Find good suppliers
Mark Taylor looks
at how to develop a lasting relationship with suppliers
Achef is only as good as the food he or she puts on the plate and the starting point for that is the quality of the ingredients used.
Developing a good relationship with suppliers is key to the success of any pub kitchen, and once you have built up a network of reliable suppliers, you should keep them on your side for as long as you can.
Communication is vital, so when it comes to using local suppliers and producers, it always pays to visit them in their own environment.
That way, you can develop a personal relationship with the people who are actually producing the food you cook, rather than simply talking to a delivery van driver or a sales rep who arrives at your premises.
By visiting butchers, for example, you can show them exactly the sort of product you are after - letting them know whether a steak is too lean, too fatty and showing them what you regard as the right thickness.
Developing that direct connection with suppliers works both ways and lends itself to cross-promotion.
If you've been out to see a producer and you've seen what they do - how they rear their animals or grow their vegetables - you can also talk about them with confidence to other chefs and customers.
At the end of the day, your name and reputation as a chef is in the hands of your suppliers, so it's a two-way relationship.
Tips on getting the most out of your suppliers
l Make sure your suppliers can deliver when you want them to, rather than when they can
l Use the best suppliers you can because they will be as passionate about their product as you are about your cooking
l When it comes to meat, specify to your butcher exactly what you want
l Haggle over prices and ask your supplier for details of what's good and seasonal that week
l With large orders, ask about discounts on certain products
l If you are happy with a certain supplier, suggest a cross-promotion deal where you list them on your menu and they advertise you in their shop
l Always pay on time to maintain a good relationship
l If you aren't happy with a certain product, send it back immediately and ask for a credit note.
Check deliveries carefully
Nathan Muir, head chef, Robin Hood's Retreat, Bristol
"You've got to constantly check the produce being delivered. I always ask the suppliers when the produce came in and how long they've had it.
"As a small, independent business, price is important, so I always haggle and the first question is: 'what can you do this for?'. Although they do compromise occasionally, they're not always receptive and you've got to remember that a lot of suppliers are small and local and they struggle as much as we do. I always ask what's good that week, and if there are any good deals around or special bargains generally - then I can plan menus around the produce.
"I'm generally very happy with my suppliers, but if something isn't good, it goes straight back. We always check temperatures and also check everything by eye and touch. If you're not satisfied with a product, you shouldn't cook it, and if you don't know where it came from or what's happened to it, you shouldn't even touch it. Unfortunately,
a lot of chefs don't even know what they
are ordering.
"One thing you should also check with your butcher is whether anything has ever been frozen. A lot of chefs fail to realise that some things could have been frozen, so you could be getting frozen chicken livers without knowing it and then refreeze them - leading potentially to all sorts of health problems for your customers."
Nurture a personal connection
Ross Williams, chef/proprietor, the Wellington,
Wellington, Herefordshire
"I try to rely on small producers, so that I can have a personal relationship with that producer. We buy the majority of our meat direct from farmers and I buy fruit and veg from farms, so we have a personal relationship with these suppliers and talk to the person who actually produces the food rather than going through a sales rep. Having this personal connection is important because we can specify to the producers what we're looking for.
"We buy our venison from the guy who shoots the deer, so we communicate to him our requirements and, because he's supplying the meat, he knows what we're looking for. As for price, I tell my suppliers that my prime concern is the quality of the produce and not the price because, as soon as you start determining price at the expense of quality, where do you draw the line? You get what you pay for, so when I meet a supplier, I have to make a decision on price and then work out what I can justify charging for that product on the menu.
"Price and quality are very closely linked and I can't charge a premium price for a rubbish product. It works both ways because, when we've won awards for our food, local producers will call me and say they would like to supply the pub. They want their produce to be used in award-winning pubs and restaurants, so it's cross-promotion."
Honesty is the best policy
Mark Dodson, chef/proprietor, the Michelin-starred Masons Arms, Knowstone, Devon
"I think the best way to deal with suppliers is to be straight with them from the start. A lot of chefs will try to pull a fast one, but I think that if you're honest and straight with them, they will be the same with you, and that's always been my approach.
"Sometimes, if they over-deliver, I'm quite happy to ring them up and say they've left a box of something by mistake and leave it for them to pick up.
"This is a small operation, so it's difficult to get discounts with suppliers; I'm just happy to have very good produce and a
very good service, and pay the going rate.
To generate a discount, I think you need to be in a different league from one the one
I'm in here, but if you think you're in a position to get a discount, it's always worth enquiring because, what you don't ask for, you don't get.
"I think one of the ways to get a good deal with a supplier or even a discount, is simply by paying promptly. It's no good asking for a discount and then only paying after 90 days.
"If you play ball with them, they'll play ball with you. Suppliers are not running a credit agency, so it's worth it in the long run to be fair to them and pay on time."
