Simply Hospitality Podcast

If you’re a chef who’s ever considered becoming a Food Inspector, this episode is packed with the information you need. We’re joined by three fantastic guests to explore what the career path looks like and how you can take the first steps.

First, we speak with Iain Ferris, Lecturer in Food Safety, Food Standards, and Food Law at the University of Birmingham. Iain shares insights about the course he offers for those wanting to become Food Inspectors, including entry requirements, course content, and costs.

Next, we’re joined by Chloe Goodship, a Food Regulatory Officer and former chef. Chloe completed the Birmingham course and talks to us about her experience both studying and transitioning into her role as a Food Inspector, a career she has now been in for nearly two years.

Finally, Jon Buttolph, Executive Director at the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH), joins us to explain the wider opportunities available in Environmental Health careers.

If you're interested in learning more about courses and careers in Environmental Health, visit the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health website: www.cieh.org.

In this episode of Simply Hospitality, we sit down with Hannah Youell to discuss the importance of employee wellbeing and inclusivity in the hospitality industry.

What We Cover:

🔹 Hannah’s Journey – What led her to focus on wellbeing and inclusivity in the workplace.
🔹 Defining Wellbeing & Inclusivity – How these concepts apply in hospitality and why they matter.
🔹 Common Barriers – The challenges small businesses face when trying to implement effective wellbeing initiatives.
🔹 Practical Tips – Actionable steps for restaurants and food businesses to create a supportive and inclusive work environment.
🔹 Measuring Success – How to track and assess the impact of wellbeing efforts.

Tune in for valuable insights and practical advice to help make hospitality a better place to work! 🎙️✨

In this episode, we’re joined by Jenny Bishop from Nice Group, who shares top marketing tips for restaurant owners looking to build their brand and attract more customers.

What We Cover:

• Marketing Basics – The simplest, most achievable first steps for branding your restaurant
• Low-Cost, High-Impact Strategies – Smart marketing ideas that don’t require a big budget
• Social Media Mistakes – What restaurants often get wrong & how to fix it
• Food Influencer Collaborations – Tips for getting noticed in the right circles
• Engaging Your Local Community – Building a loyal customer base through storytelling
• Handling Negative Reviews – The right way to respond to bad press
• Future Trends – What’s next in food marketing & how to stay ahead

🎧 Tune in now and get expert insights to level up your restaurant’s marketing in 2025!

📲 Follow & Subscribe to Simply Hospitality across the Social Platforms for more hospitality insights.

New FSA Allergen Guidance

In this episode of Simply Hospitality, we discuss the NEW Food Standards Agency's (FSA) updated guidance on providing allergen information, issued on 5th March 2025. This guidance aims to support food businesses in effectively communicating allergen information to consumers, particularly those with food hypersensitivities.

Key Discussion Points:

• Overview of the Updated Guidance: The FSA's best practice guidance emphasizes the importance of providing written allergen information for non-prepacked foods, such as meals in restaurants, cafés, and takeaways. This written information should be accompanied by a conversation between staff and customers about allergen requirements.
• Best Practices for Providing Allergen Information: The guidance includes recommendations such as:
• • Ensuring written allergen information is always available for non-prepacked food.
  • Encouraging staff to engage in conversations with customers about their allergen requirements.
• Voluntary 'Free From' Claims: The guidance addresses the use of voluntary information, such as 'free from' claims, and emphasizes the importance of clarity to avoid consumer confusion. For example, if a dish is labeled 'peanut free,' it must be ensured that the dish does not contain peanuts and cross-contamination is prevented.
• Staff Training and Communication: Effective communication between staff and consumers is crucial. The guidance recommends that all staff receive training on allergens and food hypersensitivity to appreciate the potential consequences of providing incorrect information, which could be life-threatening.
• Resources:

• FSA's Updated Allergen Guidance: For detailed information, access the full guidance on the FSA website: Allergen Information for Non-Prepacked Foods Best Practice: Summary | Food Standards Agency

This week on Simply Hospitality, we welcome back Emily Capps, Ruth’s Glastonbury EHO buddy, this time she is sharing her expertise in waste management, to discuss the UK's new Simpler Recycling scheme. These changes introduce new waste regulations that businesses need to be aware of.

If your company has ten or more employees, this episode is essential listening to ensure you meet your legal requirements. Plus, you'll gain fascinating insights into food waste that might surprise you!

Tune in for an informative discussion on how these regulatory changes impact the hospitality industry and what steps you can take to stay compliant.

In this bitesize episode we delve into the unglamourous details that every start up needs to think about, including:

- Kitchen planning: walls, floors and ceilings: is it durable and cleanable? Do you have a wash hand basin and have you thought about your potwash set up?

- Do you have the right equipment, lighting and electricity supply?

- Think about pest proofing, deep cleaning and extraction systems.

- Get yourself registered as a food business 28 days before you open.

- STAFF TRAINING! Food hygiene and people management go hand in hand so invest in both and you'll be off to a strong start :)

And oodles more about looking after your people from the lovely Lucy.

Enjoy and follow us on social media if you like what you hear!

Instagram: @simply_hospitality_the_podcast

Apprenticeships make sense BUT how can we make a success of them in our industry where labour costs have to be kept as lean as possible, and quality over quantity seems to be the best route forward?

Phil Trevett, L&D Manager from Somerset Larder, explains how they run a successful Apprenticeship Programme and the boundless positive outcomes that come from it.

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Simply Hospitality: The Podcast (@simply_hospitality_the_podcast) • Instagram photos and videos

Continuing to discuss the topic of the Autumn Budget with Chris Hayers from Match Accounting, in Part Two, Ruth and Lucy discuss:

- Budgeting properly: do you know your most profitable product?

- Profit and Loss analysis - know your numbers!

- The importance of keeping in regular communication with your accountant.

The goal is to cut through the noise and get to the heart of how these updates will impact our teams, our venues, and our communities.

If you’d like to get in touch with Chris at Match Accounting, go to http://www.matchaccounting.co.uk and drop them a line.

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