Hatching a cunning plan for pub food success
Head chef of the Hatch Inn Greg Palmer tells Sheila McWattie about the pub's food success.
Chef's CV
I've worked in good quality, food-led pubs for 15 years and became head chef at the Hatch 16 months ago. My three years of study at Eastbourne Catering College included learning skills from exceptional UK and international chefs and restaurateurs, while developing my own style and passion for producing the highest quality modern foods, and making sure I didn't lose my classical roots.
The Hatch Inn already had a good reputation when I arrived. I've focused on varying its menu more widely and improving the pub's overall standard of food.
How we stand out from the competition
The pub's location in the heart of Ashdown Forest is a massive selling point. The name of the Hatch commemorates an original coalmen's gate to the forest and the modern pub is close to numerous attractions including the Winnie the Pooh bridge, Ashdown Visitor Centre and a llama farm.
The quality and consistency of the food encourage repeat trade and our wine list includes 10 wines by the glass. In summer customers enjoy beautiful forest views while dining in our two large gardens.
Our toilets also create a lot of interest, as they've been refurbished to such a high standard and cost £25,000. People come just to have a look! Over the years the Hatch Inn has received many accolades in publications such as The Good Pub Guide, AA Best Pubs, AA Best Pub Food, and Country Life magazine.
Best piece of business advice ever given:
The day you're perfect is the day you give up.
Recommended suppliers
When you find good ones, stick with them as change can cause instability and could compromise the quality of your product. Always negotiate for new prices though!
I inherited my suppliers, which are all excellent, including:
• Chapmans of Sevenoaks for fish — 01732 743 319 chapmansofseven
oaks.co.uk
• Sheringham's of Covent Garden Market for fruit and veg — 0207 622 6662 sheringhams.com
• AS Fry in East Grinstead for meat — 01342 323225
Plans for the future
To keep doing what we are doing. Business is still growing, even amidst the credit crunch. Once you have found a good formula for the business, stick with it.
PR & marketing
We don't do much outside publicity; we tend to stick to the website, word of mouth and in-house advertising.
How we drive customer loyalty
We treat every customer as our best ones, giving them the highest level of service we can offer. We also focus on maintaining our product at a consistent standard so they know they will get the same quality every time.
Menu innovation
I reduced the number of dishes on the menu from 12-14 main courses to a maximum of eight, to keep it all fresh.
The fewer dishes you have, the more often the menu can change, and I like to do this weekly.
My biggest business mistake
Resting on my laurels, by thinking customers will always come back because of reputation. They won't.
Most valuable lesson learned
Always strive to be better than last week.
How I'm beating the credit crunch
Negotiate best possible prices with suppliers, so that you can have a varied range on the menu to suit all wallets. Use cheaper cuts of meat where possible, keeping garnishes simple. Using seasonal food always helps.
Pub facts
Number of covers:
Monday to Friday: lunch 50-80; dinner 15-25
Saturday to Sunday: lunch 80-120; dinner 20-40
Average covers per week: 450-500
Average spend per head: £13
Tenure: freehouse
Owner: Nick Drillsma
Wet:dry split: 42:58
GP food/drink: 69%/62%
In the know
Recommended piece of kit
No kitchen is complete without a Robot Coupé and the whole range is pretty much indestructible. Ours cost £800 and I find it invaluable for everything, from grating cheese to making sorbet.
Recommended cookbook
Larousse Gastronomique. What it doesn't have in there is not worth knowing.
My inspiration
It's always worth looking out for ways to adapt your own menu to suit your clientele, and anything you watch or anywhere you go can give you ideas. I like Gordon Ramsay's programme The F Word and enjoy visiting his pubs, as well as Claridge's and the Dorchester — I was delighted to notice that one of Ramsay's menus was quite similar to mine.
Favourite place to eat — The Ginger chain in and around Brighton: the Gingerman, Ginger Pig and Ginger Fox. gingermanrestaurants.com
Your average employer would get more out of chefs if… — They understood more about food.
Favourite website — I don't use websites. I rely more on books. The Larousse is my bible.
Menu philosophy — Keep it uncomplicated but varied. Never have too much on the menu.
Specialities — Rather than pigeonholing myself by specialising, I aim to do my best in everything I set out to do.
Best-selling dishes
Starters: Carpaccio of yellow-fin tuna, warm black pudding & quail egg salad (£7.95)
Home-smoked hickory duck breast, warm tarragon dressing, rocket salad (£7.95)
Mains: Twice-cooked belly of pork, red onion & goats' cheese tart Tatin, red wine jus (£13.95)
Harvey's battered crispy cod, hand-cut chips, buttered mange tout (£12.95)
Desserts: Sticky toffee pudding & hot toffee sauce (£5.95)
Bakewell tart & custard (£5.95)
Best new dish — Properly made fish pie, rocket & sun-blush tomato salad (£11) Top tip — Buying a whole animal and butchering it yourself is economical and uncomplicated.
Favourite ingredient — Good quality veal jus forms the base for all meat sauces and soups and can't be beaten!
Most profitable dish — Deep-fried cod & hand-cut chips (£12.95)
How I save costs in the kitchen — Negotiating prices with your suppliers is definitely worthwhile — fresh cream has shot up in price and I managed to get £2 off the cost of four litres. Rising fuel costs have pushed up the price of Camembert, but the same supplier agreed to a 50% reduction. We use seasonal produce and have very little wastage.
