Business energy support scheme "lacks considerable details" rules industry
“We haven't got a choice but it's a choice we wanted to make anyway”
Hospitality sector urges new Prime Minister Liz Truss to ‘act quickly and decisively' to save the industry
'We're just trying to adapt a more modern way of curating a menu in the food industry'
Social Media Influencer
Should tasting menu restaurants have a 'minimum charge' for drinks when guests opt out of the wine flight?
thom bateman has announced The Flintlock in Cheddleton will be moving to a tasting menu only, as part of aims to grow the business amid a backdrop of rising costs.
The restaurant’s chef patron, Thom Bateman, explained that the move has always been part of his plan to grow the two AA rosette awarded restaurant but has come sooner than expected, following challenges being faced across the industry.
Discussing the move, Thom said: “We wanted to build the restaurant up, get a good reputation before we committed to that, because I feel considering even though we haven't got a huge team it's just the best way for us to try and really zero-in what we want to achieve long term, which ultimately is moving from two rosettes to three.”
Commenting on rising prices across the industry, bought on by soaring energy bills and the ongoing cost of living crisis, he explained: “Hands are being forced because of the rising cost, we just can't afford to carry on as we are. If we carry on doing à la carte, prices will have to go up by 30%, 40%, maybe even more, and I just don't think people locally will be willing to pay that. It's much cheaper price.”
“We haven't got a choice, but it's a choice we wanted to make anyway, it's just out of our hands,” added Thom.
Whilst the decision comes at a turbulent time for the industry it represents efforts from The Flintlock to continue being more sustainable and less wasteful, an attitude that’s become paramount for a growing number of restaurants across the country.
Explaining the restaurants policy towards cutting waste and costs, Thom said: “Having a tasting menu gives you the opportunity to really cut waste down, which is obviously important for any number of reasons, but for us as a business as well as being contributory towards a positive no waste attitude, it's also a significant step towards reducing our costs, because every waste is just dead cost.”
SOCIAL MEDIA STARDOM
Developing a brand successfully is something that Thom has a lot of experience in.
Following a ten-year hiatus, Thom has built a sizeable audience across social media with more than 180,000 followers following his personal Instagram page.
Discussing the power of his influencer status he explained how the success across both his personal and restaurant pages has allowed him to share his creations and promote his business to millions.
“I made the conscious choice to ditch photography and switch to video and from there it’s gone crazy, like ridiculous numbers, which is incredibly humbling,” explained Thom.
His success across social media was recognised when Thom was awarded TSC 2021 Social Media Influencer of the Year, following on from the previous winner Poppy O’Toole.
Talking about the importance of social media and the impact it’s had for him and his restaurant, Thom said: “Used well it's incredibly valuable, it's just such a resource I find. Chefs harbour a lot of information through experience and in their own recipes, so I think if they're willing to share that and embrace it, they'll gain a lot of positivity from that.”
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“We haven't got a choice but it's a choice we wanted to make anyway”
Business energy support scheme "lacks considerable details" rules industry
Hospitality sector urges new Prime Minister Liz Truss to ‘act quickly and decisively' to save the industry
'We're just trying to adapt a more modern way of curating a menu in the food industry'
Social Media Influencer
Should tasting menu restaurants have a 'minimum charge' for drinks when guests opt out of the wine flight?
