With the UK foodservice market on target for further growth in 2016, and the time reputedly “better than ever” to get more fruit and veg into the eating-out market, the question of how to put produce first in foodservice and catering will be addressed by industry suppliers, top chefs and fresh produce experts during a brand-new Foodservice Forum at the London Produce Show and Conference 2016 next month
Trading within the UK foodservice market is tipped to rise 2.1% during the second quarter of the year; reaching sales of £12.4 billion according to Horizons. This already comes on the back of sales of food and drink rising 2.3% during the first quarter of 2016 to some £10.8bn.
The market is clearly thriving, and diverse. So how can we excite consumers and get more fresh produce on restaurant plates? And how can we encourage more chefs and development chefs to place produce front of mind when developing menus for restaurants of all shapes, genres and size?
Those questions and more will be answered during a one-day, interactive seminar programme dedicated to the UK foodservice and catering industry during the London Produce Show and Conference next month.
“It hasn’t always been the case, but these days the world is looking to London for the next big trends in food,” points out London Produce Show and Conference managing director Tommy Leighton.
“We have an incredible opportunity to bring together the experts from the fresh produce industry with their counterparts in the foodservice and catering arenas to share best practice and experiences, and to find ways to work together to bring about serious gastronomic advancement for fresh fruits and vegetables.”
Sponsored by Reynolds, Westlands, ChefsKit and Feedback, the forum takes place on June 8 from 8.45am to 5.25pm in the Ballroom of the Grosvenor House Hotel in Mayfair, ahead of the London Produce Show’s opening cocktail reception.
Designed to appeal to culinary heavy-hitters and major UK and international foodservice companies, the programme includes: seminars, panel discussions, chef demonstrations, and ideation sessions – all with a view to improving the performance of fresh produce across the foodservice and catering sectors.
Speakers and panelists will cover topics including:
- Produce – the new fast food
- Menu customisation for consumers
- Committing to zero food waste
- Creating nutritional and exciting meals for youngsters
To register for the Foodservice Forum, visit www.londonproduceshow.co.uk.
The day is free for chefs and fresh produce buyers to attend. For all others, there’s a fee of £99.
Foodservice Forum schedule
8.45am – REGISTRATION
PUTTING PRODUCE FIRST
How can we get more fresh produce on restaurant plates and encourage more chefs to have produce front of mind when developing menus?
9.15 – INTRODUCTION by Jim Prevor
9.25 – Jim introduces host – Jason Danciger, a Paris-trained chef and an ex-M&S head of hospitality and fresh counters, who was once responsible for cafes and restaurants at Wyevale, and is now chairman of Espresso Board, HEJ Coffee.
9.30 PRODUCE – THE NEW FAST FOOD
Jason Danciger, Ian Nottage, Chef Director at Reynolds and Sean Burlinson, Director of Food at POD – one of the new produce-centric fast-food chains – start the day with a lively discussion about the evolving use of produce in one of the fastest growing foodservice sectors, talk through some of POD’s best-selling lines and analyse what suppliers can do to be part of the story.
10.00 FOODSERVICE INSIGHT
Richie Bissett at Allegra Strategies – Setting the foodservice scene
Richie is a Senior Client Manager at Allegra Strategies, a leading-edge research and strategy consultancy based in central London. He sets the scene for the rest of the day – with a broad overview of the latest market developments and trends, as well as some unique insight into leading players and market segments.
10.35 PUTTING PRODUCE ON THE TELLY
Andy Clarke – TV Producer for BBC1, BBC Bristol, creator of One4TheTable.com and contributor to Crumbs Magazine
Andy has been involved in TV cookery for 10 years and produced ‘Saturday Kitchen Live’ on BBC1 for seven of them. After starting his TV producing career with ‘Richard & Judy’ he worked on children’s classic ‘Blue Peter’ for a number of years. Andy then paired his TV know-how with a life-long love affair with food and drink on Saturday Kitchen. A keen cook and wine enthusiast, Andy has recently been busy training chefs who aren’t used to cooking on TV by helping them make the transition from kitchen to camera. Andy will be discussing how to produce TV around seasonal fresh produce. He will give tips to chefs and the produce industry on how to get fresh produce on TV, how to pitch your products to TV production companies and also a few pointers on how to overcome camera shyness.
11.05 – NETWORKING BREAK
11.30 IT’S NOT ABOUT YOU!
A successful menu is rarely going to be purely about the person developing the menu; it’s also about giving the consumer what they want in a way that makes sound commercial sense. The Foodservice Forum panel discusses how to develop attractive menus that both make money and delight consumers.
Jason Danciger – Chairman
Ian Nottage, Chef Director, Reynolds
Sean Burlinson, Director of Food, POD
Stefan Catoui, Co-founder and Product Director, Vita Mojo
Nicholas St. Peter – Executive Chef at Bournemouth Highcliff Marriott Hotel
12.15 WORKING LUNCH
Students from Hotelschool the Hague, Oxford Brookes and Springboard develop solutions to a series of practical scenarios from different foodservice settings, with the help of delegates from the sector
1.15 STUDENTS PRESENT FINDINGS
1.40 THE WAR ON WASTE
Feedback is an environmental organisation that campaigns to reduce food waste at every level of the food system. It intends to catalyse action on eliminating food waste globally, working with governments, international institutions, businesses, NGOs, grassroots organisations and the public to change society’s attitude toward wasting food. The panellists have made it their mission to reduce food waste too and Feedback hosts a debate around a topic that’s on everyone’s agenda.
Edd Colbert Feedback Campaign & Research Manager – Chairman
Mark Linehan – MD of Sustainable Restaurant Association
Adrian Collischon – Chef Director at Eden Caterers
Mark Zornes – Founder of Winnow Solutions
Justin Horne – Founder of Tiny Leaf
2.45 GOING BEYOND VEGETARIAN
Celia Brooks – Food Writer, Cookery Book Author, London Gastrotour Host –Celia’s inventive style of vegetarian cooking has made her an established name on the cookery shelf. She has written eight cookbooks including the international bestseller “New Vegetarian”, and has contributed to many others. She conveys her passion for food in every way possible, through books, journalism, consulting, live demos, and has her own business called “Gastrotours”, conducting tours around London’s foodie hotspots. Celia will discuss how even though less than 2% of the population follows a strict vegetarian or vegan diet, restaurants are creating dishes to appeal the the rest of the 98% with veg-centric or plant-based dishes. Increasing the vegetable items on your menu while appealing to a larger audience is about flavour enhancement and cooking technique, not necessarily about being meat free.
3.15 FRESH 4 KIDS
Speaker – Oli Blanc, London Produce Show & Conference 2016 Ambassador
Oli, who has developed Henri Le Worm and a group of friends, a cartoon series aimed at enthusing children about fruit and vegetables, asks who the industry need to target in order to increase consumption of produce amongst the youngest consumers of foodservice menus– and what are the key messages and products that might make a difference?
3.45 NETWORKING BREAK
4.15 CHEF DEMO – CREATIVE MINDS
Reynolds development chef Diane Camp and Daniel Acevedo and Sarah Wasserman from top vegetarian restaurant Mildred’s – creating one of the meals from Mildred’s menu and explaining the thought process that went into creating that menu option in the first place. – would also highlight the importance of development chefs working with their customers to support menu development at this session
4.45 PANEL – LPS16 CHEFS
What do chefs need from produce suppliers and are they getting it? Find out from three of our demo chefs at LPS16
Jason Danciger – Chairman
Jesse Dunford Wood – Head Chef Parlour
Damian Wawrzyniak – Owner of Fine Art of Dining
Hari Ghotra – Tamarind & Tamarind Kitchen Owner of HariGhortra.co.uk
5.25 WRAP-UP
