredients to use include olive oil, wine, fruit juices, herbs and lemon juice - a little honey or sugar can enhance the flavour and help the caramelisation. Whole hogs can take from four to 24 hours to cook depending on size and temperature. Test it with a Thermapen thermometer, then pierce with a skewer and ensure any juices run clear. Remove and rest for 20 minutes. Serve hot in soft bread rolls with stuffing, apple sauce or chutney - and crackling of course!

do not try to turn the pig yourself!“

Menu suggestions Pulled Pork with Apple Coleslaw - Dry Cider / Rosé Wine Chicken Tandoori & Tikka Combo with Pilau Rice Pilsner / Pimms

Main

Texas - Skinny Pineapple & Shredded Chicken Salad Wraps

Halloumi & Vegetable Skewers - Weissbier/ Prosecco

By Ben Bartlett BBQ expert Serves 6

INGREDIENTS 500g cooked chicken breast, shredded 250g fresh pineapple, crushed 50ml Lions Texas BBQ Sauce

½ tsp black pepper 6 cos lettuce leaves 6 tortilla wraps

Suggested sides

30ml non-fat Greek Yoghurt

METHOD

2 stalks celery, diced

1. Add all the ingredients except wrap and

1 carrot, grated

lettuce into a bowl and combine evenly

1 red onion, thinly sliced

2. Fill each wrap with lettuce leaves and

20g almonds, sliced ½ tsp salt

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the chicken salad mixture

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Main

Pizza on the BBQ! You don’t need an authentic wood-fired oven to bake the perfect pizza - just use your BBQ. This recipe is designed by Ben Bartlett for any gas or charcoal grill. Pizza is also a great way to feed hungry kids. Serves 4 DOUGH

SAUCE

INGREDIENTS

1 tsp salt 120ml warm water 2 tsp light brown sugar 2 sachets fast action dried yeast (7g/¼oz) 750g white flour 50g cornmeal cornflour 25g whole wheat flour

4 garlic cloves, minced 50ml whipping cream 3 tbsp fresh basil, chopped 3 tbsp fresh oregano, chopped 8 ripe plum tomatoes, peeled, seeded & chopped 3 tbsp unsalted butter

4 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp salt

METHOD

1. Measure 60ml of warm water in a bowl, add

1. Melt butter, add garlic and sweat for 1

the sugar and yeast and stir to dissolve. Stand

minute

for at least 5 minutes until it’s frothing

2. Add tomatoes and cook for 2 minutes,

2. In another bowl, sift together the white

stirring constantly. Add cream, basil, oregano

flour, whole wheat flour, cornmeal and salt

and salt and bring to a boil

3. Make a depression in the middle of the flour and add the yeast mixture. Bring the flour

TOPPING

and yeast mix together with your hands before

Olive oil

adding 3 tablespoons of olive oil and the rest

Crumbled gorgonzola cheese (or similar)

of the water. Gather into a dough

4. Turn the dough onto a pre-floured board and knead for 10 minutes

Any other ingredient you like!

5. Lightly grease a large bowl with olive oil,

TO ASSEMBLE

add the dough, turning it to coat the top

1. Coat pizza dough with sauce, cheese and

6. Cover and let the dough rise in a warm

your desired toppings

place until doubled in size (approximately 45

2. Sprinkle over olive oil and cook for 2-4

minutes)

minutes on the grill, rotating for even cooking

7. Once doubled, divide into 6 equal pieces and roll out to 1.5cm (½in) thick circles

8. Coat both sides with olive oil and rest - or put in a fridge until ready to top

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TO DRINK

BBQ

Cooking Tips from Ben Bartlett •

Spray meats with unsweetened apple juice to keep them moist and prevent burning

•

Flatten chicken breasts before cooking to help them grill evenly - try wrapping in clingfilm and flattening with a rolling pin

•

Meat marinaded in a ziplock bag will marinade in half the time

•

Apply sugar to a sauce at the end of cooking to prevent it from burning

•

Make sure the probe of a food thermometer to test meat cooked on the bone doesn’t touch the bone, as this will give an inaccurate reading

•

Season the grill with olive oil and rosemary before you start

•

Bring meat to room temperature before cooking

•

Let the coals turn grey before you start cooking

•

Choose a sheltered spot to eliminate wind

•

Always have a bucket of water on standby

•

A clean grill burns better and doesn't taint the food

•

Soak wooden skewers in water before use

•

Marinate overnight but baste the meat during the last 5-10 minutes of grilling

Serve with Czech or Italian lagers, Chianti red wine, White Zinfandel or Pinot Grigio

TAKE STOCK

FEATURE

and chips and gluten-free options are also available. “Having the takeaway option is a chance for us to get our products out to a larger market and often leads to potential in-house sales,” says Darren Lingley, owner. The pub is in a rural area with the nearest fish and chip shop at least three miles away, making them a prime location for the takeaway service. “We do fish and chips really well - it’s our biggest seller,” adds Darren. “We sell around 7,000 covers a year - 15% of that is takeaway. We have

The

regulars who use the service but walk-ins

Takeaway Trend The appeal for cafes, pubs and restaurants to boost their profits through takeaway sales is spreading - with some even offering free delivery!

Small orders “We’ve offered everything from our menu as a takeaway option from day one,” said Katherine Pritchard, joint owner of Blueberries, a cafe in Clitheroe, Ribble Valley. “It’s proven to be a consistent, busy part of the business, and therefore a profitable one.”

started the delivery service six years ago - initially targeting local businesses with

settled they then decide to eat-in - which is even better for us.”

Tips to try • All-day tea or coffee will attract customers throughout the day and those that fancy a post-dinner cappuccino or latte but don’t have time to stay and drink it!

location and in an aim to improve takings. “It’s grown from there and we can now do

the water.

at least 40 meals in the week - the majority make up to £250 a week extra, sometimes

• Pizza to go once the main kitchen is closed will target those customers who would normally leave your pub to

more, on top of our in-house takings.”

get some fast food on the way home.

tend to be a Sunday - which means we can

cheaper to takeaway, a soup is only £2.50

Pub classics

compared to the eat-in price of £3.95. “We

The Crown Carveries chain offers all its

have our regular customers who always

menu meals to go. From starters to pub

ring their order through so they don’t have

classics like half a roast chicken, shepherd's

to wait,“ adds Katherine. “But equally we get

pie and gammon and eggs, to puddings,

a lot of walk-ins who are happy to wait for

they are all available any day of the week.

their order if necessary.”

The customer just needs to place their order at the bar - as if they were eating

Location, location

in - then, with their chosen dish, add as

The Hanging Gate in Chapel-en-le-Frith,

takeaway box. All meals are the same price

near Whaley Bridge offers a takeaway

as eating in.

many side dishes as they want to into their

option seven days a week from 10am -9.30pm from their whole menu - they

once they have ordered a drink and are

• Sunday carvery will gauge the interest of your customers. All you need to do is buy a bulk of takeaway boxes to test

lunchtime buffets because of their rural

Blueberries' most popular dishes are soups, sandwiches and cakes, and because it is

come in wanting the takeaway option but

even offer a 10% discount. But it’s their

Nation’s fave

breakfast - they charge £7.25 for a Full

In our previous Take Stock we told

English or £8.95 for the full bonanza - and

you how fish and chips remain the

roasts that are the best sellers. “Sunday’s

nation’s favourite dish, so the Five Bells

are the busiest days when we sell a lot of

in Colchester, Essex know just how to

breakfasts and roasts - it’s a day people like

keep their customers happy - they have

to relax and not cook for themselves and

takeaway fish and chips all week and on

this is where we come in with our delivery

Saturday from 5-7pm. Customers can order

offer,” said Mark Thomas, owner, who

the classic dish, scampi and chips, sausage

• A soup and sandwich deal is quick and easy and shouldn’t impact too much on your in-house orders and may lead to more sales too if the customer buys a drink or dessert to go with it.

A single convenience

Food to go is a convenient choice for single or reduced households who want a quick and easy meal. According to the Office for National Statistics the number of singletons has grown over the last decade there were 7,067,000 one person households in the 2011 Census - 12.8 per cent of the household population - compared with 6,503,000 in 2001, an increase of 564,000.

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Grill takestockmagazine.com

Peter Sidwell Peter Sidwell is a chef and creator of Simply Good Food TV, the app for foodies. He owns the Simply Good Cookery School as well as a food development agency based in the Lake District where his focus is on sharing knowledge, creativity, and innovation. He has featured as a chef and judge on ITV's Britain's Best Bakery and Lakes on a Plate for Channel 4. Tell us about the cookery school...

You’re from York, what is your favourite local dish?

Situated at the Rheged Centre in Penrith, the gateway to the northern Lake District, I was able to create my own place somewhere I loved, and with 20 years experience I can teach and inspire, chefs and non chefs. My style of cooking is progressive British-inspired food centred around British ingredients. I’m hugely passionate about local ingredients and the Lake District has a wealth of great produce to enjoy which I teach people how to cook. I’m also the executive chef for the Rheged Cafe within the centre, so again I use local hero ingredients to develop a menu that the chefs can create to produce real, honest food, packed full of flavour. At the moment my wild garlic chicken kiev served with British asparagus, new potatoes and garden peas is the big seller. Our position is ideal for a trip to the National Park, so not only is it an amazing location to cook food, the cafe gets lots of tourists and walkers passing through.

Without doubt a good Yorkshire pudding served as a starter, with loads of onion gravy. It’s just modest, humble food that tastes so great.

Advice you’d give to a young chef? If you can, try and work for at least four different, fantastic chefs who are willing to share their knowledge to help you become a rounded chef. Who you work for defines the kind of chef you will become, so it matters who you chose to work and learn from.

Hobbies outside the kitchen? I love fly fishing, getting out in the fells and cooking outside with family and friends.

Favourite food?

Where did your love of food come from?

Marmite. I could eat it all day, everyday! I also love bread. There is something very exciting about a collection of simple ingredients turning into an amazing loaf of bread. I particularly like walnut sourdough, which is a really good crusty loaf with a blend of flours, but the walnuts have to be roasted.

At school I was a keen rugby player and had a promising career ahead of me, but at 15 years old I fractured my skull and that put an end to my dream. Unable to play, my mum encouraged me to focus my energy on cooking and got me a Saturday job in the kitchen of our local village pub in Allerthorpe in Yorkshire. I was only prepping the veg, but instantly I felt at home. I loved the buzz of the kitchen, and it was something that suddenly made sense. Once I started to cook it came naturally to me. I remember my first goal was to cook Yorkshire puddings because I loved Yorkshire pudding sandwiches!

Favourite restaurants? Restaurant Gordon Ramsay in London is consistently amazing, and has fantastic attention to detail. Overseas it is French Laundry in Yountville, California because everything about Thomas Keller’s restaurant is right; beautiful cooking with wonderful ingredients.

What is your career history?

What’s a common mistake lots of chefs make when baking?

I got an apprenticeship with the Ambassador Hotel when I was 16. After 18 months I then got a job at Harveys under Marco Pierre White. I then moved to the York Pavilion Hotel as chef, then onto the Fresh Food Company Bakery in York as a baker. I moved to HSBC London as a development chef within the Sodexo Group and four years later moved to Keswick to set up my own business Simply Good Taste which was a deli, bakery and restaurant. After eight years, I sold the restaurant and in 2011 opened the cookery school.

Not making their bread dough wet enough. They end up adding more flour to knead bread in when all it needs is a good knead for 10-15 minutes with no added flour.

What ingredients are you looking forward to using this summer? Fresh fish, because now is the best time for cooking with fish. I have a great relationship with a local fishmonger and he texts me from the markets telling me what's come in from the boat that day; which in a matter of hours is then served onto my customer’s plate. Delicious. You can’t get better than that. Mackerel features heavily on our menu. And when I’m not cooking it for customers I’m cooking it for family on the beach. Perfect!

What chefs have inspired you? Marco Pierre White, Jamie Oliver, Thomas Keller but Marco Pierre White was key to my career. When I worked under him at the Ambassador he taught me to understand the ingredients and then blend it with the technique. Good cooking starts with good shopping, and that’s something that has stuck with me to this day.

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Fancy a Nibble? Thanks to sporting events, the school holidays and (hopefully) sunny days, the next two months will see an increased footfall of customers coming through your door outside of traditional eating times. This is a great opportunity for you to boost all-day snack sales. Bar bites, nibbles, sharing platters - the choice of snacky, finger food is as popular as ever and is a must for your menu.

Spread the word

Combined with seasoning, these options can make you more than 70p extra per portion. Cooks&Co’s American Mayonnaise

Like the Specials Board for your main menu, create one for

with ketchup and sweet pickle relish works well as an exciting

casual dining and snacks too, positioned somewhere customers

dip for potato wedges. “Summer is a really important time for

will see it. Make sure your casual dining options are on your

caterers,” says Anne Marie Cannon, brand manager for Cooks&Co.

website (including times they are available), and if you use social

“Our new American Mayonnaise adds real flavour and flair to

media promote menu choices on there too (read our feature on

dishes to help caterers maximise margins by serving up higher

page 56 for those who are social media shy). Make sure staff tell

value dishes.”

customers about your snacking menu, especially those who are just ordering drinks, and spread the word around with the locals who come in. Nothing sells food better than a delicious free sample, so in quiet times spread a few taster options along the bar for customers to try - and order.

Cash in on chips Chips are one of the most ordered items on pub menus. Offer curly fries, wedges, seasoned fries, twisters, sweet potato fries or the ever popular chip and you’ll never go far wrong. However, operators can cash in on their chip sales with a premium price offer - just by spicing them up through seasoning, toppings and dips. Aviko’s ‘Cash in Your Chips’ promotion encourages operators to switch from standard chips to a variety of its premium fries that include Supercrunch, Superlong and sweet potato variants. takestockmagazine.com

TAKE STOCK

FEATURE

A slice of the action Everyone loves a slice of pizza, so whether you have a dedicated menu or add it as part of your casual dining offering, pizza is a menu winner. Why not offer a menu and wine deal in quieter times or even a pizza and beer during sporting events? Providing a takeaway option is a very good move as customers are more likely to order a full pizza for themselves, rather than share, if the option to take it home is there.

The Hynburn Restaurant & Bar in Accrington offers this service. "We take a lot of pride in our pizzas, and our pizza menu is just as popular as our standard one," says manager Joanne Foster. The restaurant has a separate pizza menu and a deli bar where customers can see their pizzas, from 7 inch to 12 inch, being made. "We have a lot of customers sitting at the bar eating pizza and garlic bread in an informal setting. And the best thing is,

Care to share

they know they can take home what they don’t eat if they get

From nachos, to sharing platters and tapas, the variety of

too full!"

food to share is endless. The pub chain Nicholson's has two sharers on its menu. The normal sharer includes creamy mac

Nibble at the bar

'n' cheese, chilli chicken skewers, and Gloucester Old Spot

Bar bites are becoming more popular in pubs. The Aspinall

lighter options such as cucumber and yellow pepper batons,

Arms in Mitton serves bar bites throughout the day alongside

home-cooked tortilla chips, hummus and guacamole.

sausages. The Skinny Sharer for those calorie counting, has

its normal menu. Featured on a blackboard behind the bar, it offers whitebait, chipolatas, pork pie, hummus and black

The Plough in Scalby, Scarborough, offers a Yorkshire Tapas

pudding fritters; ordered individually or as a platter of four at

menu at £3.50 per dish. It is available through the week from

£9.95. “The bar bites have proven to be very popular, especially

6-9pm, with a trio of tapas offered on a Sunday lunchtime.

for walkers that fancy a nibble to go with a lovely pint,” says

Dishes include Yorkshire cured meats and baby gherkins, grilled

Susanne Engelmann, deputy manager.

chilli and garlic prawn with rapeseed mayo, Scarborough woof scampi and tartare sauce, northern fried chicken with wild garlic mayo, black pudding and sage sausage roll with HP sauce and curried courgette fritters with curried mayo (suitable for vegetarians). The menu is complemented by the draught beers available and extensive wine list; the latter available also by the glass.

“This is hugely successful and is often enjoyed in place of the more traditional style of starters we offer, and equally, with couples and groups who just want to graze and enjoy a less formal dining experience,” says head chef Jon Smith.

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Bambinos When serving children pasta, make it plain and simple - with a smaller portion size. Jamie Oliver restaurant group have won an award for a number of years running for the best children’s menu. “We serve penne tomato pasta bake, a pasta dish with a seven-vegetable sauce, alongside a children’s size spaghetti bolognese and meatballs,” says Nic. “What makes the children’s menu so successful is that it's tasty, varied, colourful, good for them while looking fun and appealing and it looks like a mini adult meal too so they don’t feel like it is a children’s meal.”

Health benefits • An excellent source of complex

Perfect

carbohydrates, pasta provides a slow release of energy • Low in sodium and cholesterol-free

Pasta Pairings Pasta is a staple food of traditional Italian cuisine and now found on most UK menus because of its versatility and nutritional value. Pasta is made from durum wheat flour mixed with water and, in some recipes, egg, to form a dough. Rolled into sheets the dough is cut into a dazzling variety of shapes - and that’s when the magic begins because for every sauce there’s a perfect pasta shape to make it shine.

it provides a good source of essential nutrients • Contains a low GI and is perfect for weight control

How to cook pasta Pasta should be cooked al dente firm to the tooth. The outside should be tender and the centre slightly firm. Here Andy Lagor business development chef for Unilever shares his tips... • Use 4 litres of water for every 500g of pasta

Choosing a pasta shape to suit the nature

make sure the pasta is evenly coated just

of your sauce makes a big difference to

like they do in Italy. Buon appetito!

the finished dish. Nic Till, head chef at

• Cook in a large saucepan to allow the shapes to move around and expand

Jamie’s Italian in London says, “We do

Menu suggestions

several varieties including whole wheat

Spaghetti Bolognese - who doesn’t

boiling water, scatter small

and gluten free, so there is something for

love a spag bol? Made with KNORR

shapes, and gently push in long

everyone, and we make it as authentic as

Concentrated Sauces it is quick and

types - don’t break in half

possible by using a mixture of fresh and

simple to prepare, and portion control

packet pasta.”

is made easy.

inside top of the pot, to help

As a general rule, Italian cooks match

Beef Lasagne - perfect for adults and kids,

prevent the water from boiling

thick robust sauces - like bolognese or

adapt the sides accordingly by offering

over

ragu - with larger shapes and heavier

garlic bread or a salad and cut it into

pasta such as large shells and thick tubes,

smaller portions too.

while lighter vegetable or creamy sauces

Pasta with Pomodoro Sauce - perfect

suit delicate shapes such as farfalle or thin

for the young palate. Simple to prepare it

before draining to add to the

strands of angel-hair pasta or spaghetti.

doesn't contain too many strong flavours;

mixed pasta and sauce if it looks

For an authentic presentation, combine

just pasta and sauce that most children

dry - it will also help the sauce

the pasta and the sauce in the pan to

prefer to eat. Go easy on the portion size too.

stick to the pasta

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• Add the pasta gradually to

• Rub vegetable oil around the

• Use a wooden spoon or fork to stir the pasta

• Save some pasta cooking water

TAKE STOCK

FEATURE

Here’s our guide: Types of pasta

Heavy cream or meat sauces -

Tubes - Penne, rigatoni, macaroni, paccheri

Mini shapes - Orzo, fregola, canestrini, stelline

stuff the larger shells

Hearty vegetable and meat sauces -

For soups, stews and pasta salads

Shells - Conchiglie, lumache

bolognese/ragu - and baked cheese

Twisty shapes - Fusilli, trofie, strozzapreti, casarecce, gemelli, farfalle

Baked pasta - Cannelloni, lasagne A variety of meat or vegetable

Long flat ribbons - Tagliatelle, fettuccine, pappardelle, mafaldine

Light smooth sauces that stick

stuffings or layers and a final sauce to

Rich meaty sauces

such as pesto

add richness and keep it moist

Filled pasta - Ravioli, tortellini, capelletti

Long skinny - Spaghetti, linguine, vermicelli, lunghi

Serve with a light butter or oil sauce

Light seafood or vegetable sauces,

to complement fillings

cream and oil based sauces

And don’t forget…. Wholewheat, spinach, gluten free, tomato, chilli and squid ink black pasta

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Make your tea offer unmissable with Tetley POS

The new range features a variety of display boxes, and stands.

Order your POS today!

Premium bone china mugs, for customers to enjoy the perfect cuppa.

And FREE POS to support your grab and go options.

FOR POINT OF SALE ENQUIRIES CONTACT US: Stuart Dawber - 07714 844 614 or visit tetleyteaacademy.co.uk for more details Follow us on

@TetleyteaOOH

Feed Your Eyes Our Twitter followers continue to dazzle and impress us with the range and quality of each dish created.

Mix it up

And, as it’s BBQ season we thought we’d grill our chefs for their best BBQ dish - and here we have selected our top three! You can even check out the recipes at takestockmagazine.com. Thanks again for all the amazing entries. Keep them coming to #FeedYourEyes. Each of our winners will receive a £50 Amazon voucher courtesy of our sponsors RH Amar, Premier Foods and Kerrymaid.

We’re on the look-out for the best mixologist... Tweet us your best dri nk @TakeStockMag #mixo logist

Claudia Escobar @Justlovefood

Head chef, @Justlovefood Leith - Cod cheek, olive oil, shallot, rosemary, lime, sea salt, mixed pepper, talisker & single malt

Ben Bartlett @bbqben1

BBQ expert and author of The Haynes BBQ Manual Chargrilled lobster

David Paton @Daveflipaburger

CDP at The Three Crowns Stoke Newington, London Beef short ribs four ways

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STOCK UP NOW Rekorderlig is the 2 nd fastest growing brand family in total cider *.

AVAILABLE IN FOUR BEAUTIFULLY SWEDISH FLAVOURS. *Source: CGA Brand Index MAT data to 26/ 12 / 2015

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FEATURE

Best Beer Festivals Beer festivals are becoming more and more popular - i n our May/June Take Stock we even showed you how to run your own! Here, we have picked out the best ones for you to go and sample. Enjoy!

Festival Dates for your Diary 26-28 Aug MARTON INSTITUTE BEER FESTIVAL

29 Sept - 9 Oct

Town Hall

Canary Wharf

5-7 Aug

26-29 Aug

6-9 Oct

OUTCIDER FESTIVAL

ALBA REAL ALE FESTIVAL

INDY MAN BEER CON

Royal Tay Yacht Club, Dundee

Manchester

1-3 July

5-9 July

21-23 July

4-6 Aug

DERBYSHIRE SAUSAGE & CIDER MUSIC FESTIVAL

CHELMSFORD SUMMER BEER & CIDER FESTIVAL

BIRMINGHAM BEER BASH

WORCESTER BEER, CIDER & PERRY FESTIVAL

Walton-upon-Trent

Admirals Park

1-3 July CONGLETON BIG BEER WEEKEND, CHESHIRE

7-9 July

22-23 July

CHORLTON BEER & CIDER FESTIVAL

GUMBEERFEST Taunton, Somerset

Fernhill Farm Compton Martin, Somerset

Congleton

Digbeth

LONDON OKTOBERFEST

Worcester Racecourse

St Clement’s Church

1-3 July

7-9 July

22-23 July

5-14 Aug

26-28 Aug

20-22 Oct

WORTLEY MENS CLUB BEER & CIDER FESTIVAL

SCOTTISH REAL ALE FESTIVAL

BEER & BLUEGRASS

LONDON BEER CITY

CHELTENHAM REAL ALE FESTIVAL

CRAFT BEER CALLING

Compton Martin, Somerset

Newcastle

Wortley, South Yorkshire

Poole, Dorset

Corn Exchange, Edinburgh

2 July

8-10 July

22-24 July

9-13 Aug

2-3 Sept

19-22 Oct

DEVIZES BEER FESTIVAL

BEER ON THE WYE FESTIVAL

MARKET BOSWORTH RAIL ALE FESTIVAL

GREAT BRITISH BEER FESTIVAL

WESSEX BEER & CIDER FESTIVAL

OCTOBER GERMAN BEER FESTIVAL

The Wharf

Hereford Rowing Club

Olympia London

Chilcompton Sports Ground

Sheffield

2-3 July MONKEY CLUB BEER FESTIVAL, ARMITAGE

14-24 July THE FALCON BEER FESTIVAL

28-30 July

18-21 Aug

8-11 Sep

10-13 Nov

STAFFORD BEER & CIDER FESTIVAL

RED FOX BEER FESTIVAL

WIRRAL BEER FESTIVAL

Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire

Blessed William Howard School

Thornton Hough, Wirral

LEEDS INTERNATIONAL BEER FESTIVAL

4-5 July

16 July

28-30 July

23-27 Aug

9-11 Sept

18-19 Nov

IMBIBE LIVE

THE CROWN INN BEER & CIDER FESTIVAL

THE HOPE ‘DRAY OF THE DEAD’ BEER FESTIVAL

PETERBOROUGH BEER FESTIVAL

CIDER & MUSIC FESTIVAL

BANBURY BEER & CIDER FESTIVAL

The Embankment

Penhallow, Cornwall

Army Reserve Centre

Belton, Nr Doncaster

Carshalton, Surrey

Bridge Club, Huddersfield

Olympia London

Town Hall

Liverpool

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TASTES MORE LIKE COKE, LOOKS MORE LIKE COKE

zero SUGAR NEW IMPROVED TAST E

Coca-Cola Zero Sugar is now even better than before. It has a new improved taste and a new look pack design. Still with Zero sugar. Supported by a £10 million campaign via TV, cinema, outdoor, digital, social and PR.

Stock up NOW

TAKE STOCK

FEATURE

The

Soft Sell

It’s a fact that in hospitality and catering, customers like to have a drink - be that by itself, with a snack or as part of a meal. And consumer tastes are shifting. There’s

So it’s vital for operators to have drinks

an ever growing desire for a drinking or

offerings that cater for the tastes of every

dining experience to have a premium

customer. If they don’t, custom will

feel. The proof of that can be seen in

quickly head somewhere else and real

the extraordinary growth in sales of top

profit potential will be lost.

quality teas and coffees, premium beers, ciders and spirits, innovative and exciting food options and use of top quality food ingredients.

One area that’s generating lots of excitement is the world of soft drinks - driven by the fact that the profile of drinkers is changing.

Soft drinks are the

4th

most valuable drinks category in the licensed trade, after beer, spirits and wine

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EXCLUSIVE TO THE OUT OF HOME CHANNEL *IRI Worldpanel, Value Sales by Superbrand, 52 weeks to 27/03/2016. The Promoter is Lucozade Ribena Suntory Ltd, 2 Longwalk Road, Stockley Park, Uxbridge UB11 1BA. LUCOZADE, LUCOZADE ENERGY and the Arc device are registered trade marks of Lucozade Ribena Suntory Limited.

NEW

LUCOZADE ENERGY GLASS BOTTLE

P U K C O ST NOW

SUPPORTED BY A Â£5 MILLION DISRUPTIVE MARKETING CAMPAIGN Lucozade is the 2nd biggest soft drink brand in the UK* helping the nation find its flow since 1927. Not available in retail, new glass bottle exclusive for your trade. Available in 3 flavours - 12 x 330ml; Original, Orange & Pink Lemonade

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FEATURE

The

Facts!

“Research shows that over 60% of consumers want to see an increased range of soft drinks targeted at adults - including healthy and premium options, as they provide a great alternative to alcohol,” said

Percentage of the UK population that are teetotal?

20% and rising

2015 value increase in Licensed and Leisure Sector of soft drink sales

6.6%

Jamie Nascimento head of marketing at LR Suntory.

Irrespective of where you are in the hospitality and catering sector, if you sell soft drinks you need to have a core range of attractively presented soft drinks that taste good too.

Bring in top quality variants

Have healthier options

- Glass bottled sparkling waters and

- Britvic’s Purdey’s counts

drinks like Britvic J2O’s Spritz range of

as 1 of your 5 a day and has real

Apple & Watermelon, Peach & Apricot

fridge appeal. Or there are the

and Pear & Raspberry have real adult

Schweppes Sparkling Juices that

appeal and go well with food too.

have the lowest kcal in the market - they taste fantastic too!

2015 rise in premium soft drinks sales in the on-trade?

75% Percentage of mixers that are drunk straight?

51% These figures show that creating an attractive soft drinks offering for your business is vital, so you can draw in the ever-increasing number of people looking for thirst quenching refreshment when out of home especially during the summer months. And it’s not just kids and drivers.

Offer diet and no sugar options

Look out for new releases

- As the fastest growing category within

edition and seasonal soft drinks that help

soft drinks it’s vital you have a range that

arouse curiosity and sales. They’re also

includes diet and zero sugar options.

making available additional flavours in

MacB’s flavoured waters, Feel Goods

on-trade friendly formats, as can be seen

275ml glass bottle, 7Up’s new Mojito and

with Lucozade’s launch of a 330ml glass

the Robinsons range are great examples.

bottle range of original, pink lemonade

- Brands are increasingly launching limited

and orange, so watch out for these.

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FEATURE

And tell the world about what you’ve on offer!

And if you’ve customers drinking on your premises, you should maximise the profit potential of soft drinks by:

• Shout about your range on dedicated soft drinks menus, blackboards and through POS. • Have offers - for example a soft drink and snack promotion.

Having a range of soft drink mocktails - either individual

• Offer pitchers of soft drink

Looking at offering frozen drinks -

or in sharing pitchers. Tate

mocktails - great for families

Vimto has free on loan equipment

& Lyle and Teisseire syrups

and easy to prepare and

so you can sell their Starslush - an

make brilliant bases for a

serve too, so saves on staff time.

iced slush drink with real fruit juice,

whole range of cocktails

that ticks the healthier drink box, and

and mocktails.

• Get your on shelf and in fridge

Burrrst carbonated slush, in Vimto, Blue

display organised and take

Raspberry and Levi Roots Caribbean

Offering something new

Crush. Great for impulse sales!

alongside your premium spirits. For example, Purdey’s

Stocking limited edition soft drinks and

with gin goes brilliantly and

promoting them as ‘Try before they die’

the bottle draws attention,

options. Generate curiosity and interest!

creating interest and demand.

advantage of deals from suppliers. There are counter top chillers available for Orangina’s new Original and Light 250ml bottles for instance. • Use POS - to announce new

Using fruit garnishes and plenty of ice to make your soft drink offerings look special.

Having food menu suggestions - for

products, promotions and your

example no added sugar drinks and

complete range of soft drinks.

mocktails highlighted on kids menus.

There’s a new Coca-Cola for example - ‘Zero Sugar’.

Having stemmed and dedicated glassware for adults and something off the wall for kids. How about offering Lipton’s ice teas in sterilised jam jars for instance? Jar + ice + decoration + straw = something the kids will love!

Giving value for money. £3 for a pint

Challenge your customers

glass of cordial with tap water and a

to taste the difference - and be

couple of ice cubes is not going to

healthy too!

encourage repeat sales. A tall glass of cordial and soda, complete with fresh

• Get your staff involved! Have

ice, straws and a fruit garnish keeps

a monthly cocktail devised by a

customers happy and the till busy with

team member, and promote it

repeat sales!

as such. At the end of the year, the most popular seller wins the title ‘Soft drink mixologist 2016’.

Your customers want to be excited! So don’t be soft about soft drinks! GET ONLINE FOR TOP TIPS AND RECIPE IDEAS FROM: Britvic: pourmoreflavour.co.uk Teisseire: teisseire.com/en-gb/uk

Tate & Lyle: tasteandsmile.com Schweppes: coca-cola.co.uk

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MAX THE TASTE

Pepsi is currently the No.1 dispensed cola brand in the UK in Total on premise in both value and volume vs. Coke on draught1 In blind taste tests 66% of consumers preferred the taste of Pepsi Max vs. diet coke2 Pepsi Max has a combination of citrus, caramel and vanilla taste cues which compliment alcoholic serves by extracting not only the taste of the alcohol but also the taste of the acidic garnish found with a cola serve.

Source: 1CGA Total On premise Value and Volume sales 52we 31.10.2015. 2 MMR quant blind taste test August 2015 (n=200 Nat Rep Sample. Pepsi, Pepsi MAX and the Pepsi Globe are trademarks of PepsiCo Inc.

TAKE STOCK

FEATURE

Pitching for a

Perfect Summer

“Summertime, and the livin' is easy...” or so the song goes. However, for the on-trade, summer is one of the busiest times of the year as customers gather to enjoy the sunshine.

sunshine can never be guaranteed, subscribe to one of the free weather forecasting services like netweather.tv or metoffice.gov. uk for a daily email update that includes a five-day prediction. That way you can bring in extra staff and get the garden parasols and outside catering areas ready, in plenty of time. If your beer garden is tucked away around the back, invest in a simple, low cost A-Board to ensure passing customers know

Add the fact that the next couple of months sees Euro 2016, Wimbledon and the Rio Olympics, get your offer right and the summer of 2016 is set to be a big one!

you’ve got an outside area.

Take Stock shows you how best to capitalise on the profit potential of this heavy footfall.

to do, eat or drink. However, there’s a lot of competition

Strut your stuff People are constantly looking for new and exciting things out there, so make sure you stand out from the crowd by advertising all your events, sports screenings and the food and drink promotions you’re running, to both your regulars and

Weather watch

passing trade.

Weather forecasting has come on leaps and bounds since the days of checking seaweed in the back garden, and while the Great British sunshine can never be guaranteed, subscribe to one of the free

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ADD SOME SUNSHINE

ENJOY MALIBU RESPONSIBLY * Source: CGA Total On-Trade MAT to 19.03.2016

TAKE STOCK

FEATURE

Diverse drinking

Sharing cocktails

You’ll obviously need to ensure that the brands and styles of

No longer just for style bars,

drinks your regulars like are in plentiful supply. But what else

cocktails are now featuring

can you do? Demand for lower calorie and lower alcohol drinks

more and more within the

is on the up as more and more people strive for a healthier

mainstream pub market, offering

lifestyle. Make sure therefore that the range of drinks you have

the opportunity for an enhanced

on show include options for these customers - and capitalise

margin and can give your outlet a

on the availability of seasonal fruits in both your drink creations,

point of difference.

and garnishes. And make life easier for your team, keep your customers for longer and help the party mood by having

With most cocktails, it takes the

sharing options in every drinks category.

same time to make double the

Beer & cider

quantity. So, have a selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic

Run special offers on pitchers of draught beer and cider. You’ll

sharing cocktails available -

save time as customers will be topping up their own glasses,

promote them too. The margin

allowing staff to clear empty tables and offer table service for

is brilliant; the theatre will drive

pitcher refills and food. Offer pitchers of shandy too. They’re

copycat purchases and by

back in demand as a long thirst quenching drink that with

developing your own signature-

lower alcohol content, keeps the party going longer. Advertise

serves, you’ll be offering

ice cold buckets of bottled beers and ciders for a fixed price or

something customers can’t get

why not up sell and offer food and a drinks bucket for a fixed

anywhere else.

price. Finally, don’t miss out on the huge demand for fruit ciders from brands like Rekorderlig, Bulmers, Old Mout, Pimm's Cider Cup and take advantage of new trends. This summer sees the

And you don’t even need to be much of

launch of Smirnoff’s new fruit ‘spider’ - spirit infused cider. (See

a mixologist - as innovations like the

What’s New for more details). Advertise any new additions to

new Tails Cocktail mixes mean you can

your range on blackboards around your venue and make sure

have a sharing cocktail ready in the time

your staff are kept informed of any new products.

it takes to pour, shake with ice, garnish and serve (see page 8 for details).

Boosting bubbles Prosecco, Cava, Asti, Champagne - demand for bubbles of every kind keeps on fizzing. By all means have your standard offerings, but don’t miss out on the profit potential of bubble-based cocktails. Many are familiar with a Kir Royale - champagne with a little Crème de Cassis. But, did you know that bubbles go well with a whole range of liqueurs? Pick your fruit, find the matching liqueur, mix, garnish with the fruit and away you go. It looks healthy too! Why not offer The Pornstar Martini, growing in popularity, this simple creation contains Champagne, passion fruit liqueur and vanilla vodka simple!

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Pitch perfect Pitchers of Pimm’s and Sangria have long been summer favourites. They offer drinkers a cooling, refreshing and tasty shared drinking experience. But you don’t

Porto Sunset

have to stop there. With Mojito, Pina Colada, Sex on the

INGREDIENTS

Beach, Daiquiri and Margarita remaining

3 large measures of Tawny Porto

the most popular cocktail choices, Take Stock brings you some inspirational ideas for sharing pitchers you can promote throughout the coming summer season...

STOCK UP NOW

Orange wedges Cinnamon powder 7Up

METHOD 1. Crush the orange wedges with Sources of Inspiration Check out the following for lots of cocktail recipe inspiration! •

mixxit.co.uk/cocktails

•

diageodrinks.com

•

grantswhisky.com

cinnamon powder in a pitcher

2. Add ice, pour in the port and stir well 3. Top with 7Up, stir gently and serve in tumblers, garnished with orange zest and a cinnamon stick

Lazy Days INGREDIENTS 100ml Triple Sec 1 bottle of chilled white wine Orange zest

METHOD 1. Pour the syrup into an ice filled pitcher and add wine

2. Serve in Martini glasses, decorated with orange zest

Cîroc Sea Breeze 209491_1071338

Diageo

ISOCoated39L300

Great Britain

297.00 x 210.00 mm

Anthony Passler

303.00 x 216.00 mm

INGREDIENTS

Apple Mac

Eddie.Nita@hogarthww.com

27/05/2016 12:45

5 parts Cîroc Pink Grapefruit

INGREDIENTS

1 part lime juice

1 part blended malt whisky

12 parts cranberry juice

Angostura bitters

Lime wedges

4 parts sparkling apple juice

METHOD

1. Build and stir the

1. Half fill a pitcher with ice and

ingredients in a pitcher, over plenty of ice

add whisky and 4 dashes of bitters

2. Serve in highball

2. Top up with sparkling apple juice (or

glasses with lime wedges

apple juice and soda)

3. Serve in tankards with apple fan garnish

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Cyan Magenta Yellow Black

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FEATURE

Jerry Loves Ginger INGREDIENTS 1 part spiced rum 4 parts ginger beer Lime wedges Cinnamon stick

METHOD 1. Add lime wedges and a cinnamon stick to a pitcher half filled with ice

2. Pour over the spiced rum and top with ginger beer

And for non-drinker

3. Serve in a tall glass with

Cola Cooler

a lime wedge

INGREDIENTS 1 part vanilla syrup 6 parts cola Lemon, sliced

METHOD 1. Pour the vanilla syrup into an ice filled pitcher

2. Top with cola and stir gently 3. Serve in tumblers, with a sliced lemon

Special Pimm's Cup INGREDIENTS 1 part dry gin 2 parts Pimmâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s No.1 (gin based) 4 parts dry ginger ale Lemon and cucumber slices

METHOD 1. Muddle the lemon and cucumber slices together and put in a pitcher with ice

2. Stir in the Pimmâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s and gin. Add additional slices of lemon and cucumber and top with ginger ale

3. Serve in a highball glass and garnish with cucumber skin

For more information visit pourmoreflavour.co.uk 37

takestockmagazine.com

The perfect G &T

Synonymous with the Shetland islands, Blackwoods has unique botanicals found nowhere else in the world. To complement this, we add the unique ﬂavour of thyme to garnish this ultimate G&T.

This quintessentially British dry Gin sits perfectly with ﬂavourful British rhubarb, complementing the impeccable balance between juniper and citrus botanicals.

Langley’s No.8 delivers to the senses spice, aroma and zesty sweetness. These harmoniously complement each other for a marriage of ﬂavours, collectively delivering a big balanced Gin that is best served with a garnish of lime.

A traditional recipe with a citrus approach, we add grapefruit to complement the tones of lemon, lime and grapefruit botanicals used in this Gin.

AVAILABLE FROM BARS AND WHOLESALERS NATIONWIDE.

SOUTHERN COMFORT, LEMONADE AND A SQUEEZE OF FRESH LIME – A PERFECTLY REFRESHING SUMMER SERVE

AVAILABLE FROM BARS AND WHOLESALERS NATIONWIDE.

STAY COMFORTABLE. DRINK RESPONSIBLY

209 was the ﬁrst Gin in the world to introduce Bergamot (orange peel) as its main botanical after Juniper so we serve with a slice of orange to bring out these citrus notes.

Gin Fizz

TAKE STOCK

FEATURE

For decades, vodka has been the number one top selling spirit, dominating the sector. Long established brands like Smirnoff and Absolut have been joined in recent times by newer names such as Ketel One and Cîroc, offering both additional choice and new and exciting flavour combinations and tastes. However, it’s not just vodka that’s been undergoing something of a renaissance. Demand for gin has rocketed in recent years, and as consumers become more interested in the heritage, botanicals and origin of the gin they are drinking, the number of boutique distilleries springing up across the country has increased significantly, offering consumers a wider variety of flavours and more choice of this 400year-old spirit. Here’s Take Stock’s checklist to make sure you’re making the most of the opportunity.

Up-sell options Customers like to see familiar brands, but they like to indulge and experiment too. Have a core range of proven best sellers, supported by premium options, ensuring the opportunity to up-sell in your outlet. So, support your standard Tanqueray with a Tanqueray 10, and your Beefeater with a Beefeater 24. And look out for what’s happening near you. If there’s a craft gin producer nearby, engage and support them by adding them to your offering.

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TAKE STOCK

FEATURE

Get your range right If you’re serious about gin then you need to familiarise yourself with the main types and trends in order to offer your customers choice and diversity in this increasingly popular category. It’s also important to ensure that your staff are trained and enthusiastic on the different styles of this complex spirit.

There are eight main gin styles: London Dry Distilled to at least 70% ABV with minimal sugar and no flavours or colourings added after distillation, London Dry is classically juniper flavoured with hints of citrus. Bombay Sapphire, Tanqueray, Beefeater and Gordon’s are all London Dry. Perfect serve? A straight Martini, with a simple garnish.

Plymouth While London Dry can be produced anywhere, Plymouth gin has to be distilled in Plymouth. A little sweeter than London Dry and, thanks to inclusion of root ingredients, an earthier, less juniper taste, Coates & Co’s Plymouth Gin is the perfect example distilled in the UK’s oldest working distillery. Perfect serve? Gin & tonic, or, with Angostura bitters, a Pink Gin.

Navy

Gin is technically

Similar in taste to London Dry, thanks to a 57% alcohol content, this makes it perfect for aromatic, flavour-full cocktails! Coates & Co make a Navy strength gin, as do Sipsmith and Tarquin’s.

a juniperflavoured

Hayman’s have been supplying their Royal Dock gin to the Navy since 1863! Perfect serve? A Negroni - the classic combination of one part gin, one part rosso vermouth and one part Campari, served with

vodka!

an orange peel garnish.

Dutch Jenever Where it all started, Dutch gin or ‘Jenever’ comes in two forms Jonge (young) or Oude (old) - both bearing more than a passing taste similarity to blended Scotch whisky. Jonge has a neutral taste like vodka, with, thanks to the production process, slight tones of juniper and malt. Oude has a much richer, smoother and aromatic taste, with heavier malt overtones. Bols Barrel Aged is a great example, as are Ketel One Originale Graanjenever and award winning Citadelle Reserve. Perfect serve? Oude’s maltiness makes it perfect for an original take on an ‘Old Fashioned’ - a 60s classic that’s in demand thanks to Don Draper and Mad Men. Put a sugar cube into an old fashioned glass. Saturate with Angostura bitters. Add adash of water and then crush. Swirl the glass, add ice and pour in your Oude (or whisky of choice). Serve with a cherry and swizzling stick.

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Old Tom

Grape Gin

Somewhere between London Dry and the more whisky-toned

Produced from a grape-based spirit as opposed to grain,

Jenever, Old Tom’s flavours can vary considerably, depending

the taste is typically rounder and floral. Visitors to the bars

upon the mash. The name references 18th century bars that

of Menorca will have seen one of the best-known grape gin

dispensed their illicit brew through a sign on their outside wall that

examples - Xoriguer, produced in Mahon, Spain. Another name

featured a black tomcat. Drinkers would feed coins into a slot, with

to look out for is G’Vine, a luxury gin that’s distilled in France

the barman within pouring the gin directly into the mouth of the

and infused with vine flowers.

drinker through a lead spout. Revived from obscurity by the desire

Perfect serve? An Aviation - two parts gin, one part lemon juice,

of cocktail creators for something different, top brands include

two dashes of Maraschino. Shake with ice, strain into a cocktail

Ransom for the US and Tanqueray Old Tom.

glass and serve with a cherry.

Perfect serve? A Tom Collins - One part sugar syrup, two parts freshly-squeezed lemon juice and three parts Old Tom, stirred

Flavoured

together in a highball glass, ice added and topped up with soda

Mainly based on London Dry, the taste of each flavoured gin

water.

depends entirely upon what’s been added to the base. Sloe gin is the most common of the flavoured gins, but there’s absolutely

New Western

nothing to stop you from creating your own, house style

The credit for creation of this category goes to Tanqueray, who in

flavoured gin! For fruit gins, it’s a simple case of adding your

2000 launched a gin that focused less on the juniper and more on

preferred fresh fruit to gin - peach, raspberry and blackcurrants

the citrus and other botanicals within the brew. Aimed at capturing

being top contenders - and letting the mixture infuse for a week

the attention of drinkers who were fast falling in love with flavoured

or more. Once you’ve got the colour and taste you’re looking

vodkas are Tanqueray Ten and Hendrick’s, New Western gins that

for, simply strain out the fruit, bottle and serve. And don’t be

demonstrate all that the category offers drinkers.

shy. Gin infused with Earl Grey tea is a great taste. Just put three

Perfect serve? James Bond’s favourite in Casino Royale - The Vesper. One part Lillet Blanc or Cocchi Americano, two parts vodka and six

simple as that! Perfect serve? If you’ve been creative - serve by itself!

parts gin, shaken with ice and served in a champagne goblet with a lemon twist. takestockmagazine.com

or four tea bags into a bottle and leave for an hour or so. It’s as

TAKE STOCK

FEATURE

Presentation Quality spirits deserve quality presentation. It is vital therefore that you have: • The correct glassware - so large balloon and highball glasses, as well as heavy bottomed tumblers are essential. • High quality ice - drinkers like to hear the clink of fresh ice cubes. They don’t appreciate half melted offerings that dilute both the taste and drinking pleasure! • Garnishes - lemon, lime and orange zest are must haves, but don’t forget mint and cucumber too.

Promotion

Mixers

The profit potential of a gin and mixer is greater than most

The days of hosing draught tonic onto a gin are long gone, as

draught sales - so drive your sales with:

will be your customers if you don’t take real care and attention with the range of mixers you have available.

• A ‘Gin Corner’ - dedicated to displaying your range of gins and high quality mixers

The taste of individual gins is driven by the botanicals added

• Signage promoting regular guest gins

during the distillation process. Every gin has juniper - that’s

and special offers

what differentiates it from otherwise identically produced vodka - plus typically three or four others. Others have many more -

• A ‘Gin List’ - telling customers

a gin like Blackwoods for example boasting Shetland botanicals

about where each gin has come

angelica, sea pink, marsh marigold and meadowsweet, as well

from, its type, strength and tasting

as the more usual coriander, citrus peel, cinnamon, liquorice

characteristics, supported by a gin

and nutmeg.

cocktail list - split by type • Signature serves and suggested

Recognising this, brands like Britvic,

mixer or cocktail use

Schweppes and Fever-Tree offer mixers that are designed to

• ‘Gin Flights’ - to enable customers

complement the botanicals within

to sample a range of gin types

different gins. Think tonics with added

And make sure all of your front of

zest or elderflower as examples, as well

house staff know what gins you

as dry ginger ales and bitter lemons.

have on offer, taste characteristics

Make sure you have a range on

and perfect serves.

display - and have gin and mixer recommendations on your ‘gin list’ too!

Spread the word! Spirits sales continue to grow, fuelled by brand innovation that taps directly into consumer demand for exciting, premium drinking experiences. Customers are loving the availability of premium and flavoured vodkas and that trend shows no sign of slowing down. But watch out for what’s happening in the world of gin - sales are catching up fast. Spread the word that you've got a special gin experience available and get everyone’s spirits lifted!

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KP Snacks is serious about working with our customers to help identify the right range for them and make a positive difference to their snack sales, which is vital in today’s competitive environment.

WE’RE SERIOUS ABO ing e lead KP - Th and in nut br K * the U

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We offer a one-stop snacking solution with an extensive portfolio of leading name brands including favourites such as McCoy’s, Hula Hoops, Pom-Bear and KP Nuts.

CGA Food Service sales data 2014.

oops Hul a H No.1 ’s The UK ack** n s y l fami

*AC Nielsen MAT 16.08.15. **Nielsen 23.5.15 †AC Nielsen MAT 03.01.15

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Research supports consumer opinion that a signiﬁcant portion of outlets have room to improve their snacks range . ††

There are a staggering 600 types of bagged snacks on the market so deciding which ones to stock can be a tough business decision. Whether you are on-trade or off-trade, and whatever your outlet type, size or location, we are committed to working with you to make the most of your crisps, snacks and nuts sales potential and help your snack sales thrive!

KP’s Perfect Pub is a category-driven programme which will see the leading snacks brands working in partnership with pubs.

PERFECT PUB

UT SNACKING SALES! Consumer research shows that on average 50% of customers look to purchase a bagged snack when visiting a pub or bar‡.

KP Snacks Perfect Pub programme has identified the perfect snacks range and merchandising solutions to meet the needs of varying pub types and customers, including its new O’Donnell’s range – delicious handcooked, gluten-free crisps.

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School Chef of the Year sponsored by Crowned this year’s winner of SCOTY 2016, sponsored by MAGGI®, Yorkshire-based Kath Breckon reveals the secret behind her competition success and shares her predictions for what trends will translate into school dinners in 2016... 3. What do you think it was that made you win the competition?

6. What’s the best thing about your job?

I spent a lot of time researching and planning the entry, and incorporated many different aspects from our local history. For example, I tried to replicate, as closely as possible, how the monks used to cook; we went foraging and used beef bred in Yorkshire. Our school prides itself on using fresh local produce, it’s very important to us.

The children – no day is the same and nothing beats seeing them enjoy your food. I also love cooking with them, some children who struggle in the

4. What is the best piece of cooking advice you’ve ever been given? 1. Who/what inspired you to enter the competition? My assistant manager (and previous SCOTY winner in 2008) suggested it to me back in 2010. I have competed in the competition almost every year since and have been honoured to reach the final four times. I’ve certainly learnt a lot over the years. This time, we really went through everything with a fine tooth comb and the hard work paid off – I still can’t quite believe I’ve won! 2. Can you share with us a bit about your background? After training at Scarborough College, I went on to work in restaurants and hotels in France, London and Scotland. I moved to school cooking when I had children and have never looked back.

To be organised! It’s invaluable in my day job and really paid off during the competition. You can practice and practice at home, but when the competition starts and the nerves kick in, preparation means everything. 5. What would you say is the biggest challenge facing school chefs like yourself today? Our main goal is to encourage children to not be afraid to try new foods. However, there’s so many other elements to consider too, such as the School Food Plan and budgets; it’s a challenge and that’s why I enjoy it! Making food fun is key and we create lots of themed days to coincide with what the children are learning. Some stand-out events have been an American dinner with a duke-box, war-time food and a street party.

“SCOTY is a fantastic way to recognise the talent, hard work and creativity that goes into providing our nation’s schoolchildren with appetising, nutritious meals every day – all within incredibly tight budgets. As a judge, I fully believe that all contestants are a source of inspiration for the foodservice sector as a whole.”

classroom can really excel in the kitchen, they learn so much about Maths and Science without even realising it! Cooking with children is a great way to improve appetites. The smells and textures are really exciting and if they’ve helped prepare the food, they’re more likely to want to eat it! 7. What are your food predictions for school cooking in 2016 – what do you think kids will want? Children’s tastes are gradually becoming more adventurous as school food is becoming more interesting and creative. Street food is an increasingly popular option and kids love stir-fries and noodles, for example.

Justin Clarke, Food Development Chef, Nestlé Professional®

For details on how to apply for the competition, email scoty@dewberryredpoint.co.uk For more information on Maggi®, along with insights and inspiration for your school kitchen, visit the website www.maggi.co.uk/Professional

TAKE STOCK

FEATURE

“That means we have to produce good, healthy meals within a constant budget restraint - and that can be a challenge!” So how does the team do it? “We use cheaper or smaller cuts of meat and seasonal ingredients,” explains Alston. “For instance, lamb is a lot cheaper in spring so we only have it on the menu then for our roast day. For our chicken tikka masala, instead of a corn-fed chicken that they’d use in a restaurant, we make it with chicken breasts and leg - so use light and dark meat. On some dishes - such as chicken tikka or our sandwiches - we can make money and then we use that to

St Olave's

A-star Menu Gone are the days of chicken nuggets and chips with everything! Now, school dinners are not only healthy and tasty, they could rival most restaurants. Take Stock spoke to Alston Harris, chef manager at St Olave's Grammar School in Orpington, Kent about nutrition, street food and his ambition to raise the bar even higher next term.

balance out the budget and support more expensive dishes such as roasts. The key is to include plenty of veg and potatoes with the meal.” One thing that is clear is that the pupils of St Olave's are very well fed! Breakfast served from 8am - is available to all pupils and consists of bacon rolls, granola, fruit pots, pancakes and cereals. Then, during their 20 minute morning break pupils no longer race to a tuck shop but the dining room where they can feast on taster portions of street food to keep them going. Pulled pork subs, jambalaya, noodles and potato wedges are just some of the options available. “Our aim is to innovate pupils’ palates with new and on-trend food - and street

St Olave's Boys Grammar School has 1,300

“Thankfully, people have woken up and

food is hugely popular. They love it!” said

pupils which includes a mixed sixth form

realised that chips and processed food

Alston. “It’s perfect for a break-time snack

centre. All meals are catered for by Alston

isn’t what we should be feeding our

because with limited time, they can just

and his team of 12 - including another

children - nutritious, filling food is what

grab and go.”

full-time chef and baker - who are all

will get the best results out of them,” said

employed by Independent Catering.

Alston.“People still have a poor perception

Lunch is served at 12.40pm. Every day,

Alston, whose career started in hotels -

of school dinners. So before the year

including The Ritz - is passionate about

starts we have an open day for all the new

the high standard of food they serve.

starters in Year 7 and their parents, and it

“Everything is made in-house,” said Alston. “We have two kitchens - the main one is in the school where everything is cooked. The sixth form kitchen is only equipped for cold prep and serving, so we transport all

there are two main meals on offer depending on the day, it could be chicken tagine, roast beef with all the trimmings

includes a taster menu. You can see the look on the parents’ faces when they see the quality and variety of dishes that are presented and them thinking 'that is not what was served in my day!'"

the hot food from the main kitchen over in

But the pressure to maintain this high

heated boxes.”

quality of meals is a daily battle.

The aim of Independent Catering - and

“Unlike an average restaurant who can

Alston - is to produce good, healthy food

charge up to £15 for a main course, we

to restaurant standards.

can only charge £2.25,” admits Alston.

takestockmagazine.com

When the pupil goes to pay, if they have bought something they can’t eat but may not necessarily realise, such as a prawn sandwich, it will flag up at the till and they’ll be told.” All the sandwiches are available with gluten-free bread and one of the daily main courses is gluten free too. Their lemon cake and lime courgette muffins are sugar-free - chocolate bars, crisps and carbonated drinks are not available - instead, pupils are encouraged to buy or fish and chips - made from scratch

a bottle of water with their meal, and

and served with fresh vegetables and

any treats, like cookies and cakes, are all

salads, and a dessert. There is a daily

homemade by the bakery chef so the

vegetarian option; mushroom cannelloni

level of sugar being added is carefully

or sweet potato and butternut squash,

monitored.

for example. Carb options include jacket potatoes, couscous or pasta, as well as a selection of sandwiches and paninis. “Nothing is fried except for our fish and chips on a Friday which is treat day - even our wedges are baked,” said Alston. “All of our menus for the term are on the website so parents can go on and see what their child is eating.” As well as reassuring parents, this helps Alston and his team keep on top of dietary requirements and allergen restrictions. “We have allergen lists dotted around the dining room so the pupils know exactly what is in their food and whether it is safe for them to eat it, and parents also inform me,” said Alston. “Because no cash is exchanged all payments are handled through our till system, where all dietary requirements are noted.

Feed the World Bring to life World Food Day in your school on 16 October. The global initiative is to end hunger for every child, woman and man around the world by encouraging school chefs to produce exciting school meals that will inspire children to change the world. Visit www.ufs.com/worldfood for recipe ideas.

takestockmagazine.com

Alston knows if his dishes work or not from his biggest critics: the pupils. “If a dish gets eaten up and all the plates are empty then I’ve done my job,” said Alston. “But whereas the children are the first to tell you how much they enjoyed their lunch, they are also the first ones to tell you they didn’t!” Alston meets with the school council - made up of the head boy and prefects each quarter to discuss the menu. “We’ll go through things that they like, what they want to keep on the menu and what they don’t like. Kids expect a high standard of cooking and don’t want the same old stuff,” said Alston. “Street food and foreign influences are something they now request. Children are more open to world flavours and dishes and want to be able to experience it - especially as many won’t eat that at home. I’m from a Caribbean background so I decided to cook my jerk chicken for them but was worried it would be too hot - it wasn’t. They loved it! Alston is already preparing for the new term in September. “Anything that the pupils can ‘grab and go’ is still popular so we’ll be doing more of that; from salad pots, pasta to street food,” said Alston. “We have 100 more pupils next term so my goal will be to keep inspiring them through healthy, innovative and flavoursome food that will not only fill them up but inspire them.”

TAKE STOCK

FEATURE

Open for Business In our May/June edition of Take Stock we told you how The Fish Bar in Crewe has an open kitchen where customers can watch potatoes being peeled and chipped. As more businesses opt to show the customer how their food is prepared and cooked, Take Stock’s Rebecca Moore argues why more outlets need to be open to the idea… There was a culmination of events that

manager, said, “We wanted the design to

the Pizza Hut stores' bespoke red kitchen

gave birth to the trend of the open plan

reflect the fact that, unlike many "fast food"

ventilation system. Ellingham went on to

kitchen. As the popularity of TV chefs

restaurants, KFC cooks prepare and make

offer another angle of transparency that

grew, we were suddenly inclined to

fresh food, from scratch, every day."

open plan kitchens offer: hygiene.

prepared, cooked and plated up. Our

So committed are these brands to proving

Restaurants that adopt the open plan

expectation level was raised and dining

that they are open to a new, wholesome

trend are adding yet another level of the

out was no longer purely about the food,

yet hipster way of life, businesses are

much coveted ‘transparency’, showing

it was considered an experience. The

spending big money on ensuring the

new theatre; all of our senses were being

brand image is maintained throughout the

flirted with until it all ended with the final

entire premises. Pizza Hut have introduced

crescendo; the meal itself.

a cocktail bar and their impressive interior

question the way in which our food was

themselves to be conscientious and proactive when it comes to meeting both consumer and regulatory expectations.

design in some flagship premises. They Thanks to a combination of technology

The large brands have dominated the

dedicated more than £60 million to make

and a crusade to raise awareness of food

direction of fast food and quick service

their restaurants more appealing, including

eateries, but should smaller independent

the kitchen equipment.

restaurants and pubs adopt open kitchens?

regarding the ingredients in food and how

“This is yet another brand wanting to create an open plan kitchen for customers

Angus Cameron Pride, a consultant to the

meals are prepared.

that was being mass consumed, there has been a shift in consumer expectations

“Transparency is the big one,” said Eric Giandelone, director of food research at Mintel. “Consumers expect more information, and they are getting more information. Restaurants need to proactively embrace this new era of openness, not resist it.”

to experience, as consumers increasingly want to see their food being cooked and the process that it goes through. All high street restaurants are now adapting to this trend as they know the honesty and clarity it gives only boosts their brand presence in a competitive market. With the popularity in TV chefs continuing, and our need to

restaurant, bar and hospitality industry believes it is down to competence. “If you can execute an open kitchen and deliver it to a good standard - quiet communication between chefs, immaculate chef whites, spotless cook lines and extraction hoods, perfect good working practice in food preparation methods - then there will be

Giandelone predicted in 2011 that

watch our food being cooked in front of

great benefits to the business. If you’re

restaurants would embrace the trend

our eyes, to have takeaway outlets now

inexperienced or you don’t have the

of open kitchens as a sign to customers

also jumping on board just goes to show

attention to detail or standards to maintain

that they have nothing to hide - and in

that the power of this design will not be

this 100% of the time then I’d recommend

the last 12 months a number of well-

lost to just the staff in the kitchen,” explains

a closed kitchen. Seeing a poorly run open

known fast food chains have done just

John Ellingham, director at Canopy UK,

kitchen is far more reputationally damaging

that. Jade Swaby, KFC's creative design

the company responsible for providing

than having a closed kitchen.”

takestockmagazine.com

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Cleanliness Key to a "Top Rated" business, reveals research from P&G Professional and trivago Recent research from P&G Professional and trivago demonstrates the impact of cleanliness on a business’s overall online rating. Data reveals that an increase of 1 star rating for cleanliness is likely to increase the overall rating of a hotel by up to 1 star, impacting booking numbers and revenues. To unravel the mystery behind hospitality businesses’ online reviews and determine how much impact cleanliness actually has on a guest’s willingness to positively review and recommend online, P&G Professional, the away-from-home cleaning arm of Procter & Gamble, has teamed up with world’s largest hotel search site, trivago, to launch its ‘Top Rated’ campaign. Data illustrates that 61 percent

(1)

of customers read online reviews before making e-commerce purchasing decision, which in

practice means it’s likely the very first impression a prospective guest has of a hotel is the opinion of a previous guest. Additionally, results from trivago’s Quality Test(2), a mystery guest programme in which real guests receive a cash incentive for filling in a detailed questionnaire regarding their stay, shows that 78 percent of guests expect an ‘above average’ level of cleanliness and that if they rate a hotel as clean, they are more likely to give the hotel a high rating overall,(3) therefore cleanliness standards should be considered as especially important as ‘above average’ standard is something guests are immediately looking for. So while it is commonly understood that good online ratings boost the number of stays, the combined data clearly outlines that cleanliness is a crucial factor in securing positive recommendations and reviews. In fact, P&G Professional’s research shows that an increase of 1 star rating in cleanliness is likely to increase the overall rating by up to 1 star(4). To put that in a revenue context, if a hospitality business increases its review scores by one star on a total rating of 5 stars, a hotel can increase its price by 11.2 percent and still maintain the same occupancy or market share.

(5)

Commenting on the recent P&G Professional findings, Denise Bartlett, UK Public Relations Manager at trivago said: “trivago recognises strong online content as one of the most important features of a successful hotel search - which includes accurate, comprehensive and unbiased reviews. We believe a hotel’s reputation should be based on qualitative and extensive data about the hotel’s best strengths. As feedback from our Quality Test showed, the cleanliness of a hotel plays a key factor in guests’ retention and can positively impact a hotel’s online reputation. A good online presence is key in this industry, which is why we support the Top Rated campaign and hope hoteliers from around the world will welcome these findings “ To sum up, great cleaning ensures great reputation and great business. For more information about P&G Professional, please visit http://www.pgpro.co.uk/ Notes (1)

Data published by TrustPilot UK, 2015. Link to report: https://content.trustpilot.com/trustpowered/assets/img/Final-

TrustPowereGuide.pdf Data was collected from trivago’s Quality Test, results are taken from over 4,000 questionnaires completed over the past two

(2)

years In the questionnaire, guests are asked to rate the hotel, amenities, service etc. There are five options: strongly below average,

(3)

somewhat below average, average, somewhat above average, strongly above average. Higher rated hotels would fall in the top two categories (somewhat above average and strongly above average). Data collected via online analysis of 5930 UK hotels, and more than 2,5 million online reviews. Research commissioned by P&G

(4)

Professional and conducted by Reputami Data Services in November-December 2014. The Impact of Social Media in Lodging Performance, Chris Anderson Ph.D., Cornell Hospitality Report, November 2012. Link to the

(5)

report: http://scholarship.sha.cornell.edu/chrpubs/5/

TAKE STOCK

FEATURE

New Notes Our banknotes are changing - and your business needs to be ready. From September, the Bank of England will be printing new

smaller and will bear the novelist Jane Austen on the reverse.

£5 notes on thin plastic material - polymer to be precise. The

Then a new £20 will arrive by 2020. Once all the new notes

original notes will still be valid but if you and your members

have been introduced, the old ones will gradually be withdrawn

of staff handle money then you all need to be aware of the

from circulation.

changes. Now is the time to start thinking about how you can make the transition as smooth as possible for your business

Be ready

and your customers.

Brief staff - Everyone will need to be able to recognise and

Why the change?

authenticate the new notes when they begin hitting your tills -

Bank of England banknotes are large by international

of staff refuse their note! And equally, staff need to be aware

standards. Smaller notes mean less material will be used in

of counterfeit notes too. The full design and security features

production, which will reduce manufacturing costs and help

were unveiled by the Bank of England on 2 June 2016 with

the environment. Polymer notes are cleaner, more resistant to

a range of support materials available, why not have a quick

dirt and moisture and will last up to two and a half times longer.

training session with your staff. Visit bankofengland.co.uk/pages/

However, because it is printed with ink, and the nature of the

subscribe for more information.

the last thing you need is an irate customer should a member

plastic, clear areas or windows can be integrated into the design this makes it much more difficult to copy.

ATMs - if your business has an on-site ATM, you’ll need to arrange a software update to implement the change of note.

The new £5

Talk to your manufacturers and book in ASAP because they are going to be busy!

Apart from the new feel, the big thing you’ll notice about the new fiver is that it is smaller than the current one. You’ll still find a portrait of Her Majesty on the front, with Sir Winston Churchill

Can customers pay with an old fiver?

bearing down on you on the back.

Yes. All Bank of England notes retain their face value for all time, so it is fine to accept them from customers. If your bank,

What else?

building society or Post Office is not willing to accept old

Hot on the heels of the new £5 note will be the new £10;

notes then they can be exchanged with the Bank of England in

launching in the second half of 2017. Similarly, the £10 will be

London by post, or in person.

New £5 printed Sept

2016

£10 launching mid

2017

New £20 arriving

2020

takestockmagazine.com

Get Social Social media is no longer used just for personal chit-chat or uploading pictures of your holiday. It is now recognised as a powerful business tool to engage customers, sell your message and build your profile… and best of all it’s free! It is so much more than simply highlighting your contact details, opening hours and location, it’s a great way to build relationships and loyalty with local customers and businesses.

Choose a relevant platform Facebook (30M UK users*) and Twitter

people in the UK

This simple, easy-to-follow guide describes how you can boost your sales by following these simple steps when it comes to social media.

(15M UK users*) are the biggest platforms,

actively use social media

Not all social media will work for your business, so choose wisely.

allowing you to share multimedia content to an even gender demographic. Instagram (14M UK users; 64% female*) is purely an image sharing platform with

Target the right audience

a large younger audience (39% aged 16-24 vs 16% for Facebook*). Ideal for

When it comes to followers, it’s quality

gastropubs looking to attract customers

not quantity!

using glossy filters on pictures of their

Your aim is simple: to increase brand

high end food and drink.

exposure and footfall for your business

Other available platforms may not be

locally.

suitable for your business. For example

Engage with local papers, associations or

the top topics searched on Pinterest

groups online as they are likely to already

(10.4M UK users*) are DIY and recipes.

have a large local following.

38 million

50% of the total population

access this via

their mobile

* Source: rosemcgrory.co.uk

Target hyperlocal websites that focus on topics such as restaurants, community group meetings and car boot sales within your local area. Stay in regular contact with any key

Engage, engage...& engage! Create a personality for your business.

local influencers - they may help spread

Keep it light, fun and engaging - avoid

the word when it comes to promotions,

spam like messages!

charity events or beer festivals you are

Stay regular yet relevant by posting

running.

content around key calendar activities

2 hours

13 minutes average daily use of social media via any device Source: warrenknight.co.uk

takestockmagazine.com

TAKE STOCK

FEATURE such as sporting events, Mother's Day

100% of the time - what do you do if you

You can pin important tweets or post

and Valentine’s Day - it might help to

receive a negative review?

to the top of your Twitter or Facebook

create a simple annual plan so you don’t

Don’t act too hastily. Take some time

profile so it’s the first thing followers

miss an opportunity!

to formulate the correct response,

will see when they visit your page - this

The use of popular hashtags that reflect

otherwise you could make the

is an effective way of highlighting an

current trends make your posts visible to

situation worse.

upcoming event.

users who aren’t even following you.

Avoid argumentative or defensive

Facebook allows you at add a call-to-

Images and video content help to make

language and perhaps get an employee

action button on your businesses’ profile

to read your response before sending it.

page, taking people directly to your

Always offer excellent customer service

website or telephone number.

your posts stand out, improving reach and engagement with your audience.

and consider free drink vouchers for

Embrace the power of social media Avert a crisis by following a clear set of actions. Allowing customers to review you publicly can be a powerful business

example, to resolve any issues.

There are also a number of ways to boost your content on platforms such as Instagram and Facebook. Ad creation or

Optimise your profile

Power Editor are tools that allow you to

Customise your output to suit your

create adverts designed to promote

requirements.

your page.

Many social media platforms are now

Facebook also offers the chance to boost

offering free tools to help optimise your

individual posts to a targeted audience

endorsement tool.

profile further, so make sure you take

based on location, age, gender and

Not everyone however will be pleased

advantage of these.

interests, for a small fee.

Set up a business page by following these simple steps:

Twitter

Facebook

On your phone, tablet or PC visit twitter.com

On your phone, tablet or PC visit facebook.com

• Click ‘Sign up for Twitter’ and fill in the required details

• From the homepage, create an account by filling in the required details and clicking ‘Create an account’

• To verify your phone number, twitter will send you a text message with a code. Enter the verification code in the

• Once you’re logged in, click ‘Create page’ which is found

box provided on the sign up page

down the left hand side of the webpage (on your PC)

• Choose your Twitter username, which is unique to your

• Choose ‘Local Business or Place’ to set your type of

account. We suggest using your business name so that

business page

you are easily recognised

• Fill in the relevant details and upload a page ‘profile

• Add an email address to your twitter account. This is not

picture’

visible and is used only to send you notifications from

• Click ‘Settings’ on the top bar of your page (on your PC)

your followers

• Click the ‘Notifications’ option to see when someone

• Add a profile picture and header photo to your page

has liked, commented or shared something on your

• Building up your followers to generate an audience:

page

• Search by typing a twitter username into the search bar

• To post an update, click in the ‘Write Something’ box on

or using the hashtag symbol, followed by your topic of

your page. You can choose to post a video or image

interest (#beer)

from here too - click the photo/video option at the top of the box

• Found someone you want to follow? Click the ‘Follow’ button on their profile

• Click ‘publish’ to see your message appear on your page

• To tweet, click in the ‘What’s Happening?’ box on your

• Download the Facebook app from the App store or

twitter feed. Type your message (up to 140 characters)

Google play store to update your page on-the-go

and click the ‘Tweet’ button to post • To share photos or videos, click the ‘Media’ button on the

Have one or two members of staff responsible for managing the accounts. This makes sure they are monitored and checked regularly, and means only they have the passwords.

‘What’s Happening?’ box • Download the Twitter app from the App store or Google play storeto update your page on-the-go

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There is nothing more enjoyable than taking a stroll and stopping en route for a picnic or a pint! We’re giving away a luxury picnic set and family membership to the National Trust so get those walking boots on! In our May/June Take Stock we gave away two tickets and overnight accommodation to the Crabbie’s Grand National Ladies Day on April 8 - and it was won by Claire. “I’d always wanted to go to the glamorous event so I was over the moon when I won!” she said. “Everything from the lovely hotel to the superb event was spot-on - thank you Take Stock!" For a chance to win this edition's prize courtesy of Pepsico with Walkers Deli Crisps visit www.takestockmagazine.com/ competitions and www.todays.co.uk for T&C’s. Entries close on 31st July 2016 and the winner will be drawn at random and notified.

TRAMWAY TRAMP

MICKLEDEN VALLEY TRAIL,

Purbeck, Dorset

The Lake District

The route: This easy walk takes in views of Corfe Castle and Hartland Moor. The quiet part of Purbeck is a good place to get away from the crowds. Stop halfway for a picnic and a chance to spot some rare and not-so-rare wildlife.

The route: The trail runs west along Mickleden on a well-defined, level path below Pike O’ Stickle on the right and The Band on the left. Glacial moraines come into view as you approach the head of the valley where the path splits at the bottom of two ancient mountain passes, Rossett Gill and Stake Pass. This is the turnaround point for the walk.

Distance: 3.5 miles Time: 2 hrs Info: Visit nationaltrust.org.uk/tramway-trampwalk

Distance: 3.8 miles Time: 2 hrs Info: Visit nationaltrust.org.uk/ mickleden-valley-trail 59

takestockmagazine.com

HOLE OF HORCUM Levisham, North York Moor

Distance: 6.5 miles

The route: Follow the road towards Lockton and walk on the path high side of the valley as you wind your way upstream along Levisham Brow on towards Horcum Slack which passes Low Horcum and the narrow deep sides open out. Climb your way out of Horcum Hole then enjoy a westerly course onto Levisham Moor back to Dundale Rigg and finally back to the Horseshoe Inn for a wellÂ-earned pint!

Time: 2 - 3 hrs

Info: Visit horseshoelevisham.co.uk or call 01751 460 240

PRINCES RISBOROUGH TO WENDOVER

OVER HADDON

Buckinghamshire

The route: Starts from Princes Risborough Station, the up and downhill easy to follow route is not strenuous. It includes the Grangelands Nature Reserve and views out from Coombe Hill over the Vale of Aylesbury and surrounding counties. Break it up with an early lunch stop at The Plough in Lower Cadsden.

Derbyshire

The route: A short, easy walk over fields east of Over Haddon before walking above the lower reaches of beautiful Lakehill Dale. There are wonderful views towards Youlgreave and this is a good picnic area. The only steep slope on this walk is across the two fields back to the village where the Lathkil Hotel will provide suitable refreshments. Distance: 3.5 miles

Distance: 9.3 miles Time: 4 hrs 30 min

Time: 1 hr 30 mins

Info: Visit theplough.pub or call 01844 343302

Info: Visit lathkil.co.uk or call 01629 812501 takestockmagazine.com

TUESDAY TREK Longridge, Lancashire

The route: Sue and John Barr from the New Drop Inn make each trek different; through the nearby forest or along a road. Walkers meet at the pub for tea/coffee, then during the walk they stop for a refreshing Pimm’s or mulled wine (weather depending) and a packet of crisps! You then return to the pub for a much needed lunch. Distance: 5 miles Time: 2 - 3 hrs Info: Visit thenewdrop.co.uk or call 01254 878338 for details

BIRLING GAP East Sussex

Distance: 3 miles

Time: 1 hrs 30 mins

Info: nationaltrust.org.uk/birling-gap-walk

The route: Starting and finishing at the Tiger Inn this circular walk allows you to enjoy spectacular views over the downs and East Sussex coast. Discover part of the world-famous Seven Sisters chalk cliffs by following old drovers' and smuggling routes.

COUNTRY CONDUCT • Leave gates and property as you find them and follow paths unless wider access is available

• Leave machinery and farm animals alone - don’t interfere with animals even if you think they’re in distress. Try to alert the farmer instead.

• Leave no trace of your visit and take your litter home

• Use gates, stiles or gaps in field boundaries if you can - climbing over walls, hedges and fences can damage them and increase the risk of farm animals escaping.

• Keep dogs under effective control - on a lead or in sight at all times • Follow advice and local signs

www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-countryside-code 61

takestockmagazine.com

TAKE STOCK

FEATURE

Be Disability Aware Take Stock spoke to Business Disability Forum (BDF) about ways that businesses can raise their disability awareness. Here, Daniel Wiles, disability consultant at BDF tells us how...

One of the most important things to remember is that to treat people fairly you might need to treat them differently. This means making changes for people to remove barriers that they encounter. These changes are often called ‘adjustments’.

Train staff As a starting point, businesses should ensure their customer-facing staff are skilled and confident when interacting with customers with different disabilities; not just visible disabilities such as mobility and visual impairments, but non-visible disabilities such as dementia and mental health conditions. •

The Equality Act 2010 prohibits the discrimination of people on the basis of disability. However, BDF encourages businesses to improve their services not just because it's the lawful and ethical thing to do, but also because of the significant business imperative for those companies that get it right.

•

Remove the barriers

assistance or help, or if they approach you requesting the latter, be polite and see how you can help, If you are too inexperienced to help tell them you’ll find someone who can help - please don’t ignore them.

The Walkaway Pound In June 2015, BDF and the Extra Costs Commission released a report analysing the consumer preferences of disabled customers. The report, Walkaway Pound, found that 75% of disabled customers had walked away from a business at a cost of £1.8bn every month. It also highlighted that 3.6 million disabled people and their families had left a restaurant, pub or club because of poor

Make someone responsible - a

disability awareness costing the industry £147.8m each month.

will have someone to turn to when they are unsure of how to manage a

barrier for a disabled customer.

•

- if you can see someone needs

manager or senior team member for disablity, which will mean all staff

extra thought by staff can help remove a For groups - ensure that your menu boards and signage do not block pathways inside and outside of your business, have your menu printed in large print (even if it is just a few copies) and look into the possibility of having a disabled toilet fitted on the ground floor.

Training courses - employees can be upskilled through a variety of different training methods. BDF provides tailored training that can be undertaken online to suit the requirements of the trainee. Most customer facing disability awareness training takes a half day to complete. Use BDF’s Welcoming Disabled Customers guide as a reference for employers.

Don’t ignore a disabled customer

should be given the responsibility

Often, a simple adjustment, change or

•

situation. That way, if any assistance is required they can be the main contact. The team champion should also be given the responsibility of briefing and training other staff. •

Induction - whether a member of staff is permanent or temporary the level of customer service and

Individuals - open doors, offer to

awareness of disability should be

read the menu out loud and allow

consistent. Therefore, during each

additional time to place an order or

staff induction include all relevant

process information.

information and guidance on disability awareness.

Checklist

Train staff

Make pathways clear

Get a large print menu

Make a staff member responsible

Offer help & be patient

For more information visit: businessdisabilityforum.org.uk

takestockmagazine.com

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TAKE STOCK

FEATURE

Plan Ahead Get fresh

Freshers' week gives the on-trade the perfect opportunity to showcase and promote their business. Get your brands to support you with POS material and giveaway stock. Attract students into premises with outside signage; advertising deals like 2FOR1 and pitcher serves. “Outlets need to come up with sharing and pitcher serves that are clearly communicated, and also offer lower ABV and non-alcoholic sharers too,” said Kay Thompson, brand development manager at Maxxium. “Quirky drinking vessels are great as most people in bars buy with their eyes, and if they see something that looks good, they will ask for one without knowing what the drink actually is.” Try and capture students’ email addresses so you can send them weekly events and promotions by having a special freshers' week prize draw.

Global cuisine The variety - and number - of dishes that university chefs cater for involves organisation and preparation. “Planning ahead is a must for university caterers, as they face challenges year on year like no other sector,” said Julie Barker, chair of TUCO and director of Accommodation & Hospitality at University of Brighton. Over Sources: Higher Education Statistics Agency, TUCO, Global Food & Beverage Trends Report 2015, October 2015 and ibid

the past year 1.7 million undergraduates enrolled on full-time courses, so caterers not only have to deliver excellent service but meet the demands of food trends by providing a diverse menu. “Only 5% of university students surveyed actually wanted to eat British food, 84% wanted to eat a mix of foods from home and elsewhere,” adds Julie.

Toast the roast British Roast Dinner week is growing from strength to strength. The success of the event is down to the fact that customers don’t just want a roast on a Sunday - research by Unilever found that 40% of customers want to see roasts on the menu everyday. The Duke of Wellington, in East Horsley, a finalist last year in British Roast Dinner Week has seen its roast sales increase by 50% since last year’s event and the winner Larwood & Voce, in Nottingham smashed its record number of covers three weeks in a row after taking the ‘Best British Roast Dinner’ title. “I didn’t expect to see people tucking into a roast dinner on a Monday lunchtime or a Tuesday evening.” said Dan Cramp, general manager. The pub sold 800 covers during the week and has since seen a 60% increase in sales since winning. For more info visit unileverfoodsolutions.co.uk/ menu-support/pub-roasts/british-roastdinner-week.html/.

Spice it up

Curries are a staple diet of the UK consumer, so should feature on your menu. Paired with pale lager (alcoholic and non-alcoholic) and even Pimm’s, Curry Week is a golden opportunity to boost trade and see if your menu can cope with more than one curry - something different than the bog standard korma. “People want and expect to see something other than chicken tikka masala on the menu,” said Anjula Devi, a traditional Indian chef. “They don’t represent what Indian food is really about and there is absolutely no reason why a non-Indian chef could not create great Indian food. If they are not used to cooking with spices it's not rocket science, it's just like cooking a coq au vin with complex flavours which need a fine balance. My Lamb in Indian Pickling Spices (see over) is a good one to start with.”

Promote yourself Advertising and word of mouth in the weeks leading up to your event are key. Post the event, times and booking requirements on your social media accounts pages (see our feature on page 56 if you need help) and your website. Have outside signage, posters inside - at the university make sure you cover halls of residence - and brief staff to spread the word so your customers know well in advance what you have on offer.

takestockmagazine.com

Main

Small bunch coriander, roughly chopped including stalks 1 tsp jaggery 6 curry leaves (optional) Himalayan pink rock salt or sea salt flakes to taste

METHOD 1. Place the lamb in a large bowl. Blend all the marinade ingredients to create a paste, coat the lamb, cover the bowl and refrigerate overnight

2. Next day, remove the lamb from the fridge, and bring to room temperature

3. In a small dry frying pan, warm through for 1 minute on a low heat the cumin seeds, coriander seeds, mustard seeds and black peppercorns until fragrant. Remove from heat, add to the pestle and mortar and grind

Lamb in Indian Pickling Spices

4. In a large sauté pan, add the oil and warm

By Anjula Devi, runs an Indian cookery school at Hampton Court, Surrey

on a low heat. Add the onions, cassia bark, bay leaf and salt to taste. Sauté for 5 minutes

5. Add the turmeric and red chilli flakes, stir

“The longer this dish sits for the nicer it gets, as the flavour improves over time, so it’s a good cook-now, serve later dish. Ideal to cater for big numbers, it is a dish you can’t really get wrong; very traditional and healthy - it won’t fail to impress!”

and sauté for 2 minutes

6. Add the chopped tomatoes, jaggery and curry leaves, and continue to sauté for a further 10 minutes, stirring occasionally

7. Add the garlic, ginger and green chillies, and sauté for 2 minutes

Serves 4 Preparation time: 30 minutes

1 bay leaf

8. Add the contents of the pestle and mortar,

1 tsp turmeric powder

stir well, and sauté for about 10 minutes to

1 tsp red chilli flakes

resemble a paste. If it becomes dry add a little water

Cooking time: 90 minutes

Warming Spices

9. In another small dry frying pan, add the

Needs to marinate overnight

1 tsp fennel seeds

warming spices and roast on a low heat until

4 green cardamoms, lightly bashed

fragrant. Add them to the large sauté pan, stir

2 black cardamoms, lightly bashed

well

INGREDIENTS

3 cloves

10. Add the lamb, coat and cook on a high

500g lamb neck fillet, cut into cubes

Other Spices

11. Add the water, bring to the boil, then

1/4 tsp nigella seeds

reduce to low simmer, and cook the lamb until

4 whole dry Kashmiri chillies

tender

2 tsp mango powder

12. After 75 minutes, add the lemon juice,

For the Marinade 2 tbsp natural yogurt

heat for 10 minutes, stirring frequently

2 tbsp raw papaya skin 1/4 tsp salt flakes 1/2 tsp asafoetida

and cook for another 15 minutes

Wet Ingredients

13. The slower you cook this dish, the better

4 tbsp vegetable oil

it will taste. You only need to stir once or twice

2 large onions, finely chopped

during this time

2 tsp pulped garlic

14. Once most of the oil appears on the

2 tsp pulped ginger

1 tsp cumin seeds

surface the lamb is almost ready. If it needs

2 green chillies, pierced

1 tsp coriander seeds

more time or you want a thicker sauce cook

200g good quality tinned chopped

1 tsp mustard seeds

without the lid on

tomatoes

1/2 tsp black peppercorns

15. Remove from the heat, add the chopped

280ml water

1 1 inch piece of cassia bark

coriander and serve with hot chapattis

Juice 1 small lemon

2 tsp fenugreek leaves

Key Spices

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