Carvery Counter Carvery Ideas
Dated: 04/03/2011
VICTOR’S MOBILE CROWN JEWEL
Victor Manufacturing, the catering industry’s favourite counter and servery manufacturer, has been successfully designing and supplying British-made bains marie and hot cupboards in an extensive range of configurations, for more than 50 years. When ordered with a quartz heated curved glass gantry, Victor’s most popular product, the Crown general purpose bains marie hot cupboard can be easily configured to form a mobile carvery, ideal for smaller sites wanting to serve hot menus in a limited space.
But, don’t just take our word for it – Lee Carlton, freeholder of The Bell in Evercreech, Somerset won last year’s PubChef in association with Bernard Matthews, carvery competition, winning a Victor Crown mobile carvery unit. Since using the carvery, Lee has seen Sunday covers rise from around 30 to 80, with GP going from 55% to 68%.
To cater for demand, Lee runs the £7.95 carvery – located in a restaurant adjoining the pub in three distinct Sunday sittings – 12 noon, 1.30pm and 3pm, serving 36 customers each time. He will however rustle up an impromptu table in the pub itself if things get busy. He particularly likes the portability of the Victor unit as it gives him more flexibility; it can be easily wheeled to another spot when the restaurant becomes a skittle alley, for example.
The easily-cleaned and maintained unit operates from a single 13 amp supply and has a 3 x GN1/1 capacity dry heat bainsmarie. By using a combination of containers, tiled or spiked carvery inserts, a range of hot meals can be served. With hygienic stainless steel interior, the hot cupboard has the capacity to carry up to 344 10 inch plates, and features a digital temperature display so the temperature of stored food can be assured.
The units are available in 3 colour choice options; stainless steel, beech effect or golden oak effect plastic coated steel and can also be fitted with tray slides / plate rests if required.
Caterers looking to use Victor’s unit in a carvery format can also take advantage of Lee Carlton’s Carvery Tips:
- To encourage a sense of community, offer the carvery service for events outside the pub. For example, Lee dished up 100 carveries in the village hall for a Christmas party.
- The Bell carvery is always full and doesn’t need to rely on discounting, but, to get people in the door, offer a free ice-cream made with ingredients from a local supplier.
- Waste not, want not. Lee’s carvery finishes at 4pm and any leftover meat and potatoes are put out on the bar for the regular drinking crowd which comes in at this time.
- To use leftovers more creatively, chuck everything in a pie. During the Six Nations rugby games, Lee served an ‘on the house’ gurt pie, a Somerset speciality, at half time.
- An advocate of local and British provenance, Lee’s Somerset-based suppliers include Gilcombe Organic Farm, Bruton, Chalmers of Wells and John Braithwaite, Midsomer Norton. Use local provenance as a talking point for your carvery.
- Alternate meats for variety and have a business approach to mixing and matching. Lee alternates chicken and turkey, and when turkey’s on, serves it up alongside lamb, the higher cost of which is balanced out by the more cost-effective turkey.
- Lee alternates ‘orange and green’ veg to prevent menu fatigue, but sticks to roast potatoes because of their popularity as part of a Sunday lunch. If you are offering the carvery in the week, however, pubs could serve mashed potato as an additional option.