Best Employers in Hospitality Awards 2013

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It’s that time of year again! Hospitality recruitment specialists, Caterer.com, are on the hunt for the Best Employers in Hospitality across England and Wales.

The annual awards include group and individual employer categories for hotels, restaurants and pubs and bars, and nominations are now being invited.

Entry is free and judging is completed via an online employee engagement survey. The survey gathers employee responses on a range of work related areas including learning and development, working environment and culture. The awards are judged solely on the basis of employee responses.

Matthew Siadatan, owner of last year’s winner Mya Lacarte said: “We’ve had an influx of high-calibre chefs applying the past year and believe it’s partly down to winning the award. It’s been a fantastic 6 years at Mya Lacarte and it’s all down to our team that deliver every single day.”

The shortlist will be announced in July – so what are you waiting for. Get over there now and you could be the proud owner of a shiny new award!

Laughing All The Way To The Bank Holiday

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The bank holiday season is upon us, and towards the end of the week attentions will turn to how to best spend the first bank holiday weekend in May.

For many it will inevitably mean a trip to a pub or restaurant to indulge in food and beverages with friends and family – and with the possibility of some ‘good’ (or perhaps tolerable) weather for many parts of the country, it’s time for establishments to get their gardens in order.

In a recent HospitalityGEM survey, 67% of our 381 survey respondents said that they would prefer to dine outdoors when the sun shines, so if your establishment is lucky enough to have an outside area, get it sorted out this week to maximise profits at the weekend.

But it’s not just a case of cutting the grass, trimming the hedge and fixing those wobbly tables. 62% of respondents also said that they thought service suffered when dining al fresco. We’ve all experienced it – the frustration of being abandoned outside whilst those indoors receive a superior service for the same money. An extra member of staff based outdoors can help pubs and restaurants to ensure that customers remain happy simply by being the ‘front of garden’.

So the sun’s out, the beer garden is open….what’s next? 76% of people said that they would like to see some summer drinks on the menu, so stocking up on summer ciders, fruit ciders, sparkling wines and champagnes is a good idea (and make sure there’s plenty of ice).. Summer cocktails (and virgin cocktails for the designated drivers) can be a real temptation for diners, and a fantastic way to boost profits.

Dining Al-frosto – 67% of us are left out in the cold this spring

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Us Brits love to dine al fresco – but so far 2013 has done little for those who enjoy a salad in the sun or a pizza on the patio.

According to a recent survey by HospitalityGEM, 67% of us enjoy dining outdoors, with 37% of us wanting to sit in the sunshine. But when we eat outdoors we’ll also find reasons to complain. Nearly a third of us are bugged when it comes to…well…bugs, and one in five of us are choked at having to share outdoor dining areas with smokers.

Whatever the weather though, one in 10 of us will still eat indoors, with untidy outdoor areas and poor outside table service cited as reasons for staying inside.  And if the start of Spring is anything to go by, it looks like we’ll be joining them for a few more weeks yet!

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Here are the full results of the survey…ImageImage

The Eggs Factor

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We’re all well aware that it’s a DOUBLE BANK HOLIDAY this weekend. That delightful time of year which should be heralding the start of Spring, and if recent years are anything to go by we should by all rights be basking in unseasonable warmth.

We all know the cold reality though – it’s egg-ceptionally (sorry) cold this weekend and Spring is on the back burner for a while, so maybe there’s still a bit of cash to be gained from those winter menus.

If you haven’t yet filled up your dining areas for the Easter weekend, it’s time to get Tweeting about it. Let people know that your fire is still lit, and your chocolate is still hot, and make Easter nice and cosy for your customers – although try and keep those chocolate eggs cool!

An egg-stra (sorry again) bit of social media activity could help to feather your nest (we’re not apologising for that one) over the weekend if you’ve still got some places to fill.

A few Facebook updates and Tweets over the next 48 hours could turn into £££s. If you would like to find out more about gaining recommendations for your business via social media, our GEMdirect service can help.

And if you’re using Facebook or Twitter this weekend, try and steer clear of egg-sessive egg puns…

Time for a Spring Clean

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It may not feel like it this week, but spring is on its way (promise!)…and you know what that means? You’ve guessed it – time for a spring clean.

Here’s our handy 5 step guide to getting ready for the sunny season.

Step 1: Analyse Your Customer Feedback

Customers leave feedback these days whether you want to hear it or not. Facebook, Twitter, and TripAdvisor are just some of places that both praise and grievances, will be aired. Be sure to have a thorough look through these sites, as well as your suggestions box, and act on any recurring themes (where possible).

Customers will help to flag up areas of your menu, service and venue as a whole, that they either like or dislike, and the changing season is the perfect time to take action on their recommendations.

Step 2: Spring Clean Your Venue

An obvious place to start in getting ready for spring and summer is the spring clean. We know it can be tricky to find time to do a thorough deep clean everywhere, but it won’t go unnoticed by your customers.

Step 3: Freshen Up Your Menu

It’s nearly time for those ‘winter warmers’ to come off the menu as you look ahead to the new season. It’s important that menus are regularly updated, so there’s no better time than the spring to add a few new dishes – but don’t forget to keep your best sellers.

Winter stews and soups can be put aside until October, and instead you should look at summer soups like rocket and goats cheese, or carrot and coconut, and don’t forget the seasonal salads. Main meals such as lighter pasta dishes, fish options, ploughmans and quiches will help to give your menu that fresh feel for the spring. Some fresh fruit desserts, ice creams and sorbets will help to round off the menu.

Step 4: Polish Your Service

In the same way that it’s good practice to give your venue a deep clean and to revamp your menu, it’s a good idea to brush up your service to ensure you’re getting the most out of your staff. There’s no point in promoting delicious new food items in your spotless venue if your team are underperforming.

Step 5: Brush Up on Your Knowledge

Linked closely to the last point, and something more relevant now than ever, is the knowledge of your staff. The recent horse-meat scandal has led many people to question the origins of their food, with traceability being the buzz-word. Make sure you, and your staff, know the origins of the products you are using. This will help to reassure customers that they will know exactly what is on their plate.

Publican Awards 2013

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When we received the call from our friends at the Publican Morning Advertiser, asking if we could be involved in the judging process for this year’s Publican Awards, we just couldn’t say no.

To be involved with the Awards that names some of the biggest movers and shakers in our industry was something that we simply couldn’t turn down, and we’ve taken great pride in applying our skills and expertise in coordinating mystery visits to finalists in several categories, including Best Food Offer, Best Community Pub Operator, Best Accommodation Operator, Best Microbrewing Pub Company and more.

The feedback from these visits was used by the judges to help determine the winners, and of course, our arms then had to be firmly twisted to make us join over 1,100 guests for the glitzy ceremony at The Grosvenor House Hotel in London.

All in all it was a superb night, with many very worthy winners recognised for their efforts across the industry, as we found out which businesses and individuals are the ones to watch in 2013.

The HospitalityGEM table certainly took advantage of the hospitality last night. Here’s our report from the evening…

Venue: Excellent

Food: Amazing

Winners: Outstanding

Drink: Guzzled

Hangover: Terrible

Tracing the Origins of Your Horse Burger

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In light of recent news stories regarding the ‘mis-labelling’ of certain products on supermarket shelves, it’s understandable that many people are waking up to the realisation that they don’t know exactly what they’re eating or where it has come from.

Tracability is fast becoming the buzz word in the food, and in turn the hospitality, industry.

Since the first story broke of horse meat being sold as beef, people have lost a lot of faith in supermarkets, leading brands and the supply chain as a whole . More recently it has come to light that horse meat has also been sold through a variety of other establishments including hotels and restaurant chains. Many believe that this is just the tip of the iceberg…

For years many establishments have boasted about using ‘local produce’ – something relevant now more than ever as customers begin asking questions about the origins of the food on their plate.

If there was ever time to shout about using prime cuts of meat from your local butcher or farmer, it’s now. Hoteliers, publicans and restrateurs alike should be reassuring customers, perhaps with an insert into menus detailing local suppliers, and by highlighting them on websites, social media, and the classic A board outside.

Customers are bound to ask questions about what’s in their lasagne, or if their horse-burger is 100% horse, so it’s important for business owners and staff to be savvy, knowing the origins of products and reassuring customers as much as possible.

As with the BSE crisis 20 years ago, this story isn’t something that will go away soon. Therefore establishments should look at adding a few extra fish or vegetarian choices will give options to the fussiest of customers.

Love is in the air – will customers love your fare?

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This week brings that all-important cash cow for the hospitality trade – Valentine’s Day.

This is your opportunity to aim Cupid’s arrow firmly at your customers’ hearts. A recent HospitalityGEM survey showed that diners are always tempted to try somewhere new for Valentine’s Day, so get it right on the night and you will boost your reputation both on online feedback forums and word of mouth recommendations.

But don’t be tempted to put all your eggs in one basket! The big night falls on a Thursday in half term this year, so many diners will struggle to get babysitters or just want to miss the rush, so Valentine’s night will spill over into Friday, Saturday and even Sunday lunchtime. Sustain the romantic theme into the weekend and you might be on to a winner this year.

Read our article on Valentine’s Day for more information, and to find out what irks diners about this time of year.

Comment Card Crackers

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At HospitalityGEM we have processed our fair share of comment cards over the years, and thankfully to keep us smiling along the way we’ve found a few comments that would be better off on the inside of a cracker, or printed on a lollipop stick.

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Whilst these customers may have had their tastebuds tickled, they’ve certainly tickled our funny bones with their amusing, and often ill-conceived comments. Here are just a few of them…

“The orange juice was served cold and tasted of oranges.”

“The Salmon Fishcakes had too much salmon in them and my guest only ate one because she really didn’t like them.”

“The chips were also nice, they had a high potato content and weren’t overdone or crunchy.”

“He said that Buffalo mozzarella salad was vegetarian. I asked if the buffalo related to chicken and he said no it related to the cheese.”

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Now though, our days of processing comment cards are over, much to the relief of our comment card processing elves.

The internet has put the final nail in the coffin of the comment card. This is good news for both the environment, and for those susceptible to paper cuts.

To find out a bit more about online feedback systems you can look at our website .

And to read the full article mourning the end of the road for the comment card, click here

Roborestraunteurs

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Finding the right staff to suit your venue is always a challenge, but one restaurant in China has found a solution…of sorts.

But if you’re looking for the human touch from your server you might be disappointed, as this restaurant is staffed almost entirely by robots.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/gallery/2013/jan/12/robot-restaurant-in-pictures#/?picture=402271110&index=9

With this in mind, we think that these are the top robots to employ:

  1. Front of House: C3PO. Skills: Fluent in over 6 million forms of communication
  2. Head Chef: Johnny 5. Skills: Can read recipes quickly
  3. Server: R2D2. Skills: Fairly good balance.
  4. Barman: Bender from Futurama. Skills: Knows his drink
  5. Cleaner: T-800. Skills: Prevention of the Apocolypse

If you have any other suggestions we’d love to hear from you – Tweet us @HospitalityGEM