Author: angela

A chef is aiming to put Carlisle on the food and drink map.

Chris Archer, head chef at gourmet gastropub Pentonbridge Inn, wants the city to be ranked alongside the Lake District for the quality of its fine dining restaurants.

Cumbria has become renowned for its food and drink in recent years and now has the highest number of Michelin-starred restaurants outside of London.

Pentonbridge Inn recently launched an eight-course tasting menu featuring ingredients from the restored walled garden of its sister business, Netherby Hall, a historic stately home near Longtown.

Chris said: “It would be a brilliant boost for the area and create another great reason for people to come to this part of the world.

“We have worked extremely hard at Pentonbridge Inn over the past couple of years to build a great team, which works together to ensure that all of our guests have the best possible dining experience.

“We’re creating something really special here and I think anyone who visits us understands and relates to that.

“Some of the best produce in the UK is on our doorstep in Cumbria and we’re proud to be showcasing these quality ingredients in our dishes, while also highlighting the strong connection between the gardens at Netherby Hall and Pentonbridge Inn.”

 

Source: Yahoo!

Ah, halloumi. The salty Cypriot cheese veggies and meat-eaters alike can’t get enough of.

According to the British High Commission in 2019, Brits wolf down 12,000 tonnes of halloumi cheese a year.

Halloumi is hard to get right though, with haters claiming it’s too rubbery in texture – though we say, they just haven’t had a chunk of the cheese done well yet.

There are plenty of places to get a halloumi fix across the capital, with even McDonald’s now serving up halloumi fries, showing how popular the veggie-safe ingredient is.

These are some of our favourite spots to have a halloumi-based dish.

Franco Manca

Limited edition for the summer, there’s a new pizza called the No.3 topped with halloumi, courgettes, tomatoes and mint.

They aren’t stingy with the halloumi, which is layered on in thick strips.

It’s a tasty pizza – though we recommend ordering a dip on the side, as it needs a glaze or drizzle of some kind to add a little moisture.

Jeru

The fried halloumi doughnuts at Jeru are a thing of glory; pillow soft and packed with flavour.

This is comfort food elevated to the nth degree, balanced by tangy goat’s cheese, lemon zest, and chives while a drizzle of truffle honey adds some sweetness.

Oli Baba’s

Tucked at the end of a strip of stalls in Camden Lock’s market, Oli Baba’s serves up only halloumi fries – so good are they, nothing else is needed on the menu.

The fries are loaded with a honeyed glaze, yogurt, pomegranate seeds and seasoning.

It really is as good as it looks, and they’re great for sharing to avoid feeling ‘heavy’ afterwards.

The Black Penny

You can’t go wrong with halloumi on the side of eggs and other fry up ingredients.

The Black Penny have an interesting take on a veggie breakfast, with their own version of beans that have a spicy kick.

Alongside the saltiness of the halloumi – prepared in the simplest of ways to let the flavour sing – you’ve got the perfect brunch.

Gourmet Goat

Located in Borough Market, Gourmet Goat specialises in Cypriot food.

They’re big on sustainability, so make use of mature halloumi cheese to avoid wastage.

Try one of the wraps, which is filled with a smoky sauce.

Gourmet Burger Kitchen

One for pesto lovers, this side dish sees halloumi strips topped with the green stuff, with a pesto mayo dipping sauce.

If you’re tired of seeing halloumi paired with chilli sauces, this is for you.

 

Source: Metro

Jan Konetzki, director of wine at the Four Seasons Hotel London at Ten Trinity Square, wins the Wine and Spirit Ambassador Award, sponsored by Matthew Clark Wholesale

Jan Konetzki has held the position of director of wine at the Four Seasons Hotel London at Ten Trinity Square since 2016. The reason Konetzki has won this prestigious Catey isn’t just because of his deep knowledge, understanding and promotion of wines and Champagne, but because of his work to support the wine industry as a whole.

Konetzki is originally from Luneburg in north Germany and spent the early part of his career as a baker before indulging his passion for wine by training as a waiter and a commis sommelier. He began working in fine dining restaurants to develop his knowledge and experience in gastronomy and hospitality. In 2007 he moved to London to join Gordon Ramsay Holdings, progressing to the role of head sommelier within just one year of joining the flagship Restaurant Gordon Ramsay. In the same year, Konetzki took the Court of Master Sommeliers advanced certificate, which he passed with distinction.

After only five years at Ten Trinity Square, Konetzki has built up a nationwide reputation for its wine and drinks offering as well as the quality of the three sommelier teams. He oversees the wine programme for chef Anne-Sophie Pic’s debut London restaurant, La Dame de Pic, as well as Asian restaurant Mei Ume, the Rotunda Bar & Lounge, and the Ten Trinity Square Private Club. He is also an ambassador for Chateau Latour and Artemis Domaines.

His passion for wine outside working hours knows no bounds. He co-organised and headlined hospitality festival PX+, an event designed to bring those working in the hospitality industry together to reflect and collaborate. And he has been a judge for a number of competitions such as UK Sommelier of the Year.

The Catey judges noted his energy and enthusiasm and his ability to make wine and spirits approachable for everyone. He is described as a forward-thinking sommelier, who progressively ignites change and works tirelessly to attract talent to hospitality by mentoring and supporting the next generation, using social media to engage his followers. Indeed, throughout the pandemic, Konetzki used his social media platforms to engage his peers, boosting morale, educating and informing his followers with Instagram Live sessions covering topics from wine and work as a sommelier to mental health.

He is also an ambassador and mentor for Be Inclusive Hospitality and part of the diversity and inclusion panel for the Association de la Sommellerie Internationale, working to break down barriers and open up the world of wine to all. Konetzki is an open member of the LGBTQ+ community and uses his voice to educate and be a positive role model by sharing his struggles, moments of wisdom and joy.

What the judges said

“Jan’s energy for wine can be felt miles away. And when he is in the room, you won’t miss him. His support for his colleagues and endless passion for advocating wines are second to none.” – Sandia Chang

“Not only does Jan excel in his working life, he is also very busy outside of work, supporting the industry in multiple facets. Jan uses social media to promote and endorse the wine and sprits industry to positive effect.” – Kevin McKee

The Shortlist

• Jan Konetzki, Four Seasons Hotel London at Ten Trinity Square
• Frans Mortengren, Heritage Portfolio
• Laure Patry, The Social Company

The Judges

• Nina Basset, chairperson, Gérard Basset Foundation
• Sandia Chang, co-founder, Bubbledogs and Kitchen Table
• Kevin McKee, UK director, Champagne Taittinger
• Andrew McKenzie, managing director, the Vineyard
• Xavier Rousset, owner, Blandford Comptoir
• Rachel Webster, managing director, Wine & Spirit Education Trust
• Eric Zwiebel, cellar master/sommelier, Summer Lodge Country House

Source: The Caterer

Only A Pavement Away, the hospitality charity aiding prison leavers, veterans and those facing homelessness back into employment, has laid out plans to assist the hospitality industry in tackling the staffing crisis.

Calling for vital funds, Only A Pavement Away can place hundreds more people facing homelessness back into employment every year with increased funding from the sector.

Last month, UK Hospitality noted the job gap in the sector currently stands at 174,000 causing significant concern for the industry, with 45% of operators having to cut service hours.

Only A Pavement Away, the industry charity established in 2018 by Greg & Gill Mangham, believe it can be an invaluable resource in going some way to address these stark figures, with a cost effective and compassionate approach.

The charity’s employment programme works in partnership with hospitality employers, referral charity partners and individuals who have experienced or are facing homelessness, prison leavers and vulnerable veterans.

It facilitates training and development as well as offering additional financial support to those who need it to overcome any barriers to employment, to help them back into work and in doing so, help to tackle some of the staffing and skills shortages within the hospitality sector.

Greg Mangham, CEO Only A Pavement Away, said: “After 2 years of disrupted trading it is so frustrating to witness the staffing crisis now constraining the recovery of the industry I have dedicated most of my working life to.

“Meanwhile, the number of people facing homelessness in the UK has risen by 50% over the last 5 years. Both of these issues are unacceptable and Only A Pavement Away is determined to help.

“We work with people facing homelessness, prison leavers and veterans to facilitate training and development, as well as offering additional financial support to those who need it to overcome any barriers to employment so that every candidate is ‘job ready.’ These people represent an untapped talent pool, and have already proven impactful for employers with 50% of candidates still in the role we placed them in.

“Put simply, this approach works, both for employers and in helping people facing homelessness. I can place another 500 people into work if we secure additional investment to appoint 3 more Relationship Managers, we need the support of the hospitality industry to do this.”

Over 100 hospitality operators including many of the UK’s biggest operators, already use Only A Pavement Away to recruit new talent.

Feedback from employers has been very positive, Nick Mackenzie, CEO of Greene King says: “We are proud to have partnered with Only a Pavement Away since 2018 and so far have helped more than 100 prison leavers back into work with the support of the charity. Its work has never been more vital in getting people back into employment as well as supporting the sector with labour shortages.

“The work Only a Pavement Away does to engage and support pre-employment means hundreds of people who were uncertain about their future are now working towards a career in hospitality.  As well as supporting those into employment, Only a Pavement Away really is tackling some of the biggest issues for society and putting hospitality at the centre whilst increasing awareness with other charities, industry and government as part of a wider remit. Our partnership is key to our future plans and we look forward to working with Only a Pavement Away for many more years to come.”

Only A Pavement Away is seeking hospitality partners interested in supporting the charity as part of their ESG commitment to help 1,000 people facing homelessness, prison leavers and veterans develop life skills, become job ready and provide them with a direct route into employment by 2027. For further information, visit www.onlyapavementaway.co.uk

Source: hospitalityandcateringnews.com

A common sight historically within many Front of House and Kitchen Brigades was the ‘them against us’ mentality. This Kitchen staff versus front of house (FOH) friction, has existed for a long time, but as the industry adapts to modern practices and staff shortages this has had to change. Hospitality professionals have recognised the team as a whole and the need to support one another.

It’s crucial for a team to understand the importance of all roles, from Kitchen Porter to Head Chef, or Waiter/Waitress to Manager, the success of any team depends on it. It is impossible to have Michelin standard food served on dirty plates or with dirty washrooms or quality food slammed down on a table. Irrespective of the standard of food there has to be consistency across all areas when building a brand. This is universally accepted and now seems to be more and more accepted in hospitality. If one area fails it isn’t just that one section that suffers, it can hinder the whole brigade, therefore teamwork is vital within a service team. When all sections within a hospitality brigade are working efficiently and in sync, the running of a smooth service can be achieved, and I’m sure many working in the industry now have experienced each side of this coin – I know which one I prefer!

Something I have always stressed to colleagues during my time within the hospitality industry, is the important of communication between every member of the brigade. We are all part of the same machine and if one cog stops turning, the entire machine comes to a halt. It’s a case of rallying around together and supporting the areas that need it. If you have no housekeeper then you have no bedrooms, so you need to jump on and support. If your Kitchen Porter is off then you have no plates, as a team you need to jump on and support. Whether you’re a Commis, Head Chef or Manager, regardless of your position, the cogs must keep turning.

What difference can a quality FOH team make?

Looking at the FOH team, they have a huge impact on the functionality of a business. You can have the best chefs and food, but if your customer facing team aren’t up to par, then it can taint the customer experience. Whether that be poor customer service, or a missing flair, you can’t put a price on a quality FOH team. They’re the first and last person guests will see and communicate with, if your guests have had a great time and plan to return, you’ll have more than your back of house (BOH) team to thank. For this reason, it is imperative that your service is ‘top notch’.

You simply can’t have one without the other, strong Kitchen Brigades must be coupled with a quality Front of House team if you wish to run a seamless service. Any hospitality professional would agree, teamwork is a big thing in the industry and a ‘them against us’ attitude is completely out of the question and out of date.

The building blocks to a successful Front of House and Kitchen Brigades

Communication – excellent communication skills are essential during a busy service. When tickets are flooding into the kitchen and plates are waiting on the pass, swift action is non-negotiable. To get food out on time and deliver an outstanding guest experience, the team relies on consistent and clear communication. These skills are as important outside service, the need to communicate changes to service or menus being essential, what needs pushing for more margin is a constant communication battle.

Patience – possibly the most important virtue of all when dealing with people, is having infinite patience. It goes without saying, a career in hospitality is fast paced and demanding, and it’s very common to allow this stress and urgency to boil over. Having awareness of your colleague’s workload and maintaining patience with each other will be your saving grace when times get tough.

Active listening – the process of actively engaging yourself in conversations allows you to become much more deeply involved with what is being said, thus understanding what is being asked and minimising miscommunication across the board. We all know the damaging effects Chinese whispers can have, and this is not an error you want to be making throughout a busy service. Old fashioned hot headedness, or shouting is the quickest way to close down listening.

Ability to take constructive criticism – coming from a place of support and wanting to help others construct themselves to become better, constructive criticism is a huge factor in personal growth and overall success. When done correctly, constructive feedback will enable a team to grow together and improve the working environment for all.

Ginger Hospitality: Your Complete Front of House and Kitchen Brigade Support

As previously GM’s ourselves, Ginger Hospitality are more than a hospitality recruitment agency and it’s our industry knowledge and extensive networks that divides us from other ‘agencies’. We know there is a huge FOH shortage at the moment and we’re using our headhunt approach to support this skills gap and reconnect lost talent with exciting new opportunities. We attack every assignment with a thorough executive search and headhunt approach to source the best talent available.

Are you missing a niche FOH skill to support your brigade? The Ginger Hospitality team are just a phone call or email away, and your new relief or permanent FOH team member could be on their way to you!

If you wish to contact me, call 01200 890 890, or email me directly via robyn@ginger-recruitment.co.uk

Author: Robyn Conmee, Hospitality Recruitment Consultant

The demand for interim support is on the rise, but aside from the rising need for relief chefs this season, why are more and more businesses opting for front of house relief support too?

Temp work is offering our clients and candidates the perfect fit for their individual needs.

If this appeals to your needs, we’re here to support you too!

Manchester Hoteliers’ Association has announced a successful launch period of their schools programme which saw the association partner with Greater Manchester schools to encourage and enthuse young people into entering the world of hospitality.

22 hotels from The Manchester Hoteliers’ Association and 22 schools were paired together with the aim to provide further knowledge and experience into the current career pathways the hospitality industry has to offer on the back of the hospitality recruitment crisis.

Following a successful 3-month launch period many students and general managers are optimistic following hugely positive results and believe many of those who took part in the scheme will choose hospitality as a career.

Steven Julian, General Manager at The Holiday Inn Manchester said: “Working with Broadoak School has been a fantastic opportunity to showcase the vast career options available to those students preparing to leave school soon. Hearing their excitement when discussing the types of clients, we work with, giving them the opportunity to cook with our chefs and to visit the hotel makes building these partnerships worthwhile.

“If only one of these students enters the industry, then we have succeeded. We could be looking at the next generation of Manchester Hoteliers.”

Manchester hotels involved in the scheme included Dakota Hotel, Stock Exchange Hotel, Hotel Football, Hilton Deansgate, Gotham Hotel, The Lowry Hotel, Hotel Brooklyn and more.

Some of the region’s schools involved in the scheme include, Stockport Grammar School, Altrincham College, Coop Academy Walkden, West Hill School, Flixton Girls School, Bramhall High School and Droylsden High School.

Adrian Ellis, Chair of Manchester Hoteliers Association commented: “We are proud to partner with The Lowry Academy (School in Worsley) and see the students enthusiasm and interest in the hospitality profession. To date we have hosted four different visits which have included cooking classes, tours and career chats and bed making competitions.

“All this work is designed to create enthusiasm and interest in our industry. We hope from all the great work that several of the Lowry Academy students will decide to enter a career in hospitality and that the schools/hotels project will go some way to helping to tackle the long term recruitment challenges within the industry.”

Following the success of this pilot scheme Manchester Hoteliers’ Association hopes other hotel associations across the country will embark on a number of similar programmes promoting work experience amongst young people.

The MHA has a 50-strong membership made up of general managers of hotels throughout the region. Its key objectives are being a strong voice for the hotel community, and continually improving the offering for visitors spending time in the city.

The annual MHA Ball took place in April and raised approximately £30,000 in total for their chosen charities which include Hospitality Action, Mustard Tree, Wood Street Mission and MIND Manchester.

Source: Hospitality & Catering News

Nearly one fifth of hospitality employers have boosted wages in attempt to combat the staffing crisis.

New research from Barclays Corporate Banking showed that senior managers have received the biggest salary lift, with an average increase of 7.7% this year.

This is equivalent to £2,014 a year for a full-time worker, based on data from the Office of National Statistics.

Delivery riders and drivers have received an average pay rise of 7.5%, equivalent to £1,616 per year for a full-time worker.

Wages have increased by an average of 7.4% for housekeeping staff (£1,642), 7.3% for bar staff (£1,145) and 7.3% for finance staff (£1,936). Kitchen staff have been given a 6.9% rise on average, equivalent to a salary bump of £1,196 for a full-time role.

London’s Bob Bob Ricard Soho restaurant recently filled a £91,000 head chef vacancy, and owner Lenoid Shutov told The Caterer salaries across the group were “substantially up” on last summer.

Barclay’s study, UK Hospitality’s Next Challenge, found that despite 96% of restaurant operators being confident that pent-up demand for socialising and eating out will drive growth this year, with a predicted 26% uplift in revenue compared to pre-pandemic levels, there is concern that this will be hampered by the lack of staff and cost-of-living crisis.

If the increase in revenue is achieved, the restaurant sector would see an increase in annual turnover of £12b over 2019 and a £22b increase on 2021.

Some 84% of restaurants are struggling to recruit personnel with the most vacancies among front of house staff (22%), cleaning staff (20%) and staff with environmental, social and governance (ESG) expertise (18%). There is a particular shortage of cleaners in the East Midland and east of England (28%).

In order to attract staff restaurants are offering super-flexible shifts and increasing signing-on bonuses, alongside raising salaries.

Mike Saul, dead of hospitality and leisure at Barclays Corporate Banking, said that strong sales at the start of 2022 had boosted confidence among operators about future growth.

He added: “The worsening cost-of-living crisis is now a serious threat to that growth, with the latest Barclaycard Consumer Spending Index showing that restaurants, bars, pubs and clubs have all seen a slight decline in May 2022, compared to the month before.

“Crucially for the industry, our research shows that talent shortages are also a major concern, with front of house staff, cleaning staff and those with experience in ESG and sustainability particularly in demand. It means there is now an added imperative for restauranteurs to find new and novel ways to recruit, reward and retain their staff.”

Source: thecaterer.com

Currently the hospitality sector has an employee turnover of 30%.

That’s 3 in 10 people leaving hospitality roles, representing double that of the UK average.

We’d love to support you in developing your staff retention packages

Get in touch:

Call: 01200 890 890

Email: hospitality@ginger-recruitment.co.uk