Gastropub excellence: the search is on....
For the UK's top food pubs in the "Old Speckled Hen Top 50 Gastropub Awards 2010"
Love or hate the term, gastropub operators fuel innovation and growth in the market and pubs serving quality food and drink continue to be the drivers behind the industry's success stories.
Gastropub operators continue to push their operations to the next level with the creative, business-boosting extras - such as an own range of ready meals for customers to takeaway, the adding of a produce shop to a pub, offering tasting menus, introducing barter schemes for customers, chef cookery demonstations, event catering, or even publishing cookbooks.
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Pubs also continue to be an attractive entry-level business model for top chefs to own thier own businesses, with many chefs for Michelin starred restaurant backgrounds making the move. And celebrity chefs are continuing to view the pub market as an exciting opportunity.
The "Old Speckled Hen" Top 50 Gastropub Awards represents the culmination of the search for the best food pubs and the industry's premium food and drink operators.
Leading event
Launched by PubChef in 2007, the awards have established themselves as the leading event for the premium end of the UK food-led pub trade.
Paul Charity, Morning Advertiser editor, said: "The gastropub revolution has to be welcomed by anyone who cares about their pubs. These outlets have led the way in recasting the image of the trade by proving that fantastic quality food and the pub can go hand in hand.
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"In fact, it's no great surprise that lots of diners prefer the homely warm atmosphere of the pub to the starchy environs of many a restaurant. These awards are important in recognising this burgeoning pocket of pub-sector excellence."
The awards are being run in association with premium cask ale brand "Old Speckled Hen."
John Sharples, marketing manager of "Old Speckled Hen" said: Fresh live, real ale has become every bit as important to the gastropub offer as quality food. It completes a great dining experience - and the partnership between "Old Speckled Hen" and the gastropub is therefore an obvious one.
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"We are delighted to be celebrating fine food pubs from across the country with our sponsorship of these awards, and are looking forward to seeking out the very best."
The "Old Speckled Hen" Top 50 Gastropub Awards are unique in the pub sector as operators can't nominate themselves for entry. Instead, the winning pubs are voted for by industry experts with an informed opinion on pub food.
