Carl Smith says an ability to cook is a minimum requirement

Thirty-years ago whilst studying Hotel and Catering Management at Bournemouth College, I spent Christmas 1974 working in the kitchens of a hotel in the New Forest. It was probably one of the best career decisions I ever made. Not because it was so good but because it was so bad! Talk about the "tail wagging the dog". The manager didn't have the knowledge or confidence to control the chef and the kitchen was anarchic. He was probably frightened that if he challenged the chef, the chef would tell him to "sod" off. This experience taught me one thing. Unless you can cook, forget about running a restaurant or food pub. Okay, you might not want to slave away over a hot stove ­ it just means you can if you have to. How many times have you heard someone refer to a pub along these lines. "Well it used to be very good, but I think the chef might have left". Too many pub food businesses are up and down in terms of standards. Why? Quite simply they are too dependent on the skill and enthusiasm of a chef who may or may not stay. If you don't understand how the kitchen works, it's easy to be misled by a chef who talks a good job instead of doing one. He or she will give you a plethora of reasons why they can't produce home made chips or boil their own ham. You might find them refusing to cook for guests who turn up at just before closing time. You end up backing down because the chef might walk out, leaving you with problems. Equally, of course, your ignorance may lead you into making unrealistic demands on your chef and he might leave anyway. At least learn how to cook the food on your menu. Take a sabbatical and spend time in someone else's kitchen if you can, or sign up for a cooking course at the local college. If you do lose your chef you can at least take your time in finding the right replacement. In the meantime, your standards won't fall because you'll be in the kitchen. Your new found confidence will make it less likely that anyone will pull the wool over your eyes. You can even enjoy a bit mutual respect with your chef. l Carl Smith is licensee of two Young's Pubs ­ the Guinea and the Windmill in Mayfair