letters
don't slam critics - they must amuse
HAYDN Fentum touches on several points in his letter on the subject of restaurant reviews (Caterer, 9 April, page 26), but I believe he has made several points that don't deserve to lie together in the same argument.
I detected a slight "it's not fair" anguished cry when he wrote of reviewers doing a job that they didn't really know anything about. When I was in an amateur dramatics group we were visited by a theatre reviewer who said that she had never acted upon any stage, adding "You don't have to have brewed the beer to tell if it's flat."
To gain and keep readers, newspapers need writers that people are going to talk about as much as the subject of their reviews. Hence the Michael Winners, the AA Gills and the Jonathan Meadeses of the style supplements.
What would be the point of Winner writing every week that the lobster thermidor, the view, the service, the decor were "just perfect"? That's not interesting copy. No, we demand conflict and antagonism in our reviews, let's not pretend otherwise.
We want the gossip of a bitchy restaurant review, Mr Fentum, to be able to place our own establishment somewhere in the massive league-table of this profession.
Mention is made of the effect of a good or bad review on the business of an establishment, and Mr Fentum himself admits that it is often difficult to measure such an effect. I suggest that, in many cases, we forget that it's our own pride, rather than our establishment's reputation, that gets a knocking from a bad review.
Me, I love learning about architecture (and those strange words I've never heard of) in Jonathan Meades's column, learning which film Michael Winner has just finished shooting in his pieces, and picturing the big blonde's real proportions in AA Gill's comic phrases. Which places have they been to? No idea.
GRAHAM WEBB
Towle's Country Restaurant,
Lymington,
Hampshire.
give hygiene its importance
I READ with horror the comments from Messrs Lederer and Gottlieb ("Trade confidence", Caterer, 9 April, page 11).
Can Mr Lederer really expect his customers to judge his hygiene standards themselves? Does he let them have a wander through his kitchens during service? Do they fill in a questionnaire?
Can he really believe that people, given the option of knowing who had not been inspected, would really care to eat in such a restaurant?
As for Mr Gottlieb's comments on the "mom and pop" outlets, I was stunned. That he could, and obviously does, presume to think that because a restaurant has a high-profile name and loyal customers that they are above such things, is frankly appalling beyond belief.
There are many restaurants, large and small, that place a great value on hygiene standards and constantly strive to meet the increasingly stringent regulations, and such comments as these serve only to undermine everyone else's efforts.
My congratulations however to Aldo Zilli, who obviously realises the importance of hygiene. I know where I shall be eating next time I'm in London…
ANDREW HALL
Milton Keynes.
turn the tables on swearing chefs
I VIEWED with interest the television programme Chef School (Channel Five, 14 April). It started and finished with a Scottish gentleman abusing and embarrassing a member of his brigade.
I presume the sinner had committed such a bad mistake that there was nothing else for it but to show him up in front of everybody.
With such bad management practices within your industry, I'm sure that a good majority will feel that this was the correct way to have dealt with the situation.
It is, of course, the head chef's business within his own kitchen as to the way that he deals with his own staff.
However, I feel that the way many within the catering industry idolise these people as "stars", it was not a good thing to have brought to the attention of millions on a TV programme. Obviously the programme producer thought it was a great idea.
I would very much like to read in Caterer a story titled "Foul-mouthed head chef rushed to hospital to have copper pot surgically removed from his bottom". And I hope that Caterer will stop praising these people until they get their act together.
JAMES BLESSIN
Upminster,
Essex.
a way on to the level playing field
THREE recent articles (Caterer, 16 April) have spelt out a very strong message to the independent hotelier.
The quote from The UK Hotel Groups Directory published by Deloitte Touche and Huddersfield University states clearly that joining a consortium is "the only way the independents can start to compete on a level playing field".
Brian Mills' Viewpoint points out very succinctly the assistance in recognition to be gained by the independent hotelier from joining a marketing consortium.
Finally, the News Analysis was a very strong article on branding which, though not suggesting that our experience in the UK would be as strong as that experienced in the USA, does imply that the move towards branding that we are already witnessing in the UK is likely to increase.
It goes on to suggest that branding offers greater profits, more consistent standards and quality.
The combined message is very clear and, linked with the probable downturn in the economy within the next 12 months, does offer a very strong argument for those independent hoteliers with serious business ambitions to bite the bullet and join other like-minded professionals in an organisation such as Small Luxury Hotels or Consort, both of which offer access to the level playing field and branding, though probably spelt with a small b!
DAVID HAYES
Chief executive,
Consort Hotels Group,
York.
is your coffee-maker a winner?
AS WE are just celebrating our 10th anniversary of launching Brasilia products in the UK, it occurs to us that there will be various Brasilia coffee-making equipment out there, still in everyday use, and sold in our very first days in the UK.
Our own sales records suffered as a result of a fire we experienced in 1994, so we are in the hands of readers to help our search.
We would be delighted to welcome the owners of the longest-serving Brasilia coffee-making equipment to join us in a celebration Champagne dinner in London's West End, so if you have long-standing and much-loved Brasilia equipment - get in touch and let us know when it was installed: you may be the lucky winner!
LOUIE SALVONI
Managing director,
Brasilia (UK),
800a High Road,
London N17 0DS.
cleaning up a
few points…
FURTHER to your article "Cleaning products firm gets tough over debts" (Caterer, 26 February, page 8) we at Diamond Group would like to point out that some complaints will arise, as in any business, and we make it our policy to rectify any errors on the company's behalf to the consumers' satisfaction. However, in the instances described in the article, we defend our right to collect the debt owed.
It is not unusual to use promotional gifts such as CDs, vouchers or point systems. More commonly in the catering trade, "two meals for the price of one" are offered. Therefore, it puzzles us why this has been made a matter of contention.
With regards to the "no authority" issue, we obviously have no desire to send out unauthorised goods, as it is not in our interest to do so.
Just as Sheffield Trading Standards pointed out, all our orders are routinely confirmed, as mentioned: "… employees of the catering firms had clearly confirmed the order and said they were authorised to buy goods". We feel there is no more that we can do to assure authorisation, and Sheffield Trading Standards has not made any recommendations to this end.
We believe this clearly shows that the problem is an internal issue, which is beyond our control. Surely it is normal business practice to take legal action if bills are not paid? We are satisfied that our sales procedure is fair and honest, and our customer base of thousands can testify to this.
We are disappointed that the quality of our products has not been raised and would point out that they cannot fairly be compared to Mr Muscle concentrated kitchen cleaner. The product in question, our Degreaser Sanitiser, is particularly good value, being a two-in-one product as well as providing powerful yet food-safe cleaning designed specifically for the kitchen. In addition, our products comply with health and safety requirements set down by the Health and Safety Executive, and come with health and safety data sheets and directions for use and dilution.
Diamond Group shall continue to do business as it always has, with integrity and professionalism.
MICHAEL JOSEPH
Manager,
Diamond Group,
Sheffield.
