Week beginning August 1st - The five senses

In the planning for Kaffeine, I came across a book called 'Wake up and smell the Profit, 52 ways to maximise profit in your cafe business', by Hugh Gilmartin and Johnnie Richardson.

In that book, one of the things they listed was the importance of the five human senses. Taste, feel, sight, sound and hearing and how important it was that all of these five senses or addressed equally in a cafe. It struck me as a very valid and important point, and it is certainly something that we try very hard to achieve at Kaffeine.

For example, music in cafe has been a topic on twitter this week. Our music policy is to have a good background beat of music that also has a happy vibe to it, that is not obtrusive, too loud or offensive, that just blends in with the natural conversation, though does not make people talk louder to make themselves heard.

We are very passionate about our music here, and we create 'daylists' that start off slow and easy (7:30 am) and build though the day finally slowing again around 5 pm. Proper DJ sets really, but we have to create them for a 12 hour day, for 7 days of the week. It is not easy to do.

We also keep everything spotlessy clean and visually appealing(sight), bake lovely treats like ANZACS and chocolate brownies (smell and taste) and have decor that has a good (feel) to it.

Perhaps we would have achieved it anyway, without knowing that we were. But also now, when I go into any other hospitality business, from cafe to five star hotel, I reflect and think, are all my senses being evenly matched? Because if they are not, then I guess that business is really not up to standard.

Oh yum, I just read the menu. Blueberry muffins. Be quick, they will not last long.


Breakfast
Traditional bircher muesli with rhubarb and raspberry compote 2.90
Granola muesli with pomegranate molasses and rhubarb and raspberry compote 2.90
Fruit salad (pineapple, mango, strawberries, grapes, passionfruit, peach) 3.30
(add 30 p for granola or yoghurt)
Ciabatta Roll with omelette, pancetta, rocket and tomato salsa 4.50
Croissant with Italian roast ham, talleggio cheese, spinach & plum tomatoes 4.50
Croissant with gruyere cheese and plum tomatoes 3.50
Seven seed bakery bloomer toast with homemade preserves 1.70
Cinnamon and raisin toast 2.00
Banana Bread 2.00

Pastries by Seven Seed bakery
French butter croissants 1.60
Pain au chocolat 2.20
Almond croissants 2.70

Baked Treats
Blueberry muffins 1.80
Courgette and cheese savoury muffins 1.80
Raspberry friands 1.90
Super moist chocolate brownies 2.20
White chocolate blondies 2.20
Portuguese tarts 1.80
ANZAC cookies 1.60
Afgan biscuits 1.60

Lunch
Foccacias with sea salt and rosemary crust 4.70
Italian roast ham with red currants, brie, basil and spinach
Smoked salmon with dill, aioli, red onion, capers and spinach

French retro baguettes 4.50
Plum tomatoes with puttanesca, bufala mozzarella and spinach
Red onion jam with cheese fondue and rocket

Salads £4.50/£5.50
Organic free range chicken with chilli, coconut, fish and lime dressing, coriander and rocket
Red camargue rice with kumara, chantenay carrots, basil and orange
Cucumber spaghetti with pesto

Tart £4.00 or £6.50 with salad
Polenta with grilled vegetables, avocado and goats cheese