Ask the experts
Brian George
president,
National
BBQ Association
Barbecues look attractive displaying a mix of colours, and red, green or yellow bell peppers can be flame-roasted to accentuate their flavour. Once the skin has blackened, place the pepper in a plastic bag and allow to cool before removing skin.
Green and yellow courgettes look appealing and grill well, as do chillies, asparagus and aubergines. To produce cross-hatch grill-lines, sear meat, fish, poultry, fruit or vegetables on the highest heat section at right angles to the grill bars, remove, wipe lightly with oil, turn food and repeat. Once both sides are seared, turn it lengthwise to grill bars and repeat. When grilling has finished, return to normal cooking heat.
You can even grill fruit, such as bananas, pineapple, papaya and mango, all of which add extra colour, flavour and appeal to a barbie.
Playing suitable music and ensuring you offer good-quality drinks turns al-fresco dining into a great experience.
Choosing an overall theme for the food can help attract more customers - in recent years, Brazil has proved a popular theme for sizzling barbecues.
Top tips
? Prepare food well in advance and store in the fridge. Most meats and poultry benefit from an overnight soak in a suitable marinade.
? Use a variety of marinades and sauces to achieve a balanced menu and cater for a mixed flavour-profile of mild, medium, spicy and hot.
? Take care not to allow food to burn - barbecue food charred beyond recognition is very off-putting. It's vital that all barbecue food is cooked thoroughly - pay special attention to poultry, sausages and burgers.
l For more BBQ information visit www.nationalbbq.co.uk
Paul Bloxham
TV presenter and executive chef,
the Tilbury, Datchworth, Herts
You can't go far at the moment or enjoy quiet contemplation in any hostelry without two hot conversation pieces grabbing your attention: when will we finally have a summer this year, and how will the smoking ban affect pubs?
The truth is that we don't have to wait for that Indian summer to maximise our outside areas.
People love dining outside - in this country, as long as there's no icy northerly blowing a gale and the temperature manages to climb above freezing, we still enthuse about the possibility of cranking up the barbecue and getting stuck in.
Bring the inside out - and keep it simple. We've all been preparing for the smoking ban so we should have maximised the look of our outside spaces by now, either with simple tweaks or a more ambitious investment.
To make an al-fresco area look more appealing, dress it in ways that create the atmosphere of an outside room and make any cover appear less like an outside shelter or an afterthought.
Top tips
? Make it functional, whatever the weather. Cover an area and heat it with inexpensive heat-lamps or gas burners.
? Keep your food offer simple. Don't confuse customers: produce a healthily balanced, well-sourced al-fresco menu that works.
? Move the inside out: think outside the box and dress your outside space with table linen, candles and soft furnishings.
l For more information on the Tilbury visit
www.thetilbury.co.uk
Sabrina Jackson
commercial market manager for Calor
Barbecues and hog roasts offer an element of chef theatre that help an outlet stand out from competitors. Outdoor cooking is popular at events such as conferences and weddings, and outlets can also make a success of outdoor cooking and dining for less formal occasions by following a few simple steps.
Ultimately, customers must be kept dry and comfortable. British weather can be highly unpredictable so make sure you have a covered area. Heating these areas will keep customers comfortable well into the night, encouraging them to stay longer and increasing their spend.
Pubs should find a solution that is right for them - one size doesn't fit all. Pubs with limited space and resources could offer a monthly al fresco night where the chef takes to the garden to cook, barbecue-style. Others may find a barbecue works well every weekend and employ an al-fresco team, including waitresses, chefs and bar staff, to cater for increased trade.
Top tips
? Encourage the whole team to buy into the idea. Offering a barbecue menu is an opportunity to attract customers and wow them with "chef theatre", so make sure the team has the capacity to cope with more trade.
? Publicise your new barbecue menu in the local press to let people know you are offering something different.
? Once you have attracted new customers, retain them. Encourage customers enjoying al-fresco dining to stay late into the night by keeping them comfortable, warm and dry. An external smoke-free dining area is also worth considering to help non-smokers relax and stay late.
l For information about Calor's outdoor products visit
www.lpg-catering.co.uk/alfresco
Improve your food offer and boost profits - free
Get into Food is sponsored by Brakes One lucky licensee will win expert advice on improving their food offer in the MA's latest Plan for the Ban giveaway.
With smoking now banned in England and Wales, the companies backing the MA's Plan for the Ban campaign are each giving away a special prize to give licensees a boost.
Brakes is offering to send a senior development chef into a pub to look at how to maximise the menu's impact and profit. The prize will include advice on marketing and specials.
To be in with a chance of winning, simply explain in no more than 100 words why your food menu would benefit from a makeover.
Visit the Morning Advertiser website at
www.morningadvertiser.co.uk for details of how to enter.
Please note that the giveaway is only available to licensees of freehold, tenanted and leased pubs.
