Dominic Chapman?

[nimzo]

i would still class the Hind's as a village boozer mainly populated by locals in the week with the chelsea hordes arriving on Saturdays and Sundays.I think hestons biggest change affecting hte drinkers was making it non-smoking which perhaps sent a few down to the Crown.

[muichoi]

If bread needs to be baked twice a day, then it's not good bread. A surfeit of yeast stays in the memory..and if I remember correctly, they wouldn't just bring it, it had to be heated up. Other things were not bad, to be fair.

[bakerestates]

The inherent problem with gastro pubs is staff.  I think every gastro pub in the country has one person saying it is wonderful and another claiming it is dire and both are probably right.  They are just so inconsistent. 

It is hard to attract staff because most chefs and front of house want a good restaurant on the cv not a pub. so you are stuck with well meaning but ultimately pretty clueless  local lads and lasses.

Another problem is the lack of control you have over bookings in a pub, people just will not be dictated to like they can in restaurants (however much people complain about staggering tables and having to eat at 7pm, its what makes restaurant services run smoothly)

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Thus the similarities with restaurants are blinding chefmatt.

I have never heard such generalised claptrap. Then again, sticking gastro onto any public house that does not serve packet food is the biggest generalisation of all.

So on this note why do they charge so bloody much?

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I'm off now to buy my own private island with all the dosh I've made from charging people so bloody much.

[chefmatt]

certainly generalised but humor me for a second,

ok Bakerestates, on your busiest service, how many chefs in the kitchen, how many front of house staff, how many punters? Do you have a sommelier?

[bakerestates]

ok Bakerestates, on your busiest service, how many chefs in the kitchen, how many front of house staff, how many punters?

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If this is how you form your buisiness model then good luck to you chefmatt. I suppose your next question will be, what is my most expensive dish?

Do you have a sommelier?

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In a pub.....don't make me ......do you have a hand pump whereever you chef?

[nimzo]

It is hard to attract staff because most chefs and front of house want a good restaurant on the cv not a pub. so you are stuck with well meaning but ultimately pretty clueless  local lads and lasses.

I've only eaten at the Hand once, last summer.chatting to the 19 year old waitress she had far more experience of 3* restaurants than me, could comfortably argue for Keller over Adria and knew whether she preferred her prawns tide in or tide out.This is the Home Counties and the local lads and lasses eat out,travel and spend.Most don't live in caves and exist on shoots and leaves.

[chefsimon]

The inherent problem with gastro pubs is staff.  I think every gastro pub in the country has one person saying it is wonderful and another claiming it is dire and both are probably right.   They are just so inconsistent. 

It is hard to attract staff because most chefs and front of house want a good restaurant on the cv not a pub. so you are stuck with well meaning but ultimately pretty clueless  local lads and lasses.

Another problem is the lack of control you have over bookings in a pub, people just will not be dictated to like they can in restaurants (however much people complain about staggering tables and having to eat at 7pm, its what makes restaurant services run smoothly)

←

Thus the similarities with restaurants are blinding chefmatt.

I have never heard such generalised claptrap. Then again, sticking gastro onto any public house that does not serve packet food is the biggest generalisation of all.

So on this note why do they charge so bloody much?

←

I'm off now to buy my own private island with all the dosh I've made from charging people so bloody much.

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Couldnt agree more baker states, i hate the word gastro pub cannot stand it, what do you do or where do you work chef matt