It comes from the days of working in Banqueting at places like Marylebone Cricket Club, Battersea Park, Claridges Hotel, the livery company dinners and the pre-recession huge 5000 person Christmas parties. It also comes from working in kitchens and restaurants for the past 25 years.
It impressed me no end when I first saw the Claridges banqueting managers in action with a well drilled banqueting team and the signals they used on when to lay plates, when to clear plates, when to leave the room etc. Amazing.
That is, the method of communicating with other staff or managers from across a crowded room. Staff who have worked here before or currently work here will know what I mean as well. If you know us, you will know we get very busy and that in order to be able to provide efficient service in a busy environment, you need to be on the ball and communicating with your fellow staff members.
I will try to explain what is primarily a visual concept. Remember that as a manager, we are trying to communicate with staff who may be down the other end of the room e.g. the baristas. You do not need to call their name, just to get eye contact is enough.
1. Tap the ear and wave your hand in an upwards/downwards motion = turn the music up/down
2. Make a circular motion with your hand with your forearm in a vertical position = Clear the floor
3. Make a sweeping gesture with your hand over the other palm and then show five fingers = Clear table 5
We also use short verbal phrases to communicate
'Door please!' = Customers entered shop and need service
'Behind' = Coming past you with coffee/plates etc
'Away please' = Coffees are ready to be run to the tables
It's fairly simple. Eye contact, a recognised signal that communicates to the other person what you as the manager wants to achieve, and the job gets done. If you think about it from a high end large banqueting point of view, where the staff are really there to do a job and not be seen or heard too much, communicating in this way is essential.
So if you ever sit in and watch us in action and notice (me probably) making funny hand gestures, you will now know what they are for.
We hope you enjoy this weeks menu as much as we have putting it together and as much as we will enjoy serving it to you.
Traditional bircher muesli with rhubarb and raspberry compote 3.50
Granola muesli with pomegranate molasses and rhubarb and raspberry compote 3.50
Fruit salad (pineapple, mango, strawberries, grapes, passionfruit, peach) 3.70
(add 30 p for granola or yogurt)
Ciabatta roll with omelette, pancetta, rocket and tomato salsa 4.90
Ciabatta roll with courgette omelette, rocket and tomato salsa 4.90
Croissant with Italian roast ham, talleggio cheese, spinach & plum tomatoes 4.90
Croissant with gruyere cheese and plum tomatoes 4.00
Seven seed bakery bloomer toast with homemade preserves 1.70
Coffee, cherry and walnut toast 2.30
Banana bread 2.40
Porridge - Served with rhubarb and raspberry compote, chopped nuts, muscovado sugar, golden syrup or honey 3.00
Pastries by Seven Seed bakery
French butter croissants 1.80
Pain au chocolat 2.40
Almond croissants 2.80
Baked Treats
Sweet Muffins: Rhubarb and Custard 2.20
Savoury Muffin: Tomato, Oregano and Cheddar 2.20
Peanut and Jelly friands 2.20
Super moist chocolate brownies 2.40
White chocolate blondies 2.40
Portuguese tarts 2.00
ANZAC cookies 1.80
Afgan cookies 1.80
Lunch
Soup: Blue Cheese and Celeriac 4.50
Pancetta, Red Pepper Pesto, Tomato, Red Onion and Rocket
Aubergine, Goats Cheese, Sweet Chilli, Thai Basil, Spinach
Foccacias with sea salt and rosemary crust 5.00
Ham, Apple Butter, Gherkin, Dijon, Gruyere, Spinach
Roasted Peppers, Red Onion, Tomatoes, Feta, Olive Tepenade, Basil and Rocket
Salads: 5.50/6.50
Chicken Roasted with Pomegranate Molasses and Red Onions served with Haloumi and Cucumber
Romanesco, Parmsan Slices, Blood Oranges Soaked in Chilli and Rosemary
Roasted Salsify with Gremolata
Tart: 4.00 or 7.50 with salad
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