Why is all pub food the same?

[Globalti]

...because it comes in big white refrigerated vans from here: http://www.brake.co.uk/

Click on the recipes, they look like those menu books the Australian ski chalet girls use.

 

[Tim Bennet.]

I ride in the mtb group with the area sales manager of Brakes. His stories are both depressing and enlightening at the same time. A restaurant's reputation, or claims for 'real food' are cewrtainly not any guide as to whether he does, or does not, supply pre-prepared meals!

Brakes are also big in France and are considered to be the biggest threat to traditional French cafes and bistros.

 

[Cycling Naturalist]

...because it comes in big white refrigerated vans from here: http://www.brake.co.uk/

Click on the recipes, they look like those menu books the Australian ski chalet girls use.

They look ok to me. It's the sort of stuff that I rustle up at home. However, for those of you who've been braising venison in red wine and juniper for the last three days.....................

 

[andy_wrx]

Brake - I think they're smaller than 'Three-Double-Six-Three' (spells F-O-O-D on one of those US phones with letters on the numbers...oh puleese !)
http://www.3663.co.uk/gen/

But yes 'home made' does have a very strange meaning on pub & restaurant menus

 

[Jaded]

Now I know why a food company has such a silly name!

 

[Abitrary]

I think the quality of pub food these days, divided by the price and multiplied by the convenience, is better and less risky than your average low-end restaurant.

British pubs now perform the same function as french bistros, more or less

 

[Big Bren]

A friend of mine is an account manager for a ginormous brewery megacorp and as such, visits pubs almost every day of his working week. Some of the stories he tells about the 'food' pubs are scary, not least that several of his customers have decided that since space is at a premium, it's perfectly acceptable to store the frozen shite outside round the back, ready to transport to the microwave when you place your order. Bon apetit!

Bren

 

[Nortones2]

I think the double-speak that gets around Trading Standards/Env Health is the phrase home-cooked. Usually means reheated pap. Not that gastro-pubs are bothered to cook properly, as I know only too well from recent fiasco. Raw battered fish anyone? Better to eat at home.

 

[Globalti]

You have all confirmed my worst fears. It's time for a pub food standard, which discriminates between genuine cooks and microwave technicians.

 

[bonj2]

the quality of pub food is often determined by how interesting the vegetables are, that is, variety of vegetables, and how nicely cooked they are.
For instance, any fool can cook a steak, or leg of lamb, and it'll be nice. But then would you rather a crisp asparagus and black pepper tapernade on a bed of spinach rocket and tomato drizzled with homemade dressing, or over-boiled broccoli and cauliflower with fat oven chips? One takes skill, the other doesn't.

 

[Cycling Naturalist]

the quality of pub food is often determined by how interesting the vegetables are, that is, variety of vegetables, and how nicely cooked they are.
For instance, any fool can cook a steak, or leg of lamb, and it'll be nice. But then would you rather a crisp asparagus and black pepper tapernade on a bed of spinach rocket and tomato drizzled with homemade dressing, or over-boiled broccoli and cauliflower with fat oven chips? One takes skill, the other doesn't.

Do you crisp the rocket?