Marriage guidance

Lucy Britner talks to chefs at three pubs about driving beer and food sales

The Cricket Inn at Totley, Sheffield, the Tilbury at Datchworth, Hertfordshire, and the Feathers at Hedley on the Hill, Northumberland, are three very different pubs. The Cricket Inn has a relaxed, country pub feel with a strong connection to its parent brewery, Thornbridge. The Tilbury is a beer-tied, middle-class affair with heavy wine sales, glasses and cloth napkins and the Feathers is a freehold freehouse. They all have beer and food in common.

The Cricket Inn, Totley, Sheffield

Tenure: The first of Thornbridge brewery's Brewkitchen concept

Head chef: Jack Baker

Total beers available: nine on draught, 14 bottled and six lagers

Best-selling beer: Thornbridge Lord Marples

Percentage of beer to wine sales: 60:40

The menu: Beer and food matching principles are outlined on the menu cover and all dishes are paired with beers

Menu example: British Isles fish and prawn pie, with mashed potato sprinkled with mature Wensleydale cheese and parsley sauce, £12, with Thornbridge Brock Stout or Guinness

Best selling beer and food combo: chowder of British Isles seafood, with Thornbridge's Kipling beer

Training: Jack and the chefs at the Cricket Inn spend time at Thornbridge brewery, learning about different beer flavours and styles and the brewers talk them through beer-and-food matches.

Trends: Jack says: "Women are experimenting more with speciality and fruit beers and people do follow the cues on the menu. People are still learning about beer and food, so it's important to give them direction."

The future: "We are planning a beer, food and comedy festival."

The Tilbury, Datchworth, Hertfordshire

Tenure: Brakspear leasehold

Head chef: Ben Crick

Executive chef/licensee: Paul Bloxham

Beers available: Chimay, Duval, Orval, Liefmans, Kriek and Leffe

Percentage of beer sold to wine: 30:70

The menu: Contains tasting notes and suggested food pairings, like Erdinger Weissbier with delicate fish dishes

Best-selling beer and food combo: Mussels - with Hoegaarden

Training: Paul encourages staff to offer customers a beer menu when they hand out the wine menu and to write pairings on blackboards. He says it isn't possible for all staff to try all food and beer combinations, but they can be taught the principles.

Trends: Paul says: "Pub food has to be earthy and rustic - especially in a rural setting. Beer lends itself really well to this style of dining. My front of house manager Lloyd Willis came from Mitchells & Butlers where he received beer training. He also has a passion for beer and he devised the beer menu and trains the other staff to promote beer and food. You can do all the PR you like, but the only way to achieve sales is to get staff to upsell."

The future: Paul is planning to extend the bar area at the Tilbury to reaffirm the pub feel.

The Feathers, Hedley on the Hill, Northumberland

Owner: freehold

Licensees: Rhian Cradock and Helen Greer

Head chef: Rhian Cradock

Number of beers available: four real ales, three lagers, Guinness, three bottled-conditioned beers and one lager

Best-selling beer: Mordue Brewery's Workie Ticket

Percentage of beer to wine sales: beer

out-sells wine

Best-selling beer and food combo: Mordue's IPA with kedgeree

Training: Staff taste different beers and learn about them at events like a Mordue beer and food matching evening, held last November and hosted by beer writer Alistair Gilmour. Helen says: "Staff are more daunted by wine than beer and we take wine from suppliers on the proviso that they will offer some training. Lots of breweries will do the same and it's a boost for staff to feel confident in the product they are selling."

Trends: Helen says more people are experimenting with beer and food: "I would encourage other licensees to contact an expert like their local brewer and take bookings for events. Since promoting beer and food as an event we have found customers are more likely to experiment. We also cooked some dishes with beer - like venison stew with Mordue's Autumn Tyne beer and pheasant cooked in Workie Ticket. It's important to choose dishes that contrast and complement so that customers get the full experience."

The future: Helen says: "We would definitely do more beer and food matching events and the one thing we will do differently is ask the brewery to bring along branded glassware or invest in tasting glasses as half-pint glasses were too big."