The heat is on – what pub diners really want this Autumn

Turning up the heat

Along with the classics, The Plough Inn’s menu hits all the right notes: Tassie seafood, pizzas, chargrilled meats, burgers, salads and vegetarian. In addition, Yogi says Launceston locals are also keen to try his Nepalese curries as soon as they hit the specials board.

“People are loving it,” he reflects. “A lot of the locals have Nepalese friends and are trying more spicy food, even asking for chilli flakes on the side – for dishes that aren’t meant to be spicy!”

Brendan is also seeing the impact of customers and employees who have migrated to regional South Australia from India and Nepal. “Our curry nights regionally are a huge hit, and the chefs love it, because they can express a little bit of their own history in the food that we’re doing, which is really exciting,” he says.

Keep it balanced

Both chefs agree pub menus need to have a good balance in their offerings.

“I make our guys build the menu first so I can look at it as a whole,” Brendan explains. “You’ve got to get the right balance between your classics, a range of different proteins, a strong vegetarian and vegan offer, and dishes to be shared.”

Nick Goss, who owns the pub with Yogi plus his brother Peter and sister-in-law Dianna, adds that while their menu is relatively stable, it’s useful to swap out vegetables and salad components as prices shift with the seasons, keeping quality up and costs in check.

“We make small changes to keep costs in line and meet customer expectations,” he explains. For example, one of the dishes we put on in cool months is a more hearty slow-cooked lamb shank.”

Happy chefs, happy customers

A good kitchen culture is crucial to bringing a menu to life on the plate. “Happy chefs make good food,” Brendan says simply.

“We encourage them to move around and work in different kitchens — there’s a lot of collaboration between venues to keep everyone engaged and enthused.”

Yogi Nepal is known for being calm and centred. “He’s probably the calmest chef I’ve ever seen,” reflects Nick. “Doesn’t raise his voice, just very calm, with everything circling around him.”

It all comes back to passion for cooking, Yogi says. “If you have passion to work in a kitchen under pressure, that gets you through. Being consistent, doing the same thing with passion every time, that’s what gets the best results.”

He adds that appreciation also goes a long way. “A small thank you from management adds so much to our team’s working life and health.”