When I first saw Agnar Sverrisson on ‘Saturday Kitchen’ back in February this year, his dishes immediately caught my eye and I made a mental note to find a good reason to visit his restaurant, Texture, in London. Well what better reason than my partner’s birthday, a real opportunity to spoil her. I booked our table about four weeks in advance via their online booking system, a first for me as I usually prefer the traditional and safer, telephone. Three days before the meal, I was still awaiting a call back from Texture to confirm my booking, so in a mild panic I called and was thankfully re-assured that they did have us booked in. It always happens when going for “special meals” , you get ‘pre-match’ nerves, filled with the anticipation that it might just not live up to expectations. How wrong I was…!

Unlike the current “hot spell” we fond ourselves running through the streets around Marble Arch with a broken umbrella in hand, wind and rain beating our faces, desperately trying to avoid huge puddles as buses and cars raced by. We finally arrived at Texture and were immediately welcomed in. Five minutes later, our jackets and broken brollie were out of sight, we were at our table kicking back with a G&T in hand – always a good benchmark to predict how things are going to turn out.

I had read a few reviews online before our visit which offered the strong opinion that if you don’t opt for the Tasting Menu, then your choice becomes quite limited. I have to say, I disagree. The menu choice was fantastic, with five mouth-watering starters and five mains.  We decided to go ‘à la carte’, choosing the two dishes from each course that tempted us the  most. We shared, creating, we like to think,  our own personalised tasting menu! Thankfully, our tastes are pretty much in tune with one another and there was very little negotiation or compromise from either side when it came to choosing our dishes.

After placing our order, the sommelier came over to explain the wine list and offer his advice. Although I know a bit about wine, I was more than happy to take his advice when it came to recommending a bottle to complement our meal, he is the expert after all. Often, when you ask for a recommendation, the waiter or sommelier automatically turns to the back page and tells you how good the most expensive bottles of wine are, but this was not the case at Texture. He knew exactly what we had ordered and recommended a beautiful Tesch (German Riesling) to go with our meal. His choice was exceptional.

G&T half gone, food ordered and wine on its way, it was now time to really relax, enjoy our surroundings and wait for the onslaught of flavours and textures served on our plates. The first dish, an amuse bouche of ‘Pea and Mint Tea’, was delicate but packed a flavour punch with every mouthful. A perfectly set, warm and creamy custard like pea soup, topped with mint granita, fresh peas and shoots. We also had brought over to the table a small individual bread board and a smooth rock with a dollop of churned butter on top. I will be the first to admit that I adore bread and am easily pleased with a warm crusty loaf, but this bread was absolutely out of this world. It was that kind of ‘dangerous bread’ as the crust was so crunchy and crispy, that with every mouthful you ran the risk of it hitting the roof of your mouth. Needless to say, I didn’t think twice when the waiter asked if we would like some more.

For starters we sampled a dish of ‘Anjou Quail’ served with sweetcorn, shallot and bacon popcorn, which added an unusual and different texture to the dish. The quail ballotine was cooked to perfection and the small salty quail leg lollipops gave a salty element to the dish. However, the star of the show was the ‘Norwegian King Crab’ served with a Thai infused coconut ice and pickled ginger. The dish was perfectly balanced and you could still taste the fresh crab over the ginger and Thai ice. I have always been dubious about serving ‘ices’ with warm food, questioning whether it really works, but it does, when done well. As you put the food into your mouth, the ice instantly melts and bursts into life, tingling its way around.

Hugely impressed already, I could not wait for our main courses. I went for the ‘English Veal’, a dish served with the meat done three ways; the best end, the cheek and the tongue. The best end was cooked to perfection, still rosey in the middle and the tongue was utterly ‘melt-in-the-mouth’. Much to my annoyance, I was told the tongue was sous-vied for 12 hours overnight at 75 degrees – well there goes me trying that one at home then! The veal was served with white asparagus, garlic leaves, a lemon cream and a delicious veal jus. My partner chose the ‘Cornish Turbot’ served with scallops, sea vegetables, quinoa and a bonito broth. The broth, scallops and sea vegetables were delicious, a real fresh, lemony, seafood flavour. Whilst the turbot was poached to perfection, it did get a little lost in the competition among a host of strong flavours. I think a more robust and meaty fish would have stood up to the challenge better.

Then it was onto dessert. A little pre-dessert arrived consisting of kiwi granita and spiced sabayon and was brought over to the table before the main event – a coconut cake, served with a chocolate ganache and milk ice cream and a salted caramel dish served with ‘chocolate soil’. The coconut cake was delicately toasted on top and the ganache was smooth, velvety and extremely rich. The salted caramel dish was the one I was slightly unsure on, but we chose it because of the ‘chocolate soil’ element. However, as with everything else on the night, once again, we were not disappointed. The bottom of a bowl was layered up with a salted caramel base, scattered with chocolate soil on top, a mixture of eight different seeds and nuts, chocolate shavings, strawberries, grapes, milk ice cream and edible flowers. Even now, when I write it down, it does not sound like the flavours should go, but it was one of the best desserts I have ever had. You could taste every single element of the dish and together they formed some kind of perfect partnership that I had never tasted before, but I want to taste again.

‘Absolutely fantastic,’ we explained to our waiter as he cleared our table. ‘There is still more to come,’ came his enthusiastic reply. Along with our coffees, we were served a wonderful array of petit four, all served on cocktail sticks balanced in a large bowl of slate. Rich velvety chocolate truffles, light and fluffy macaroons, rich, buttery madeleine’s and ‘Fishermans Friend’ meringues, all served complimentary along with our espressos.

I have not mentioned the service yet, but that’s not because there is nothing to say about it, but more because I was completely blown away by the quality of the food that was put in front of me. The service was exceptional. Not once did I see a waiter stop and look around for something to do, or seem unsure of their task. They were all constantly moving around, but never looked rushed, every team member was friendly, polite and very knowledgeable about the menu.

I would have absolutely no hesitations in recommending Texture to anyone, in the right context. Casual dining it isn’t!  The total bill came to £225 (including service) for two people – but when you consider that included a G&T each, six courses in total, wine and service, it was fantastic value for money. You don’t have to look far in London to spend over £200 for a table of two, but you do have to look far if you want to pay that price for this quality. The entire meal was faultless and surprisingly (again as it was not what we expected) we both left feeling full to the brim. This was mine and my partner’s first foray into Michelin star dining and boy what an introduction!

P.S, Glad the boss helped out with the bill!

We have all done it. We go in, with the best of intentions, and tell the Client we are going to do a fantastic job for them. I am proud to say that almost always our business at Coverpoint does “deliver on the promise”, but occasionally we have to work harder and longer, to make the two meet. The measure for me is simple – client satisfaction. I don’t mind how it is measured, but I ask for feedback, badger our clients to tell us how to improve and spend time dissecting what we have done, and seeing if we can do it better next time. It all helps. We are certainly not perfect and have learnt more from this post delivery analysis than anything else. It can be a slap in the face that we all need sometimes.

So, I have the opportunity this month to act as “client” and set out my pet hate – when the promises made don’t match the delivery. As I have said already, easy to do, and it happens to everybody, but I want to spend a few paragraphs sharing my experiences and setting the record straight on why this winds me up so much.

As I say, it happens. Once is unfortunate, twice is careless and three times suggests it is a sales “tactic”, or worse, a complete lack of connection between sales and operations.

So let’s start there. The lack of connection between those that “sell” and those that “deliver”. I have to admit, I think this has happened recently on a site we handled near Leeds. The service, food, delivery and detail has changed massively from the opening day and the Account Manager has openly admitted that the sales team got it wrong, didn’t account for some costs and have left her “holding the baby”. That’s one company that will not be appearing on our Tender lists again!

Cynically, the next one for me is the “beautiful presentation” that disguises the fact that the Contract Partner can act, but can’t run a Contract! We have sat through some of the most exciting and interesting presentations, only to be astonished by the lack of even the most basic skills “on the ground”. Some of the people I have met would have been better suited to Britain’s Got Talent rather than a foodservice Tender, but it comes down to one thing, in the end they have to demonstrate they can do it.

So moving on, my next “big issue”. Contractors who tell you they have their “finger on the pulse” of their business and they can fully justify the need for a subsidy at the drop of a hat, but can’t produce a set of turnover figures every week, and a Profit and Loss account each month, for the Client or the Consultant. Makes you wonder doesn’t it? Seems to me that there needs to be a bit of balance. If we produced accounts to the standard of many of these companies we would be laughed at. I have a site just like this at the moment where the Contract Partner is keen to get more sites from us, but is letting themselves down by simply not being credible with their figures or output. The funny thing is they just don’t get it.

Another comical, but equally damaging point, is the persistent nagging to get a Consultant out to “look at the business”. We go out, a lot, to see what people are doing. Sometimes I wonder why. Having spent a good bit of time and foregone fees (blasphemy), my colleagues and I are often underwhelmed by what was described as a “model reference site”. Don’t over-promise, you will soon be found out!

So, having got that little lot off my chest, what else raises my blood pressure? A plethora of management coming to account review meetings, hundreds of thousand of pounds of “quality” personnel and not a damn thing done properly from one meeting to the next. This is much more common than I would like and causes the whole team at Coverpoint massive frustration. Why say you will?, why take notes?, why confirm you will?, then give a pile of rubbish excuses why it didn’t happen. Another credibility gap.

Finally, I suppose the one that I can forgive the most, is the over optimistic financial offers. In many cases Contract Partners genuinely beleive they can do better than the incumbent. They have been to site, they have seen the current standard and they know where they can improve it. I suppose it is because we work in Shopping and Leisure foodservice consulting as well, but we really do “retail detail”. Ask most  Contracting Partners about the average spends, dwell times, transaction counts and PPM’s (pounds per minute) and most of them will look at us blankly. There are those that pretend, and get found out quickly, and there are a few who genuinely know, but the vast majority do not. The theory of “rubbish in, rubbish out” has never been truer, and I can see why many companies have made such incredible errors. We had a Tender not so long ago where the VAT was completely miscalculated and the Contract Partner was including it in the concessionable sales – mind-blowing and damaging to the long term credibility of that business too.

I am not tarring everybody with the same brush. There are many fine businesses out there that “Ronseal” – doing “exactly what it says on the tin”. This is not in dispute, but as Contract Partners seek business in areas where they have not traditionally got expertise, the truth can often be  s-t-r-e-t-c-h-e-d.

The whole point about Contractor selection by Tender or by direct negotiation, is that you are trying to understand the competencies and abilities of the business to deliver on that site. We make a point of checking the actual operation against the “words and pictures” of the Tender and are often very surprised. Many times it isn’t contractual, just a slow but steady shift away from the initial offer.

So is this helpful? I really don’t know, but I would like all our Contracting Partners to think a little bit more about their promises and their delivery. After all, you are only as good as your last job. Making promises and not delivering on them is a very short term strategy, at least with me.

There is an awful lot that has gone on in this area for some time and it now boasts a fine range of hotels, bars and eateries. Smithfield’s is well known for its range of food and is an established location now, so North Road is not far off the beaten track. Or so we thought…..

We went in and joined 6 other people who were seated in the dining room. To be fair, it was the week after Easter and London was quieter than usual with the majority of workforce absent, although the volumes of tourists is still astonishing in London.  Anyway, we took the numbers to 8 and gladly sat down to enjoy lunch. No more customers came in.

So a little background on North Road. After completing his apprenticeship in his native Denmark, Christoffer Hruskova set out to travel the world. Hruskova opened Fig in 2006, a tiny neighbourhood restaurant in Islington where he gained a following for his unique Nordic inspired cuisine, using traditional Scandinavian techniques such as pickling, smoking and rolling in burnt hay.

Scandinavia in general is going through a culinary boost at the moment and Christoffer achieved a Michelin star in 2011 for North Road. We wanted to see what the fuss was about. We had heard about the inventive cuisine, based on ingredients sourced from entirely within the British Isles. He is known for using both producers and foragers to obtain his produce, allowing the menu to transform  with the seasons.

We started with Scottish hand caught scallops, Carrot, sea buckthorn & sea urchin and a portion of Galloway ox cheeks & Jerusalem artichokes, pear, verbena & wild watercress.

Both dishes were stunning in presentation, lightness of touch and taste. There wasn’t a lot, and that suited fine, as we had enjoyed the beautiful fresh bread that had been served in a tied fabric pouch at the table, still hot. The scallops, I am told, were amazing and so were my ox cheeks, soft, full of flavour but not cloying.

We then settled into Veal three ways which was truly special, accompanied by some fresh greens and jersey potatoes. I was beginning to get slightly confused around my countries, but gave up, as what was on the plate was what mattered. The favourite veal was like a little croquet, crispy on the outside and soft and beautifully flavoured on the inside. Along with the other veal produced in a more traditional way, the balance was perfect.

We washed the veal down with an Austrian Red that had been recommended. I am often bothered by people who recommend wine to me without first finding out what I like and don’t like, but the “sell” was subtle, easy and well informed.

The wine went very well with the veal which was stunning, in both its flavour and its simplicity. No heavy sauces, no alternative flavours or sub notes, just great tasting, well prepared food. We both commented on the deep and fresh flavours in the dish for both of us.

Finally, I ended with Yoghurt and Honey while my colleagues had Salted caramel & øllebrød, with apple and malt. Both of these descriptions do not do the food justice, but the desserts were delicious. Not bursting, but pleasantly satisfied, we contemplated coffee.

Now I have to say, at this point, there were two “city gents” sitting at the next table to us. Very traditional, to the point where you wondered where the bowler hats might be hidden. They had gone through the meal and were now starting coffee, when a tree was put on their table. Now I have seen many things, but I had to stare, mostly because they stopped talking and just gazed at it. On closer inspection it was a small tree, bonsai sized, and the foliage was in fact candy floss! Well that did it, we ordered coffee, just to get our own tree!

The coffee was great, carefully brewed, carried in a glass vessel and served as we needed it. Very nice. The candyfloss was stunning and I found myself offering some to the lady and gentleman on our other side – they were from “out of the UK” so it seemed like a nice thing to do.

So, what did we think? Well the colleague I was with works for the Lindley Group and as a business, they have really made massive steps forward in food, just in the last 12 months. They were always known for Stadia and did that well, but they have so much depth and breadth to the business as well. Their Heritage division is out there winning a lot at the moment and they are the caterers at the Harry Potter experience in Leavesden. He knows food and we both remarked how pleasantly surprised we were.

Inevitably, Hruskova’s cooking is being compared to that of Rene Redzepi’s, but there are obvious, and telling differences. You can get into North Road, whilst you will have a long wait for a table at Noma, and a trip to Copenhagen. The food options are not the same, sourcing from the UK rather than the Nordic areas, but the balance and simplicity of the food is still there.

The flavours are great, the methods intriguing and results very pleasing indeed. Take the North Road, it is well worth it.

Let’s be honest, as a Society we are getting better at looking after those of our community that have special needs – whether physical or mental, but we are still a long way from being great. Great would be transparent, equal and balanced for all. Great would not require legislation, but would mean that each of us value the opportunity of embracing and helping all of our community, regardless of “need”.

So why am I bringing up the need to cater for specialist groups in the regular piece I write for FSM Magazine? To be honest, there are plenty of people who are better qualified and experienced to write about access issues, many others who can give a much better account of the dietary needs and labelling requirements for food and those who can “and do” champion the needs of the less fortunate.

Its really simple. The reason I am writing about it this month, is that I have had some experiences in the last few weeks that have left me cold  wondering at the complete lack of commercial awareness of some caterers and hoteliers. It has been a busy month, I have been around the world and I have seen some astonishing missed opportunities.

Our consulting practice spends a lot of time working out market positioning, opportunities for capturing new spends and exploiting niches. Many of these have to be targeted carefully to be fully exploited. But I began to think, after having had a lunch with a good friend and colleague who is a Coeliac, what a massive opportunity there is if we treat people “normally”.

As a starting point, here are some of the phrases that I have written down in the last month, following some personal experiences I have had with colleagues, family and friends.

In response to a request for a quiet table in a corner because 2 of my family are partially deaf, the waiter replied “can’t we just turn the music down?”

On another occasion, I asked “Does the desert contain cream?” The reply was “I guess so, that’s why it’s called Ice Cream” (It didn’t!)

One of my favourites in reply to my question “Do you offer a vegetarian menu” – “Yes, we have several fish dishes”.

Astonishing, sometimes funny, in a “Fawlty Towers” sort of way and very, very worrying.

The level of knowledge, sensitivity and customer care around “special needs” is appalling.  All of these were “normal” environments, with friends, colleagues or family, that wanted a normal, and inclusive, experience. In some cases they were made to feel like they were from another planet! GREAT CUSTOMER SERVICE.

I distinctly remember one restaurant, where I had put on the booking “a corner table please, as 2 guests are partially deaf”. The table was in the corner, but the whole game was up as soon as the waiter starting shouting, slowly, at the table, in the most exaggerated over communication I have ever seen. Funny thing though, not been back there since.

So let’s have a look at the figures shall we? 1 in 100 people in the UK are believed to be Coeliac. I guess that’s why Warner Weekend Breaks offer speciality stays with matched menus for these guests. “Safe foods” are hugely important and eating out, when you’re away from home is perhaps the biggest challenge for someone with Coeliac disease. Currently it seems in the foodservice sector, availability of gluten-free foods for customers with Coeliac disease is not keeping pace with demand. The biggest issue appears to be eating out of the home when you are no longer in control of what the ingredients are. What an opportunity!

I interviewed Simon Wilkinson, the relatively new CEO of La Tasca, and their new menu CLEARLY says which dishes are Gluten Free for Coeliac GUESTS. I like the sound of that and he “gets” the fact that one person in a large group will probably be the person that decides the venue – based on safe food and informed menu choices.

Research from Coeliac UK shows us that Members eat out with two to three other people, spend an average of £10-£20 per head and would eat out more often if there was a greater choice of gluten-free foods available. La Tasca must be rubbing their hands together. A targeted, specialist consumer group they can value – perfect!

So, looking at another group, Vegetarians are about 3.6% of the population, and they dont require the higher cost, lower margin animal proteins for their meals. You would think this was ideal as a target audience, but so many restaurants offer appalling vegetarian choices. It would be nice if staff actually knew what “vegetarian” means! It is equally important as a dietary need, as almost always this is a “diet of choice” for strong personal reasons. Surprise, surprise, vegetarians are more loyal, more likely to seek out locations that support their beliefs and more likely to spend. Another perfect target group.

Another couple of examples. In the UK it is believed that 1 in every 3 people could be lactose intolerant, or that 1 in every 200 people have a peanut allergy, which makes all these special dietary requirements a real hassle right? WRONG. They give you a unique opportunity to drive “Super Loyal” consumers to your business and keep them.

So lets spend the rest of this article looking at turning “hassle” into “profit”.

These “special” consumers just want to be treated like any other. Waiting staff don’t look at you oddly if you ask where the beef is from, so why do they treat you like a Klingon when you ask about dietary components? Train your staff to know how to handle guests.

Make sure your front of house team don’t make guesses. This, in the worse cases, can lead to severe illness and even death. This needs to be explained and pointed out. On the “up side” I buy more from informed and pleasant waiting staff. I trust them, I develop a relationship during my meal and I tip better. That must be a “win, win”

The whole industry needs to change from an attitude of “sufferers” and “special needs” to embracing and responding to a complex range of physical and nutritional needs. This needs product development,  training and information. The operations must be conscious of the market opportunity, the staff must know about the products and how to describe and offer them and the menu, website and communication must convey this.

We all like to feel special and we all hate being embarrassed. Our industry should start taking some really positive steps towards enhancing and developing these opportunities. However, there is no point listening to me – look at your competition, it is almost certain they are doing it already!

Three months later and another street vendor has laid down foundations just off Oxford Street. This time, it is the turn of Pitt Cue Co. owners Tom Adams and Jamie Berger to trade in their wagon for a more permanent establishment, teaming up with Richard “Hawksmoor” Turner and Simon Anderson along the way. Take a well-established street vendor, famously known for serving up hearty portions of ribs and pulled pork, add the knowledge of how to run a restaurant from Richard Turner, and what you end up with is a winning formula, Pitt Cue Co.

Walking down Oxford Street on a cold, dark evening, I decided to go and have a quick look at MEATLiquor, which I had visited in November, to see how it was surviving in its new home. As I turned around the corner behind Debenhams, there was a crowd of 30 people standing outside Yianni Papoutsis’ restaurant. I couldn’t believe my eyes and on further inspection, and chat, I was told that ‘no, there is no special event tonight, this is just the queue to get in’. I walked off shaking my head in disbelief. 6.00pm and 30 people are queuing outside MEATLiquor to simply get in and get a burger when you are so close to so many other restaurants in and around Oxford Street. And who said 2012 was a bad trading start of the year for restaurants?!

So off we went, my partner and I, to go and find Pitt Cue Co. nervous and apprehensive about the prospect of having to queue outside to get in. We arrived at 6.30 and whilst there was no queue trailing around the corner, there were a couple of people standing outside. As it turned out, one of them was the Manager, who explained to us that unfortunately the restaurant, which only seats about 25 people (at a squash), was full and all the people in the bar (approximately another 30 people) were waiting for a table in the downstairs restaurant. So, in true English fashion we patiently queued outside, waiting for our call.

6.30 soon became 7.30 before we were then ushered into the bar area so we could at least get a drink and be warm. It must be said, the Manager was extremely apologetic and sympathetic about the fact we were waiting outside, bringing us regular updates and a shot glass of peanuts in an attempt to keep us happy. The first thing I remember about finally getting into this place, was not the warmth heating up my frozen limbs or the eclectic American pop music (R.I.P. Etta James), but the smoky, barbequey smell that filled my nostrils and lingered in the air.

The fit out of Pitt Cue Co. is much lighter and warmer than I expected, especially when compared to the dark, sinister and somewhat disturbing interior of MEATLiquor. A set of wonky lights dangle from the ceiling and the clean, wooden bar area reminds me of the ‘apres ski’ bars you get in the Alps, which certainly suits me down to the ground. As expected, the drinks menu is exceptionally American, awash with Bourbon, Rye and Beer. The signature cocktail, a ‘Pickle Back’ is a shot of Bourbon, washed down with a shot of pickling vinegar. However disgusting and awful it may sound, I assure you it works, with the vinegar taking away the harshness from the Bourbon.

7.30 soon became 8.15 and we were finally shown to a table downstairs. However, we were asked if it was ok for us to share our table with another couple. So off we went, downstairs into the basement on what looked like some sort of blind double date. And only then does it hit you, how small this place really is. Nine small wooden tables with a bench running down either side, one small toilet cubicle and that is it. There is no space for any decorations, ornaments, plants or anything. Every square inch, of which there aren’t many, is used to seat people. Unfortunately, and I must admit this was the only down side, we were tucked away under the stairs meaning I didn’t get much chance to see how the staff operated in such a restricting space, but I wasn’t going to let that spoil my meal, as by this time it had already been nearly two hours and I was rumbling and ready to get eating.

The menu consists of five meat dishes (one of which is a daily special), all served with one of a choice of five sides, along with a chunk of sourdough bread and pickles. We settle on a portion of beef ribs and some St Louis ribs, with braised sprout tops, burnt end mash and a side portion of crispy pickled shitake mushrooms. Both sets of ribs were delicious, burnt and black with sticky BBQ glaze and melt in the mouth tender meat that is stripped off the bone with little effort. The braised sprout tops, starting to become a bit of a fashion item, were served in a Kilner jar full of butter and garlic and the burnt end mash was incredible. Smooth creamy mashed potato topped with shredded brisket in a rich ‘tomatoey’, barbeque flavoured sauce. The crispy pickled shitake mushrooms were little nuggets of happiness with the meaty mushrooms breaded and fried creating a mixture of both textures and flavours.

One thing you really notice is that the portion sizes were very well controlled. Normally after eating out at other American ‘rib-shacks’, Bodean’s most noticeably, I have been so full that I am simply incapable of moving, but after mopping up my plate at Pitt Cue Co. I felt sufficiently full and extremely satisfied. The good thing about this is that it meant there was still some spare room to have a dessert, a choice of either sticky toffee pudding or rhubarb mess. Normally I don’t choose sticky toffee pudding because I am blessed to have a father who makes the most magical and incredible sticky toffee pudding ever. I am normally left feeling disappointed with the brown coloured sponge that has been blasted in the microwave within an inch of its life and drowned in an overly sweet sauce, so I’ve learnt to steer clear of this dish when featured on menus. However, this pudding was rich, moist and most noticeably sticky. The pudding had been laced with Bourbon and was served with a salted caramel sauce and rum and raisin ice cream, which came very close to taking top spot, (sorry Dad!)

The bill came to £40, including drinks and service, which again for just off Oxford Street is exceptional value for money. I must admit I did have some doubts as to whether MEATLiquor would work in its location, thinking the majority of tourists and shoppers using Oxford Street would head to the national, branded offerings that crowd this market place. However, MEATLiquor has successfully become a destination in its own right. Do I think the same will happen for Pitt Cue Co.? Well after my experience, where I queued for nearly two hours to get a seat, it seems that it already has a large and loyal following.

Around Carnaby Street this following will surely grow, as business people drop in for a burger and pulled pork bun on their lunch break. I think the only thing that will hinder the success of Pitt Cue Co. is that this unit is simply not big enough, but if rolled out to another larger unit, something the Manager admitted is on the cards, then I can only see it going onwards and upwards from now. Gets my vote.

I am sure you are all aware, unless you have been asleep or in a cave for the last 2 years, that Jamie Oliver is taking our High Street by storm. Jamie seems to be on a mission to open new units in Cities all over the Country, with new sites for his already fast growing Union Jacks chain set to open in Bluewater, Winchester and Gatwick airport this year. There really is no escaping Jamie, be it through his ever-increasing string of Jamies Italian  Restaurants, his constant commitment to our TV screens or in one of his many record breaking cookery books.

 Jamie’s second Union Jacks restaurant officially opened to the public on Monday 2^nd April in the former ‘French Kitchen’ unit along Chiswick High Street, following a week long ‘soft opening’.  After a busy week at work, I found myself wandering along Chiswick High Street, looking for inspiration for somewhere to eat when I unintentionally stumbled upon Union Jacks. What a fantastic idea I thought, until I read the sign outside ‘Full Toinnight’. I thought this was either another one of Jamie’s new ‘slang’ words, or just a member of staff unable to spell ‘Tonight’ – either way I wasn’t going to let bad spelling stand in the way of my already rumbling stomach!

So, trying my luck, I walked through the door to be greeted by a very casual staff member, kitted out in an oversized long sleeve shirt and baggy trousers (or pants should I say). Introducing himself as Chris, in a very cool and relaxed American accent, it dawned on me that I had been greeted by Chris Bianco, Jamie’s business partner for Union Jacks Restaurants, and an American pizza legend. ‘Well I wasn’t expecting to be greeted at the front door by you Chris,’ I explained before he went on to describe how much of a hands on approach he takes with the opening of all of the Unions Jacks restaurants. Sourcing new suppliers, developing the menus, training the staff and greeting customers are just some of the few ‘hands on’ jobs that Chris has been doing. After speaking for a few minutes, Chris promised that he would find a seat for me and my 3 other companions and true to his word, we were escorted to the bar area within minutes.

 The first thing I noticed was how different this unit was to the still relatively new site at Central St Giles. This Chiswick site is much more family friendly and quirky, with Tom and Jerry playing from small 1950’s TV sets, flyers and posters slapped up all over the walls and exposed brick work. There is a much ‘trendier’ feel than the one in Central London, which is more aimed at business people I guess. After receiving a very much needed pint of Chapel Down Lager, which was absolutely delicious, our very young, but energetic and friendly, server returns to take our main orders.

 Despite only being 4 days into their soft opening, staff were extremely well trained in product knowledge and how to ‘up-sell’. Every dish was described in a mouth-watering way and you were assured of your ‘fantastic choice’ with every order. The only slight criticism I would have was that everything was described as ‘the best,’ ‘the most popular’ or ‘my favourite’ dish, and it was a tiny bit over the top. Having said that, the food was fantastic.

Between the 4 of us, we ordered two Old Spot flats (Roast shoulder of pig, apple sauce, Cropwell Bishop Stilton and crackling), one Red Ox (Oxtail and Brisket, Red Leicester, watercress and fresh horseradish) and one Woodman (mixed mushrooms, wild Cheddar, pickled red onion and fresh herbs). As we were feeling particularly peckish we also went for a fresh ‘Fennel and Blood Orange Salad’ and a ‘Sprouting Broccoli and Bacon Salad’, which surprise, surprise was the waiters favourite! The flats were large, crispy and filled with air pockets around the edge and doughy in the middle – just perfect. All of the toppings were very well balanced and served in good portions.

 Throughout our meal, I counted in excess of 6 check-backs from different members of staff. As it was still the soft opening, it appeared that every member of staff was pulled in for the first Friday shift. I completely understand why this is done, but it did mean that just about every member of staff asked if we were enjoying our pizza and if we wanted anything else. I shouldn’t criticise as everyone was just being nice and genuinely wanting everyone to have a good time, but there is a point after which you just want to be left alone to enjoy your food.

 For pudding we sampled a variety of Jamie’s quirky, but exceedingly tasty, great British ice creams, including Marathon (Snickers), Earl Grey, Bramley Apple, Eaton Mess and Sticky Toffee Pudding. Each flavour was well balanced with the right level of sweetness in the Earl Grey and the correct balance of acidity in the Bramley Apple. We also ordered a Treacle Tart, served with a dollop of orange sour cream. This was truly fantastic and even competed with my Dad’s legendary Treacle Tart, something I thought would always be in a league of its own.

 Then the bill came, and I could not believe my eyes…how much?! £48 for 4 people, including drinks and service…that’s how much. After rubbing my eyes and doing a double take (in true Tom and Jerry fashion) I realised that all food was 50% off for the soft opening. Still, even without 50% off, the food is remarkably well priced, especially for the trendy and upmarket Chiswick High Road where there is an abundance of both chain and local operators fiercely fighting for a share of the lucrative market. As my colleague Adam pointed out following his review of Union Jacks in Central St Giles, ‘if you can cut it there, you can cut it anywhere’. I couldn’t agree more.

 After a quick tour of the building, a chat with the chefs and another catch up with Chris Bianco I left feeling very satisfied – fantastic food at a fantastic price with fantastic service. I am sure that in the coming weeks staff will tone down the overly attentive service and Union Jacks will continue to attract more and more locals. As I left, I looked across into Pizza Express, which was empty and looking rather sorry for itself. So maybe there are a few people who aren’t too keen on Mr. Oliver and his ability to waltz into any town and set up a successful restaurant, but for the majority of us, it’s a big old thumbs up.

I have always been a huge fan of Benugo, as they are one of the only caterers to successfully operate in both High Street and Business and Industry environments. Their fresh, natural and honest approach has proved a winning formula with Clients, and whilst they may not be on the same level in terms of the number of sites, as the Compasses and Sodexos of this world, they do what they do extremely well. As part of WSH, they have gone from strength to strength owning most of the business on Exhibition Road!

When I heard Hugo Warner was set to open Market Café, his own Restaurant set amidst Broadway Market’s hustle and bustle I got rather excited. Now first of all, if you read this blog and fancy a trip to Market Café, don’t rely on Google maps and the post code to get you there. As I found out, you end up down a residential side road with no bars, restaurants or cafés in sight! However, on the lovely, dare I say, summer-like evening that I visited, I was more than happy to burn off those extra few calories to find it. Broadway Market itself is scattered with independent offers all of which were lively, bustling and full of atmosphere. It was a fabulous sight, seeing so many places that busy, in the recessionary times we currently find ourselves in.

Market Café is styled on a 1950’s traditional Italian ‘Formica café’, with the traditional miss-match of fixtures and furniture. The chess board ceiling, wooden boarded walls and very 1950’s flower-power wallpaper makes for a very family friendly, yet ‘hip’ atmosphere. The restaurant is split into different levels, with the more formal restaurant situated at the back and a busy bar at the front bursting out onto the street.

We were greeted by Hugo, who most definitely runs the floor in a very hands-on manner, taken to our table, equipped with high school wooden chairs, and offered free still or sparkling water. Along came our Italian waiter to explain the menu, with hand cut tagliatelle and meat sauce, chicken al mattone, grilled fish of the day and a selection of simple side dishes. Desperate for a drink and feeling all Summery, we try the infamous Hackney Cup, a sweet, fruity and refreshing concoction made with gin, vermouth, Campari, grapefruit juice and lemonade, all served with fresh blood orange and cucumber and served in plastic tumblers.

I had heard good things about the hand cut tagliatelle so I chose that, with my better half opting for the chicken al mattone, a traditional dish with the chicken cooked under a heavy stone to make the skin delicious and crispy. The food arrives quickly with simple presentation, but good hearty portions. The food was perfectly nice, but, if I am being honest, it didn’t blow me away. Everything was cooked well, with the chicken moist and juicy in the middle and the tagliatelle al dente, mixed with a tender and succulent meat sauce. The pork meat was cooked in milk, with a mixture of onions and herbs, so it provided something different from the traditional Italian tomato sauce. It was clear, both from reading the menu, and having eaten there, that the food at Market Café is meant to be simple but tasty, and that is exactly what it is. Having said that, the Blood Orange Sorbet was sublime, with exactly the right amount of acidity – not so tart that it make you wince, but sharp enough that it tingles in your mouth. I would happily return, even if it was just for the sorbet.

Whilst all members of the staff were very polite and welcoming, there were certainly some more ‘experienced’ members who had much greater knowledge of the menu and who were more confident talking about the dishes. However, I think this is merely a teething issue as the restaurant has only been open for three weeks or so. It’s a friendly, bustling, ‘local’ operation that encourages interaction between customers and staff members, but on one or two occasions staff were slightly unsure what a certain dish was served with. Maybe this is just my consultant side coming out and asking too many questions!

Staying true to his “hands on” approach, Hugo came round to check that we had enjoyed our meal and we got speaking about the new venture and his plans for the future. Hugo explains that he is thoroughly enjoying being his own boss again and relishing working on the restaurant floor, where his true passion lies. He explained that there are plans for the future in terms of new restaurants, but for the time being he is concentrating on making something special out of Market Café. 

If my experience is anything to go by then I am certain Market Café will be a success. The super trendy and hip Broadway Market is likely to continue providing Hugo with a stream of new customers, as the surrounding areas of Hackney and Dalston develop into some of the most popular destinations for independent restaurant goers. First and foremost though, Hugo needs to get on the old ‘Dog ‘n’ Bone’ (sorry I couldn’t resist a bit of east-end Cockney slang) to Google and get the Google maps issue sorted, as not everyone will be a patient in searching for Market Café as I was – and that would be a shame!

Size isn’t important, apparently. Well according to Pizza Luxe, a “new kid on the block” at Westfield Stratford City, it is. Nestled on Chestnut Plaza next to the Real Greek, this small but perfectly formed unit offers a variety of Pizzas in different sizes. I can’t imagine what you were thinking I was referring to!

There is something really appealing about the “not new” furniture, school benches, scaffold poles and industrial fittings that just works. Designers can spend years trying to pull this look off and fail – Pizza Luxe succeeds and despite the diminutive size, there is space to enjoy the food and drink. As you enter the unit and approach the counter, the stone sink on the right is full of drinks and ice – makes your thirsty just looking at it.

Now, I have to tell you, the product is something quite special. Avoiding the standard choices of most pizza pasta chains, the menu is small but well put together. Quality and provenance, taste and texture – my sort of food. Having hoofed my way round the Shopping Centre I was ready for some sustenance and so I popped into Pizza Luxe. You can have a 9″ pizza for under £8 or upgrade to 12″ for under £12 – now that’s choice.

A few minutes at my table and I had ordered a Garlic Bread “Pizzaluxe” with Mozzarella and Portobello mushrooms to be followed by a 9″ Porco Pizza. Sausage, Bacon, Gremolata (lemon zest, garlic, parsley and oil)  and Sage, with a cooling Aranciata for San Pelligrino - a particular favourite soft drink of mine and a perfect example of good “brand stretch”. The unit was quiet, with only 3 other diners, but it was mid afternoon on a Thursday and I was enjoying a bit of peace and quiet.

The Garlic Bread came, with the twist I had ordered – delicious mushrooms and cheese, a liberal sprinkling of black pepper and I was off. Light, crisp delicious. My phone buzzed and my colleague, who had been doing some survey work, asked if she could join me. I ordered her a Pizza as well while she crossed the site. Then came my pizza. Again light and crisp, delicate without the “bready” chewiness that you get from so many of the Global Pizza pushers. This was like being in Italy again. My Porco Pizza was fantastic.

 Half way through my pizza enjoyment, my colleague arrived and so did her pizza, literally at my table at the same time. Perfect timing. She had asked for a 9″ Pollo Pizza, with chicken, mushroom, shallots, double cream and a black truffle tapenade. I couldn’t resist a “swap” slice for slice. A really nice combination with the sweetness of the shallots coming through well.

£12 a head, for garlic bread, a pizza and a soft drink, compares well with the High Street operators. The difference is in the quality of the ingredients, which made a pleasant change giving real taste and aroma. Presentation on metal plates and boards is again different from the norm, and you even get to use those water glasses that we used to have at school. Overall, there is a delicate, but humorous approach to the design and the food. Even the tip pot had “Sexy people tip” written on it. I tipped so I must be sexy!

Finally, I took the time to have a coffee. Keeping with the “sexy” theme, they serve Nude Espresso from the Roastery in Hanbury Street in London’s East End. Quite delicious and well worth the trip for the coffee alone. My colleague and I left with a full stomach and a smile on our faces. Now you can’t say that everyday!

Over the last 4 years however, not only has the Spanish mainland been struggling because of the worldwide financial crisis but so has La Tasca, with the brand feeling  the strain of increased competition, very little “change” to their offer, the stifling impact of discounting and poorer quality food. Not a pleasant position to be in, and it was against this back drop that I met Simon Wilkinson, the CEO of La Tasca, one year on from him taking the helm.

As a group the ‘old’ La Tasca, had become, as Simon put it, “quite Disney-fied; more Costa del Sol than the real Spain”. The brands loss of ‘direction’ was highlighted by a loss of customers, lower turnover in 2010 and a drop in profit. The brand was well known, but it many quarters was no longer the “casual restaurant of choice” requiring heavy discounting to keep people and volumes up in stores. As many have said, discounting is the road to nowhere – it just gets you there faster!

If you sit as I did and listen to Simon, there is an energy about the business and there is no doubt that a turnaround is definitely happening; La Tasca became a standalone business in 2011, when it was detached from its previous parent, Bay Restaurant Group, and key changes internally within the restaurants themselves have led to a major revamp of some key units and a change in direction. I actually went to meet Simon at his very unassuming offices near Woodstock, Oxford, a stones throw away from Blenheim Palace where we have been doing so much to transform the foodservice for the day visitor. I have to confess, that was a slightly weird combination!

The first thing that struck me was that Simon’s vision was very clear and objective, and there was little trace of spin or hype, just a reengagement with the group’s core strengths and a new sense of independence and ambition. To put the spice back, Simon has been very busy shaking up La Tasca, bringing in new Directors and Managers, propelling the company into the 21^st Century (his words not mine!). Simon has championed a “back to basics” approach, repositioning the brand as a less formal eating environment, where people can pop in at any time of the day for a casual snack or ‘pinchos’ (little morsels of Spanish cuisine served on sticks) at the bar. In terms of food suppliers, Brakes Brothers are out and Fresh Direct are in. Many of you that don’t work in the food industry will not realise the massive change that this will bring, but fresh food is back at the heart of the brand.

The website is www.latascakitchen.co.uk yet again emphasising the preparation locally of the food in store, the “Food Facts and Philosophy” booklet is clever, refreshing and interesting, featuring Antonio Bennetto, the Executive Chef for La Tasca. It is passionate, fresh and vibrant, sadly many of the things that La Tasca had failed to deliver for its guests over the last few years.

The new concept is to deliver Tapas that is fresh, natural and of good provenance, certainly in tune with the High Street, but again I felt this was not hype, just a reality of the new direction. Simon stressed however that with these major changes, there are likely to be elements that don’t work and will need to be scrapped or re-worked in order for the brand to successfully meet its ambition to double the chain’s 65 restaurants over the next 3 years.

“D Day”, or 29th February, 2012, saw the launch of the most radical menu change in La Tasca’s 20 year history. On the back of the successful menu trial in the new La Tasca Kitchen sites at the end of last year, the team have launched the new menu across the whole estate. A lot of what has changed has been based on  the extensive guest research where the overwhelming feedback was incredibly positive around the freshness and quality of the new menu. 

The aspiration is clear, to “cement the brand at the top of the casual dining market”. This is going to be tough, as many of the “old consumers” will probably not like what has happened. The “new” consumers, that want the freshness, quality and authenticity probably haven’t set foot in La Tasca for a while, so there is definitely a big piece to do to convince them about the new provenance of the brand.

Along with the fresh food comes the new restaurant designs, the new branding, the new signage and the new menu. All are well integrated together, give clear messages on quality, and the value is still very much there in the brand. There is no reason that this will not work, and that we will see a new and vibrant La Tasca on the High Streets and in the shopping centres of the UK. To be fair, the ones who are likely to make it more difficult are those who will see the most benefit from a resurgent La Tasca. Agents and Landlords. They have seen the decline of the brand and it hasn’t helped them, but if they get behind the changes and the new team, support the refits and refurbishments and give the brand the help it will surely need, I am sure there will be a long term benefit for all.

Well, as they say, what a difference a year makes. From restaurants languishing in clichéd Spanish paraphernalia, lower turnover and a loss of custom, to a reinvigorated brand rolling out re-launched, location and demographic specific restaurants, with a new half the size menu that incorporate fresh, local produce, and new restaurant interiors. It is never nice when you see a brand ‘go down hill’ but it is fantastic to see a brand reinvent itself with such Spanish vigour and drive. I am looking forward to seeing how this new direction translates into a new eating experience at La Tasca, which over the last few years has felt inert. I am confident that the new concept will appeal to most of the loyal customer base and attract plenty of new custom to boot. You could say that this is the beginning of a Tapas Revolution! Viva la Tapas!

I enjoy writing articles it has to be said. I often miss my brother, who was taken away from us by cancer in 2003, as he was a true Writer and Journalist, having read modern languages at Cambridge, worked around the world for Reuters and then settled down in London as an Author. We used to joke about how taxing writing really was and that one day, he would get a “proper” job.

Nearly 10 years on and I find myself writing articles and blogs, editing reports and presentations and defining what we do by the written word. My English teacher would have been proud, as according to him, I would “never amount to anything”. Perhaps he was right.

Last month I wrote “Adapt and Survive”, a piece that highlighted the differences in approach from Contract Catering Partners to some of the High Street operators that we work with. It set out a number of ways in which both parties could learn from each other, adapting and surviving in this challenging market. It has had some good responses, but too many came back asking about the Consultant community as well, and questioning how much innovation they are showing at the moment. I could not possibly leave these questions unanswered. I stress this is my perspective, although many of you know I am actively involved in the FCSI (The Foodservice Consultants Society International) at all levels through to the Worldwide Board. I love our industry, I love consulting and I was a little bit taken aback by some of the responses. So here goes………

Peter Block defined a consultant as “someone who has influence over an individual, group, or organization, but who has no direct authority to implement changes.” A neat definition that sums up pretty well what we do. But it only really scratches the surface. More business is being delivered by consultants, they are influencing more projects and Contracts and therefore MUST be at the forefront of the industry, right? WRONG.

I was meeting a colleague, Simon Carey, who has set up a business called Blink Cafes. Having  worked in a mix of operational and business development roles looking after Goldman Sachs, Merrill Lynch, PwC  and the BBC to name a few, he has picked up on one particular aspect in that many appear to want a “real” high street experience; that is to say authentic, commercial and driven by passionate people. Sounds good so far.

His blink “partner” model changes the traditional approach and brings in a mix of high street operators and entrepreneurs under the “umbrella” of blink. Some of the partners will become more important and the list is growing, including  Caffe Nero, ping pong, Taylor Street Baristas, WH Smiths, Tossed, Walla Walla, Stewed and Roast . Will it work? Maybe. Of course I wish him luck and it suits very well our approach to the market. My real concern is how many other consultants will welcome this, want to meet and disucss it and even entertain the departure from the “traditional” Contract model. Not many I fear.

We are working on 3 highly confidential projects right now. All in Business and Industry and all looking at High Street providers rather than Contract Catering Partners. It’s not the rent that is driving it, but the competition, the quality and the diversity that this brings. These are not small sites either, so there is clearly a move towards a “new way” of doing things. Sadly I don’t see, in the majority of cases, these being Consultant lead.

So in the same vein as last month, let’s just look at some the things Consultants could do to improve their service, the product they deliver and the “influence and change” they can bring about.

First of all, can we please stop designing new facilities that have numerous cook stations, front of house finishing, loads of variety and choice, that then have to be operated at a nil subsidy. It just doesn’t work in the vast majority of cases. Why is it that the cost of running operations is never looked at until the Contractor has been selected, often too late because the shiny new facility is finished. We have built temporary walls and shortened serveries in new buildings, just to make the operation economic. We cannot continue to build these monsters and expect our Contract Catering Partners to run them at an economic cost.

Secondly, lets look at “Innovation”.  Much talked about, desired by Consultants from their Contract Catering Partners, but seldom shown in the Tender process by the Consultant. I know it is easier to use documents from previous projects, we all know “cut and paste” happens more in consulting than in a decorating business, but please let’s try and  innovate a little bit ourselves. Project presentations, on-line data rooms, study tours of comparables, culinary “matching” and managed dialogue sessions are just some of the techniques we use at Coverpoint, mostly taken from our commercial side to the business.

Thirdly, how can Consultants really “influence and change” if they don’t know what is going on in the broader industry. At the Foodservice Consultant Society we have events, many of which are not well attended by Professional Members who are “too busy” to get to them. I predict there will come a day, when a “game changing” event takes place and that lack of knowledge, or breadth of experience will land some consultants high and dry. Just look what happened to Eastman Kodak once digital photography kicked off. You have been warned.

Finally, we all like to think that we are right, most of the time. Humility is not something that Consultants are blessed with in great abundance. We beleive we are right and that we know “what we need to know”. Sadly we are wrong. I work in Management Consultancy but it doesn’t stop me looking at Design projects. I have been in Dubai at the Gulfood exhibition, representing the FCSI and got the opportunity to visit the Emirates Airlines Catering Facility. Fascinating for lots of reasons, but I came away with 4 or 5 really good ideas that I can apply to High Street restaurants and other sectors. Our business does not work in Airline catering, but it was worth the visit.

The world is changing, and with it come changes in the skill set that Contract Catering Partners need to survive and thrive, exactly as I said last month. The bigger challenge is for the Consultant community who more and more, are being asked to push the boundaries and drive “Thought Leadership”. A dose of realism? I hope so, as I would like to think that consultants will still be relevant and needed in another 20 years. The reality is that this is only likely to happen if they constantly learn, innovate and lead. Over to you, comrades.