Pure and simple
Piers Lyon tells Humayun Hussain about his new chef, new menu and fresh look at the White Hart, in Welwyn
Why my food business is a success
We have been lucky in recruiting new head chef Mark Sharples, who has worked in the kitchens of Brocket Hall and the Atrium in London. He has a good standard of cooking and simplifies dishes to a level that is very appealing to our customers. Making everything on the premises contributes to the standard of food here - there is excellent quality control, and we source all our produce locally.
My best promotions
Since we refurbished earlier this year and Mark began his new tenure, we decided to change the menu in various ways. One way forward that has benefited us is our two-courses-for-£10 lunchtime menu offer. This fixed price has increased our takings significantly, from half a dozen to 30 lunches daily. As this was designed as an introductory offer, we plan to raise the price to £11.95, which still offers very good value for money.
How I recruit and motivate staff
We use a mixture of local newspaper advertising and signs in the window to recruit staff locally. When it comes to motivation, we are very fortunate in not having any corporate diktat that stipulates we have to follow rigid rules. Everyone knows what they are doing and business success acts as a good motivator. Customers always make favourable comments and keep coming, which says a lot about the quality of work the staff put in.
My best-selling dishes
Our best-selling starters are Mark's signature dishes: crab cakes with sweet pepper relish and mango salsa (£7.95), and asparagus wrapped in Parma ham and filo pastry with pear chutney and roast chicory (£6.25). The other best-seller is Suffolk duck hash with fried hen's egg, rocket and balsamic (£5.95). For mains, our home-made pie sells amazingly well (£8.95), as does Sacombe Farm rib-eye with roast cherry tomato, spinach and hand-cut chips (£14.95), and beer-battered cod with hand-cut chips, mushy peas and tartare sauce (£10.95). Our desserts are traditional; the most popular are chocolate fondant, bread and butter pudding and our home-made ice creams and sorbets. All our desserts cost £5.95.
Our menu
Our à la carte changes every two to three months and our specials, of which we have about six - two starters and four mains - change weekly. Our menu features a small-dish concept, where we offer starter dishes as main items in smaller portions at affordable prices. Ingredients are kept as seasonal as possible and sourcing is local. Our meat comes from suppliers within a radius of three to five miles, our fruit and vegetables from within 15 to 20 miles and most other ingredients are sourced within the county.
My best investment in the last 12 months
We spent £30,000 on refurbishment this summer. It's given us a whole new sheen and our takings have risen 30% since August 2006. We wanted a makeover partly because of our new chef and also because, as a traditional 17th-century coaching inn, we felt we needed to compete with some of the more contemporary restaurants springing up around here, without losing our character.
Marketing and PR
Looking back, I think failing to do any early marketing was our downfall. Later, at the time of Mark's appointment and our refurbishment, we decided to employ the services of London-based Ignite Marketing, to enable us to get the word out about our establishment. Marketing has become so important simply because businesses face so much competition. It doesn't have to cost too much, but you do have to ensure that it's properly targeted.
My top tips
Make sure you give customers what they want, not what you want to give them. In the past we have been a bit old-fashioned and had the kind of food offer that was trying to be a little too clever, sophisticated and expensive, which alienated some customers. The trick is to keep it simple and fresh, and to let people know about what you are doing.
PUB FACTS
Owners: 10-year lease with Punch Taverns
Turnover: £700,000
Number of staff: 12 full time, 15 to 20 part time
GP food: 70%
GP drink: 55%
Covers a week: 500
Food sales as % of turnover: 35%
