Have you ever found yourself torn between two career paths? On one hand, there’s the allure of being in the spotlight and living life in the fast lane as a Love Island contestant. On the other hand, there’s the stability and challenge of a career in marketing. OK, maybe not a scenario many people might find themselves in, and it’s not the start of a mid-life crisis and career change, I promise. But I thought, hey, this would make for a fun blog, don’t you think? Well, you may be surprised to know that there are actually some striking similarities between these two paths. So, let’s take a deeper dive and explore the parallel worlds of reality dating TV and food and drink marketing.
Leveraging the consumer pull of a restaurant brand to create a range of products in retail is not a new idea by any means. Indeed, since 1998 Pizza Express has had their incredibly successful FMCG range in retail. Then followed Nando’s, Itsu, Greggs, YO!, TGI Fridays, Ed’s Diner, Chiquitos and Harry Ramsden’s. There is also Carluccios’s, Zizzi, Wahaca, Wasabi, Wagamama and more! In fact, we recently worked on the launch of Cinnamon Kitchen into Tesco, a range of premium Indian fine dining ready meals developed by Vivek Singh of The Cinnamon Club group of restaurants (you can read more here).
I recently spent a long week in Marrakech to celebrate my significant other’s special birthday. For a short break in January, just a 3.5hr flight from Gatwick and boasting temperatures of 20 degrees, it was the ideal destination. The city is renowned for its rich culture, history, and of course delicious cuisine. The food in Marrakech is a blend of traditional Moroccan flavours, with a touch of Berber and Andalusian influences and during our stay we sampled some of the best that Marrakech has to offer.
January is an important time to predict and consider what trends and changes we can expect to see in the culinary world throughout the year. In the food and hospitality industry, staying ahead of the curve is essential in order to appeal to customers and remain successful. Although we’ve already looked at trends in the eating out market, here, we will explore what flavours and ingredients chefs and restauranteurs should be aware of in 2023:
Air fryers have become increasingly popular over the last few years with no sign of their popularity waning. With more models on the market, from budget to high tech, and plenty of recipes available online and on social media, the trend is at an all-time high. After receiving one for Christmas and being a full-time foodie, I am now fully immersed into the ‘air fryer universe’ and excited to try new dishes.
How do they work?
The great thing about air fryers is that they use an alternative method to deep frying which is a much healthier option, you can simply use a single tablespoon of oil or a low-calorie spray. Hot air is blasted round the basket/tray instead of frying yet still manages to produce the crispiness and crunch that we crave.
Why use them?
Air fryers are super energy efficient, cooking dishes in record time and using less electricity than a standard oven. They may be a pricey initial investment but are worth the energy saving in the long run. They are best suited to a small family or couple, otherwise it may take multiple cooks and would be better to use an oven all in one go for larger households.
Which model?
As you can imagine there are many air fryer options out there and it’s important to choose the right one. They’re available in different cooking capacities and 1 or 2 baskets, make sure to choose one that will be big enough to feed your household or the type of dishes you want to achieve.
Some models offer multi functionality with oven-styles that have rotisserie accessories, or a multi-cooker including a slow cooker or dehydrator. It’s worth reviewing a few different models to see which best fits your needs.
It’s also worth checking that the baskets are removable and also dishwasher safe, to help ensure you can keep your air fryer as clean as possible.
From the ultimate favourite crispy chips to gooey chocolate chip cookies, the air fryer really does it all. My favourite cooks so far have been homestyle fries, super crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside, and chicken wings – crispy skin yet moist in the middle. Anything from eggs for breakfast to one pot cooks for dinner will work a treat. If you’re in need of some inspiration there’s a plethora of delicious recipes from home chefs on TikTok or try any of your favourite foodie websites.
A lot of recipes take a little bit of trial and error with temperature and time to make sure you get the best end result, with the air fryer being a different type of cook to a traditional oven.
A great way to ensure that you get the crunchy or crispy end product is by coating it with some corn flour – this works best on potatoes and meat. Make sure to flip or toss your food often to help achieve an even cook. You can use parchment paper or filters to add to the tray/basket to avoid any mess or extra clean up.
Happy air frying! Don’t forget to share your recipes and dishes with us on our socials @jellybeanagency
As we find ourselves in deepest darkest January with the parties and fun of Christmas and New Year a distant memory it may seem there’s not much to get excited about. However, one thing I do look forward to in the depths of winter is cracking out my beloved slow cooker and whipping up my favourite winter warmers.
As you may or may not be aware, the Environment Act 2021 passed in November 2021 along with the food waste disposal rules are set to change and the implications for any organisation generating food waste in England are sizeable.
If you’re looking for an exciting and unique dining experience, look no further than Six by Nico. This innovative restaurant, which has several locations throughout the UK, offers an ever-changing, six-course tasting menu inspired by a different theme or location.
2022 was a challenging year for many people, and if the pandemic taught us anything, it’s the importance of communities coming together to get through difficult times. I recently became aware of one project nearby that is working to bring together the community in North Leatherhead.
This year I have chosen White Lodge as my nominated charity as it is very close to home for me both geographically and personally. Very dear friends of mine had a daughter Olivia who used a wide range of their services over the years and it became a real lifeline for the family. She went on to become the most amazingly confident young lady and a wheelchair athlete which is testament not only to her determination, resilience and courage but also to all the support she got from this essential hub of facilities and of course her parents. White Lodge is a wonderful purpose built 2-acre site in Chertsey which needs urgent help to refurbish the premises and their hydrotherapy pool.
This year for Jellybean’s 12 Days of Giving I have chosen to support Dementia UK, who provide specialist and compassionate support for families affected by all forms of dementia – including Alzheimer’s disease – through their Admiral Nurse service.
As dementia specialists, Admiral Nurses help families manage complex needs – considering the person living with dementia and the people around them. They help people living with dementia to stay independent for longer, and support the people caring for them so they have the strength to cope with the bad days, and the energy to enjoy the good days.
This charity has a special place in my heart for very personal reasons – both my grandad and grandma had Alzheimer’s and dementia respectively, so it hits very close to home. Seeing your loved ones deteriorate and become more and more forgetful and unable to look after themselves is so heart-breaking. Although they were based in South Africa and couldn’t benefit from this charity, I know first-hand just how important their nurses and care-givers were in managing their quality of life and helping to support my family through the tough times. They really were a lifeline, and without them I don’t know where we would be.
There are currently around 900,000 people with dementia in the UK. This is projected to rise to 1.6 million people by 2040. By supporting Dementia UK, we are helping to make sure that families all over the UK who are affected by dementia don’t have to go through it alone, and are able to get the specialist help and support they need to get through another day.
For more information about Dementia UK, and how you can get involved, visit www.dementiauk.org
The Princess Alice Hospice is a charity well known by jellybean, not least because our office sits directly above the Leatherhead branch of their charity shop!
The Samson Centre, based in Guildford, Surrey, was set up for people with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) by people with MS. The charity provides essential services not available through the NHS and without Government funding. Initially the charity operated from a local village hall and their original oxygen chamber was installed in a volunteer’s garage!
I don’t know about you but no matter how hard-hitting a statistic is, I think it’s hard to truly comprehend the gravity of that number until you are part of that statistic yourself. In becoming a ‘1’ in the 1 in 4 women in the UK who suffer pregnancy or birth loss, I found myself in need of support. Fortunately, it didn’t take me long to land upon Tommy’s, a charity organisation committed to saving babies’ lives and supporting families through the pregnancy journey. Tommy’s fund pioneering research into the causes and treatments of miscarriage, still births and premature births, so pregnancy and birth can be made safer for all.
First came Covid and the hospitality world faced a crisis of mammoth proportions, added to that the challenges of Brexit and now we find ourselves in a cost of living and energy crisis. It is relentless. Read More
Following several difficult years of Covid, we’re struck now by the cost-of-living crisis, affecting families and individuals in a number of ways. While Christmas is a time of celebration, this time of year can be tricky – especially now with costs creeping up and the traditions that come with the holiday season, such as gift giving and preparing a feast.
As a leading food and drink marketing agency covering both away from home and convenience channels (as well as consumer) we look forward to the quarterly Lumina Intelligence briefings to help ensure we keep up to date with the latest trends in the eating out market. Here are my top 10 take outs from yesterday’s Food Strategy Forum debrief…
Blue Cross has been helping sick, injured, abandoned and homeless pets for more than 125 years and now needs support more than ever due to pets and people facing tough times like never before. This is why I have chosen to support Blue Cross charity this Christmas.
