Case Study: The Millstream Hotel & Restaurant
With a 10% increase year-on-year increase in turnover, The Millstream restaurant is going from strength to strength under head chef Neil Hiskey.
Fresh Skills for Chefs “has definitely made an impact” on this trend-bucking performance, as Neil - promoted to the top role in November 2009 - now estimates at least 80% of the menu is based on local produce.
The 80-cover restaurant, a key focus of The Millstream Hotel and Restaurant, in Bosham, West Sussex, has enjoyed a real boost. New and repeat customers have responded positively to the contemporary and fresh menu.
“Fresh Skills for Chefs gave me a real insight into local producers and growers and what’s out there,” said Neil.
“It provided the opportunity to go and meet new suppliers, network with other chefs and come up with new ingredients and ideas for using it on our menu.”
Neil and his kitchen team undertook one-day training courses, and Neil went on Chefs’ Tours to Jersey and across Sussex, meeting different food and drink producers, and also attended a Chef’s Development Fine Dining Event.
“We have benefited in many ways, including directly from finding new suppliers nearby. For example, I was amazed at the amount of local cheese produced around this area,” he said.
“The whole team has been really enthused and 100% behind our local produce strategy. The training was fabulous and a class above much of the ‘traditional’ chefs’ training on offer. We all came back from Fresh Skills courses and events full of new ideas."
The Millstream’s menu features the likes of ‘Funtington Pork’, wild mushrooms from the New Forest, Romsey goats’ cheese, plenty of locally caught and farmed fish, and much more.
Dishes like the popular smoked trout, watercress and quails’ eggs salad comprise wholly of local produce.
“The quality speaks for itself and customers really appreciate it. We aim to use whatever can be grown or produced locally wherever possible, and it now accounts for some 80% plus of the menu.”
Although fresh, quality local food and drink is typically more expensive than mass-produced foodservice delivered goods, the bottom line benefit is clear.
“Clearly the quality of meat, for example, means it will be more expensive, but we have been able to absorb that within our margins while substantially growing our volume,” Neil explained.
“The Fresh Skills for Chefs programme has definitely made a real impact on our business. Customers like what we’re doing, appreciate the quality, and that is demonstrated by the fact we are 10% up on last year.”
