Week beginning April 28 - Jessica 'Talbs' Talbot - Kaffeine legend

We've known this day was coming for a long time. Does not make it any easier to say goodbye though. Today is Jessica's last day at Kaffeine as her visa has come to and end and she is off to travel the world.

Jessica 'Talbs' Talbot came to us in July 2012 and started as a barista from Melbourne, with New Zealand heritage. Not only that, she had a hospitality heritage, having worked in the industry since being a teenager. This is one of the important attributes that you need to look for in potential employees, the natural ability to be hospitable, to provide hospitality. Danny Meyer in his book 'Setting the Table' talks how he looks for his employees to have at least 51% hospitality.

Jessica not only has skills as a barista, as a manager and as a server, and she has not just 51% hospitality, Jessica has what I would call 100% hospitality. I sit in my 'office under the stairs' and listen to the buzz of the crowd, the clatter of the plates, the knocking of the portafilter and the footsteps on the floorboards.  Above all of that, I can hear Jessica laughing away and having a great time, smashing out coffee after coffee after coffee, working the floor, the till, the service area, chatting away to anybody and everybody.

She admitted to me a while ago she almost did not stay at the start. She started with James 'Obi Wan' Broadhurst as lead barista, a 21 year old Aeropress Champion called Shaun Young and a Polish cup tasting champion Blazej 'Blaze' Stempin. Three boys, all very, very particular about how espresso and service should be and is accomplished at Kaffeine. It was a hard introduction.

In January 2013, she unfortunately broke her leg and was off work for 8 weeks, having to return home to NZ to recuperate. We were able to keep her job open for her, we had to, we wanted to, so that when she returned to London she was able to come back part time at first, then full time as her leg got stronger. When Shaun left, she took over the teaching of the classes we have at nights, latte art classes and one on ones. She came to me and said 'it's amazing, I never knew I knew so much, I love it'.

Of course she excelled at it.

She was also an Assistant manager, and while also being a senior barista, this not an easy job to do. Most of our managers work the floor as the concentration required on coffee takes you away from working the floor and it is a hard task to achieve, but she did, laughing and being hospitable all the time.

There is so many things we could say about Jessica, as there is about all the legends who have worked at Kaffeine, who made their impression and made their mark. The easiest thing to say though, is that she will be missed - very, very much.

Jessica Talbot - July 2012 to April 2014 - Kaffeine legend.

We hope you enjoy this weeks menu, as we will enjoy bringing it to you.

Traditional bircher muesli with rhubarb and raspberry compote 3.60

Granola muesli with pomegranate molasses and rhubarb and raspberry compote 3.60
Fruit salad (pineapple, mango, strawberries, grapes, passion fruit) 3.70
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
Seven seed bakery bloomer toast with home made preserves 1.90
Pumpkin seed and apricot fruit toast 2.40
Banana bread 2.40
Porridge with choices of cinnamon, dried fruit, chopped nuts, honey, golden syrup or compote 3.00

Pastries by Seven Seed bakery
French butter croissant 1.90
Pain au chocolat 2.50
Almond croissant 2.80

Baked Treats
Sweet Muffin: Mixed berry 2.40
Savoury Scone: Red peppers and feta 2.40
Yarrow and blood orange friands 2.40
Super moist chocolate brownies 2.40
White chocolate blondies 2.40
Portuguese tarts 2.00
ANZAC cookies 2.00
Afgan Biscuits 2.00

Lunch

French retro baguettes 5.00
Ham, red wine mayonnaise, raspberries, brie and rocket
Slow cooked tomatoes, cucumber, parmesan, red onion and spinach

Foccacias 5.30

Pancetta, roasted fennel, salsa verde and spinach
Tuna and onion melt with avocado and salsa

Salads: 5.50/6.90

Hot smoked salmon with raw asparagus and champagne rhubarb

Baked purple baby aubergine with crushed roasted peanuts and scruvygrass flowers with a sweet fish sauce dressing

Yellow bean succotash

Tart: 4.40 or 7.90 with salad
Fish cake with sea kale broccoli and Buckthorn curd

Week beginning Tuesday April 22nd - West Fitzrovia, it's all happening.

My wife used to work on the corner of Great Titchfield and Mortimer, from about 2007 to 2009. That is how we found our location. We knew that the demographic of fashion, media, design, advertising was suitable towards our business concept, and also that we would enjoy opening and running a business with that demographic. It is also three minutes from Oxford circus.

I define it as sort of the area of Oxford street, Regent street, Wells Street and Foley street.

But in 2009, it was a pretty quiet area, except for the pubs on a Thursday and Friday night of course, which were rammed. Market Place with it's few restaurants and the Market Tavern existed but that is closer to Oxford street really, while up our end were the trailblazers that are Scandinavian Kitchen. There was not too much in between and the further up you went, the quieter it got.

Things have changed in five years and have/will be changing a lot recently and over the next few months.

There is now a neighbourhood forum, put together by some of the local residents who work and live in the area. This has been recognised by Westminster council and the premise is that the forum will be used to represent the views of both the local residents and the local businesses with anything going on in the area. More information can be found here. (the designated area of the forum is different to what I have defined just before)

http://fitzwest.org/wordpress/

Riding House Cafe openned across the road from us 3 years ago. Owned by the guys who run the amazing Village East and The Garrison in Bermondsey, it has been packed since day one. We are very happy to have them as quality neighbours.

I'm not sure of the dates, perhaps two years ago, the amazing Bonnie Gull seafood shack opened around the corner on Foley street, and they have just opened up their second store in Exmouth Market, bigger and better than the original.

A year ago, the BBC finalised their move to the headquarters at the top of Regent street, bringing 7,000 people to the area. Around that time, Attendant cafe opened in an underground Victorian toilet just up the road next to the Crown and Sceptre. Then, in the middle of last year, on Great Portland Street, a great restaurant called Picture opened to critical acclaim. Speaking of the Crown and Sceptre, in January this year they took a month off to refurbish, moving the bar to a more practical, service orientated spot and improving their menu offer.

This Monday coming, Honest Burgers will open their doors on the corner of Great Titchfield street and Market Place and in a about a month or so, Burger and Lobster will open on Little Portland Street. A minutes walk along this little street towards Regent street, is another great coffee place, Mothers Milk which opened about six months ago.

Two weeks ago, at the top of Regent street, just down from All Souls Church, Byron Burgers opened and news in this week is that both Workshop Coffee and Curators Coffee will soon be opening just off Regent street. Workshop will be in Mortimer street, Curators will be in Margaret street.

Adding to this is the news that Wahaca have been granted a licence to open on the north-east corner of Great Portland and Margaret in a 2,500 sqf ground and basement location with massive windows overlooking the junction. I'm sure building works will probably start soon.

Of course we also have Fitzroy Place opening on the site of the old Middlesex Hospital at the end of the year with over 220,000 sqf of office space. Estee lauder have taken one of the whole offices with 140,000 sqf, and there is over 300 apartments already sold on site as well, and a 5,000 sqf restaurant opening in the middle of building, overlooking the square and old church.

So yes, it's all happening in Fitzrovia West. We hope you can come and visit too.

Update: This week (starting April 28th) Efes restaurant up the road from us has completely gutted their entire building and is doing a major refurbishment. Open since 1974, it will be great to see what they build. Also, the pub next to us, the Kings Arms, have started refurbishment with a paint job on the exterior. It really is all happening.

Please enjoy the menu this week, as we will enjoy bringing it to you.


Traditional bircher muesli with rhubarb and raspberry compote 3.60

Granola muesli with pomegranate molasses and rhubarb and raspberry compote 3.60
Fruit salad (pineapple, mango, strawberries, grapes, passion fruit) 3.70
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
Seven seed bakery bloomer toast with home made preserves 1.90
Pumpkin seed and apricot fruit toast 2.40
Banana bread 2.40
Porridge with choices of cinnamon, dried fruit, chopped nuts, honey, golden syrup or compote 3.00

Pastries by Seven Seed bakery
French butter croissant 1.90
Pain au chocolat 2.50
Almond croissant 2.80

Baked Treats
Sweet Muffin: Pear and passion fruit 2.40
Savoury Scone: Apple, mustard, thyme and cheddar 2.40
Yarrow and blood orange friands 2.40
Super moist chocolate brownies 2.40
White chocolate blondies 2.40
Portuguese tarts 2.00
ANZAC cookies 2.00
Afgan Biscuits 2.00

Lunch

French retro baguettes 5.00
Bresaola, pear, gorgonzola, candied walnuts and rocket.
Asparagus, mustard and cheese fondue, gherkin and spinach

Foccacias 5.30

Pancetta, avocado, tomato, aioli and rocket
St Georges mushrooms, sautéed red onions, brie and spinach

Salads: 5.50/6.90

Chicken adobo salad with camargue red rice and coriander

Fennel, radicchio, goats curd, lemon and green olives

Roasted spring vegetables tossed in a spicy Mediterranean dressing

Tart: 4.40 or 7.90 with salad
Baked risotto tart with maple, parma ham and thyme

Week beginning April 7th - Easter Trading Hours & Hasbean Coffee

Just a short note this week to let you know about our Easter Trading hours. The strange thing is, at least as far as I remember, is that in Australia everyone has Good Friday off, while here in the U.K. it is by law that all major shops much have Easter Sunday off.

Anyway, here are our Easter Trading Hours.

Good Friday 8:30 am to 6 pm
Saturday 8:30 am to 6 pm
Easter Sunday Closed
Easter Monday 8:30 am to 6 pm

The other amazing news is that if you are in town over Easter, we are very proud to be able to profile the roaster Hasbean for the first time. It will be running from the Friday and we have 2 kilos only of the Bolivian washed Caturra with some retail bags available too.

http://www.hasbean.co.uk/products/bolivia-finca-david-vilca-caturra-washed

We are very much looking forward to it.

Have a great week and please enjoy our menu.

Traditional bircher muesli with rhubarb and raspberry compote 3.60

Granola muesli with pomegranate molasses and rhubarb and raspberry compote 3.60
Fruit salad (pineapple, mango, strawberries, grapes, passion fruit) 3.70
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
Seven seed bakery bloomer toast with home made preserves 1.90
Pumpkin seed and apricot fruit toast 2.40
Banana bread 2.40
Porridge with choices of cinnamon, dried fruit, chopped nuts, honey, golden syrup or compote 3.00

Pastries by Seven Seed bakery
French butter croissant 1.90
Pain au chocolat 2.50
Almond croissant 2.80

Baked Treats
Sweet Muffin: Blueberry and bran 2.40
Savoury Scone: Four cheese and ramsons 2.40
Yarrow and blood orange friands 2.40
Super moist chocolate brownies 2.40
White chocolate blondies 2.40
Portuguese tarts 2.00
ANZAC cookies 2.00
Afgan Biscuits 2.00

Lunch

French retro baguettes 5.00
Crispy chicken with chilli, mint yoghurt dressing, red onion, avocado, rocket
Tomato, mozzarella, chimichurri, spinach

Foccacias 5.30

Ham, tomato, spicy oregano dressing, parmesan, rocket
Sweet potato cooked in sugar and vinegar, brie, basil, spinach

Salads: 5.50/6.90

Sang choy bow salad with pork and breakfast radish

Orange, watercress, chicory, garlic mustard and chalky white cheese (forage item)

Roasted beetroot with raspberry vinegar

Tart: 4.40 or 7.90 with salad
Crab, sea kale and dattander

Week beginning March 31st - When systems fail, chaos reins - Jason Atherton

You probably cannot get more of an informed point of view than Jason Atherton at the moment, and in an interview in the Caterer magazine last week, they asked him about how he manages to maintain his standards with all the openings of restaurants he has had recently.

One of the answers was about the importance of systems and he used the example that if a plate is returned during service there is no way the waiter will bring it back directly to the pass. The system is that the waiter will ask the chef for two minutes of his time away from the pass and explain the problem quietly and efficiently.

This is a recognised, trained and accepted system within his restaurants and if it is not followed, then 'chaos reins'.

Systems are so important to the running of ANYTHING that is deemed or wishes to be deemed as professional, whether it be a sports team or player, a high end kitchen, McDonalds restaurants or even the Armed forces.

We are very much into systems here at the moment (well we have been for ages really), because also as Jason says, once these systems are tried and tested within one place, they can be transferred to another and the staff know what to do, how to do it and when to do it. It makes things all that more simple.

For example in the sink area, all the dishes are stacked in a certain way before rinsing & the cutlery is placed in the soaking tray all facing the one way. At certain points of the day (10 am, 12 pm, 2 pm and 5 pm) the managers and the baristas all have jobs to do before anything else is done. If these jobs are not done, if these systems are not followed, then chaos reins.

A smooth, efficient, happy, busy service is the dream of hospitality. Music pumping, customers happy, staff working easily,  systems in place - basically, nothing going wrong. All working to a system.

This is also very much highlighted in an excellent book I have read a number of times - The E-myth revisited. Systems, systems, systems. The book is mainly set up to talk about how franchises work and that the first business you have is like a prototype, whereby you can start to think about, implement and document all the systems that, if you so desire, will then be able to be turned out into the next 5, 10, 20, 50 or in the case of McDonalds, 34,000 businesses.

Or you can choose not to, but you know what will happen if you don't.

Please enjoy the menu this week and we will systematically, but still with personality and hospitality, enjoy bringing it to you.

Traditional bircher muesli with rhubarb and raspberry compote 3.60

Granola muesli with pomegranate molasses and rhubarb and raspberry compote 3.60
Fruit salad (pineapple, mango, strawberries, grapes, passion fruit) 3.70
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
Seven seed bakery bloomer toast with home made preserves 1.90
Pumpkin seed and apricot fruit toast 2.40
Banana bread 2.40
Porridge with choices of cinnamon, dried fruit, chopped nuts, honey, golden syrup or compote 3.00

Pastries by Seven Seed bakery
French butter croissant 1.90
Pain au chocolat 2.50
Almond croissant 2.80

Baked Treats
Sweet Muffin:Red plum and ginger 2.40
Savoury Scone: Asparagus, mustard and Gruyère 2.40
Yarrow and blood orange friands 2.40
Super moist chocolate brownies 2.40
White chocolate blondies 2.40
Portuguese tarts 2.00
ANZAC cookies 2.00
Afgan Biscuits 2.00

Lunch:
Soup: 4.50
Coffee and beef with semolina bread

French retro baguettes 5.00
Ham, gherkin, red onion, Gruyère, dijon and rocket
Roasted red peppers, courgette, red onion, olive tepenade and spinach.

Foccacias 5.30

Pancetta, baked apple, brie, aioli and spinach
Mushrooms, fennel, mustard cheese sauce and rocket

Salads: 5.50/6.90

Citrus prawns with paprika purple sprouting broccoli, Darwin's barberry and coriander mayonnaise

Pickled hispi cabbage with horseradish, juniper, caraway, mustard and ham

Spaghetti plant with a parsley pesto dressing and mini ramsons

Tart: 4.40 or 7.90 with salad
Roasted alexanders and blue cheese quiche.