Eat.Drink.Sleep - January 2023

eat.drink.sleep

www.eat-drink-sleep.com

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Rare Restaurant’s Gaucho concept has opened in Liverpool, taking over the historic Grade IIlisted former Bank of Liverpool building.

Gaucho Lands In Liverpool

The Argentinianinspired restaurant opened at the end

of November on Water Street following a seven-figure investment. It stands as Gaucho’s largest restaurant outside of London, offering sophisticated interiors, all-day dining, Sunday roasts, immersive experiences at the Beef Bar and late-night cocktails. Already cementing its position within the local community, the restaurant has raised over £45k for the Marina Dalglish Appeal in its first week of opening, an initiative that helps to improve the lives of those fighting cancer and Alder Hey Children’s Hospital.

First and foremost a steak restaurant, Gaucho showcases Argentinian flavours throughout its extensive menu, using only 100% carbon-neutral beef as part of the brand’s roadmap to ultimately becoming net-zero.

With the menu overseen by executive chef Mike Reid, starters include shrimp ceviche with picante rojo, avocado and arepa bread; tuna tiradito with coconut milk dressing, lime and plantain crisp; and empanadas filled with a choice of beef, sweet potato and provolone, or chicken and chorizo.

Gaucho’s sustainable steaks are placed centre stage. Guests can choose their cut from the day’s top picks, brought to

the table and talked through by the expert team, with a flavour and texture profile on each provided, as well as chef’s recommendation for the perfect serve. Options include the likes of delicately marbled ribeye; a tender yet succulent sirloin; or super lean fillet. For a flavour sensation, the speciality churrasco steaks see the meat spiral cut and marinated with garlic, parsley and olive oil, while the chateaubriand is made for sharing. For those struggling to choose, the Gaucho Sampler provides diners with four different cuts. Each steak is served with your choice of sauce, from firecracker chimichurri and blue cheese through to bearnaise and peppercorn.

Other mains on offer include a whole grilled seabass served simply with olive oil, lemon and herbs; a marinated pork matambre with Malbec jam; and black truffle stuffed gnocchi with kale and chestnut pesto, sauteed porcini mushrooms, cream and Parmesan.

Boasting one of the largest selections of Argentinian wines outside of the country itself, Gaucho’s drinks list includes an array of white, red, rosé and sparkling wines. There are picks from across the globe too, with the option for a guided tasting with one of the expert team members. Cocktails are also available, with a list of classic and signature choices showcasing innovative and complex flavour combinations.

Captain Morgan Strawberry Daiquiri available on draught

Diageo is growing its Draught Cocktail offering with the new Captain Morgan Strawberry Daiquiri.

Created with Captain Morgan Spiced Rum, the latest innovation caters to the growing demand of high-quality cocktail serves with the convenience of speed. Available now, Captain Morgan Strawberry Daiquiri joins Diageo’s wider Draught Cocktail portfolio that also includes Smirnoff Passion Fruit Martini Cocktail, Smirnoff Espresso Martini Cocktail and Gordon’s Pink Martini Cocktail.

There has been a surge in cocktail popularity as consumers continue to opt for something different that they can’t replicate at home, and with 62% of consumers believing it is important that pubs to serve cocktails, the opportunity to drive sales is clear.

Celebrating some of the nation’s favourite cocktails, Diageo’s Draught Cocktail system delivers serves in under 10 seconds and is capable of making six cocktails in the same time it can take to make one by hand.

logical step,” says Catharina von Franck, commercial director, on-trade at Diageo.

“It’s important that we help our customers offer choice and provide quality Draught Cocktail variants that appeal to their consumers. When it comes to quality, we also know people tend to navigate towards brands they know and trust – something that we are able to provide – and research has shown that the brand of spirit is important to 72% of consumers when selecting premix cocktails. Perfect for being enjoyed together, we look forward to seeing how Captain Morgan Strawberry Daiquiri is enjoyed by customers.”

TREND surfaces green by design

Sustainability is a term that has, quite rightly, become a mantra for businesses the world over in recent years, and a major factor when considering materials and suppliers. Whilst many have found themselves hastily having to make adjustments to jump on the eco-bandwagon, it is something that has always been at the very heart of the TREND ethos….

With a core mission at TREND of enhancing surfaces with natural, timeless, and sustainable beauty, the processes, products, and installations are all built around eco-friendly principles and practices by design. Having invented the ‘Top that fits on Top’, TREND has helped to re-utilise existing structures and re-surface existing spaces, recycling waste materials and reducing landfill. The whole concept of refacing rather than replacing kitchen and bathroom worktops and fittings is an example of ‘green’ thinking at its best. In addition, the materials used in this system are consciously designed to have a reduced impact on the environment.

Awareness of the environment and an anti-waste mindset starts with the raw

materials. Only 30 to 40 per cent of a quarry’s output is normally used to produce tiles or solid slabs, with the remaining 60 to 70 per cent usually considered waste. TREND uses this ‘by-product’ to produce its engineered stone surfaces.

Continually working on innovative surface solutions, the etherium By E-Stone solid surfaces are made with up to 72 per cent recycled glass. TREND was the first company to combine recycled beer, wine,

and mineral water bottles with polymer technology. Today, the company uses 7.5 million tons of recycled glass each year, greatly reducing their carbon emissions.

The sustainable story continues with the glass mosaics. Whilst employing centuries old artisan techniques TREND makes use of modern technology to make their products as environmentally friendly as possible. Their signature blue glass for example is made from upcycled SKYY Vodka bottles.

The company also carries the same eco principles through to manufacture, using 3 – 5 times less water, energy, and raw materials than any other rival company as well as producing 22% less waste material and 20 per cent fewer polluting emissions. Every part of the process is considered, and because the finished product is much lighter and thinner than solid pieces of granite, marble, or quartz, they are much easier to transport and install, helping to reduce its carbon footprint even further.

With all these elements taken into consideration, it is clear why TREND products carry full LEED accreditation and are Greenguard certified. Sustainable, environmentally safe on every level, versatile and beautiful, TREND products are proof that being eco-friendly doesn’t have to mean compromising design values.

No.42 by GuestHouse, Margate

This month boutique hotel group GuestHouse Hotels unveils the design for their uniquely English seaside property, No.42 by GuestHouse, Margate. The third hotel in the group, opening in June 2023, it follows No.1 by GuestHouse, York and No.15 by GuestHouse, Bath. Perfectly placed at the heart of this special, art and funfilled town, the hotel takes its design cues from its location, collaborating with some of Margate’s many creative forces for the interior. (From £155 per night, double occupancy room, or £180 double occupancy room plus bed and breakfast https://www. guesthousehotels.co.uk/)

From Summer 2023, guests stepping inside the elegant, seafront property will find 21 bedrooms, a restaurant, a rooftop bar, a beachfront café serving healthy and organic food throughout the day, a lounge space and a spa. All these spaces have been designed by GuestHouse’s in-house interior design team, drawing inspiration from the colourful and unfading seaside character of the town.

Celebrating what’s on the hotel’s doorstep and the eclectic mix of vibrant local sights, from Dreamland with its listed rollercoaster and menagerie

cages to the unexplained shell grotto in Cliftonville, the interior design team has given each bedroom and public space a unique, distinctive flair. The spaces are warm, inviting and spirited, positively lacking formality and pretension, embracing Margate’s humble background and its lively social and creative scene.

The bedrooms look and feel like that of a stylish friend’s townhouse, many of which have sea views and private balconies. Chalky whites and moody greens sit alongside warm golden yellows contrasted with hints of pink and red. Textures and movement associated with the sea come through in the surface finishes.

In addition to all furniture being Britishmade, the interiors celebrate local talent, artists and highly skilled makers from Margate’s abundant creative community, showcasing their work and giving a sense of place to the interior design:

• Local artisans Jo and Jess of Margate Design Collective are creating the wardrobe drapery, inspired by Victorian bathing machines, as well as the decorative bed valances and the upholstered ceilings. They have a passion for fabrics and a love of both the traditional craft of upholstery and using modern materials in creative ways to make headboards and seating.

• Around each bed will be an entirely individual mural created by Laura Ann Coates. Laura is a local artist, illustrator and printmaker whose common theme is the use of a single illustrative line. Her artwork will feature shells, leaves and wave formations.

• Artists with work featuring in bedrooms and the lobby, all of whom are based in or originally from the Kent coast, will include Nat Maks, Catherine Chinatree, Sian C Morgan, Trix Newham, Lisa Illustrations and Margo Mc Daid. Vases by Harriett Ferris, based in Whitstable and Casa Curio, based in Margate complete the rooms.

Other playful quirks in each room include a record player (as is always the case across GuestHouse properties, alongside a vinyl library), some wellchosen books, beach towels and a beach bag. Committed to sustainability and preserving the environment in the design, room amenities will include recyclable slippers, compostable coffee pods, natural mat mattresses and full-sized refillable products in the bathrooms.

Margate is one of the UK’s most intriguing towns, full of independent businesses and creative forces. Traditionally a holiday destination for Londoners drawn to its sandy beaches, No.42, MARGATE will embrace all the nostalgia that we know and love from this sunny seaside town.

Perfectly placed at the heart of it, in a beauty of a beachfront building, the hotel will be ready and waiting to welcome guests for June 2023, for the summer season and beyond.

The opening of No.42 MARGATE marks the latest steps in GuestHouse’s exciting expansion journey, with a fourth site set to open in yet another sunny seaside town - Brighton - in late 2023

www.guesthousehotels.co.uk

On the crest of a wave of success

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60 AWARDS AND RISING

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Founded by Liz and Andy Bradbury in 2017, and based on the Helford river Cornwall, Rosemullion Distillery truly set a course to success when they established their family run Artisan distillery in the orchard of their 1870s house close to the river. 60 awards have now been garnered covering their Gins and Rums, making them one of the most awarded Artisan distilleries in the UK.

In 2022 Rosemullion won multiple awards to add to its previous tally. These included a Gin Guide Award

for its Rosemullion Summer Gin and, most notably, a haul of 9 awards in the Sip Awards 2022. The Sip Awards covered 3 Platinum wins for Rosemullion’s Harvest Gin (including best flavoured gin), Dark Rum and Dry Gin; they were also awarded a Double Gold for the Summer Gin and 5 Gold Awards for their Seafarer’s Gin, Spiced Rum, Gold Rum, White Rum and Chocolate Rum (which also received an innovation award).

The Sip Awards are the only internationally recognised consumer judging spirits competitions. Commenting on their success, Director, Andy Bradbury comments ‘like all the entrants worldwide we work really hard to get our spirits noticed, both nationally and internationally so these awards certainly gave us a licence to celebrate! We are hopeful this recognition will help us expand our hospitality stockists in 2023’.

Directly influenced by the area of outstanding natural beauty in which they live and work, all their products benefit from Helford rainwater in

the fermentation and distillation process, complemented by local Cornish ingredients including fruit from their own orchard and vines. Rosemullion Distillery is also one of a very small number of Artisan distilleries which creates its own base spirits from scratch. The family is dedicated in its commitment to authenticity and constantly strives to protect and perfect the distiller’s craft; to ensure these aims are maintained it only makes 300 bottles at a time, with all spirits produced by hand using a bespoke copper still.

In terms of product contents, the Dry Gin uses carefully selected botanicals, including Juniper, coriander, angelica root, liquorice and black pepper. The Summer Gin is a traditional juniper gin with a kick of citrus and local Cornish summer fruits including raspberry, redcurrant, blackberry and blackcurrant. The rums are based on molasses fermented, distilled and oak aged in location.

www.rosemulliondistillery.com

Richard

option for Restaurants

In the bounce back from Covid-19, budgets are tighter and the idea of a full refit and refurbishment can be one expense too far for many restaurateurs. However a simple yet effective way to give any dining premises a facelift is to create a more luxurious and fresh feel to the restaurant space by thinking about how you dress your tables.

The simplest and quickest way to do this, without breaking the bank, is of course to add tablecloths. Raj Ruia, Director at Richard Haworth explains: “Tablecloths create an instantly more classic look, and can hide old, tired-looking tables in a matter of seconds.

“The tablecloth look is synonymous with the expectation of a luxurious dining experience, and can absolutely make an impactful first-impression. This can be particularly effective when it comes to attracting walk-in customers who may not have a reservation, but have spotted that glimpse of finery through the window.

“However, if tablecloths are too much of a conventional choice for your restaurant,

small touches such as linen napkins, can be enough of a change to freshen things up. They can inject a splash of colour to restaurant interiors, whilst communicating that sustainability is something you care about as a restaurant-operator.”

Richard Haworth’s popular Amalfi table linen range is regularly used in high profile restaurants across the country, including The Goring and The Clove Club. Available in 27 colourways to suit every season and interior style, the Richard Haworth Amalfi range is made from revolutionary cotton soft fabrics to ensure ultimate durability, providing a more sustainable solution to paper towels and other one-use options.

Raj explained: “Today’s customers are extremely savvy and educated when it comes to understanding the impact that one-use products can have on the environment. Diners are increasingly making considered choices in all aspects of their lives and that includes where and how they dine out. Whether that’s understanding where their food has been sourced and the carbon footprint of the furniture and interiors inside the

restaurants they frequent, they want to know they are supporting businesses with ethics.

“Our stain-release fabric technology means lower temperature washes, with less rinsing and chemicals required, resulting in a more environmentallyfriendly and durable product for you and your guests.”

Personalisation of table linens is another way to create a new, professional look in a restaurant, and this is a truly cost-effective way to elevate your all round interior appeal.

“Restaurant linens become truly unique when embroidered with staff names or a restaurant logo. This gives customers a fantastic impression, since the linens then become an extension of the work your chefs do in the kitchen,” added Raj.

To view Richard Haworth’s full table linen range and purchase online visit www.richardhaworth.co.uk/tablelinen/

Stanwell House, a Grade II listed Georgian hotel in Hampshire, has taken a step into the future and opted for a cooking range by Menu System with its Celsius Black and full Data Lounge for its soon to be opened, refurbished kitchen..

When it was decided to take the Grade II listed, independently owned Stanwell House hotel in Hampshire back to its former original glory, the main considerations for the owners were how to build a state of the art kitchen for the future that was centred around a multi-functional cooking suite within the limited space of a Georgian building, and how to ensure it operated as costeffectively as possible. The unrivalled control and extent of the information that could be obtained from the cooker was key to the decision for Chris Wheeldon, executive chef.

Exclusive Ranges was brought in by Clive Yarwood, commercial director at Fatboys Catering Equipment, to build confidence and trust in the client and help them take a leap of faith into new territory by installing a Menu System cooking suite with Celsius Black and full Data Lounge package; the first of its kind in the UK.

This independent hotel had the foresight to invest in the future after seeing Celsius Black and Data Lounge demonstrated at HRC earlier in the year. The high quality performance, flexibility of design and connectivity via the internet that would enable full control of the range meant it was a no-brainer as no other company could match the features that Menu System’s high tech Celsius Black and Data Lounge offers, meeting the current demands of the UK market.

As well as being able to view and monitor the performance of individual appliances live and the cost of running them in real time, the Data Lounge will enable the ability to fully manage not only power usage, but peak usage too, and will send service and maintenance alerts to nominated personnel offering active service prevention, by text and email, create daily, monthly or annual pdf reports and enable you to view power input, capacity, consumption, as well as operating times and start of operation, in real time.

Trevor Burke, Managing Director, Exclusive Ranges; “Working with the team at Menu System to bring this technology to life in a working environment has been an amazing experience. They are already world leaders in induction technology but are dedicated to becoming first in class to connect this technology across not only its own platform, but integrated across other equipment, giving foodservice and hospitality businesses the ability to manage, monitor and monetise their operations.”

To find out more about the Exclusive Ranges service and its full product portfolio, call 01707 361770, email sales@exclusiveranges.co.uk or go to www.exclusiveranges.co.uk

American Craft Beer Wins 85 Medals at International Competitions

The Brewers Association is pleased to announce the global success of American craft breweries who won a total of 85 medals at three highly prestigious international beer competitions – the Brussels Beer Challenge, European Beer Star Awards and the Japan International Beer Cup.

Winning a medal at these contests is no mean feat and standards are extremely high. Success demonstrates the skill, craftsmanship and brewing expertise of America’s small and independent craft brewers. American craft beer built its enviable reputation on quality, innovation and style diversity and winning medals on the world stage reinforces that reputation and provides

Brussels Beer Challenge

Now in its 11th year, the Brussels Beer Challenge attracted 1,800 beers from 41 countries judged by 85 independent beer experts who awarded medals in 80 different categories. It took place in Eupen, Belgium in November 2022

American craft beers were awarded 25 medals in total: seven gold, nine silver and nine bronze as well as Fremont Brewing Co’s Legend Cold IPA which was voted ‘Best American Beer of the Competition.’

European Beer Star

One of the most recognized beer competitions in the world, the European Beer Star Awards, took place for the 19th occasion in August 2022 and is committed to the traditional European art of brewing

This year’s competition attracted 2,168 beers from 40 different countries judged by 140 beer experts and awarded 213 beers with gold, silver or bronze in 71 categories. American craft beers won 25 medals in total including eight gold, eight silver and nine bronze.

Japan International Beer Cup

Japan’s largest international beer competition was established in 1996. It provides a valuable opportunity to compete and gain awareness in one of the world’s fastest-growing craft beer markets.

The competition attracted 1,111 entries from 268 breweries in 16 countries and awarded medals in 118 categories judged by 69 beer experts. American craft beers won 35 medals including five gold, 14 silver and 16 bronze, and two best in category.

Success at international beer competitions helps raise awareness for American craft beer and provides a reason to stock such brands.

American craft beers are available from national wholesalers or direct from www.thecascadeclub.com or www.uk.athleticbrewing.com

Restauranteurs and chefs are welcome to make use of the free resources available on www.brewersassociation.org including the newly updated and expanded Craftbeer.com Beer & Food Professional Course.

a valuable point of difference in today’s competitive beer market. Results were:

Redevelopment of pivotal Chesterfield town centre site complete and ready for occupiers

Seven street-level retail units located on a pivotal site in Chesterfield town centre have been completed by urban regeneration specialist Jomast Developments and are now ready for tenants.

Elder Way, a former Co-op department store in the north Derbyshire town has been transformed into a landmark mixed-use leisure scheme by Jomast.

The site boasts a hotel on the upper floors and now, retail units on the ground floor. Each of the units has been boarded out and painted, creating a blank canvas for new tenants.

Jomast, one of the UK’s leading property development and investment specialists, acquired the famous 1930s Mock-Tudor building in 2016. It has since developed it into hotel accommodation and the new retail units which are targeted at food and drink operators. The new units complement the upper two floors of the four-storey building which have been operated as a 92-bed Premier Inn hotel since 2019.

Mark Hill, Development Director at Jomast said: “The transformation of the iconic and characterful former department store in Chesterfield has been a labour of love that has created a vibrant new leisure quarter for the town of which we are immensely proud. Interest in the units has been strong and we hope to welcome tenants soon.”

The transformation of the streetlevel units, all with glazed frontages, was completed in October, offering prospective tenants a flexible and blank canvas for their business. The units, which range in size from 1,420 sq. ft to 16,076 sq. ft are targeted at food and drink businesses. Additionally, there is 16,285sq. ft. of gym/D2 space in the basement of the building.

Mark added: “The position and location of the site at times has been challenging but our ongoing collaboration with Chesterfield Brough Council has enabled us to create a premium and attractive business address on Chesterfield’s high street.”

The internal transformation of Elder Way, a pivotal site in Chesterfield town centre, is now complete and ready for occupiers.

Situated in the golden triangle of investment with Chesterfield town centre, Elder Way sits within the recently completed £19.9million Northern Gateway regeneration scheme which comprises a new multi-storey car park, the Northern Gateway Enterprise Centre and largescale public realm improvements.

Northern Gateway Enterprise Centre, which opened in July earlier this year, already boasts more than 50% occupancy with 17 of the 32 offices now tenanted.

Chesterfield Borough Council is making further investment in the town centre following £20million of Levelling Up funding which, along with additional funding from Chesterfield Borough Council, will

transform key event spaces and public areas. The £26million Revitalising the Heart of Chesterfield scheme that will revitalise and better connect key areas of the historic town centre and revamp the Stephenson Memorial Hall. Work has already started and will be completed in phased until 2025.

Elder Way and the golden triangle of investment in the town centre is part of £2billion of regeneration projects currently underway across Chesterfield, which includes the £400million Peak Resort and £340million Chesterfield Waterside developments.

Enquiries for the units at Elder Way should be directed to agents WSB Property Consultants on 07587 133540 or visit www.elderway.co.uk.

Recorra and KeyKeg Strengthen the South East England Circular Economy

Paper Round Changes its Name to Recorra and Commits to Help Hospitality

More Sustainable by Collecting Empty KeyKegs

Recorra has been redefining waste management for almost 35-years. Launched by Friends of the Earth as a paper-recycling initiative in 1988, Paper Round has been renamed Recorra to reflect the fact it now collects over 35 types of post-use material across the South East that can be reprocessed and given a useful second life.

The new name draws together the key elements of recycling, ecology and terra (the earth). It demonstrates Recorra’s commitment to delivering Real Recycling: best-practice excellence, honest transparency, customer engagement in ecological issues, carbon reduction, and continual social and environmental improvement.

As a leading commercial-waste recycling expert, Recorra focuses on the circular economy and is dedicated to true closed-loop solutions that increase sustainability in hospitality and other industries. KeyKegs are beer, wine or other beverage Kegs produced by OneCircle that are sustainable and designed for circularity; once empty, the actual circular material from which they are made can be recovered and reused to produce new KeyKegs.

Since joining the OneCircle Return Network in 2020, Paper Round has collected thousands of empty KeyKegs for reprocessing. As Recorra, it will continue to increase the number of empty Kegs it collects from its Brighton and Hastings hubs. Hospitality professionals in South

East England – South East Coast, Kent, Sussex and areas close to the M25 East – can help protect the environment by returning all their empty KeyKegs through Recorra. As more empty Kegs are collected, the amount of recycled material in each new KeyKeg will steadily increase, conserving precious natural resources.

Tom Mockridge, Director of Strategy and Innovation, Recorra: ‘We are constantly working on innovative ways to handle the materials our clients produce. It improves their recycling rates, lowers their carbon footprint, and delivers more materials to the circular economy where they can be reused and given a useful second life. We are therefore delighted to be working with OneCircle on this initiative.’

Recorra disassembles the empty Kegs at its recycling centre in Purfleet, where it crushes and bundles them into bales for OneCircle to collect. OneCircle then shreds, separates and sorts the different plastics on an automatic recycling line to recover the raw materials. As much recycled material as possible is used to produce new KeyKeg parts, while the remainder is recycled for other uses.

www.recorra.co.uk www.keykeg.com

Be

Reducing your overheads with professional equipment

By Charlie Robards, Business Development Manager at Miele Professional

Throughout recent years, the hotel industry has faced continuous economic difficulties, from the pandemic to inflation and the cost-of-living crisis. As inflation rates increase this year, businesses across the industry face possible closure, including independent hotels under the pressure of soaring costs. To support independent hotels this winter, Miele has produced some top tips on how your business can reduce costs in the short and long term.

Choosing the right equipment

From washers and dryers in the laundry to dishwashers in the kitchen, a variety of different appliances are required to run smoothly and efficiently, whilst also delivering guests’ expectations. Due to their lower purchase cost, domestic machines are often chosen but can be more expensive to operate in the long term; as they are not built to withstand heavy loads and frequent use, requiring more maintenance and frequent replacement.

Commercial machines provide the perfect solution for independent hotels as they are durable and reliable. They also provide reassurance that hygiene standards are adhered to by reaching the high temperatures required to kill harmful bacteria, ensuring a high quality clean. Miele Professional machines are tested to 30,000 cycles –the equivalent of eight cycles a day, seven days a week for over ten years – the equivalent of having six domestic machines over the same time period.

Maintaining your equipment

Amid rising inflation and soaring living costs, the phrase ‘time is money’ has never been truer. And, with equipment downtime capable of damaging profitability, fast-paced businesses that rely heavily on laundry equipment and dishwashers need their appliances to be fully functioning 24/7. That’s why preventative maintenance is crucial to minimise the chances of issues occurring in the first place, so equipment should

be checked and serviced regularly. While there may be some costs involved, you could save money on repair bills in the long run.

Reduce water temperature and consumption

Domestic machines can waste precious time, as well as energy and water. For maximum throughput, commercial machines offer short cycle times which is not only good for reducing your water and energy consumption, but also for your environmental footprint too. Miele’s commercial laundry and dishwashing machines can be personalised with tailor-made programmes to best suit the needs of any business. For example, our washers can process laundry

in as little as 30 minutes and our tank dishwashers can wash glassware and crockery in less than a minute.

Combining sustainability with innovation, we always strive to ensure our Miele Professional machines are economical and energy efficient, meaning priceper-wash is typically more cost efficient than other commercial and domestic equipment. Opting for long-lasting Miele quality and top-of-the-range performance is a good way for hotels to save money and help sustainability.

To see how Miele Professional could support your independent hotel, visit our website at www.miele.co.uk/p/.

84% of hospitality professionals say it’s

invaluable to form friendships at work

New research reveals that friendships are

• Establishing a support network is vital in the hospitality sector, as friendships better teamwork (71%), reduce workplace stress (62%) and enhance customer service (46%)

• A vast majority (93%) of hospitality professionals would even stay longer in their role if they had a close friend in their team

• To celebrate the sector’s friendships, BRITA Professional and The Burnt Chef Project are giving away a money-can’t-buy prize to a pair of best friends working in hospitality

New research has revealed that threequarters (77%) of hospitality employees have a work best friend and that these relationships are essential in developing support networks and fostering better collaboration in the sector.

The research, conducted by BRITA Professional in partnership with The Burnt Chef Project, found that strong support systems are intrinsic to quality work, with over half (51%) of employees recognising that they are more efficient, productive and energetic when working with their best friend. A further 46% stated that their customer service also improves.

This is underpinned by a shared sense of understanding, including:

• Appreciating each other’s strengths (74%)

• Knowing their weaknesses (47%)

• Acting as a calming presence in stressful situations (58%)

Friendships are also key to good mental health, as nearly two-thirds (62%) of UK hospitality professionals say working with their best friend helps to minimise stress, while one in two (50%) acknowledge the anxiety-reducing benefits.

Without these means of support, sector workers warn they would feel isolated (57%), bored (48%), and lonely (49%) at work. What’s more, they caution that businesses may see reduced performance as teamwork (51%), morale (44%) and engagement (37%) suffer.

These relationships are so vital they can also affect presenteeism and loyalty:

• 93% of hospitality professionals would stay longer in their role if they had close friendships within their team

lifeblood of the sector

• Over one-third (38%) would be more likely to call in sick if their best friend wasn’t at work

Despite this, one in six (16%) employers don’t throw social events for their staff, while the majority (54%) of businesses only run socials once a quarter or less. Furthermore, according to another survey conducted by The Burnt Chef Project 72% said they “never” or “not very often” spend time outside of work as a team.

While there are numerous benefits, businesses also need to be conscious of the pressures that friendships can have on employees, such as extra pressure not to let their team down (10%) and making it harder to take time off (9%).

Kris Hall, CEO and Founder of The Burnt Chef Project, said: “The research conducted in partnership with BRITA Professional continues to highlight one of the many reasons that a career in hospitality should be considered by all, something we are intensely committed to at The Burnt Chef Project. The relationships forged within hospitality are strong, life-long bonds and now the data shown in this research backs this up.

“This data has done a great job of really highlighting the importance to our wellbeing of establishing a close-knit tribe and the benefits of promoting a healthy workplace culture focused on connection to begin combating workplace stress.”

Best friendships aren’t the only perfect pairings that drive success in the industry. Professionals say it’s also vital to buy the perfect equipment (70%), find the ideal

suppliers (60%), and one in three (31%) state reliable equipment servicing is a key consideration. They even place establishing sustainable business partnerships high up the agenda (41%).

Due to the sheer scale of workload operators face each day, essential tasks like regular equipment maintenance can often be forgotten. Suppliers who offer preventative care which is tailored to individual business needs, like BRITA Managed Services, can help to avoid costly disruption to service and provide ongoing support – helping to spot and solve a small issue before it becomes a large problem.

Chris

Fay

C.F.S.P, Business Account

Manager at BRITA Professional, comments: “The friendships forming quietly in UK hospitality venues have a loud impact on the sector. We know the power that establishing the right partnerships and connections can have, both within teams and with third-party suppliers, especially considering the challenges facing the industry today. That’s why we want to celebrate the exceptionality of the sector’s perfect pairings through our latest competition.”

In celebration of the industry’s friendships, BRITA Professional and The Burnt Chef Project have launched a competition for best friends to win a money-can’t-buy experience at Whatley Manor. To enter simply visit www.brita.co.uk/perfectpairings and share the contact details of you and your hospitality work best friend and what your favourite thing about working together is by 11.59pm on 31st January.

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Why the hype around Gunners Cocktails is justified.

When Rafael Nadal is photographed sipping on a non-alcoholic cocktail you have crafted with meticulous care, things must be going right. That is most certainly the case for Gunners Cocktails.

Low in alcohol but high in demand, the Gunner Saint has proven a refreshing tonic both to parched amateur athletes rounding off a day of friendly social competition and to a drinks industry bereft of no-low rum options. Where once a bartender would have raised an eyebrow to a request for a no-low beverage, now they simply ask, “which one?” The answer is invariably, “Gunner”.

Giles Fuchs, who started the company from scratch following a litany of frustrations he often encountered when ordering a Gunner, chiefly a long wait time and inconsistency in the final product, is among the connoisseurs who know that the drink should be equal measures of ginger beer and ginger ale with drops of angostura bitters and lime. So, Fuchs canned this knowledge to great success.

The numbers don’t lie. Sales of the alcohol-free Gunner Saint have doubled over the last 12 months with forecasted 500% growth year-on-year. With Q4 2022 seeing record trading, it is not too modest to estimate, as Managing Director Dannie McDonald does, that in five years’ time Gunners Cocktails will have an extensive network of outlets across the UK with thousands of Gunners selling every week.

After all, Gunners’ stockist partnerships are expected to triple, adding to an already impressive roster of commercial relationships. The drinks cabinet of The Hurlingham Club is as exclusive as its membership, with entry to both a laudable triumph. All the more notable, therefore, that it is now ready-to-drink cans of Gunner which are raised to toast an elusive albatross or backhand smash. The same clink of cans can be heard in the clubhouses of British Open Golf Rota clubs Royal St. Georges, Muirfield, and Carnoustie, and sailing mecca Royal Ocean Racing Club, to name but a few.

The recent launch of the alcoholic Gunner Sinner, as immaculately mixed as the Saint but with a shot of aged dark rum for good effect, has created a potent partnership of RTD beverages which have earned Gunners a bottomless barrel of praise which will no doubt be added to come 2023.

Not content with revolutionising rum, the mixologists at Gunners Cocktails are also in the process of crafting other equally market-disruptive alcoholic varieties following a highly successful period of research and development. As Dry January collides with many consumers’ inevitable health and diet-conscious New Years resolutions, Gunner will also add the low-sugar Skinny Saint to their growing portfolio of beverages expected to roll out over the coming months.

The hype is justified. If Jay Gatsby was hosting a party in 2023, he would serve Gunner; out of all the rum joints, in all the world, Rick Blaine would walk into the one that sells Gunner; and when people seek out a refreshing, British rum cocktail, there is increasingly one clear solution: Gunner.

Giles Fuchs

Living With and Beyond Cancer

By Jennifer Young, founder of www.giftsforCancerPatients.com and www.BeautyDespiteCancer.com.

I have spent many years helping those affected by cancer to minimise the side-effects of treatment.

I was prompted to do so when my local NHS Cancer Centre asked me to work with them to create a skincare range for cancer patients. I was outraged by the lack of mainstream, easily accessible specialist products and services. In addition to creating the skincare collections, I train spas and therapists to ensure that they can welcome people safely after a diagnosis.

It has been an honour to support those affected with cancer, as well as those who love and care for them. I am often asked for advice about what to say to someone when they have been diagnosed, how to help them and how to make things better.

I have so much to say in answer to these questions, I could write a book. In fact, I have written a book. I am thrilled to be able to offer you a free practical guide of how to help someone with cancer as they go through surgery, chemotherapy, or radiotherapy, or side effects.

To register for my free e-book please visit the sign up page here.

Topics covered in Living With and Beyond Cancer

• How do you comfort someone with cancer?

• What should you not say to someone with cancer?

• What are the emotional stages of cancer?

• What do I write in a gift card to someone diagnosed with cancer?

• How does a cancer patient feel?

• Why do cancer patients push you away?

• How to help a family dealing with cancer?

• Thoughtful gifts for someone with cancer

• How to cheer up someone with cancer

• Comforting words for someone with cancer

• How to support someone with cancer from afar

• How can I help a family member with cancer?

Independent speciality coffee house operator for the North of England, The Coffee House, is celebrating more than a decade of consistent growth as it opens its twelfth store in Bolton. Partnering with P2P (Procure-to-Pay) catering technology firm Zupa, the company has been using the Caternet platform to run its operations more efficiently and make more intelligent business decisions. The Coffee House now plans to roll out the Caternet platform across all of its stores to help power its ambitious growth strategy through automated procurement.

At start-up, The Coffee House, depended on accessible, consumerbased apps to communicate across its business. This approach quickly became unsustainable, and complex to manage with the scale and speed needed for product visibility and tracking between stores. The Coffee House has since built a strong partnership with Zupa, which has facilitated a transfer of vital skills and knowledge into its business, giving it a clear vision of what it needs to do and when, and more importantly, who needs to do it.

Chris Shelmerdine, director and cofounder of The Coffee House explained, “Centralising our back-end operations and having the future-proofed IT infrastructure to give us stock visibility and quick realtime dashboard insight into the financials and operations, means we can focus our attention on driving value and quality experiences for our customers. We’re thrilled to have partnered with Zupa and to be rolling out the system across all of our locations, the company has become an integral part of our growth journey.”

As The Coffee House prepares to roll out its new stores, with Caternet at the core of its operations, its understanding of what its business needs, also continues to evolve. Using technology that scales with it has been essential to its growth. The company now benefits from having complete control of its supply chain and spending, which has become imperative in the current climate.

Ollie Brand, CEO at Zupa said, “We thoroughly enjoy working with Chris and the team. It’s a mutually beneficial relationship where we look to deliver value as a trusted advisor, and we learn so much that we are able to feedback into our product vision. We’ve always been keen to let the technology speak for itself. This process has also helped The Coffee House to recognise its immediate needs, and our team have been able to apply the functionality of the platform to those specific requirements at that point in time, meaning the platform evolves with the business.”

Customer experience is core to The Coffee House, and it wants to ensure its teams are free to focus on building relationships with their customers. To support this focus, it has recently relocated all back-end operations to a 17,000 square foot facility, centralising its logistics, production unit, bakery and kitchen and is also about to launch a new roastery.

“We are so thankful to be in business and to be sharing our coffee shop experience within our local communities. We are taking nothing for granted and what drives us forward despite the challenging times the sector is facing, is the rich data we’re able to extract from the Caternet platform, which helps us make more intelligent business decisions. We’ve been working with the Zupa team to align the system more closely to our own business requirements too, and can see clearly how the functionality can help secure our future goals,” added Shelmerdine.

Chris Shelmerdine and Ollie Brand

Birleys works with Seal Packaging to improve its sustainability credentials

“At Birleys, we’ve spent more than 30 years building a reputation for quality,” says Paul Salter. “During that time, we’ve worked hard at perfecting and evolving our imaginative menus, and partnering with carefully selected suppliers to get every element just right.

“Sustainability is high on our agenda and we know that it is extremely important for our increasingly well-informed and discerning clientele. We offer our madeto-order sandwiches, salads, breakfasts and lunch platters for eat-in, takeaway and home and office delivery, so choosing the right packaging is crucial. We’re now working with Seal Packaging to ensure we can present our food in genuinely sustainable, great looking and easy-to-use packaging.

“The fact that Seal’s ethos is ‘Packaging with Integrity’ certainly gives confidence and puts us on the right track as we embark on a process to ensure that Birleys operates as sustainably as possible,” says Paul Salter.

Compostabowl™

The first product Birleys introduced from Seal was Compostabowl™, which combines a high-quality bagasse bowl with an optional high-clarity lid made from 100 per cent recycled and 100 per cent recyclable rPET. Bagasse is an abundantly available, natural and sustainable plant-based material that can be used instead of traditional foodservice packaging materials, and Compostabowl™ is certified to TÜV Austria (S0086) – the highest standard for home compostability.

“With its superb environmental credentials, using Compostabowl™ immediately adds an eco-friendly feel to our food,” says Paul Salter. “It is popular with customers as its ergonomic design makes it both easy to hold for food on the go, while also enhancing the presentation of the food.

“Compostabowl™ is a breath of fresh air for the marketplace and offers the consumer an environmentally friendly and aesthetically pleasing solution. The consumer appeal and satisfaction are great and they, along with ourselves, are delighted to be doing something positive for the environment.”

Next steps… from Itsnotpaper bags to plastic-free cups

On the next steps of its improved sustainability journey, Birleys is considering adopting Seal Packaging’s innovative Itsnotpaper bags.

“Itsnotpaper bags look, feel and handle like paper, but we’ll be proud to tell our customers that not one tree has been chopped down to make them,” says Paul Salter. “They provide the perfect canvas for both our branding and our sustainability message.”

By using renewable sources such as agri-fibres as a raw material, instead of wood, the production of Itsnotpaper bags have up to 38 per cent less carbon emissions than conventional paper bags.

Itsnotpaper bags contribute to a reduction in deforestation, and the material used has so far saved more

than one million trees. The agrifibres used to make the material for Itsnotpaper bags are abundant and renewable, and by turning what would otherwise be waste into a valuable resource, the product is supporting communities in India by paying farmers for something they previously burnt, causing air and land pollution.

Itsnotpaper bags are made in the UK, and the material used to make them has been through a rigorous Life Cycle Assessment to ensure that it is sustainable, end-to-end. They are certified marine degradable, are 100 per cent recyclable and can be recycled in conventional paper recycling streams. They also have 100 per cent compostable certification, making them a genuine sustainable alternative to traditional paper bags.

Seal has also recently introduced certified plastic-free, homecompostable and recyclable, repulpable paper cups, which have the prestigious Flustix No Plastic certification by Din Certco, and are the only UKCA mark registered paper cups for 10oz and 20oz.

www.birleysandwiches.co.uk

www.sealpackaging.com

London-based award-winning sandwich salad bar chain Birleys knows that environmental sustainability issues matter to its loyal customer base. We talk to Managing Director Paul Salter about why working with a specialist packaging supplier guarantees quality and delivers a genuinely sustainable message.

Over 40 years supplying the hospitality industry

Roneford Catering is established since 1978 and is the one-stop-shop for all your catering equipment needs! Supplying the hospitality Industry for over 40 years, our clients range from Restaurants, Cafes, Bars & Public Houses. As a family business, we pride ourselves on our customer service and the longstanding relationship we have with major manufacturers.

Bespoke commercial kitchen design

Being an established supplier of catering equipment, we offer a bespoke commercial kitchen design service completely tailored to your kitchen size and cuisine. We can design a kitchen from scratch, including bespoke stainless-steel fabrications, extraction units and all the commercial cooking and refrigeration equipment. Our in-house 3D commercial kitchen design service will allow you to visualise any new or refurbishment project before you invest. Some of our recent projects include L’Ulivo on The Strand and The Old White Bear in Hampstead.

Partners in hospitality

The professional division of Miele appoints Marketing Manager to oversee operations in Great Britain and Ireland

Felice will be responsible for overseeing the marketing management of the hospitality, care and service (HCS) sector, as well as growing their laboratory, medical and dentistry (LMD) sector.

Felice brings six years of experience in marketing and communications to her new role, with previous marketing roles at Oxentia, a global innovation consultancy, and academic publishing house Oxford University Press. Her specialisms include strategic communications for international development agencies as well as marketing for academic research and publishing.

Commenting on her appointment, Felice said: “I have always admired the inherent quality of

Miele products and its ethos of immer besser (ever better), so being able to join the Miele Professional team is a fantastic opportunity. As the organisation is dedicated to becoming the leader in sustainability within its industry, one of my targets is to build relationships with businesses who also have sustainability at their core, and to showcase how Miele’s innovative technology can support their journey”.

Simon Venni, County Sales Manager at Miele Professional, commented: “We’re thrilled to have Egizia on board to lead our marketing team. We’re excited to see how Egizia’s broad range of perspectives will support us in reaching out to new customers.”

The professional division of Miele, an industry leading manufacturer of commercial laundry and dishwasher appliances, has appointed Egizia Maria Felice as Marketing Manager for Great Britain and Ireland.

DESIGN BROUGHT TO LIGHT

DESIGN BROUGHT TO LIGHT

What Are the Requirements to Become a Bartender?

- Skills, Attitude & Knowledge

Bartending is a rewarding career for anyone who enjoys working in a pressurised, fast-paced environment that’s social, energetic, and requires constant interaction. Of course, there’s more to the job than knowing the difference between a margarita and a mojito. Bartenders require a range of work-related and interpersonal skills that extend far beyond mixing a drink.

An Extensive Skill Set

As a bartender, most of the environments you work in are fastpaced and put you in contact with a variety of personalities. So, you need to be adaptable, dexterous, and able to think on your feet.

Good communication and people skills are essential as you’ll speak to many different customers, kitchen and wait staff, and management throughout your shift.

Other skill requirements include efficiency, basic cash management skills for processing payments, good record-keeping skills for running tabs, and organisational skills that come in helpful when keeping the bar tidy and taking note of trends that affect drink demands. You’ll find it helpful to have a good memory, to be flexible with your working hours, and for filling in for other staff during shifts.

A Positive Can-Do Attitude

Bartenders need to value teamwork and be able to work as part of a team. Friendliness is essential, as your customers need to feel relaxed and welcome. Bartending can be a stressful job, so you should be able to maintain your composure when busy or helping a coworker manage a crisis.

A positive, cheerful attitude is key and will go a long way towards calming down aggressive customers causing trouble or making other patrons tense. You’ll also need to be proactive and tackle any challenges with good humour.

An Ever-Expanding Knowledge Base

Bartenders learn on the job, but it’s important to learn the basics before applying for a position. A short certified course will equip you with a wealth of knowledge that makes you more employable.

In addition to having a basic knowledge of beer, wine, and spirits, you need to know about obscure cocktails and trending drinks. You should learn basic mixology techniques, popular cocktail recipes, pouring precise amounts, mixing cocktails, and creating garnishes.

Having the right skills, attitude, and knowledge makes all the difference when applying for bartending positions and for transforming a job into a successful career.

If you want to become an expert bartender, European Bartender School has the best courses for anyone wanting to learn the art of this exciting profession.

Anyone can work behind a bar, but a good bartender needs a certain level of competence and experience

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