As fried food continues to prevail with Brits, fryers have become a vital component of most kitchens. Available in gas or electric varieties, there are advantages and disadvantages to each;

While electric models are cheaper to purchase, they are more expensive to run. With gas models, they are more cost effective to run however, installation must be carried out by a Gas Safe engineer and they are not available as a tabletop model.

Whichever variety you opt for, it is imperative that you care for it to ensure longevity, so below we have outlined our top tips for looking after your fryer;

- Ensure you are cooking at the correct temperature by regularly checking your thermostats. These checks should be carried out by a qualified service engineer and will prolong the life of the oil and improve the quality and flavour of your food.

- Keep your eye on the oil; if it smokes at normal temperature settings, then the thermostat may be faulty.

- Once the oil becomes cloudy or dark when heated, replace it.

- Oil can restrict the movement of the dials on the fryer and potentially break them so ensure you regularly clean around the control dials.

- Undertake regular filtering of the oil to maximise its life.

- CO levels must be maintained within approved tolerances so get yours checked on a regular basis by a Gas Safe engineer.

For over 170 years, Hospitality Action, has been raising money so they can offer vital assistance to all who work, or have worked within hospitality in the UK and who find themselves in times of crisis.

The partnership will allow us to get on board with the charity and offer our support over the next 12-months, helping people in the industry who have fallen on hard times.

If you are interested in Hospitality Action Week and want to know how to get involved with the charity, go to www.hospitalityaction.org.uk

Advantages
- You have access to a huge variety of applications without the need to download or install anything
- You can access apps from any computer anywhere in the world
- You don’t need to worry about overspending on hardware and software – use only what you need
- There are few upfront costs and usage is billed as a utility

Disadvantages
- You do not physically possess storage of your own data
- As your data is externally held, your business continuity and recovery are at the hands of your provider
- You may face data migration issues should you decide to change provider

Our favourite Cloud technology for hospitality is:
- Kelsius Foodcheck. This is an app which wirelessly monitors and tracks temperatures of food and refrigerators during delivery, storage and food preparation. Temperatures are recorded and stored in the cloud, enabling access to the data from any internet-connected device.

To celebrate the week, we thought we’d share with you some of our top tips on making the perfect cocktail:

- Make sure you have the right glasses, cocktails will not look like cocktails if you do not use the appropriate glass. We recommend investing in glasses such as martini, margarita, highball glasses and champagne saucers.

- Keep a collection of cocktail tools and supplies, it is essential that you have the basic hardware; measuring devices, such as a jigger to measure the necessary ounces, an electric blender for pulsing fruits, cutting boards and knives and do not forget that famous Boston Shaker

- Use only the finest ingredients. Use fruits and vegetables that are in season and liquor that will complement its flavour.

- Make sure the glasses you use are chilled before serving the cocktails. It can be as simple as putting the glass in the freezer for 30-minutes or pouring in iced water beforehand to cool.

- Do the hippy hippy shakes and shake that cocktail well to ensure the drink is mixed well until the cold disperses throughout the shaker.

- Finally, dress up the cocktail, add some garnish, such as a fresh slice of lime, a sprig of mint or a couple of raspberries and blackberries to give that all important wow factor!

As the drive for healthy food alternatives continues to gather momentum, cooking methods have been brought under the spotlight. As such, grilling is becoming more and more popular as the fat in food is drained off during cooking, meaning a healthier meal for the diner.

With a wide variety of grills available to chefs, below, we outline some of the products on the market and the advantages and disadvantages of each.

Salamander grill. This is the most common form of grill and features an overhead heating element.

Advantage:Ideal for fast turnaround cooking as they cook at very high temperatures.
Disadvantage:Only heats food from the element located at the top.

Rotisserie grill. These grills turn food around on a spit.

Advantage:Food is cooked evenly on all sides.
Disadvantage:The cabinet can become covered with fat that is produced during cooking.

Griddle

Advantage:Enables food to be cooked at different temperatures through its zonal cooking capabilities.
Disadvantage:Can sometimes be difficult to clean.

Contact grills. These are a compact two-sided griddle which are common in bistros and takeaways.

Advantage:Fast and efficient; great for heating foods such as paninis.
Disadvantage:If purchased without an integral drain channel, fat and grease can build up, putting the operator at risk as well as producing fattier foods than expected.

The pub sector is the closest eating-out competitor to home-barbequing, offering significant profit opportunities. Very few customers can resist the smells of food being cooked on the barbeque before they start queuing up themselves.

Below we have provided some of our top tips to help tempt people away from their garden and into your beer garden instead:

- Firstly, make sure the barbeque is clean and there is no residue on the grill from previous sessions, remember a clean grill burns better and doesn’t leave a bad taste on food.

- If using a traditional charcoal barbeque, choose a position where you are sheltered from winds. Light the coals and make sure they are grey before you start cooking.

- Season the grill with olive oil and rosemary before cooking commences to enhance the flavour.

- Be sure to remember food safety – wash your hands before cooking, use a separate chopping board for raw and cooked foods (and always keep these foods apart) buy a meat probe to test whether the meat, especially poultry, is cooked properly before serving.

- For the most succulent taste, marinate meats overnight, but ensure you baste the meat during the last five minutes of grilling.

- Give your outdoor eating a sense of occasion and celebrate the best of British, using seasonal British vegetables, such as asparagus, which are in season now and spring lamb chops.

- Bring a little flair and imagination to chicken, pork and fish by creating a spicy rub to increase the flavours and aromas.

- Make sure you cater for all tastes, especially those who don’t eat meat, by providing fish options and veggie skewers too.

- Finally don’t forget to stock up on disposables, such as, plates, cutlery and cups, napkins and tablecloths.

Whether you have heard of Pinterest or not, it is expected to grow substantially over the coming months, below we have summarised what the fuss is all about, how you can use it for your business and what to be wary of.
What is Pinterest?

Put simply, Pinterest is an electronic pin board which provides a snapshot of your likes and things that interest you, all of which tell your followers something about the personality of your business.

How does it work?
Once registered, you can create pin boards under headings of your own choice and then ‘pin’ images of the things that you like or have an interest in. For example, your favourite food supplier, your favourite menu, your favourite food destination or even your favourite chef; all of these ‘pins’ will help to paint a picture of your business – who you are, what you align yourself with and your likes and interests.

Why is Pinterest good for the hospitality industry?
The largest and most active category within the site is food and drink, and it has been said, will be the fastest growing segment of Pinterest. This highlights the passion people have with food and drink and opens up an untapped avenue of potential growth for your business as you seek to reach these individuals.

Why is it good for your venue?
As we’ve mentioned, Pinterest is a great way to give your business personality and share information in a simple and easy format. It can also be useful for generating awareness of your business as people share your pins with their followers. For example, you might pin photographs of dishes cooked in your kitchen, your hotel rooms or your chefs in action. Any images you pin can also be shared on Twitter and Facebook, enabling you to generate content and spread the word even further as people re-tweet and like your pins. It is also fantastic for referring traffic to your website and blog.

However… a word to the wise
Do not use Pinterest as an open forum for generating sales; that will come later. See Pinterest as an opportunity to showcase the personality of your venue, the values and interests you represent and your ethical ethos.
Finally, there is a lot of debate regarding the legalities of pinning pictures from other people’s websites. Pinterest is clear in its terms and conditions that individual members are responsible for adhering to copyright laws so make sure you seek legal advice to ensure you’re protected against any potential conflicts.

To mark the start of Coffee Week this week (23 – 29 April), we take a look at how restaurants, pubs and hotels can improve their hot beverages offerings, which will ultimately boost revenue and increase footfall:

- Firstly, it is important that you do your research and get a coffee machine that suits your needs. There are many options available on today’s market from lease hire to buying the machine outright.

- Adapt your drinks menu so you offer a selection of coffees, teas, infusions and hot chocolates. Be sure to also offer takeaway hot beverages, so coffee can still be ordered for on the go.

- Team up with a popular coffee brand, customers are more likely to purchase coffee if it is a brand they recognise and are familiar with.

- Position an A-board outside your establishment to let passers by know you serve coffee and are open for business.

- Be sure to serve coffee in the correct cups. Stock a range of cups from espresso to cappuccino, latte to standard coffee cups. Don’t neglect your crockery, nobody wants to drink out of a chipped mug or use a stained teaspoon.

- Selling coffee provides an ideal opportunity to upsell biscuits and cakes to accompany the drink. Why not display a range of suitable items on the counter where customers place their order, or alternatively mention your offerings when taking their order?

- Add some soft furnishings to your current décor, such as cushions to provide a cosy and relaxing ambience. Furthermore, if your budget will allow it make the environment more comfortable by bringing in sofas or relaxing armchairs where customers can unwind and relax.

Below we have provided some suggestions for those who are looking to capitalise on marking 60 years of the Queen’s reign, 2 – 5 June.

- It is important that you start planning now, get the word out and let people know your establishment is holding an event to mark the momentous occasion.

- Be sure to stock up on supplies to cater for your celebrations; disposable plates, bowls and platters, cutlery and cups, napkins and table.

- Decorate the venue with Union Jack bunting and flags to create a royal theme.

- Focus on the wave of patriotism, by putting traditional English dishes on the menu; fish & chips, a traditional roast or pies.

- Serve English brews or even introduce the old tradition of Afternoon Tea with quintessentially English scones and dainty cucumber finger sandwiches

- Sell a selection of patriotic-themed beers and drinks

- Host competitions, for example a royal-based quiz

- Finally be sure to make full use of social media platforms, such as Twitter and Facebook to inform and attract customers about the event.

Below, Stephensons offers some advice on the best way to deal with negativity on social media:

• With the growth of mobile internet platforms, customers are increasingly posting in real-time their thoughts on your venue, good and bad. It is therefore vital to continually monitor these outlets in order to respond quickly.

• Sign up to Hootsuite or Tweetdeck; these tools are easy to use and will monitor mentions to your Twitter account in real-time.

• Never ignore negative comments in the hope that they will eventually go away; managing your reputation means responding quickly and effectively. However, it is equally important to respond in a diplomatic and measured way so don’t take things personally, take a step back and remember, whatever you post on social media will be viewed by all who follow or like you.

• Follow up on all complaints, offline if possible; this will reassure the complainant that you are taking their comments seriously. This will ensure your reputation is maintained as it shows you care, not only for your business, but for your customers too.

• Be proactive and encourage customers to provide feedback through your website, allowing guests the opportunity to vent their thoughts directly to you, minimising the likelihood of them doing the same publicly.

• Consider printing a QR code on your receipts, this will enable customers to be directed to an online feedback area, capturing not only the customer experience but also vital data.