Managing Partner Jon Pryce and Kudos’ head chefs and general managers got together for the 2015 Summer Conference with a focus to discuss the recent allergens legislation, the effects it has had on business over the last six months, and the solutions that have been put in place to help manage it.
The two-day conference saw 95 per cent of the company’s managers and head chefs in attendance and was held at Kudos venue Northampton Saints RFC.
Time-saving recipe management system
Time was one of the main issues discussed, especially when it came to creating bespoke menus on match days at Northampton Saints RFC.
Andy Wood, head chef at Northampton Saints RFC, said: “Previously on match days, we were creating numerous menus which took a lot of time, compared to the amount of requests we got for them.
“Since the introduction of the recipe management system, I have found it takes less time because the system actually tells us what allergens are in each dish that we create. This means we can quickly eliminate and replace any ingredients that are not suitable. This time-saving system simplifies the previous complicated allergy sheets which were given to all staff members to become familiar with.”
Catering for allergy sufferers with the ‘handbook’
Another factor regarding time was that the majority of suppliers are not specific when it comes to the full breakdown of ingredients in products, they simply go with the ‘everything suits all’ label, meaning staff members then have to chase them for further information.
The ‘handbook’ is one tool that Kudos has started to roll out across their venues. It is a detailed menu which caters for all allergy sufferers by presenting them with their meal options and offering a very clear description of the ingredients included in that meal. Once the selected meal is chosen, the head chef will create it specifically for that individual.
Not only does this mean that customers can now see every item that goes into a dish but the chefs can also change the ingredients to comply with allergen requirements, giving them and all staff members a greater awareness and appreciation of their customers, whilst offering a wider variety of dishes.
Dietary station
The Brighton Centre (pictured top) have taken it one step further and have introduced a complete separate dietary station with its own chef and ‘handbook’ on hand for ease of access. The ‘handbook’ has helped Kudos restaurants deal with those last-minute allergen requests much more efficiently.
Language barriers and regular allergens training
During the conference the managers came to the conclusion that language barriers were a very big issue. Not just with customers but also internally, especially at Central Hall Westminster which has a diverse range of employees of different nationalities.
All staff members now undertake regular allergens training given by both general managers and head chefs across all Kudos venues. All staff receive a ‘handbook’ which is updated on a regular basis with new menus and any other new allergen information.
Working to the same standards
Jon Pryce, Kudos’ Managing Partner, said: “We use our seasonal conferences to discuss important topics and ensure everyone is working to the same standards.”
“It’s also a time to reflect on any obstacles we have faced and how we can overcome them. The introduction of the ‘handbook’ has enabled us to save time, minimize food wastage and has been a simple and successful way of keeping our staff informed about all the latest allergen information.”
Kudos has found that by introducing the ‘handbook’ there has been a lot of positive feedback from not only the retail customers but also from clients that have held corporate and private events with Kudos.
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