Serving food without a chef

This month we look at quick and easy food ideas that busy licensees can

introduce to their pub menus with a minimum of fuss and preparation

Ask the expert

Young's catering development manager Paul Jeffreys offers licensees his 10 tips for successfully introducing food

1 Invest in your business. If you can spend money on a refurbishment to change the focus of the pub, do it.

2 Don't be a "one-minute wonder". Bars that set themselves up with quirky ideas or gimmicky themes last for one or two years at the most.

3 Give a "food feel" to your business; this can be done cheaply, by just placing knives, forks, salt, pepper, menus and bottles of oils or vinegar on tables. You could go as far as opening a hole in the wall to provide a view into the kitchen.

4 Think "food triggers". What would trigger the customer to think of your pub as an alternative place to eat? Could it be winning a local award for food? Perhaps the car park could be used by a local farmer to sell his produce - this would associate you with fresh produce. Maybe you could put some free-range chickens in the back garden? Or how about some food magazines in the pub instead of newspapers?

5 Think about what your menu says about you to the customer. Is it laminated (your pub is cheap and dirty); is it printed daily (fresh produce); is it too big (frozen food or boil in the bag); is it too small (revisits are pointless); is it written in understandable English (wholesome); or is it written in French (fancy and expensive).

6 Ask a stranger to tell you what your pub looks like inside and out. Listen to what they say - you might not like it, but listen.

7 Don't think that employing an expensive chef is the answer to good food.

8 Make sure everyone in your team knows where you want to go with your food and knows what is on the menu.

9 Give good customer service, whether it be table service or ordering at the bar - being attentive to the customer and having the right, knowledgeable staff can make a

major difference.

10 Training - ensure you and/or your staff have the necessary basic food hygiene and first-aid qualifications.

Sweet success

Selling sweets behind the bar has created a vital point of difference to the offer at Greene King tenancy the Hop Poles, in Brighton, East Sussex.

Located within sight of the seafront, the pub is renowned not only for its generous portions of home-made food but also its sense of humour. Sculptures made from car-wheel hubcaps are a recurring theme; a model of a 12ft-long alligator can be found in the garden and an octopus stretches across the pub ceiling.

The Hop Poles also doubles as a confectioner, offering a large range of boiled sweets for sale. "When the pub became the Hop Poles about seven years ago, the sweets were introduced as a gimmick and have proved to be really popular with the customers," explains pub manager

Jonathan Byford.

Jars of old-fashioned sweets are displayed on shelves behind the bar; cola cubes, rhubarb and custards and Murray mints sit alongside strawberry and lemon bon-bons, rosy apples and pear drops. The sweets are weighed out using old-fashioned scales and served in paper bags; it's all very reminiscent of days gone by.

"It's quirky and a bit of fun, which fits with our whole image," says Byford. "Lots of customers initially think that the sweets are just for show, but when they realise they can buy them they think it's great fun.

"We sell quite a lot towards the end of the evening when people have come in to eat, had a few drinks and then want something sweet to finish.

"It's not a massive money-maker but it is one of the things that sets us apart from other pubs, and with so many bars and

pubs in central Brighton, we all need a point

of difference."

The al fresco option

This month Brakes pub channel marketing manager Anne Mulcahy focuses on simple ideas for outdoor dining

With the longer evenings and warmer weather, al fresco dining comes into its own at this time of the year. So how do you make the most of your outdoor areas when it comes to food?

Remember that simple foods are the order of the day. There are a variety of great options to consider. Salads, such as the classic Caesar salad, light pasta dishes, the traditional Ploughman's, sandwiches with a bowl of fries, or even sharing platters are straightforward and allow for a quick turnaround time, ensuring speedy service.

For a little more theatre why not provide a barbecue offering? It's a great way of enticing your customers with the appetising aromas of cooking food. A variety of marinades, such as barbecue, Thai, spicy Cajun and so on, will add tempting diversity to your menu. There are some great ready-made marinades and sauces available, or try making your own. A good and simple barbecue sauce can be made using tomatoes, honey, Cajun spices and a mild mustard. For best results heat the ingredients through thoroughly to help blend them for a better consistency.

Barbecues also allow you to use disposable plates and cutlery as the informal atmosphere encourages people to feel more relaxed.

Highlight the food best suited to outdoor dining to your customers, though people should always be able to order from the normal menu if they wish to. Don't forget to let them know it may take a little longer than your outdoor offer.

If you have a very busy outdoor area ensure your staff can deal with customers' requests, or simply let your customers know that they may have to come inside to order.

Maximising quality nibbles

Quality bar snacks needing no preparation in a kitchen can provide a lucrative revenue stream for pubs. Snacks and substantial nibbles are big business at city-centre pub the Rutland & Derby Arms, in Leicester.

The pub hit the headlines when it re-opened in 2004 - it became the first pub in Leicester to ban smoking and offered customers a rainproof jacket and umbrella should they wish to go outside and light up.

Ramona Smith has run the pub for two years, catering for a customer base of professional workers in the 30-plus age range, who appreciate a sophisticated ambience and wide range of drinks. Live entertainment takes place five nights a week, ranging from classical and Spanish guitar performances, to indie music. Over 32 beers are available on draft, including three fruit beers.

The pub offers a food menu featuring quality, seasonal produce sourced from local suppliers. In addition, there is also a tapas-style bar menu, created from a range of bought-in and ready-prepared antipasti products from supplier Nibblers.

Smith says: "Our bar-snack menu bridges the gap between a bag of crisps and a meal and is another way to increase revenue."

The menu includes marinated mixed olives, olives with chilli, Thai nuts, wasabi nuts, Peppadew peppers filled with pesto, sun-dried tomatoes filled with anchovy, Swedish salami and spicy salami sausage.

Smith explains: "The bar is the focal point of the pub and has a separate area that we have set out like a deli counter. We use the entire range of Nibblers antipasti, which we present in attractive glass jars. The area is back-lit so people can see what's on offer. Although we have everything listed on a menu, people usually come in and make a choice after seeing what's in the jars. It all looks very fresh and appetising and customers are usually spoilt for choice."

One of the pub's most popular snacks is Nibblers' large green Greek olives filled with feta cheese.

Smith says: "It's quite usual for customers to have two or three dishes of olives with their drinks."

For more information visit www.nibblers.co.uk or call 01285 720923.

Let the profits roll in

Hot dogs are a low-skill but highly-profitable food option for pubs.

At the Rhyddings, Brynmill, Swansea, licensee Angela Luxton, now sells an average of 50 hot dogs a week as incremental sales to the pub's main food offer.

She says: "We have often lost