Register

Foodies In The News

For all refugees from the old Beeb Food Boards :-)
Chill out and chat with the foodie community or swap top tips.
NOTE: CHATTERBOX IS IN THIS FORUM

Moderators: karadekoolaid, THE MOD TEAM, Stokey Sue, Gillthepainter

User avatar
Posts: 4920
Joined: Thu Feb 21, 2013 5:52 pm
Location: North West London

Re: Foodies In The News

Postby Pepper Pig » Mon Jul 27, 2020 10:31 am


User avatar
Posts: 5297
Joined: Fri Mar 27, 2020 11:58 am
Location: Wiltshire

Re: Foodies In The News

Postby Earthmaiden » Mon Jul 27, 2020 10:53 am

I read that earlier. My heart bleeds that he's had to endure lockdown in a rather nice part of Australia. He's closed our local restaurant down too.

I still hope that his empire makes it through though.

User avatar
Posts: 3919
Joined: Fri Jul 06, 2012 6:33 pm

Re: Foodies In The News

Postby scullion » Mon Jul 27, 2020 1:38 pm

back at the beginning of the eighties, a patient said to me that the village wi were going on a 'mystery tour' up padstow way and ending up at the 'rather good fish and chip restaurant there'. goodness knows what the waiting time for a reservation is now. it was three months, a decade or so ago, according to a friend who had booked.
i don't know if they do anything other than fish but the smell from that would put me off.

Site Admin
User avatar
Posts: 3253
Joined: Mon Apr 23, 2012 1:56 pm
Location: Bushey

Re: Foodies In The News

Postby Sakkarin » Mon Jul 27, 2020 2:27 pm

Pepper Pig wrote:An interview with Rick Stein.

He mentions the no-show problem, I've seen several interviews with name chefs bemoaning how "No-shows" are killing them, a huge percentage are booking but not bothering to turn up.

User avatar
Posts: 1137
Joined: Sat Aug 24, 2019 6:03 pm

Re: Foodies In The News

Postby Busybee » Mon Jul 27, 2020 2:40 pm

Not that it’s an excuse, but I wonder if some no shows are people that had long booked holidays which have been cancelled for various reasons but have forgotten to cancel their dinner reservations? I would have thought that quite a percentage of Rick Stein’s clients are maybe holidaymakers.

I do wonder if the restaurants with no shows take contact details and send a reminder like doctors and dentists do. I’m pretty sure that Northcote Manor take you details and make contact prior to your reservation, the excuse is to check dietary requirements, but it also serves as a timely reminder.

BB

User avatar
Posts: 4920
Joined: Thu Feb 21, 2013 5:52 pm
Location: North West London

Re: Foodies In The News

Postby Pepper Pig » Mon Jul 27, 2020 2:43 pm

Rachel Roddy's Fried Chicken Sandwiches look good.

https://www.theguardian.com/food/2020/j ... sandwiches

On and off over the last 15 years we have lunched at Le Manoir. We have always had to give credit card details and it was made quite clear that we would be charged if we didn't turn up.

User avatar
Posts: 8629
Joined: Fri Apr 27, 2012 2:02 pm
Location: Stoke Newington, London

Re: Foodies In The News

Postby Stokey Sue » Mon Jul 27, 2020 3:09 pm

In the pub where until January we played backgammon every month (sobs) had a menu section of things in buns

The buns in question are very nice brioche (not sweet) burger buns from a local bakery, they come if a remember rightly with a choice of classic beef burger with various toppings, pulled pork, home made veggie burger or buttermilk jerk chicken - so a fried chicken sandwich, the star of the show (and I'm not a great chicken fan). Absolutely delicious, chef looks every minute of 17 but he can do this stuff well.

User avatar
Posts: 3919
Joined: Fri Jul 06, 2012 6:33 pm

Re: Foodies In The News

Postby scullion » Mon Jul 27, 2020 3:12 pm

Busybee wrote: I wonder if some no shows are people that had long booked holidays which have been cancelled for various reasons but have forgotten to cancel their dinner reservations?
BB

i think the problem was going on before the plague. i got the impression it was caused by people multi booking different restaurants then choosing which one to go to at the last minute.

User avatar
Posts: 8629
Joined: Fri Apr 27, 2012 2:02 pm
Location: Stoke Newington, London

Re: Foodies In The News

Postby Stokey Sue » Mon Jul 27, 2020 3:22 pm

The first time I heard of the no-show problem as a big deal was Mothering Sunday 2019, Jackson Boxer had something like 45 covers no-show for the celebration lunch,

Apart from the immediate loss, what really annoyed him was that he had several reliable regulars phone before service and ask if there were any cancellations as they were unexpectedly in London, so as well as an immediate loss there was a risk of losing regulars

It seems it's a huge problem in London, there was a massive me too type response

You nearly always have to pay a deposit and sometimes the full cost of a hotel room up front, I don't see the difference in paying something on a table booking

Site Admin
User avatar
Posts: 3253
Joined: Mon Apr 23, 2012 1:56 pm
Location: Bushey

Re: Foodies In The News

Postby Sakkarin » Mon Jul 27, 2020 3:41 pm

One of the ones I've seen complaining was Tom Kerridge, it was a huge percentage of his covers didn't turn up. I assume they were all post Covid bookings, I can't believe anyone would expect a booking made before the outbreak to still be valid, or not to ring to confirm.

User avatar
Posts: 5297
Joined: Fri Mar 27, 2020 11:58 am
Location: Wiltshire

Re: Foodies In The News

Postby Earthmaiden » Mon Jul 27, 2020 3:42 pm

I have read of several of the restaurants caught up in the no show problem recently say they really don't want to charge a deposit unless they really have to. Why not? If it became the norm, no-one would blink an eyelid. Even my hairdresser was charging a deposit for long or complicated appointments long before lockdown. I suppose it might decrease pre-booking and encourage people to turn up on the offchance which might make ordering more difficult, but I doubt it.

I am trying to be very careful about my diet at the moment and the thought of a fried chicken sandwich is tantalising.

User avatar
Posts: 8629
Joined: Fri Apr 27, 2012 2:02 pm
Location: Stoke Newington, London

Re: Foodies In The News

Postby Stokey Sue » Mon Jul 27, 2020 3:49 pm

Sakkarin wrote:One of the ones I've seen complaining was Tom Kerridge, it was a huge percentage of his covers didn't turn up. I assume they were all post Covid bookings, I can't believe anyone would expect a booking made before the outbreak to still be valid, or not to ring to confirm.

Most of the booking systems only accept bookings 3 months in advance, I've encountered 6 weeks, otherwise people genuinely forget or even the restaurant needs to close for a week or two or something

Earthmaiden wrote:I have read of several of the restaurants caught up in the no show problem recently say they really don't want to charge a deposit unless they really have to. Why not? If it became the norm, no-one would blink an eyelid

I think there are probably 2 things, one is nobody wants to be the first in case they lose bookings and secondly they would probably have to change their booking system, I don't know if all the software packages can be set up to do it automatically.

User avatar
Posts: 2581
Joined: Fri Apr 27, 2012 1:40 pm

Re: Foodies In The News

Postby karadekoolaid » Tue Jul 28, 2020 12:25 am

Making a booking and then not showing up is a serious lack of respect, to say the least. If you´ve got 50 bookings and only half turn up, a lot of the food which has been prepped will either have to be refrigerated for the next day (NOT good if you preach fresh food) or thrown away. Not to mention the manpower involved. 50 covers, if we assume that each table involves a (conservative) minimum of 2 people means 100 people, If any of you have ever prepared food for 100 people, you´ll know how much work it involves.
If I were a restaurateur, I´d be seriously looking at charging a non-refundable deposit for a booking.

User avatar
Posts: 1812
Joined: Tue Apr 21, 2020 9:21 pm

Re: Foodies In The News

Postby aero280 » Tue Jul 28, 2020 2:06 am

The airlines try and get round the problem of no shows by deliberately overbooking. That causes problems when everyone turns up.

Our local restaurant will call us the day before to confirm that we are still coming.

User avatar
Posts: 4920
Joined: Thu Feb 21, 2013 5:52 pm
Location: North West London

Re: Foodies In The News

Postby Pepper Pig » Thu Jul 30, 2020 9:06 am


User avatar
Posts: 4920
Joined: Thu Feb 21, 2013 5:52 pm
Location: North West London

Re: Foodies In The News

Postby Pepper Pig » Fri Jul 31, 2020 5:47 am


User avatar
Posts: 8629
Joined: Fri Apr 27, 2012 2:02 pm
Location: Stoke Newington, London

Re: Foodies In The News

Postby Stokey Sue » Fri Jul 31, 2020 10:43 am

Interesting

The Per Pig example has got Twitter going

User avatar
Posts: 5297
Joined: Fri Mar 27, 2020 11:58 am
Location: Wiltshire

Re: Foodies In The News

Postby Earthmaiden » Fri Jul 31, 2020 11:40 am

What's the Twitter verdict, Sue?
(refuse to join more social media sites, too time consuming!).

I have to say that I'm not totally against a food nanny state. However, what might be better is an NHS which focuses on preventative medicine rather than trying to treat symptoms often not seen until they become chronic. I once went to a talk by Ann Widdicombe (she was in the know about this at that time) who, when asked, said they'd love to do that but it would cost a lot to set up and current expenses, already at bursting point, would continue until it was set up and effects seen so they couldn't afford to do it. Now we've seen the money thrown at Covid one wonders .....
I'd like to see a qualified person write on the whole subject.

User avatar
Posts: 3919
Joined: Fri Jul 06, 2012 6:33 pm

Re: Foodies In The News

Postby scullion » Fri Jul 31, 2020 12:06 pm

Earthmaiden wrote:I have to say that I'm not totally against a food nanny state. However, what might be better is an NHS which focuses on preventative medicine rather than trying to treat symptoms often not seen until they become chronic.

i think, although this would be a measure to treat a chronic situation in the short term, it is 'preventative medicine' for the future.
we very rarely have a takeaway and when i was 'young' it was just as rare - as a treat. the increase in availability of fast food and takeaways has not been kind to the health and ability to cook of the last couple of generations.
maybe adding vat to takeaways would be a start - both as a fund raiser and as a possible (small) deterrent to overindulgence...

User avatar
Posts: 8629
Joined: Fri Apr 27, 2012 2:02 pm
Location: Stoke Newington, London

Re: Foodies In The News

Postby Stokey Sue » Fri Jul 31, 2020 12:43 pm

Most people I follow (includes NHS diet specialists) are kind of with Henry Dimbleby and Matthew Fort, the whole "it's natural so it's not really sugar" in manufactured food thing is a massive lie that needs to be dealt with, then of course it's interesting to see the extremists and what they say

One of the people I follow is Ian Marber, (nutritionist and writer) who most Fridays runs the #nutribollocks poll 0 this week we have to choose between two claims made by (unnamed) celbrities:
1. Cucumber juice hydrates the nervous system
2. Pitays (dragon fruit) slows the ageing of the liver

PreviousNext

Return to Food Chat & Chatterbox

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 26 guests