No beef with british produce
When common sense regains control of the arguments in the BSE-in-beef row and the public begins eating it again, remember that the fightback first began here in Wymondham.
I have yet to meet any customers who do not think the whole story to be quite literally a load of "bull", with many seeking out British beef on the menu in an act of defiance.
I pride myself on my ordering techniques, with Saturday service a magical balancing act between emptying the fridges before the two-day closure and ensuring I have enough stock to accommodate the inevitable late bookings of Saturday afternoon. However, even a genius such as I was caught out this week with the English beef fillet with wild mushrooms, onion jam and celeriac chips selling out before half the tables had ordered.
Customers' choice
Perhaps it is the strong local farming community offering its support to the beleaguered producers, but with price reductions in the offing I certainly have no plans to drop beef from the menu.
Where is the panic from paying customers? We've seen hysteria in the papers, on TV and from high street burger giants, but I wonder if it isn't a case of customers not being allowed to make their own decisions?
My consultancy contract with a local school came to a close this month, although I will still be doing occasional work for it. The initial transfer from authority control to in-house catering has gone smoothly and, after 12 months in an advisory capacity, I have fulfilled my brief to ensure a trouble-free crossover.
As a finale, we produced a wonderful "Taste of France" luncheon for 300 pupils prior to a school trip to Normandy at Easter. It coincided with an exchange of students from L'Ecole Hotelière in Souillac, south-west France, and the Norwich Hotel School, so our pair of placements was press-ganged into giving the event an authentic touch.
They produced a range of pâtisserie for the mid-morning break and, though wonderful to eat, we had to shelve our budgetary restrictions for the day!
What a break!
If you think school caterers have problems with BSE in burgers, budgets and boisterous brats, spare a thought for my own lucky children and their teachers who have just enjoyed an extra two weeks' holiday as a result of asbestos in their kitchen. Makes my cracked tiles seem like a minor irritation.
NEXT diary from Richard Hughes is on 16 May
