Butter Wouldn't Melt

 Great Cafes rather likes this Christmas present from caterer Baxter Storey and the Benugo influence - Butter Wouldn't Melt is their Guide to Baking compiled by Philip Skinazi, their Exec Pastry Development Chef and covers many cafe favourites.

Benugo's Latest

Wooden block signage at Benugo's Garden Cafe off Oxford Street

 plus good sandwiches

Baristas Not Button Pushers

Guest Spot

Thanks to Roy Westwood, Creative Director for Levy Restaurants, for spotting this sign at Benugo

Ice Cream Plus

An obvious combo where you have an espresso machine, ice cream, strawberries and the current heat.  Bravo to Benugo for offering Affogato (espresso coffee with ice cream) from their mobile unit in the forecourt of the British Museum.

Fruit Cake

Blackberry & Poire William Pear cake at Benugo

Orange & Plum cakes at Peyton & Byrne

Getting it Right

Hot food on display for instant service is the Achilles heel for so many cafe operations.  Left out for lunch service (above 63 degrees C or max two hours if under) items can often look unappealing.  Benugo get it right with these individual pies plus the cooling quiche at their British Museum Gallery Cafe.

Benugo's Waterloo

 Benugo and their new outlet on the balcony of Waterloo station - traditional counters are out; tables are in

 Simple presentation aids - sinks, platters and steps plus attractive glass sided and not-too-high multideck chillers

Full Leaf Teas

Starbucks has full leaf tea, not powder, in their tea bags.  You will be able to taste the difference, trust me and better quality tea should allow you to charge more.

Benugo are switched on to quality tea

Smart Butter

Butter packs can be so naff but this quality packaging and format from Benugo at the British Museum looks good.

Stainless Chalkboard

Neat use of chalk pens (and crushed ice) on the salad bar well

British Museum staff restaurant operated by Benugo

New Exhibits

Benugo take over the catering at the British Museum

The UK's biggest visitor attraction with almost 6 million visitors a year

Happy staff too - this is the staff restaurant cake table

Snacking

Apostrophe

Benugo

Pret

"Healthy" snacks = Growing sales

Freshly Baked

Benugo in Clerkenwell with "All our products have been freshly baked this morning in our Bakery"

Basket of 4 types of sandwiches plus prominent bake off oven clearly in use

Science Museum Shakes

Shake Ice Cream Bar

Good display by caterer Benugo

Great child-friendly toppings - maltesers, jaffa cakes, blueberries, peanut butter ....

Kiddie Shaped Hard Sell

Fruit Shoot, the supposedly kid-friendly sugared drink, may sponsor this display but the colour, shape, lighting and display gets your (or your kid's) attention.









Benugo's straight-laced kids unit at the Science Museum, although a much healthier and better quality food offer

Disciplined Deli

Benugo in Clerkenwell - highly disciplined approach to deli sandwiches with all protein pre-portioned and the favourites pre-prepared for fast service.

A Sac, not a Bag

Paper T-Sacs allow you to offer loose leaf tea without the stigma of tea bags.  Benugo uses these to great effect at all its outlets.

Available from Jenier Teas.

Toasters on the Table - Part 2

Bishopsgate Kitchen by Benugo and customers were making their own toast.

See http://greatcafes.blogspot.com/2011/07/toasters-on-table.html

How the world has changed .......for the better

Remember when we always used matches to publicise our bars and restaurants.  Now it's book seeds, not book matches.  Plants, not ciggies.  

Benugo's Bishopsgate Kitchen " We don't take bookings, but we do like herbs" book of parsley, thyme, basil & sage seeds.

Food Storage as Styling

 Benugo's Bishopsgate Kitchen is in the design style of Bill's Produce Store, Carluccios, Albion Caff and Jamies Italian - the food does the talking/styling.

Almost all storage is out front - you just keep the unbranded items out back.