Nine of World’s Greatest Chefs at Launch of Brain Food Forum

Saturday 30th October will see the launch of The S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy Brain Food Forum, an exchange of knowledge and ideas between young chefs and nine of the greatest chefs in the world.

The inaugural event will take place in Milan, where Massimo Bottura and Virgilio Martinez will discuss the themes of Taste & Creativity, presenting topics to demonstrate how creativity, drive for taste, and discovery does not just result in delicious food, but can also change lives.

Bottura will discuss his mission to save food from waste, his appointment with the UN Environment Program (UNEP) as Goodwill Ambassador, and Refettorio projects, cultural community hubs with social kitchens under the vision of the non profit Food For Soul, now partnering with the S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy mobilizing and empowering local communities to reduce food loss and waste and support social inclusion.

Martinez will discuss his project ‘Mater’, undertaken to catalogue and rediscover ingredients and techniques within the local communities of the Andes and the Amazon to preserve indigenous gastronomic culture for the future.

In addition to Bottura and Martinez, the forum will host seven additional leading figures in global gastronomy: Mauro Colagreco (Italian-Argentine chef at the three-Michelin-star restaurant Mirazur in Menton, France), Manu Buffara (executive chef and owner of Manu in Curitiba, which is paving the way for gastronomy in Brazil), Clare Smyth (the first and only female chef to run a restaurant with three Michelin stars in the UK), Andreas Caminada (at the age of only 33, he earned three Michelin stars, and today showcases his vision of gastronomy in the historic 13th-century castle of Schauenstein, Switzerland), Gavin Kaysen (James Beard Award winner and one of the founding mentors of the nonprofit Mentor BKB Foundation (formerly Bocuse d’Or USA Foundation), Pim Techamuanvivit (owner of Nari, Kamin, and Michelin-starred Kin Khao in San Francisco, and the executive chef of Michelin-starred Nahm in Bangkok in 2019) and Enrico Bartolini (three-star Michelin chef originally from Tuscany is one of Italy’s, and the world’s, brightest gastronomic talents). These Seven Sages will make up a panel of experts that will invite questions and discussion around the themes of Taste & Creativity.

The event will be held at the S.Pellegrino Young Chef 2019-2021 grand final and is curated by Fine Dining Lovers with editor-in-chief Ryan King offering insight and mediation in his role as host. The key themes of Taste & Creativity chosen to reiterate the core values of the S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy: an online educational platform created to attract, connect and nurture diverse talent in the world of gastronomy.

Young talents and previous winners of the S.Pellegrino Young Chef competition, Mitch Lienhard (USA, 2016) and Mark Moriarty (UK & Ireland region, 2015) will also be in attendance to discuss expectations of young chefs today and their experiences in the industry.

Follow the launch event: The S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy Brain Food Forum will continue to take place at various locations across the globe, offering insight across varying themes with the aim of providing direct access to knowledge from global figures in the hospitality industry.

The Brain Food Forum will be available to view via live stream on Fine Dining Lovers on Saturday 30th October from 9.30am-12.30pm CEST.

Viewing accessed via the following link (requires sign-up) https://www.finedininglovers.com/article/spellegrino-young-chef-academy-brain-food-2021

Chef Works & Bragard UK Launch New Showroom with Top Chefs and Catering Students!

Hospitality uniform leaders Chef Works & Bragard UK are proud to launch their beautiful new London showroom earlier this week at the Business Design Centre in Islington.

With styles to suit every taste and budget, you will be spoilt for choice from modern and edgy to timeless classics, customers will have the very best personal shopping experience in hospitality uniform. Chef Works & Bragard UK are dedicated to delivering a fit-for-purpose solution that suits all hospitality businesses and understand how important uniform is to customer brand perception.

Emma Cohen, General Manager and Head of Marketing at Chef Works & Bragard UK commented:

“The opening was a huge success – it was fantastic for our team to welcome so many esteemed chefs and hospitality professionals to our new space, giving customers  the opportunity to touch and try on our collections in person is key. With decades of input from culinary icons, Chef Works & Bragard UK have created a beautiful array of hospitality clothing that combine both function and style for every kind of hospitality sector.”

Also at the event was a launch of a different kind: Israeli-based Redefine Meat showcased samples of its ‘New Meat’ in a selection of canapés overseen by Chotto Matte Exec Chef Jordan Sclare and Brigadiers London’s Head Chef Shanti Bhushan, made and and served by students from West London College and HIT Training learner Gemma Youlden from The Volunteer Inn (Ottery St Mary).

Chefs were invited to sample a selection of Nikkei (Japanese/Peruvian fusion) canapés by Jordan and delicious Curtis Pitts Deer Services venison, game and Redefine Meat canapés from Shanti and Sous Chef Gopal Basnet.

Shanti said

“It was a great opportunity to meet fellow chefs after such a difficult year.  It was wonderful to be able to work with my peers from different restaurants and sample their cuisine.  Nikkei cuisine from Jordan and the team from Chotto Matte is so fresh and clean, flavours coming through are exquisitely refreshing– It’s just beautiful.

It was very rewarding to see how much the students enjoyed working with my chefs and I, both at the restaurant on Sunday for prep and on the day at the event – I have offered all students the chance to spend a day in my kitchen with a view to inviting them to join the team!”

Jordan Sclare and Kurt Zdesar from Chotto Matte really enjoyed their day at the event.  Kurt, a global restauranteur was very excited to see the chefs’ reaction to Redefine Meat and it was a great opportunity for Jordan to look at the new range of black denim-look chef jackets, perfect for a busy service on his world-class custom-built Charcoal grill – A black jacket doesn’t show the marks as a tradition white jacket would.

Jordan said

“Chotto Matte is very much a stylish place to be seen and is frequented by celebrities and the showbiz glitterati. It is very important that my team and I have the right look and our uniforms are in-keeping with the uber-cool and edgy feel of the restaurant.  We are in the throws of opening various new sites, so today was a great opportunity to network with fellow chefs, spot future talent for our kitchens and try on the latest chefwear with both fashion and function front of mind!”

Both Jordan and Shanti have offered all students the chance to return to their restaurants to gain further work experience in both Nikkei and Indian cuisine, which is a fantastic result for all concerned.

Attending chefs invited for the launch included Jesse Dunford Wood (Parlour), Mario Perera (The Dorchester) Michael Kwan (Hotel Café Royal), Masterchef: The Professionals Semi-Finalist Arbinder Singh, Ben Purton (Thyme & Plaice), Exose Grant (Masterchef: The Professionals Finalist, Top Chef Brazil 2020 winner Luciana Berry (Mano) and many more!

Adrian from Redefine Meat said:

“We’re excited about our product and chefs like it so far. It’s very interesting to see how chefs such as Jordan and Shanti are interpreting it and using it on their menus.

Chef Works & Bragard UK look forward to welcoming customers Monday-Friday from 10.30am-4pm. Call +44 20 3735 9114 or email customerservice@chefworks.co.uk for further details.

Stay in touch on social: Instragram: @chefworksukandireland @bragarduk / Twitter: @bragarduk @chefworksuk

Photography & film by John Blackwell: www.johnscottblackwell.co.uk

Pulling Together to Remodel Hospital Food

The second Rational Future of Hospital Kitchens seminar, hosted by The Chefs’ Forum on Wednesday 20th October, attracted close to 100 hospital chefs and other stakeholders and brought several new key points to help shape the future of the hospital kitchen.

The assembled panel stretched across the whole of the hospital sector and included Philip Shelley (chair of the NHS Hospital Food Review), Naomi Campbell RGN (Hydration Care Nurse Consultant), Tim Radcliffe (Facilities Manager at East Lancashire Hospital), Mike Ridder (Dragon Consultancy), Nick Vadis (Culinary Director at Compass Group) and Colin Parry (Rational UK).

Philip Shelley said: “We’ve taken some steps to address hospital food but we can’t stop. We must keep going.”

The consensus from the seminar was that there was much still to be done and that different trusts and hospital sites had differing problems that needed to be addressed. One of these was the subject of ‘Food to Go’.

Tim Radcliffe of East Lancashire Hospital, said: “The offer needs to reflect the high street. We need to innovate, invest and change the way we do things. There are so many vacancies and staff shortages as it is.”

On the subject of hydration Naomi Campbell said: “We are reaching a critical point. Hydration is time critical. Patients on the wards need to make sure they have water or hot drinks within reach. This doesn’t always happen.”

Mike Ridder talked about the need to maximise ‘Connected Cooking’. He said: “We need to use the existing technology to save energy. One of the ways of doing this is through high pressure steaming of vegetables. However, we need to look at the costs between replacing old equipment with new, versus maintaining existing equipment.” Mike continued to discuss the importance of sustainable practices and the significance of planning in conjunction with other operations, rather than in isolated activities.

To celebrate the excellent work that has been taking place across the country, Nick Vadis provided an overview of the CPD workshop opportunities he and his team have delivered in hospitals up and down the country. He also mentioned the cookery resources developed, including a series of publications covering topics such as ‘Plant-Based Cuisine’ and ‘Great British Dishes’.

The event concluded with a round of positive messages from the panellists and the challenges to take forward to ensure that the initiative is carried forward with increasing momentum over the next six months.

Neil Rippington, Director of Education at The Chefs’ Forum and host of the event said: “What a positive event we enjoyed today! It was fantastic to witness experts from a variety of fields coming together to share their experiences and ideas to resolve a shared problem. Everyone involved is passionate to reach the objective of providing of a world-class food and drink service throughout the NHS.”

Catherine Farinha, Founder of The Chefs’ Forum, closed the event, thanking everyone for their attendance and contributions. Catherine said: “This was the second event covering the delivery of the NHS Food Review. Philip and the panellists are making terrific progress towards the achievement of the review but there is still much work to be done. We look forward to hosting the next review in six months’ time and welcoming everyone back to analyse the progress made during this period.”

Fallow Finds Permanent Home in St James’s Market

The trio behind Fallow have left their residency on Heddon Street and will open their permanent restaurant on 16 November Chefs Will Murray and Jack Croft, alongside Chairman James Robson, owners of the sustainably-focused restaurant concept, Fallow, have announced that they will be moving to a permanent site in London’s St James’s Market this November. Having launched as a 12-week pop-up in March 2020 at 10 Heddon Street, The Crown Estate’s revolving restaurant site, Fallow’s residency was extended due to the COVID-19 lockdowns, however, during its time they received numerous awards and accolades, including a Michelin Bib Gourmand.

The new 150-cover site, open all day, will boast a 65-cover dining room with a bar, wraparound terrace, and seven-seater chef’s counter overlooking the open kitchen. Will and Jack will continue their culinary approach, creating bold sharing-style dishes celebrating the most sustainable produce across the British Isles and from their small holding near Esher. There will be particular focus on whole animal butchery, with the kitchen downstairs boasting a dry ageing room.

The menu is divided into six sections, with dedicated offerings for those sitting at the bar or chef’s counter:

Snacks (£2-9): Fallow’s signature corn ribs with kombu seasoning are making their way to St James’s along with a string of new nibbles and small plates. Caramelised Cauliflower Croquetas honours the whole vegetable, likewise with the Smoked Pumpkin Skewer, the peel will be used for a crumb. The much-loved Mushroom Parfait with Shiitake and Truffle will use mushrooms cultivated from used coffee grounds in the kitchen.

Raw Bar (£3-11): Adjacent to the chef’s counter, a raw bar will serve British and Irish oysters, lightly marinated day-boat fish and Fallow Deer Tartare. Scallop Tartare with Dulse and Lemon is dressed with an XO sauce made from the roe.

Bread (£6): Sourdough flatbreads, made in-house using Gilchester Organics’ flour, will feature punchy toppings such as Veal Tongue with Smoked Mayo and Broccoli Head with Beenleigh Blue.

Plates (£10-32): Cod’s head covered in homemade sriracha butter sauce along with other often-wasted ingredients like fish bellies and leek tops, will take centre stage in the plates section. Dishes include Salmon Belly with Marrowbone Brioche and Chives, a Salmon Mousse laden with fresh herbs from the terrace garden and served in the bone with a laminated marrow brioche bun, and Ewe Kebab with Dill Pickles and mButtermilk using mutton from Barrowbrook regenerative farm in Kent.

Sides (£6): Recommended to order alongside the plates are a selection of side dishes such as House Smoked Gem Lettuce and English Greens with Walnut Pesto, using Kentish nuts.

Grill (£4-28): Dishes that lend themselves well to the flames come next. Huge advocates of championing retired dairy animals grazed on pasture, Will and Jack will only buy whole carcasses and serve rotating cuts such as Dairy Cow Sirloin Steak, Dairy Cow Rib of Beef and Cull Ewe Mutton Chop.

Dessert (£5-10): Joining Will and Jack in the kitchen is Chef Anna Williams, previously Head Pastry Chef at Dinner by Heston. Their new desserts include Chelsea Tart with Caramelised Whey, using leftover whey from Kappacasein Dairy. Rotating ice creams, starting with Sourdough Soft Serve made from surplus bread, will also showcase the underused leaves from different fruits such as figs and blackcurrant.

Each dessert will be paired with a cocktail such as a Foraged Negroni or Anglo Colada, made using British ingredients such as cold pressed apple juice and fig leaves, but mimicking the flavour of a Piña Colada. Wines will lean towards biodynamic bottles and are sourced as close to home as possible, with a large selection from the UK and the rest no further than Europe. The team will also be barrelling their own wine with London-based Renegade Urban Winery, made with Pinot Noir organic grapes hand processed by the Fallow team.

Fallow’s approach to reducing waste will also be mirrored in the décor. The design, headed up by Christina Leung and Timothy Tan of Studio Gossamer, have reused and repurposed many existing fixtures, giving them a fresh new look. Walls will be clad using a terrazzo-style bespoke shellfish panel, using leftover oyster and mussel shells accrued from their Heddon Street residency, as well as a rotating mushroom wall featuring six varieties from Isle of Wight Mushrooms.

Chairman James Robson says, “Navigating a startup during the various lockdowns has been the business challenge of a lifetime but greatly fulfilling. The guest response has been tremendous and working with The Crown Estate to secure a substantial West End lease will give Fallow a permanent home to cement their future potential and ambitions.” Will Murray and Jack Croft added, “We are over the moon with the support for Fallow so far, and we are striving to make the new site better than ever before.

We’re currently in experimentation mode and can’t wait to showcase the new ingredients we’ve recently discovered and grown on our small holding.”

Fallow St James’s opens on 16 November. Visit www.fallowrestaurant.com to book.

Seafish Launches Campaign on Climate Change Impacts for Seafood

Chef Brad Carter Launches First Kebab Shop in Manchester

Brad Carter, Chef Director of Birmingham’s Michelin-starred Carters of Moseley, today opens ‘One Star Döner Bar’ at Escape to Freight Island, the 2,000-capacity urban market located at Depot Mayfield – part of the £1.4bn regeneration of Manchester’s Mayfield district.

Inspired by Gemüse Kebab, one of the best dishes Brad has ever eaten, and other Berlin street kebab vendors, Brad launched the highly successful One Star Döner Bar during lockdown while his restaurant was shut. It will join the likes of Voodoo Ray’s pizza, Madre, first class éclairs Choo Choo and Camden Town Brewery at Escape to Freight Island.

The kebabs, all served on Pide flatbreads sourced from a Turkish Bakery in Manchester, use the very best of British produce including Cornish Lamb, Tamworth Mortadella and Cotswold White Chicken. Two shawarmas are on offer, the Mortadöner, using mortadella, shredded cabbage, cavolo nero and Margarita Hot Sauce; and the Bonedöner with chicken, kebab van salad, pickled chillies and Roast Garlic Mayo. A Lamb Döner is served with kebab van salad, smoked chilli sauce, minted yoghurt and grilled pointed peppers. Brad’s signature potato smileys are also available as a side served with either Hot Wing Mayo or Cacio e Pepe sauce.

As well as an impressive food and beverage offering, Escape to Freight Island will also play host to comedy nights, resident DJs and live performances. One Star Döner Bar opening hours are Wednesday – Thursday 3pm – 12am and Friday to Sunday 12pm – 12am. Bookings and walk-ins available: www.escapetofreightisland.com

The Future of Hospital Kitchens Seminar #2

The next steps every hospital kitchen should take.

Why all hospital caterers, chefs, nutritionists, kitchen planners and designers must attend:

A combination of new technology, new hospitals and new hospital kitchen thinking has changed the way food will be served to those in and visiting hospitals for many years to come.

There has never been a better time to be aware of the opportunities in hospital catering as it prepares itself for a bright future.

From diet and nutrition to changes in menu formation the time is now for hospitals to up the ante and by harnessing new technology a new dawn is now possible.

The future of hospital kitchens is the meeting of minds of industry leaders to create hives of talent and new thinking within the sector.  To this end, The Chefs’ Forum has assembled a key panel of experts to address every conceivable detail over two hours.

The event will be hosted by The Chefs’ Forum’s Founder, Catherine Farinha and Director of Education, Neil Rippington and will explore, among other things:

• Progress report – The NHS Hospital Food Review six months on
• Food to Go – The Changing Landscape
• Hydration and Nutrition in Hospital Menus – New culinary thinking that embraces health
• Staffing tomorrow’s kitchens and training requirements – why it’s so important to enable chefs with the right equipment and space.
• Adapting kitchens for the future – Key advice
• Hospital culinary talent and why it is winning awards

The seminar is the fifth in a series of sector-specific seminars in association with The Chefs’ Forum to gain valuable market insight to fine-tune RATIONAL’s approach to servicing stakeholders, tailor-made to their individual requirements.

Delegates can register FREE to attend the event on the 20th October between 3pm-5pm by emailing: catherine@redcherry.uk.com

UK Pastry Team Ranked 4th In The World – President Jamie Houghton Explains Le Coup du Monde 2021

The Chefs’ Forum couldn’t wait to hear all about the UK Pastry Team’s success at last month’s final of Le Coup du Monde.  UK Team President Jamie Houghton recounted this incredible event, documenting all of the emotion, trials and tribulations along the way – Here’s what happened:

What is the Coup du Monde, how many countries were represented?

Le Coupe du Monde de la Patisserie is the world’s most respected team competition. Each national team has 10 hours to produce a chocolate showpiece, sugar showpiece, plated desserts, chocolate sharing desserts and frozen sharing cakes. Due to COVID-19 only thirteen different countries from around the world took part this time but previous years have seen up to twenty-four countries participate over the two-day competition, all to compete for the coveted title of ‘World Champions’.

Who went? Meet the UK pastry team.

The UK Pastry Team consists of four members: President, Team Captain and two candidates.

This year, I was honoured to be the President, the Team Captain was Chris Seddon, who had also been the Ice Candidate in 2019, Michael Kwan (Hotel Café Royal) was the Chocolate Candidate who was the President in 2019 and Nicolas Houchet, the Sugar Candidate.

What was the run up to the main event like – Tell us about the excitement and focus, the journey over to France?

The run up to any competition is always stressful, but this year with the uncertainty of the pandemic it was particularly hard, as the team had to deal with postponements from January 2021 to the final date in September.

The week before the competition the guys did a final run through, they started at 10:30am and we had a clock set to the times of the competition to work towards.

We invited friends and sponsors to come and try the final tasting and let’s just say everyone left with a smile on their face.

Two days before we left for France we packed and set up everything we needed for the final, Chris drove the van with everything in it down to Lyon, which was an added stress for him, but he had great company to help him.

The rest of the team flew down together and there was definitely a buzz, as most of us had been before we knew what to expect and could use this to get the whole team excited.

Why peach melba – What was the inspiration and story behind the entry?

One of the sponsors for this year’s pastry World Cup was Capfruit. Once the Coupe had released the purée range that we were able to use, it was noticed that you were able to use Peach and Raspberry. The instant thought was to recreate the classic Peach Melba but as an ice cream cake. When it comes to ideas and creations, Chris has a very imaginative mind, always creating astounding results – the cake he created is a testament to that.

This is the cake description that was presented on the day: ‘The ice cream cake is an ice-cream play on a peach melba, with the sweet candy raspberry notes coming from both a coulis and a raspberry marshmallow, the outside layer of yellow peach with a touch of bitterness from the ruby peach centre to help with a less sweet taste and vanilla ice-cream to round it all off and bring it together’.

Tell us about some of the highs and the more emotional moments?

As with any competition, they can take a toll on participants bith physically and mentally, but when you’re working as a team rather than on your own, you can boost each other’s positivity with ideas and creations that get you excited to create the next thing. Everyone has their bad days, but out all of those bad days come even better, stronger and brighter days. The photos that you can see at the end of the 10-hour final where we’re all embracing each other, for me they are very powerful photos because it shows a huge weight being lifted from shoulders and extreme pride in the finished creation.

How proud are you of your fellow UK team members and the result?

Having previously experienced the competition in the capacity of Team Captain and Sugar Candidate in 2019, I know and fully-appreciate the sacrifices you have to make to achieve great things. This year the team ranked 4^th place in the world, which is the highest the UK Team has ever achieved and a huge tribute to how much has gone on behind the scenes. The team have continued to show that the pastry scene within the UK is strong and keeps getting stronger. Over the last several editions of the World Cup the UK has come 11^th, 9^th, 7^th, 5^th  and now 4^th and we will keep getting stronger. I am very proud of what these three guys have created this year and I will forever be proud to have been a part of this world.

What’s next for the UK pastry team?

The UK pastry team is currently having a well-earned rest, but in the not-so-distant future, I believe that the European Cup will be taking place to qualify for the next Coupe du Monde de la Patisserie.

What’s happening with The Chefs’ Forum’s Young Pastry Chef of the Year Competition 2022?

Following the success of the Young Pastry Chef of the Year 2021, I’m currently in conversation with The Chefs’ Forum to design and create the next edition for pastry chefs within the UK that are still in learning. This will be in springtime next year and one thing I can say is that I’m truly excited for the next step of this competition!

For more information on dates and entry requirements of the Young Pastry Chef of the Year competition 2022 contact catherine@redcherry.uk.com

A New Benchmark for Culinary Education and the Industry it Aspires to Serve

Neil Rippington, Director of Education at The Chefs’ Forum is championing a project to explore contemporary ways to cover the curriculum, as he has repeatedly heard that ‘the curriculum’ is out of date and not fit for purpose.

THE CONCEPT IN NEIL’S WORDS:

If chefs of high regard and influence have a platform to voice their opinions and ideas for coverage, a working partnership between educators and industry is naturally developed, bringing us closer together in the reimagining of a curriculum that is fit for the future. There is also a much wider development to consider when we look at topics such as work-readiness, career development, the hospitality business, character attributes and personal development. So much to consider but I believe a great opportunity at a vital time for the industry. One step at a time!

My initial thoughts are around the skills and techniques required in industry today, and then building on this to provide a repertoire that supports students and educators as they prepare for a career in industry. It might sound simple but this is a complex challenge as the industry is so diverse. Over the last few days (and years!), I’ve heard people mentioning roux-based sauces, chicken cut for sauté, dressed crab, alongside many other examples, as being products taught in colleges that are not reflective of today’s industry requirements. How do we take such skills, dishes, products and spin them to make them more fit for purpose and give them credibility?

The whole ethos of working in the industry has changed. We need to react to the rapid changes that we have seen and create a “new benchmark” for both students and employers. Employers and educators need to come together in the production of the new benchmark and a mindset of working towards a sustainable and exciting future. My initial thinking is to take the basics of government-funded qualifications and apply contemporary ideas as to how to approach each area, building on the skills with a wider appreciation of industry practices.

This is an opportunity for the industry to come together in support of education, gaining an insight into what must be covered to complete qualifications and then helping to steer the learning content and make it relevant for today’s industry. It provides the opportunity to shape the curriculum, identify essential content that might be missing, and bridge the gap between education and industry.

We must join forces to make the industry an attractive career proposition and prepare students for careers in the modern industry with a curriculum that covers the foundations but also explores technology, innovation and creative development. Employers also need to play their part in ensuring that their businesses are structured to welcome recruits and provide them with a positive a supportive working environment and a motivational and inspirational career journey.

I am delighted that the initial response to the concept has been received so positively. Inspirational chefs including Glynn Purnell, Jamie Houghton (Le Manoir aux quat’saisons and President of the UK Pastry Team), Gary Maclean (Scotland’s National Chef and former MasterChef: The Professionals winner), Luke Frost (Valrhona), Lisa Goodwin-Allen (Northcote) and Chris Galvin have all agreed to contribute to the development and I am looking forward to establishing the new benchmark for education and industry. Professor David Foskett has also agreed to support the initiative and its development from an educational perspective. The team brings a wealth of experience and, with it, the foundation of a great project.

However, we cannot do this without the wider support of chefs and the industry. I am aware of how busy everyone is, particularly in current times, and therefore I would like to invite a wider, but smaller, contribution. This will also allow me to collect contributions from different sectors of the industry to ensure that the coverage is diverse and comprehensive.

Please get in touch if you would like to contribute to the project. It will be great to hear from you and your ideas as to how you might contribute.

Many hands make light work and the future is in our hands!

Get in touch with Neil Rippington, Director of Education neil@redcherry.uk.com or call 07766 741 318.

The Future of Pub Kitchens Seminar in Partnership with Rational was a Great Success

On Monday (20 September), The Chefs’ Forum in partnership with RATIONAL, presented a ground-breaking ‘The Future of Pub Kitchens Seminar’ to explore the imminent challenges, alongside the short and long-term opportunities, facing the sector.  The free-to-attend seminar saw a great number of multi-site operators, independent business, branded operators, kitchen planners and designers come together to discuss the topics and challenges affecting them at present and some of the innovative ways they are planning to ensure a sustainable and profitable future.

The event successfully got to the heart of the matter, with panellists giving fantastic insight and anecdotal examples of how they see the future panning out, addressing the challenges and opportunities currently facing the pub sector.

Hosted by The Chefs’ Forum’s Director of Education, Neil Rippington, the Seminar explored current topics across variety of topics in the delivery of a food offer in the pub sector:

Sales Director, Mike Williams, at RATIONAL UK opened the seminar by talking the delegates through the heavily publicised Natasha’s law which comes into effect this October. Tim Foster, partner, The Yummy Pub Company, discussed the challenges of a frequently changing supply and the importance of ensuring that any replacement products were analysed carefully to ensure that allergen checks are completed for every product going on the menu.  They also explained the need to prepare immediately and get to grips with correctly labelling readymade foods as used in the production of multi component dishes.  Mike and Tim also discussed Owen’s Law, which is currently the subject of a government petition calling for restaurants to put all information about allergens in their food on the face of their menu, so customers have full visibility on what they are ordering.

Mike said:

“Owen’s Law aims to strengthen the food regulations in relation to allergenic information on menus in restaurants. Following a visit to a restaurant, Owen Carey, who had several allergies, including dairy, had eaten a grilled chicken breast without the bun, but was still affected as the chicken was marinated in buttermilk, to which he was highly allergic. The push for Owen’s Law is to supplement Natasha’s Law, becoming legislation in October, to ensure that pre-prepared and packaged foods are clearly labelled for allergenic ingredients.”

The delegates then got to see first-hand the connected cooking technology offered by Rational to help them cook their menus quickly and efficiently, lessening the need for a labour-intensive kitchen in the grips of a global chef shortage as industry recovers from being closed due to the pandemic.

The next topic examined environmental issues and sustainability. All participants shared examples of the key challenges facing the sector at present in terms of the environment and sustainability, including issues including food waste, single use plastics, reducing carbon emissions and food provenance.

The panel swapped tips on stock utilisation, using seasonal varieties and innovative ideas to ensure that food waste is kept to a minimum. Ideas were also shared to illustrate how the utilisation of ingredients can be maximised in creative ways, including the use of ingredients across menus but featured in a variety of formats to maintain originality.

Ross Pike, Chef Director, Oakman Inns discussed  the importance of  waste management and the utilisation of food across his operations, providing great examples of what can be done to achieve this.

Ross said:

“It’s a very important step. My experience in Italy included working in kitchens with clear bin-liners so that all waste was visible. I have incorporated this practice to Oakman Inns. By having clear bin-liners on every section, it makes the chefs realise how much foodstuff they are throwing away and this can be challenged. I then turn this around and have little competitions in the kitchen to explore how these offcuts, which are totally safe to eat, can be utilized. It’s actually helped to create some of our best dishes.”

Topic three discussed the highly topical and essential issue around staffing. With widespread coverage referring to the problems the industry is facing in terms of staffing, the panel approached the subject analysing what can be done in the longer-term to help to overcome the issue.

Mike and Jacqui Downs, Owners of The Volunteer Inn in Ottery St Mary, discussed how the use of technology has improved the working environment and experience for their staff. Mike took us, via video, to the Volunteer Inn and a demonstration as to how working with the iCombi Pro and the iVario Pro has led to a much-increased level of productivity, efficiency and consistency in food service operations, whist improving the ergonomics of the working environment for staff.

Mike said:

“I was looking at chef welfare and the sustainability of the job. As restrictions from the pandemic were removed, it was forecast that it would be like Christmas every week, so I had to look at the situation and the technology available. We have installed two i-combi ovens and the iVario pro. This has enabled us to more than double our production, whilst still only having one chef on shift. The technology has definitely aided us in our recovery from the pandemic.”

Trends and eating patterns formed the content for topic four. The panel considered the promotion of healthy eating options on menus and how pub caterers can influence customers to select and consume more healthy options, supporting an increase in consumers’ consumption of fruit and vegetables. Mike Williams discussed how the use of the iCombi Pro and iVario Pro can maintain the nutritional values in foods by highly controlled cooking methods.

Mike commented:

“As healthy eating is becoming more applicable to most people, consumers are more likely to choose options that are pan-fried rather than deep-fried, for example. Our equipment, on the right settings, can produce unique results with great textures. Just-in-time cooking also helps retain nutrients and the colour in fresh vegetables, making them more nutritious and appealing to eat. The equipment also assists in the management of production volumes, preventing the need for large batches of vegetables having to be cooked, held or reheated for service.”

In terms of trends, the topic of dark/ghost kitchens was explored as a growing trend across many operators. Tim shared his views on the increase of the dark kitchen model and some of the benefits this can bring to operations who plan to utilise this type of operation

The fifth topic explored the use of technology in the planning of tomorrow’s pub kitchen. The panel debated the benefits of ‘Connected Cooking’ and how this technology can assist in the management of cooking and systems. Shanti Bhushan, Executive Chef, Brigadiers, London, discussed how he maximises the efficiency of operations in his kitchen, providing some great menu examples in the production of excellent, authentic Indian inspired food, with a significant reduction in the use of equipment, time and labour.

Shanti said:

“I think the most amazing part of this equipment in the control. For example, in the production of a classic beef biryani, we use beef shin. This, traditionally, would take around 4 to 5 hours of slow braising. The whole process now is performed overnight at 65°C, braised with the spices, producing a more tender, delicate and flavoured dish. The rice is also cooked and layered using the Rational equipment and the consistency is excellent. It is such a time-saver.”

With staffing such huge problem currently, delegates were delighted to learn that they could introduce technology to their kitchens to support staff and reduce tasks requiring significant laborious input . The equipment can be managed remotely via an app on a mobile phone, an ipad or a PC. Shanti’s example demonstrated how the iCombi Pro can work safely from the control of an app, even when he is not at the restaurant.

The final topic of the session explored the road to recovery and how an integration with education can play a part in bridging the gap between education and industry. The Chefs’ Forum is all about bridging the gap between education and industry, so it was fantastic to hear from the panellists on how well they consider their kitchen teams, treating them with respect and considering their experience at work to make them want to stay for the long haul.

All the panellists agreed that engaging with the next generation is a priority and there were some great examples of interaction with colleges through the Chef’s Forum Academies. This included masterclasses covering all things food and drink, including cocktail making masterclasses from the team at the Yummy Pub Company and guest-chef masterclasses from chefs at Oakman Inns. Mike Downs also discussed the importance of social media and how the development of an online community has supported the journey and development at The Volunteer Inn.

At the end of the event, Neil Rippington said:

“The Chefs’ Forum’s Future of Pub Kitchens Seminar examined a number of key topics across a wide-ranging analysis of the Pub sector and the challenges it faces.

Today, we all agreed that there must be a new way of thinking in terms of waste reduction, sustainability and technology, whilst at the same time as developing staff and looking at innovative ways to attract new staff to the sector and retain them in the long-term.  I am delighted with the insight gleaned from today’s event and look forward to staging a follow-up event for the pub sector very soon.”

This was the fourth in a series of sector specific seminars in association with The Chefs’ Forum to gain valuable market insight to fine-tune RATIONAL’s approach to servicing stakeholders, tailor-made to their individual requirements.