Category Archives: News
29 Jan |
SW England and South Wales Food News |
The headlines are currently dominated by Brexit, the snowy weather, the great American stand-off and the Oscars. But what is making the headlines in the world of food and drink?
There is a greater call of allergen labelling following the death of a schoolgirl from an unlabelled baguette. Proposals unveiled by environment secretary Michael Gove would see all prepackaged food labelled to help the UK’s two million food allergy sufferers decide whether they can safely eat it.
Devon Celebrates
There are celebrations down in Devon as a popular fish and chip shop has been crowned as the best chippy in the UK. Krispies Fish & Chips in Exmouth has “battered its way to the top” winning the coveted award as UK’s best fish and chip shop at the National Fish and Chip Awards 2019, organised by Seafish. Krispie’s is owned and operated by husband and wife team Kelly and Tim Barnes, offering “true excellence in the fish and chip industry” with factors such as “sustainability, menu innovation, catering for special dietary requirements, customer service and marketing activity” all part of the judging process.
It’s also been getting spicy down in Devon with the humble ketchup being the focus of attention. The South Devon Chilli Farm has been listening to market research and is giving fans their signature chilli twist to the UK’s favourite condiment. Three new delicious chilli ketchups – cool jalapeno, smoky chipotle and hot habanero –have been added to the range as an alternative to the tomato option. Presented in a smart glass bottle, the range is suitable for vegetarian, vegan and gluten free diets and contains no artificial ingredients or preservatives.
Over in Taunton, the newly-introduced ‘bleeding’ vegan burger has been a new year triumph for TGI Friday. The completely meat-free burger, which was one of the most talked about burgers in the USA last year, is high in protein and has zero cholesterol. As well as beetroot, which gives it the iconic bleed, the flame-grilled burger is made from coconut oil, mushrooms, herbs, plant proteins, and spices.
Terry McDowell, TGI Fridays’ head chef, said: “Friday’s flame-grilled, hand-crafted burgers are one of the most popular dishes on our menu and now everyone can enjoy their legendary taste, whether they are vegan, vegetarian, trying to cut down on meat, or anything in between!”
Responsible Wales
Over in Wales, the Welsh government has just published a consultation considering a range of proposals to encourage people to change their eating habits and be more active. As well as banning energy drinks to under-16s, other measures in the ‘Healthy Weight, Healthy Wales’ include “restrictions on the positioning of products in stores, restrictions on the amount of marketing of certain products in stores, restrictions on promotions and discounting of certain products in stores, mandatory calorie labelling for food purchased and eaten outside of the home.” If you want to be heard then respond to the consultation.
And staying in Wales, following the huge success of the inaugural event in in 2017, BlasCymru / TasteWales returns March 20 and 21 2019. The show will bring together buyers, producers and food industry professionals for this signature international food and drink trade event and conference, held once again at the world-class Celtic Manor Resort.
Published Date: 29th January 2019
Category: Blog, Catering Business, Local food, News
Tags: AC Services, Catering business, monthly news
22 Jan |
What are Your Brexit Plans |
I’m sorry but this week we simply have to talk about Brexit planning.
Over the last two years the only thing that most people have been certain on with Brexit is that the day of departure is 29th March 2018. Now the politicians may this week, or next, attempt to change this but with 67 days to go, it makes sense to plan.
Good business planners look at any situation and attempt to work out the absolute worst scenario, the best scenario and the others in between. For UK catering businesses these vary widely, but most can find a sensible middle ground for their own business with a little thought now.
Shutting Up Shop
Option number 1 is that the situation on 29th March and the weeks that follow that the best option is to shut down for a month. This is an approach that a number of car manufacturers are taking such as BMW and its mini production in Oxford.
If you’re considering this option you conserve all your resources and then make an orderly grand re-opening in May. The positives may also include allowing you to do that refresh of paint that you’ve been putting off. The negative that there may be a trust or reputational hit to your business in your local area or those to whom you supply.
Stockpile
Whatever happens after over 40 years of increasingly integrated trade and an international focus on just in time delivery, delivery times will spin quickly out. If the Manston lorry trial in January proved anything it is we are still underprepared for the impact on freight. However the Brexit food packs of freeze dried ingredients is an overreaction the other way.
Big food manufacturers have been quietly stockpiling key ingredients for the last few months. This is why UK warehouse space is now almost at capacity. Time for regular catering businesses to consider:
- How many of your ingredients are locally grown and sourced. Over the last few years AC Services has showcased various regional providers to provide choice.
- The key word in the point above is grown. We often assume that we can just ask our supplier for x not thinking that x must come from abroad. With the extremes of weather, we have increasingly seen shortages of basic products like lettuces or potatoes. Time to ask yourself if I run out of vanilla pods what will I do?
- When did you last have your machinery serviced? Catering equipment is an international business so the part that is needed may have to be shipped from elsewhere in Europe. It’s a good idea to do this in February so you’re ready.
Events
Brexit provides an opportunity for an event. Not least because it falls the same weekend as Mothering Sunday and the beginning of British Summer Time. We’ll leave the menu choices to your personal preferences. But whatever you do start thinking and planning now for March 29th to minimise the adverse hidden effects Brexit could have on your business this spring.
Published Date: 22nd January 2019
Category: Blog, Catering Business, News
Tags: Brexit, Catering business
15 Jan |
A Rational Year Ahead? |
Rational UK enjoyed a steady year in 2018 despite the ramifications, as yet unknown, of Brexit and global economic uncertainty.
The amalgamation of the Rational combi-steamers and Frima VarioCookingCenter® units under the umbrella Rational brand has successfully operated for almost a year. It has done what it promised by providing a complete solution for kitchen requirements from a single, reliable and reputable source. Everyone involved in the merger has applauded its successful and seamless implementation.
On Tour
In the meantime, Rational UK is continuing its physical presence across the country with many shows and exhibitions already booked for 2019.
Locations include The Professional Kitchen Show at the NEC Birmingham in January; the Source Show in Exeter in February; and Expowest in Cornwall in May. Rational UK will also be exhibiting at the Restaurant Show and the Takeaway Expo in London later in the year. It’s always good to stop by the stand and find out what’s new for Rational UK.
Brexit
As with industry as a whole, Rational UK’s future plans will be influenced by the outcome of Brexit. As an authorised Spares Partner at AC Services, we are keeping a wary eye on what might be impacted when the March deadline arrives. Currently some parts are guaranteed to be shipped from Germany within 24 hours. But whether this will change post-Brexit remains to be seen. And if it does what that will stretch to in the short term is anybody’s guess. We are committed to trying to maintain our current high spares supply levels.
To avoid post-March delay and to help us gauge the increased stock levels needed, we recommend that services are booked now. We can then create suitable buffer stocks of high-demand items to continue to offer our customary seamless service to all our customers. In addition, we’ll know what has been replaced recently in our customers’ units and what might need replacing later in the year. We can include this in our stock calculations to minimise disruption.
AC Services Team Update
On a more personal level, we are happy to report an excellent 2018. Our personnel are key to our continuing growth. Denise returned last year after ten years to the role as Service Administrator. Carolyn has been in her role as Accounts Administrator for a year. Kelly returned from Maternity Leave last year.
At our Christmas Party held at the Egypt Mill, Nailsworth we celebrated Senior Engineer Jon working for AC Services for 20 years. Helen said “20 years’ service is a remarkable achievement in most industries. But particularly amongst catering business that have seen significant change over that time. I’m glad we have Jon’s professionalism, experience and dedication to rely on”
Published Date: 15th January 2019
Category: Blog, Catering Business, News, Ovens, Rational
Tags: AC Services, Catering business, Rational Ovens
09 Jan |
2019 Sports and Events Calendar |
What can we look forward to in 2019? Not only is it an odd year which means neither Olympics or FIFA World Cup, there are major changes ahead politically, for good or for bad, who knows? But what is certain is that there is a full card of sporting events to keep everyone on their toes for the next twelve months including other World Cups. This year brings us to end of the first two decades of what some of us still refer to as the new century.
There are a number of key dates that should go in your diary: from 30 May, the World Cup Cricket will take place in England. For those who love the sound of leather on willow, it continues for two whole months followed by the Ashes between Australia and England.
Liverpool hosts the Netball World Cup in July and the women’s FA Cup final is in May. Towards the end of the year, the Rugby Union World Cup will be held in Japan and November see the Para-athletics World Championships in Dubai. Then it’s Christmas.
Month-by-month Sports Calendar
January
13-20: Snooker – Masters , London
13: Netball – Quad Series, Echo Arena Liverpool
14-27: Tennis – Australian Open, Melbourne
17: Basketball – NBA London Game
21-1 Feb: Para-alpine skiing , Slovenia and Italy
23-27: Cricket – West Indies v England, First Test, Barbados
25: Hockey – FIH Pro League, Spain
27: Basketball Cup finals , Birmingham
February
31 Jan-4 Feb: Cricket – West Indies v England , Second Test, Antigua
1: Rugby union, Six Nations and Women’s Six Nations
3: American football, Super Bowl 53, Atlanta, Georgia
5-17: Skiing World Championships, Sweden
16: Athletics – Indoor Grand Prix, Birmingham
23: Football, Women’s League Cup final
23 Squash World Championships, Chicago
25 Winter sports World Championships, Canada
March
3-10: Wheelchair curling, World Championship, Stirling
6-10: Badminton – All England Open Birmingham
8-10: Short track speed skating World Championships, Bulgaria
12-15: Horse racing, Cheltenham Festival
14-17: Para-cycling World Championships, Netherlands
16: Rugby union, Six Nations final weekend
16-24: Curling Women’s World Championship, Denmark
17: Formula 1, Season starts
19: Basketball, BBL Trophy final, Glasgow
22: Football Euro 2020 qualifying, England v Czech Republic, Wembley
25: Football Euro 2020 qualifying, Montenegro v England
30: Athletics World Cross-Country, Denmark
April
5-8: Cricket opening round, County Championship matches
6: Horse racing Grand National, Aintree
6-7: Football – FA Cup semi-finals, Wembley Stadium
7: Rowing – Boat Races, London
11-14: Golf – The Masters, Augusta
13: Boxing – Anthony Joshua, Wembley Stadium
14: Formula 1 – Chinese Grand Prix, Shanghai
16-21: Swimming – British Championships, Glasgow
20 Apr-6 May: Snooker – World Championship , Sheffield
21-28: Table tennis – World Championships, Hungary
28: Athletics, London Marathon
May
1: Football – Champions League semi-finals
2: Football – Europa League semi-finals
2-5: Cycling, Tour de Yorkshire
4: Football – Women’s FA Cup final, Wembley Stadium
15-19: Taekwondo – World Championships, Manchester
17-19: Diving – London World Series
18: Football – FA Cup final, Wembley Stadium
18: Football Women’s Champions League final, Budapest
25 May-7 June: Motorsport Isle of Man TT
26 May-9 June: Tennis – French Open, Paris
29: Football – Europa League final, Azerbaijan
30 May-15 July Cricket World Cup in England
30 May-2 June: Golf – US Women’s Open, South Carolina
June
1: Football – Champions League final, Spain
1: Rugby union – Premiership final, Twickenham
1-5: Equestrian Badminton Horse Trials
7 Jun-7 July: Football Women’s World Cup France
10-15: Cycling – Women’s Tour of Britain
14-16: Canoe slalom – World Cup series, London
15 June-13 July: Football – Africa Cup of Nations
15-16: Motorsport – Le Mans 24 Hours, France
17-23: Tennis – Queen’s Club Championships, London
20-23: Golf – Women’s PGA Championship, Hazeltine
23-30: Tennis Eastbourne International
July
1-14: Tennis Wimbledon
6-28: Cycling , Tour de France
7: Football – Women’s World Cup final, France
12-14: Formula 1 – British Grand Prix, Silverstone
14: Cricket – World Cup final, Lord’s
18-21: Golf – The Open, Royal Portrush
21: Netball – World Cup final
August
1-4: Golf – Women’s British Open, Woburn
1-5: Cricket – England v Australia Ashes Test Edgbaston
10: Football Premier League season starts
14: Football – Uefa Super Cup, Istanbul
25 Aug-1 Sept: Rowing – World Championships, Austria
25 Aug-1 Sept: Judo – World Championships Tokyo
26 Aug-9 Sept: Tennis – US Open New York
September
1: Cricket – Super League Finals Day Hove
7-15: Surfing – World Games Japan
8-15: Cycling – Tour of Britain
10: Football – Euro 2020 England v Kosovo, Wembley
13-15: Golf – Solheim Cup, Gleneagles
20 Sept-2 Nov: Rugby union – World Cup, Japan
21: Cricket – T20 Blast Finals Day, Edgbaston
October
4-13: Gymnastics – Artistic World Championships Stuttgart
6: Horse racing – Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe Paris
November
2: Rugby union – World Cup final, Yokohama
7-15: Para-athletics – World Championships, Dubai
December
12-15: Golf – Presidents Cup, Melbourne
Month-by-month Non-Sports Key Dates
It looks like the weekend of 30th-31st March is destined to be an all-change weekend with tensions rising due to the clash of the clocks going forward and the risk of being late for Mother’s day lunch!
- 25th January, Burns Night
- 14th February, Valentines Day
- 1st March, St Davids Day
- 5th March, Pancake Day
- 17th March, St Patricks Day
- 29th March, Brexit Day
- 31st March, Mothers’ Day and BST begins
- 21st April, Easter Sunday
- 6th May, First day of Ramadam
- 4th June, Eid el fitr
- 16th June, Fathers’ Day
- 26th August, Late Summer Bank Holiday
- 27th October, British Summer Time ends
- 1st November, Start preparations for Christmas 2019
At AC Services Southern we look forward to helping you successfully cater for these events with well-serviced Rational appliances.
Published Date: 9th January 2019
Category: Blog, Catering Business, News
18 Dec |
When Christmas Goes Wrong, a Guest Blog |
Sometimes things go wrong. The best laid plans and all that can be thrown into total disarray for the most unforeseen reasons and, having carried out a recent poll amongst close friends, maybe I can make you understand the importance of pre-empting Christmas disasters.
Most of us can cook: although we may not in the league of genius then again, we all have at least one recipe which we claim as our signature dish. Most of our knowledge has been gained either by practice, by copying or by experience but sometimes however careful you may be, things go wrong.
Take Doris for example. Her first attempt at Christmas dinner could so nearly have ended in disaster. She planned everything to the letter, from ingredients to cooking times to presentation. On Christmas Eve, it horrifically dawned on her that her oven was too small for the Jurassic-proportioned bird she had so naively ordered from Mr Cleaver, the local butcher. Mr Cleaver had assured her that a 25lb turkey would be perfect for the four of them.
Luckily, a relative offered to cook the bird and bring it round on the day which would have worked perfectly had Edna not indulged in a few breakfast eggnogs causing her to trip and drop the bird on the road outside. With nothing else to do, they quickly scraped it up, transported it unseen to the kitchen and spent half an hour picking out the most obvious stones and debris. Surprisingly given the circumstances, Doris’s first Christmas dinner was deemed a triumph. No-one was any the wiser until many many years later.
Light Bulb Moment
Then there was the occasion when Chardonnay ran out of shallots while preparing her famous signature gravy at her sister Ava-Louise’s house. She asked sister if she had any more, eliciting a puzzled response.
“No, sorry, I forgot to buy shallots.”
“But I’ve just peeled loads of them!”
“Eh? Where did you find them?”
“In a bag on the floor, next to the fridge.”
“WHAT?? Those are my spring flowering bulbs I bought from the garden centre last week!”
“****”
“Alexa, are daffodil bulbs poisonous?!”
They’re not by the way.
Praise to the Caterers
I’ve muddled through over the years but this year, I am praising the caterers for the following reason. Having been lumbered with hosting Christmas dinner this year, I decided to ask the guests, all family, for their preferred choices.
My eagerness to please soon turned to horror as it dawned upon me that I was in no way, shape or form cut out for mass catering. Within our close-knit family, one is fully-fledged vegan, two vegetarian, one caffeine intolerant, two lactose intolerant and one is borderline type 2 diabetic. One suffers from coeliac disease, one from Crohns, another can’t eat gluten and two won’t eat ANY vegetables WHATSOEVER. Put any form of nuts within smelling distance of the mother-in-law and one of us will need to be sober enough to apply an epi-pen.
A frantic group chat to sympathetic friends solved the problem. Last minute booking for twelve at the local hotel it is. I am simply not prepared to take the risk. Let the experts take the strain.
So if you are eating out this season, make sure you appreciate what it takes to cater for a diverse clientele in terms of training and learning and applying the knowledge to produce mighty fine food for all. And if you are a caterer, just make sure the Rational oven is Christmas ready!
Have a wonderful Christmas from the team at AC Services (Southern).
NB All names have been changed to ensure a happy family Christmas!
Published Date: 18th December 2018
Category: Blog, News
Tags: AC Services, Catering business, Rational Ovens
11 Dec |
AC Services Christmas Opening Times |
So the big day is not far away, for which the country stocks up on totally unnecessary items for the festive period just in case they are needed. It’s amazing what you find on your shelves in February.
But rejoice, it’s at least another year before we hear those dreaded words again – Black Friday – and to put it in a political context, it’s only two more Brexit ministers till Christmas.
Shops have initiated Operation Santa Claus Frenzy and kids are busy writing lists using the Argos catalogue as a template.
If you followed my advice, you will have ordered the necessary cleaning accessories and booked to have your oven checked over before the holidays begin. If you haven’t, then get on to it today. Put it on that list! For those who live by the chaos theory, although the offices are closed on the key dates, we will still have engineers on call on the days in between because we know that sometimes bad things happen at the worst possible time. But just in case you are in any doubt, see below for clarification of our Christmas working hours.
AC Services Christmas Opening Times 2018
Here are AC Services Christmas opening times for 2018:
- Thursday 20th December – normal opening hours – 8.15 a.m. to 5.15 p.m
- Friday 21st December – normal opening hours – 8.15 a.m. to 5.15 p.m
- Saturday 22nd December – office closed – Engineer on call for emergencies
- Sunday 23rd December – office closed – Engineer on call for emergencies
- Monday 24th December – Christmas Eve – office open – 8.15am to 3 p.m
- Tuesday 25th December – Christmas Day, CLOSED
- Wednesday 26th December – Boxing Day, CLOSED
- Thursday 27th December – office open 8.30 a.m. – 5 p.m. (engineers available)
- Friday 28th December – office open 8.30 a.m. – 5 p.m. (engineers available)
- Saturday 29th December – office closed – Engineer on call for emergencies
- Sunday 30th December – office closed – Engineer on call for emergencies
- Monday 31st December – office open – 8.30am to 3 p.m
- Tuesday 1st January – CLOSED
It’s back to normal working hours on Wednesday 2nd January.
If you have an emergency with your appliance telephone 01454 322222 and press the appropriate option so we can help you as quickly as we can. If you have a non-urgent issue, leave a message for when the office is next open.
LAST CHANCE
Importantly, don’t forget to order stock parts and cleaning products. The VERY LAST DATE for guaranteed Christmas delivery for an order to be placed is Wednesday 19th December at 5 p.m. We recommend that you CHECK your stock now, to make sure that you have everything you need.
Published Date: 11th December 2018
Category: Blog, Cleaning Products, News, Ovens, Rational, Service plan
Tags: AC Services, Cleaning Products, Combi Oven, Rational Ovens, Servicing
04 Dec |
Good Food Show Birmingham Report |
The BBC Good Food Shows have kicked off the season. Last week, it was the turn of the NEC to host one of the most eagerly-awaited food shows of the year.
With Christmas just around the corner, the flagship Winter Show offered a feast for visitors of produce and entertainment. Top chefs joined exhibitors to present a veritable smorgasbord of culinary delights. These included demonstrations, new products and fabulous retail opportunities.
The Birmingham Winter Show combined the UK’s greatest cookery experts, with plenty of festive inspiration and live entertainment in the Big Kitchen and other stages. Greeting visitors to the NEC was the show’s new contribution, Street Food. Brand new for 2018, delicious street food made a successful appearance at the Show. An army of street food vendors in the outside areas, brought a huge selection of ready to eat food for all visitors.
Big Kitchen
The Big Kitchen is always the highlight of the show. Here top celebrity chefs cook festive recipes and share tips for seasonal winter foods. Tom Kerridge and Michael Roux Junior were just two of the famous names demonstrating their skills to the public. The highlight was the demonstration by everyone’s favourite Bake Off judge, Mary Berry.
This year, the Big Kitchen was sponsored by Travelsphere, who offered additional free themed sessions to the menu. This included a taste of India with Cyrus Todiwala, chef patron of Cafe Spice Namaste, award-winning Pan-Indian restaurant in London and also Mr Todiwala’s Kitchen and The River Restaurant (in Goa). A taste of Spain was presented by José Pizarro described as the Godfather of Spanish cooking.
BBC Good Food Stage
Barney Desmazery hosted the BBC Good Food stage. There, he offered live interviews into our favourite chefs’ success and seasonal advice from some local foodie experts too. The sessions involved an interview with Nadiya Hussain and a masterclass from Stacie Stewart.
The BBC Good Food Pop-Up Restaurant offered a sit-down meal, of two or three courses, inspired by some of the most popular seasonal dishes from the country’s leading food website, www.bbcgoodfood.com. The succulent menu presented delights such as:
- chicken, leek, smoked bacon and apricot terrine with watercress salad,
- baked goat’s cheese with beetroot, honey and thyme and
- main courses including garlic cheese-stuffed turkey breast wrapped in pancetta, with parmesan roast potatoes, buttered sprouts and glazed carrots.
Winter Kitchen
The Winter Kitchen, sponsored by Magimix inspired by a range of seasonal dishes for the festive season with contributions from Mary Berry, James Martin, Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith amongst many other top chefs. Complementary to this was the Skills School where a number of experts shared their secrets from knife skills with Zwilling to sourdough masterclasses.
At AC Services Southern, we think it’s always a good idea to attend the Good Food Shows. These help us to learn new trends and to judge consumer reactions. That way our business never gets stale.
Published Date: 4th December 2018
Category: Blog, Events, News
Tags: Catering business, Food producers, Show report
27 Nov |
Let’s Talk Christmas Turkey |
Tradition plays a major role in choosing Christmas food. At some point before the big day, we decide where and when to do The Big Shop. And it’s a major event in the calendar. Whether it’s off to one of the high street supermarkets or down to the local butcher for the Christmas turkey.
But tastes change significantly: more and more people, especially younger members of the family are making life choices. Some become vegans or vegetarians, some are gluten or lactose intolerant, others demand free range…so as a commercial buyer, where do you source your Christmas turkey?
Turkey All Round
Wherever you are in South West England and South Wales, there is an easy way to find your closest turkey farm by using the NFU finder . Just enter your postcode and set the range. The list of local farms pops up for you to contact like Harts in Gloucestershire
If you are near Exeter, Rosamondford Turkey Farm provides traditional, naturally reared Devon turkeys. The turkeys roam the pastures and are fed on the finest locally produced ingredients. All turkeys are dry-plucked and hand finished to avoiding bruising or marking of the bird. All birds are grown, prepared and supplied on the farm premises. They are only fed a natural cereal and vegetable protein diet without additives or animal proteins. The flavour comes from dense meat and natural marbling.
In South Devon is Scobbiscombe Farm, a National Trust owned farm in Kingston. The turkeys have been specially bred to grow slowly. The farm also supplies the ‘TINY’ breed of turkey. This is a smaller bird without compromising on the importance of rearing to full maturity.
As a member of the Traditional Farmfresh Turkey Association, assurance is provided of the highest quality turkey and the highest standards in welfare, traditional methods and hygiene. As far as the turkeys go their welfare is identical to that of birds reared on well−run organic enterprises. The turkeys arrive as day-old chicks at the end of June each year and are carefully reared under heat lamps until 5-6 weeks of age. They are fed on a proprietary turkey food which is supplemented with home-grown cereals from 10 weeks of age and they live until approximately 23 weeks of age twice the age that many supermarket turkeys will live.
Organic Turkey
Organic turkey is available in many places but if you are catering in Wales, there is the award-winning organic and free range poultry from Capestone Organic Poultry Ltd . Today the business is run by Justin Scale, the fifth generation to farm at Capestone with all poultry reared, produced and processed on site.
Traditional organic farming methods and working with nature produce a slower-growing bird, reared and produced from slow growing bronze strains. The turkeys have constant daytime access to lush organic pastures on which they are free to roam and forage from four weeks of age.
Don’t Forget the Sprouts
Just space to mention fruit and veg: from fruit to vegetables and from dairy to salads, Milfords supplies a vast area in the south west supplying loose and pre-packed fruit across Devon, Dorchester and Somerset locally from the West Country whenever possible.
In Wales, Peter Broughton Cardiff, is one of Wales’ largest independent fresh fruit and vegetable suppliers. Their fleet of refrigerated trucks, trailers and vans are ready to distribute food, offering exceptional freshness and quality. From kale to carrots, from swede to purple sprouting broccoli, everything is catered for!
Wherever you get your Christmas turkey, it’s still not too late to source locally.
Published Date: 27th November 2018
Category: Blog, Local food, News
Tags: Food producers
20 Nov |
Thinking Ahead to Profit |
Cleaning products for your Rational oven might not be top of the shopping list right now but it should be.
We all forget something at this time of year. Sometimes the little things don’t matter, like forgetting to stock up on batteries for those annoying, noisy little gadgets that relatives take great delight in buying for the younger members of the family. But if you run out of cleaning products for your appliance, then it could be very costly indeed.
You must make sure that you have equipped yourself with plenty of oven cleaning materials.
Rational Self-Cooking-Centers have automatic cleaning programmes built into their software which makes life a lot easier. When combined with the right proprietary cleaning materials from AC Services, the ovens are not just clean but hygienic. A word of warning: using non-compatible products can cause long-term damage to your oven, can invalidate any warranty and can cause all sorts of costly problems, so make sure that you buy the products from us. It’s akin to putting petrol into a diesel car.
Orders Please
The most important thing is not to forget to place your order for your oven cleaning materials in sufficient time. If you are a catering establishment, there are so many things to consider at Christmas: the food, the décor, the orders, the extra staff…it all mounts up.
And most people have a tendency to leave things until the last moment. When they finally do remember, or simply get around to doing it, it’s often too late. So don’t leave it to the last moment to order your cleaning materials.
Lucky for you, our online shop is a lifesaver! Our aim, as always is to maintain the highest levels of customer service and although online sales may appear simply impersonal transactions, we still want to maintain the personal touch by making it a fast and simple process. It takes no time at all to enter an order and wait for the despatch of the goods.
The On-line Rational Cleaning Range
Our cleaning products are as follows:
- Rational Oven Cleaner Tab (x100): highly concentrated tablets specially developed. A new complex set of active ingredients designed to guarantee maximum cleaning power.
- Tablets for Rational Oven Care (x150) with special scale-dissolving ingredients contained to prevent limescale building up. They give reliability without a water softener and the need for time-consuming descaling.
- Rational Rinse Tablets (x50) highly effective care products ensuring active protection.
- Rational’s Grill Cleaner (10 litres) for use with a hand spray gun.
- Rational Rinse Aid (10 litres).
To order your Rational cleaning products, simply go to our online shop or call us on 01454 322222 for more advice.
Published Date: 20th November 2018
Category: Blog, Cleaning Products, News, Rational
Tags: AC Services, Cleaning Products, Rational Ovens
06 Nov |
Remembrance Day 2018 |
11 November 2018 marks a significant date in the history of the world. At 11 o’clock on the 11th day of the 11th month, the First World War – the Great War – ended. Germany signed the armistice prepared by Britain and France and the guns fell silent. Britain, France and all of the countries that supported them, celebrated the end of a heinous war that lasted four years and four months. Millions died, not only in battle but from the terrible living conditions they faced during that time.
Since then, the red poppy has become a symbol of peace and remembrance used since 1921 to commemorate military personnel who have died in war. It was inspired by the WWI poem In Flanders Fields then adopted by military veterans’ groups in parts of the British Empire and then throughout the world.
Lest We Forget
Remembrance Day 2018 commemorations will take on a special centenary meaning for all those involved. Across the country, beacons will be lit and special services taking place to mark the 100 years since the end of the war. Weymouth is conducting a Beacon Lighting event, known nationally as the `Battles Over’ taking place at the Nothe Fort starting at 6pm on 11 November. The event will feature performances from the Bovington Military Wives Choir and the Decadettes followed by a service and will encompass elements of the traditional Remembrance Service normally held at Holy Trinity Church.
In Wales, Gwent’s St Woolos Cathedral will host a free day of events to mark the centenary with music from the U3A choir, Newport rugby club choir, and the local Boys’ Brigade band. Re-enactments will include a World War One surgeon, a Monmouthshire Regiment infantryman, and a member of the Royal Flying Corps. Caerleon Remembers will mark the centenary with a tribute of words and music from local choirs as well as an exhibition. The concert will take place on Saturday, November 10 from 7pm at St Cadoc’s Church. 100 red poppies will also be seen on the Wales Air Ambulance (WAA) aircraft as a sign of respect.
Poppy of Honour 2018
In Wincanton, a commemorative Poppy of Honour has already been unveiled. Over 250,000 individual volunteers and businesses have joined forces to create an eight-foot steel and glass poppy-shaped sculpture, the first memorial of its kind, dedicated to the 1,117,635 British and Commonwealth service personnel, killed or declared missing in action in the war. 1,117,635 individual poppies are contained within, all labelled with the details of the men and women who died. In early 2019, the Poppy will embark on a major tour around the United Kingdom and Southern Ireland, before being displayed at the Tower of London.
And in Bristol, The Bristol Festival of Remembrance will take place at Bristol Cathedral on 10 November, presented by Terry Waite CBE. The evening begins with orchestral pieces, choral works, readings and a performance by local children, and the night will finish with a performance of Karl Jenkins’ The Peacemakers, a piece dedicated to all those who have lost their lives during armed conflict. On 11 November, also at Bristol Cathedral is Duruflé’s Requiem performed by Bristol Cathedral Choir. Admission is free.
Finally, the annual act of remembrance at Wells Cathedral this year will feature John Rutter’s Requiem, a free event taking place from 3-4pm on 11 November followed by a devotional service, interspersed with War Poetry.