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Category: Catering News

Many chickens sold contain campylobacter

Author Damien Wilde
Posted On 22nd December 2014

ChickenIt’s the bug that just refuses to go away and once again the potentially nasty campylobacter bacterium has been back in the headlines once again.

Health officials have said that many chickens sold within the United Kingdom are being sold with the bug present due to poor practices within the poultry industry.

People at Public Health England claim that without sufficient legislation in place then the entire industry will be slow to bring in improvements and changes to could reduce the threat of contamination because they fear it will drive up costs.

[ Read More ]

Bring in the New Year with Try January

Author Damien Wilde
Posted On 19th December 2014

drjanuaryOnce the festive celebrations have died down and those credit card bills come through the letterbox after the New Year has been ushered in with a cavalcade of frivolity, many people embark on a month long process of reflection and detox known as Dry January.

Well this time – January is only twelve days away! – many within the pub and restaurant trade are hoping that a new campaign will take over from Dry January and gently guide people into trying new dishes.

Instead of abstinence, the industry wants people to get experimental in what they are calling Try January.

[ Read More ]

It’s not Christmas without a turkey!

Author Damien Wilde
Posted On 15th December 2014

roast-turkeyChristmas is just ten short days away and the nation’s high streets are gradually getting filled with last-minute shoppers rushing through to find presents whilst navigating the masses.

But, from a gastronomic point of view, what would put a downer on this time of year?

According to a study commissioned by Unilever Food Solutions, the majority of people say that it just wouldn’t be Christmas without the presence of a roast turkey.

In a Family Fortunes style situation, one thousand people were asked to complete the sentence ‘It’s not Christmas without….’ and nearly sixty percent of those respondents replied with roast turkey. Christmas crackers came second.

[ Read More ]

Restaurant and pubs see 2% like-for-like rise

Author Damien Wilde
Posted On 19th November 2014

rising-graph1Some rather encouraging figures have been released that provide welcome reading to those involved with the restaurant trade.

According to a leading market analysis firm the nation’s restaurant and pub groups have, collectively, have seen like-for-like sales grow by over 2% during the month of October when compared to the same month last year.

“Overall, the [businesses] are seeing steady, consistent growth in eating and drinking out,” said Peter Martin, the vice-president of an insight company.

However, despite the heartening figures, it was London that led the growth: Those encircled by the M25 saw sales jump by 4%.

[ Read More ]

Tougher sentences proposed for breaches of food hygiene laws

Author Damien Wilde
Posted On 13th November 2014

healthnsafety-flagSome tough sentences have been proposed for those who breach health and safety guidelines when it comes to food preparation.

These new guidelines – which are yet to be ratified – could see people face a potential fine of 700% of their weekly income or 18 months in prison, though this is only for the most severe of offences.

There are also suggestions that businesses determined to be “micro” (companies who turn over less than £2 million per annum) may be forced to pay around £120,000 for serious breaches whilst “small” businesses (those who have a turnover between £2-10 million) could be handed a £450,000 bill.

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Belgian university sells insect-based food. A glimpse into the future?

Author Damien Wilde
Posted On 7th November 2014

mealworm-dishGenerally speaking the idea that students will eat just about anything that’s edible is true. I remember my student days and when times were tough – or when the shop was just out of reach – we would all make do with whatever stale bits of bread, leftovers and other bargain basement items left in the fridge or freezer that we could find. Some almost saw it as a rite of passage, akin to earning the degree after a couple of years of study.

Well some students in Belgium have taken things to the next level. One academic institution in Brussels has started serving an insect-based menu in its canteen. The decision has seen it become the first commercial kitchen in Belgium to offer such products.

[ Read More ]

Spend and industry innovation on the increase

Author Damien Wilde
Posted On 5th November 2014

Tables and chairsCustomer spending in the foodservice and catering industries may be on the rise, but according to a further report, conducted by EBLEX, there is no room for complacency in the weeks and months ahead.

After tracking customer behaviour, the latest trends and the potential for opportunities, the study has revealed that the cash splashed by consumers has grown by 2%. Yet despite these extremely positive signs some parts of the sector are flagging whilst others represent an untapped resource of revenue, according to analysts.

One example given is that in quick-service environments, the typical customer appears to be male as females have begun to desert such establishments.

[ Read More ]

Hungry? Your decision making could be enhanced

Author Damien Wilde
Posted On 3rd November 2014

Empty-plateHere’s a question for you: What do you do when preparing to make a big decision?

Are you a meticulous planner or a spontaneous doer? But importantly, what we really want to know is if you’re one who snacks whilst mulling things over. If you are, new research suggests you’re best doing your thinking, evaluating and concluding on an empty stomach.

A study, which has just gone online in the journal PLOS ONE indicates that people predominantly make better decisions if there has been an absence of food.

Sub-titled Hunger is Associated with Advantageous Decision Making, the Dutch-led investigation instructed participants to start a fast at 11pm. [ Read More ]

G(h)oulash!

Author Damien Wilde
Posted On 31st October 2014

Goulash

You may have seen our rather punny joke on social media today, and that contemporary witticism has set our taste buds tingling once again. So to rectify that we sent our resident vampiric entity to go in search of a traditional ghoulash (sorry, goulash) recipe that will keep your warm and full as the nights draw in.

It will also keep you off the brains too!

The first recorded reference of goulash can be dated all the way back to the 9th century and the Hungarian dish takes its name from the farmers that prepared the dish? In the Hungarian language “gulya” refers to a ‘herd of cattle’ and, subsequently, “gulyas” means ‘herdsman’.

Goulash is such a versatile dish, something which we hold in high esteem when it comes to culinary concoctions.

[ Read More ]

Optimistic outlook for the catering industry

Author Damien Wilde
Posted On 27th October 2014

Restaurant glassesA new report – conducted by the market research company JRA and the foodservice data specialists Horizons – has stated that over two thirds of operators have seen a year-on-year increase in food sales. Now that’s news to brighten up a Monday morning!

Over three hundred businesses were surveyed, including a large number of restaurants, pubs and hotels, and the results, as noted in the opening paragraph, indicate that the catering and food service industry is in rude health.

With there being a near sixty-six percent rise across the board, a quarter of those respondents described their increases as ‘large’.

[ Read More ]