Festive Menus Contract Catering

1. How big is the Christmas products market?

Christmas is one of the most significant periods of the year for the hospitality industry. During my previous life in pubs, restaurants, and hotels, it was the season when we generated the highest revenue. From mid-November, Christmas parties begin, leading to full bookings for the next month and a half.

2. What are the biggest selling Christmas products/meals?

Regardless of the specific sector within the hospitality industry, traditional Christmas dinners, featuring turkey and all the trimmings, are among the best-selling products. Even Christmas pudding enjoys great popularity. This is largely due to the tradition and nostalgia associated with these dishes.

While not the most sophisticated cuisine, they offer comfort and evoke happy memories and a sense of nostalgia. The RATIONAL iCombi Pro and iVario Pro can replace a wide range of traditional appliances and replicate various cooking processes, including preparing everything needed to create a delicious Turkey Dinner.

3. What foods are traditionally enjoyed and from where?

Without a doubt, the most popular dish is the roast turkey dinner with all the trimmings. However, turkey can be challenging to cook properly, and many people have experienced dry slices of turkey. This is where cooking with the iCombi Pro can make a significant difference. The intelligent iCookingSuite feature determines the optimal cooking method for you. The best part is that you simply select how you want the turkey to be cooked, and the RATIONAL handles the rest, ensuring a perfectly cooked turkey every time.

The iCombi Pro is even capable of operating without supervision, including overnight. With its low temperature cooking function, the iCombi Pro excels at preparing a variety of meats to perfection—whether it's roast pork with crackling, roast beef, roast lamb, roast turkey, duck, or goose. Both large and small roasts can be cooked precisely to the desired specifications.

The operator can simply specify the desired browning and cooking level, and the iCombi Pro handles the rest. After preheating, the raw meat is placed in the cooking cabinet, where it is automatically browned. The cabinet temperature is then quickly reduced to gently cook the meat and hold it at the perfect temperature. This process ensures that even the toughest or dryer cuts become tender and juicy.

4. How early can this promotion start?

When I managed pubs and restaurants, we would draft the next year's Christmas menu in January, immediately after the previous Christmas season had concluded. There were two reasons for this: new ideas were fresh in our minds, and we needed time to test, cost, photograph the dishes, and create brochures by the end of April. Customers would begin inquiring about reservations for the major dates in December to secure their parties on the last few Fridays or Saturdays before Christmas. Although we typically wouldn't start advertising for Christmas until the end of September, by that time, some of the prime dates would already be 50% booked.

5. How can sales be increased? Is there a natural uptake of meals over this period?

Sales can be increased in several ways. Cooking meat, such as turkey, in the iCombi Pro using its intelligent process can reduce shrinkage by up to 20%. Additionally, the intelligent cooking processes in both the iCombi Pro and the iVario Pro help prevent overcooking, ensure portion control, and minimise wastage. These equipment pieces also contribute to energy savings, with the iVario Pro cooking up to four times faster than traditional methods and using up to 40% less energy.

6. What techniques can be used by caterers to promote the 'theme' of Christmas?

Caterers can promote the Christmas theme by creating festive decorations, offering themed menus, incorporating traditional holiday music, and providing special holiday promotions. Hosting Christmas-themed events and creating a warm, inviting atmosphere also enhances the festive spirit.

7. What one tip would you offer on getting your sale of Christmas foods right?

Use a RATIONAL and let the intelligent processes ensure consistent, high-quality food every time with minimal effort. This reliability will encourage customers to return repeatedly for the excellent food.

(Ian Leadbetter, National Corporate Chef, RATIONAL UK).

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