A MICHELIN MEAL AT HOME
As the first Glasgow restaurant in almost two decades to receive a Michelin star, a table at Cail Bruich would be a coveted booking.
But during the pandemic, and forced to close their doors, co-owners Chris and Paul Charalambous tasked their head chef Lorna Mcnee with finding a way to recreate the dining experience for customers to enjoy at home.
Made available for collection and selected delivery, the Cail Bruich At Home five-course menu proved instantly popular with customers and provided a much-needed revenue stream for the popular restaurant.
“At the start, it was all about survival,” explained Paul, who opened the eatery in the city’s West End with his brother in 2008. “However, as time went on it became apparent that it was a revenue stream that will allow us to make sure we are ready to reopen.
“After winning the Michelin star in January, we saw a huge surge in orders each week. On average, we would do 300 to 400 meals per week, mostly selling out within hours. The support and the feedback has been phenomenal.”
Starting from £120, the meat, fish and vegetarian options created by former Great British Menu contestant Lorna were also available with wine pairings or cocktails packaged carefully for the ultimate night in – something Paul believes was a winning combination.
He continued: “The home kits were popular during lockdown because people needed something to look forward to – the fact that they could have restaurant-quality food at home was the main driver.
“We couldn’t go
After winning a Michelin star, we’d do up to 400 at-home orders a week. It’s been phenomenal
out and have a nice meal or meet with friends, so this was the next best thing. “Initially, it was definitely trial and error as it was a way of working that was completely new to us. One obstacle we overcame was making sure our dishes were easy to prepare for a home cook. Packaging was also important – at the start we didn’t really think about the packaging but as time went on we realised how important it was to the overall experience.” Although Cail Bruich At Home will be put on hold while the restaurant tentatively reopens, Paul believes the at-home kits could still have a future.
He said: “There is definitely a market for the at-home kits as lockdown restrictions begin to ease. Many restaurants will be reopening at a reduced capacity, and it’s a viable revenue stream to keep staff on the books and to try to recuperate the revenue for reduced covers. Also, a lot of people, especially young families, cannot go out and dine as regularly, so the kit is a nice alternative.
“We’re considering launching at-home kits on special occasions like Christmas and New Year. That will allow our staff to have the time off during those periods, and we will still have a steady income.”