Kitchen Sync Talk Show

Show Notes:

As ever, the question of Hospitality’s shrinking talent pool came into focus (which were a big feature of my first few episodes back in 2015):

Or, to put it another way - just under half might consider a career in hospitality or would be open to persuasion. What an opportunity! #glasshalffull https://t.co/SchewELBMH

I couldn’t agree more with Kate’s take on this and responded there and then with this picture of our team at Royal Ascot.

Here’s the link to that article in the Morning Advertiser that Kate refers to: Half of teens would not consider a career in hospitality

Here’s a good example of what that 47% who may consider a career in hospitality looks like... (our team of teenagers at #RoyalAscot yesterday.) pic.twitter.com/HFiuhpXltF

In this episode we explore some of the following topics:

Two great Podcasts you should subscribe to right now:

• The Nightcap - Have a drink with the worlds best Chefs. After an 8 course taster at Salt, in Stratford Upon-Avon, a guest chef joins Simon Alexander (award winning podcaster and producer) and Paul Foster (Head Chef at Salt) for a Nightcap. Candid conversations about life and food.

• Nocturnal - Weekly music setlist of dance tracks and EDM by Matt Darey. Given the success of Nocturnal and Matt’s legacy of producing club anthems and top 40 chart hits, his career as an International touring DJ propelled him into the “DJ Mag top 100” for several years. For 14 years and counting, Nocturnal continues to deliver its weekly radio show, currently available on iTunes and FM syndication.

Articles featured this week:

Patisserie Valerie: the mop up - and rebuild - continues:

Police arrest five in Patisserie Valerie investigation - The Guardian

From the flour to the fork - putting the love back into Patisserie Valerie - a personal viewpoint published on LinkedIn by Lee Sheldon who attended an internal conference.

Patisserie Valerie troubles laid bare: unpaid suppliers, broken ovens and butter removed from pastries - The Telegraph

Industry Pulse:

Top Cardiff restaurant shuts for two nights as two chefs walk out - Wales Online

Laughing stock! Michelin chef is accused of using Knorr chicken cubes to flavour his acclaimed dishes… even in vegetarian meals - as reported in The Daily Mail (eww, sorry for linking to THAT publication!)

Gardaí raid farms over claims unsafe horse meat entering food chain - The Irish Times

Show Notes:

What a great response to episode 015. George the Poet retweeted my little mention of his amazing podcast and The Savoy Hotel responded with thanks for the mention. Great service as always.

Tom Kilroy… a ‘pint man’ if ever there was one.

In this episode we explore some of the following topics:

Two great Podcasts you should subscribe to right now:

• The Chernobyl Podcast - The official podcast of the miniseries Chernobyl , from HBO and Sky. Watch the series while you can… it os both horrifying and compeeling in equal measure

• Humans in Hospitality - founder and presenter Mark Cribb wants to tip the balance back in favour of the independent businesses.

Articles featured this week:

Men’s Health Week (3 articles related to stress management…)

Psychology shows it’s a big mistake to base our self-worth on our professional achievements - Emily Esfahani Smith (author of “The Power of Meaning: Crafting a Life that Matters) writes in qz.com

Secret Ingredient for Success - By Camille Sweeney and Josh Gosfield, New York Times

How to cope with email overload - some great tips from Matthew Wall, Technology of Business editor, BBC

Industry Pulse:

Patisserie Valerie ex-chair says he was tricked by false picture of company’s health - interview of the entrepreneur Luke Johnson by Zoe Wood in The Guardian

PizzaExpress suffers £55m loss amid casual dining crunch - Sophie Witts, Big Hospitality

American barbecue restaurant Pitt Cue closes; Foxlow restaurants to close;

Customer Hearts and Minds

How Rainy Day Blues Affect Restaurant Ratings - Leslie Wu, Forbes Magazine

Why restaurants need to stop the upbeat interrogation - a great piece of social commentary by Tony Naylor writing for Big Hospitality

The Italian Job 50th Anniversary Celebrations at Royal Lancaster London - Hospitality and Catering News

Biz Development:

Stop Doing Stupid Sh*t: 18 Outdated Sales Tactics to Abandon in 2019 - blog post by Dan Tyre for Hubspot

Show Notes:

Kitchen Sync makes a return after a four year hiatus. Where did that go?

In this episode we explore some of the following topics:

Three great Podcasts you should subscribe to right now:

• Premier Foods Foodservice Podcast - produced by Sarah Robb and Karen Fewell focusing on hospitality topics and thought leadership.

• 13 Minutes to the Moon - an epic documentary by the BBC on mankind’s giant leap, with music composed by Hans Zimmer. Just that alone makes it a compelling broadcast.

• Have You Heard George’s Podcast? - an amazing piece of social commentary created and presented by George The Poet in a truly unique way.

Links mentioned:

Three articles on the demise of Jamie’s Italian:

• The real reason Jamie Oliver's restaurant empire is collapsing - Debra Kelly writing for Mashed.com

• Jamie Oliver ‘deeply saddened’ as UK restaurant group enters administration - Emma Lake writing for The Caterer

• The Rise and Fall of Food Chains - an article by Krishma Vaghela on LinkedIn

Also:

• Small but mighty: the boutique caterers taking on the heavyweights by Janie Manzoori-Stamford for The Caterer

• Houston & Hawkes launch catering business to ‘challenge status quo’ by Chris Gamm in The Caterer

• Market Halls in line for c.£20m private equity investment in Big Hospitality.

• The boom of alcohol-free is a sticking trend writes Nicholas Robinson in the Morning Advertiser

• The Hottest Chat App for Teens Is … Google Docs writes Taylor Lorenz for The Atlantic

• How Teens Use Apple’s Ad-Hoc File Sharing System AirDrop to Spread Memes, Cheat at School - an article by Christopher Baugh for iphoneincanada.com

Show Notes:

Celebrity Chefs like Anton Mosimann DID attract me into cooking, but do young people need more convincing?

This week, Kitchen Sync explores what effect the 'celebrity chef' culture has had on our industry:

• To promote his new TV series, Michel Roux Jr hits out at 'glorification' of celebrity TV chefs in The Guardian. Well played Michel, well played.

• Meanwhile, Marcus Wareing tells Amanda Afiya at The Caterer about his experience as consultant chef to Bradley Cooper and Sienna Miller on the set of new Hollywood movie 'Burnt'. A great read!

• Vision Report by EP Magazine is also well worth a read. In partnership with business operators and leaders, EP worked with the industry to create this impressive 130-page report on the wider food service/contract sector. To order your copy (£25.00) today please email: Arlene McCaffrey

@ezziboy @johnplunkett149 ...bit late in the day for that moment of clarity - the celeb chefs we glorified as students have bus passes now.

The unintended irony of six men on stage asking how we can attract more women into the kitchen...

We need more females in the kitchen says @bigGeveleigh @BaxterStorey @MGaletti01 #cookingUpaStorm pic.twitter.com/9U45CVKbgV

Show Notes  - to follow very shortly.

In this week's show.... an astonishing 14 percent of young adults said they ate no fruit or vegetables at all according to one poll.

Five Guys is fun for sharing... but is the BHA right in calling for 'sharing economy' disruptors like Uber and AirBnB to be penalised in the name of healthier competition?

Show notes:

• The BHA praises TfL over Uber crackdown, because perhaps it's not "essential to keep up with global cities like New York and Berlin, and to support London’s 24-hour lifestyle" after all as stated by Ufi during that Tube Strike.

• Meanwhile Cadbury aims to bring 'joy' to mums in six figure Mumsnet deal. However the Children's Food Campaign asks; is this a subtle way of marketing sugary snacks to families ahead of a big review on such advertising activity, as reported in The Guardian?

• The real crackdown is related to minimum wage it seems as Big Hospitality reports that Businesses face a £20K fine for underpaying staff. That's PER EMPLOYEE.

• Starbucks is going on a charm offensive as it 'offers UK staff interest-free loans and living wage to boost brand image' according to The Drum.

• Here's a great crowdsourcing idea that serves soup with a side order of community spirit to generate funds for local needs: 'How the Soup project is changing the UK'. What a heart-warming story featured on BBC's news magazine.

• Healthy revenues through healthy eating: London sushi chain Itsu drives sales up with growing customer numbers according to CityAM.

Management Tip: Boost your morning productivity

• Here are some great 'life hacks' to get your day started on the right note as Productivity Experts share their 10 best tips for a morning routine makeover.

Get in touch: 

• Let me know by email if you have any events or latest news worth sharing.

• Why not have your say on the topics discussed with a comment below.

Award-winning baker Shona Kelly reveals the art to producing real artisan bread.

Show Notes

• Learn more about Shona's journey and how to get hold of the wonderful crusty bread from the ovens of "Peter Cooks Bread" here.

• And click on this link to find out more about British Food Fortnight.

Men are more likely to use emojis to flirt than women. Would you agree?

Show Notes

• Tony Naylor in The Guardian hypothesises on the topic of Too few chefs: how a staffing crisis could change what we eat. A very interesting spin on this glut of new restaurants popping up.

• Another doom and gloom piece according to a report in Reuters says that Higher UK minimum wage to hit hospitality hardest. Not if you're a cleaner, bartender or part-time food server trying to make ends meet. But hey-ho.. they're not the victims here.

• Which is why this is such an amazing story in the International Business News as Lidl boosts salaries above living wage from October in move that will cost supermarket £9m. A move that will have caught their rivals on the back foot. Again.

• Tim Martin must be crying into his vast lake of beer at the news that Sales rise again as Costa and Premier Inn owner Whitbread adopts living wage.

• Another great story coming out of the States by Eater.com is Tom Colicchio Eliminates Tipping During Craft's Lunch Service; Dinner Could Follow. It seems that tipping in America is all dollars and no sense - you do the math! Ba-doom-tish.

• Ed Cumming of The Guardian meets the faceless food critic whose mouth-watering pictures guide the great and the good and asks: Who is Clerkenwell Boy, London’s foodie superhero? Check it out just for the pictures.

• Here's an Exclusive Offer worth booking: Enjoy a spectacular one off Champagne Afternoon Tea in the Orangery at Blenheim Palace courtesy of Searcy's. Your ticket can be exchanged for a year-round pass to the palace grounds, Now that IS good value - who knew?

Get your younger members of the service team to enter the Gold Service Scholarship. This really is a fantastic opportunity to learn from the best in the industry. 

If you are a more seasoned operator, then why not consider entering the National Restaurant Manager of the Year competition open to anyone across the entire industry. And before you count yourself out, the last two winners have included someone from Contract Catering at BaxterStorey not to mention the high street chain Cafe Rouge.

• A pressing engagement: what to do with a glut of apples? asks Xanthe Clay in The Telegraph. Some great tips here.

• Waste not, Want not: 5 tips to reduce your food waste is a great article for restaurateurs who practice sustainability.

• If you're more concerned about the cost of your energy, then look no further than Glynn Purnell’s Top 10 Energy Saving Tips - just the article for you brought to you by those great guys over at Hospitality & Catering News.

This is a great article featured in Forbes - go with me here! - with eight ways to develop employees, keep them engaged, and increase the probability they will remain with the organization: 8 Key Tactics For Developing Employees. Some great pointers worth taking back to the office.

The petition to save Food A-Level has its first 500 signatures. Can we pass the 1000 mark by the end of today? https://t.co/b7fuZI4OLE

Food Teachers are campaigning to save the Food Technology A-Level.

Please read this very compelling Open Letter to the DfE by Food Tech teacher Rachel Richards and support their campaign on Twitter @FoodTCentre and use the hashtag #savefoodtechAlevel.

Here you'll find the consultation paper (Food tech on page 17)  - respond before 24 September 2015.

Show Notes

• The BBC went to Assam to learn the bitter story behind the UK's national drink. Looks like the auditors need to be audited. Tea brands have vowed to improve conditions according to The Caterer. If only they'd done it after this Telegraph article in Feb 2014, or this blog about abuse in March 2014, or even this human rights report in August 2014.

• Want delicious ethically-grown, organic leaf tea from entrepreneurial farmers toiling in the wake of an earthquake? Then get in touch with with my brother-in-law Bhushan Subba who grows, sources and ships some of the best tea in the world through Tea Direct. Here's the Code of Conduct he instigated in Nepal.

• “No half decent pub chef is paid enough” according to a couple of ex-chefs in the Morning Advertiser. Sour grapes or sad reality? The latter, I suspect.

• Meanwhile, Heston is launching a new 'Food and Nutrition GCSE' as reported by the Caterer. Will the magic of liquid nitrogen tempt kids into cooking professionally? Luckily there's a Food Tech A-Level they can go on to study, right? Oh wait-

• MsMarmiteLover loves marmite, but hates being plagiarised according to this story in the Authors' Licensing and Collecting Society Newsletter. Here's her recipe for Marmite if you want to give it a go yourself.

• Meanwhile, Lidl has struck a 6-figure deal with Mumsnet to accelerate plan to woo middle class mums. Thats quite a coup for the online forum.

• New National Living Wage sending 'shockwaves' through labour market according to the Caterer. Our old friend Tim Martin concurs as Wetherspoon 'lashes out' at Government policies as profits slide (The Telegraph). Perhaps Jeremy Corbyn might lend a sympathetic ear on this debate.... thought not.

Future-gazing in three stories:

1. Hospitalityandcateringnews,com runs with the latest trend report from J. Walter Thompson entitled 'The Future of Food and Drink'. Don't believe the hype, I say.

2. The NRA (National Restaurant Association, that is) surveyed members of the American Culinary Federation on which culinary themes will be hot trends on restaurant menus in 2015. They may as well have asked the real NRA.

3. The New York Times asks if this is The Restaurant of the Future? It could be if they ditch the qinao.

The petition to save Food A-Level has its first 500 signatures. Can we pass the 1000 mark by the end of today? https://t.co/b7fuZI4OLE

Food Teachers are campaigning to save the Food Technology A-Level.

Please read this very compelling Open Letter to the DfE by Food Tech teacher Rachel Richards and support their campaign on Twitter @FoodTCentre and use the hashtag #savefoodtechAlevel.

Here you'll find the consultation paper (Food tech on page 17)  - respond before 24 September 2015.

16-yr-old Flynn McGarry 'offends' chefs by err... cooking. (© Peden & Munk for The New York Times)

Show Notes

• Common sense prevails as Pizza Express scraps 8% admin fee on staff tips as reported in Big Hospitality, quickly followed by Zizzi and ASK Italian operator Azzurri Group according to The Caterer. It might have started with Pizza Express, but they're falling like dominoes now. Ha! Geddit?

• It doesn't stop Business Secretary Sajid Javid ordering an investigation into the "abuse" of tipping in restaurants, as the BBC puts it. Cue another lengthy Chilcott-esque affair that withers on the vine. Unless you leave your tips in cash of course, which four in five customers prefer to do according to a recent survey by CGA Peach.

• My good friends at H&C News are launching the next phase of #HandCSocial roundtable events at Hotel Football in Manchester on October 1st. Fill out the Survey Here if you want to take part. Can't recommend this get-together highly enough.

• A story coming out of New York in finedininglovers.com about a 16-year-old opening his first restaurant is not exactly earth-shattering news. What does make it compelling however is when a failed restaurateur rants about how offended he is that this kid can be termed a 'chef'. The phrase peanut butter and jealous jumps to mind.

• Ooh, there's an UPDATE to this story as Teen Chef Flynn McGarry Responds to His Critics with an interview in grubstreet.com. Common sense in this saga is coming from the teenager himself.

• I don't usually like to link to anything in the Daily Mail, but this exhaustive list of Top chefs' secrets that will change the way you cook forever is worth sharing. Every budding cook should print a copy and keep it in that kitchen drawer.

• Is this the DEFINITIVE top ten list of street food stalls in London as test-driven by the Ashleigh Arnott and Laura Richards at Time Out? Definitely a bucket list I could manage.

• What's in your cup? asks Tim Sturk in this brilliant essay in Caffe Culture about the coffee we choose to drink everyday. This is a guy who has trained over 2000 baristas, so he's well placed to take the topic of coffee and filter out the bullshit.

The petition to save Food A-Level has its first 500 signatures. Can we pass the 1000 mark by the end of today? https://t.co/b7fuZI4OLE

Food Teachers are campaigning to save the Food Technology A-Level.

Please read this very compelling Open Letter to the DfE by Food Tech teacher Rachel Richards and support their campaign on Twitter @FoodTCentre and use the hashtag #savefoodtechAlevel.

Here you'll find the consultation paper (Food tech on page 17)  - respond before 24 September 2015.