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Thursday, 28 April 2011

Hopefully always Good

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Comment Books - not just cards - are back in fashion.  It certainly fits the historic venue location and if you can find an old leather-led...
Wednesday, 27 April 2011

Staff Tips

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What do we think? Naff in the extreme is my view.  Especially in a cafe where you queue to order and take your own drink to the table. ...
Tuesday, 26 April 2011

Memories of Spam & Dripping

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The cafe at Crich Tramway Village sold dozens of Spam, Corned Beef and Dripping sandwiches at their Easter 1940s Weekend.  True retro food...
Friday, 22 April 2011

Fun with a Multideck

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Napket (5 outlets in the City and West End) have fun with their multi-deck chiller cabinets.  They make most folk look plain boring.  Wood ...
Thursday, 21 April 2011

Honest staff?

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This is how Burger King at Paddington station keep a check on things.  Simple, self-policing and relevant to high volume locations.
Wednesday, 20 April 2011

Grocer Deli Bakery Cafe

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Melrose & Morgan in north London. Kitchen and storage area right in front of you. Product fresh from the ovens displayed on a simple...
Monday, 18 April 2011

Stuff the Rules; Make me Smile

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Welcoming, inclusive and unexpected - our characterful 'local' on the river at Cookham.  Do you have a sign that makes your custo...
Friday, 15 April 2011

A new take on Toast

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A clever take on an old favourite - toast.  Starbucks, and now EAT, offer thick slices of fruit bread toasted on the panini grill.   There h...
Thursday, 14 April 2011

Cakestands - No need to get married

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Wedding cake stands are what you need to present your cakes and, boy, are their makers doing some business. ...
Wednesday, 13 April 2011

New use for telegraph poles

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Cocomaya's new cafe on Pavilion Road (Sloane Square end) uses the same cake presentation device - a chopped down telegraph pole with fre...
Tuesday, 12 April 2011

Two Stars; No Sense

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One way of putting your customers off!    As yet, you don't have to put the score on your door.

Macaroons on steroids

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Seen at Peter Jones' rooftop cafe on Sloane Square: whoopie size (i.e. large) macaroons at £2.60 a pop. John Lewis have redone the...
Monday, 11 April 2011

Kastner & Ovens - Keeping it Simple

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Simple and inexpensive cake presentation on standard mobile stainless steel shelving units at Kastner & Ovens' new unit in Spitalfie...
Friday, 8 April 2011

Lolly Cake

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Cake on a stick - colourful, fun and not seen elsewhere.....yet.  Not the easiest to eat but typical of the innovation seen in the cut...
Thursday, 7 April 2011

POD - one to watch

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Nine City of London locations, growing fast and voted Independant Retailer of the Year 2010-11. http://www.podfood.co.uk/index.php Their ...
Wednesday, 6 April 2011

Timed and undated

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We are well used to truly fresh sandwiches and the horror of the dated (i.e. potentially yesterday's) lunchtime favourite.  Benugo put t...
Tuesday, 5 April 2011

Popcorn and not just at the movies

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Pret has had it for a while - popcorn that is - and it has now moved mainstream.  Low cost, high margin, healthy (oh yeah) and popular.  A ...
Friday, 1 April 2011

Tea ....on the Sea

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The £52 million rebuild of the Grand Pier at Weston-super-Mare (Bristol way) is quite something. The latest in arcade gizmos, a 4D cinema,...
Thursday, 31 March 2011

Windows and the art of communication

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Go on ...bring a smile to your potential customers faces! Seen at Tibits - itself an interesting Swiss vegetarian restaurant bar takeaway ...
Wednesday, 30 March 2011

Kaffeine - Some neat ideas .... and superb coffee

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Kaffeine is a small boutique coffee house cafe in Great Titchfield Street (north of Oxford Street) www.kaffeine.co.uk with some neat ideas,...
Tuesday, 29 March 2011

Living Walls

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Great idea for a Living Wall spotted at Anthropologie in Regent Street - no cafe here but lots of design ideas.  Perfect for a garden centre...
Saturday, 26 March 2011

That Extra Sale - Crisps

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Check out how ever-innovative Pret are displaying/selling their crisps - rustic looking bins in front of every multi-deck chiller. Look for...
Thursday, 24 March 2011

The Return of the Doily

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The Times (23.3.11) says Granny clutter is all the rage and that sales of doilies are booming. I have spent most of my catering career tryi...