OLYMPIC MEDAL DISHES FOR YOUR MENU

An advice leaflet from BPEX - produced in both Cantonese, being the main spoken language amongst Chinese, and English - is available to both suppliers and caterers of Chinese food to help them understand the benefits of sourcing quality assured pork. It also includes a series of inspiring recipes featuring pork, such as Chinese sticky ribs and slow-braised belly pork with garlic and ginger. BPEX foodservice trade manager, Tony Goodger, said: "Pork is generally under-represented in catering despite being a popular meat throughout the world. However, in the Chinese sector this is not the case and some of the most popular dishes are based on pork. "Pork is hugely versatile and lends itself to a whole range of accompanying oriental flavours, which we've demonstrated in a number of tempting recipes. It is also a very healthy choice. Lean pork has as little as four per cent fat and it is a good source of protein, vitamins, iron and zinc. And importantly it offers excellent value for money, which translates into greater profit margins. "Clearly caterers have already recognised that the versatility of pork means that it is ideally suited to Chinese cooking. It therefore makes sense to ensure that pork continues to remain a dish of choice in this growing ethnic market by sourcing fully assured product and providing customers with the reassurance they seek. And by adding some Chinese style dishes to your specials board with a linking theme to the Olympic Games, you're sure to pull in extra trade. "Finally, it's always a good idea to include details of where you source your ingredients from on the menu as this can really help to sell a dish. Look for meat which carries the BPEX Quality Standard Mark, as this shows that it has been produced to high standards of animal welfare and quality assurance. If you feature the Mark on your menu, this will reassure your customers that you are serving good quality, fully traceable ingredients and they'll be more inclined to keep coming back!" If your business supplies pork to the Chinese catering sector or if you own or work for a Chinese food restaurant, this booklet is designed for you. To get your free copy, simply contact BPEX by telephone on: 01908 844114 or by email at: foodservice@bpex.org.uk