Celebrate the spud

Let's face it, potatoes are the A-Team of the pub trade's armoury of accompaniments. Other veg have their place, rice and noodles are all very well on the right occasion, but it's the spud that deserves the title of Pub Food Classic.

Potatoes are an essential ingredient for pub menus, but the popularity of the best known potato dish - alright, chips - means that the versatility of potato recipes is sometimes overlooked.

Research for the British Potato Council (BPC) shows that consumers would like to see more potatoes served as light-bite or starter dishes, and parents are also keen to see potatoes served in new ways for children.

Caroline Evans, marketing executive for the BPC, commented: "Some popular snack food options include jacket potatoes, filled potato skins and potato wedges - to name a few."

Pubs also need to promote the fact that potatoes can be a healthy option. The new Nature's Goodness range from Farm Frites are lower salt, lower fat products which can all be cooked in the oven, cutting out the need to fry them.

Nadia Adrien, commercial director of Farm Frites, says: "By advertising this on the menu, outlets can appeal to not only the health conscious consumer but also to those consumers who will eat a healthy-style chip so they can order a dessert, which offers greater profit potential."

McCain Foods recognises that extended opening hours and changing meal time habits mean that snack options are increasingly popular.

Products such as spicy wedges, spicy lattice or spicy spirals can also be served with a selection of dips as a more substantial and more profitable snack.

Another spud specialist, Aviko, has a range of alternative potato products. These include potato pancakes, which combine shredded spuds with the zing of fresh onion, and Potizers, made from freshly grated potatoes filled with cream cheese and herbs. These can be served on their own, as part of a platter or as part of a salad.

Francisca Bollema, brand manager at Aviko, says: "Potato products are essentially versatile for caterers and can be served as part of any meal whether it is for a starter or combo platter.

"They are not only versatile in terms of their usage but in their preparation too as they can be pan-fried, deep-fried or oven-baked."

• Aviko: 01442 239 536 www.aviko.com/uk/outofhome ​
• British Potato Council: 01865 782276 www.potatoesforcaterers.co.uk​
• Farm Frites: 01452 415845 www.farmfrites.co.uk​
• McCain: www.mccain.co.uk​

The Great Potato Challenge

The search is on to find the best potato dish in Britain for 2007. If your pub cook is king of the King Edwards, marvellous with a Maris Piper or able to turn a Desiree into a delicious and desirable dish, the British Potato Council (BPC) wants to know about it.

There is £1,000 worth of holiday vouchers up for grabs in the Great Potato Challenge 2007. Judges are looking for pub and restaurant chefs who can cook up inspirational potato dishes that have particular appeal to vegetarians, many of whom are disappointed by uninspiring options and limited menu choice.

This year the BPC has also introduced a new category especially for budding chefs, challenging further education students studying for a catering degree or similar qualification to create a potato-based starter or light bite dish that adds variety and interest to a pub or restaurant menu.

BPC marketing executive Caroline Evans, comments: "We know that people enjoy potatoes when eating out, particularly when they have a real 'homemade' taste. Added to which, establishments have told us that their customers are willing to pay a little bit more for a really special vegetarian potato-based dish, which then often becomes a menu favourite amongst all customers.

"Our research also found that many consumers would like to see more potatoes served as a light-bite or starter dish, which is why we decided to challenge student chefs to come up with a dish for a pub or restaurant menu."

There are £1,000 worth of holiday vouchers for both the chef and student chef category winners. Entry forms are available from the BPC from www.potatoesforcaterers.co.uk or by calling 01865 782276. The closing date for entries is Tuesday October 31.