Good morning, time to Rise & Shine
Here’s everything you need to know about hospitality in the south and south west this week. If you want to reach over 22,000 fellow industry professionals with the latest news from your business, we’d love to hear from you.
Contact our News Editor, Carolyn Moss, at news@breadandbutter.media or call her on 01305 897172. And follow us on Twitter @BreadButterNews.
See you next week.
Robin Alway
Group Editor
INDUSTRY NEWS
Cream of the crop: the south west’s Golden Fork winner
This year’s Great Taste awards have reached their grand finale with the announcement of the coveted Golden Fork award for the best regional food and drink. In the south west this was presented to Jess’s Ladies Organic Farm Milk for its Jess’s Ladies Organic Double Cream, an un-homogenised organic double cream produced in Gloucester. Judges described it as “lush”, “summery” and “utterly delicious”, adding that it had “thick clotted cream-like texture, without coating the mouth in fat”. The complex, long-lasting flavour reminded the panel of “fresh pastures”.
The eight Golden Fork awards were handed over at a dinner held on 5th September at the Royal Garden Hotel in Kensington, where over 300 guests from the world of fine food gathered to hear the results of many months of rigorous judging.
The Great Taste Supreme Champion this year was Hannan Meats’ Glenarm Shorthorn 4 Rib Roast. Hannan Meats are the first producer in the award’s 22 year history to take the top award for a second time. For all the other winners, go to www.greattasteawards.co.uk
The Handmade Burger Co. comes to the south west
Birmingham-based Handmade Burger Co. is opening in Bath city centre before Christmas. Their licensing application for the site in Upper Borough Walls, formerly occupied by Central bar, has been approved and the restaurant will be open from 9am until midnight and serve alcohol.
A spokesman told the Bath Chronicle: “Our food is hand-made in our restaurants using more than 48 seasonal ingredients and only the freshest produce, which is locally sourced where possible. We go to every length to ensure our high standards are maintained.”
The Handmade Burger Co. was founded by brothers Chris and Richard Sargeant in Birmingham in 2006, and now has 25 sites across the Midlands, Yorkshire, the north east and Scotland. They are planning to add another 15 in the next three years including Bristol and Bournemouth.
Feast Weymouth reveals its line-up for 2016
Weymouth’s annual eight week celebration of dining out is back from 3rd October to the 30th November. This year’s Feast Weymouth involves over 30 participating restaurants, cafes, and bars offering special set menus priced between £5 and £25. Supported by Weymouth BID, it aims to bring visitors to the town to sample independent eateries with special offers and better value menus.
This year, the event kicks off on Saturday 1st October with the pop up kitchen. Located in the town centre this will feature local chefs cooking dishes from their restaurant for the public to sample.
John McInally, Head Chef of Shelley’s at The Dining Room comments: “We are really excited to be part of FEAST Weymouth this year. Weymouth really needs this sort of event in October and November and we can’t wait to get cracking! We think we have a great menu and can’t wait to share it with you all.”
Luciano Da Silva, head chef at The Nothe Tavern adds : “FEAST Weymouth is such a great event, and an excellent way for us to showcase our refurbished restaurant! We are thrilled to have this opportunity to let everyone know about our new delicious menu, cosy surroundings and great bar. We hope to see you many of you over the 8 weeks, we are sure you will love our menu”.
Participating venues for Feast Weymouth include HIX Academy, Les Enfants Terrible, Al Molo, The Stable and the King’s Arms in Portesham, Media partners include the Dorset Echo, Wessex FM, Menu Dorset, In The Bag PR & Dorset Food & Drink.
The full line up of offers is at www.weareweymouth.co.uk/feast-weymouth.
Mary Rose open for weddings
The Mary Rose Museum in Portsmouth has reopened and is being offered as a wedding venue. Couples hiring it will get exclusive access to all three floors of the museum, including the Bridge Balcony which views of HMS Victory in the harbour. The museum is licensed for up to 120 guests for dinner and dinner packages with a selected catering partners start from £110 per person.
Paul Griffiths, head of operations at the Mary Rose Museum, said to Bride: “There simply is no other venue like the Admiral’s Gallery for such special occasions. We are extremely proud to be able to offer exceptional standards of catering and service, surrounded by a unique sense of history and occasion.”
Historic Cheltenham guest house changes hands in million pound deal
Hospitality operators Paul Smyth and Shaun Bailey have bought Butlers guest house into their hotel portfolio following a £1m deal brokered by Colliers International.
The former gentleman’s residence, located close to the Cheltenham town centre dates back to 1837 has bedrooms named after famous butlers.
Paul Smyth told Boutique Hotelier: “Cheltenham offers a catalogue of world-renowned events and while it’s not the cheapest area to operate it is definitely one of the most popular. And fluctuating currency levels mean foreign visitors get so much more for their money.
“The downturn encouraged many big companies to consider using the better class of guest house rather than expensive hotel accommodation – in our experience over the past 14 years we have seen tourist numbers falling back against a corresponding rise in business custom.”
Peter Brunt, hotels director with Colliers International, added: “Although it ticks all the boxes in terms of its outstanding aesthetic appeal, Butlers guest house also delivers in business terms, with accounts for the year ending October 2014 showing £150,580 without even using all the rooms – so there is enormous scope to develop the business further.
“The vendors bought Butlers in 2002 and should take credit for the stylish and tasteful décor that is much enjoyed by the clientele. In recent years they have operated less intensively than they could and throughout most of the year only offer six or seven letting bedrooms. They now wish to retire, and the scope for Paul and Shaun to increase trade is obvious.”
FOOD & DRINK NEWS
Easy Bean’s Brazilian one pot
The award-winning producers of healthy one pot meals, Easy Bean, are launching a new Rio 2016-celebrating Brazilian Vatapá.
Inspired by Brazil’s cuisine it features black turtle beans, an ingredient in the national dish, with a Bahian-style sauce cooked with okra, roasted red peppers and butternut squash.
Christina Baskerville, MD of Easy Bean, said: “In Brazil as in other parts of South America, rice and black beans are a staple. We’ve taken inspiration from not only the black turtle bean, but also the delicious vegetables that are on offer. Our new recipe is our take on the Vatapá – one of the classic dishes of Brazilian Cuisine. It hails from the Bahian coastal region where many of the dishes have African origins as a result of the slave trade. “
The Brazilian Vatapá is just the latest addition to Easy Bean’s award winning range of one-pot meals inspired by recipes from around the world. It’s available from Ocado and independent stockists with an RRP of £3.49.
Miles Tea and Coffee get new packaging
Family run sine 1888, Miles, based in Porlock on the coast of Exmoor, have a new range of packaging for their coffee. A large investment sees their ground coffees, like Bright and Breezy, Cheerfully Columbian and Delightfully Decaffeinated now being sold in specialised packets.
Their latest coffee is Rich and Reviving (formerly known as After Dinner) launching this autumn with a striking firework design. To see the full range go to www.djmiles.co.uk
New healthy breakfast pots from RaRa
Family run RaRa’s first product line is a range of natural, healthy breakfast pots featuring chia seeds, oats, coconut milk and fruit.
Available in the chiller section, they can be eaten hot or cold with the supplied spoon and have a shelf life of 35 days. They contain no additives, preservatives, sweeteners or dairy.
The 170g pots have a wholesale price of £12 for a case of six with an RRP of £3 per pot. RaRa are targeting high-end wholesale and independent retail markets. Go to www.raratribe.com for more info.
EQUIPMENT NEWS
Licence to grill with Linda Lewis
A unique range of Arris vapour grills are offering chefs a healthier cooking option. Supplied by Linda Lewis Kitchens (LLK), the range features a grill above a water tray. This generates steam while it is grilling meat, fish or vegetables so the food stays full of juices and flavour rather than drying out. Fats drip out and vitamins and minerals stay in the food, according to the manufacturers.
Linda Lewis, managing director of Linda Lewis Kitchens, says: “The desire to eat healthily is one that caterers cannot ignore, but many struggle to find ways to use existing equipment and create healthy eating choices for the menu. The Arris Vapour Grills are wonderful solutions for those wanting to cook healthier food for their diners, but are also pieces of equipment that can just help food taste better, because it is cooked in a more natural and less aggressive way than with other methods of cooking. We predict that these vapour grills will soon become preferred to chargrills, in many eateries, because of all the taste and health benefits that they bestow.”
LLK has the Arris Vapour Grill in electric and gas models with different sizes and widths. Go to http://linda-lewis.co.uk/ for more details.
PROPERTY
Bodmin restaurant for sale
A high-end restaurant/café in Bodmin has come on to the market with a guide price of 350,000. Called Bosvena, it’s situated in the centre of town overlooking the square and is being sold by the current owner/operator due to other commitments.
Once a Georgian town house, it was set up as a restaurant in June 2014 and earned a loyal customer base and rave reviews for its food and service, according to property agents Christie & Co.
Tristan Courtney, Business Agent at Christie & Co’s Exeter office who is handling the sale comments, “We are delighted to be able to offer this beautifully-presented restaurant set in such a prime location in a growing town. With the levels of infrastructure currently coming into Bodmin, we are seeing that the town is becoming an increasingly desirable area for prospective business owners.
“The current operation has been run by a hands-on owner operator and a team of trusted staff and is well supported by locals and tourists alike. Bosvena has grown rapidly and the business provides a great opportunity for further development, which would suit both new and experienced operators alike.”
LEGISLATION
The latest gluten free advice
Do you serve gluten free food? Caroline Benjamin MIH, Director of Food Allergy Aware Ltd, answers some frequently asked questions…
Do you provide gluten free options?
As from the 20 July 2016 it is no longer appropriate to label individual menu items as NGCI (Non Gluten Containing Ingredients), although you are able to label a menu and list items within the menu that are NGCI dishes.
Originally the Food Standards Agency (FSA) was planning to ban the total use of NGCI, but a u-turn was made where the decision was made for business to be able to use the NGCI term as a title or a header for a complete menu as appropriate. The reason for the changes was because the term NGCI was seen to be confusing by the consumer when understanding what was suitable for them.
So what does this change mean for your business?
If currently you are using NGCI term on your menu, you will need to review and update, and create a separate menu. There is a transition period for you to complete this but going forward all new menus will need to be in the correct format.
What does NGCI mean?
There is no real defined statement however I came across this statement: “Manufacturers generally use the term ‘no gluten containing ingredients’ when the product in question does not include any gluten-containing ingredients, but hasn’t been tested for gluten or may be at risk for gluten cross contamination due to the way in which it was processed”
In the same way that food service business will produce a dish which does not contain gluten in the main ingredient listing, however there could be a low risk of cross contamination due to gluten being present in the kitchen.
Businesses using this term should have in place a thorough understanding of cross contamination, with strict procedures and policies in place to reduce risks as appropriate. Again, food businesses would not have tested their products to be gluten free so communicating the risks as appropriate is crucial to enable the customer to make an informed decision when dining at your venue.
Do you use the term Gluten Free on your menu?
As a food service businesses you should be aware that if your business is using the Gluten Free term on the menus, then it is doubly important that you include allergy management within your HACCP procedure documents. Strict procedures should be in place to ensure the foods produced are less than 20pmm. If there is a risk then you should look at alternative labelling.
Business should be upfront and offer positive communication about what is and is not possible to provide for their dietary requirements.
5 tips when serving the allergic or coeliac customer
1. Have a menu marked up which clearly lists allergens or an accurate table which can show what dishes can be adapted to enable the customer to decide what is actually available for them to eat. Check out FreemyMenu.com for an example.
2. Don’t be flippant and say “yes, we can offer a choice”, when realistically only a baked potato is available.
3. Inform the customer how food is cooked and served, ie: “chips are in separate or shared fryer. We serve food on wooden boards but can offer a substitute.”
4. Have a process throughout the customer journey to ensure there are checks in place to prevent a ‘customer escape’.
5. Have an allergy management policy and share online, to show customers you are serious about serving them safely.
For more information visit fatc.co.uk/services to see how we can help you further or give us a call today on 07732637292.
EVENTS
Industry Events During September
An Evening of Networking with Hospitality Professionals
13th September
The Grand Hotel, Brighton
“An informal evening of networking with hospitality professionals and industry suppliers to showcase a suite of products which are available to help your hotel perform at its best! Also, learn how your market place is performing via our guest speaker from STR.”
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/an-evening-of-networking-with-hospitality-professionals-tickets-27112210351
Salisbury Food & Drink Festival
15th – 18th September
Salisbury, Wiltshire
“Calling all foodies …. prepare your taste buds for the Salisbury Food & Drink Festival. Celebrate the very best of local and regional produce, with all activities culminating in the ever popular Market Day on Sunday 18 September.”
https://www.salisburyfestival.co.uk/editorial.php?ref=foodfest16
The Great Artisan Feast Festival
17th September
Queens Square, Bath
“Come, enjoy and celebrate the best Artisan food & drink from around the South West.”
http://www.bathstreetfood.com/#!bath-feast-festival/uyn3d
River Cottage Festival
17th & 18th September
River Cottage HQ, Axminster, Devon
Their first ever family friendly music and food festival.
https://www.rivercottage.net/dining-and-events/river-cottage-festival-2016
SITT Autumn Manchester
19th September 2016
The Point at Lancashire County Cricket Club, Manchester
“SITT is a crucial tasting for both new and seasoned trade professionals, across the independent on- and off-trade sectors.”
http://www.sittastings.com
SITT Autumn London
21st September 2016
Lindley Hall, The Royal Horticultural Halls, London
“SITT is a crucial tasting for both new and seasoned trade professionals, across the independent on- and off-trade sectors.”
http://www.sittastings.com
Lunch!
21st & 22nd September
The Business Design Centre, London
“The UK’s only dedicated trade show for the food-to-go sector.” “This year’s show will feature over 350 food, drink, packaging and equipment exhibitors, with over 100 companies new for 2016, giving you an unrivalled opportunity to keep up-to-date with all the latest trends and innovations.”
http://www.lunchshow.co.uk/
South West Food & Drink Breakfast 2016
22nd September
The Canalside, Bridgewater
“The Breakfast will be a showcase for the industry: find out how the region’s food and drink companies are faring, and their plans for 2017.”
https://www.insidermedia.com/event/south-west-food-and-drink-breakfast-2016
Wiltshire Game & Country Fair
24th & 25th September
Bowood House, Wiltshire
“Food Glorious Food is perfect for food lovers. Chefs cook up some tasty delights and regional producers sell delicious food and drink.”
http://www.bowood.org/event/wiltshire-game-and-country-fair/
The Restaurant Conference 2016
29th September
Grand Connaught Rooms, London
“The most important date in the calendar for all senior executives involved in the UK branded restaurant market; the annual restaurant conference is a significant session of insight into restaurant operations, condensed into one day, to enable effective access to, and networking with, the highest level of operators.”
https://www.therestaurantconference.co.uk/
LAST BITE
Get your goat
Jamaicans have always enjoyed it in a curry but now the UK is getting into goat. The meat is high in protein, low in fat and tastes like a cross between venison and lamb. It apparently makes up 60% of the red meat eaten worldwide. Some of us love goat cheese of course but the meat, also known as kid, is fast becoming a food trend in Britain. Ocado are now stocking it and high-end restaurants including Smokehouse and Gymkhana in London, are putting it on their menus.
One of the pioneers is James Whetlor of Cabrito (Spanish for ‘young goat’) who now sells over 10,000 kids a year. The former River Cottage chef points out that kid is a sustainable choice for meat-eaters because some 40,000 male animals are slaughtered soon after birth each year as only females produce milk.
“In today’s world it’s becoming less and less acceptable to have waste at this scale,” Whetlor told Feast. Of course it helps that it’s versatile and tastes good. Whetlor added: “It tastes brilliant… A big advantage is that because it’s eaten by many cultures there are so many recipes for what you can do with it.”
Chefs are using the younger sweeter kid meat instead of lamb in dishes. Last year’s Great British Menu winner, Matt Gillian, triumphed with a goat meat main course. Yottam Ottolenghi cooked whole spiced goat at London meat festival Meatopia and Jamie Oliver has pledged his support.
Further underlining the meat’s new popularity is a month-long celebration of the meat in London. Goatober, running in October, will see restaurants including Hix Oyster & Chop House and Shotgun give a goat dish a spot on their menus.