Pub Chef: Why entering awards is good for business

As with most of you guys reading this, we work bloody hard to deliver what we do at the Pigs. I average 70 to 90-hour weeks and there is a lot of blood, sweat and tears. To receive two awards is a massive pat on the back. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not for one second saying the Pigs is the be all and end all. When someone asked if this is it for the Pigs or is it just a push in the right direction, I responded: “It’s a poke up the a**e!”

I know we do well at the Pigs, while other pubs in our area are folding, but I know we can do better — better food, drinks, B&B experiences, service and so on. Competition for trade is still as high as it has ever been, with customers having a far greater choice of quality dining destinations, so I think I’m right to take these awards as a poke up the a**e.

The publicity we’ve had has been great and the pub has been performing well — winning the awards has obviously been a factor in this — but the key for me is having the people to deliver the experience we want. We have good people and good products.

Anyone can do a job, take the pay cheque and go home, but what a crap way to live. I can’t and will never live like that, I love what I do and although I have my off days I’ve always said when I stop enjoying this I’ll throw in the towel. Until then long may it continue, and I’m always up for the never-ending challenge of staff, customers and the battle that awaits.

Never underestimate the power of entering and winning awards. I’ve made the treks to have a free lunch or dinner only to come away with a runners-up trophy and I never go expecting to win, but when you do it feels good.

The team at the Pigs was bouncing off the walls, the regulars were happy and proud to be part of the pub, and trade is good — better than good.

So, to sum up, apply for what you can. You have to be in it to win it, as they say, but if you are doing something different or something special you might even win!