In our industry Christmas is a make or break for us, we know it’s coming, we try to leave it to the last minute as we have other things that are more important don’t we…...wrong.For the last 15 years, I have started to plan Christmas in January, yes it’s true, as soon as New Year is over, business is quiet and a great time to think, this is how I do it.What worked last yearTake the best dishes and recycle, if the sales on those dishes were strong keep them, your team will know them, they don’t need to learn them again, you will have the spec and costings for the dishes that you just need to update. And guess what, your customers won’t remember them from last year. It’s a winner half the menu is done! The rest of the menuKeep...
The Stir-Up Sunday tradition dates back to the Victorian era, when families would meet to stir the Christmas pudding five weeks before December 25, read 21st November. In fact, the opening words of the Book of Common Prayer are: ‘Stir up, we beseech thee, O Lord, the wills of thy faithful people.’ The essence of a traditional Christmas PuddingThe prayer is read on the last Sunday before Advent – the day when people of all ages would mix up to 13 delicious ingredients into a cake or pudding. Said to represent Jesus and his disciples, the ingredients would be traditionally stirred by each member of t...
HOW TO EFFECTIVELY CLEAN AND DISINFECT YOUR ESTABLISHMENT The COVID-19 pandemic has brought public health and cleanliness to the fore as a first-line defence in halting its transmission. As a respiratory illness, the virus spreads through the air and on surfaces. It is not thought to spread through food. Increasing hygiene standards will help to reduce the spread of COVID-19 as well as other harmful bacteria and pests activity. KNOW YOUR CLEANING PRODUCTS Understanding the function and limitations of the chemicals is crucial for their effective use. Both chemicals and cleaning equipment needs to be certified food-safe, and you must always read the manufacturers instructions. Detergent: A chemical used for general cleaning (e....
With winter just around the corner its time to look at your menus. The colder weather ignites a desire for "Winter Warmers", dishes that grab you and hug you with their big, bold flavours. These are casserole and stew dishes where all the flavours are cooked together and go from oven to table. Customers love these nostalgic dishes that are bursting with great flavour, are keen on price and remind them of mums or grandmas home cooking. One-pot cooking is very different from traditional cuisine in that the prep is in advance with add the finishing touches at the end. Prep hard, easy service! One-pot cooking is one of the earliest forms of cookery and is used the world over. The reason is simple; cheap and easy to prepare, works...
We can thank Paul Hollywood, Prue Leith and The Great British Bake Off for catapulting a nations love of cake to near–stratospheric heights in recent years. From traditional favourites like Victoria sponge to quirky classics like pineapple upside down cake, we all enjoy a slab of something sweet with our cuppa – and so do your diners. One such cake delighting foodies everywhere is the marvellously moist Alabama fudge cake, which answers all diners dessert-based prayers in one go. Our love for chocolate makes this the UK s top selling cake with 40% of sales, and the over 55-s eating an average of six portions per month. How did the dessert come to be, though? Fudge cake itself refers to a dense, single-layer chocolat...
British Food Fortnight is a national food promotion which invites communities and organisations across the country to celebrate the diverse and delicious, high-quality food produced in this country. Organised by Love British Food the event takes place every autumn and is now in its 19th year. The foodservice sector has been at the heart of the promotion since its early years with hundreds of chefs taking part including some big names like Raymond Blanc and Phil Howard who run special Love British Food menus every year. Regional food, regardless of your location, adds value to your menu. Most signature dishes from top chefs in top restaurants are updated regional classics like Bread and Butter Pudding which wa...
Using A to Z Ingredients I made 5 different French bread recipes. We all have leftover ingredients that we don’t know what to do with. Instead of throwing the ingredients away use them to make new recipes. This will allow you to offer your customers more of a choice and will help you to reduce your waste. These recipes are easy to follow and can be eaten on the go! This can help you keep up with food on the move trends. 1. Simple Baguette Sandwiches EGG AND BACON Eggs: are full of nutrients, antioxidants and are high in protein. Eggs can be surprisingly filling; there is also research which shows that people who eat eggs for breakfast may consume fewer calories throughout the day! Bacon: is loved by many ...
We have created a new A to Z Catering App which is now available to download for free on the App Store and Google play. Easy and Convenient Say goodbye to web page downloads and say hello to our new handy app! Our app means that you no longer have to type out our web address and wait for our site to download. You can now access our homepage with just one click! Our app allows you to place online orders on the go. Ordering on the go enables you to make the most of your time as you can carry out more than just one task. All you have to do is download, sign in or make an account and you are ready to browse. There are no other steps required. User-Friendly Layout Our app is a reflection of our existing A to Z Catering we...
