Good Pub Guide: editors urge pubs to add chef names to menus

27-Aug-2013 - Last updated on 29-Aug-2013 at 08:07 GMT

The Good Pub Guide: promoting lesser known chefs

The editors of The Good Pub Guide have called on publicans to name their chefs on their menus and websites.

They also urged the sector to close the "absurd status gap" between the growing horde of superstar TV chefs and pub chefs, who typically earn between £15,000 and £20,000 a year.

The title’s research, released today (29 August), revealed that a typical two-course meal costs 9% less than it did last year.

Faced with rising food prices, pubs have largely maintained low menu prices with a quarter of pubs cutting the price of their most popular dish.

"I have really noticed fair prices this year," said guide co-editor Fiona Stapley. "Menu prices have hardly risen at all, as discovered in a survey we carried out looking at the prices of standard pub dishes. Over the past few years people eating out want to know that their food has come from local farmers — and that is likely to continue.

"Many food-led pubs are now growing their own fruit and vegetables or have their own farm animals. It’s a win-win situation for all."

Stapley expects pub food to remain similar with no major changes to core offers, though she anticipates the standard to continue rising.

"I don’t think there will be any huge changes. It doesn’t matter how fancy a place is, a licensee would be a fool not to offer staple dishes such as fish and chips, steak and ale pie and ploughman’s sandwiches. I think they will stay.

"The standard was really high this year. If a pub offers mediocre food, then word travels fast.

"Quality is so important — it doesn’t matter what you are serving. Middle Eastern food and tapas — sharing dishes — have become more popular recently and I think that will continue too."

County Dining Pubs of the Year