You can see the video on You Tube (type in ‘The Sharps my love ain’t gonna save you’).   (Short link: http://bit.ly/wh1e4G)

The Sharps are twins Callum and Kieran Morgan, on bass/vocal and lead/backing vocals respectively, and Sam Evans on drums.   Upcoming gigs include the Rumsey Wells, Norwich, on February 24, and Open, Norwich, on March 17.  The Sharps are also touring nationwide with gigs in London, Southampton and Newcastle. 

More:
www.facebook.com/thesharpsuk
www.twitter.com/the_sharps
www.thesharpsband.co.uk

great food with great art (and great coffee)

 The Gunton Arms in North Norfolk is a paradox: on the one hand it’s very much a community pub where all are welcomed, whether for a drink or a meal.  On the other, following an extensive refurbishment, its walls are hung with fine art and the food it serves is gathering plaudits and pulling customers from far and wide – despite being well off the beaten track, even by Norfolk’s standards.  In the restaurant, diners feast on venison from the adjoining deer park while in the bar punters play pool beneath Tracy Emin ceramics and original prints by David Hockney. 

 Tea and coffee form a critical part of the mix – not only for diners, but also for the customers who drop in throughout the day to warm up after a shoot or just catch up on the local news.  As with food and wine, the Gunton Arms offers what if considers the best – so the tea is loose leaf from the Rare Tea Company, the coffee beans come from foodservice specialist Caravan Coffee and the espresso machine is a Gaggia. 

“It was really important to us that the pub should be both a drinking and a food pub,” says Simone Baker, who manages the Gunton Arms while head chef Stuart Tattersall runs the kitchen – both formerly worked with Mark Hix in London.  “We wanted people to be as comfortable about coming for a pint and a sausage roll as for a three course meal. 

“When it came to coffee service, we needed a machine that could make great espresso and be reliable: we serve a lot of coffee, we get through 10 to 15 kilos of beans a fortnight.  For me, with coffee machines the first name you think of is Gaggia.” 

The Gaggia Deco at the Gunton Arms is a two group unit with a 13 litre boiler, giving it the capacity to cope with high volumes quickly, without compromising on coffee quality.  Once the coffee bean grinder is correctly set up, the Deco produces rich, perfect espresso every time.

The unit’s features include individual brewing head temperature controls, which allow the coffee’s ‘sweet spot’ to be extracted every time, and a turbo-charged steam wand that can steam a litre of milk in just 40 seconds. 

Given the focus on art in the pub, another consideration was how the coffee maker would look behind the bar, which is why Simone Baker specified a Gaggia Deco: the design combines vintage art deco looks with hi-tech features.  “It looks great – it’s very curvy,” she says. 

“We want the best on the market.  I’ve used other coffee makers in the past, including pod machines, but you just don’t get the flavour or quality that you do from grinding beans.”  

Consumers these days know their coffees so, even in deepest North Norfolk, operators need to offer a choice.  “We do latte, cappuccino, espresso, Americano – the Deco looks the part and does the job perfectly.  It’s also easy to look after.  It’s a hassle-free machine.” 

Editor’s notes

Links:

www.theguntonarms.co.uk
Opened in October 2011, The Gunton Arms is a traditional pub with 8 bedrooms in an extensive historic park near Cromer in North Norfolk. The chef Stuart Tattersall (ex head chef at Mark Hix) cooks from local ingredients including venison from the surrounding deer park. 

Art dealer Ivor Braka and his artist wife Sarah Graham bought the Gunton Arms in 2009 and started a major restoration. Robert Kime helped design the bedrooms and interior, Martin Brudnizki the bar and restaurant. Stuart Tattersall and Simone Baker, the manager and front of house, both formerly worked at Mark Hix’s restaurants in London: Selfridges, Brown’s Hotel, and Hix Oyster and Chop. They bring with them the Hix ethos of using local, seasonal ingredients and a style of cooking which is vigorous and ingredient led. The Gunton Arms has its own venison; seafood, mussels and Cromer crab are caught by local fisherman.

www.gaggia-coffee.co.uk

“Powerful and reliable, with low running costs, Gaggia coffee machines are an ideal choice for bars, cafés and restaurants. “

www.watermark.uk.com

“We have over ten years of experience with Gaggia in Ireland, where we’ve built the Gaggia brand to be one of the market leaders. We’re dedicated to putting our customers’ interests first, delivering a service that maximises your return from your machine.  Our customer-centred approach ensures that your Gaggia machine is working at its best for your business.”

“Hoveton Hall Gardens is home to some of the UK’s most uncommon and less well-known plants, alongside the more familiar, much-loved varieties,” says Harry Buxton, whose family own the Estate.  “The end of winter is a special time.  We have masses of our native wild snowdrops growing in the woods, while in the Spider Garden we have a collection of more unusual species that visitors may not be so familiar with. Visitors will also see wildlife, especially woodland birds including buzzards, tree creepers, nuthatches, sparrow hawks and jays.” 

The Woodland Walks are also a sneak preview for visitors, since the Gardens don’t officially open until April 1st.  On both days the Estate is open from 10.30am until 3pm (last entry at 2pm).  Visitors will be able to ramble and explore the extensive gardens for themselves, perhaps taking in a visit to Hoveton’s recently restored 18th century ice well. 

There are also guided tours, which take place at 12pm and 1pm.  These are led by Harry Buxton, who will show visitors some of the estate’s more secret byways, looking out for rare plants and wildlife.  He likes to pepper his talks with snippets of Buxton family history – so expect insights and indiscretions to help keep you warm!    

Admission prices are £8 for adults and £4 for children aged 5 to 16.  Family tickets are available.  The price includes the guided tour (optional) and refreshments: hot soup, a sausage roll and a choice of mulled wine, tea, coffee or fruit juice.  Dogs on leads are welcome and waterproof boots are strongly recommended. 

Hoveton Hall Gardens is one of Norfolk’s best kept secrets.  It offers a rare mixture of experiences for gardeners, walkers and families – on the one hand there are the woodlands, the water garden, with its natural tunnels, bridges, nooks and crannies, and the park.  On the other are the walled garden, with its unique spider gate, the kitchen garden and the early 19th century Glass House – one of only three in the country. 

Edgware-based communications specialist Call Systems Technology (CST) has worked with many of the top brands involved at Westfield, including John Lewis, Mothercare, Dorothy Perkins and Burton.  “Being a new build, Westfield is a great opportunity for businesses to implement new technologies that will increase staff effectiveness and enhance their business operations,” says Bruce McNair, sales director at CST. 

“For example, the Westfield John Lewis store is the first in the UK using a new digital radio that offers multi channels and multi groups.  It’s a very flexible solution that radically improves communications between business protection teams as well as among departments and departmental managers.” 

In Mothercare, CST has supplied Quail Digital hands-free headsets.  “The Quail Digital system improves communications between all team members, including stock room, floor staff and managers,” says Bruce McNair.  “It delivers multiple benefits – for example, several hours can be saved each week because stock checking is easier; customer service is better and faster and the headsets also improve communication in security incidents, reducing shrinkage.” 

The clarity of the HD signal ensures that messages get heard, no matter how noisy the store, and the lightweight, robust headset is unobtrusive, comfortable to wear and easy to use.  The headset operates in VOX, talk-lock and push-to-talk modes as standard, so all users are constantly in touch. 

Two retailers at Westfield are using CST call buttons in their changing rooms so customers can summon a member of staff.  The buttons link directly to pagers worn by staff and means that service can be swift and discreet. 

“This is a simple system with a big impact.  It not only speeds up service but also reduces labour costs as changing room staff can serve elsewhere yet remain contactable by the changing room user.  Additionally, it reduces customer queuing.  Sales have also increased, because this reduces walk-aways,” says Bruce McNair. 

Another innovative installation at one Westfield retailer is CST’s AlarmCall™, which is designed to solve the issue of false fire alarms that lead to unnecessary store evacuations.  The system connects directly to the site’s fire alarm.  In the event of an alarm triggering, AlarmCall immediately notifies the store’s fire team, via pagers, telling them the exact location of the relevant sensor.  The team members then quickly check and, if the alarm is found to be false, can stand down the alarm before the automatic fire service call-out. 

“False fire alarm evacuations can cost stores tens of thousands of pounds in lost sales, not to mention safety issues and inconvenience to customers.  AlarmCall was developed in conjunction with Manchester Fire Service and provides a safe, sure solution,” notes McNair.

CST will be exhibiting at the Retail Technology Business Expo on 13 & 14 March in Earl’s Court, London.

For details freephone Call Systems Technology on 0800 389 5642 or 020 8381 1338, email the company at sales@call-systems.com or visit the CST website www.call-systems.com

The Minotaur must hold a record as one of the most unusual restaurant venues ever.  Sited in the labyrinthine Victorian tunnels under Waterloo station, it popped up for just two weeks in October 2011.  Having found their way through mazes hung with eye-popping artwork, customers ate three star Michelin food off tables made of old scaffolding planks. 

While the ambience was fun, rough and ready, spiced with a good whiff of decadence, the operation itself needed to be efficient and smooth, matching the quality of the food and drinks on offer.  When it came to selecting a provider of dish- and glasswashers, The Minotaur chose Winterhalter. 

“As well as ensuring that the tableware was sparkling, we needed efficiency, ease of use and speed, all of which Winterhalter gave us,” says Dirk Duwaer of Pret a Diner, which ran The Minotaur.  “For example, the glasswashers are incredible – there was no need for staff to polish the glasses when they came out, they were sparkling and smear-free straight from the machine.  That saved us loads of time.” 

Time and efficiency were key issues, since The Minotaur was packed – it was fully booked weeks before opening, with 240 covers a night, every night, plus a 40-seater private function room.  Then there were bars, a DJ and club, and a sushi bar…  That’s a lot of crockery and glassware, and staff had to learn how to deliver a three star Michelin operation in just a few days (Pret a Diner were able to take over the premises only one week before opening), so the warewashers’ easy, one-touch control was a real bonus. 

For the main dishwasher Winterhalter supplied a GS502 Energy+.  This pass-through hood machine was ideal for the Minotaur: not only does it have a fast wash cycle and deliver superior wash results, it also has a heat exchanger that turns waste steam into energy to heat the incoming cold water.  It’s primarily an energy-saving feature (Energy+ reduces connected load by 6kW) but for The Minotaur the big plus was that it doesn’t produce any steam when the hood is opened, which is a huge benefit in terms of the working environment, especially when the warewash area is down a tunnel! 

The main glasswasher was a Winterhalter UC undercounter unit, fitted with the new RoMatik ultra-compact reverse osmosis water treatment system.  This combination ensures that glasses don’t need hand polishing after washing (see editor’s notes).  A second UC glasswasher in the bar had the Winterhalter Energy heat exchanger, which cuts power consumption and virtually eliminates the problem of steam escaping into the back bar area. 

Alongside dish- and glasswashers, Winterhalter’s sister company, Classeq, supplied an Eau de Vie on-site bottled water system.  The system filters and chills the mains water supply, taking out impurities, to produce either still or sparkling water that can be dispensed into stylish Eau de Vie branded bottles.  As well as giving The Minotaur an eco-friendly alternative to bottled mineral water, Eau de Vie cuts down on handling, waste and costs, since the bottles are re-used rather than having to be collected for recycling. 

The Victorian tunnels at Waterloo are owned by The Old Vic and are run as a charity to raise funds for the theatre.  Julie Beeches, operations manager at the tunnels, explains that they host a huge variety of different events.  Just before The Minotaur took over, Tracey Emin had an exhibition there and before that there had been an 18^th birthday party.  Dirk Duwaer says they were delighted by the flexibility of the space and the way Julie’s team were willing to accommodate The Minotaur concept.  “Most places say ‘sorry, you can’t do that’ to the crazy ideas Pret a Diner come up with.  Here they said ‘great, go for it!’” 

Editors notes:
Pret a Diner is part of Kofler & Kompanie, the global event and contract caterer.  Pret a Diner operates ‘dining experiences’, extraordinary pop-up restaurants that are created to challenge the imagination and satisfy all the senses.  The Minotaur was the company’s first UK venture.  The art gallery was organised by Lazarides. 

Clean glasses with no polishing: Reverse Osmosis.
Reverse osmosis systems are recognised as the best way to treat water to ensure perfect glass and dish washing results, with no smears or odours.  Water is passed though an ultra-fine membrane which removes nearly all the impurities and particles that cause cleaning problems.  But traditional systems are large – often too large for the site.  Winterhalter’s new mini-system measures just 469mm (h) x 142mm (w) x 515mm (d), so is easily small enough to fit beside or even on top of the warewasher.  Yet it can process up to 90 litres of water per hour, removing 98% of particles. 

Winterhalter at the Minotaur:

Winterhater supplied the following equipment:
One GS502TE Energy+ pass though hood dishwasher plus inlet and outlet tabling, including pre spray area. 
One UC M glass washer
One RoMatik XS reverse osmosis system 
One UCME glass washer (energy-saving unit)
All warewasher chemicals

Links:
www.winterhalter.co.uk
www.eaudevie.com
www.koflerkompanie.com
www.pretadiner.com
http://theminotaur.co.uk
http://www.lazinc.com

The most important benefit of CESASTATS is that it allows companies to track the trend of their share of the UK commercial catering equipment market.   As such it helps its members to accurately assess their performance – and shows if they are holding their own against the competition.

“No other source of market intelligence can match CESASTATS for accuracy when it comes to defining the current trend of market demand” says the chair of CESA, Mick Shaddock.

A new development means the scheme now enables participating members to predict, with a high degree of accuracy, the future level of the sales demand for commercial catering equipment in the UK. This is done by processing data extracted from members’ future order books.

Lincat’s marketing and export director Nick McDonald says “CESASTATS is the only reliable and affordable source of firm market trend data and so enables us to establish whether our sales and marketing activities are delivering a positive result.  This is particularly valuable during periods of market instability; without CESASTATS we would have no reliable means of assessing whether we were performing ahead of or behind the overall market”.

Although CESASTATS operates under the general umbrella of CESA, it is run by a totally separate and independent administrator, thereby assuring that members’ sensitive data is retained in total confidence. There has never been a breech of confidence in CESASTATS’ 20 years of existence.

The scheme is run on a non-profit making basis, so the subscription fee is only £100 per member per annum, to cover the admin costs.

For more information (and an application form) please visit www.cesatats.org.uk

The Catering Equipment Suppliers Association (CESA) is the authoritative voice of the catering equipment industry, representing over 160 companies who supply, service and maintain all types of commercial catering equipment – from utensils to full kitchen schemes.  For more information on CESA visit www.cesa.org.uk

Williams launches market’s first mobile refrigerated prep well

Stand N1645, Hotelympia, ExCeL London, 26 Feb – 1 March 2012

At Hotelympia 2012 Williams will launch an entirely new refrigeration concept, designed to help with the makeup of pizzas, salads and sandwiches.  The mobile Prep Well is a highly flexible, compact unit – it’s ideal for sites that have to replenish ingredients from the coldroom and have no room for a conventional prep counter with wells.  Accurate controls mean there’s no need for regular temperature checking of the ingredients and it can be wheeled-in and positioned where it’s needed most, such as alongside an existing work counter or prep area.  Its footprint of just 769 x 450mm means it is also small enough to fit into confined spaces.

 Whilst the concept of counters with wells and table tops is established in the foodservice market, the Williams Prep Well is the first to offer a mobile option.  “Its mobility is a key benefit, since it allows caterers to be more flexible with valuable floor space,” says Williams marketing manager Martin Laws.

The Prep Well is equipped with a powerful refrigeration system which, together with its new airflow design, ensures a constant temperature of 1 to 4°C is maintained for the medium-term storage of ingredients.  An integral chopping board, which can be removed when not required, can be used as a lid over the wells to retain freshness for even longer periods.

 The unit’s special airflow design provides constant cooling to the chilled ingredients through a combination of convection cooling below the gastronorm pans and a protective 1°C air-curtain above the ingredients. 

 The Prep Well is designed to be easy to clean to ensure maximum hygiene.  Thus it features many removable parts, including a removable overflow tray for the collection and disposal of spillages.

 Sustainability Built In

The new Prep Well uses R290 hydrocarbon refrigerant and high density polyurethane foam insulation, which have a minimal Global Warming Potential and zero Ozone Depletion Potential.  As the hydrocarbon refrigerant is below the 150g threshold, the unit can be placed in any location.  

The combination of the hydrocarbon refrigerant and the Prep Well’s highly efficient EC fans reduces energy consumption by up to 15%, compared to traditional systems.  The Prep Well’s CoolSmart controller also minimises energy consumption, by up to a further 15%, through processes such as fan and heater pulsing, intelligent defrost and the independent management of evaporator and condenser fans.  All components are ethically sourced and the unit is 98% recyclable.

 Williams also points out that the Prep Well’s ability to ensure ingredients retain their freshness will lead to a reduction in food spoilage – and a consequent reduction in food costs.

 “The use of the Prep Well rather than taking stored pans of ingredients directly from a coldroom will save staff time.  For example, there’s no need for the constant checking of ingredient temperatures and it avoids regular trips to the coldroom or other preparation areas to replenish supplies,” says Martin Laws. 

 Williams Refrigeration offers a comprehensive range of solutions, from commercial refrigeration to bakery equipment and including a market-leading choice of gastronorm cabinets, modular storage and reach-in and roll-in blast chillers. 

 To learn more about Williams extensive product range visit www.williams-refrigeration.com. 

Williams Refrigeration is an ISO9001-2008 Quality Management accredited company and has been awarded ISO14001, the internationally recognised industry standard for Environmental Management Systems.

Williams designs, manufactures and installs a highly diverse product range, supplying hotels, hospitals, schools, restaurants, bars and kitchens around the world. With a wide selection of gastronorm cabinets and counters, prep stations, blast chillers/freezers, bottle coolers, bakery and modular coldrooms the company provides products that suit almost any application – a “one-stop” refrigeration purchasing solution.

 Williams’ commitment to customers is absolute, offering extensive specialist advice and support from installation through to after-sales, service and maintenance.

To learn more about Williams’ extensive product range visit www.williams-refrigeration.com

or to find out how Williams greenlogic initiative can help caterers select energy efficient equipment visit www.greenlogic.info

British manufacturer Precision supplies robust, dependable, quality refrigeration for commercial catering environments. The company, which is owned by Nick Williams, formerly of Williams Refrigeration, has developed a wide choice of products designed to meet the diverse requirements of the market – as reflected in a customer list that ranges from fast food operators, such as McDonalds, to gourmet restaurateurs including Caprice Holdings. 

In a new business partnership, Precision refrigeration products are now available from Technical Supplies & Services Company L.L.C. of Dubai. Amongst the models TSSC will launch at Gulfood 2012 are Precision’s refrigerated wall cabinets which offer practical wall mounted refrigerated storage, especially when space is at a premium.  Visitors will also be able to check out gastronorm cabinets and counters, as well as back bar refrigeration, in a variety coloured stainless steel options highlighting the quality and flexibility of Precision’s product range.

Precision is all about supplying the best quality product, at the best possible price, combining quality construction – all models are made of stainless steel throughout – with features that are both practical and innovative.

TSSC will supply the full Precision range including upright cabinets, counters, prep stations, blast chillers, wall cabinets and back bar units in the UAE.

For more information check out the Precision website (www.precision-refrigeration.co.uk), or call the company directly on +44 (0)1842 753 994.

The River Café is renowned for its fine food and superb service. The rustic Italian-inspired menu features fresh seasonal produce, delicate fish dishes and exquisite desserts. It’s modern dining at its best, much visited by celebrities, politicians and lesser mortals.

A key concept of the River Café is sustainability. As a company, they care about food miles and responsible sourcing of menu items and other goods. One practice that was causing concern was the huge quantity of bottled Italian mineral water they were buying in.

“Not only do we have limited storage space, but we also started worrying about the ethical viability of transporting bottles of water all the way from Italy,” explains Charles Pullan, manager at the River Café.  “On Fridays we used to have 48 cases of water delivered which then had to be stacked away, so we started looking at other ways to serve water.”

About 18 months ago River Café installed an Eau de Vie water system. Eau de Vie passes mains water through a special filter, called SilverSix, to remove the impurities that adversely affect its flavour and smell.  The filtered water is then chilled to produce clear, pure tasting water, in both still and sparkling variants.

Although the Eau de Vie water can be bottled, River Café prefers to serve it in straight-sided glass jugs with a lip for pouring. The machine itself is sited under the bar/serving counter so it is easily accessible to all staff.

“Customers are very happy with the Eau de Vie water. They actually like the idea that it isn’t bottled,” says Pullan. “We charge a nominal £1.50 for a ‘bottomless’ jug per table.

“It’s really simple to serve. We don’t have to do anything more than turn on the tap and clean the nozzles at the end of the day. Eau de Vie changes the gas canisters for carbonating the water regularly and are always there if we have a query. The quality of service is excellent.”

The taste of the Eau de Vie water is consistent, despite variations in the mains supply, but Charles Pullan samples a glass of both still and fizzy water every day to be on the safe side.

“Our customers expect everything to be just right so we always double check everything,” he says.

River Café certainly puts the Eau de Vie machine through its paces. Over a four-hour serving period the Eau de Vie system is dispensing at least 400 litres of freshly-fitered water.