Development chef profile: Paul Fletcher, Beefeater

Name: Paul Fletcher​

Job title: brand research and development chef​

What food concepts/restaurants most inspire you and why?​

One trend that is particularly interesting is the "butcher and restaurant" trend where traditional restaurants function as a butcher by day and restaurants by night. An example is Hill & Szrok in East London which functions as a butcher until 6pm, and turns into a restaurant in the evening, specialising in red meat and burgers. Restaurants which specialise in burgers have been on the rise in the UK for the last couple of years and this really places an importance on the different ways you can eat and cook meat, showing its versatility and quality.  

What national food event/s do you recommend pubs should get involved with? ​

I would recommend the casual dining show but I think that pubs should get themselves down to as many food markets and street food festivals as possible to take advantage of this trend. They do some great stuff and as they don’t have fixed menus there is always a change to the food offering.

What do you think are the biggest crimes against pub food? ​

Three key things are firstly, making dishes too complicated - let the ingredients do the talking. This goes back to having quality raw ingredients. Secondly, menus that are too big to execute in the kitchen - bigger isn’t always better. I always try to make a menu varied enough to cater for all tastes but retain a focus on the classic, traditional options that we know our customers love. Lastly, you see way too much food going through the fryer.

What is the key to keeping chefs/ kitchen staff motivated?  How can licensees reduce kitchen staff turnover?​

Give staff a good working environment. Give them the correct tools to do the job, and keep them motivated and making sure they feel part of a team. I work closely with the team to ensure I take all feedback on board - as great ideas can come from anywhere. Whenever possible, give chefs the best hours possible – but remember, being a chef is a labor of love. Lastly, you should always give them a clear goal with clear targets and also the prospects and chances to develop in the company

What is the best thing you have introduced to your company’s food offer in the past year? ​

As I've only been at Beefeater a year it's still early days, but my main focus has and continues to be to keep up the work on the quality of our ingredients and let our food do the talking. I am extremely excited to expand the future menus and offerings, working with kitchen teams across the estate to implement new ways of working, cooking and serving new additions to the menu. It's very important to me and the brand to continue serving our guests with a traditional Beefeater offering, but at the same time challenge every dish on the menu to make it better and improve the overall quality of our guests’ dining experience.

What kit do you recommend and why and how are you using it for your pub’s menu?​

We're currently looking at an oven called the KOPA, which is a charcoal oven that can get up to 500 degrees. It's a lot of fun trying out some fantastic new dishes in there and looking at how we could possibly evolve our menus around it. There is so much great kit out there, the main focus in sites is to clean and maintain it and then it so it continues to perform well.

What would be your three ‘desert island’ pub dishes?​

There are a few classics that I think should always be on a pub menu. I think that they can have different twists but my three 'desert island' dishes would be a great Pie, Fish and Chips and a world class Sunday roast.

What do customers in 2015 want? How can pubs keep customers happy this year? What is changing in customer demands?​

As new food trends come and go and customers show an increasing passion for food, they know more and more. This has led to even higher standards, so pubs need to focus on simple food done really well, with quality ingredients. There are so many independent pubs and gastro pubs serving great food at great prices, I believe pubs in chains need to compete with them. Beefeater has over 140 restaurants nationwide which is testament to the trust and loyalty built up over time with our customers- it's all about affordable quality.

Classics should always be tweaked, we have to live in the future and not let things get stale. I’m a firm believer of challenging every dish on the menu to make an improvement on the next menu change. 

What is the best dish you have eaten in a pub recently?​

Believe it or not it was a simple fish stew, just great quality seasonal British fish in a light tomato sauce with crusty bread.

Who would you most like to have dinner in a pub with?​

Nothing beats a sit down family meal for me. 

Recommended food apps and websites:​

Foodspotting is a great location-based app for people who want to find food near them and judge the menu based on real photos. It allows you to search based on specific requirements and sends you images of food from nearby restaurants. You can even search specific restaurants and check what they have to offer.

Thegannet.com is an online magazine that shares recipes, pictures and tips from foodies' kitchens around the globe. Readers get an insight into what they eat, where they shop and the ingredients they use, and recipes are inspired from the Americas all the way to Asia.