Bar & Kitchen September/October 2026

Bar& Kitchen Sept/Oct 2026

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Welcome.

Published by

in the heat or running business as usual, it’s time to lock in ready for

Advertising

Whether you’ve been flat out serving customers, planning ahead Cogent on behalf of Unitas Wholesale The Fold, Spencer St Leamington Spa CV31 3NE For Cogent Creative, Design & Artworking– Sam Armistead, Ben Walton, Julie Taylor Managing Editor–Becky Aitken Editor–Cath Lyon Contributor–Jim Levack For Unitas Wholesale Laura Rowell 01302 249 909 unitaswholesale.co.uk hello@barandkitchenmagazine.com Social: @barkitchenmag

autumn and winter’s big occasions.

If you’re already hearing jingle bells, we’ve got tips on how to prepare for a memorable Christmas dinner in hospitality venues (page 56) and care homes on (page 17).

For the other big events in the calendar, such as Diwali, Bonfire Night and Halloween, make sure you have plenty of delicious cocktails on the menu (page 31) and tasty specials to serve (page 37).

Get inspired by the ‘drive-thru with a difference’ concept being pioneered by two childhood friends (page 23) and our spotlight on Silver Spoon (page 51).

As always, there’s plenty of business advice too. Get ahead of changes to tipping laws with advice on page 42.

Further information Bar & Kitchen is published by Cogent Elliott Ltd on behalf of Unitas Wholesale Ltd. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part prohibited without permission. All information was correct at time of going to press.

The magazine is printed in the UK

by IMA Group using sustainable sources. To make a contribution to the magazine, please email editor@ barandkitchenmagazine.com

Get social

And if you’re thinking of taking on apprentices or on-the-job learners, make sure you look at our guidance on page 45 first.

Wishing you a busy, successful and enjoyable autumn.

Laura Rowell Trade Marketing Manager

Are you following us on social media yet?

Find us on X and Instagram for special offers from brands, product recommendations and inspiring stories

@BARKITCHENMAG

@BARKITCHENMAG

barandkitchenmagazine.com 03

“The end of the year is always a good time to stop and take stock. So if businesses want to make one resolution for 2027, it should be to get more involved in training and placement programmes like ours – because the impact on someone’s life and confidence can be huge” Chris Gamm, Chief Executive of the Springboard charity

“We’ve had lots of offers to take our little truck to other locations, events and shows but we’ve resisted so far because we want to get the foundations right. We’re looking forward to a very busy Christmas after a summer of refining our menu and gathering feedback” Kami Hussain, Co-founder of Rangutan and Kami Kola

04

In good company What’s the one thing that will make this Christmas your best ever?

“Christmas is wonderful at our home. Residents build their own menu surrounded by families who decorate the tree, dress up in hats and make crackers.

I’m looking forward to the tradition and theatre of it” Bev Rangeley, Head Chef at Ponsandane Care Home in Penzance, Cornwall

“Trying some of the new and emerging cocktails that are leaning into umami and sweet heat flavours.

Also seeing venues challenging traditional serves by putting their own distinctive mark on an old favourite to ensure it’s the one memorable drink of a customer’s evening” Dan Crowther, Experienced mixologist and Managing Director of Hedonist Creative agency in Leeds

27

23

Contents

45 On the cover

Recipe

Expertise

Flavour

37

14

#feedyoureyes Win £50 voucher and free publicity!

It’s as easy as this: 1. Enter your best dish into our Feed Your Eyes competition 2. Cross your fingers and wait…

3. If you’re chosen, you win a £50 Amazon voucher and the chance to appear in Bar & Kitchen

06 Calendar… the eight autumn dates that will definitely drive your margins

17 Twelve tips of Christmas… make it a care home cracker this year

08 What’s new… bold beans, versatile sauces and hospitality headlines

23 Japan-Asian… the fusion food

causing a stir at a city drive-thru

10 3 recipes, 3 ways… hearty autumn

28 School’s in… meet the shy chef in

14 Grilled, fried, with salad?… four

31 Make it a hard turn… why changing

dishes guaranteed to lift the spirits ways with protein-packed paneer

21 Don’t miso out… how to make the most of on-trend umami

56 Texture, temperature and a

twist… hottest Christmas trends

Advice

constant pursuit of “the yums”

your cocktail menu NOW is a must

37 Winter warmers… three surefire QSR

Go to page 62 to find out more.

winners for Halloween and beyond

62 Free publicity for you and your

T&Cs apply.

venue?… find out more

Cost to menu calculator

42

CALCULATE

13 Get your venue seen… five simple steps to showcase your business

42 Take a tip from us… new rules that will keep your team keen

45 Staffing headaches?… make them a thing of Christmas past

COST HERE

Simply put in the cost of the dish, your desired margin and the VAT rate and our calculator does the hard work for you. Your gross profit and menu price will be revealed!

barandkitchenmagazine.com

All information was considered to be correct at time of going to press

barandkitchenmagazine.com 05

KEY DATES

Curry, coffee and cosy nights out

10OCT World Mental Health Day

As the nights draw in, make sure everyone continues to enjoy themselves with special, delicious events

Kitchens, venues and dining rooms are tough places to work. Fast pace, high customer demands and long hours can quickly take a toll on your mental health.

Managers can use this day as a refresh of a wellbeing-first workplace culture.

Remind colleagues to take breaks, signpost them towards extra help and run mental health support training.

SEPt–OCT

Start Here

12-18OCT 5-11OCT National Curry Week Spice up your diners’ lives with a bhuna, tikka or Bombay special.

Stuffed or topped naans, masala fries and spiced chickpea or lentil salads are all great lunch options.

Add flavour-packed snacks such as samosas, vada pavs or pakoras to your menu.

Discover the power of perfect paneer in the ‘4 ways with’ guide on page 14.

06

UK Coffee Week Brits love the beans so much that coffee has overtaken tea as the hot beverage of choice. They don’t just want delicious options that suit their strength and sweetness preferences, they want to know the origins of their coffee, including environmental and social impact. Highlight these facts and tasting notes, and run specials across this week to get drinkers trying something new.

31OCT

26NOV

Halloween It’s spooky season again so let your event-building imagination run wild with ghostly bakes, scary movie nights, dress-up discos and gory cocktail specials. If it’s fun and ghoulish, give it a go.

Turn to page 37 for ideas and recipes for this and other big autumn events.

13NOV Children in Need Have fun and raise money for a good cause at the same time. This year’s event focuses on giving children and young people better mental health support, so be sure to engage with local charities or organisations that work in this area. Run daytime challenges or get local entertainers in to attract families to your venue.

Thanksgiving Bigger than Christmas in America, it is also 250 years since the US’ Declaration of Independence was signed. It’s a great opportunity to road test your festive menu (with a twist). Run celebratory specials that include roast turkey and pumpkin pie. Stock up on American Beers. Mark the tradition of giving back by hosting fundraising events for local causes and charities.

11NOV Remembrance Day

5NOV Bonfire Night Make your venue’s Guy Fawkes night go with a bang by harking back to tradition with sweet treats like parkin, cinder toffee and toffee apples. Light a bonfire and serve bangers and burgers with sticky onions or jacket potatoes with chilli and beans. Warm your punters’ cockles with mulled cider and wine or hot spiced apple juice and hot chocolate. Don’t forget your vegan guests. Turn to page 39 for a tasty toasty recipe.

A day to mark and give thanks to our armed forces, Remembrance Sunday is a great opportunity to engage with your local community and remind them of your blue light offers. Invite the cadet, reserves or veterans clubs for an event after the 11am service. Put up the bunting and host an afternoon tea while screening the Cenotaph procession.

barandkitchenmagazine.com 07

EMBRACE VIBRANT INDIAN FL AVOURS GO BOLD, CHOOSE QUALIT Y BEANS Giant, tender and juicy, slow-cooked Butter Beans and Chickpeas are the Bold Bean Co’s bestselling products.

These Queentm beans are specially selected from the best possible climate. Perfect for vegans, foodies and the health-conscious consumer, try them in a creamy, coconut curry or a coronation chickpea sandwich. Always free from additives or preservatives.

The new Authentic Indian Sauce range from MAGGI® Professional brings delicious flavour straight into your kitchen. Now available in convenient 1kg bottles, the range features three distinctive profiles: Hot & Sweet for fiery sweetness, Tamarind for tangy brightness, and Masala Chilli for rich spiced warmth. Purposebuilt for busy foodservice, use them to build bases, glazes, dips or to finish dishes.

INDUSTRY

What’s new?

A glance at the latest Foodservice and On Trade news and products HAT-TRICK HEROES SHOW QUALITY Professional chefs have awarded three CCM Own Label Awards, respected across the wholesale and foodservice industry, to Caterers Kitchen.

The hat-trick of wins, judged by members of the Craft Guild of Chefs, marks a significant milestone for the brand’s commitment to supporting caterers, chefs and foodservice professionals with dependable, high-quality products.

The awards are given to showcase products demonstrating outstanding quality, performance and taste in a professional kitchen. Caterers Kitchen combines chef-developed quality with exceptional value, offering a comprehensive own-brand range designed specifically for the foodservice industry.

Developed with professional kitchens in mind, every product is selected to deliver the quality, consistency and reliability that chefs depend on daily.

Trading Controller at Unitas Wholesale Katie Hinchliffe says: “Having our products judged and endorsed by professional chefs reinforces the high standards Caterers Kitchen consistently delivers. We’re incredibly proud.”

The range spans ingredients and food staples through to cleaning and hygiene essentials as part of a complete solution for professional kitchens.

Tinned Grocery, the brand’s largest category, accounts for around 40% of total unit sales, highlighting its strength in delivering trusted everyday essentials.

08

NOLO CHANGE PLEA Customers drank around 60 million pints of low and no alcohol beer during the summer, an increase of 8 million on the previous year.

But the British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) fears venues are struggling to make the most of the new passion for alcohol-free beer because of over-strict regulation.

Growth sparked by younger people cutting back on alcohol and a trend towards moderation could be hampered by regulations, the body warns.

Currently, alcohol-free beer must be below 0.05% ABV, whereas the threshold is 0.5% in other countries – a factor the BBPA says creates a barrier for many British brewers looking to enter the category.

Emma McLarkin, BBPA Chief Executive, says: “We need the Government to keep the momentum going by changing the alcohol-free definition for greater investment, to keep us on par with international markets and to deliver even more options for people who choose to moderate.”

The Government, currently considering the benefits of a change, will examine the trade arguments.

Heineken’s On-Trade Category team has identified moderation as one of the key growth areas for low and no beer and cider. A spokesman said: “Younger drinkers are more likely to moderate alcohol consumption by substituting rather than cutting occasions altogether.

“But it isn’t just lighter drinkers moderating. Heavier drinkers are actually more likely to look to cut down, so it’s critical for venues to understand how guests are moderating so high-value consumers are still served correctly.”

GIVE US A BREAK , SAY HOSPITALIT Y BUSINESSES FEEL PEACHY WITH FROZEN FRUIT DRINKS Peach joins Lemon and Grapefruit in the delicious range of -196 frozen drinks flavours. With an ABV of 6%, the Japanese beverage uses infuse technology to pack vodka, soda, shochu and the frozen zest, pulp and juice of peaches in a ready-to-drink can. Unique and growing in popularity, this on-trend flavour will surely prove a hit with your customers.

Hospitality businesses have urged the Government to scrap a controversial holiday tax they say will deter families from supporting bars and restaurants on their break.

UKHospitality is among a coalition of businesses that have warned the new Chancellor of the devastating impact the tourist tax could have on jobs, tourism and the economy.

They say the levy, just launched in Edinburgh and opposed by 56% of people, would be ‘economically and socially damaging’ and lead to 33,000 fewer jobs, a hit of £2.2bn to GDP and a £1.6bn tax hike in a cost-of-living crisis.

barandkitchenmagazine.com 09

33 ways Good, Better, best

recipes

As the weather cools, add these comfort-filled fresh dishes to your menu

Pair with

STARTER + GOOD

Prior Life, a refreshing beer with supporting fruity flavours that aren’t too complex

Mexican Vegetable & Bean Soup Serves: 10 Skill rating: EASY

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp oil • 2 onions, diced • 3 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed • 3 carrots, diced • 2 red peppers, diced • 800g Homepride Tomato Everything Sauce • 800g mixed beans, drained • 1 tbsp smoked paprika • 1 tbsp ground cumin • 1 tsp dried thyme • 40g Bisto Vegetable Bouillon Powder • 1.5L water • Fresh coriander, to garnish • Nachos (optional) • Sour cream (optional)

++ better

10

Method 1.

Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Sauté onions, garlic, carrots, and peppers for 5 mins.

2. Stir in tomatoes, beans, smoked paprika, cumin, thyme and Bisto Professional Vegetable Bouillon Powder. Then add the water.

3. Simmer for 20 mins until the vegetables are tender.

4. Adjust seasoning and serve hot with coriander and optional nachos and sour cream.

Use mixed frozen Mediterranean vegetables and a Mexican spice blend for ease

SCAN HERE

+++ BEST

Upgrade flavour with ancho chilli paste. Serve with toasted pumpkin seeds and chopped avocado

SCAN HERE

MAIN ++ BEtter

Pair with

Donburi Sticky Teriyaki Meatballs

Level Head’s hops cut through the sweetness with crisp, tropical and juicy notes

Serves: 10 Skill rating: MEDIUM

Ingredients

For the teriyaki sauce • 900ml water • 80g KNORR® Professional Gluten Free Gravy Granules for Meat Dishes • 150ml KNORR® Professional Blue Dragon Teriyaki Marinade For the meatballs • 500g turkey mince • 25g cornflour • 35g KNORR® Professional Ginger Purée • 50g spring onions, finely sliced

+ GOOD

For the Donburi bowl • Baby aubergines, quartered • 2 tbsp KNORR® Professional Blue Dragon Teriyaki Marinade • Kale • 250g jasmine rice • 25g radish, julienned • 200g edamame beans • 20g sesame seeds

Use pre-made meatballs and stir-fried frozen vegetables

Method 1.

To make the teriyaki sauce, boil the water and whisk it into the KNORR® Gravy Granules and Teriyaki Marinade.

2. Mix all the meatball ingredients together and shape them into 30 balls. Chill for 2 hours. Gently poach them in hot water. Once cooked, remove and glaze with 100ml of the teriyaki sauce.

3. Pan-fry the baby aubergines in oil and glaze with a couple of tablespoons of the KNORR® Teriyaki Marinade.

Blanch the kale and set aside.

4. Cook the rice and place it in a bowl. Arrange the vegetables, edamame beans and meatballs. Top with the teriyaki sauce and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

+++ BEst

Add a tablespoon of miso to the sauce and pan-sear the meatballs before glazing

barandkitchenmagazine.com 11

SCAN HERE

Pair with Dessert + good

Salted Caramel Banoffee Pie

Abbot Ale’s toffee richness and the estery banana and pear drop notes are the perfect complement

Serves: 12 Skill rating: EASY

Ingredients

• 250g digestive biscuits, crushed • 100g butter, melted • 397g Carnation Caramel • ½-1 tsp flaky sea salt • 2 bananas, sliced • 300ml whipping cream • Grated chocolate, to finish

12

Method

1.

Mix the biscuits and butter.

Press it into the sides and base of the 20cm loose-bottomed cake tin. Chill for 30 mins.

2. Spoon the caramel on top of the base and then sprinkle with flaky sea salt.

3. Remove the tin base. Layer the bananas on the caramel. Whip the cream to soft peaks and spoon on top. Sprinkle over the chocolate and chill until ready to serve.

+++ BEST

++ BETTER

Brown the butter and add toasted nuts into the blended base

Make individual servings of banoffee pie in glasses

5 smart ways to

grow your venue on YouTube YouTube is a powerful platform for Out of Home venues and Quick Service Restaurants and a great way to visually showcase food, atmosphere and customer experiences.

More than 2.5 billion people watch YouTube advertising globally, while viewers watch more than a billion hours of content every day.

Hospitality marketing specialist SideDish Media shares top tips to make YouTube work harder for your venue.

1 3

Keep it local YouTube is the world’s secondlargest search engine, so include your location, venue type and key offerings in your channel description, video titles and descriptions to help local customers discover you.

2

Show the real experience Videos of busy services, food prep, live events and customer experiences help potential visitors see themselves in your venue and increase booking consideration. Retail and e-commerce videos on YouTube received more than 724 billion views in 2025.

Get in focus Authentic content featuring chefs, bartenders and frontof-house staff often performs better than highly polished promotional videos. People connect with people, not logos.

4

Sources DATAREPORTAL, YouTube, MarketingTNT

Shorts hit the spot YouTube Shorts generate more than 200 billion daily views, making them one of the fastest ways to increase visibility. Quick clips of signature dishes, drinks being poured or behind-the-scenes moments grab attention fast.

5

Track bookings – and views Views are useful, but bookings are what count.

Monitor website clicks, reservations, enquiries and direction requests to identify the real business impact of your content. Focus on actions that lead to covers, orders and revenue rather than vanity metrics alone.

barandkitchenmagazine.com 13

4 WAYS W I T H

PARAM PANEER Soft, smooth and rich, this Indian cottage cheese made from fresh milk is a huge hit with vegetarians. Here are four dishes that will delight all your customers

1

MANGO PANEER POKE BOWL

Prep your grains Rinse some chickpeas, coat them in cumin, coriander, smoked paprika and oil before roasting – then cook some rice.

Dice veg and paneer Cube paneer, cucumber and cherry tomatoes. Season veg and add lemon. Fry the paneer in oil until golden and glaze with mango chutney.

Thinly slice red onion.

Build the bowl Put the rice in the base, add the rocket and veg. Top with the paneer and chickpeas before sprinkling with black sesame seeds.

2 SPICED PANEER FL ATBREADS

GET STUCK INTO #FOODTOK Look up #FoodTok on TikTok for recipes and viral food trends. You'll learn what’s hot and get ideas for dishes that will draw in diners.

14

Marinate your paneer Coat cubes of paneer in a curry paste and leave to marinate for at least 30 mins.

Sizzle them in a pan or under the grill until golden.

Prep veggies Thinly slice red onion and cabbage. Cut the cucumber and carrot into matchsticks.

Finish your flatbreads Warm some flatbreads, put on a plate and top with veg and paneer, then raita, sliced chilli, pomegranate seeds, and fresh herbs.

3 CORN TO BE WILD PIZZA

SCAN HERE

Discover the dishes Make a paste Blitz red chilli, garlic and oil.

Add cubes of paneer and marinate for an hour.

Cook your corn Simmer your corn cobs until they’re soft.

Brush with oil and char in the oven or grill.

Slice off the kernels.

Bake your pizza Stretch dough onto a tray and pile on hard cheese, mozzarella, paneer and the corn. Bake and finish with hot sauce, coriander and chilli.

Scan here to get the full recipes with Param Paneer

Did you know?

Mild, creamy Paneer is high in protein with a texture that absorbs spices, marinades and sauces – and it's perfect grilled, fried or cubed on your salads.

4 STICK Y SWEET CHILLI PANEER SKEWERS

Mix your marinade Mix sweet chilli sauce, sriracha, soy sauce, honey, veg oil, minced garlic, grated ginger and juice of half a lime. Mix with paneer cubes and marinate.

Build your skewers Cut red pepper into chunks and add to the mix.

Skewer the chunks and cubes, alternating pepper and paneer. Grill or barbecue until golden.

Finish and serve Squeeze on extra lime juice, sprinkle over sesame seeds and chopped coriander.

barandkitchenmagazine.com 15

COUNTDOWN to your best ever care home

CHRISTMAS 12 days, 12 kitchen tips – Bev Rangeley, Head Chef at Ponsandane Care Home in Penzance, shares her secrets for ending 2026 on a high

barandkitchenmagazine.com 17

2

fewer complaints

Switch out the generic menu in the build-up. Run a ‘memory tasting’ to re-create the dishes your guests grew up with, from corned beef hash to bread sauce like it used to be made. Personal nostalgia in the form of plates that remind residents of Christmases past will ensure they’re on board when it’s crackers and hats time.

1

good reason... to start now

The biggest secret to a magical Christmas is the most unglamorous… the planning. Bev says: “Start looking ahead now. Lock in suppliers, special diets and budgets, order specialist ingredients, map staffing and gather residents’ favourite memories so everything’s ready.”

Homes that plan ahead spend less, reduce waste and cut the stress levels.

6 5

Why not try a supervised stir-up Sunday pudding-mixing session or hands-on canapé decorating? It’s good for residents, fun for your staff and will help strengthen bonds that will last well into the new year.

go-ooold talking points

Small plates of festive dishes from different countries served as a tasting board are great conversation starters for residents from diverse backgrounds or the welltravelled. They show prospective families that your home sees the whole person.

Try Swedish gingerbread, Italian panettone, German Stollen, Caribbean black cake or Portuguese Bolo Rei King’s Cake with dried fruits – maybe soaked in alcohol.

18

hours of fun

4 3

ways to impress

mulled wines

Spiced wine simmering, cinnamon in the air and an orange-and-clove pomander station made by residents trigger memories of festive aromas quicker than any decoration, and a home that truly feels like Christmas is one families will post about online.

Set up a build-your-own Bucks Fizz bar with juices, garnishes and alcohol-free fizz options.

Bev says: “Invite residents and their families to help decorate the tree, dress up in hats and make Christmas crackers. It’s interactive, photogenic and great fun.”

8

all-rounders

Don’t make allergen-friendly an afterthought. Design a showstopper dessert that everyone actively requests.

Inclusive catering isn’t a compliance box to tick – it’s a quality marker that families notice immediately.

7

late-night treats

Christmas Eve doesn’t end at 6pm. Bev says: “Run a midnight trolley with hot chocolate, Christmas chocolates, mince pies and pulled crackers for cosy after-hours treats.”

A cheeky late-night snack of mince pies, cheese and crackers, mini rarebits, custard and shortbread or a Baileys over ice cream is a small treat that has enormous emotional impact.

barandkitchenmagazine.com 19

9

magic moments

“Book carol singers, school choirs or small live sets and schedule evening themed suppers with singalongs,” says Bev. Pre-dinner drinks with live music, even if it’s just a pianist playing carols during canapés service, turns a meal into an event. A few minutes of atmosphere changes how the whole evening is remembered.

10

ways to win over reluctant residents

Instead of one set menu, offer a pre-order ‘buildyour-own’ format of two proteins, four sides, an indulgence, cheese and drinks.

Choice means dignity and residents in control of small things are happier and more settled.

Bev adds: “Let them build their own menu by gathering feedback from them and their families about favourite Christmases past.”

That way you can drop in moments and dishes that bring memories flooding back.

12 11

Close the meal with a proper toast – a few words with glasses raised makes the meal a moment that marks Christmas as celebrated and not just a catering necessity. The families watching will remember it until the next year’s celebrations.

seconds of silence

When you flambé the pudding or carve the turkey, do it in the dining room, not the kitchen – make it part of the ceremony. Theatre costs almost nothing and is remembered long after the event.

Bev says: “Ceremony and rituals are so important.

Welcome drinks, a toast, singing, a flaming pudding, a carving trolley or giving presents are the moments that are talked about until the next year.”

20

months of memories

Pimp sauces and spreads Salads, sandwiches and sauces can all be elevated by a touch of miso. Make it into a vinaigrette to toss through leaves or a dressing to mix into grain bowls. Stir into mayo or cream cheese as a base for butties or burgers. Blend into yogurt or houmous to make a dip. Add a spoonful into soups or stews to pack in extra flavour.

Make marinades Never have plain proteins again with miso-based marinades.

Mix the fermented paste with sweeteners like honey or brown sugar to get a balance. Add in a touch of chilli, soy sauce, ginger or lime zest for extra spice, freshness and zing.

Then let your chicken, fish, pork or tofu marinate in the sauce for between half an hour and overnight.

Miso is packed full of umami and a staple of Asian dishes. It’s also costly, so make the most of it with these hacks

Use it as seasoning Yellow, white or red miso all offer strong savoury flavour, making them a great alternative to salt. Mix a small amount into butter to create a compound that can be used to add extra punch to a range of dishes. Use it to top corn on the cob, steak or baked potatoes. Mix it through root vegetables or greens before roasting or after steaming.

Bakes full of taste For that irresistible salty-sweet combo, use a touch of miso in your bakes. Chocolate or caramel-based desserts can all have their flavour enhanced by adding a teaspoonful of the paste.

Add it into the butter and sugar mix of brownies, cakes or cookies to enhance their overall sweetness and keep diners coming back for more. barandkitchenmagazine.com 21

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“ WE’VE INVENTED OUR OWN CUISINE” The playschool pals pushing premium prices and innovation from a drive-thru Kami Hussain was handling sales and marketing for a deep-tech data analytics business in London when a work trip to Japan changed his life

The university graduate had been sent to the Far East to learn how his firm’s collision prediction technology could be added to car software to prevent road accidents.

Instead he returned with a notebook of recipes for purple Japanese sweet potato crème brûlée, spicy botanical cola and karaage fried chicken.

A year on and he’s turning his passion for creative food into reality with a

Japanese and South Asian fusion menu he believes is unique in the UK. He and business partner Sam Hussain, childhood friends from nursery school, are starting small with a truck at a drive-thru food park close to home in their native Birmingham.

“Sam loves chatting to customers and giving a great experience, while I’m the more business and product-minded one,” says Kami.

barandkitchenmagazine.com 23

FROM BANTER TO BRAND

The 29-year-old pair, decided on the venture after a boxing session at the gym, but it had been bubbling away in their minds since leaving secondary school.

After seven years in London, Kami’s business experience and Sam’s background in hospitality at his parents’ fish and chip shops in the city finally combined to form the Rangutan brand.

“It started as banter. We’re best mates. He’s a lot bigger than me and like a big primate so I was always calling him names – so the brand came from the endearing orangutan,” explains Kami.

STACK YOUR SELLING POINTS

“We get along well and the timing felt right, but we wanted to start small and lay down strong foundations. The best, most sensible way to do that is to stack up your unique selling points.”

It wasn’t always like that. The pair originally wanted to sell Japanese-inspired jacket potatoes, but another vendor at the Tyseley venue was already selling spuds.

That forced Kami to come up with something that hadn’t been tried before. “We essentially invented our own cuisine, but the menu never stands still,” he says.

“We believe that people remember how you made them feel”

24

TEST, FINESSE AND REPLACE

He adds: “We’re always testing, finessing and replacing the menu so customers are surprised and delighted by new dishes and ideas. A big part of the creative fun of being innovative is seeing the smiles on customers’ faces as they try something new.”

Rangutan’s small but increasingly popular menu is updated each quarter, with signature creations including chicken tikka sushi, masala fish onigiri and a range of original fusion dishes… all developed entirely in-house.

GET THINGS WRONG AND LEARN

In the first year Kami and Sam developed and produced items that didn’t make the menu, but Kami insists: “I like experimenting and getting things wrong because good usually comes from it.”

A summer creating a rectangular Japanese rice ball with seaweed and mango on top with a coconut purée proved too hard to make in the heat. A winter trial of a mango sushi led to a mango sticky rice – a closer link to the founders’ South Asian cultural roots.

Kami says: “Essentially we’re self-cannibalising our own menu to stay ahead and get things right. Even if people copy us, they can’t copy our creativity so we’ll always be one step ahead.”

MAKE PREMIUM PRICING WORK

In an industry where success often depends on selling high volumes at low prices, Kami is proudly and defiantly taking the exact opposite approach.

“We have indoor and outdoor seating areas where people can eat, but the drive-thru concept means you’re at the mercy of elements including the weather, so footfall can be unpredictable,” he says.

“We’ve gone for a model of high-quality ingredients and good value in terms of portion size, at a price that’s slightly more premium because people don’t mind paying a little more if they are guaranteed quality and originality.”

It works. On a good night they take 60 orders – around 15% online – in just a few short evening hours, with some customers spending up to £80 for Rangutan’s starters, mains, drinks and desserts for the whole family.

Kami adds: “Customers willing to pay a premium make decisions quicker and they’re more likely to buy our drinks and desserts.

We won’t compromise on high-quality ingredients and that brings people back to you.

“There’s also the fact that if your prices are higher you don’t need large numbers of customers to make the business work, as long as the quality is consistent.”

HAVE FUN WITH YOUR CUSTOMERS

Although it’s a tight squeeze in the truck, chef and “charmer” Sam always has a smile and warm greeting for customers.

“We love engaging with them and having fun. It’s part of the experience and one more thing on top of the consistently great food and beautiful presentation that keeps you in their thoughts,” he says.

“We want people to come back because of the experience. The food has to be amazing – that’s a given – but we believe that people also remember how you made them feel.”

barandkitchenmagazine.com 25

SERVICE IS EVERYTHING

Kami agrees: “We’ve all had experiences where you go to a place and the food’s amazing but the service is horrible, where you wait ages or disinterested staff are rude or just don’t care. You never go back. But if the food is good and the service amazing, you want to return and support them.”

That focus has helped Rangutan grow a loyal following fast, as well as attracting attention from event organisers and food parks around the Midlands.

Many fans of the Japanese sushi meets Indian fusion – Kami is Bengali and Sam Pakistani – travel from as far afield as 30 miles for their takeaway treat.

Kami says: “Within six months of starting we had people asking if they could set up a franchise, but we are taking steady steps and growing slowly until we’re ready to skyrocket.”

“It’s important to test, measure and improve. That’s how you know you’re building something people genuinely want… or don’t”

26

BAD FEEDBACK IS GOOD

The key to that will lie in the measurable feedback the pair seek from customers about new dishes. “It’s important to test, measure and improve. That’s how you know you’re building something people genuinely want… or don’t,” Kami adds.

It’s an approach that has played a major part in the launch of Rangutan’s own-brand Kola, which saw the firm’s drinks sales double within months.

During his Japanese adventure Kami discovered a variation of the old traditional Kola syrup and decided to import it to recreate the distinctive flavour on his stand.

The launch saw the duo making fresh Kola in front of customers, but sky-high shipping costs meant it was a loss-maker despite customer fervour. “That changed when my sister said ‘why don’t you make your own?’

Today we hand mix branded Kami Kola syrup with 14 herbs and spices, and the margins are good.”

DOUBLE UP ON DRINKS

“Now people come not just for the unique food but also the fancy drink you can’t get anywhere else. That’s what gives us another edge over other outlets.”

That shift towards brand recognition is a deliberate first step towards extending Rangutan products into retail – with sauces, spice blends and seasonings their next target.

Sam explains: “Originally we were simply using ready-made marinades and pastes and generic sauces, but then we decided to go all in on homemade and quality so we made our own.

“We have a lot of goals around making everything in-house and going forward we want to make our kewpie and tartare sauces ourselves – but better.”

GROW CAREFULLY

Despite the invitations to spread their wings, Rangutan’s owners are taking a measured approach, with Kami’s data-driven, conservative strategy dictating the pace of change.

“Our business has been entirely self-funded, with no loans or outside investment so rather than chasing rapid expansion, we want to make sure every part of the operation is refined before scaling,” he says. “We’re patient. We’d rather evolve steadily, prove the model works and then accelerate once we’ve got most things right.”

FLEX YOUR MENU

“We have a lot of goals around making everything in-house, and going forward we want to make our kewpie and tartare sauces ourselves – but better”

They have even designed the menu in easily changeable blocks so certain dishes can be adapted for faster moving events.

“It’s all part of the testing because we don’t want to get to a big festival with a bigger trailer and find the menu is too complex to keep the queues moving. We want to get it right,” adds Sam. That patience, combined with relentless creativity and a commitment to quality, is what gives the two long-standing friends confidence for the future.

Both admit they are still learning from mistakes and successes, but Kami confidently predicts: “Once everything clicks into place, we’ll be unstoppable.”

Say hello at rangutan.co.uk or rangutan.super on Instagram

barandkitchenmagazine.com 27

In search of ‘The Yums’ School Chef of the Year Erin Ward dedicated the award to her late father – her biggest cheerleader who always urged her to push herself.

Despite shyness and a serious kitchen injury, the Chef Manager at Holmer Green school in High Wycombe has followed his advice to the letter boundaries and showed me how I thrive under pressure or in the face of a challenge. The buzz of fast-paced service and fixing things when they go wrong is quite addictive.

But my resolve was tested when an unbolted oven fell on me, leaving me with a disc injury and burns. It forced me into a fixed site role and the company I’m with now, so every cloud.

I’m now completing a Level 5 coaching apprenticeship and sitting on the judging panel for the next School Chef of the Year Awards as well as all the administrative work.

How would you describe your cooking style?

Where did your passion for food begin?

My first kitchen was a Fisher-Price plastic one in my Wendy house, where I spent hours pretending to be Delia Smith.

My mum gave me pastry scraps to make jam tarts, and when I was doing A-levels to be a biochemist I had jobs on a supermarket meat and fish counter and peeling potatoes and carrots in a pub for pocket money.

What drew you to the career?

For 21 years it’s been the pace, camaraderie and deadlines. I’ve always loved giving people ‘the yums’ because food should be fun. There’s nothing better than watching someone put something in their face and then have a huge smile.

How did your father inspire you?

We lost him suddenly in 2022. It made me think I should try the stuff that terrifies me because you don’t know how long you’ve got – he’d have been so proud of me for just trying.

How did you get into professional cooking?

After my A-levels I did an apprenticeship at Westminster Kingsway College and from there moved to a Michelin Bib Gourmand restaurant in Windsor. The chef there believed in seasonal produce and minimal things on a plate. He taught us to butcher our own cows, buy in whole sheep and work with lobsters and fish. He taught me to respect the ingredients.

Were you made for the job?

No. It was more a gradual building of confidence. At first, I was exceedingly shy and didn’t like talking to people or going out of my comfort zone. But the kitchen helps push all those

28

I’m led by my imagination and my heart. If I think of a dish, I have to follow it all the way through. I recently went to an innovation day where I produced an entirely lentil-based mille-feuille – ganache, cracker and all – that’s entirely sweet.

I don’t like overcomplicating stuff. Simple is best as long as it’s seasonal, unfussy and imaginative.

What drives your approach to food?

Feeding 1,300 11 to 18 year-old pupils daily means the weekly rhythm is important and includes favourites on Monday and Tuesday – Bang Bang Chicken, Mexican Beef Lasagne – roasts on Wednesday, Thursday curries or Chinese and fish and chips on Fridays.

Beyond the main courses there’s street food-inspired buildyour-own ranges, a vegan offer and a salad bar. When the children come in and ask what’s on the menu before lunch, you know you’re doing something right.

What ingredients can’t you live without?

Weirdly, limes. You can use them savoury, sweet, just to season a tomato. Potatoes come a close second but that might be the Irish in me.

Is it tough financially in a school kitchen?

Definitely. Having to keep up with rising expectations on a tight budget means we must think creatively. We have a free school meal price of £2.85, which covers a meal deal main course and a dessert which all have 50% fruit content for nutritional balance.

Variety is key so we offer multiple ranges alongside the main course so there’s something for everyone at the lower price point.

The street food-inspired build-your-own Mac My Day, Caribbean Kitchen, Kebab Shack are also at free school meal cost, so children have more options at the cheaper end that are still filling and nutritious.

What’s your guilty pleasure?

What drives you on every morning?

My comfort after a post-work night out is tinned hot dogs cut up into tinned macaroni cheese… it’s got to be tinned, I don’t know why. Another go-to is a cheat katsu of pre-breaded chicken with a quick sauce of coconut milk, curry powder and peanut butter. And then there’s the one I blurted out on stage after I won my award which I immediately regretted – sausages with tuna mayonnaise as a garnish.

Knowing that for some of the children it’s their only daily meal so they need it not just to grow, but to learn.

I’m passionate about wanting to feed students better, nutritious food to make governments realise it’s incredibly important. I’d love it if the children we feed one day look back on the school dinners we’re cooking, with nostalgia and affection. That would be a great legacy.

Take your business to the next level Get ahead at barandkitchenmagazine.com

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30 16

Dan Crowther’s description of the cocktail-making art is a nod to his passion for the history, culture and craft of mixology A leading mover and shaker in the industry for 21 years, the former pub barman, bar owner, brand ambassador and now Managing Director of Hedonist food and drink agency, shares his

predictions for this autumn’s top tipples, as sultry summer nights slide away and customers’ habits change. Read Dan’s tips to drive your drinks margins as winter approaches.

barandkitchenmagazine.com 31

N M U T U A

Y M E H C AL

The transition: make it a hard turn

Redefining old favourites

Mouthfeel and texture: new thinking

Jazzing it up

Never overthink the seasonal change. Make it bold, make it a moment and make it delicious. A clear start point for a new menu is whether it’s operationally efficient and you can make it work for you. Shout about the menu change and keep people coming back.

Summer drinks traditionally lean towards lighter, more refreshing textures – lots of liquid in long stembased glasses, with carbonation delivering that crisp, thirst-quenching sensation.

Winter is the time for richer, more warming textures, using elements like coffee, cold foams, dairy, thicker syrups and velvety mouthfeels to create a more indulgent drinking experience.

Nitrous oxide has been established in craft cocktail bars as a premium beverage technique which is now becoming more accessible across different channels.

We’re also moving into an era of the ‘architectured serve’ where temperature, texture, garnish and ritual matter as much as the liquid itself.

Taking a drink everyone knows and creating a version so memorable that a customer who’s ordered five Espresso Martinis on a night out still remembers yours specifically is invaluable.

Use it as a hook to drive footfall, encourage food pairings and build word-of-mouth no ad spend can replicate. A signature riff on a classic is one of the most commercially powerful tools any venue has.

The Espresso Martini shows no sign of losing its title as autumn and winter cocktail star, but ambitious venues will use the traditional base of vodka, espresso and coffee liqueur as a canvas.

Consider: • A maretto for warmth and marzipan depth; hazelnut liqueur with a Ferrero Rocher garnish (we called ours the Headmistress, and it became a venue signature) • Pumpkin spice executed with care; cinnamon and cardamom stirred into the base spirit • Salted caramel to bridge summer sweetness and winter warmth.

Seizing cultural moments

The Aperol Spritz didn’t become a phenomenon through superior flavour science – it captured a moment, a feeling and a season.

Base your next big drink on a cultural moment.

Keep it simple, comfortable and scalable – the biggest cocktails in the world are almost always the simplest.

Swicy: the hottest new trend FOR RECIPE

SCAN HERE

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The sweet-heat combination has been building in food for years and is arriving in cocktails this autumn. Something combining spice and sweet – hot honey, spiced apple – will be big.

It satisfies the craving for warmth without the heaviness of a purely spirit-forward drink, and the theatre of a visible chilli garnish, smoked rim or honey drizzle drives social media shares.

Try the Mango Picante cocktail (left) or a hot honey bourbon sour where the heat blooms slowly through the sweetness.

FOR RECIPE

Umami

SCAN HERE

Venues that embrace the savoury fifth taste will be ahead of the curve. Umami’s flavour profile – featured in Pep-Soy (right), a cognac, curry and miso-Pepsi caramel cocktail – suits indoor environments, darker evenings and slow drinking occasions – think pickles, vinaigrettes and bitter notes with aged spirits.

Botanical and functional

Rosemary, pine and thyme will find their way into spirit-forward serves this autumn. We’re also seeing functionality emerge in the shape of collagen and tea elements with positive health factors, particularly in the premium non-alcoholic space.

”It’s NOT a mocktail“

Mock is a negative word and the name matters commercially.

Creating a great cocktail with or without alcohol involves the same thought process, craft and dedication. Older generations still link value to alcohol content, but millennials and Gen Z are moving firmly towards the non-alcoholic space.

In five to ten years’ time, when those consumers have greater disposable income they’ll be looking for non-alcoholic moments. Venues that are not taking this seriously now are building for the wrong future customer.

Become a drinks architect

Beyond the liquid itself, four elements determine whether a drink truly succeeds: • Garnish – engages the senses before the first sip • Glass changes the experience completely – summer’s long stems give way to shorter, heavier autumn glassware • Ice is underestimated – it preserves balance, creates texture, elevates presentation • R itual – is there a reason to watch this drink being made? The ritual is the theatre, and the theatre is the price justification.

FOR RECIPE

Orange and Passion Fruit Whip Serves: 1 Skill rating: MEDIUM

Ingredients

SCAN HERE

• 1 tin coconut cream • 1 scoop of Kiwi Boba Balls and lime zest, to garnish • 1 J20 Orange & Passion Fruit • Optional: white rum

Method

• Add coconut cream to a whipper.

• Charge whipper with nitrous oxide (N2O).

Shake for 20 secs. Store in the fridge.

• To serve: fill a highball glass with ice and add the Kiwi Boba Balls. Shake J20 Orange & Passion Fruit, open and pour into glass.

• Add coconut cream. Garnish with lime zest.

barandkitchenmagazine.com 33

STOCK THE UK’S #1 SYRUP BRAND

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Source: Nielsen, MAT 25th January 2025, Volume. Syrup = Golden Syrup, Treacle, Dessert Syrups, Maple Syrup, Coffee Syrup.

Q

&A

Tips for quality texture-modified dishes Ilona Tomza, Development Chef for Porthaven Care Homes and NACC Care Chef of the Year 2025, shares her advice on creating top-notch meals for those with specific needs Tell us a little bit about your career Winning the NACC Care Chef of the Year in 2025 was a great experience for me. Not only did I meet fantastic people, but it opened up lots of doors.

Now I’m working as a development chef alongside my role as Head Chef at the Cotswold Gate Care Home. This involves working with universities on research, running training and encouraging students to consider a career in care catering.

What is your main focus with texture-modified diets?

We’re always trying to achieve a great standard of food.

At the end of the day it’s still food. You want residents to have the same dining experience, just with modified options.

I want to remove the stigma of it being ‘pointless’ because these are the most important meals. Chefs must step into residents' shoes and not treat these meals as an afterthought.

There’s beauty in delivering something that’s challenging.

What is your signature modified dish?

Christmas pudding. I create a syrup by reducing prune juice and spices down. Then I modify it with a light chocolate cake soaked in brandy. It’s then finished with a Chantilly cream.

It’s all prepped in oiled moulds, meaning it gets the classic

pudding ‘sheen’ and can be frozen in advance. The brandy gives a celebratory feel and means it can even be flamed for a little theatre if needed.

What would be your top tips for chefs?

Do your prep. If you have one or two chefs serving 65 residents with different requirements including modified diets, doing things last minute benefits no one. If you’re peeling and prepping carrots for mains a day before, modify them then so you can focus on the important elements in service.

Is presentation important?

Yes, but if you’re not confident with piping, use moulds or chef’s rings or even a neat spoon.

Have respect for the resident and the food and don’t just slop the meal onto the plate. Think about the colours and patterns – if it looks like a dessert but it's a main course, it won’t feel right and is less likely to be eaten.

Most chefs can nail texture-modified mains now so put focus and effort into other dishes like desserts and packed lunches.

I always have a few base ingredients ready to modify if needed.

For example cooked beetroot, goat's cheese and smooth Brussels pâté for a ‘salad’.

barandkitchenmagazine.com 35

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LIFT PROFITS THIS AUTUMN

Make the most of this season’s special occasions at your quick serve venue The three months in the run-up to Christmas often feel unpredictable as customers slide back into their routines after the fun and sun of summer.

Changing weather, shorter days, rising wages and energy and food costs make balancing your books difficult, while tighter household budgets can have an even greater impact on footfall and demand.

That’s why the season’s big occasions such as Halloween, Bonfire Night and Diwali are perfect opportunities for quick service restaurants to maximise profits – if they get the preparations nailed on.

From putting on the right specials to putting slick operations in place, turn the page for some warming autumn tips that will boost demand and profits.

barandkitchenmagazine.com 37

MWAH HA HA HALLOWEEN 31 OCT

Spooky season is loved by little and big kids alike. The key to getting your specials spot on is to be playful with your flavours and presentation. Embrace the odd-looking, with black burger buns, purple milkshakes and ghostly cupcakes.

Also don’t forget that it’s trick-or-treat season, so anything sweet will be popular. Add pumpkin or caramel flavours to your drinks menu. Turn biscuits and cakes into monsters, mummies and Mexican masks (it’s Day of the Dead from 1 to 2 November). Extra treats like stickers, toys or prize draws can all tempt purchases too.

FOR RECIPE

Halloween Ghost Cupcakes

SCAN HERE

Serves: 10 Skill rating: EASY

Ingredients

For the cupcakes • 125g plain flour • 1 tsp baking powder • 40g cocoa powder • 100g unsalted butter, softened • 150g Tate & Lyle Fairtrade Pure Cane Caster Sugar • 1 large egg • 165g natural yogurt • 2 tbsp milk

75%

of shoppers forked out on Halloween related food and drink (Global Data)

38

For the meringue ghosts • 2 large egg whites • 120g Tate & Lyle Fairtrade Pure Cane Caster Sugar • Black food gel or eyes for decoration

Method

1. To make the cupcakes, preheat the oven to 180C. Line a 10-cup muffin tray. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and cocoa powder.

2. Cream the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy. Add the egg, then the yogurt and whisk. Fold in the dry ingredients and the milk until just combined.

3. Divide the mixture between the muffin cups and bake for 20-25 mins. Leave to cool completely.

4. To make the meringues, heat the oven to 120C. Line two baking sheets with non-stick paper.

5. Whisk the egg whites into stiff peaks. Add the sugar a tablespoon at a time until it’s incorporated. Put the mixture into a piping bag with a round nozzle.

6. Pipe meringue ghosts onto the baking sheet so they’re around 5cm wide and 4-5cm high. Pull the piping bag away gently to create a peak. Reserve some mixture for assembly.

7. Bake the meringues for 90 mins until they’re crisp.

Allow them to cool completely before gluing on the eyes and using them to top your cupcakes.

BANGING BONFIRE NIGHT 5 NOV

Bonfire Night sees most customers choose one of two options: either head out and enjoy the fireworks with something quick, hot and delicious – or stay in with a tasty delivery.

The weather forecast and number of events nearby will play a key part in what they decide to do – so you need to be ready for both.

Whether you’re working at an on-site pop-up or your venue is close to an event, create high-volume specials that are easy to prep ahead and can be served quickly – fancy sandwiches, fries and soups are perfect. Having premium sauces and toppings available means they can personalise dishes to their taste too.

Run checks ahead of the night so you know your delivery and takeaway processes will run smoothly, even if demand soars. That way, you’ll definitely be ready for whatever your customers decide to do.

FOR RECIPE

SCAN HERE

Vegan Nut Roast Toastie Serves: 10 Skill rating: EASY

Ingredients

Method

For the nut roast 1. To make the nut roast, blend all the nuts together into a coarse crumb. Add in the • 100g walnuts rest of the nut roast ingredients and mix well. Roll into a large cylinder. Cover it • 100g almonds with baking parchment and foil. Bake in the oven at 170C for 30 mins. Leave to • 100g cashew cool before slicing.

• 100g chestnuts 2. To make the red onion marmalade, cook the red onions in the olive oil over a low • 400g white breadcrumbs heat until soft and lightly browned. Add the red wine vinegar and caster sugar.

• 400ml KNORR® Paste Vegetable Bouillon Reduce to a sticky consistency.

3. To serve, spread the vegan mayo on both sides of each sourdough loaf slice.

• 20g KNORR® Professional Garlic Puree Top one with the red onion marmalade, sliced nut roast and the vegan cheese. Top • 25g thyme with another slice and fry in a dry pan or skillet until golden brown on both sides.

For the red onion marmalade • 160ml olive oil • 900g red onions, thinly sliced • 200ml red wine vinegar • 200g caster sugar To finish and serve • 250ml Hellmann’s Vegan Mayo rise in • 250g vegan cheese, grated FOR RECIPE restaurant • 2 sourdough loaves, sliced

7.6%

delivery sales YoY in October 2025 (QSR Media)

Spiced Butternut Squash Soup

SCAN HERE

barandkitchenmagazine.com 39

DELICIOUS

DIWALI 6–10 NOV

FOR RECIPE

With the Festival of Light, the clue is very much in the name. Everyone who celebrates it wants to get together with friends and family for a big party.

That means big, sharing meals full of spice, flavour and heat, so put together premium platters of tasty delicacies that are quick to assemble and take away.

Create one-off deals for big groups where they can get free or discounted desserts or drinks when ordering special mains. Make a menu that customers can pre-order for their office or family parties.

You could even promote your gift cards so customers can offer them as a Diwali present.

SCAN HERE

Loaded Chicken Masala Fries Serves: 10 Skill rating: EASY

Ingredients

For the masala chicken • 20ml vegetable oil • 100g masala curry paste • 1.2kg chicken breasts

For the loaded fries • 1.2kg sweet potato fries • 100g grated cheddar cheese • 150g red onion, thinly sliced • 250g cucumber, diced • 500g lettuce, shredded • 50g pomegranate seeds • 100ml sweet yogurt • 150ml MAGGI® Hot & Sweet Sauce • 20g green chilli, thinly sliced • 10g fresh coriander, roughly chopped

Food and drink was the most popular retail category in Diwali 2024 (Global Data) 40

Method

1. In a large bowl, mix together the vegetable oil and masala curry paste until smooth. Add the chicken breasts and coat evenly with the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight for maximum flavour.

2. Roast the chicken for 12-15 mins, or until the internal temperature reaches 75C. Allow to rest for 5 mins before shredding into bite-sized pieces, using two forks.

3. Bake the sweet potato fries according to the manufacturer’s instructions until crisp and golden.

While still hot, scatter over the grated cheddar cheese and allow it to melt slightly.

4. Transfer the cheesy fries to a serving platter and top with the shredded masala chicken. Scatter over the sliced red onion, diced cucumber, shredded lettuce and pomegranate seeds.

5. Finish with generous drizzles of sweet yogurt and MAGGI® Hot & Sweet Sauce before garnishing with sliced green chilli and fresh coriander. Serve immediately.

Advice

THE TIP-OFF ON SERVICE CHARGES

£ New legal updates mean your team will have a bigger say in how you handle tips.

Here’s how to prepare for the changes

42

What the ‘Tipping Act’ did The Employment (Allocation of Tips) Act 2023, known as the Tipping Act, guaranteed that service charges would be passed on fairly to employees, minus the usual tax and National Insurance that apply. These rules came into effect in October 2024.

Venues like pubs and restaurants had to set out a policy or code of practice covering how tips would be shared between workers. This included establishing a system which recorded the collection and handing out of both cash and digital tips.

Tronc systems can be used to collect and guarantee the fair sharing of service charges within teams. A Troncmaster (either a worker, accountant or separate company) is in charge of running this system but employers are responsible for following the law.

What changes are coming in October 2026?

Changes set out in the Employment Rights Act 2025 add to those in the Tipping Act. So from October 2026: • Employers will need to consult workers before they make or change their tipping policy. This can be done through a trade union, elected worker reps or directly with teams.

After a consultation, employers must give an anonymised summary of any feedback • Tipping policies must be reviewed every three years.

Workers must also be consulted in this process. This is designed to ensure any policy or practice meets minimum standards of fairness and transparency • Employers who don’t run consultations will face stronger enforcement. This may include a complaint to an employment tribunal or the Fair Work Agency. Employers found not to be complying with the rules may be forced to pay compensation up to £5,000.

WHAT DO EMPLOYERS NEED TO DO? • Establish a tips system: whether it’s Tronc or not, having a platform that can help you manage your tips will save a lot of headaches and keep management transparent and fair.

• Create a ‘tips council’: get a group of colleagues together who can manage any consultations, feedback or changes to the tipping policy.

Essentially, they act as in-house reps for your team.

• Set the policies and processes: with guidance from the tips council, build your policy and processes.

Then communicate them clearly to your team so they know exactly where they stand.

63%

OF HOSPITALITY WORKERS SAY THEY NOW FEEL FAIRLY PAID (HRC)

SCAN FOR MORE INFO

barandkitchenmagazine.com 43

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34 44

The right attitude... not qualifications!

Chris Gamm, Chief Executive of Springboard

The untapped secret to your venue’s next recruitment success

Hospitality is facing a perfect storm of rising costs and tight margins – not to mention difficulties in recruiting the right staff.

But Chris Gamm, Chief Executive of Springboard, the charity set up to tackle a shortage of homegrown talent in the sector, is adamant the next wave of great hires is definitely out there.

His UK-wide team has helped tens of thousands of young, unemployed and disadvantaged recruits into training, careers education and structured work pathways.

He says: “The solution to hospitality’s recruitment crisis isn’t qualifications or experience – it’s attitude. Employers that give Springboard trainees their first opportunity are rewarded with engaged and enthusiastic team members.”

The charity’s school-based sessions, which include the FutureChef competition, takeover days and summer training courses, are just a few ways of encouraging students to see hospitality careers in a new light.

We asked Chris and Sandra Kelly, Skills Director at UKHospitality, what more could be done.

barandkitchenmagazine.com 45

Changing the job market’s view of hospitality Where are you seeing the biggest skills gaps?

There’s long been a challenge around the perception of careers in hospitality since Springboard was set up 35 years ago. Too few were seeing it as a fantastic career option and not enough home-grown talent was coming through. The sector is at a pinch point at the moment.

Are soft skills more important now?

Hospitality is a great bridge that teaches young people teamwork, communication, dealing with people, customer-facing skills, problem-solving, resilience. Our programmes give people first-hand experience of them all.

Are employers looking for new skills?

They’re now employing more for attitude than experience. They want someone with a great attitude and personality who is brilliant with team members and customers, and they can train the rest. That’s where we can help.

Spring into success What do you prioritise and why?

We train around 3,000 people a year using a tried-and-tested model and between 75% and 80% of those who complete a course get work in the hospitality industry. Around 86% are still in work after 12 months because of our focus on confidence, timekeeping, routine setting as well as the basic hospitality-specific skills.

How do you balance industry and transferable skills?

The most common course is three weeks’ training and a week’s work placement. There’s also a strong focus on mock interviews, CV writing, personal presentation and selfmarketing.

Two practical days are behind a bar learning basic food and barista skills. There’s also time for industry visits to a private members’ club, a five-star hotel or a contract catering site.

Finally it’s the work placement, guaranteed for every trainee.

How do you tailor your support to individuals?

Someone can come in who’s shy, lacking confidence or doesn’t know where they’re going. It doesn’t matter what their background is because we help them realise their potential and see they’ve got lots of skills they didn’t know they had.

We get them excited about an industry where you can go in without lots of qualifications and quickly move from minimum wage to a leadership role if they have the right attitude. We’ve seen it happen within two years.

46

Business buddying What does the partnership look like?

We work with 30 to 40 employers who fund or support our courses, host practical training days, offer industry visits, give careers talks or offer placements. We’ve also got 2,500 Springboard ambassadors who give up time to run mock interview sessions or offer structured work placements.

Last year 422 individual hospitality sites employed Springboard trainees.

How do you tailor support?

We work across 12 UK regions with high unemployment and deprivation levels, where hospitality businesses can offer opportunities for career changers or inexperienced people.

Each programme manager has a mix of national and local partners so we can ensure the right fit for each individual. We’re not just saying ‘you want to be a chef? Right, let’s go.’ Even if they don’t stay in the industry, they still learn and grow as a person.

“Apprenticeships are a fantastic way for businesses to develop future talent, combining hands-on experience with structured training from day one. When apprentices are supported with clear contracts and meaningful responsibilities, they can make a real contribution while building valuable skills.”

Sandra Kelly, Skills Director at UKHospitality

Benefits of on-the-job training What are the advantages for businesses?

We get their starters motivated and ready to go. They arrive on day one fired up with basic confidence and skills. They need time to bed in, but they value the job and it shows in the retention figures. Morale is better too, because if you go in with a foundation of knowledge, that’s the best start.

86%

still in employment after 12 months

What’s the business case for investing in talent?

We’re not just building their confidence and workplace readiness, we’re selling what’s possible through the apprenticeships, the training and the progression. They’ll be looking for that from their employer too. The trajectory can be remarkable and very fast for the right people.

What’s Springboard’s biggest challenge right now?

Plenty of people successfully finish our courses, but finding jobs for them at the end is harder. so we’re always looking for more businesses willing to offer a work placement – not necessarily a guaranteed job, just an opportunity for that individual to go through a normal recruitment process.

What does success look like?

We had a trainee who came through Future Chef at 15. She’s now overseeing the pastry section at Gleneagles, one of the best restaurants in the world. From a school cooking competition to a leadership role in a world-class venue within two years – we gave her confidence, opportunity, basic skills, and opened the door.

What would you say to a business on the fence?

Give someone a chance by investing in the next generation and the future of your business. Think differently about who you’re recruiting and you’ll get a brilliant, committed workforce who are going to work hard for you – and stick with you.

The single most powerful thing employers can do is give trainees a fair first chance – a trial shift, interview or entry-level role. Because once they’re in the door, they consistently prove they’ve got the attitude and potential to succeed.

Chasing off challenges What’s the biggest barrier for businesses?

Time. Everyone is busy at the moment so we just ask for their time to send a team member along to meet the trainees.

“The strongest programmes are well planned, with employers working closely with training providers, giving regular feedback and building protected off-the-job learning into rotas. Getting the basics right – from choosing the right standard to providing a strong induction and supportive environment – sets up apprentices to succeed.”

“Businesses that take a strategic approach to apprenticeships by setting out clear progression pathways are seeing the greatest impact, with apprentices becoming skilled, motivated and loyal members of their teams.”

Sandra Kelly

Sandra Kelly

ported 5,109ducapetioopnleinsuthpe last year

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29,300 students engage

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barandkitchenmagazine.com 47

Bar WATCH

3 to try...

Must-haves to stock behind your cocktail bar

What’s on your bar?

J ay Tozer General Manager of Three Stories in Norwich

Ouzo of Plomari Greece’s leading ouzo from Lesvos is distilled with anise, herbs and spring water – and delicious when mixed with fruit bases.

Luxardo Cherries With a 98% positive review rate these are the perfect garnish, while their syrup adds rich sweetness to cocktails.

Sūpāsawā Pour and mix for perfectly balanced citrus, the Belgian sour mixer lasts a year ready to be mixed into batch, shaken or stirred cocktails.

Gourmet crisp brand Pipers has partnered with familyrun Somerset cheesemaker Wyke Farms for a rich, traditionally matured flavour in their new Cheddar & Onion bags.

Your tip for Christmas?

Embrace the chaos and believe in your team. It can be hard physically and mentally, so you want people to be there for one another and to have a good time. That way, the customers are going to feel welcome and have a better experience.

Serves: 1 Skill rating: EASY

Ingredients

• 40ml Koch Espadin Mezcal • 20ml Humo Chile Chipotle • 35ml Sūpāsawā • 15ml Jalapeño Shrub

Put all the ingredients into a shaker, shake and stir. Dip the rim of a tumbler into tajin seasoning.

Pour in the cocktail. Garnish with a chilli pepper and a lemon slice.

48

Bestselling alcoholic drinks?

Jubel and Lonkero. People love the easy drinking, fruity taste.

Our bestselling cocktails are the Tommy’s Margarita and frozen cocktails.

Bestselling soft drinks?

Any of our Franklin range, especially the Raspberry Lemonade. It’s an easy drink for any time of day.

Spicy Margarita

Method

“Our three floors have three different bars, each offering something different, including live music, a quieter coffee lounge and a TV terrace”

FOR RECIPE

SCAN HERE

Your biggest service tip?

Go the extra mile so customers get an experience they tell their friends about.

One customer wanted a non-alcoholic Piña Colada, so we ran out for coconut milk to make them something unique.

Put monster in the mix.

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say they like to drink Energy Drinks in pubs and bars.2

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of those drinkers want Monster available in their local pubs and bars.3

To hear more just visit salessupercharged.co.uk by scanning the QR code now.

46%

of pub and bar customers enjoy their Energy Drink as a soft drink.4

SALES

SUPERCHARGED .CO.UK ©2026 Monster Energy Company. All rights reserved. MONSTER ENERGY®, ®, MONSTER ENERGY ULTRA® are all registered trademarks of Monster Energy Company. Sources: 1. Nielsen IQ, Total GB Market, Energy £ Value Sales % chg. YoY, MAT 16.05.26 2. One Pulse Survey, Q: do you drink Energy Drinks in Pubs and Bars? 501 GB respondents June 2026. 3. One Pulse Survey, Q: Would you like to see more Monster Energy Drinks available in Pubs & Bars? 270 GB respondents June 2026. 4. One Pulse Survey, Q: If you were going to have an Energy Drink at a Pub/Bar, how would you drink it? 270 GB respondents June 2026.

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50

For more information on products & inspirational recipes, scan the QR code.

FIELD TO SPOON… TO YOUR KITCHEN Twenty-eight miles: that's the average distance a sugar beet travels from a British field to a Silver Spoon factory.

Meet the business that’s been keeping it local for more than a century barandkitchenmagazine.com 51

M

. . . m m

Walk into almost any commercial or home kitchen and you’re likely to find a product steeped in history that celebrates the very best of Britain.

British Sugar’s factories – joined in 1972 by Silver Spoon and both now part of Associated British Foods – have shaped the nation’s food culture for more than a century.

Behind the familiar blue and white packaging lies a story of remarkable agricultural heritage, genuine sustainability credentials and a supply chain that’s as local as it gets.

52

A CENTURY IN THE MAKING The industry’s roots stretch back to the first beet sugar factory in Norfolk in 1912 and have emerged stronger despite sweeping agricultural change and the constantly evolving pressures of a modern food system.

Today, sugar beet is grown across East Anglia, the East Midlands and Yorkshire by around 2,000 dedicated growers.

It’s a crop that plays a vital role in the rural economy and is an important part of arable crop rotation, helping to break pest and disease cycles while supporting soil health.

British Sugar is the sole processor of UK-grown sugar beet, which has helped Silver Spoon build its reputation for consistently high-quality sugar.

Around eight million tonnes of sugar beet is grown each year in the UK, producing up to 1.2 million tonnes of sugar, making Britain a genuine world leader in sugar manufacturing.

FIELD TO SPOON Silver Spoon’s Field to Spoon programme – a direct expression of its commitment to local, traceable sourcing – lies at the heart of its success.

On average, sugar beet travels just 28 miles from field to factory… a remarkably short journey for a core food ingredient and one that celebrates a great British product, grown and made in Britain.

Every pack of Silver Spoon sugar carries Red Tractor assurance at every stage from farm to pack, giving buyers and consumers confidence in how the product has been grown, processed and packed.

Field to Spoon is now widely regarded as the backbone of a supply chain that supports British farmers, sustains rural communities and ensures a level of traceability that is difficult to match in a globally sourced commodity market.

BROAD AND TRUSTED The firm’s product range is built to meet the needs of both domestic and professional users, and spans granulated and caster sugars, icing sugar, cube sugar and specialist baking products.

The wide variety of sugar products is designed to match every application, and all are produced to the highest standards of quality and consistency every day.

Both attributes are vital to making the company’s caster sugar the ‘go-to’ ingredient in some of the UK’s finest bakeries due to its fine crystals that deliver reliable results, a fluffier crumb and more even texture.

Alongside the Silver Spoon range, the Billington’s brand offers a complementary range of unrefined Mauritian cane sugars which are prized for their distinctive flavour and colour.

barandkitchenmagazine.com 53

ZERO HEROES One of the most compelling aspects of the Silver Spoon story is what happens during sugar production and the benefits it brings beyond the farmers’ fields.

Sugar beet is made up of around 75% water, which is captured and reused in the manufacturing process itself. But the commitment to minimising waste goes far beyond that.

A wide range of co-products is created as part of the manufacturing process at the British Sugar factories.

Topsoil and aggregate are recovered, pulp is processed into animal feed, bioethanol is produced for use in E10 fuel and electricity generated on site is exported to the National Grid.

Almost nothing is wasted thanks to a closed-loop production approach and philosophy of near-total resource use central to Silver Spoon and British Sugar’s sustainability credentials.

54

The customer supply site located next to the Bury St Edmunds sugar factory has seen major capital investment in efficiency improvements, carbon and water reduction and the elimination of single-use plastics.

ROYAL SEAL OF APPROVAL The firm’s focus on carbon reduction, from field to factory to fleet, reflects a long-term commitment to reducing the environmental footprint of the business across every stage of its operation.

It’s a commitment which only a brand that’s earned the trust of consumers, professional chefs and royalty built on the strongest foundations, a close-knit British growers’ network and world-class processing facilities, could realise.

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barandkitchenmagazine.com 55

E V E T S BE

S I R H C 56

ER

S A M T S th the i w s t fi o our pr y e s i m i x igence a l l m e t o n t I e a r Prepa Lumin m o r f s t igh ig day b e h latest ins t o t tdown n u o c a d an

s e n i l e m i t d n a s d Tren Go classic (with a twist)

Think texture and temperature

Comfort and nostalgia dominated Christmas menus in 2025. But that doesn’t mean customers want the ‘same old, same old’. Classics with a twist and festive fusions are a great way to showcase the influences of global flavour, as well as your menu’s quality, value and creativity.

Why not add some chai spices to your mince pies, add some cranberry or blackcurrant jam to your gravy, or switch up the classic Christmas pud for a chocolate orange variety?

Looking ahead, the Lumina Intelligence team expects customers to look for more texture and temperature contrasts. This is a great way to add depth and sensory appeal to dishes. One example is the growing popularity of variations on French toast. This dish combines a soft interior with a crisp exterior, and is likely to appear across festive brunch and dessert menus. Similarly, a Christmas Dinner Pie combines all the flavours a customer would expect, but switches up the standard textures.

Christmas countdown

Sept Plan

Oct

Promote

Nov Prep

Dec Deliver

Jan

Review

barandkitchenmagazine.com 57

58

FOR RECIPE

Indulgent treats

SCAN HERE

Well, it is Christmas after all! December is a month full of delights, with desserts and hot drinks coming top of the menu. This means layered flavours and textures, plus some crossover from summer beverage and dessert trends. Premium ice cream, soft-serve and cold foam will feature alongside warm, nostalgic puddings and seasonal desserts to create elevated hot-and-cold experiences. Just like with this Mulled Winter Pavlova.

Mulled Winter Pavlova Serves: 10 Skill rating: MEDIUM

Ingredients

Method 1.

• 50g Bird’s Custard Powder • 250g sugar • 400ml milk • 200ml double cream • 500ml red wine • 2 cinnamon sticks • 2 star anise • 500g mixed fruits (plums, pears, figs) • 10 meringue nests

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

Mix the Bird’s Custard Powder with 50g sugar and 50ml milk to form a paste. Bring the rest of the milk to the boil, then add the paste and whisk, stirring for 2 min as it thickens. Then leave to cool fully.

Whip cream then fold into the cold custard, store in the fridge until needed.

Place the red wine in a pan, add 200g sugar and the cinnamon sticks and star anise.

Bring to a simmer.

Add the mixed fruits and poach for 15 mins or until tender. Then leave them in the syrup to cool.

When the fruit is cool, remove, then reduce the poaching liquid.

Spoon the custard cream onto the meringue nests, slice the fruit and top.

Drizzle with the mulled wine reduction.

‘Christmas special’ burgers were big last year, so add festive touches to your standard menu items or elevate them with premium ingredients such as truffle and speciality cheeses.

Having go-to ingredients in your pantry makes this easier. This includes MAGGI® Truffle Flavour Seasoning, which you can sprinkle over fries, season your roasties or use in a festive mac and cheese (turn to page 60).

Run premium specials

Festive growth Burgers

Pizza

Pasta

+1.5%pt

+0.9%pt

+0.7%pt

Dish share YoY

Dish share YoY

Dish share YoY

barandkitchenmagazine.com 59

FOR RECIPE

Chocolate Orange Christmas Pudding

SCAN HERE

Serves: 8 Skill rating: MEDIUM

Ingredients

Method 1.

• 175g butter, softened • 175g Tate & Lyle Pure Cane Dark Brown Soft Sugar • 3 eggs • 60ml crème fraîche • 2 oranges, zested • 175g plain flour • 50g cocoa • 2 tsp baking powder • ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda • 2 tbsp milk, optional

Butter and line a 1L pudding basin. Cut out a rectangle of baking parchment and foil. Fold with a large crease in the centre of each, set aside. Get a saucepan large enough to fit in your pudding basin and use it to bring about 10cm of water to the boil.

2. Cream together the butter and sugar until pale and creamy. Crack the eggs into a separate bowl and beat in with the crème fraîche and orange zest.

Combine both mixtures and beat.

3. Sift in the dry ingredients and add the milk if the mixture seems stiff.

4. Spoon into the pudding basin, level off and cover with the baking paper and foil. Pop into the pan, make sure the water comes up two-thirds of the side.

Cover and bring to the boil. Simmer for 2 hours.

FOR RECIPE

Truffle Mac and Cheese SCAN HERE

Serves: 10 Skill rating: EASY

Ingredients

• 1.5L water • 600g cavatappi or macaroni pasta • 195g MAGGI® Béchamel Sauce • 300g mature cheddar, grated • 20g MAGGI® Truffle Flavour Seasoning • 150g fresh breadcrumbs • 10ml olive oil • 20g flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

60

Method 1.

Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil and cook the pasta in it until al dente.

2. Heat up the béchamel sauce and water gently in a saucepan. Stir in the grated cheddar and truffle seasoning. Remove from the heat.

3. Toss the cooked pasta through the sauce until coated, then put in an ovenproof dish.

4. Mix the breadcrumbs with the oil and toast in the oven till golden. Stir in the chopped parsley. Sprinkle the mixture over the pasta and grill until crisp and golden.

e v i t s e f top p e r p Steps to

dy, a e r l a t ’ n ve If you ha to… d e e n u gins o y their mar enus and

e t your m g softwar in k o o b • Work ou r and email you ls n e ia p c o o s d n ia ions v edules • Set up a d promot livery sch ir e d -b d ly n r a a e s rder • Start supplier o e busy season r u o y in k • Loc ility for th b a il a v a ff • Get sta

Septem

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your • Push ions hard ot m o r p nd rotas a e staff aps s li a in g • F fill any hire to o ining s taff tra • Run s e’s prepared n everyo

October November

• Collect pre-orders (including any dietary requirements) and deposits for bookings

• Get your bar stocked up for the December rush

• Stock up on non-food items, e.g. napkins and decorations

• Start any food prep you can freeze or store • Run smaller ‘warm-up ’ events to polish your service

• Decorate and prep table settings

January • Run a deep clean and restock • Debrief your team • Run through customer feedback

December

• Confirm all orders and finalise delivery dates un final kitchen and •R front-of-house prep, like up stock checks and set • Add in special or surprise touches for customers and staff barandkitchenmagazine.com 61

WI N

om A £ ot 50 ey A ou M rb A us ZO ine N ss GI in FT th e n CA ex RD te dit ion pr

Competition

#feedyoureyes

Want to get yourself, your venue and your kitchen craft known to thousands of Bar & Kitchen readers around the UK? Let us know your best starter, main or dessert and the winners get a £50 Amazon gift card… and a big shout out in the next issue

Winner

Winner

Winner

Torched Mackerel, Heritage Tomato & Courgette Salad, Pickled Carrot, Tomato Ponzu

Didworth Mutton Loin, Black Pudding & Potato Soil, Broad Beans, Wild Garlic Capers, Honeysuckle and Hedgerow Herbs

Dark Chocolate Délice, Roasted Rum & Green Peppercorn Pineapple, Caramac Soil, Salted Caramel Ice Cream, Tuile and Tonka Bean Meringue

“The inspiration behind this dish was just letting my creativity and imagination with certain flavours come alive. That’s the enjoyment and satisfaction of being a chef and being able to cook on the spot”

“Inspired by local mutton and the farm it came from, this is based on the fields they graze, with the black pudding and potato soil, broad beans and foraged flowers representing the grassland and hedgerow”

“The rich, velvety dark chocolate délice centrepiece is balanced by sweet and spicy tropical tones, layers of sweet caramel and tropical spice to create a smoky darkness elevated by textures and aromas”

Nick Bailey

Mark Fice

Bjørn Moen

@chef_nicholasbailey Head Chef, Edge Noko, Suffolk

@m4rkf1ce Head Chef, Rattery Church House Inn, South Brent

@bjornmoenchefproject Private Chef, Bude, Cornwall

Starter

Sponsored by:

How to enter 62

Main

Dessert

Sponsored by:

To be in with a chance of winning, post a photo of your best dish on X or Instagram, and tag #FeedYourEyes and @barkitchenmag

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