All language subtitles for The.Hidden.World.of.Hospitality.with.Tom.Kerridge.S01E05.1080p.HDTV.H264-DARKFLiX

Check on two covers. Two set
soup, followed two cod.Oui!

I'm Tom Kerridge, and I've
been working in hospitality

for over 30 years.

Behind, behind, behind.

Standing shoulder-to-shoulder...

Happy? I love it, mate.
Right, four beef now!

..with some of the
country's most skilled

and inspiring professionals.

You've got this, mate.

I'm Tom. Nice to see you.

I wouldn't want to be
doing anything else.

But how much do our customers
really know about what it takes

to deliver a warm welcome,

amazing food and great service?

In this series, I'm letting
the cameras into my world.

We have got 1,500
people to serve lunch.

And I'm going behind the scenes

in dramatically different
businesses across the UK.

You're amazing.Oh, thanks.

From a plush city centre hotel...

..to a hideaway rural retreat.

From a fancy Michelin-starred
restaurant...

..to a century-old
fish and chip shop.

And from a huge wedding venue...

..to a buzzing street food festival.

I'm lifting the lid on our
industry like never before...

We've actually got vinegar
for blood, by the way.

..to reveal the side of hospitality
our customers rarely see.

Six hours until we open

and, as you can see...
nothing's here!

How we operate...

Lady boss.

..our trade secrets...

300 portions of gravy.

When you ask for more gravy,
just think about that.

..the gambles we're taking...

So what's your timescale?
Four weeks.

Up and over!

..in the face of huge challenges.

The fallout of last few years
of Brexit and Covid,

it's real in this industry.
It's massive.

This is UK hospitality and this
is our inside story.

This is UK hospitality and this
is our inside story.

Service!

This time, in the notoriously
competitive world of hospitality,

could collaboration be the key
to success and growth in the UK's

dynamic street food scene?

What a cool venue.

It smells great.

In the West Midlands, a street
food collective is taking

the region by storm.

We want to see people grow.

That's the exciting part of it,
really, is helping to develop

traders to what they
want to achieve.

But it's not all plain sailing.

Oh, no!

Oh, my God.

In Cornwall, one couple has
created a barbecue smokehouse

with - and for - the local community.

There we are.

We're two ladies that run a
smokehouse in the middle

of nowhere, but we're
probably the only two ladies

that would have taken
on an empty car park.

BOTH: In the middle of nowhere!

Right. First customer, boys.
Let's go, let's go!

And at my food festival in Marlow,
top tier chefs are fighting it out

with their own spin on street food.

My businesses are here. I live here.

It's so important to
get this one right.

The popularity of street food
has seen a dramatic rise

and is expected to be worth
£1.6 billion next year.

Where we used to see street food
or takeaway food as just burger

and chips or fish and chips,

it's now world cuisine.

But it's part of the industry
I'm not massively familiar

with and I'm excited to learn more.

So I'm coming in to Birmingham today
to meet a couple of guys that appear

to have cornered the market
when it comes to street food.

Street food in the Midlands
has been elevated to a cultural

dining experience with
great global cuisine, music,

and party-style events.

Thanks to Digbeth Dining Club's
founders,

Jack Brabant and James Swinburne.

We're called Digbeth Dining Club
because it started in Digbeth back

in...2012?

2012.

Yeah, 2012. 2012. Yeah.

Casual dining with good
entertainment is what we've sort

of set ourselves up with, really.

It's a real USP for us.

The DDC Collective gathers the best
independent vendors for regular

summer festivals and operates two
permanent venues that bring the food

and the action indoors
all year round.

You don't need to book.
You can walk in.

You can find yourself a table.

You can share each other's food.

There's so many different ways
that street food brings groups

together and takes the pressure
off going out and dining.

And they're growing year on year.

In 2022, they hit a
turnover of £3 million.

In 2022, they hit a
turnover of £3 million.

And they hope to expand even further.

Street food has been around
for quite a long time,

but we've sort of tried
to create a new hybrid,

and I certainly haven't found
anything

in the UK like this, you know.

So that's something that
I hope that we've achieved.

I'm at Digbeth Dining Club's
latest permanent venue.

It sits within a regenerated area
of Longbridge, South Birmingham.

It sits within a regenerated area
of Longbridge, South Birmingham.

Not your normal
place for a restaurant.

Here, vendors out back provide the
food for punters to enjoy indoors.

Nice to meet you, Jack.Hi. How are
we doing, James? You all right?

I'm keen to find out what makes
Herbert's Yard different

from the other food halls
springing up around the country.

I want to know exactly how this
works and how this operates,

I want to know exactly how this
works and how this operates,

because I'm looking at this going,
OK, this is a cool space,

but it is kind of like...
In a retail park.

It's in a retail park in a car park
next to the university.

It feels like it's so alien to
everything else that's around it.

I think it complements it.

We're fiercely proud of not coming
from our independent background

on this, but we're happy to work
with developers and to create

stuff like this because it gives us
the opportunity to showcase,

you know, fantastic independent
food traders.

We work with independent
breweries, everything.

And a lot of them are local as well.

So most of the food traders
that we've got like here today

and over the weekend, they're all
from Birmingham and the Midlands.

It's something that we love
to do and showcase what's

going on in our city.

So you're giving them
that opportunity.

Does that street food vendor
change every time?

Almost daily. The traders that we've
got in this week

will be completely different next
week.

All right. So I've got to ask the
question then

from a business point of view,

how does that work
just from a commercial set?

Do they pay you a rent?

We just... It's a very
democratic process.

So it's a commission on their sales.

What percentage?

We're 18%.

Hello there, chefs. How are we?
How are we doing, gents?

Today, four independent vendors
are getting ready for service.

Nice to see you, chef. You OK?
All good?Yeah. All good.

Boss man, you all right? Nice to meet
you.

We've got a roster of about 80 to
90 traders now that work at DDC.

Is that one of the dishes that
somebody would have this evening?

Yes, that's chicken shish,
lamb kofta, flatbread.

I mean, that looks amazing.

We've always created a roster of
food traders that come in every week

and that's the whole point
of street food to me,

is trying something different.

Fresh herbs, beautiful flavour.

It's got such a lovely
glaze on it as well.

It's a lot of work

but, you know, I think
what keeps people coming

is like no week is the same.

Another attraction
could be the price.

It seems pretty good value.

You can eat great food, super tasty,

cooked by a brilliant,
passionate chef

at what is essentially
a fraction of the price

that you would pay in
a great restaurant.

In Birmingham City Centre,
the DDC's other permanent venue

is Hockley Social Club.

How are you doing, chief,
you all right?Yeah.

It's open Thursday to Sunday,
and I've been told to expect

something very different.

What a cool venue.

There's a noise, there's a vibe.

Most definitely got an energy to it.

And it smells great.

It's a real destination space.

We're promoting DJs,

we're putting on live music
every Friday and Saturday.

We're doing markets on a Sunday.

It's a special place here.

When the atmosphere is right,
the music is on point, the food's

great, the drinks are flowing,

you know, it does really come
together and click.

How we doing, guys? We doing
all right? Nice to see you.

I'm Tom, what are your names?

There's no need for food
trucks here as traders cook

from fixed kitchens.

Hey there, guys.

Hello. How are we? Nice to see you.

Among them are Thai food vendors

Buddha Belly - the only outfit
to have a permanent slot at Hockley.

How long have you been
working with the guys?

Oh, we've been with Digbeth
Dining Club since the beginning.

So about ten years now. Ten years?

Yeah, so our businesses
have grown together.

Yeah.So, yeah. Started off small
and now here we are.

Until two years ago, this was
an abandoned printworks.

Now Jack and James have turned it
into

an exciting alternative dining venue

without ever having to step
into a kitchen or lay a table.

I mean, essentially, you're
promoters that are promoting bits

and bobs of hospitality.

It's exactly that.

What we're trying to do
is give these guys a platform.

They're the fantastic, skilled
people.

We just want to get people coming
through and see what they do.

But at the same time, we want
to create something that people

want to sit here and stay.

What they've got here is
something that's new to me,

something that I haven't seen
before, and they have created

an incredible vibe.

Also, what they do is quite low-cost
and relatively low-maintenance.

Also, what they do is quite low-cost
and relatively low-maintenance.

It's a really smart business model
and I'm keen to learn more about it.

It's a really smart business model
and I'm keen to learn more about it.

How do traders get picked
to be part of this club?

And with further expansion planned,

can DDC hang on to their
cool, independent vibe?

Street food can be a great entry
point to the hospitality industry,

and securing a regular pitch
provides a level of financial

stability for vendors.

Ordering food? Yeah. Got a menu?

Come back and then
I'll number you in a sec.

By all means, grab a table.

For Debbie and Karen Lucas-Penhall,

snapping up a 25-year
lease in a Cornish car park

was a game-changer for
their street food business.

We started off in the horse
trailer doing local events.

I spent the first year serving
out the back of the trailer,

a little bit of outside seating
before we built the cabin.

When we took over this car park,
it was known for drugs,

crime and dogging.

What better place to
start a business?

But within...a month -

no crime, no dogging, no drugs.

We got rid of all of it.

And the Redneck this morning.
Wonderful, darling.

Inkie's serves breakfasts,
wraps and burgers,

all with a focus on
American-influenced smoked meats.

Do you want the hot sauce
instead of the barbecue?

I'll stick with the barbecue. You're
going to stick with the barbecue.

Former publican Debbie
looks after front of house.

Lovely. No worries at all.

But the chef, known in the smokehouse
trade as the "pit master", is Karen.

But the chef, known in the smokehouse
trade as the "pit master", is Karen.

See you in 21 hours.

Her passion for low and slow-cooking
comes from her travels stateside.

Her passion for low and slow-cooking
comes from her travels stateside.

You're driving down the highway
and you'd see a little shack

on the side of the road
that did great barbecue.

And that's what I wanted to be.

We're two ladies that run a
smokehouse in the middle of nowhere.

But we're probably the only two
ladies that would have taken

on an empty car park...

BOTH: ..in the middle of nowhere.

The smokehouse sits on the edge
of Bodmin Moor, near Golitha Falls -

a popular tourist spot.

But Karen and Debbie were
determined that Inkie's wasn't just

for the visitors.

So many places, they do
six months on, six months off.

So when you're a local and it
comes to winter, you're like,

"Oh, do you know what, shall we go
out for a meal?

"Oh, we can't because
everywhere's bloody shut."

We wanted something all year round,
but we wanted something

for the locals all year round.

Big day.

I know!
SHE LAUGHS

Big sunny day at the minute.
The weather is good. Weather's good.

It's autumn...

..and the team, who all live
within a few miles, are preparing

for their day.

Breakfast going into lunch,
we have put up...

obviously the waffles
are off this morning,

but all the items can be
transferred onto pancakes.

but all the items can be
transferred onto pancakes.

Let's get cracking.

Shutters open at ten for the start
of their breakfast service.

Shutters open at ten for the start
of their breakfast service.

I like everything to look nice.

So they look nice.

Nice eggs.

Not that she's fussy.
Not that I'm fussy!

I am fussy.

I am an absolute pain in
the ass in the kitchen.

Right, buns.

When I lay the bacon on the roll,

the bacon has to be all the same
way.

Not higgledy-piggledy.

Not criss-crossed. Not one way
or the other. All the same way.

Everything needs to go out right.

Everything needs to be done the way
I do it.

What can I get for you?

A Woodstack, yeah.

While breakfasts are popular,
the main draw is the meat.

We've got a pig with hot sauce, cow
in a carpet comes with the mustard.

Yeah, perfect. Lovely.

Pork shoulder and beef brisket are
smoked over hickory and maplewood,

low and slow for 21 hours.

Bone in, can't go wrong.
Plenty of fat left on it. Lovely.

Because that's the thing
with smoking.

You need that fat.

You strip all the fat off, you might
as well

take your boot off and chew on it.

The meat is served with homemade
Carolina slaw and a choice of sauce,

including Karen's speciality,
25-ingredient barbecue sauce.

The regulars know to arrive hungry
because each serving is epic.

The regulars know to arrive hungry
because each serving is epic.

This is our standard portion.

I don't weigh it or anything
complicated like that.

Bit humongous, aren't they?

I like to see somebody do this.

When they go like that,

they lean right over,
get their elbows right out,

and then they go...straight
in and it goes everywhere.

And I love it.

Last service is normally around
four o'clock.

But today, Karen and Debbie
are planning an out-of-hours event

for their regulars.

Joys of liquid sunshine,
Mr Triston. You OK there?

They're hoping to
test drive a new fire pit...

Do you want a brolly
or are you OK?

..built with the help from the
locals -

just like the Smokehouse was.

It was February, wasn't it?
It was February, and it snowed.

But the community...spirit
was just...

It blew us away, didn't it?

People would turn up with a tool bag
and stay for a couple of hours

and then go off again.

And then somebody else would come
say, "I've got a couple of hours,
do you want me to do anything?"

And it was just incredible.

The hope is that the Cornish weather
won't spoil tonight's barbecue.

The hope is that the Cornish weather
won't spoil tonight's barbecue.

People will still come out.

It just will...

Unfortunately, it just makes
it a little bit more complicated

and less comfortable for people.

It's just keeping them dry.

So Karen's doing barbecue canapes.
If you can call it a canape.

So Karen's doing barbecue canapes.
If you can call it a canape.

Oh, it's going to be
more like a chunk.

Always keen to find new ways to keep
their regulars coming back for more,

the couple have produced a
Deep South-inspired accompaniment

for tonight's firepit-smoked pork...

..moonshine.

There you go.
Thank you. Cheers, darling.

That's all right. Cheers.

So like you get wine and cheese,

we're calling it "swine and shine".

OK. So, part, obviously,
of the swine and shine

is that you get some swine...

..and some shine.

And tonight's barbecue is giving
Karen another idea.

What we're going to do is a
barbecue joint Sunday roast.

So on a Sunday, I'd serve
everything from the pit,

which might be something
quite different.

Moving their street food business
into an all-year-round

smokehouse has paid off.

Oh, my God. Smell that.

The reward is a loyal local
following of barbecue fanatics

who support the business,
come rain or shine.

This is about bringing
people together... Yeah.

..on a crappy November night.
Saying thank you. Yeah.

You know, how many people come
out when there's been rain

most of the day?

It's a nice atmosphere to be in.

And we've created it.

We are a northern European country.

We do wear jumpers for pretty
much nine months of the year.

We're also very good at putting
a stiff upper lip, going with it,

and it doesn't matter,
we'll still barbecue in the rain.

We'll still make the most of it.

We've got wellies,
what are we worried about?

It's early May

and Digbeth Dining Club are
relying on that spirit for one

of their first pop-up
festivals of the year.

You're the best!
Richie's on the tow.

They're hoping 4,000 paying
customers will come to a rugby pitch

in Sutton Coldfield for a mix
of street food, live DJ sets

and family entertainment.

The field's a bit damp.

We're having to kind of avoid parts,
so you're going to have to go

all the way round the perimeter.

Head of operations Nicol Dwyer
has led the charge

to organise the event.

We've spent months curating
the areas, organising the traders,

We've spent months curating
the areas, organising the traders,

how it's going to look,
what we're going to do.

If it rains, we're outside,

we put our hoods up and we carry on.

If it's torrential and a bit mental
and everyone runs away,

then maybe we might have to close.

DDC isn't the only business hoping
to make the day profitable.

15 traders have agreed to pay their
usual 18% cut of takings for a pitch.

15 traders have agreed to pay their
usual 18% cut of takings for a pitch.

And among them is the Thai
outfit I met in Birmingham.

No!

Did you get that? Yeah.

Buddha Belly is owned and run by
married couple James Fitzgibbons

Buddha Belly is owned and run by
married couple James Fitzgibbons

and Sai Deethwa.

Jimbo, that plug's in the rain.

I know. Do you want to fold it in?

But the weather could affect
everyone's profits.

So we'll cook about 200 portions
of curry and then we've got other

dishes that we pre-prepare
that'll add on to that.

It can be hard, especially when
the weather is so unpredictable.

You can have days where you'll sell
out really quickly because the sun's

shining and you can have other days
where you just have the most

heartbreaking amount of waste
because it's been raining.

You're on a knife edge all the time.

It's a feeling shared by street food
traders everywhere.

You all good? You ready to go?
Ready to rock and roll.

Yeah? Yeah. Yeah.

Everyone's relying on DDC's
reputation for a healthy turnout.

Everyone's relying on DDC's
reputation for a healthy turnout.

But so far, the crowds
aren't exactly flocking in.

Guys, you can order on this side.

Thank you.

Exit stage left.

Like most street food traders,

Buddha Belly have a small
menu, offering only four dishes.

This is our Thai fried chicken,
so it's double fried.

We prep it off-site at our unit,

and then we double crisp it
up when we get to the event.

By limiting the choice, they reduce
prep time and speed up service

from the tiny kitchen.

But selecting the menu
has its challenges.

We've always tried to introduce
new dishes, but people have got X

amount of money to spend
on one or two things.

They don't want to risk
trying something new

in case they're not happy with it.

They just want the same thing
that they've been eating.

And if it's not on the menu, they're
not happy about it and...

They're angry, I would say.

Four hours in and huge
sighs of relief all round.

The sun's out and so are the crowds.

DDC has made good on their
promise to bring in the punters.

The best thing about our events
are the amount of people that turn

up to come and see us, our traders.

Drink some incredible drinks,
eat some incredible food,

have a little dance and go home.

It's always pretty incredible to
see that many people turn up.

We couldn't not come today.

We heard he was going to be here
so we thought, "Let's give it a go."

And we've brought our
friends from Leicester.

We don't get anything
like this in Leicester,

so it's something new for us.

If you're a small trader and you sign
in to the Digbeth Dining Club,

I could understand
it that they may feel

that you're a very small part
of a great big machine.

However, the alternative is
finding a pitch all on your own,

However, the alternative is
finding a pitch all on your own,

trading on your own, trying to drum
up the support, build the marketing,

everything around it.

That great big machine is
actually a power for good.

THUNDER RUMBLES

One thing it can't control,
though, is the weather.

Oh! Raining!

Oh, no!

Oh, my God.

It held up quite well and
it's coming down with gusto.

However, people have sought
refuge under all the canopies

that we can and they'll just
finish eating their food

and drinking their drinks.

With no sign of clearing,

the rain stopped play an hour
earlier than planned.

But has it still been worth
it for Buddha Belly?

We've served around about 400 people
today,

which is a fantastic day,
really, considering the weather.

Really happy with that.

The buzz surrounding the street
food scene is infectious,

even for a chef steeped in the
world of fine dining like me.

even for a chef steeped in the
world of fine dining like me.

One soup to table six, Gav, please.

I love being in a restaurant.

I love owning a pub.

I love the bricks and mortar.
I love the design.

I love the sense that you create
an environment in an area.

But I really crave bits and bobs
of excitement, of difference

But I really crave bits and bobs
of excitement, of difference

and something that just feels
like it isn't the normal thing

to be doing.

So I came up with this.

Pub In The Park is kind of getting
chefs that cook in nice posh

kitchens to come and cook in a tent,

to have a go at cooking their
style or their form of street food.

Launched seven years ago,

it's a series of weekend-long
summer food festivals...

..where ticket holders can eat
restaurant quality dishes...

..at street food prices...

..accompanied by some great live
music.

I mean, what's not to love?

I wouldn't want to do it every day.

Don't get me... I wouldn't want to do
it every day.

I do like my kitchen, but it's
great to have it as a release.

It's mid-May and we're
setting up for the first day

of the Marlow event.

All right, chief? I'm good. You OK?

With a number of rival food
festivals dotted all over the UK,

we've competition for every ticket.

14 pubs and restaurants have signed
up for this weekend

and the Sugababes are coming
to entertain the crowd.

I may only be a minority shareholder,
but it's nerve-racking

because this festival is personal.

Once we finish this and it all gets
cleaned down and everyone moves out,

I still come here with my little man.

We still feed the swans.
We'll ride our bikes.

We'll go to the playground
or grab an ice cream.

And you still, you're meeting
the residents, the people

that have come to
Pub In The Park, you want them

to have the most amazing time

because you'll bump into
them two or three days later.

So, you know, my businesses
are here. I live here.

It's so important to get
this one right.

Over the next four days,
we're expecting 30,000 people

and to sell around 5,000
dishes, tonight alone.

With only four hours
until the public arrive,

John from The Mariners in Cornwall
is already on food prep.

We got some more soft butter
there, Cam?

Working... You get some more on the
hot cupboard, all right?

He's done this before.

We left Cornwall about midday
yesterday to get here

with plenty of time.

Unloaded the van last night and
then, we've all got in

nice and early today to do our final
set ups for this evening

and the weekend ahead.

Others are completely new.

How are we doing this one? Tempted
to screw it in.

Nigel Sutcliffe and Scott Smith
are from The Oarsman,

a pub just up the road.

That's all right, is it? Yeah.

We, collectively, have never done
anything outside The Oarsman.

So, this is a first. And you'll
notice a level of nerve and

the occasional nervous giggle.

It's like walking into the unknown,
we're not really sure...

..uh, what to expect.

We spoke to a few people
that have done it before,

but it's all about, just have to
learn on your feet, don't you?

but it's all about, just have to
learn on your feet, don't you?

Hey, guys. We all right? You all
right, mate?

My two pop-ups are in the hands
of my head Chef, Javier.

All under control?Everything under
control, looking good. Quite good.

Happy to be home? Happy to be home.
Home, home for the next four days.

Yeah?Yes. Where are you sleeping?

Uh, this is quite cool. I would go
inside it straight away.

So everything's sorted, all food is
here?

All the food is here. All the
equipment, everything is working?

Everything is working, been checked.
Electricity, gas, etc.

We have been running for the last
two hours, so, we're looking good.

Tonight, I'm hoping we can

outperform another great
chef from Marlow.

It's got space to go around.

My arch-rival, Atul Kochhar.

Chief!Good to see you. How are you?

I'm good. You all right?

He's been here every year,

and consistently sells
more than anyone else.

Tandoori fried chicken...

and then we have gone slightly
different this time,

we have done keema pau,

so keema...keema bun. Yeah.

And vegetable pau as well.

So for vegetarians,
we have vegetable pau.

Amazing.

Well, listen, I know you've been
a massive support from word go.

That's why we've given
you the dream pitch.

OK, this is...This is good.

This is good. This is a nice view.

So even when we start selling
more food than you,

at least you've got a nice view.

Well, good try.

The great thing about
chefs and restaurateurs

is we all get on really, really well.

But there is always that edge
of competitiveness.

You always want to sell a few
more dishes than everybody else.

You get the read-out, the numbers
at the end of the night,

and you're always looking at
Atul at the top

and then who's fighting
for second place.

So, maybe this year, who knows?
Somebody might topple Atul.

It might be Hoppers, Karan Gokani.

It might be Dom Chapman.

It might be us.

There's just two hours till opening.

Across the site, most crews
are preparing for the rush.

Six o'clock,
the doors they are open,

but we need to be ready
for rock and roll half past five.

I've prepared for 5,000 dishes,
which is a big push for us.

I've prepared for 5,000 dishes,
which is a big push for us.

I'm separating some bowls

so that during service the
chefs can just grab them.

It's a lot quicker than us having to
separate it when it gets busy later.

So the hot plate should be on.

But at the newcomers' tent,
everything has come to a standstill.

But at the newcomers' tent,
everything has come to a standstill.

Nah, he's pulled
something out and it's...

There's a problem with The Oarsman's
electricity supply.

It's James from The Oarsman.

I'm just calling up as we've had a
problem with our fryers for tonight.

Apparently we've only got...
With our fryers.

Two of the four dishes
need to be deep-fried.

With no power, tonight's
festival could be a disaster.

Marlow is where
Pub In The Park started,

and I've always wanted to make
it something the locals buy into.

And we want to do the same
for each other space,

wherever it is that we're going.

You want to go and make it something

that the people that live
there are proud that it's there.

Over in the West Midlands, Digbeth
Dining Club share the same mentality

when it comes to their venues.

And the news is just in,

they've taken on a third
permanent indoor space,

this time in the city of Coventry.

It's a place called Fargo.

You know, it's a really
prominent place within the city.

It's where the creative quarter
is and fits exactly with our ethos

on where we want to be.

It's an old car part factory
that was then converted

into co-working space and offices

and independent businesses.

So the feel of the place
is super cool.

So we've got this great little unit
over here where we're going

to have three kitchens at least.

We're trying to create another
culture collective

like we've done in Birmingham.

You know,
working with local promoters,

working with local businesses...

DJs. DJs, and trying to create
a centre for those guys in Cov

DJs. DJs, and trying to create
a centre for those guys in Cov

to really have somewhere
that they can say,

"Well, this is our own."

Obviously we've got
the team over here

getting ready to open
for the weekend.

Now they've got the challenge
of finding the right vendors

to fill the new space.

There is a huge amount of work that
goes into curating those traders.

You don't want to have too many
burger traders

or too many chicken traders.

There's not enough option.

We try and offer something
everybody can have

so families can turn up and kind of
scatter and get what they want.

One hopeful is tapas vendor Adrian,

who's been offered a four-day
trial at Coventry.

It's out of my comfort zone.

I'm sure I'm going to forget
something, 100%.

Adrian is new on the
street food circuit,

juggling his passion for Spanish
cooking around a full-time job

in a hotel kitchen.

Everything started May last year,
almost.

And yeah, I've just been
doing little venues,

see how everything works.

And so far people like it,
so I'm just carrying on doing it,

and now I'm getting into big places
like Coventry Digbeth Dining.

And eventually, hopefully,
if I get busy enough,

I will leave my job

to do my truck full-time.

If you're a new operator,
getting a trial with DDC

could be a game-changer.

If you get it right, you're pretty
much guaranteed income

at certain weekends, no matter what.

But less than half of applicants
are successful.

To make the grade, Adrian
will have to impress Nicol.

Hello. Hello.

How are you?

Pretty great.

Welcome to Coventry. Thank you.

Lovely to see you.

A great street food vendor
is somebody that is

passionate about what they do,

delivers excellent food,

listens to open and honest feedback,

is really great to work with,

and wants to learn,
grow and develop.

You want to see what
somebody is capable of doing

without it being overwhelming.

Oh, dear. Oh, no. I'll help you.
Cheers, cheers.

Don't worry,
I got you, I got you, I got you.

Coventry Dining Club is small enough
to be able to see what he's capable

of doing without sort of
throwing him in at the deep end

and putting him on an event
with 5,000 people turning up.

But quality is incredibly important.

It's what keeps people
coming back to us

because they know that the quality
that we produce is incredibly high.

So now we are going to do
some croquettes.

So basically, we make balls,

then we pass into the egg...

..and then we pass into the
breadcrumbs or the panko.

Adrian is joining two other
independent traders tonight.

If his food and service
proves a success,

he'll become the only tapas vendor
currently on DDC's books.

So this is the 40 hours pork belly.

The pork belly itself is
traditional.

The lime is a bit of a twist.

He's brought something that isn't
represented at the moment

and it's quite niche.

You couldn't have lots of them,
but if you've got one

that's going to be representing and
going out into different locations,

it's just a really nice
touch to have.

He's also got far more dishes
than most, with ten on his menu,

He's also got far more dishes
than most, with ten on his menu,

but the name he's chosen
suggests they'll be a hit.

Zampa means gobble.

So when you eat really quickly,
you're gobbling.

So that's what it means in Spanish.

It's 5:30. Opening time.

Everyone's going to start
leaving work.

We'll start to see a load
of people turn up,

and they'll start picking
their traders, getting their food,

and then it'll kick off.

It's a slow start.

Hiya. Hello, you OK?

Hello. Yes, thanks.

OK, I'm going to have a little bit
of a selection, if that's all right.

Yeah, that's the whole, the whole...
OK.

Can I have chorizo skewers?

Nice. Erm...

Bravas is our...
What's your very favourite thing?

You can always go for the
pork belly, the torreznos...

Pork belly... With lime.

Yeah, go on, then.
That'll be lovely. Yeah? Thank you.

We've got our first customers,
so now we are doing a meat platter.

So we put different chorizo,
serrano ham, salami, pickles

and then breadsticks.

Thank you. Looks amazing.

The secret to Adrian's ten-dish menu

is that he's done much of the prep
before the event...

So you have the meat platter here,

torreznos with lime...
Oh, my goodness.

..and the Spanish omelette.

..leaving just a quick
dip in the fryer

or flash in the pan
for the hot dishes.

For the rest, it's about
plating up high-quality ingredients

with a bit of love.

But is it enough to impress Nicol?

There you go.
So, you've got the Spanish omelette

and the bravas for you.
Thank you so much.

Adrian's really calm.
He's really collected.

He's not flapping around.
He's not sweating.

He's actually enjoying himself.

He's also looking up,
so when he sees a customer,

regardless of if they're going
to somewhere else,

he's giving them that look.

Everybody wants to see that look,
you know, like, "Hey, I'm here."

Adrian has got three more days
before he finds out

whether he's made it
onto DDC's roster.

Today, for me, was a big day
because I thought it was going to be

a tough one because I'm not in my
happy place in the truck,

but we had a busy service

and we're just ready
now for tomorrow.

This is a chance to follow his dream.

JACK:Fundamentally, we've had
hundreds of traders come through

our books over the years,
and we want to see people grow.

That's the exciting part of it,
really, is helping to develop

traders into what they want
to achieve.

There's some great stories
of brilliant restaurants

that have grown out of street food.

It's a wonderful opportunity
and a great entry-level way

into the world of hospitality
and restaurant ownership.

In Stirchley, South Birmingham,

there's an exciting new development
for Buddha Belly.

We've actually signed for a
permanent premises for ourselves,

which is something that we've wanted
to do for a couple of years now.

So, very exciting, but quite
a daunting time for us.

But the leap from food truck
to permanent space

doesn't come cheap.

The refit's cost 80 grand so far.

We need this double sink there.
Yeah.

So we'll need to sort out
moving that socket.

Yeah, that's not going to be...

And the sockets above the ovens
as well need to be shifted.

With only four weeks until opening,

James and designer Rich are working
out what's left to do.

The most convenient place
for the pass is going to be here,

but I obviously don't want to block
too much of the entrance.

We need that walkway.
Yeah, that's kind of tricky.

The reality of going it alone
is starting to bite.

It was our dream when we started
to end up in bricks and mortar,

but it started to become
like Monopoly money.

We've got no idea how much
any of this work costs,

people just say a price,
and we're like, "OK, then."

There's so many more elements
to this than when we do street food.

Street food, you cook, you bowl,
you serve.

It's like in a line, whereas this
is a bit more involved.

The energy prices for me are
probably one of the most

daunting parts of
having the restaurant.

The manpower is definitely a lot
more in a restaurant.

Business rates.

There's a never ending
amount of things now

that are on our plate
that weren't before.

We're on our own now.

In Marlow, there's just
an hour until opening...

..and the tension is building.

It's going to be 50% more difficult.

We've got one fryer down,
but we'll be fine.

We'll manage it.

Just a bit...because we've got two
things that go in the fryer,

but hopefully it won't...

..it won't affect us too much.

The Oarsman aren't the only ones
feeling nervous today.

Listen, guys, I just want to say a
massive, massive thank you.

For newbies, for The Oarsman,
welcome.

For everybody else, welcome.

Since the pandemic,
we have lost money.

Pub In The Park couldn't operate.

So this summer it needs
to make a profit.

It needs to pay debt.

It needs to be operational.

Marlow is the biggest one.

We want to make sure
that we get everything right.

But listen, I want to thank
everybody for coming.

Have a great weekend
and just enjoy it.

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

We all all right, boys and girls?

All happy?

There's quite a few people out there.

Are you ready to go?

See you in a minute.

Cam, you put all the
Parmesan in the tubs, yeah?

Yeah, bottom left?

Yeah.

There's just 15 minutes
until first service.

OVER RADIO:Yeah, go ahead.

Yeah, Ben, mate, they just need some
assistance and some power

at The Oarsman. On my way.

But the technical team
may have found a way to get power

to The Oarsman's fryers.

Plug them in to the Sugababes'
tour bus.

All they need to do now
is "push the button".

We're on!

We've got two fryers.
We've got two working fryers!

Whoo!

Just a minute to go.

You've lost your mind!

Marlow Pub in the Park.

We're really pleased
to be open in three, two, one.

Yeah!

Off you go. Quick, run or you'll
get pushed. Let the VIPs in.

Now we've got to make
this worthwhile.

Right, first customer, boys.

Let's go. Let's go.

But there's a catch.

One veg bhaji, please.

To give this the ultimate
street food vibe,

every dish, no matter how good
the kitchen...

..costs only £7.

Kebab and a hog roast.

The secret is to use
the tried-and-tested

street food formula -
small menu, great ingredients

and fast service.

It's a long way from
a Michelin-star kitchen.

Tastes good.

The noise, the smells.

They're all over the place.

The smoke that's getting
in your eyes, the excitement.

And we're all in it together,
creating this brilliant energy,

whether it's the musicians,
the chefs that are there,

the people that are doing cookery
demonstrations,

and the guests that
are coming through the door,

that's Pub In The Park.

And I love every minute of it.

An hour in, and at The Oarsman,

the fryers are working nonstop.

One faggots. Let's go.

Service, please.

Their double-fried crispies
and venison faggots are selling well,

Their double-fried crispies
and venison faggots are selling well,

as is the deep-fried asparagus.

Having two fryers is a life-saver.

If we had one fryer, we would
be well, well, well behind, I think.

At my tent, the Korean pork belly
bao buns with yuzu mayonnaise...

..and curried hot dogs
with mint chutney

are also
shifting pretty quickly.

Five chicken on the fire.

But Atul's tandoori fried chicken
and keema pau

might just have the edge.

Where is Atul?

He's gone to the restaurant?

Atul's gone to the restaurant?

Why, to get more supplies?

He's sold out already.

Here.

And then one more.
47 and 48.

One more prawn to come.

Well-fed punters makes
for happy chefs.

And on that measure alone, opening
night has been a success.

And on that measure alone, opening
night has been a success.

It's a long day. It's hard to keep
your concentration for that long,

but we seem to be all right,
I think.

What an opening night.

I want to say thank you so much.

CHEERING

The huge crowd has consumed
5,500 dishes.

For me, there is only one downside.

Atul's kitchen has smashed
everyone else out of the park, again.

Atul's kitchen has smashed
everyone else out of the park, again.

In Stirchley,

Buddha Belly's restaurant
is just hours from opening

for the very first time.

Prawn toast is being done.

See if James picked
up the cauliflower.

It's a last-minute push
to get ready,

but not everything
is going smoothly.

The beer is not working for
some reason.

It's something to do
with the gas,

but Sam's trying to sort that out.

We just put the table numbers out,

and I'm trying to work out
where to put these pictures.

It's a little storyboard, basically,
of our journey,

so I want to get
those up before we open.

I'll drop by for the grand opening...

..but first, I'm going back
to where I started...

..that retail park in Longbridge.

Hey up, Jack.

How are we, chief?
Good to see you.

Nice to see you, too.You all right?
Nice to see it nice and busy.Yeah.

Digbeth Dining Club has gone
from strength to strength,

with footfall here at Herbert's Yard
up 20% over the last year.

with footfall here at Herbert's Yard
up 20% over the last year.

And there's a big push to recruit
more traders

for all their venues and events.

And you've taken on the new space
in Coventry.

How is that going?

So, took Coventry on just after,
just around about Christmas.

Yeah, it's starting to get good.

I mean, you know, we're starting
in a new city,

but we've also been doing events
over there over the last few years.

We've built up a steady fan base
of what we do

and it's really nice
to set up some roots there.

And then what about further plans
for expansion yourself?

Have you got any other ideas,
new spaces,

new zones and areas
you want to hit?

Well, look, you know,
we've been trying to get a place

in the Black Country over the line.
But, you know, it's just the start.

I mean, we're hoping to open
more of these,

especially in the Midlands,
you know.

I mean, like, there's millions
of people in this area

and they love what we do
and we want to take it further.

You can see a bit of a sparkle in
your eye when you're talking about

the excitement of expansion,
of growth and, you know,

Coventry doing so well, and then
the idea of opening another space.

To me it feels like such
a positive vibe and a great story,

and one that is
completely bucking the trend

and one that I hope you guys
do so, so well

and keep going and keep
going and keep going,

because you're providing
amazing opportunities for people.

But at the same point, you're doing
incredibly well yourself.

So honestly, Jack,
I think it's amazing.

Well done.Thank you very much.

Nearly 100 independent traders
now get regular income

by being on DDC's books.

So we've got Bad Boy Wings who do
some delicious wings and strips.

Lovely.Next to them is
Meat Meets Bun,

who do some really great
smashed burgers.

How are we doing? I'm Tom.
Hello, how are you?

Among them is Adrian, who won
a place as their only tapas vendor.

Here is the pork belly
with the lime.

It smells amazing.

Then we've got the chorizo
with apple cider and crispy onions.

Wow.

It's his first day here and a step
closer to going full time

with his own business.

How important is it having that kind
of support network, I suppose,

of somewhere that's always got
great gigs and spaces that you know

you've got a guaranteed gig
with some guaranteed income?

Well, for me it's massive, because
from... I started a year ago,

so for me to come to these
big places, massive exposure.

I'm getting bigger and bigger
because of Digbeth Dining, really.

My friend, you deserve
to do very, very well.

Good luck today.Thank you.
Day one. Well done.

Thank you. It's incredible.

When I first came here,

I thought I was going to learn about
the inner workings

of one successful business.

Actually, you know, it's so much
bigger than that.

It's about all of the small parts
that make Digbeth Dining Club,

It's about all of the small parts
that make Digbeth Dining Club,

and then all those tiny little
pieces together

make this kind of
swirling adventure of food

make this kind of
swirling adventure of food

and most importantly, fun.

And it's clear,
even as they've grown,

they've stayed true to their word
of focusing on local traders,

making each venue feel
a part of the community.

Their independent spirit
is alive and well.

My last stop is
with Sai and James,

who've been part
of this from the beginning.

When we started, we were just doing
little markets here and there.

Then Digbeth Dining Club came along.

As their brand grew, so did our
customer base

and awareness of our business.

And then we thought,
"We could really do this."

They're ready to launch their first
permanent restaurant.

How're you feeing?Nervous.

Are you?Yeah. Excited.

Scared. Yeah.

Ill. Ill. I've got....

I've been running a business
for over 18 years now.

That never goes away.

All of those feelings
that you've got right now

will be exactly the same
in 18 years' time.

Oh, that's the worst thing anyone's
ever said to me, actually.

Honestly, it's the thing
that keeps you on your toes.

This looks great, though.

Sai and James have cleverly used
bar tables and high stools to echo

the informal nature of street food.

And it works well
in this restaurant setting.

Hey, everybody, how are we?Hi!

So excited. Nice to see you.
Are you OK?

Nice to see you again.
You all right?Yeah. Are you excited?

So excited.

Just getting the finishing touches
of all the dishes now

and pulling
all the prep stuff out the fridge.

Will this be the first time
you've had a go at making

all the kit work properly?

Yeah, we only lit the fryer
yesterday.

The wok burner only got
going a couple of days ago.

OK.So everything's, you know...

Is this, like, your dream
to have got to this point?

Yeah. Do you know, I honestly,
when we started the business

ten years ago, I really had no idea
where it was going to take us.

So, yeah, so it's amazing to be here
and I kind of still can't believe

So, yeah, so it's amazing to be here
and I kind of still can't believe

that we are here.

It's time to open.

Let's do it. Yeah, let's do it.

We're starting a new restaurant,

but we're not starting at the bottom
of the ladder.

We've already climbed
over halfway up that ladder.

And I think street food has
given us that leg up, really.

Loyal supporters from
the last ten years

have been invited to help
launch the new business.

Hi! Oh, you made it.

Congratulations.
I'm so glad you could...

Jack from Digbeth Dining Club
is top of the list.

I'm really glad you could come.

Seeing traders develop
from a one-trader set-up to a two,

three, four, five-trader set-up,
and in some instances, you know,

even bigger, getting their first site

and still continuing
with the street food,

we're happy for them.

I'm going to have to do
that in a can, if that's all right.

HE INHALES
I know. I'll give you a glass.

To help get into the swing,

everyone's getting a free drink
and meal, which is a clever move.

everyone's getting a free drink
and meal, which is a clever move.

All the teething problems
you can solve.

You can start finding out what's
gone wrong amongst friends

who are very forgiving and just say,
"OK, it's cool.

"Let's just get on with it."

Food is ordered at the bar.

Guys, first check in.

We've got a duck salad,
a sticky rice, a chicken thigh,

We've got a duck salad,
a sticky rice, a chicken thigh,

and a spicy panang.

But then you have the luxury
of eating it at a table.

It's that kind of hybrid
that you've got here of street food,

but a sit-down table service.

That mix, I think it will work
really, really well.

And Sai's permanent kitchen means
she can add loads more dishes

to her repertoire.

Next is a beef, please.

On the van, you are limited as to
the dishes that you can execute,

but in a kitchen, you've just got
so much freedom.

That excites me that if I wake up
one day thinking,

"I'm going to put that on the menu,"
I can put it on the menu.

But the real mark of success
will be whether the customers

like it as much as eating
from the truck.

I've had the Thai spicy duck salad.

I've had the Thai spicy duck salad.

I also had the garlic lime wings.

It's just the most amazing
Thai street food,

but a little bit more refined
here in the restaurant.

The food's incredible.
Standard - it's always incredible.

Street food can be a bit rushed,

so having a restaurant
and sitting down

and eating it on a plate
and taking my time

rather than monstering it
really quickly

has been a really nice experience
today.

It's exciting to have something new,
try something new.

I've had a couple of new dishes

and I think anyone
who's going to be coming,

they're going to be really enjoying
trying some authentic Thai cuisine.

All this does leave me with one
burning question I have to ask.

Are you going to stay working
with the Digbeth Dining Club

and are you still going to do
any of the festivals and the pop-ups?

Yeah, 100%. Absolutely.

It's too much fun to leave.

And it was... It's our roots.

It's where we started.

And to just walk away
from that would be leaving

a huge part of the identity
of Buddha Belly behind.

We love doing those events,

so we definitely
want to keep that up.

The story of this growing
business is a shining example

of how our industry can thrive
when we work together.

Thank you.

I'm delighted for Sai and James.

It's made their dream come true.

Absolutely amazing.

Brilliant, buzzing.

Couldn't be a better start
to a permanent site.

These guys are going to rock it.

Next time, I visit a hotel
in Scotland

doing all they can
to survive the winter.

It doesn't matter how hard you work,
January's always a bit lean.

In Wales, an ice cream parlour
thrives by making the most

of every opportunity.

So this is the Coronation special.

And in my London restaurant,

we're counting on a huge price slash
to get bums on seats.

Are we making a gross profit margin
on £15 for two courses?

No.