In the Hot seat - James Rudden

Do you do special offers?

We offer a set menu at lunchtimes and recently started a two-for-one main-course offer on Mondays, but it's not a tacky promotion sort of thing. There are not many places that can honestly claim Monday is a busy night, so you have to devise ways of attracting people.

What annoys you in the trade today?

Not a great deal honestly, but I do get hot under the collar about the continuous debate on smoking in pubs and restaurants. The country is moving towards a no-smoking environment so everyone has just got to get used to the idea. The White Hart is 70% no-smoking now, but I believe

you have to cater for all preferences. However, before long people will not have a choice.

How do you deal with difficult customers?

We do not get that many who prove difficult to handle and even the serial complainers appear to have learned how to voice their disapproval in the right way. I think the British have finally learned how to complain. Some still do it without much grace, but I think people's expectations

are that much higher nowadays.

Do you detect any emerging trends in pub food?

They say prawn cocktail and Black Forest gâteau are both making a comeback on menus. I say that's fair enough, but if I was serving up either dish I think the best way would be to make modern versions of them. You've really got to present them in a different way if you want to sell them.

What's your ambition?

To carry on expanding the business, but you can only do that by keeping abreast of new trends and listening to customer demand. A lot of food pubs still steadfastly refuse to take bookings and insist on a first-come-first-served basis. If people are travelling a long way to visit, you do not want

to disappoint them, so we have a bookings system for both the brasserie and the restaurant.