Some restaurants and pubs in Lancashire have been caught out by Trading Standards for producing menus which make misleading claims about the provenance and description of food.
Some examples:
The findings give the impression that the majority of eateries (32 out of 42 in Lancs) are making misleading claims. But is it really that common? Have you seen it happening where you operate? How far can you stretch your description of food before it becomes misleading?
What a great thread... I'll never forget the 'levitating' sea bass, or the 'gift of oil'. Some flowery menus out there.
Gordon Cartwright:levitating' sea bass
??? What on earth is that?
Presumably that's your point!
I once spent a night in a cell in Singapore after being served a "green curry chicken" that was clearly chicken in a watery soy-sauce gruel, in a dodgy, tourist-geared Thai restaurant on Boat Quay. I sent the dish back, and so began an argument that ended with the chef coming to my table with a meat cleaver and the police being called.
Mark: I once spent a night in a cell in Singapore after being served a "green curry chicken" that was clearly chicken in a watery soy-sauce gruel, in a dodgy, tourist-geared Thai restaurant on Boat Quay. I sent the dish back, and so began an argument that ended with the chef coming to my table with a meat cleaver and the police being called.
I am shocked they sent you to jail - what happened to the chef?
I've often seen on the menu "fresh green salad"... would you really not want a "fresh" one?
I once order a latte in a cafe only to be horrified as I watched them open a sachet of supermarket powdered cappuccino, add hot water, vaguely stir and ask for payment.
A meat cleaver? Excellent - I thought chefs only did that in comedy sketches. Did they lock him up too?
The one that gets me is whenever you get places offering a glass of champagne for events etc when it is actually crap Cava. Why can't they just admit its Cava, or at least call it sparkling wine? No one is going to be fooled.
I think it is good to put details of provenance onto your menu and it automatically helps to sell the dish. There's nowhere I can think of that pushes it too far either really - I'm surprised so many in Lancs got caught out. These days customers care so much about sourcing - not worth the risk of getting caught out.
Yes, it was rather comedic. I refused to pay, hence the night in the cell.
Words on menus I personally cringe at - surrounded by, enrobed, napped with, cushion of, married with, partnered with, drizzled on, carved onto, resting next to - in fact I'm against any food descriptions on menus that suggest the dish is striking a pose...
I'd advice you clarify your order with your chef because what people mostly write on the menus is not what they really offer. Of course they will use all the "sweet terms" to attract your appetite. Some will go to an extent of putting food additives to enhance taste and appearance.
When I write menus I'll often adopt the 'Wild sea-bass, artichoke, apple' approach, not that I don't want you to know what I've done to them, but often at the time of writing (usually months in advance) I have no bloomin idea what I am going to do with them, I can often be seen legging it (in a gammy leg kind of way) to get an apple as its being plated to finish with grated, or batons if I feel it needs it.
But I will stick to the flavours described, and feel safe my cleaver is quite blunt these days.
People must not always prepare menus in advance it depends with your way of planning things. Some people prepare menus just a few days before they use them. When people find out that your menu contains all foods with food additives they might have to think twice before coming to your hotel.
Not just misleading but evidently a blatant lie!
CSI for all of your international hospitality and catering requirements