All language subtitles for The.Hidden.World.of.Hospitality.with.Tom.Kerridge.S01E06.1080p.HDTV.H264-DARKFLiX

Check on two covers.
Two soup, follow two cod.

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

for over 30 years...

Behind, behind, behind, behind.

..standing shoulder to shoulder...

Happy?
I love it, mate.

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 plush city centre hotel
to a hideaway rural retreat.

Yeah!

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 the 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.

Service!

In hospitality, the seasons
can bring massive peaks

and dire troughs in business.

We all know the lull is coming,

so you've just got
to brace yourself.

This time, I see if
a remote hotel in Scotland

can survive a tough winter.

My God, we have been close
to the edge more than once.

In Wales, will a royal recipe
get a cool reception?

Gone for the coronation ice cream.

Absolutely coronationally
beautiful.

And in my restaurant in London,

a seasonal slump in sales
has called for drastic action.

a seasonal slump in sales
has called for drastic action.

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

No.

It's early December,
and I'm in Perthshire to visit

a family-run business in the heart
of the Trossachs National Park.

a family-run business in the heart
of the Trossachs National Park.

It's so far removed from
my normal set-up of life.

It's magic.

I mean, there's snow on
the top of the mountain.

I mean, there's snow on
the top of the mountain.

Don't get that just outside the M25.

Monachyle Mhor is an award-winning
boutique hotel and restaurant,

found six miles down
a single-track road

that runs along the shore
of Loch Voil.

As beautiful a location as this is,
it is very remote...

As beautiful a location as this is,
it is very remote...

..and that has to be a challenge
for hospitality.

Well, this is pretty cool, innit?

Originally a working farm
which offered B&B,

the hotel was created
when brothers Tom...

..and Dick Lewis took over
from their parents in 1999.

..and Dick Lewis took over
from their parents in 1999.

Ah!

Whilst Dick runs the farm,

Tom was originally the cook, but now
he takes responsibility for running

the hotel, managing the staff,
and keeping the business afloat,

leaving head chef Marysia
in charge of the kitchen.

And then you said just to get that.

Yeah, put a bit of orange.
Not a lot.

Knock, knock, chefs. I'm Tom.

Hi. Nice to meet you, Marysia.
You all right, Tom?

How are you? All right?
Good, all good.

Menu planning for today?
Today. Today.

And every day?
And every day.

You change it every day?
Every day.

Yes, because I change
with the weather.

If it's raining in the morning,
the sun comes out in the afternoon,

you want to eat something different,
don't you?

TIMER BEEPS
Timer for? Oh, the charcoal. OK.

Yeah, she runs it.
I interfere. That's all.

How many starters do you have?

How many main courses do you have,
or is it a set menu?

So we have three starters,
three mains, and three desserts

for guests to choose.

Tonight's £75 dinner menu
celebrates great Scottish produce -

hand-dived scallops from Orkney,

and Monachyle's own beef,
reared right here on the farm.

We're actually pretty lucky that we
can always have something from here.

We've got our own beef, lamb, pork,
but we're not self-sufficient.

We've got the main garden,
the hotel, you know,

the deer just wiped out
anything that was left,

so obviously now we've got two
of them hanging in the fridge.

LAUGHTER

Yeah, so they taste better.

We used to go on holiday
for good food.

Now everyone comes here.
We have great food here.

Well, it's...

It's people like you that are
showing it and showcasing it.

I used to like working in the
kitchen, and it was my safe zone.

It's easier to go in the kitchen
and cook than it is to go

and phone someone about
an insurance quote. Yeah!

Like me, to expand his businesses,

Tom has had to shift his focus
from the kitchen.

The two brothers have seized
opportunities to expand their brand,

opening an 11-room motel
called Mhor 84,

six miles away on the main road,

and a bakery and cafe
called Mhor Bread,

20 miles away
in the nearest town of Callander.

They're three separate businesses
that can support each other and help

bring in an income if one business
goes through a lean patch.

Each business is a stand-alone
business, but what it does do,

it just constantly reminds people
all the time, subtly,

that they haven't been to
one of our own businesses.

They buy their pies on the way home
or a loaf of bread

because they've been
on the west coast.

So, yeah, definitely brings
something to the table.

But it's the hotel, Monachyle Mhor,

which is the beating heart
of the empire.

The original part of the house
actually where the kitchen was,

and the bar.
Yeah.

And that dates back to the 1600s.
Right.

And then this was all built
about 150 years ago.

We added these two bits on.

Even the castle used to be in here.

Carved pens were there, stables
were there, coach house was there.

So basically, we moved the farm out
and put people in, you know?

So how many rooms have you got?

19 bedrooms.

It's a mixture of hotel rooms
in the main hotel, and here,

then up here, in the back here,
we've actually got some more

kind of alternative accommodation.

We've got a treehouse.

A treehouse?!
Yep.

Oh, wow!

We've also got a 52 wagon,
and then we've got a tiny house.

They're very cool and quirky.

Well, they're fun, and fun's a
really important thing to have,

especially in a hotel. You've gone
away for the night. Yeah.

Quirky accommodation is a clever way
of drawing attention,

and in the summer months,
it works well,

with the hotel often fully booked.

But in winter, it can be a struggle
to fill half the rooms.

We do employ people 12 months
of the year, and ideally,

they'd be paid all year round,
so that's why we're open.

So lots of businesses close
in Scotland in the winter,

and that's been
quite a traditional thing,

and that's been great.

But if you're not open,
people can't come.

This is my brother Dick.
We'll see what he's doing in a bit,

OK? Sorry.

Yeah. Welcome to the kind of mayhem
of Monachyle.

It feels quite chaotic,
but with wonderful energy.

Whilst Tom keeps the hotel open
all year round,

adapting to the peaks and troughs
of the seasons,

Dick faces similar challenges
running the 2,000-acre farm.

Dick faces similar challenges
running the 2,000-acre farm.

Farming up here isn't easy.

It can be tough.

There's highs and lows,
there's no doubt about it.

Hup! Hup! Hup! Hup!

It's a busy time of year,

as the flock needs to come down
from the hillside.

How are we, bud?
Living the dream!

LAUGHTER

What are we doing?

They're all in for topping.

Topping, what does that mean?

A bit of lovemaking.
Right, OK.

And while they're in, they're all
getting a few vaccinations.

Yearly vaccinations.
Right.

And they're all getting the paint,
basically, on the back,

so I know exactly how many sheep
I've got

because they're all
up in the hills there.

There's no fences on the hill.

It'll go back to where
it was born

and stay in that proximity
of where it was born.

Hefting, they call it up here.

I can see how extreme weather
would impact the hotel's operations,

but what about the farm?

The Beast From The East that year,

we lost 150 sheep or something
on the snow and the hill.

Because of the weather?
Because of the weather.

And...

..they...

So I couldn't go and buy
more sheep at that time,

I just had to do with the sheep
that, you know,

I had to rebuild my stock up,
do you know what I mean?

I had to keep them in and things
like that, you know?

That must have hit you hard, huh?

They're all my stock and my animals.

I've bred them all from young ages,
you know what I mean?

So, yeah. Farming has been part
of your life for how long?

All our lives, you know?

I mean, we're born on farms.
We're all farmers.

Even Tom's a farmer, really.

So I've got a few busy days now
of doing nothing but sheep,

but I've just had a fortnight of
being nowhere else but the bakery.

We do 95% of everything
ourselves too.

So you're overseeing
all of maintenance,

and how it all runs as well?

You're what the business
was built on?Yeah, yeah.

You can tell...
I like you saying that!

Would you like me to tell
your brother that?

Keep telling me,
keep telling me anyway!

Dick is getting pulled
here to there all the time.

Dick could be on a tractor going
somewhere with a little something

and say, "Oh, the vacuum pack
is broken,"

or, "The handle in room three,"

or, "The shower's not working
in room eight."

So he's having to kind of
deal with that, come back.

Yeah, he's constantly being hassled
the whole time,

but he handles it pretty well.

I'm starting to get a feel for
what makes this place so special.

The seamless blend of boutique hotel
with a working farm,

the embracing of seasonality
in the kitchen,

and the quirky accommodation offer.

But the big question remains,

how on earth does a place
this remote

make enough money to survive
the winter months?

Tom's wife Lisa may have the answers
I'm looking for

in their events barn.

Bingo!

It's an eclectic mix of fun things
and a broken vacpack machine.

Yes. We've all got one of those.

When's the next function in here?

New Year. New Year?
New Year's Eve, yeah. Hogmanay.

New Year's Eve. Hogmanay.

I bet that would be magic.
How many people will it be?

120 at a push.

We've got a big waiting list.

Last year, the six-course feast,
and everyone was dancing.

Last year, the six-course feast,
and everyone was dancing.

We got a great DJ. Yeah.
We've got a piper.

The fireworks display
is off the scale.

So, no, it's a great Hogmanay here.

I love that.
How much is that a ticket?

150.
All including, 150 quid?

They got to pay for drink, though,
yeah?They do. OK.Yeah.

The profit will be in the booze.
Yeah. Yeah.

The fact is,
we do need to make money.

And no-one ever talks about it
in any industry,

especially hospitality,

you know, because if you don't
make money, you can't reinvest,

you can't give wage rises,
you can't... All this type of thing.

So it is a very important
part of the process.

But, my God, we have been
close to the edge more than once.

If the New Year's Eve party is
successful, it can bring in

vital income at the precise moment
the hotel is

in desperate need of cash.

So New Year's Eve is obviously
quite a big one in terms of revenue

and turnover for you guys,

but what's it like
going into the January, February?

The January Blues, we call it.
Really?Yeah.

We all know the lull is coming.
Yeah.

So you've just got to
brace yourself.

Holding large paid events
is a clever way to combat seasonal

slumps, but the best way to attract
regular customers all year round

slumps, but the best way to attract
regular customers all year round

is to simply make your guests
feel exceptionally welcome,

and that's something this place
prides itself on.

It doesn't happen very often,

but if there's only two guests
in the hotel, set up in the lounge,

fire on, table for two,
and it's just...

Yeah, they feel special.

When you come here, it just feels
like such an enormous kind of treat

and a privilege.

Location is amazing,
and the food is incredible.

Chefs, checks on, two scallops,
four pigeons, followed by five beef.

Thank you.

Let's go.

Just as we arrived
and were shown round the hotel,

we went into the bar for some lunch,

and there was Tom
holding a wine tasting.

And immediately we got handed
a glass of wine each,

and then a bottle
to take away with us!

One pigeon, salad for the lady,
please.

As guests settle in to enjoy
Marysia's exceptional cooking,

sadly, it's time for me to head back
to my own businesses.

An amazing day in hospitality.

It's brilliant, it's fantastic,
it's stunning.

It needs to make profit.

It needs to...

Well, it needs to work
all year round.

It's going to be a difficult winter,
because when it goes quiet here,

I'm sure it's ever so quiet.

So what happens?

Well, do you know what?

I can't wait to see.

Since 2018, I've been involved
with a hotel myself,

when we opened
Kerridge's Bar & Grill,

my first venture in London,
at the five-star Corinthia Hotel.

Right, buddy, how are you?
Nice to see you.

All good?
All under control?

All right?

We have a great team,
led by head chef Nick Beardshaw,

and together, we've managed
to survive the pandemic.

But even here, we're beginning
to feel the pinch

of the cost of living crisis.

What time is team briefing?
11.45.

It's a high-end restaurant
with a wealthy clientele,

who, in normal times, can afford
to pay over £30 for a main course.

who, in normal times, can afford
to pay over £30 for a main course.

But lately,
as we've come into winter,

we're struggling to fill
the dining room at lunchtime.

As always, on services like this,
where the covers aren't as high

as we would hope for, this is a real
great opportunity for us to engage

as we would hope for, this is a real
great opportunity for us to engage

with the guests. We should be making
sure that we're spending more time

at the table.

It's up to you to light up
the room with your knowledge,

your personality, everything that
I know that you're great at, OK?

So let's have a good service.

One of the big elements
that is really hard to quantify

in the world of restaurants
is atmosphere.

Nobody wants to sit in
a great big vast dining room

as a table of two
just all on their own.

To solve the problem,
I've set Nick the task of coming up

with a cut-price set menu in an
effort to draw in a lunchtime crowd.

Hey, Nicholas.
Hello.

You all right, bud?
Yeah, are you? Good.

What is on the menu today?
What is it this week?

So we've got celeriac and apple soup

with a nice little
rarebit croute today.

Pork lasagne, main course,
nice little herb crumb on the top.

And then sticky toffee pudding
for dessert.

Who doesn't want that?
Yeah, it's a delicious menu.

We're pricing the menu at just £15
for two courses

and £22.50 for three.

Try and get that to just
not sink so much, if you can.

During a typical lunch service,
we employ ten staff in the kitchen

and ten for front of house.

How is it for you?
Have you enjoyed that pie?

It's fantastic.
It's good, isn't it?

And usually, when we price a dish,
around 30% of the cost is spent

And usually, when we price a dish,
around 30% of the cost is spent

on ingredients, whilst the rest
pays for everything else

and delivers a profit...

35, two haddock. Thank you.

..so creating exceptional food
on this budget without compromising

on our standards
is a huge challenge.

We strip ingredients right back,

but it's back to basics
that's been driven by flavour,

and it's a huge learning curve
for the chefs.

And actually, all of them
seem to be really enjoying it.

Gorgeous. It's really good.

An extra benefit for a busy
dining room is staff motivation.

You know, the moment that you come
across a dining room that's slow,

not very many people in it, you'll
find that service becomes slower

as well because staff lose the edge,
the excitement, the drive.

They start kind of...
It becomes a plod.

We don't like a plod.

I accept we won't make much money
from the set menu,

but I'm anxious that
we don't make a loss.

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

No.

£2.50 of that goes
to the Government. Yep.

So we are receiving £12.50
for two courses.

So we don't make the right GP
on that,

but we try and work it
into the overall menu.

Are we losing money on it?

I wouldn't say losing.

OK, so we're breaking even?

It's just about costing £12.50
for us to deliver that.Yes.

But if the new menu fills
the restaurant and we can break even

on the food, then we do have
other ways of making money.

Georgia, do we know what
they're drinking on table 25?

Cocktails. So they're
drinking cocktails?Yes.

The cocktail is probably more
expensive than their lunch. Yeah.

The really low cost set lunch
is something that we did before.

We did it in 2008
at the Hand And Flowers,

and it worked. It created
an atmosphere. It was energy.

There was a brilliant buzz
in the space.

Will it work in
the centre of London?

I don't know, but it's worth a try,

because without having a go,
we won't get those bums on seats.

We need to get atmosphere.
We need to get energy.

Let's roll the dice and have a go.

It's New Year's Eve
at Monachyle Mhor...

Where we going now, Dick?

..and preparation
for the most important night

of the season is under way.

DOGS BARK

Yesterday, we had four inches
of snow.

Today, we've just got ice,

so everything's gone hard.

I don't know, we're putting some...

Anything we've got to go down
to stop people slipping.

So, yeah, bit of
last-minute madness.

January is always January, isn't it?

And it doesn't matter
how hard you work,

January is always a bit lean.
That's why you make your money now

and you bank it away
and keep it till the end of January.

This pays a lot of bills,

so you've got to get it right,
haven't you?

We just want to make sure
it's a bloody good fun night,

and then we can deal with the rest
afterwards, can't we?

Go and ask the guys,
tables and chairs.

Put tables and chairs out, please.

Tonight should bring in a
much-needed £40,000 worth

of revenue, but to put on an event
of this scale costs a lot of money,

of revenue, but to put on an event
of this scale costs a lot of money,

especially when the ambition is
to make the party go with a bang.

The fireworks alone are £1,500,
but who doesn't love a firework?

And it's so good in the glen here
because it's so dark,

there's no light pollution, and the
echoes and the noise, it's great,

but it's not cheap to put on.

It's New Year. Everything just costs
a bit more, doesn't it?

Those soaring set-up costs make the
profit margins tighter than ever.

Yet with tickets costing £150
plus alcohol,

expectations are high, and there's
pressure on the Monachyle team

to deliver an exceptional night.

It's going to be, like,
really good food tonight.

I'm so excited
and looking forward to that.

It always feels magical here.

It doesn't matter what time of year
it is, it's always amazing.

So all year, I've been
looking forward to this.

Where's that...?

We need to get a broom, someone
needs to dust all the lights.

See all these little bits?
They cut off in the last event.

Perfect.

In the kitchen, no expense
is being spared on ingredients,

with Marysia granted free rein
to impress.

For us, Hogmanay,

it's just one way to celebrate
the whole year,

beginning of the new one,
with everything what we do here.

So a whole kind of composition
of the ingredients we collected

throughout the year.

So we've got our pigeon on the menu,

then we've got venison.

Everything's been put together
as a statement of Monachyle Mhor.

But with almost five times
more covers than normal...

Oh, my goodness,
that smells amazing.

..it's the most challenging night
of the year.

It's not like your normal
day-to-day.

It's totally out of
your comfort zone.

Better crack on!

I'll show you what all
needs to go upstairs.

Yeah, we've got a beautiful day.
Calm.

It's been quite wild here
and even last night, so,

yeah, no, we're very thankful.

Still lots to do.

We've got to clear the barn,
finish setting the tables,

make sure the place is warm,
and then go get changed.

Is this any good?

It's quite cheery!

LAUGHTER

Everyone's still smiling.

No arguing.

Yet.

With just three hours
until guests arrive...

Wouldn't be right without
the kisses on the end, would it?

..the Lewis brothers are adding
their own unique touches.

Did it the wrong way round!

That's a nice trip hazard.

Well, it's actually not too bad
because it makes people

walk over it.
Oh!

It's the thought that counts.

Fortunately, Lisa is overseeing
the bulk of the decor,

and the Dutch barn
has been transformed.

You always think you've got
loads of time,

and then you're like, "Argh!"

But no, we just need everyone
to be on point.

We're one guy down today,
which is fine, but, you know,

on a busy night,
it's strength in numbers.

But it feels nice.

The barn's warm.

I'm now at the point
where I'm shouting at people

FOR NOT CLOSING THE DOOR! CHEF!

By 6.30, everything is finally
ready, and the party can begin.

This is the beetroot arancini.

What are they?
Beetroot arancini.

Anybody that hasn't been here
before, welcome to Monachyle Mhor.

My name's Tom, my brother Dick,
there with the hat on.

Mrs Lewis!

Where are you?

CHEERING

Have a great night! If you need
anything, just put your hand up,

get the guys to ask you.

Have a great night.
Thank you very much.

The atmosphere is building nicely,
but for tonight to be a success

The atmosphere is building nicely,
but for tonight to be a success

Marysia's food needs to
live up to expectations,

and first up is a delicate lobster
ravioli and a shellfish bisque.

and first up is a delicate lobster
ravioli and a shellfish bisque.

Table number one, please.

Go, go, go.

Three more over here, please.
Yes, chef.

On New Year's Eve,
the nation stops to party,

but for those of us
who work in hospitality,

it can be a gruelling night
that often involves problem-solving.

He's just told me now,
just so that you know.

There's been a last-minute
dietary request...

Table 11 are gluten free.

No.
Yeah.

..that could up mess up Marysia's
meticulous service plan.

This one, gluten free.
How's that?

OK.
that's fine. That's fine.

Tell her what table.
I've told her. She knows.

Let's use the gluten-free
beetroot ravioli for them.

How many did you do?
There's eight there.

OK.

We don't really like the last minute
surprises, especially when

you ask them so many times.
However, it happens,

so we're prepared for that as well.

A few people have moved around
because they want to see friends,

so all the dietaries have made it
quite complicated, but we're there.

We're there. Most important thing,
they've all got a glass of wine

in front of them. OK.

Table number four,
vegetarian position one,

shellfish position seven,

and pregnant position eight.

However, she should be fine
with a lobster ravioli.

Offer her both options. Thank you.
OK.

Everyone gets a bit stressed,
and that's what you're meant to do.

But when it's over,
that sense of relief,

we can all have a drink together.

It's a great thing.

And, you know, I think Marysia
always rises to the occasion,

and I think that's one of
her greatest gifts.

At the moment, we're plating up
Aberfeldy wood pigeon

with parsnip and apple remoulade,

cranberry gel, and a jus.

Position eight and nine, please.

More veggie, chef?
Two more. Two more.

The food was delicious.

The kids have been
well catered for.

We're with a whole lot of people
that we don't know,

but it kind of feels like
a family party at the same time.

I have never tasted anything
like it. Amazing!

And I'm thoroughly looking forward
to the dancing later.

Where else would you get
something like this?

Nowhere. Only Scotland.
Only Scotland.

Whilst there are stresses and
pressures aplenty in hospitality,

nothing compares to
the sense of satisfaction

when you pull off a great night.

There's lots of people smiling.

People are dancing there.
The fires are on.

Yeah. Look, the team smashed it out.
They loved it. So proud of them.

They wrapped it, knocked it apart
all the way through.

Can't wait till next year.

Who knows what it's going to bring?

But it's going to be
bloody exciting, isn't it?

CHEERING

250 miles away in north Wales,
there's a hospitality business

whose fortunes are linked to
the weather more than any other.

The most positive correlation
between weather and business

in the hospitality industry
is sunshine, ice cream.

in the hospitality industry
is sunshine, ice cream.

They go hand-in-hand.

In the village of Beddgelert,

in Wales' largest national park,

sits Glaslyn,
an award-winning ice cream parlour,

run by Bonnie Rowley.

Sorry, what would you like
with that?

Glaslyn has been in my family
since 1970.

We specialise in artisan ice cream.

On sunny days, customers line the
street and making hay, or ice cream,

On sunny days, customers line the
street and making hay, or ice cream,

while the sun shines
is the only way to survive.

That's the reality.

You have to make enough
during six months of the year

to carry you for 12 months
of the year.

Trade here depends almost entirely
on the four million tourists

that flock to the national park
each year.

Snowdonia, I'll refer to
as its Welsh name, Eryri,

a beautiful national park,
Yr Wyddfa,

the highest mountain
in England and Wales is here.

TRAIN WHISTLE BLASTS

We have people who come on
the little Welsh Highland Railway,

who enjoy coming for an ice cream.

A lot of walking groups,
school groups.

Everyone loves ice cream.

Having a product
your customers love is a help,

but given how seasonal
ice cream is...

..it's crucial the team here
squeeze every available sale

out of the summer.

Creating new tempting flavours
is a proven way to boost footfall,

and on a sunny day like today,

the perfect time to launch one.

So this is the Coronation Special
trifle that we're making now.

First layer is a spiced custard,

then I'm putting
some sherry sponge in,

then I'm putting
some sherry sponge in,

and then I'm going to ripple
some pistachio ripple on top of that

and then I'm going to ripple
some pistachio ripple on top of that

in a second.

Delwyn is then layering it
with our strawberry sorbet.

So there's quite a lot going on,
but it really works.

The team often makes
over 20 flavours a day...

Yeah, this is the tenth flavour.

..using award-winning secret family
recipes featuring local ingredients.

..using award-winning secret family
recipes featuring local ingredients.

I'm rippling Anglesey
sea salted caramel sauce

into our banana ice cream.

We use a local Welsh lemon curd,
Anglesey sea salt.

We're always looking for
new products that we can use

to showcase the area
and what it has to offer.

No opportunity to churn some cash
out of cream is passed by.

No opportunity to churn some cash
out of cream is passed by.

The Coronation Special
isn't the only new recipe

being launched today.

And then we're going to put
some dog ice cream there.

The dog ice cream is going there.
That's what we've decided. Yeah.

It's a sugar-free and lactose-free
ice cream for dogs,

It's a sugar-free and lactose-free
ice cream for dogs,

that's safe for dogs.

Historically, people would
just give their dogs vanilla,

but I think people
are a lot more careful now

what they're sort of
feeding their dogs.

what they're sort of
feeding their dogs.

It will be interesting
to see if our dog likes it,

because she's a bit of a snob.

Glaslyn's fame is being built
through generations of innovation

and dedication to ice cream.

My dad's the grandmaster
of ice cream in north Wales.

My dad's the grandmaster
of ice cream in north Wales.

It was very clear that he always
wanted me to be involved as well,

and he tried really hard,

even at times when I wasn't sure
if that's what I wanted,

to try and get me on board.

So if you could have a look over
there, you might be able to see

how it used to be, and you can see
how much my parents have invested

in the business over the years.

I moved back about seven years ago.

It was such a gift
and a privilege to be able to

take on a family business.

It's definitely sentimental,
even though I know it shouldn't be

when you're talking about business
but it is.

My mum and dad only live
over the road,

and my mum regularly
comes over and inspects.

Do you want to...? Do you want me
to put it in a pot for you? No, no.

If you like it, I'll do you a pot.

Always have to be a bit careful
about changing things,

but it's a balance between that
and moving the business forwards

into the 21st century.

That's good. Yeah. It's good.

You need to try the vegan one
as well.

It's not just mum Elaine that thinks
Bonnie's found a winning formula.

Can I get a twin cone, please?

Thank you.

What's the...? The one...?

The honeycomb, vanilla,
and what's the other flavour?

It's got Stracciatella sauce on it.

Gone for the coronation ice cream.

Absolutely coronationally beautiful.

It was nice.
It was almost like a different take

on trifle with the strawberries
and the sponge

and everything in there.

Lovely.

I'm going to get the dog's one now.

Oh, yes! Yeah, I'm going
to get the dog's one.

A special dog ice cream.

We sold over 37,000
single waffle cones last year.

Our business is profitable.

It was profitable when
my parents had it,

and it's remained profitable
despite the challenges that we face.

It's nice to see it still in the
family and still doing really well.

The Coronation Special
went down really, really well.

The dog ice cream has gone
really well as well.

Lots of happy dogs,
lots of waggy tails today.

An ice-cool approach,
a willingness to keep innovating,

and making every visit feel like
a special treat for your customers

is a sure-fire way to make even
a business as seasonal as this one

is a sure-fire way to make even
a business as seasonal as this one

a roaring success.

I think that's it now.

Yeah, we're done.

SHE LAUGHS

It's March in the Trossachs,

and whilst the winter months have
seen occupancy at Monachyle Mhor

and whilst the winter months have
seen occupancy at Monachyle Mhor

frequently drop below 40%,
the high season is in sight.

Tom is doing the rounds
of all of his businesses,

making sure they're ready
to make the most

of spring's surge of visitors.

I know. Thank you.

Oh, sorry.

First stop is to check in
with Robbie,

the manager of his bakery
and cafe in Callander,

which is midway through a refit.

Nice door. Is that patent pending?

That's bathroom pending.
They're coming on Thursday.

Are they? Yes. So they can't paint
till next week? No, no, no.

We're about to do a refit in here.

We are in the middle of a refit,
guys, we're doing the bathrooms.

So it's...
Everything looks ten times worse.

But...

Any kimchi?
No, there's no kimchi.

Now he's causing havoc
in the kitchen with Sandra,

looking for kimchi,
because he loves...

He loves a toastie with kimchi.

You can't have...
This is not 2017. Kimchi's gone.

Kimchi's had its day.

My God. He comes in like
an actual Tasmanian devil,

then causes havoc, and then leaves.

The clock is ticking to make sure
the bakery is ready to welcome

coachloads of tourists,
hungry for pies.

Pies are definitely our best seller.

We can sell upwards of £20,000
a month. It's sometimes crazy.

We can sell upwards of £20,000
a month. It's sometimes crazy.

More bread?

We've had that, I don't know,
how many years.

Ten? At least ten years,
I think now.

And it's just
a traditional bread shop.

We sell bread, pies, and luckily,
it's been really, really busy.

The more businesses that you have
that work hand-in-hand,

that have got great reputation,

the more you have the opportunity
or the ability to grow,

I suppose, a reputation

as being a destination, a place
where people will come

maybe for a little bit longer.

So even if customers aren't coming
to stay in the hotel at this time,

if they're going through
Callander, heading north or south,

they'll stop in and get some bread
to take home and get some pies.

So really what it does,
it just constantly reminds them

that we're there.
It brings in money to the pot,

and that's the most important thing.

Every business has to
bring something in

because we have to redevelop it,
change it, work on the product.

At Tom's motel, Mhor 84,

this year, for the first time,
they made the business decision

to open for just four nights a week
from November to March,

hoping to save costs by reflecting
past winter occupancy.

hoping to save costs by reflecting
past winter occupancy.

Let's get rid of this clutter,
please.

Yeah.

Partial seasonal closure
has also allowed time to refurbish,

but the work should be
completed by now,

as today's the day the motel
reopens full-time.

It always goes to the wire,
so we're just moving stuff about.

The paint's still a bit wet,
but there's so much on today

that it's a case of get everything
cleaned down, put everything away,

and we'll get back to it
when we can. But it looks OK.

Going to put these legs on or what?

Right.

Before Tom can carry on
with his day...

Well, Carol, how...?

..he's called to a meeting
by his financial director Carol

to discuss the balance sheet.

Ooh! You need to stop spending!

So we're coming to the end of March.

We always know
there's no money in the bank.

December was hard
because of the snow.

You know, snow wipes us out,
doesn't it?

You know, because people just
can't get there. They don't travel.

They don't go out and eat.

But, I mean, luckily,
January hasn't been too bad.

February hasn't been too bad.
March is just here now,

so it could have been a lot worse.

Could have been a lot colder,
could have been a lot wetter,

so there are positives.

Aye. Well, maybe slow
the spending down a bit.

Yeah.
Just over, you know, maybe 50%.

50?! Uh-huh. Oh!

It is a challenge in the winter,
you know, and we really

have to start planning
at the beginning of the summer,

put money aside for the winter.

Make sure, you know, let's just
watch what we're spending.

Make sure, you know, let's just
watch what we're spending.

But Tom has been
splashing the cash,

and has recently made
a rather unusual acquisition.

This is maybe not the finest moment
of the latest project.

This is very much the beginning.

This is going to be for apitherapy.

So, basically, we are going to
put beehives below...

No, to the side.

Please... They're going to
go below deck.

You're going to be lying
on top of the beehives. We're not!

Beehives will be going...
They slide right in.

She said they need to go
in on the side, right,

six, three on each side, and the
pheromones will be going through.

Dick hasn't looked at the plans yet.

They sleep on top of the hives.
No. She was there just two days ago!

I know. Yeah.

All the pheromones from the bees
will be coming up,

and it's very much
for cardiovascular, mental...

And it's a real thing.
It's not, you know, a shiny,

a smelly candle that's going
to make you feel better.

It's been used since the Egyptians,

and it's still massive
in certain parts of the world.

Apitherapy is
an alternative therapy,

popular in parts of
south-east Europe,

where they believe bee pheromones
can offer humans

certain health benefits.

Tom is hoping
that introducing it to Scotland

is a punt worth taking,

and will give guests another reason
to visit the hotel.

I think it is a gamble, it is.

Everything we do's a gamble.

But there's never enough money.

Carol, I mean, she always goes mad.

The fact is, I'm having
to give Carol some of my money

to do this to get us through. Yeah?

But if I don't do that,
it won't happen.

Whoa, steady!

There's been a big capital outlay,

so it has to work, yeah.
We've got to make the most of it.

Tom and Dick's first job
is to delicately move

the apitherapy pods from their
current location outside the motel

the apitherapy pods from their
current location outside the motel

six miles up the single track road
to the hotel,

where they need to be sited,
the bees housed, and operational

in time to make the most
of the high season.

I'm going to track forward.

All right, hold on. You're going to
track forward. Go up.

Willie, are you OK?

So that's it.

Go on. Go on.

Hold on.

No, no, that's all right.

Well, so far, it's on.

I'm not sure how
they did the pyramids,

but this is how we do
apitherapy pods.

Thing is we're coming up
to a tight spot up here,

so I'm just going to give me
two minutes to...

There's a famous tree here, which...
This one on the right.

As long as we go tight to that one.

The beauty is the fact that
we're not very long.

There's nothing you can't
get up this damn road.

Only the driver is ever the problem.
It's never the road.

We're on the home stretch now.
That's all the tricky bits done.

It's like a motorway from hereon in.

With just a small amount of damage,

the pods are safely delivered
to their new home.

No problems.

Bit tight coming through.
Apart from that, wasn't too bad.

How? Why? Have you caught it?

It was just a bit tight
coming through.

We've got a beautiful spot
just down there,

which we can drive right into
and put this pod,

and I think it'll be
absolutely stunning.

But I think it's
that thing of nature.

It's the peace and quiet.

It really is embracing the smell,
the sound, you know,

the taste of Scotland.

There's plenty of work and cost
to endure before the apitherapy pods

can host their first bees,

and, in turn,
their first paying guests.

We've just made the driveway in
a bit bigger

to where we're putting the pods now.

The bigger area here,
just get a better hardstand,

and then we'll just
plant back to it.

We'll put some big rocks in
for definition.

It's a great spot because
we get the morning sun there

and the evening sun there.

But we've all got to find just that
little thing of why to come here,

so I think this will be a great
addition to everything we're doing.

Financially, this has to work.

We've invested money into it.

But, you know, if you were
coming here and embracing this,

course you're going to feel great.

And it's got to be a... Look!

I put my heart and soul into it, of
course it's going to be a success.

At my restaurant in London,

found within the five-star
Corinthia Hotel...

..we've been experimenting
with a cut price £15 menu

in an effort to get bums on seats
and create an atmosphere.

OK, then. Table 35, please.

The bargain offer did help
fill the restaurant through winter,

but spring has brought an uplift
in lunchtime trade,

and given us the confidence
to take the promotion off the menu.

Service.

You got bread coming?

But we haven't given up on
the set menu philosophy entirely.

Nick has replaced a £15 deal
with a pricier and profitable

menu de jour to sit alongside
the a la carte offer.

So this is the starter
from the set lunch menu.

It's a fritter that we make
using the whole pig's head,

so we braise it and it's super soft,
super succulent,

and we flake it down,
mix it with mustard,

set it so it sets really firm,
then pane and fry it,

so what you end up with
is a bit like a mini hog roast.

Service!

OK, coming up on one fishcake.

For the main course this week,
Nick has created a fish dish.

So it's like a posh fish finger,
really.

We serve it with warm tartare sauce.
Just gently warm it.

And we've got some pickled cucumber,
some shaved fennel,

and some fennel pollen.

So still very sort of nostalgic
and comforting food.

And the pudding is
a cuddle on a plate.

Here we go.

Treacle tart.

It's classic, super simple,

served with buttermilk ice cream.

I'm in London to check in
on how Nick's approach is faring...

Enjoy. Thank you.

Hi, Martin.
Hey, chef, how are you?

Good, thank you.
After you, chief.

..and see for myself whether the new
menu is still pulling in a crowd.

Hey, boys and girls!
Are we all right?

How are we, Nicholas?
Very good. You? All good.

All under control?
Yeah, getting there.

Good lunch?

Steady. 45, 50 with walk-ins,
so steady.

How is the lunch menu going?

Yeah, it's going well. Obviously we
put the price up when we changed it.

So this is the menu du jour
running off today?

Yeah.
Two courses, £39.50,

three courses, £47.50.

No choice. Is this now making
gross profit margin?

This is now making the margin
it should be.

So if you look through the menu,
the Cornish cod fishcake,

for example, we use the loins
on the a la carte

and then we will use the tail
and the belly to make the fishcake.

OK, so using up ingredients,
making sure it works.

Exactly. Yeah.

It's just a much more sustainable
menu.

It works well, but the mainstay
is the a la carte.

When it was the £15 menu,
we sold a lot more,

whereas now it's just an offering
when they get here.

They're not necessarily booking
for this menu in particular.

But what about actual bookings
coming through?

The bookings are about the same,
I'd say.

With our a la carte main courses
ranging in price from £30 to £65,

With our a la carte main courses
ranging in price from £30 to £65,

the new set menu still offers
a more affordable alternative.

Three courses, centre of London,
beautiful dining room,

cooked by yourself,
so still under 50 quid.Yeah.

So these are now all making the GP?
Yeah. OK.

And it's a lot easier to do when you
can charge £39.50 for two courses,

as opposed to 15.
100%.

That's not 100% GP, though, is it?
No!

Damn!

I always really like trying to do,

I think, the opposite
of what everyone else is doing.

When people are putting prices up,
perhaps in the centre of London,

we're looking at driving it down.

What can we do to create energy?
What can we do that's a little bit

different to the narrative
that goes out everywhere else?

So that £15 set lunch, it's a bit
of weaponry that you've got.

So it's something that we know now
works here in the centre of London,

that if we need to in the future,

we can always resort back
and use it again.

OK. Let's just go for it.

At Monachyle Mhor, April has brought
a hive of activity.

Oh, no.
They're absolutely everywhere.

The warm weather means
the bees are active,

and it's a great time for beekeeper
Charlotte to introduce them

to Tom's apitherapy pods.

So the bees are due to be installed
into the apipod today,

and somewhere
along the line during transit,

I must have taken a corner
a little too quickly,

and unfortunately
the bees have managed to escape,

and are currently in the back
of the truck

rather than inside their hives!

We'll take this hive out first

so that hopefully
they'll come into it.

The bees need to settle in soon,

as Tom is hoping the pods
will be ready for the high season.

Let's hope they can smell their own
hive and make their way over there.

And with spring in the air,

it's the perfect time
for me to make a return visit.

It's great to be back here
in Scotland. I mean, look at it.

It's absolutely stunning.

Lambs are out,
sheep are hanging around.

Really interesting to catch up
with Tom and Lisa and the family,

and see how they've
got through winter,

and what they've got planned
for the spring and the summer.

Hello, lovely people!
What's happening?

How are you?Ah, well...
All right, bud?

Yeah. Good.
Hello, mate. How are you?

You all right?Good.
How are we? What are we up to?

Today, well,
just getting this bed ready.

We're going to plant this amaranth,
Love Lies Bleeding.

It's nice. It's all edible.

The leaves, the grain,
but you get a great cut flower.

So what was winter like?
I didn't think it was too bad.

There was just one month of snow,
which is beautiful when it comes.

People have been out and about,

so actually,
the bakery's had a fantastic winter.

I mean, you know,
they hit every target.

And how are the bookings looking?

It's building up nicely.
We're getting ready for the summer.

We've had some nice events,
and they've gone well,

so you've got to be quietly
confident, haven't you?

Kitchen's going well?

Yeah, it's good. Yeah.
No, Marysia's been...

Yeah, it's suddenly exciting again,
because, you know, that new stuff

is coming through, so, yeah,
come on. Shall we go and see it?

Yeah, yeah. Perfect.
Lisa, I'll take him away!

I'll take him away.
I'll leave you to it.

I won't get in your way any more!

Ah, dear!

Tom is keen to show me how Marysia
has shifted into spring mode,

offering guest dishes
that reflect the changing season.

Hello, Marysia. Hi, guys.
Hey, Marysia. How are you?

I'm well. Nice to see you, chef.
Good to see you.

What have we got going on here?

So we have British Wye Valley
asparagus

with Balquhidder greens.

I've got the wild garlic,
which I picked this morning.

Then some hairy bittercress.

Actually, it's from outside
of my house.

And this one here,
we've got mustard leaves,

and we're going to use
Jersey Royals potatoes.

We... On a grill at the moment.

And this one here...
Loads of wild sorrel around here.

Loads of wild sorrel.

Everything about this -
sounds, looks, tastes -

it's so magical when
you start seeing

all the green shoots coming through.

Freshness, clean flavours,

everything that's just, like,
super tasty,

I mean, that comes OUT of the ground
rather than grown IN the ground.

In the ground, yeah.

Go on, do a test drive.

THEY CHUCKLE
Good idea.

I'm going to get some bread.

That, honestly, looks like just such
a beautiful plate of spring.

That, honestly, looks like just such
a beautiful plate of spring.

It's so inviting.

It's everything that you want

as a chef representing gardens,
outdoors.

It's just beautiful.

I love spring dishes, but...

..chargrill, the crispiness,

the burnt bits of potatoes,
the little bitter gnarly bits -

I love them. You've got some
really lucky guests tonight.

I mean, that's amazing.

What have we got here? What's that?
So we've got a hen's egg.

A very small hen egg.
I mean, that's...

That's golden eagle!

There's certain people
in hospitality

that are just like
the people magnets.

They're the ones that...
They create this buzz,

just that sense that
they've got of individual flair,

just that sense that
they've got of individual flair,

personality, charisma -

they create a space,
everybody wants a bit of it.

So one last thing...
Yeah.

..before you go. Yeah.

Be excited.
Right!

I'm excited!Yeah, yeah.
You'll be buzzing when you see it.

OK.
The bees have just been put to home.

And your mother warned you
about things like this. Yeah,

like don't walk with strange men
in the woods down to a little hut!

LAUGHTER

I want you to come and
meet Charlotte.

She really is the brains
behind it, OK? OK.

There she is. Hello!
Hey, Charlotte.

Hi.

I've no idea
what he's talking about.

What...? What is this?

I was lucky enough to go
to Slovenia last year,

where they're big into their bees,
and they have whole glens like this

that they have reverted
back to nature tourism,

where they've let
the wild flowers grow.

So they have these fantastic sheds
like this,

where you can go in and you can
breathe the aromas of a beehive.

where you can go in and you can
breathe the aromas of a beehive.

And they're so therapeutic

that asthmatics and people
with respiratory conditions

can actually benefit from
spending time in these pods.

So it's kind of like a...natural
chillout zone.Yeah, absolutely.

Upcycled. So the bees come
from the outside and they can come

in underneath the benches
that you lie on, but they can't

get into the pod. Right. OK.
So you go in there,

it's the noise of the bees,
sound, the smell,

the...the feeling, the vibration.

Yeah. But actually, you don't
get to see the bees at all.

No. ..you know, how it
actually works. OK.

So here we have these little...
little landing pads.

Right, so that's where they go in.

They come in full of
what they've collected.

I'm not going to pull it all the way
out,

but I'm going to give you
a basic idea.

This slide out, that pulls out
all the way,

and it makes it much easier
for Charlotte to work on the bees.

No bending down.
It's all off the ground.

It's all insulated under there.
Slides back underneath the bed.

Job done. So you bought this bit
and then built an extension?

Yeah. So they've got one of these
either side.

I love it.It's an Air BEE n BEE!
Oh!There you go! Honestly!

They just keep rolling!

Right, shall we go on in?
I think we should go in. Come on in.

So they're underneath here?

Yeah. So you've got vents
all the way here.

Bigger vents in the side here.

All right, so you chill.

Yeah. And...

..we can actually feel
every vibration coming through,

right through your body,
but it's that thing of

you just close your eyes and just
kind of switch off, and it just...

It's actually quite amazing.
QUIET BUZZING

It's just enough.
You CAN hear them, yeah.

So altogether, there's six hives
underneath us.

Three on your side
and three on my side.

I do quite like it.

Like, I mean, I didn't quite
know what to expect but, I mean,

it's... It's pretty cool, innit?

And, you know, I think we're not
trying to fight nature here.

We're actually trying to
encourage more nature.

I mean, I love it. Like, it's
bonkers and, I mean, it's so sick.

I mean, that view out that window
and everything,

it all sits really nicely.

And how will it make money?

There's no denying
it's going to be a challenge,

but I'm so confident because
it just feels a natural fit.

You pay by the hour,
by 20 minutes, by 40...

Once it all gets in,
we need to be confident

to charge what we think it's worth.
I tell you what, I think it's great.

I would quite happily sit in here
for 20 minutes,

40 minutes, an hour,
however long.A good kip.

Yeah, I'd have a good kip in here.

Right, come on,
let's head back to the hotel.

Tell you what, mate, I feel...

That's done me the world of good,
that.

Cross over that cattle grid,

and you come into this world,
your world, your family's world.

What a magical space.

It is a true expression
of who we are, you know,

warts and all sometimes, you know?

And I think...
Well, you're in it as well.

See, this is the thing as well -

this isn't like a big, posh,
five-star hotel,

where everything is kind of,
like, front-facing

and then all the work is going on
at the back.

Here, you come into it and
you're IN it, you're living in it.

The farm is going on,
you're shouting across there,

Lisa's doing something over there.
Someone's gardening down there,

the chef's running backwards
and forwards over there.

There's things that are happening,

but at the same point,
you're in this incredible,

relaxed, amazing environment.

It's beautiful, it's quirky,

and it's a wonderful reflection
of you and your family.

Well... And I think
it's a magical, magical space.

Well, thank you.

Yeah, I got told off for
not taking a compliment,

so I'll take it, so thank you.

When I first came here,
I was very nervous

and wondering,
"How do they get through winter?

"How will they survive?"
And, I mean,

how stupid am I?

It's my own daft silly
city mentality.

Of COURSE it's going to survive.

It's been going here over 20 years.

This is farming mentality.
They make it work.

No matter what the season is, here
is exciting, magical, and special.

No matter what the season is, here
is exciting, magical, and special.

This is the most perfect, true,
correct hospitality in every sense,

This is the most perfect, true,
correct hospitality in every sense,

being welcomed into the extension
of someone's home.

Next time, I meet newcomers trying
to spice up a royal high street...

I've not paid myself.

No, because there's nothing to pay!

..a vegan restaurant risking
a big city expansion...

We're looking for a minimum
of 100 covers a day

as an average over the week.

..and Beth and I have a bold plan
to roll out a concept of our own.

..and Beth and I have a bold plan
to roll out a concept of our own.

It's an amazing space, but I do
feel...a massive risk, isn't it?

It's an amazing space, but I do
feel...a massive risk, isn't it?