Best of British 2015

Publishing

20152015

Best

of BritishBangersTracing the beginnings of the humble sausage

EquipmentWhy buying ‘British made’ can help your business stand out

Stamp of approvalWhat a Royal Warrant says about your company

Hard boiledAre British Lion Eggs now the best in the world?

001_BOB2015.indd 1 10/12/2014 12:33

002_BOB2015.indd 2 15/12/2014 11:25

Welcome • 3

There’s no doubt about it, boasting is just not the British way. In the world of food and drink, British fi rms and British products have an amazing track record, but when it comes to shouting from the rooftops we would rather murmur from the cellar.

Let’s cast aside that modesty and celebrate what we have that is excellent. Let’s spotlight the small artisan producers, the large international companies and Britain’s burgeoning food culture alike. This supplement aims to celebrate the very Best of British traditions, ingredients and products that we should all be proud of and, maybe, even boast about.

Charles CampionContributing Editor

“Let’s spotlight the small artisan producers, the large international companies and Britain’s burgeoning food culture alike”

Publishing

Published by: H2O Publishing, Apex House, London Road, Northfl eet, DA11 9PD Tel: 0845 500 6008

CEO: Alan Dewberry Twitter: @DewberryAlan

Managing Director: Jamie Robbins

Contributing Editor: Charles CampionWebsite: www.charlescampion.com

Editors: Joe Bill Tel: 0845 500 6008 E-mail: [email protected]

Rosanna Spence Tel: 0845 500 6008 E-mail: [email protected]

Contributor: Gina McAdamE-mail: [email protected]

Divisional Director – FoodserviceDan Hillman Twitter: @hillmandanTel: 07833 248 788 E-mail: [email protected]

Business Development DirectorMarc Sumner Twitter: @sumner_marcTel: 07730 217 747 E-mail: [email protected]

Business Development ManagerRob Molinari Twitter: @RobMolinariTel: 07850 797 252 E-mail: [email protected]

Divisional Director – SpecialistJason Vencatasen Twitter: @vencatasen007Tel: 07760 223 143 E-mail: [email protected]

Design: Kim Browne, Raman Kaur Goraya

Production: Robbie Macdonald

Digital Editor: Becky MilburnTwitter: @beckymilburn_Tel: 0845 500 6008 E-mail: [email protected]

Printed by: Pensord

No part of this publication may be reproduced without written permission from the publishers

The paper used within this publication has been sourced from Chain-of-Custody certifi ed manufacturers, operating within international environmental standards, to ensure sustainable sourcing of the raw materials, sustainable production and to minimise our carbon footprint.

Wishing you the Best of British

003_BOB2015.indd 3 15/12/2014 15:09

http://www.charlescampion.com

mailto:[email protected]








03 Welcome!Restaurant critic and MasterChef star Charles Campion introduces the concept behind the H2O Publishing Best of British supplement

05 The Royal WarrantWe investigate what it means to have the Royal stamp of approval

06 The land of plentyWe look at the reasons why the British hospitality industry can be proud of its current strength

08 Afternoon teaThat very British institution is still drawing millions of tourists and natives to our hospitality venues and there is no sign of it stopping

10 BeerBritain has a long tradition of brewing and, at last, British beer, hops and barley are getting the recognitionthey deserve

12 CheeseOur cheese producers have been

causing a wonderful stink during recent years

14 Fish & chipsAssociated with the nation for more than 400 years, fish & chips is synonymous with Britain and continues to provide the perfect treat

16 Whisk(e)yWhether you are a Scotch or Bourbon drinker, whisk(e)y’s strong heritage and quality is currently being reimagined by a wave of modern smaller distillers

17 GinAfter experiencing a recent renaissance, gin now has its own connoisseurs, making it one of Britain’s most trendy spirits

18 Pies & pasties We look at the heritage of pies and pasties, and why they remain a British mealtime favourite

19 Meat Recent scandals have helped the

public re-evaluate the notion of ‘the cheaper the better’, with the provenance and quality of British meat now ranking higher

21 PoultryFrom chicken to turkey, and duck to quail, poultry has long been a staple meal for us, but thankfully the standards of welfare are changing

22 SausagesWhether it’s served with mash, covered in mustard or just between two slices of bread, the humble British banger still packs a punch on menus

23 SoupThe starter that never gets old; we take a look at traditional British soups that have taken on cultural changes and evolved over the years

24 EggsThe British egg industry has left begind the controversies of the past and established itself as arguably the best in the world, with a little help from the Lion

26 Straight from the topThe British Hospitality Association reveals the facts and figures of the catering industry and why it is a good time to buy British

30 EquipmentCEDA tells us why buying ‘British made’ catering equipment can really help your business stand out from the competition

38 FestivalsGina McAdam talks through the very British food and drink festivals that continue to flourish and grow

59 Made in BritainGlen Dimplex Professional Appliances’ head of UK sales and marketing John Usher talks about the pride companies take from being ‘made in Britain’

60 The PotteriesWe look at the Potteries in Stoke-on-Trent and the influence that the original home of ceramics has around the world

6

38

10

12 18 22

24

2614

Best of British 2015

4 • Contents

004_BOB2015.indd 4 15/12/2014 14:20

Throughout the centuries,

monarchs have required

specific goods and

services. With the

ability to pick the cream

of British industry, the

best trades people

have been summoned to

perform their skills for the

Royal household.

Though the first seal of royal approvals

date back to Henry II in 1155, it was in the

late 18th Century when tradesmen began to

display the Royal Arms on their premises and

stationery. But it was actually Queen Victoria

who ensured that Royal Warrants gained the

prestige they carry today.

During her 64-year reign, The Queen and

her family granted more than 1,000 Royal

Warrants to companies that included the

likes of Fortnum & Mason, Schweppes and

Twinings, who all still proudly hold Royal

Warrants today.

The Royal Warrant is a seen as a mark

of recognition given to those who have

supplied goods or services to the Households

of HM The Queen, HRH The Duke of

Edinburgh or HRH The Prince of Wales and

who have an ongoing trading relationship.

Although always changing, there are

currently around 800 Royal Warrant Holders,

including approximately 130 from the

foodservice industry. But holders represent a

cross-section of British trade and industry

ranging from traditional craftspeople to

global multinationals.

Most of us have probably seen one, even

if we haven’t recognised it, with the likes of

HP Sauce and Heinz featuring the Royal Coat

“There are a number of benefits from gaining a Royal Warrant for your business”

A number of British foodservice manufacturers are royally approved and therefore allowed to use the Royal Arms on their products. But what does it mean to have a Royal Warrant?

sealThe of approval

of Arms prominently on their products. But

what does your company have to do in order

to achieve a Royal Warrant?

Who can apply?Individuals or companies looking to achieve

a Royal Warrant must have supplied goods

or services to the Households of HM The

Queen, HRH The Duke of Edinburgh or HRH

The Prince of Wales for a minimum of

five years.

Royal Warrants are granted to a named

individual, who must be the chief executive

officer, managing director, sole proprietor or

the holder of a senior management position

with direct access to the board of directors.

This grantee is personally responsible for

ensuring the Royal Warrant is used correctly.

Warrants are automatically reviewed

by the Lord Chamberlain’s Committee one

year before they are due to expire, with

companies required to provide evidence of

the goods and services they have supplied to

the Royal Household over the past five years.

There is often a review if the grantee dies

or leaves the business, or if the company

goes into liquidation or is sold resulting in a

name change.

Between 20 and 40 warrants are granted

or cancelled each year. Applications are

considered once a year, with the closing date

being the end of May.

What are the benefits of obtaining a Royal Warrant?There are a number of benefits from gaining

a Royal Warrant for your business. Holders

will receive a Royal Warrant document and

obtain the right to display the appropriate

Royal Arms on their advertising, buildings,

packaging, stationery, vehicles and the

product itself in accordance with The Lord

Chamberlain’s Rules.

A Royal Warrant costs nothing, however,

the Royal Warrant Holders Association,

which acts on behalf of the Lord

Chamberlain’s Office, is obliged to levy an

administration charge to all Warrant holders

who do not pay a subscription as members

of the Association.

Companies who wish to become part of

the Association will have their name listed

on the official website, www.royalwarrant.

org, for everyone to see.

Warrant holders are also required not

to disclose which services or products they

supply to the Royal household.


The Royal Warrant • 5

005_BOB2015.indd 5 10/12/2014 15:35

http://www.royalwarrant

The land of plentyBest of British 2015

6 • The Land of Plenty

006_007_BOB2015.indd 6 10/12/2014 12:53

The rolling hills of the Yorkshire Dales, the lochs and lakes, the peaceful village greens, the hustle and bustle of our cities or the picturesque beauty of our coastline; there are so many aspects that attract visitors to our shores, and our hospitality is one of them.

There is a movement happening in culinary

circles. Our hotels, our pubs, our garden

centres, our golf clubs – they all want to be

the best, with both the food and drink that

they offer and the service they provide.

“The UK Food and Services Management (FSM) sector is a highly competitive industry that employs 132,000, generating in excess of £4.25bn in turnover”

Welcome to the Best of British supplement! Here, we present you with the fi nest examples of a thriving industry that we can proudly say is continuing to go from strength to strength

Customers are ready to pay for a good

level of service and they expect to have a

positive culinary experience every time they set

foot in a British foodservice establishment.

So as the gate keepers of the industry, we

need to provide venues with the equipment,

the knowledge, the technology and the

innovation that will keep guests coming back

to our partners again and again.

But more than that, the products we make

available to our clients must be at the very top

level. It’s imperative that we build on the UK’s

reputation as being among the fi nest in the

world for offering hospitality.

We have something to be proud of, but it’s

something that we can improve. So let’s make

sure we always offer the very Best of British.


The Land of Plenty • 7

006_007_BOB2015.indd 7 10/12/2014 12:54


8 • Afternoon Tea

008_009_BOB2015.indd 8 15/12/2014 14:21

For generations, breakfast had naturally led

to lunch, which then led to dinner or supper.

Until, that is, afternoon tea was

created. Food historians

cannot agree quite

where the credit for

this innovation

lies – Charles II’s

wife Catherine

of Braganza

introduced tea to

“Some start serving tea at noon and don’t actually fi nish until 6pm”

Very few countries can claim to have invented a whole new mealtime, but the concept of afternoon tea is entirely British

the court when she arrived in 1662, but it

was Anna Maria Russell, Duchess of Bedford,

who called for something a little more

substantial to bridge the gap between

lunch and dinner while visiting Belvoir

Castle in the 1840s and sparked off a

fashion for tea.

There have been variations

on the theme, with cream

teas widely served in the West

Country and high teas enjoyed

in the north of England. A classic afternoon

tea, however, is defi ned by small and elegant

sandwiches, which almost always include

thin-cut cucumber sandwiches with crusts

cut off. Served alongside these is a fully

brewed leaf tea, scones, crumpets and a

wide choice of cakes and pastries. Serving

afternoon tea has become an important

income stream for many a hotel in Central

London, and some start serving tea at noon

and don’t actually fi nish until 6pm.

Time for Time for

Tea


Afternoon Tea • 9

008_009_BOB2015.indd 9 15/12/2014 14:22

Cheers!styles to look forward to.

We slurp our way through

634m pints a year, and that

figure is rising annually, but

what makes the difference is

our attitude to drinking. Go

back a couple of decades and

bitter beer was a commodity;

hard core drinkers had their

favourite beer – which was often

quite bland – and they would settle into a

pub for an extended session. Today’s typical

cask ale drinker could, just as easily, be

someone who wants two pints of a more

characterful beer before going on to a

restaurant where they will share a bottle

of wine.

“Three new breweries open every week”

“We slurp our way through 634m pints a year”

After more than a decade when beer drinkers have gazed mournfully into their pints and worried about the future for real beer, at last everything is changing for the better

Yes, some pubs are still worth more as houses

than hostelries and are being closed down by

developers, but for once there is some good

news. Britain has a great tradition of brewing

and, at last, British beer, British hops and

British barley are getting the recognition

they deserve.

The annual Cask Report, which is a kind

of state-of-the-nation overview, notes that

the number of breweries in Britain has trebled

since the Millennium and currently three new

breweries open every week. And with these

new breweries comes a range of new beer

Brewers have had to learn how to

make distinctive and interesting beers

because they can no longer rely on

regular customers drinking high

volumes on a regular basis. But,

it’s worth noting that the modern

beer drinker is also less sensitive to

price than his forebears.

In short, the trend is leaning

towards interesting cask ales and if that

means slightly higher prices, so be it. What a

joy to have genuine reasons to be cheerful!


10 • Beer

010_BOB2015.indd 10 15/12/2014 11:26


Beer • 11

010_BOB2015.indd 11 15/12/2014 11:36

British Cheese

please


12 • Cheese

012_013_BOB2015.indd 12 10/12/2014 12:58

Not so very long ago, eating cheese in

Britain meant tucking into mousetrap

cheddar, rubbery Camembert or acrid

Danish Blue. The received wisdom was that

France was the place for cheese and, what’s

more, the French were very proud of the

huge range of cheeses they produced.

It was Charles De Gaulle who once

questioned how it was possible to govern

a country that produced 246 varieties of

cheese, so he would have certainly been

in even more trouble were he operating in

Britain today!

The British Cheese Board now estimates

that there are over 700 named British

variants produced in the UK, and a good

many of them are world-beaters and

worthy opponents of the most highly

regarded cheeses.

Britain’s very own Magnifi cent SevenFrom more recent dairy revivals to family

farms continuing timeless traditions, here is

a dream cheese board that showcases some

of the fi nest cheeses Britain has to offer:

Stinking BishopA pungent, washed rind cheese made by

Charles Martell in Gloucestershire since

1972, this cheese is made using milk from

rare breed Gloucester cattle, and each

cheese is rubbed with Perry made from the

Stinking Bishop pear – hence the name.

Montgomery’s CheddarThe Montgomery family have been

farming in Somerset for three generations.

Their handmade cheddar is a traditional

Somerset cheese, made with milk from the

Montgomery’s herd of 200 Friesian cows. It

is then wrapped in muslin and matured for

a year.

Gorwydd CaerphillyCaerphilly is a revived cheese, and it has

only recently returned to the Cambrian

“There are over 700 named British cheeses produced in the UK”

Britain’s cheese producers have been causing a wonderful stink in recent years, churning out more varieties than ever before and putting this island fi rmly on the cheese lover’s map

Mountains after a period

when it was made

in Somerset. Now,

Todd Trethowan

at Llanddewi

Brefi makes

this traditional

Welsh Caerphilly from

unpasteurised cow’s milk.

Appleby’s CheshireThis traditional Cheshire is less acidic

than other Cheshire cheeses made by the

bigger dairies. The Appleby family farm is in

Shropshire and they make the cheese using

unpasteurised cow’s milk. They are probably

the last farm to make a genuine traditional

cloth-bound Cheshire cheese.

TunworthThese small cheeses are made in

Hampshire. They have a white mould coat

and a wonderfully gooey interior. The milk

comes from a herd of pedigree Holsteins

and is pasteurised. Tunworth cheeses have

received many accolades, including praise

from French cheese judges, who were

convinced that they had just tasted the

fi nest Camembert.

Sparkenhoe Red LeicesterThe fi rst written records of Red Leicester

cheese are from the 18th Century. After

a gap of some centuries, cheese making

was revived on Sparkenhoe Farm in 2005

and now Red Leicester is made here from

unpasteurised cow’s milk. The deep tawny,

orange colour comes from the addition of

annatto – a natural colouring agent.

Colston Bassett StiltonStilton is known as the king of cheese and

is produced by a handful of creameries.

The regulations are such that only dairies

located in Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and

Leicestershire are allowed to call their blue

cheese Stilton. Colston Bassett is probably

the most traditional of the Stilton makers.

Each Stilton maker has its own individual

style and it is impossible to say which is

best. Stilton is one of the world’s great

cheeses – rich, creamy, savoury and with

piquancy from the blue veining. It is truly

the best of British!


Cheese • 13

012_013_BOB2015.indd 13 10/12/2014 12:59

Fishing for compliments

Most of the food historians who have looked

into the origins of fi sh and chips agree, which

in itself is something of a miracle, that fi sh

and chips became inextricably linked in 16th

Century London. Jewish emigrants fl eeing

persecution by the Moors left Spain and

Portugal to arrive in the East End, bringing

their fi sh frying tradition pescado frito with

them. There, they joined forces with the well-

established fried potato businesses.

The fi rst fi sh and chips shop on record

was opened in London in 1860 by Joseph

Malin, but a year earlier Charles Dickens

gets the credit for the fi rst use of the word

‘chip’ in his novel A Tale of Two Cities.

Iconic favouriteFish and chips does not solely belong to the

best of British; it has gained respect across

the world. The reasons for the astonishing

success of this dish are twofold. Firstly, it

works well with a range of different species

– including cod, haddock, rock salmon,

pollock, skate and ray. Secondly, the

“Any dish that has been an unrivalled success for over 400 years must be getting something right”

For many years, fi sh and chips not only provided a great source of protein for working people who couldn’t afford beef steaks, it was also a dish that foreign visitors identifi ed with British cuisine

cooking technique used is very clever. The

fi llets are coated in batter, which forms a

perfect seal, and then are immersed in very

hot fat. The fi sh steams within the golden

casing, locking in fl avour and moisture, and

a skilled fryer can ensure that the batter is

crisp and not greasy. Simply add some chips

that have been cooked perfectly so that

they are crisp outside and fl uffy within, and

you have a dish fi t for a king.

According to the National Federation of

Fish Friers, there are more than 10,500 fi sh

and chips shops in Britain – making them

more numerous than the largest high street

burger chain – and 80% of Britons enjoy

fi sh and chips at least once a year.

No wonder there’s been

a surge in openings for

‘traditional’ fi sh and chips

shops like Poppies, which has

two branches in London.

Fish and chips is the perfect

example of ‘food that is

fast’, rather than fast food.

But any dish that has been

an unrivalled success for

over 400 years must be

getting something right.


14 • Fish

014_015_BOB2015.indd 14 15/12/2014 14:19


Fish • 15

014_015_BOB2015.indd 15 15/12/2014 14:20

If you had called for a whisk(e)y in a

London bar before the First World War, you

would have been served Irish whiskey –

which was then known simply as whiskey

and was the equivalent of a modern day

‘pouring brand’. If you wanted the stuff

from Scotland then you had to specifically

ask for Scotch whisky.

My, how times have changed, and

today the world of whisk(e)y is dominated

by the leviathan that is Scotch whisky.

Figures from the Scotch Whisky Association

take the breath away. In 2013, exports of

The Waterof Life

world, with Japanese ones doing well in

international tastings. But genuine Scotch

whisky is still the best of British exports –

more of this spirit is sold in a single month

in France than cognac in a year, so let’s

raise a glass to Scotch!

“Genuine Scotch whisky is still the best of British exports”

Whether you drink Scotch or Bourbon, whisk(e)y’s strong heritage and much loved quality is being reimagined by small distillers

Scotch whisky generated £4.3bn for the

UK Balance of Trade, and accounted for a

quarter of UK food and drink exports.

But the last few years have seen a

proliferation of small whisk(e)y distillers

based in England and Wales, and these little

guys are going head to head with the large

traditional whisk(e)y makers in Scotland

and Ireland. One fledgling distillery in the

Lake District, called Lakes Distilleries, has

launched an interesting ‘concept’ whisk(e)y

called The One. This is a blended type

of spirit that is made with whiskies chosen

from all over the British Isles.

A good whisk(e)y doesn’t care who

made it. As well as old, established

American styles of whisk(e)y like Bourbon,

other whiskies are now made all over the


16 • The Water of Life

016_BOB2015.indd 16 10/12/2014 13:00

In 1751, William Hogarth produced his

iconic picture Gin Lane. At that time, gin was

the cheapest spirit available and the term

‘Mother’s Ruin’ was an accurate summary of

how it related to the poor. Gin was invented

in the Low Countries where they flavoured

cheap alcohol, mainly with juniper, but also a

wide range of other botanicals.

Gin became a part of British society.

While the Americans had the gin martini,

we Brits had the gin and tonic, or in any

kind of naval context the ‘pink gin’. The

1970s saw the unstoppable rise of vodka

– another clear spirit with the advantage

over gin of being neutral and taking on any

flavour that you mix it with, from orange

juice to cola. Recently, however, the tide has

turned and the gin market is once again

expanding; distilleries are popping up all over

London from Peckham to Hackney. There

are commercial advantages to making gin

rather than whisky. You can sell gin as soon

as it is made whereas Scotch whisky must be

aged for three years; a restriction that has

unfortunate implications for cash flow.

Perhaps due to the simplicity of the

manufacturing process and the wide palette

of flavours and aromas, British gin is the best

in the world and boutique gins are to be

found behind every smart cocktail bar.

“Boutique gins are to be found behind every smart cocktail bar”

After experiencing a renaissance, gin is producing self-proclaimed connoisseurs and they have now made it one of Britain’s most trendy spirits


Gin • 17

017_BOB2015.indd 17 10/12/2014 13:28

In Medieval times, pies were just a durable

way to deliver their contents and were

sometimes called coffi ns. The idea was that

the pie had hard sides made from a thick

huff paste, which was a mix of fl our, suet

and boiling water. This pastry was completely

inedible but excellent for protecting the

contents in transit – quite different from the

product we recognise and savour today.

It took several centuries to perfect the pie

as we know it, but at last pies are getting

the respect that they deserve. In 1988, a

group of butchers and bakers from Melton

Mowbray – in the heart of pork pie country –

got together and set up the Melton Mowbray

Pork Pie Association.

PerfectionPieOne of their aims

was to get offi cial

recognition for their

pies, so they applied for

Protected Geographical

Indication status, which

is a European certifi cation

along the lines of the

French wine system

the Appellation

Contrôlée. After

several years of

arguing with the

bureaucrats, the

Melton Mowbray pie

was offi cially certifi ed.

St Mary’s Church. For a true pie lover,

judging at the British Pie Awards is a

real treat.

Rolling out a revolutionIn the West Country, the pie has developed

into something more specialist – the pasty.

Legend would have it that the Cornish

tin-miners devised a meat turnover,

with a thick rope of pastry at the

edge so that they could eat the

middle and discard the pastry

‘handle’, which would be

black with toxic minerals.

This may be how the

pasty came about, but

it doesn’t explain the

‘hoggin’, which is a pasty

sealed at the top rather than

at the side, and is the reason why pasties are

known by some as ‘oggies’.

Although initially invented as a matter of

convenience, the diverse pie and pasty have

earned their place in the food landscape of

Britain, whether it’s as a rich, hot water crust

pastry, a hand-raised pork pie or a pasty with

a peppery fi lling and brittle short crust pastry.

“It took several centuries to perfect the pie as we know it”

A well made pie is one of the glories of British food, but pasties and pies carry with them a history and heritage that intrigues more than just the taste buds

So it is therefore fi tting that Melton Mowbray

is home to the British Pie Awards, a yearly

event that hosts the judging of nearly 1,000

pies and pasties in the beautiful 12th Century


18 • Pies and Pasties

018_BOB2015.indd 18 10/12/2014 13:03

The various food scandals have made the

public think again and question the traditional

attitude that a low price is everything. Steak

houses have sprung up all over, and every

gastropub worth its salt has a blazing grill and

credits their local butcher on the menu.

It may be due to our rainy climate and lush

green pastures, but steaks from Britain’s grass

fed cattle are the best in the world. Hung

properly and dry-aged, British beef leads the

way. Foreign imports (like the much vaunted

SteaksRaising the Waygu or the USDA striploin) will always

be at a disadvantage because most of the

producers grow the cattle in feedlots rather

than free range on grass. British beef

is slow grown and that maximises flavour

and texture.

There’s a clamour for premium red meat

and that has a knock-on effect – on each

carcase there’s only so much rump and there’s

only so much sirloin. The skill of the butcher

and the chef is to use up what’s left, the

lesser cuts; let’s hear it for brisket, shin, fore-

end and offal!

Salt ageingThe roast beef of old England still holds pole

position, but as beef becomes more expensive

other meats are experiencing a growth in

demand and a joint of pork – with its armour

of crackling – or a shoulder of spring lamb are

becoming increasingly popular.

The very latest development in the beef

market is salt ageing. Peter Hannan of

Hannan Meats in Northern Ireland has built

several large ageing chambers, each of which

“Steaks from Britain’s grass fed cattle are the best in the world”

The last decade has seen a re-evaluation of meat, from grassy pastures and feedlots to table tops

has a wall lined with pink Himalayan salt

bricks. The salt changes the ionisation of the

chamber and improves the quality of the

meat. It may sound fanciful but it

tastes delicious.


Meat • 19

019_BOB2015.indd 19 10/12/2014 14:09

020_BOB2015.indd 20 15/12/2014 11:23

What was once a commodity market has

undergone a transformation and customers

are looking for much more than cheap

protein. Now, chickens are expected to taste

of something and if that means they should

be slow-growing birds with the right to roam,

so be it. After the Second World War, a roast

chicken was real treat and seeing one in all its

golden glory signalled a special occasion. In

Britain, we eat millions of chickens every day

Getting the birdand they aren’t all elite birds, but thankfully

though, the trend is for better animal welfare

and better tasting chickens.

We’ve seen similar developments in the

turkey market. Selective breeding had quite

literally changed the shape of the turkey. The

market demanded more and more white

meat and turkey farmers responded with

huge birds that had giant bosoms. For some

years, the traditional black turkeys were an

endangered species, but despite having a

poor ratio of meat to carcass, their superior

flavour has led to a resurgence and now there

are also bronze turkeys. These are sold as a

perfect compromise between breast size

and flavour.

Golden gooseThe one bird that

stubbornly refuses to

be managed is the goose.

Geese lay in the spring

and so goose is at its

best for Michaelmas and Christmas. If the

geese could be persuaded to lay in August,

for example, then we could tuck in to a fresh

goose in March – but that is only a dream as

the geese stick to their own timetable. Alert

butchers and supermarkets do offer jars of

goose fat throughout the year, making goose

fat roast potatoes (which many say are the

best possible) feasible whenever you wish.

It’s easy to overlook some of the other birds

on offer. Guineafowl offers a slightly gamey

note and is very popular with chefs. And

there is also quail, which has the advantage

of nature’s portion control – a

large quail makes a decent

meal for one.

In Mediaeval times, banquets

featured poultry and game from

platters of roast chickens to a roast

swan as centrepiece. Today, the best

of Britain’s chickens, turkeys and geese

are raised with care and you can taste

how good they are.

“Thankfully though, the trend is for better animal welfare”

The poultry industry has reason to thank the wind of change that is sweeping through our kitchens


Poultry • 21

021_BOB2015.indd 21 10/12/2014 14:11

There is a European tradition of preserving

meats by chopping them finely and then

stuffing the resulting mix into intestines to

dry. Where the British sausage diverges from

that of our neighbours is that the classic

British sausage is served hot from the pan or

the grill.

The continent may have salamis, but we

lay claim to the banger. Britain has a truly

wonderful range of pork sausages, each with

its own local, traditional seasoning and spice.

Hence the Oxford sausage differs from the

Lincoln sausage, or the mighty Cumberland

sausage, which is coiled rather than being

sold as linked individual sausages.

The proof is in the puddingThe versatility of the pig as a mass-consumed

meat has created an entire industry out of

using every possible scrap of the animal.

There has, however, always been one

dilemma at pig killing time… What to do with

the porcine blood?

Every European country has come up

with a solution and its own traditional blood

sausages. The blood puddings churned out

in Bury, Lancashire, are particularly highly

thought of, and when fried offer a perfect

balance of crispness and richness.

Across the borderIn Scotland, much of the energy that

goes into making the perfect sausage is

diverted into the national dish – the haggis.

Traditionally, the haggis was a mixture of

sheep’s innards and oats, but MacSween, an

enterprising haggis specialist, has invented

some new off-the-wall recipes.

Now, there is a vegetarian haggis, a wild

boar haggis and a Moroccan spiced haggis.

Whatever would Robert Burns have made

of those?

“The continent may have salamis, but we lay claim to the banger”

The Romans brought sausages to Britain, and our word sausage stems from the Roman word salsus, meaning salted

magnificent A sizzle


22 • Sausages

022_BOB2015.indd 22 10/12/2014 14:53

Once you have got over the idea that soup

is just for fi lling up the poor and needy,

or to blunt the appetite of a family of

manual labourers, soup can be delicious

and subtle. On the Continent, soup tends

Superior Soup

“On the Continent, soup tends to be functional”

Soup is one dish that we do very well in Britain and is much more than just a heart-warming snack

to be functional – think cabbage soup – or

medicinal like beef consommé.

In Britain we have made good use of the

spices that came to this island via the trade

routes of the Empire. So it’s no surprise

that one of the best of British soups is

mulligatawny. This spicy chicken soup is

named after pepper water, which in the Tamil

language in India is ‘milaku-tanni’, and dates

back to the days before grand English houses

had central heating so a touch of heat in your

dinner was most welcome.

The Scots also have a favourite soup,

Cullen Skink, which is a rich bowlful of

smoked haddock and potatoes. This dish was

taken to America by the early settlers and

went on to become the ancestor of chowder.

In Wales, ‘cawl’ describes a style of soup

that also contains large pieces of meat and

vegetables; a very hearty bowlful. It is usually

made using lamb shanks but there are also

variants made with gammon and seafood.


Soup • 23

023_BOB2015.indd 23 10/12/2014 14:55

prideA lion’sIn 1988, the British egg industry was deep in

crisis after the then health minister Edwina

Currie claimed that ‘most’ of Britain’s egg

production was infected with the much-feared

salmonella bacteria.

they produce from salmonella.

“If you look at the human statistics on

salmonella it is very clear that all the UK egg

related cases have disappeared,” says Joret.

“There are still some incidents of egg related

problems but they have been from imported

eggs. There was one this year which came

from Germany, there as been others from

Spain too.”

Currently, 90% the eggs produced in the

UK are under the Lion scheme.

“We’d like it to be 100%, but it is an

individual business decision, whether

they join the Lion,” adds Joret.

There are some financial costs to

joining the scheme from a business

point of view, but as Joret explains,

the positives from joining well

outweigh the cost:

“It is an independent run and

“British Lion Eggs are the safest in the world”

How have British Lion made the nation’s egg industry a much safer place for both customers and caterers?

public’s confidence in the British egg industry

was understandably shaken.

It wasn’t until a decade later and the launch

of the British Lion Egg seal that assurances

could be made to the public that those

producers under the quality mark could

guarantee the safety of the product.

“From a due diligence point of view British

Lion Eggs are the safest in the world,” says

Andrew Joret, chairman of the British Egg

Industry Council. “During the

salmonella crisis back in 1988,

there was a real problem. Some

were in denial at the time but

out of the crisis came the

re-born lion.”

The key development for

the egg industry was the

introduction of vaccines for

hens, to protect the eggs

This provoked anger from farmer and

retailers alike, and though the statement did

not apply to the majority of egg producers, the


24 • A Lion’s Pride

024_025_BOB2015.indd 24 10/12/2014 14:59

monitored scheme, to EU standard, so it is all

done by independent auditors,” he says.

“We’ve had a lot of people come in

because they have seen the benefit of

belonging to it.

“They will belong to a well-established

assurance code, and also their customers are

demanding it.”

There are also marketing benefits for both

caterers and retailers in belonging to the Lion

egg group.

“We have a significant advertising budget

which does two things,” explains Joret. “It

promotes eggs generically, but if there is an

opportunity then we will promote Lion over

other eggs.

“A good example is the salmonella

outbreak this summer from imported eggs, so

we were able to come out strongly and say:

‘British Lion eggs are safe’.”

CaterersThe majority or retailers offer the safe option

of Lion trusted eggs on their shelves, while it is

caterers that are often the ones to use outside

sources, as Joret explains.

“It is in the catering world where we see

non-Lion eggs coming in through certain

wholesalers,” he says.

and ideal to promote.”

Joret is now calling for caterers to be more

innovative with their egg-based products to

reinforce the new dawn for the British egg

industry and has hailed examples like the Leon

egg breakfast pots and Pret A Manger protein

pots, who are helping to increase consumer

confidence on the high street.

“We are delighted by innovation in the egg

category,” he confirms.

“How big these ideas will be, we dont

know. But just the fact that they are now there

is tremendous, it has created a bit of interest

around the topic. That has to be good.”

With a focus on being green, economical

and avoiding waste, Joret believes the humble

British egg can find a new important role

within kitchens and food.

He adds: “The egg is still the cheapest form

of animal protein you can buy and a very

economical product.

“I think through the more difficult times of

recession and post recession where people are

worried about food waste and so on, eggs are

actually a tremendous vehicle for mopping

up leftovers.

“You can make an omelet with bits and

pieces and that has been one of our themes

this year – reducing food waste.”

Andrew Joret

“These wholesalers do have Lion eggs

available but also choose imported eggs

because there may of course be a price

difference from time to time. Choosing

imported eggs is certainly a risk that some

caterers take.”

Joret recommends that caterers use Lion

eggs to assure the quality of the product they

are using in their food offerings.

“Due diligence should say that caterers

should buy Lion eggs as they are known to be

safe,” he argues.

“It can be frustrating as if an egg-related

salmonella outbreak occurs, as we then have

to double our publicity to make sure people

know it wasn’t from a Lion egg.”

There is an upturn in both caterers and

consumers choosing to stock and use egg

products more widely in their recipes at home

and eating out, and Joret believes that is down

to the safety assurance given off by Lion.

“Uptake is going up,” he says. “There is a

general climate for eggs that is very positive.

We have seen a resurgence.

“You think of all the baking programmes

going on where people are using eggs and

think of all the retailers that are using eggs as

part of their adverts.

“Suddenly it has become a safe product


A Lion’s Pride • 25

024_025_BOB2015.indd 25 10/12/2014 14:59


26 • British Hospitality Association

026_028_BOB2015.indd 26 10/12/2014 15:00

facilities, educational establishments, stadia

museums and galleries, government

departments, military forces, transport hubs

and many more places besides.

In the past 20 years the UK FSM sector

has more than doubled in size and seen one

UK company become the world’s largest

food and services management provider.

The sector has increasingly broadened its

range of services to clients across commerce

and communities. While the backbone of the

FSM sector is catering and most companies

originally only offered these services, today

nearly every company offers additional

services beyond catering, vending

or hospitality.

Clearly, given the exceptionally diverse

role of a caterer, their management skills

put them in good stead to manage other

services too.

FSM companies play a part in the efficient

running of many of the UK’s major

companies, organisations, government

bodies and communities and are involved in

a vast range of issues which affect the UK

economy, spanning job creation, influencing

legislation, regulations and corporate and

social responsibility issues.

They impact both public and private

sector organisations and affect employees of

all ages, from 16 to 60+. Food and service

management companies like Sodexo, Elior,

CH&Co, BaxterStorey, Lexington, bartlett

mitchell and Vacherin are helping to turn the

wheels of UK business and industry –

impacting on UK communities and oiling the

cogs of British commerce.

This is the unseen face of Best of British

and undoubtedly an area that will continue

to grow and evolve.

By capitalising on and evolving Best of

British, and by working side by side, UK

companies and hospitality professionals can

surely capitalise on celebrating the UK’s

beautifully rich heritage of world class

service, fine food, locally sourced ingredients

and proud work ethic, which will surely

help the British hospitality industry to

stand head and shoulders above the

international competition.

For more information about British

hospitality and its Food Service and

Management Survey, contact the BHA.


28 • British Hospitality Association

026_028_BOB2015.indd 28 10/12/2014 15:02

“The Gelato Gold Coconut

Cream ice cream and the Mango Premium

Sorbet each picked up a prestigious

‘Great Taste’ Gold Star this year for taste and product excellence!”

Wholesale foodservice ice cream

manufacturer Suncream Dairies

combines the rich heritage and

tradition of Italian ice cream with 21st

Century manufacturing techniques to

supply great value, great tasting and

award winning ice creams for the UK

catering sector.

Launched in 1967 and now run by

third generation Rebecca Manfredi,

the family-owned business has enjoyed

consistent growth and signifi cant

reinvestment, most recently underlined

by the opening in August 2014 of a

new £900,000 extension and factory

redevelopment which created 17 new

jobs at its Staffordshire site. This new

development now puts the company in

prime position to meet the increasing

demand for its award-winning ice

creams and sorbets, and included major

extensions to the dairy, coldstore and

warehouse, as well as additional offi ces

and a new product development

and test kitchen.

Now enjoying a £5m+ annual

turnover and employing up to

60 people during peak summer

production, Suncream has scooped

itself an enviable niche for producing

a range of luxury and affordable ice

creams and sorbets in this fast moving

and highly competitive sector.

The business fi rst ‘launched’ in

the UK 80 years ago in 1934, when

Rebecca’s grandfather Agostino settled

in the UK and started an ice cream

manufacturing and van business in

Stoke. His son Domenico (Rebecca’s

father) then started his own business,

Suncream, in nearby Tamworth in

1967; since then, the company has

continued to prosper as the demand

for its award-winning ice creams

and sorbets increases.

Suncream’s product line-up includes

the Gelato Gold range of easy scoop

luxury Italian-style ice creams, Premium

Sorbets and the long-established

Summertime and Mellow Gold

ice creams.

Made to traditional recipes with

fresh double cream, Gelato Gold ice

cream is available in 10 tempting

traditional and contemporary fl avours

including Chocolate Chunk, Toffee

Apple Crumble, Forest Fruits Berry

Heaven, Madagascan Vanilla and the

brand new Salted Caramel which

launched this month. The equally

delicious Premium Sorbets feature

natural pure fruit purees and real

champagne for authentic fl avours.

Like other major food

manufacturers, Suncream has had

to respond to increased consumer

demand for allergen-free foods; nine

out of the 10 Gelato Gold ice creams

and all of the low-fat luxury Premium

Sorbets are suitable for gluten-free,

egg-free and vegetarian diets.

The Premium Sorbets also contain

less than 2.5% fat, so they’re perfect

for anyone counting the calories or

following a low-fat diet.

“Dietary considerations don’t

compromise fl avour or quality though

– the Gelato Gold Coconut Cream ice

cream and the Mango Premium Sorbet

each picked up a prestigious ‘Great

Taste’ Gold Star this year for taste

and product excellence!” comments

managing director Rebecca Manfredi.

“By staying ahead of fl avour

trends and innovative manufacturing

techniques, and by applying our key

business principles of quality, service,

heritage and tradition to everything we

do, we are ensuring that the business is

robust and continues to face the future

with confi dence.”

For more information about

Suncream’s ice creams and sorbets:

visit www.suncreamicecream.com, or call the

offi ce 01827 282571.

Suncream Ice CreamBuilding an ice bright future!

Commercial Presentation – Suncream Dairies • 29


029_BOB2015.indd 29 15/12/2014 14:58

http://www.suncreamicecream.com

British Catering EquipmentCEDA makes the case for

For more than 40 years, CEDA members

have worked with the leading British

catering equipment manufacturers to

design and specify the best solutions for

commercial kitchens across all profit and

non-profit sectors.

As director of technical support for

CEDA Peter Kay explains, the British

hallmarks of innovation, quality and safety

continue to be strong reasons to buy British

now and in the future.

“Britain has always been noted for

ground-breaking and world-changing

innovation since the Industrial Revolution

started here in the 18th Century,” he says.

“From stainless steel to the Thermos

flask and from the electric motor to the first

programmable computer Britain has an amazing

track record of technological innovation.

“In catering equipment, British

manufacturers have recently led the way in

some areas of product development such as

refrigerated drawers and the use of forced

air burners in fryers and other cooking

equipment to give far greater efficiency.

“The resources in terms of money

and brains that British companies invest

in developing new ideas and improving

existing catering equipment systems reflects

in their efficiency and reliability compared

with many imported equipment types.”

Added value from sourcing catering

equipment from British companies comes

from dealing more locally in a number of

ways, as Kay explains:

“Communication when it comes

to technical issues from installation,

maintenance or modifying equipment

through to training end-user kitchen staff, is

far smoother if the equipment comes from a

British manufacturer.

“This can even come down to key

operation instructions literally being lost

in translation in the manual for a piece of

equipment bought from an overseas source.

“The other important consideration

With almost 100 of the UK’s leading professional catering equipment distributors as members, allied to some of Britain’s top catering equipment manufacturers as partners, the Catering Equipment Distributors Association (CEDA) is well placed to say what’s good about buying British catering equipment


30 • Catering Equipment

030_037_BOB2015.indd 30 10/12/2014 15:03


Catering Equipment • 31

030_037_BOB2015.indd 31 10/12/2014 15:04

for some buyers is the carbon footprint of

the equipment they install and operate. In

most cases a British manufactured items

will have a smaller carbon footprint than

an imported product due to transport

distances, less packaging and more

sustainable manufacturing methods

in Britain.”

There are advantages in buying British

when it comes to the standards and

regulations that cover the manufacture,

installation and operation of different

types of catering equipment. Kay makes

the point:

“While most standards are gradually

being harmonised throughout Europe,

Britain still has some unique examples

such as the water and gas regulations

which UK manufacturers are familiar with

and therefore comply with, whereas some

imported equipment has to be modified

to comply.

“Although all manufacturers should

comply with the required regulations and

have the appropriate CE mark, one thing

that is ingrained into UK manufacturers

is their understanding of the legal

requirements, and often the need to

surpass the standards dictated today.

“This is part of our historic commitment

to quality with the likes of ‘British

Standard’ and the famous ‘Kite Mark’;

the former being a forerunner to the EN

standards widely used today, and the latter

is still used as a way of saying, ‘not only is

it good, we can prove it’. This is why we

do see more and more British companies

pushing the ‘Buy British’ motto/logo and it

does have international credibility.”

There are sound economic and even

cultural forces that mean buying British is

better for us. CEDA chairman Jack Sharkey

believes buying British Catering equipment

delivers multiple benefits:

“The CEDA quarterly confidence survey

of our members shows that most catering

equipment distributors are doing well in

Britain,” he adds.

“The British-made equipment that they

specify adds additional strength to our

overall economy, and helps our longer-

term prospects by creating jobs and

keeping money in the UK economy.


32 • Catering Equipment

030_037_BOB2015.indd 32 10/12/2014 15:05

033_036_BOB2015.indd 33 15/12/2014 11:39

033_036_BOB2015.indd 34 15/12/2014 11:39

033_036_BOB2015.indd 35 15/12/2014 11:39

033_036_BOB2015.indd 36 15/12/2014 11:40

“Dealing with British catering

equipment distributor and buying British

equipment will cut out any possible third

party margins, and importantly beat cheap

internet imports when it comes to quality,

reliability and ongoing support,”

explains Sharkey.

“Although it may appear cheaper

to buy imported equipment if a buyer

considers the whole-life cost and return on

investment then British equipment often

provides better payback for the end-user.

Part of this is due to the stringent quality

control and safety testing that British

manufacturers conduct.

“One should also note that while a

number of British catering equipment

companies are now in the hands of

international owners this is the reason why

they maintain manufacturing in the UK.

“It’s also interesting to consider that

British consumers and operators sometimes

have specific demands when it comes to

taste, menus or lifestyle, and that often

British equipment has been designed and

developed to best serve these needs.”

At Hospitality in January, CEDA will be

on hand to talk to end-users about why

they should work with a UK-based catering

equipment distributor. The CEDA stand

will offer personal, impartial advice and

information to take away, on the issues

around buying catering equipment. Adam

Mason, CEDA director general, talks about

plans for Hospitality 2015:

“We have two prime objectives for the

show; attracting new member distributors

and of course reaching out to the end-

users who will be there, helping them to

understand the benefits of working with a

CEDA member for small or larger projects

all over the UK,” he explains.

“We hope to showcase a number of

new incentives for catering equipment

distributors to join CEDA and also to

present our new website, which will

be an enhanced tool for members and

vibrant information source for foodservice

operators,” Mason concludes.

For more information, call 01386 793911 or go to www.ceda.co.uk. Visit CEDA at Hospitality, NEC Birmingham, 19 to 21 January 2015 (stand 301).


Catering Equipment • 37

030_037_BOB2015.indd 37 10/12/2014 15:06

http://www.ceda.co.uk

We make a weekend of it in Wales, my

husband, friends and I, and over two days

we spend nearly 24 hours on our feet

selling food. That’s not counting the time

it takes to set up our stall each morning

unpacking boxes, arranging wares and

testers on clean tablecloths, hanging up

posters and tying down banners – then

clearing up and tucking things away at the

end of the day.

That’s because the annual Abergavenny

Food Festival is – like virtually all food

It may sound a touch dramatic, but these days one of the high points of my life is a food and drink festival that takes place in Wales at the cusp of autumn…

Festivals

Those very

by Gina McAdam

festivals taking place throughout the year

across the United Kingdom – a serious

business. Most of the 30,000 people who

parade past the 200 or so exhibitors, spread

across fi ve different venues in this tiny

Welsh town with a giant reputation among

gastronomes, are food-seeking missiles.

Clutching handy notebook-size guides,

professional and amateur epicureans alike

navigate with their palates and speak

with their wallets; tasting and buying up

everything from artisan cheeses and pates

to live ciders, gluten and dairy free cakes,

raw Welsh honey, dried meats from forest-

reared pigs, spicy pickles and chutneys,

North Welsh crab cakes, fresh rib eye steaks

and sourdough.

Despite the seriousness of the mission,

the very British food festival is essentially

food shopping and eating as entertainment

and is a delightfully memorable day out.

Everyone smiles, even those weighed down

by their bulging jute carriers (‘No thank

you, I don’t need a bag for my cider I can

just tuck it in here’).

Chef heroes cut through the crowd;

modern-day swashbucklers that people

point to and sigh. In the best festivals the

food is king, but those who’ve managed

to bag tickets to an exclusive sideshow

featuring Rick Stein, James Martin or Yotom

Ottolenghi can afford to be smug.

All about the experienceHugh Padfi eld’s family have been farming

the 600-acre Park Farm near Kelston, Bath

for over 100 years. Their Bath Soft Cheese

Company is a festival stalwart. He sees two

main benefi ts for producers taking part in

food festivals, be it a melting pot such as

Abergavenny or a one-product wonder,

such as the Sturminster Newton Cheese

Festival in Dorset.

“First, it’s a great opportunity to

meet and get direct feedback from your

customers,” he explains. “It’s experiential;

38 • Festivals


038_041_BOB2015.indd 38 10/12/2014 15:07

PHOT

O: T

im W

oodi

er

Market Hall

Gina McAdam

people get to taste your product and tell

you what they think about it but it’s also

the chance for them to learn more. Second,

it’s a very good way to take direct control of

sales and the message you wish to convey

about your product. There’s also the healthy

feeling that we’re all in this together.”

These days, many of your customers

could come pint-sized. Last summer at the

BBC Good Food Show I actually listened

to a child of no more than 10 pontifi cate

on the merits of a venison pickle, versus

a wild boar pickle. His father stood by

nodding approvingly. The demographics of

the foodie are getting younger and festivals

know their market. Some major festivals

have even relaxed their rules to allow 16

year olds to enter for free, provided they

tag along an adult.

And it’s not just the producers and

customers who give these food nirvanas the

thumbs up. Many restaurant chefs likewise

welcome them as another route to market,

and are happy to appear on platforms such

as the Electrolux Taste Theatre, a fi xture at

the phenomenally successful Taste Festival.

The latter originated in London 11

years ago as a showcase for Michelin-

starred restaurants but has since evolved to

spotlight the capital’s newest and trendiest

restaurants, star or no star attached.

They’re also a great way to commend

London as one of the world’s culinary

centres, where chefs demand to use the

very best of British ingredients.

The chef’s favouriteThe very British chef Simon Hulstone (he

was once photographed with a Union Jack

draped over his shoulder, a bulldog at his

feet) runs Michelin-starred The Elephant in

Torquay and has represented the country

at the prestigious Bocuse d’Or, the global

gastronomic competition.

“Food festivals are a way of taking my

restaurant on the road and showcasing

what we have here in Torbay,” he shares.

“It opens up a whole new audience to

us, and it also gives potential customers a

chance to meet me or my staff and see our

ethos fi rst-hand.”

Dan Doherty, executive chef of the chic

and hip Duck & Waffl e high above the City


Festivals • 39

038_041_BOB2015.indd 39 10/12/2014 15:07

of London, has been bitten by the festival

bug too and appeared at the Ludlow Food

Festival, which celebrated its twentieth year

this year, among others. When it comes to

appearing at festivals, his sentiments

echo Hulstone’s:

“You’re giving people who can’t get to

the restaurant, for whatever reason, a

snapshot of what you can offer,” he told me.

“But it also allows you to spend time with

your guests in a totally different environment,

many of whom do come to a show when

they know you’re there. These festivals also

mirror the changes in the food scene since I

came to London 15 years ago. Then, people

more or less kept to themselves but now you

have chefs and suppliers talking to each

other and mingling; it’s very friendly.”

OriginsThe difference between a market and

festival, I’ve been told, is that the latter offers

a wider experience beyond food stalls – talks,

master classes, chef demonstrations and

bands for example. Thus many of today’s

food festivals are but contemporary versions

of what took place in Britain hundreds of

years ago. Back then, these events were held

to mark ‘celebration, relaxation or

recuperation’ and were a means of

‘reaffirmation of community or culture’, with

the added bonus of artistic content such

as music.

In the main, food festivals are focused on

a particular city, town or region. They attract

producers and punters year after year to

destinations like Ludlow (where it’s said the

British food festival really began) or Jersey for

its festival highlighting the island’s British and

French culinary traditions. Portmeirion tempts

visitors to its food and craft fair, and

Axminster in Devon boasts Hugh Fearnley-

Whittingstall, who welcomes chefs and

foodies to his River Cottage HQ for the

Universal Food and Cookery Festival that

celebrates new food trends and produce. But

some, like Jamie Oliver’s Big Feastival migrate

and are literally moveable feasts.

Curry on lovingBritain’s love affair with curry is legendary

and there is a British food festival to prove it:

National Curry Week. This national food

festival involves restaurants, pubs, clubs and

home dining, and has just completed its 17th

year. It started out as National Curry Day, and

the focus was originally on raising money for

those in need in South Asia while promoting

the cuisine and culture of the region. Before

long, the pressure for national involvement

became too great and one day soon

expanded to seven, and suppliers to the

industry began to take notice.

Peter Grove, a self-confessed ‘professional

diner’ and a fascinating, eclectic author of

ethnic food histories as well as science fiction

and children’s stories, is the founder of

National Curry Week. In 2015, the festival

will target Britain’s 23 million curry fans in

the UK with the tag ’Support Curry for

Social Cohesion.’

“Year by year new events have been

added to engage the public,” Grove explains,

proud of the organic growth of his

brainchild. “Curry Capital of Britain was

included 12 years ago and has resulted in 20

cities competing for the title annually in an

effort to promote civic pride through food as

Scottish Food & Drink Festival Big tent Phot

o: C

arol

ine

trot

ter 2

012


40 • Festivals

038_041_BOB2015.indd 40 10/12/2014 15:09

a medium. The event is now an annual

generic event and we have requests from

America and South Africa to make it

international. This year, Bradford won

the title.”

A nation united by foodBritish Food Fortnight was launched 12 years

ago to bring together the many events, food

initiatives and projects taking place across the

country. This includes those promoting British

food within foodservice operations, retail

outlets, restaurants and visitor attractions. It

is estimated that the fortnight drives results

in a sales uplift of £15m of British produce.

Scotland has the Scottish Food and Drink

Fortnight, typically held over two weeks in

September. It showcases the many innovative

products currently emanating from Scotland,

including foraged sea buckthorn producing

bright orange berries incorporated into

other fruit juices and offering health-

giving properties.

Sophie Fraser, communications and

marketing manager of Scotland Food and

Drink, describes the initiative as one that is

designed to grow the reputation of Scotland

as a ‘land of food and drink’.

“Restaurants, retailers, foodservice

businesses and individual producers – indeed

everyone in the business of food and drink

can get involved in a range of festivals and

offerings,” she says.

Yes, in the end, it all comes down to

festivals. Whatever their duration, theme or

location, they raise the profile of British food

and everything that is good about eating and

drinking in Britain today.

Who said you can tell a nation by what

it eats?

Cathy Green, the marketing brains behind

Abergavenny Food Festival explains why

she believes the festival has experienced

such success:

“It has always stayed close to its founding

principles: the celebration of craft in

food-making – this could be on the farm, in

the factory or in the kitchen – and the

diversity of foods and traditions, both here in

Wales and those of other places,” she

comments. “Above all, we want to celebrate

the conviviality and sociability that surrounds

eating and drinking, whether that be with

friends or strangers. Each year we try to do

all this in the most spectacular style we

can manage.

“Exhibitors come because they know

they’ll do good business as our visitors really

do come to shop. We also have commercial

buyers checking out what’s new and hot, so

sometimes there are longer-term dividends.

We always endeavour to give our chefs and

other guests a really good experience.

“So I guess it’s about hospitality, and it’s

also a brilliant opportunity to network with

other food professionals, out of which new

ideas and partnerships are born.”

Small wonder then, that the festival was

named Best Event in Wales 2013.

Ciara Jones, Green’s counterpart for the

Taste Festivals, which are now franchised in

22 cities around the globe including Perth,

Helsinki and Milan, believes that the food

industry is one of the most exciting areas to

work in now:

“I think our festivals really complement

and bring it to life in a unique and fun

environment,” she says. “London has

arguably one of the most thriving restaurant

scenes in the world and Taste is always at the

cutting edge of food trends and cultures,

which is why it works so well in London.”

Although they are incredibly popular

across Britain today, are food festivals here

to stay?

“At last we are taking genuine pride in

Britain’s rich culinary culture and heritage,

whilst having the confidence to adapt our

food and cuisine in ways that are appropriate

for contemporary audiences,” says Don

Sloane, founder and chair of Oxford

Gastronomica and Head of the Oxford School

of Hospitality at Oxford Brookes University;

someone who has probably done more than

most to lift the face of food within academia

and the wider arts in Britain. “The rise of

British food festivals shows there is

widespread desire to learn about our food

and its place in our diverse cultures, which is

incredibly encouraging. I’ve no doubt such

festivals will continue to go from strength

to strength.”

For a comprehensive list of excellent

British Festivals around the country, please do

visit www.thefoodfestival.co.uk.

Taste Festival 2013


Festivals • 41

038_041_BOB2015.indd 41 10/12/2014 15:10

http://www.thefoodfestival.co.uk

Want to push your

burger boundaries?

Want to push your

burger boundaries?

042_043_BOB2015.indd 42 15/12/2014 13:19

THE QUEST TO FIND THE NATION’S ULTIMATE BURGER CHAMPION HAS BEGUN

Open to chefs across the casual dining sector, this is your chance to showcase your

signature burger to the industry

FINALISTS WILL FIRSTLY BE REQUIRED TO COOK THEIR OWN SIGNATURE BURGER IN FRONT OF OUR JUDGES, BEFORE CREATING A

SECOND BURGER MADE UP FROM A SPECIFIC SELECTION OF INGREDIENTS

www.nationalburgerawards.co.uk

CLOSING DATE FOR TRADE ENTRIES IS FRIDAY 9 JANUARY 2015

E nter online at

THE COOK OFF – IT TAKES TWO

THE EVENT TAKES PLACE ON WEDNESDAY 25 FEBRUARY 2015

in association with

THE QUEST TO FIND THE NATION’S ULTIMATE BURGER CHAMPION HAS BEGUN

THE EVENT TAKES PLACE ON WEDNESDAY 25 FEBRUARY 2015

£1,000£1,000

Top prize

042_043_BOB2015.indd 43 15/12/2014 13:20

http://www.nationalburgerawards.co.uk

044_BOB2015.indd 44 15/12/2014 11:55

In recent years there have been

a number of food safety issues

associated with imported eggs, but

caterers can minimise their risk by

specifying eggs that carry the British

Lion mark.

All eggs which carry the British

Lion mark on the shell are produced

under the British Lion Code of

Practice, which stipulates stringent

standards of hygiene, covering

every stage of egg production,

from breeding flocks to hatcheries,

farms to packing stations, to the

finished product. This guarantees

eggs produced to significantly

higher standards of food safety

than required by UK or EU law,

strict feed controls, complete

traceability, a best-before

date on the shell and

compulsory vaccination of

the laying flock

against salmonella.

The great news for caterers is

that the British Lion scheme has

effectively eliminated salmonella

from British Lion eggs, meaning

eggs can be served with confidence,

even runny ones.

Look for the best-before dateThe best-before date for British Lion

eggs is stamped on the egg, rather

than just on-pack, as required

by legislation.

This helps caterers to ensure they

are purchasing and cooking the

freshest eggs, which are not always

easy to identify when stored on

keyes trays.

The Lion Code of Practice

standards are higher than

current UK and EU legislation,

and in addition to date

stamping also include

regular independent and

unannounced audits of

all farms, feed mills and

egg packing centres

in the Lion scheme, in

accordance with the

“The British Lion scheme

has effectively eliminated salmonella

from British Lion eggs”

For more information

on British Lion Eggs:

www.egginfo.co.uk

LookLionWhy You Should Look for the Lion:

• British guarantee

• Freshness guarantee – best-before date stamped on the shell

• Full registration and traceability of hens, eggs and feed

• Laying fl ock vaccinated against salmonella

• Enhanced hygiene controls and salmonella testing

• Feed controls

• Independently audited to the EN45011 standard

for the

EN 45011 standard. There are also

feed controls, including production

of feed to Universal Feed Assurance

Scheme (UFAS) standards.

Commercial Presentation – British Lion Eggs • 45


045_BOB2015.indd 45 15/12/2014 14:56

http://www.egginfo.co.uk

046_BOB2015.indd 46 15/12/2014 11:53

“Giving chefs a base to let their

creativity run wild and make

the ordinary extraordinary

is our goal”

Essential Cuisine01606 541490 | www.essentialcuisine.com

Commercial Presentation – Essential Cuisine • 47


During the last decade or so,

Britain has been steadily building

a reputation as a true culinary

destination and here at Essential

Cuisine we’re proud to fl y the fl ag

for British-made stocks and sauces.

Born and bred over 20 years ago

in Cheshire, we take a great deal of

pride in the creation of our premium

stocks, jus, gravy, demi-glace and

glaces.

Giving chefs a base to let their

creativity run wild and make the

ordinary extraordinary is our goal. It’s

what we love doing.

As chefs ourselves we know

the importance of quality, which is

why, at our Winsford HQ, we create

our stock products using only the

fi nest ingredients to safeguard the

excellence upon

which we’ve built

our reputation as the

chef’s choice.

Our newly expanded factory was

this year granted a coveted A-grade

accreditation from the British Retail

Consortium (BRC) – a process which

ensures we are meeting the highest

standards of care in the supply of

branded food products. The audit

is an exacting test of our suitability

as a food producer and leaves no

stone unturned. To emerge with the

highest rating possible means chefs

can rest assured they are receiving

the best products to pass on to their

diners.

The new space has also

allowed us to bring the majority of

production in-house making for an

improved visibility of supply chain

and meaning even more consistent,

high quality stock products.

Crucially, part of the new

1500sqm space is now a

‘playground’ for our

development team to

get creative - a challenge they have

accepted with glee. Room to spread

our wings means brand new products

can be developed, while proactive

work with chefs to develop bespoke

menu solutions for the trade – an

opportunity that truly sets us apart in

the market – can continue to thrive.

In growing and developing our

business we’re also proud to have

been able to create many jobs within

the very community in which we

manufacture.

We are now fully equipped to

move forward, bigger, stronger and

more united than ever before.

Proud to be aBritish Manufacturer

047_BOB2015.indd 47 15/12/2014 14:56

http://www.essentialcuisine.com

048_BOB2015.indd 48 15/12/2014 11:51

“The Hospitality Show is the place where

Britain comes to network

and do serious business,

consistently attracting

high quality exhibitors”

The Hospitality Showwww.hospitalityshow.co.uk

www.twitter.com/hospshow

www.facebook.com/hospshow

www.hospitalityshow.co.uk/linkedin

The Hospitality ShowReturns to Celebrate the Best of British

With a value of some £80bn* to our

economy, British hospitality is a sector

worthy of celebration. In recent times

the tenacity of this vibrant and exciting

sector has been tested to the hilt, yet

when it’s done well, few would disagree

that the British welcome is up there with

the very best.

As we move into a new business

year, the British Hospitality Association

tells us that the industry has the

potential to generate 236,000 new job

opportunities in 2015 – fantastic news

for all of us.

Say it quietly, but many signs point

to a sector beginning to thrive again

as a key contributor to our economic

livelihood.

Buoyed by this news and with the

Best of British very much top of mind, it’s

with great anticipation that we launch

The Hospitality Show 2015.

New products, new exhibitors, new

ideas and a new business focus will all

be ushered in on a wave of New Year

optimism as the NEC Birmingham opens

its doors from 19th-21st January, for

three days of insight and inspiration.

We’re tremendously excited to

welcome people from all corners of

Britain to our doors, to yet again help

kick start the business year into life.

In 2015 our core focus is around

the best of British – a launch pad for

everything new and great in British

hospitality. I urge anyone looking for

that spark of inspiration to take time

out, and experience the most relevant,

business-focused trade show in the

hospitality calendar.

The Hospitality Show is the place

where Britain comes to network and do

serious business, consistently attracting

high quality exhibitors and special guests

sourced from across the hospitality

spectrum. Focus areas include: hotels,

restaurants, pubs, cafés, delis and the

cost sector, with the show providing

a glittering showcase for cutting edge

products and services from the core

fi elds of food & drink, technology,

catering equipment, interiors, tableware

and careers.

Key attractions such as the Business

Briefi ng Stage will welcome household

names including Simon Rogan – the

British chef with a passion for local,

British produce – while Salon Culinaire

will once again prove a showcase for

some of the country’s most skilled cooks.

The culinary theme is further

reinforced by the debut of The

Staff Canteen Live – a must-visit

event featuring stimulating kitchen

demonstrations and practical advice

from big name chefs.

The highly popular Business Mentor

scheme also returns for a third successive

show, to offer visitors FREE bookable

one-to-one mentoring sessions with

some of our esteemed panel speakers.

All this and more when we return to

NEC Birmingham for a true celebration

of the best of British. Visitors should

go to www.hospitalityshow.co.uk and

register now for a free ticket to the

show.*Allegra strategies – eating out in the UK

With The Hospitality Show set to return to Britain’s second city this coming January (NEC Birmingham – 19th-21st) Toby Wand,

Managing Director of show organiser, Fresh Montgomery, looks ahead to 2015’s biggest hospitality trade event.

Commercial Presentation – The Hospitality Show • 49


049_BOB2015.indd 49 15/12/2014 14:55

http://www.hospitalityshow.co.uk

http://www.twitter.com/hospshow

http://www.facebook.com/hospshow

http://www.hospitalityshow.co.uk/linkedin


050_BOB2015.indd 50 15/12/2014 11:58

Instanta products are hand built with care. Circuit boards being manufactured just two miles from the factory.

“Surely the most

compelling reason for

buying from a British

manufacturer is the quality, consistency, reliability...”

Reasons forBuying British

Of course buying British is better for

the future of the UK manufacturing

sector and for British jobs, and

obviously the environmental

implications of shipping products

many thousands of miles across the

world must also be considered. But

putting these aspects aside, surely

the most compelling reason for

buying from a British manufacturer

is the quality, consistency, reliability

and on-going nature of the after-

sales support that is so often lacking

with cheaper, foreign imports.

A true British manufacturer

should have total control of the

manufacturing process, produce its

products entirely within the UK and

employ a British workforce to do so.

This should include the design

and development of not just

the main appliance, but also the

electronics platform and software

that are crucial to the product’s

reliability. We do all of this at

Instanta and we think that makes us

unique.

Instanta, we don’t claim to be the

cheapest, but we do claim to be the

best – and British to the core.

It is extremely important that customers and distributors consider wherea product is manufactured for political, ethical, sustainability and

common-sense reasons.

Instanta01704 501 114 | www.instanta.com

Product shells cut from high-grade stainless steel and manually checked.


Commercial Presentation – Instanta • 51

051_BOB2015.indd 51 15/12/2014 14:51

http://www.instanta.com

052_053_BOB2015.indd 52 15/12/2014 11:41

052_053_BOB2015.indd 53 15/12/2014 11:42

054_BOB2015.indd 54 15/12/2014 12:01

It’s very cool to be British these days.

Local foods are in huge demand. Food

attribution is growing more important

every day and consumers are more

discerning than ever. In direct response

to demand, everything we bake is

100% British, from fi eld to plate. Our

scrumptious breads come with fewer

food miles, more natural home-grown

goodness and the fi nest ingredients.

Impeccable Red Tractor credentialsThe Red Tractor scheme is all about

quality. In 1999 the National Farmers’

Union asked Brits what they wanted

from food. Their response rang out

loud and clear: a reliable symbol

guaranteeing high food standards.

The resulting Red Tractor mark

represents the nation’s biggest food

assurance scheme. All foods carrying

the Red Tractor mark are made to the

stringent British Farm Standard. When

a product displays the Red Tractor

stamp it means the ingredients are

traceable right down the line, perfectly

safe to eat and responsibly produced.

The Red Tractor mark has

permeated every part of the UK food

chain, giving millions a genuine, clear

stamp of approval they know they can

trust. Today the mark appears on over

550 top quality products, including our

delicious artisan breads. In fact we’re

the only baker in Britain with Red

Tractor certifi cation.

Outstanding customer serviceIn 2013 we won the Baking Industry

Awards Customer Focus Award. It

means the service we provide is second

to none. You ask, we deliver. You

question, we answer. We’re known for

our outstanding service at every stage,

something our foodservice partners

genuinely appreciate.

Small is beautifulWe believe small and focused is

beautiful. As the artisan alternative to

the big boys, our product development

is second to none... as are our

delicious breads, created to the very

best authentic recipes. Our ever-

evolving collection of breads delights

foodservice companies of all sorts of

shapes and sizes, right across Britain.

Why not join them?

Why not test drive our Red Tractor certifi ed creations?Would you like to test-drive a selection

of our fi nest breads, delivered by

courier direct to your doorstep? We’d

love to send you a box chock full of

FREE samples, defrosted and perfect

for tasting, so you can experience for

yourself how good they are. No

strings attached.

Let’s talk breadIt costs nothing to talk. If you like the

cut of our jib, feel free to get in touch

for an informal chat. Or head over to

our website for more details about our

wonderful breads.

“Food attribution is growing more

important every day and

consumers are more

discerning than ever”

Unforgettably Delicious Breads

100% British from fi eld to plate

T: 01843 209442 | www.specialitybreads.co.uk

Speciality Breads Ltd,

Unit J2 Channel Road, Westwood Industrial Estate

Margate, CT9 4JS

Commercial Presentation – Speciality Breads • 55


055_BOB2015.indd 55 15/12/2014 15:01

http://www.specialitybreads.co.uk

“We are proud of our

country’s excellent

manufacturing standards, and

that in many cases it is

sustainable to buy British.”

Entrepreneurial, forward thinking and innovative,

that’s the best of British!

56 • Commercial Presentation – Whitco Ltd


The success of Britain’s economy is

hugely based on the expertise of the

organisations based here and not

solely on the origins of the products

that they supply.

Whitco are proud to have a

very good source of UK catering

equipment manufacturers to hand,

but also complement this with a list

of the very best imported catering

equipment, lately adding the Zanussi

brand to their portfolio.

“We are proud of our country’s

excellent manufacturing standards,

and that in many cases it is

sustainable to buy British. All of

Whitco’s stainless steel fabrication is

produced in the UK, but the fact is

that British supply does not meet all

the diverse needs of this Country’s

food service sectors, and the unique

cuisine offered by our multi-cultural

food outlets. Customer needs vary

from design, specification, and

functionality and of course price and

it is down to the expertise of the

catering equipment distributor to

find the correct solution and provide

unbiased advice. As a member of

the Catering Equipment Distributors

Association we also share best

practice, and projects with the best

distributors in the UK,” says Jeff

Whitaker, Managing Director.

UK organisations, from micro

businesses to SME’s [Small to

Medium sized Enterprises] right

up to large national corporation

often travel to different parts of

the world to find new suppliers and

new equipment ideas, ranging from

components to complete machines.

This is what makes our nation

different, innovative and forward

thinking. The ‘BEST’ of British

organisations do this. Whitco’s

personnel visit overseas exhibitions,

factories and of course food outlets.

This appetite to experience and find

new ideas is not unique to Whitco,

it stems from previous generations

who traded around the globe

seeking out and importing many

products and ideas back to the UK.

In addition to a natural curiosity,

the internet has been a fountain

of knowledge and a catalyst of

056_057_BOB2015.indd 56 15/12/2014 14:59

Whitco Ltd01832 735007 | www.whitcoltd.com

Commercial Presentation – Whitco Ltd • 57


change with regard to where and

how we buy. While increasing

expectations from all, the internet

has made commerce easier and

increased competition. It allows

new products to be viewed online

and discussed and purchased direct

from any manufacturer, anywhere in

the world. Language is usually no

longer a barrier.

Customer’s also use the internet

in a similar way, they research trends

and methods, finding and learning

from similar business models to their

own based overseas. This forward

thinking exposes us to different

types of food service methods and

equipment, some are so specialist,

often originating from the country

where the speciality dish originates.

For example, Italy is renowned for

its production of wonderful pizza,

plus great Pizza Ovens and bakery

equipment.

Whitco pride themselves on the

fact that they have the expertise to

source catering equipment from a

comprehensive list of catering and

bakery equipment manufacturers

from the UK and Europe and further

afield. All the equipment is CE

marked and holds other quality

standards. These successful supplier

relationships have also led to the

company exporting equipment.

It is not uncommon for Whitco

to receive enquiries each week that

require some research into markets

that they are not totally familiar

with, from a commercial fat-free

fryer to a complete Pitta Bread

production line, sourced from The

Lebanon.

Jeff Whitaker adds, “Whitco

thrives on challenge and diversity.

This is our USP and there are

not many requests that leave us

scratching our heads.”

056_057_BOB2015.indd 57 15/12/2014 15:00

http://www.whitcoltd.com

058_BOB2015.indd 58 15/12/2014 11:59

“Our country has a rich and diverse history of

manufacturing, with many towns and cities

being built around the engineering industry

and the jobs this created. Gaining a loyalty

to equipment stamped with the ‘Made in

Britain’ tag, consumers have grown to trust

and rely upon these products using the stamp

as a mark of superiority. This is no different in

the vibrant, fast paced foodservice industry

Made in Britain

that we find ourselves part of.

“In 2013, Glen Dimplex Professional

Appliances carried out an independent

research programme designed to gauge the

importance operators placed on the area of

manufacture. The ‘Made in Britain’ survey

was commissioned to ask a large number

of caterers from various types of catering

establishment about their thoughts and

opinions on sourcing of products made

from the UK and from further afield. Not

surprisingly, almost two thirds of those asked,

stated that that they regarded equipment

built in the UK to be of superior build quality

in comparison to products made in other

areas, while 50% of those asked stated they

would be more likely to purchase equipment

if they knew it had been manufactured in

the UK. From these figures alone, it is clear

to see the importance placed on British

manufacturing by caterers.

“With Glen Dimplex’s heritage of

manufacturing quality, reliable and affordable

equipment from our base on Merseyside,

we are committed to supporting the local

industry by continuing to repatriate a number

of our equipment lines to the UK. We are

already proud to state that a number of our

products are built in Britain, including our

boilers, countertop cooking equipment and

titan ranges, however in the coming years;

this commitment will see many more of our

Burco and Lec products being repatriated

from other parts of the world.

“With a multi-skilled and highly

experienced workforce at our main Prescot

site as well as other sites throughout the

country, manufacturing our products here in

the UK allows us to react quickly to demand,

reducing the level of stock held while also

provide a significantly enhanced, personalised

service to all our customers. A great example

of this is with the launch of our new water

boiler range, where our team can now add

bespoke designs, quickly and efficiently to

a much smaller run than was previously

available to customers.

“We strongly believe that buying British

is the future of the industry and with our

commitment and the passion and trust of the

consumer, Glen Dimplex and the many other

British manufacturers within the foodservice

industry, can help to reaffirm equipment

manufactured in the UK as some of the best

in the world.”

Jon Usher, head of UK sales & marketing at Glen Dimplex Professional Appliances talks about the pride of being ‘made in Britain’

“Two thirds of those asked, stated that they regarded equipment built in the UK to be of better build quality”


Glen Dimplex Professional Appliances • 59

059_BOB2015.indd 59 10/12/2014 15:11

The taking of afternoon tea, the ‘full-

English’ breakfast and traditional roast

dinner are all British institutions in their

own right, but they wouldn’t be the

bastions of culinary excellence without the

use of high quality chinaware.

The Potteries based in Stoke-on-Trent

have long been known around the world

for producing the fi nest ceramics available

to man.

From Wedgwood to Royal Doulton and

from Steelite to Churchill, the Staffordshire

potteries make the chinaware fi t for all

sectors of the foodservice industry.

Whether it is to be used to serve room

service to the Royal Suite at the Savoy Hotel

ChinaChinain your hand

to the buffet plates of the staff canteen, it

is all made in Stoke.

Despite many industries opting to

move their production abroad in search

off cheaper rates, the British pottery and

ceramics business has seen its big hitters

remain loyal to the region where they

fl ourished so well during the past

300 years.

“The ‘Made in Britain, or ‘Made in

Stoke’ tag is till very important in a lot

of people’s minds,” says Trevor Johnson,

owner of Caverswall china.“You’d be

amazed how many phone calls we get from

customers who say, ‘It must me made

in Stoke’.”

In fact, Wedgwood are ploughing

£34m into a new development programme

creating the Wedgwood Estate, due to

open by Easter 2015.

The new complex will combine a modern

factory tour, the Wedgwood Museum, a

state of the art Visitor Experience including

design workshops, and a fl agship retail store.

“It’s a very well attended tourist area,”

adds Johnson. “A lot of Americans and

Japenese come. They still do the china run

– where tourists come in, busses are laid on

and the tourists get to visit all the different

china shops in one day.”

Production at the potteries dates back to

the 17th Century, and was founded on the

area’s abundant supplies of clay; of salt and

lead for glazing; and of coal, used to fi re

the kilns.

“Clay, coal and water – Stoke had great

We look at the Stoke-on-Trent Potteries and why they continue to fl y the fl ag for British ceramics


60 • Pottery

060_061_BOB2015.indd 60 10/12/2014 15:23

access to all this back in the early 1700s,”

explains Julian Teed, creative director

of Portmeirion.

The water became more important

when Spode and Wedgwood moved in.

They were the real Dyson or Branson of

their age – innovative businessman who

were good with ceramics.

“They were responsible for influencing

canal development – driven by their

need to get pots down to London more

efficiently, they were very pioneering,”

Teed adds.

Caverswall, which is a small village in

Stoke on Trent, was set up in the 70s by

an ex-Spode employee and bought by

Johnson in 2006.

consistently the most important factor,

even before price and design.

“The more durable your dinnerware,

the longer it will last and the less money it

will cost you,” says Churchill. “It will also

help you to spend more time focusing on

your own business as opposed to worrying

about dinnerware replacements.”

Churchill’s advice to foodservice

decision makers is to maintain durability;

plates should have superior body strength,

show resistance to edge chipping, thermal

shock, chemical attack and scratching.

Any decision on plate or tableware

choice should be based on usage.

The more meals you serve the more

wear and tear your dinnerware will

inevitably experience.

There will be more exposure to cutlery

or metal mark scratches, more likelihood

that it will chip at the edges and suffer

from glaze erosion caused by chemical

attack in the dishwasher, and also be more

likely to be dropped and broken.

Whether foodservice decision makers

choose the cheaper, more easily

replaceable ranges; the expensive and

durable or even designer and trendy to

make their restaurant stand out from the

crowd, one thing is clear; sourcing your

china from the Potteries at Stoke-on-Trent

is buying a piece of British heritage.

“You’d be amazed how many phone calls we get from customers who say, ‘It must me made in Stoke’”

It was awarded the Prince of Wales

Royal Warrant in 2008.

“We are totally a bone china

manufacturers,” says Johnson. “People

buy bone china because of the whiteness

and executive look it gives you.”

From its initial development and up to

the later part of the 20th century, bone

china was almost exclusively an English

product, with production being effectively

localised in Stoke-on-Trent

The bone ash that is used in bone

china is made from cattle bones, which

are crushed and treated and mixed with

the other raw materials. But bone china is

comparatively expensive and maintains a

luxury status and high pricing.

“For everyday use, bone china can be

expensive.,” explains Johnson. “Hotelware

has a cheaper body, is thicker and heavier

and is less of a white colour.”

One of the biggest problems

foodservice businesses face is deciding

which type of china or ceramics will work

best in their establishment.

In a survey of more than 500

professional catering establishments

conducted by Churchill, durability was


Pottery • 61

060_061_BOB2015.indd 61 10/12/2014 15:24

Ask any successful business person about

defining moments in their career and you

can bet that at some point in their rise to

prominence there will have been someone

mentoring them.

There may be one or many, but the

importance of a figurehead – there to help

drive you on, or offer that piece of advice

that you never forget and take with you

throughout your career – cannot

be understated.

Mentoring is crucial to growth and

development, which is why in 2015 the

Hospitality Show (19-21 January, Birmingham

NEC) is reprising its highly popular Business

Mentor scheme to help visitors with

business challenges.

Now in its third successive year, the

programme sees some of the most varied and

respected names in British hospitality passing

on targeted business advice, offering visitors

free bookable one-to-one sessions.

This time around we’ve polled the great

British public – delegates from the fields of

hotels, restaurants, pubs, bars and breweries,

BusinessThe of mentoring

the cost sector, QSR, fast food, cafés, snack

bars and coffee shops, respectively, to find out

the biggest challenges affecting their business.

Nearly two thirds of respondents said they

would appreciate help understanding the

benefits of social media, while 25% said that

support on standing out in a crowded high

street would be beneficial.

A quarter craved menu development

advice with a further 30% wanting to know

how they can harness catering equipment

and technology in their own operations.

The research shows that operators are

not alone in the challenges they face. We’ve

listened to their feedback and specially

selected each Mentor for their knowledge

on a raft of relevant subjects setting the

hospitality agenda, and some that just don’t

seem to want to go away.

The 2015 lineup includes: social media

guru and Digital Blonde Karen Fewell; head of

innovation for Coup de Pates Neville Moon;

chairman of CEDA (Catering Equipment

Distributers Association) and managing

director of Vision Commercial Kitchens Jack

Sharkey; senior investment associate at

Seedrs, Europe’s most-active online platform

for investing in start-ups, Frank Webster;

hotel procurement expert Gordon Anderson;

drinks industry legend Stuart Rosenblat;

owner and founder of bar restaurant

consultancy service Yuzu Hospitality Steve

Cash; and managing director of Panache

Consultancy and one of the top 100 most

influential women in Britain’s hospitality,

transport, travel and tourism sectors, Niccola

Boyd-Stevenson.

Also giving advice will be respected

hospitality consultant Stephen McManus;

hotel profitability guru Peter Hales; chief

executive of the Institute of Hospitality Peter

Ducker; the outgoing managing director for

the Gaucho group Martin Williams; financial

advisor David Campbell; hotel management

recruitment specialist John Hunt; and head

of the hotel, hospitality and interior design

teams at award-winning architecture and

interiors practice Jestico + Whiles,

James Dilley.

Visitors looking to benefit from 15 minutes

with one of our Business Mentors can book

online at www.hospitalityshow.co.uk.

Late appointments can also be taken at

the show, but advanced booking is advised

as the sessions prove extremely popular.

Registration is now live with a core focus

around the best of British – a launch pad

for everything new and great in the British

hospitality industry.

New products, new exhibitors, new ideas

and a new business focus will all be ushered

in on a wave of New Year optimism as the

NEC Birmingham opens its doors for three

days of insight and inspiration.

“Nearly two thirds of respondents said they would appreciate help understanding the benefits of social media”

Toby Wand, managing director at Fresh Montgomery, talks about the importance of having a mentor to help you through those crucial business decisions


62 • Fresh Montgomery

062_BOB2015.indd 62 10/12/2014 15:25


063_BOB2015.indd 63 15/12/2014 11:58

064_BOB2015.indd 64 10/12/2014 12:36

Best of British 2015

Documents

Transcript of Best of British 2015