Cooking up a storm - Whitbread's first Design a Dish competition
17-Apr-2002
Trainee chefs have been put through their paces in Whitbread's first Design a Dish competition. Phil Mellows reportsFor all the charm, skill, glamour...
Revolution marches on - Inventive's £6m expansion fund
05-Apr-2002
Inventive Leisure has raised £6m to finance further expansion of its vodka bars.Students and young professionals from Aberdeen down to Soho are not...
Supper Hours Certificates
03-Apr-2002
As of yesterday, Tuesday April 2 2002, it is now no longer necessary for restaurant licence holders to apply for a supper hour certificate. By David...
Food for thought
18-Mar-2002
Publicans should develop an offer that meets all the reasons why customers visit their outlet - the 'occasions'.It's not a simple as "we're going...
Hula Hoops set out to Shok with new 'revolutionary' product
14-Mar-2002
Snacks giant KP is launching a new product it claims will revolutionise the snacks market.The company says new Hula Hoops Shoks, aimed at the 12 to...
Guinness considers 'quick pour" tap
27-Feb-2002
Guinness' quest to recruit everyday drinkers may see the introduction of a revolutionary new font designed to pour a pint in 15 to 25...
Calling Out for help
07-Feb-2002
Tammy Mariaux has spent 15 years in the hospitality trade and has just relaunched her catering consultancy firm Out-SaucingTammy Mariaux is back...
The winners of the Pub Food Awards 2002
06-Feb-2002
Rewarding catering excellenceOn Monday 4th of February 2002, pub catering's leading chefs, licensees, pub companies and suppliers gathered at The...
Making a meal of it - pub food is big business
30-Jan-2002
Pub food is now so popular that many outlets are adapting just for that purpose.Pub food is big business. Whether it's the up-and-coming gastropubs...
Drinks and bar snacks calorie counter
16-Jan-2002
On a diet? Watching what you eat? We can help! Take a look at the calories that are contained in your favourite tipple or bar...
Taste test: Curry
03-Dec-2001
According to consultant chef Tony O'Reilly, the most important quality for a ready-made curry is an authentic taste - so we put some of the biggest...
November product news
29-Nov-2001
'Stay soft' sugarSilver Spoon has produced a revolutionary "stay soft" brown sugar range. The unique formula ensures the sugar remains "soft" and...
Planning theme nights
29-Nov-2001
A little imagination and a lot of planning can represent great profit opportunities, both in terms of food sales and increased wet sales. Fiona...
Seared tournedos of marlin with sweet potato fondant, apple and celery emulsion and star anise vinaigrette
21-Nov-2001
2marlin tournedos2 x 100gsweet potatoes2 heads bok choyHandfulroquetteHandfulred chardLime juiceStar anise vinaigretteSmall bunchchives3 piecesstar...
Wholesalers on the road ahead
21-Nov-2001
Phil Mellows examines the development of the wholesaling industry and how local firms are taking on the big national companiesWhether it is drinks,...
Menu marketing
05-Nov-2001
You don't have to spend a fortune to promote the food you serve. Fiona Pavely offers some practical advice to help licensees increase their food...
October product news
30-Oct-2001
Flavoured coffee creamersHot on the trail of "style items" like cappuccino and skinny lattes comes the latest café taste trend - flavoured coffees....
Complain about pub food and raise standards
23-Oct-2001
Customers should complain more often about bad quality pub food in a bid to raise standards, according to the Campaign for Real Food (CARF).The...
Leicestershire pub welcomes children at lunchtimes
17-Oct-2001
A Leicestershire tenant has opened the doors of her pub to schoolchildren at lunchtime, to stop them roaming the streets.Suzanne Davies, who runs the...
Whitbread to sell Pelican Group
16-Oct-2001
Whitbread is likely to off-load its Pelican group of 200 restaurants, comprising mainly the Cafe Rouge and Bella Pasta chains, because of ailing...
AA guide boosts pub food image
04-Oct-2001
Pub food is much better than it used to be, according to a new food guide, despite celebrity chef Ainsley Harriot's comments to the contrary.Just...
The Royal Oak and Manor Restaurant, Staffordshire
03-Oct-2001
Matthew Moggridge visits the Royal Oak and Manor Restaurant in Staffordshire - and finds a tenant who has built the majority of his menu around a...
Effective stock control
03-Oct-2001
Effective stock control has one basic aim - to ensure you never run out of a particular item and will never have to utter those dreaded words: "I'm...
Winter Wraps with Sweet and Sour Peppers
01-Oct-2001
Serves 4 WINTER WRAPS4large leaves from a Savoy cabbage1 tspdried mushrooms (optional)1 tbspolive oil1small onion, finely chopped1clove of garlic,...
Duet of Crisp Roast and Lightly Grilled Duckling with Caramelised Strawberry and Orange Sauce
28-Sep-2001
Aylesbury duckling,cleaned and wiped with kitchen paper2 x 250gBarbary duck breasts,fat trimmed500mlscold water250gcaster sugar60mlsfull-bodied red...
Chestnut and Cranberry 'En Croute'
28-Sep-2001
4 to 6 portions4 tbsp.olive oil2medium onions, chopped4cloves garlic, finely chopped100gbutton mushrooms, finely chopped100mlsred wine250gchestnut...
Ready, steady, cook
27-Sep-2001
In search of a free lunch Phil Mellows headed off to S&N's Food Training Centre in Northampton but had he bitten off more than he could chew?It's...
Trade hits back at TV chef's pub food criticism
13-Sep-2001
Celebrity chef Ainsley Harriott has been fiercely criticised by the trade after he said the standard of food in pubs "let Britain down". The chef...
GM food
04-Sep-2001
If a customer or an environmental health officer asks about any genetically modified ingredients in the food and drink you serve you, and your staff,...
Menu planning
03-Sep-2001
A successful pub food business involves balancing the wishes of your customers against your skills and resources. Fiona Pavely looks at the help and...
The Angel in Long Credon, Buckinghamshire
31-Aug-2001
The Angel in Long Crendon, Buckinghamshire, has a style and menu that would rival many restaurants - but proprietor Trevor Bosch is keen that his...
Maltesers® Shortbread
29-Aug-2001
0 portions250gMaltesers®220g butter or margarine100g caster sugar350g plain flour, siftedextra caster sugar for dusting900ml whipping cream750ml...
Case study: Restaurant Bar and Grill
29-Aug-2001
The Restaurant Bar and Grill, a new, independent venue in the heart of Manchester's city centre, was looking for equipment that would blend in its...
Put your kitchen on show
29-Aug-2001
Bringing a bit of drama to your catering can give you the edge over the competition. Open kitchens are increasingly popular, turning the cooking into...
Trade fears blanket ban on lunchtime drinking
08-Aug-2001
Nearly three quarters of British firms would like to see a blanket ban on lunchtime drinking - a move that would have a devastating effect on the pub...
Whitbread considers more disposals
06-Aug-2001
Whitbread is now believed to be considering a sell-off of many of its restaurants only months after selling all of its pubs.According to media...
Angelsea Arms, Ravenscourt Park, London
02-Aug-2001
Matthew Moggridge meets the proprietor of the Angelsea Arms gastro pub in London's Ravenscourt Park and finds someone who isn't afraid to defy...
Catering for Vegetarians
23-Jul-2001
According to recent polls, seven per cent of adults in the UK are vegetarian - and the number is rising. Are you doing all you can to meet the needs...
Perfecting the balance: ordering in food stocks
20-Jul-2001
When it comes to ordering in food there is a fine balance to be drawn between buying stock that will simply clog up valuable freezer space and...
A perfect match - choosing the right drink to go with food
03-Jul-2001
Traditions need not be adhered to when choosing liquid accompaniment to a tasty meal. Ben McFarland considers the drinks optionsCall it astrology....
Curnock Cook to leave BII
22-Jun-2001
Mary Curnock Cook, director of the British Institute of Innkeeping (BII), is stepping down at the end of August.After seven years at the helm, she...
FSA targets 4.5m cases of food poisoning
20-Jun-2001
The annual Catering Forum, organised by Richmond Events, attracts some 700 catering professionals from pub chains, restaurants and hotels. The...
Whitbread boss to take over at Eldridge Pope
18-Jun-2001
Pub operator Eldridge Pope has brought in a former Whitbread restaurants boss to replace chief executive Peter Phillipson.Michael Johnson, 45, has...
Pubs and clubs make 'scandalous profits' on crisps
14-Jun-2001
Pubs and clubs are making "scandalous profits" on crisps, according to a consumer website.Independent consumer website Rip Off Britain says a packet...
Golden Heart Inn, Birdlip, Gloucestershire
08-Jun-2001
The Golden Heart Inn at Nettleton Bottom, Birdlip, Gloucestershire, has just won the Best Pub Caterer award, sponsored by Caterplan, at the 2001...
Children's menus
07-Jun-2001
With the forthcoming reform of licensing laws aimed at making it easier for families to use pubs, licensees need to seriously consider this market as...
Planning a kitchen
04-Jun-2001
Safety comes first when setting up any sort of catering operation. Find out how licensees should adhere to the food safety laws when planning a pub...
Laurel unveils plans for Whitbread's leased and managed pubs
03-Jun-2001
The new Laurel Pub Company, created out of Whitbread's pub estate, is to drop brands such as Dome and Casa as part of a major restructuring.It has...
Food storage and display
22-May-2001
Given the importance that food now has in most pub businesses, it is understandable that, as with bottle coolers, design considerations as well as...
New management team for ex-Whitbread pubs
14-May-2001
Morgan Grenfell has confirmed the management line-up for its 3,000-strong pub business created out of Whitbread's estate.Robbie Halkett, pictured...