Punch host turns to mood food offer

A Punch licensee is making a visit to his bar an emotional experience for customers.

Chef Sanjeev Kumar is using mood measuring technology, which features a thumb test pad on the front of the menu to measure the emotional state of his customers. He then recommends meal choices to match their mood.

Sanjeev's Restaurant & Bar in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, has a traditional bar for regulars and an innovative Indian menu based on herbal science.

Kumar said: "We use mood measuring technology to test the emotional state of customers. Whatever mood they're in when they arrive, whether they're stressed, tensed or just feeling a bit low, we use a special blend of herbs and spices in our dishes to restore their emotional wellbeing."

Prior to looking at the menu, customers are asked to place their thumb on a test pad on the front of the menu. After a couple of seconds it changes colour to indicate emotional state ranging from green calm to black stressed and everything in between.

Diners then explore the meals on offer. All meals are colour coded to show which dishes to eat in order to counteract negative emotions and restore a calm condition. The final proof comes in taking the test again at the end of the meal.

Adam Smith, operations manager for Punch Taverns, said: "On my first visit to the pub I had a go at his new menu idea, which I have to say sounded very ambitious. I pressed my thumb on the test pad and surprise, surprise it went black stressed.

"After eating a wonderfully spicy curry I tested myself again and to my horror it went green calm. I just couldn't believe it actually worked and do you know what, I felt calm too."