Channel hopping

Chef-owner Joel Gross, from France's Loire Valley, tells Humayun Hussain why his authentic French cooking is so popular at Froggies at the Timber Batts, in Bodsham, Kent

Why my food business is a success

I keep my menu simple and traditionally French so that my customers know what they are getting. Nothing is pretentious, whether it's onion soup or duck foie gras terrine. As I come from the Loire Valley, where mussels and other shellfish are part of the local cuisine, I particularly emphasise their importance.

My specialities are stuffed mussels, and standards such as moules marinières, along with plenty of fish. I'm very particular about sourcing: I use several French ingredients, but the meat and fish are all British; we only use Aberdeen Angus beef and often feature

locally-shot game on the menu.

My best promotions

Once a month we run our extremely-popular Etienne Magic Nights. My friend Etienne Pradier is also French; as one of Britain's most successful award-winning magicians, he performs magic tricks at customers' tables.

These evenings are packed out and we are always booked well in advance. We offer a fixed-price menu at £35 per person. My customers are completely overwhelmed by the tricks Etienne performs, so the Magic Night is very good for business.

How I recruit and motivate staff

I use a mixture of word of mouth and news-paper advertising. I also use a specialist recruitment website in France - as I run a French establishment, it's important to me that my staff are French.

Our shared cultural background makes it much easier for them to understand what I'm cooking, and they're in a better position to describe the dishes to customers.

My best-selling dishes

Our three best-selling starters are stuffed mussels (£7), grilled goats' cheese salad marinated in olive oil (£7), and seared king scallops with lardons (£9.50). For mains, the duck leg confit (£14) sells very well, as does the roasted rack of Romney Marsh lamb (£17), while the grilled Aberdeen Angus fillet of beef with Roquefort sauce (£19.50) flies through the door. Our desserts are all the same price (£5.50): our best-sellers are crème brûlée, the tarte Tatin and the trio of desserts, which can include sorbet, strawberries in Grand Marnier and fig gratin - all very classic.

Our menu

We offer a mixture of à la carte dishes, specials and snack items. Our snacks include freshlymade baguettes, omelettes and egg and sausage with ham. Although it's great to experiment imaginatively, our à la carte doesn't change very often, and some best-sellers remain on the menu. We never resort to a roast on Sundays. We keep the à la carte and offer a choice of fixed-price menus: our two-course menu costs £17 and the three-course costs £21 - they're both great value for money.

My best investment in the last 12 months

The wine list, which always requires investment. It's quite extensive and I make a point of stocking some very high quality bottles, which don't come cheap, of course. As I am French, my customers expect me to have a decent selection of wines. My house wine comes from my cousin's vineyard in the Loire, but I don't stock it just because he's a relative: it's always of a very good standard and well liked by customers.

Why the pub is called Froggies at the Timber Batts

I always wanted to open a bakery, but for

various reasons that dream never materialised. I always wanted to call my business Froggies and have that tongue-in-cheek

reference to its French identity. So when I acquired Timber Batts, I decided to focus on fulfilling my wish. I haven't looked back - the pub has been very successful and my son now works in the kitchen as a chef.

My top tips

Welcoming customers the moment they walk through the door is vital and should always be done with a smile.

When they sit down, they are more than just a table number: they deserve a warm, personalised service. Attitude is as important as any food you serve. Whether they are first-time customers or regulars, the same courtesy should be extended to everyone who visits your establishment.

Pub FACTS

Pub: The Timber Batts

Owner: Joel Gross

Turnover: £300,000 to £400,000

Number of staff: 10

GP food: 64%

GP drink: 59%

Covers per week: 350

Food sales as % of turnover: 30%

Top 30 Gastropubs

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