DIY with a difference
On the face of it, accepting a dinner booking and then telling the diners they'll have to cook their own main course doesn't sound like a recipe for winning any customer service awards.
But for the Wellsway Inn at West Harptree, near Bristol, the cook-it-yourself approach has proven to be a successful move thanks to the installation of a Black Rock Grill.
Visitors to the Pub & Bar Show in April may have seen the Black Rock system in action. A slab of volcanic rock, heated in an oven, is bought to the table. The customer cooks their own meat or seafood on the rock, with the heat sealing in the natural juices and flavour.
The rock stays hot at the table for at least an hour, allowing a large helping of steak and swordfish to be cooked chunk-by-chunk, with the final mouthful as tasty as the first.
Peter Hatter, director of Black Rock Grills, which has bought the system to the UK, says the concept brings a much-needed touch of theatre as well as a considerable savings on labour costs for pubs which use it.
Black Rock in action
That has certainly been the experience of Pat and Tony Millard, who bought the freehold of the Wellsway Inn in July 2005. From a turnover of less than £1,000 a week, trade has increased to £5,000-plus on little more than word of mouth.
Both in their 50s, Tony and Pat are relatively late entrants to the trade, but have plenty of experience in running their own business. Previous ventures have ranged from running a shop to pig farming, and the couple had been looking for a pub for some time.
The Wellsway is in a remote country location in the Mendips. With a 70-seater restaurant as well as the main bar, a 150-person function room, five letting rooms and a large garden with views to the Chew Valley lakes, the pub clearly had potential as a destination food venue.
However, a series of owners had neglected the food side of the business. In addition, a downmarket reputation dating back to problems at the pub a decade ago meant that neither locals nor visitors were using the pub.
Although Tony and Pat were well known enough in the area to overcome any concerns about how the pub would be run, with 32 pubs within a five-mile radius they knew they needed to offer something a bit different. Having seen the stone cooking concept on holiday, they believed the Black Rock Grill would provide the USP the pub needed.
Pat said: "The Black Rock Grill has achieved all the objectives that we thought it would. We have a very unique food offer that gives us an edge over our competition, we don't have to employ expensive highly skilled chefs because its so simple to prepare the meals"
Prices for the grill range from £8.95 for a salmon steak to £12.95 for an 8oz fillet steak, 12oz rump steak or 14oz mixed grill. The seafood offer also includes swordfish steak and tiger prawns. All meals are served with fresh local vegetables.
Selling the idea to the customers
Tony says: "We get the occasional customer who is not sure about having to cook their own meal on the rocks, but I tell them that the flavour is so much better when they cook it that way. The heat from the rock sears in all the natural juices that keep the meat or seafood moist, juicy and hot right till the last bite.
"If they are unsure, I tell them if it's not the best meal they have ever had I will given them their money back - I've never had to give a penny back."
The Wellsway also has a carvery, also offering locally sourced meat and veg. Once a week, the pub offers its Tuesday night Best of British menu, which for £7.95 offers a choice of faggots and peas, sausage and mash, home made steak and kidney pie, liver and onions, or fish and chips.
"We've seen price rises in all areas of the business, heat, light and power, minimum wage and insurance but Black Rock Grill has allowed us to keep our payroll in the kitchen tight. We've probably saved £20k in kitchen wages," says Tony.
