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John Judge may have only owned Brett’s Farm Bistro as Chef/Proprietor for a short amount of time, but he’s already doing fantastic trade.
When John purchased the business in June 2009, it had been previously run as a cream-tea café. It has now been transformed into a busy Bistro, frequented by both locals and visitors who come as much for a pint of traditional ale, as they do for a 3-course lunch, dinner or comforting traditional English breakfast.
With a history of food, either creating it himself or teaching others how, it has always been John’s passion. With the front of house run seamlessly by his wife, Brett’s Farm Bistro is truly a family concern, fuelled by a common dream of running their own business and ‘doing it for themselves’.
Nestled in between a deli and a garden centre, location is everything to Brett’s Farm. Picking up trade from visitors to the garden centre (which doesn’t have any form of eatery) has introduced some local customers to the Bistro, who have now become regulars. The deli provides some local fare that John uses in his menu, so having them directly on his doorstep is a bonus. With a breakfast, lunch and evening à la carte menu, the Bistro couldn’t be any further from the place it once was.
Brett’s Farm Bistro only sources local produce for its menu and insists on using locally supplied meat and vegetables. The menu is traditionally English and runs four or five daily specials. With anything from Steak & Kidney Puddings to Seabass, King Prawns to Steak Diane.
Sunday lunch is a firm favourite with customers and offering only locally produced meat on the menu gives Brett’s Farm Bistro an edge on its competitors. John says, “we’ve found that eating out on a Sunday, whether young couples or families with children, is beginning to become the norm. Our Sunday roast is packed full of the traditional trimmings with no roast complete without Heinz Mint Sauce or Heinz Horseradish on the side.
John continues, “as a chef, ensuring you’ve got quality ingredients is paramount, but we’re also aware that it’s not only what goes into the dish, but what the customer is able to add once it’s delivered to their table.
“Having Heinz as a brand within the Bistro definitely answers the demand of our customers. For us, the knowledge that we’re using such a trusted brand means that we never have to think about it,
we know we’re offering our customers the very best.
Another firm favourite with our customers is Fish & Chips. Being able to offer Heinz Tartare Sauce as an accompaniment to this dish is a must and something that is standard to us.”
The lunchtime menu is full of traditional sandwiches and salads that you would expect to find,
there is also a selection of specials available. The main lunchtime menu uses Heinz sauces as fillers and mixers to bring a host of ingredients together with Heinz Mayonnaise playing a key role.
John continues, “we have a fantastic trade for our full English breakfast which is not complete without Heinz Tomato Ketchup. We often hear customers comment that ‘it has to be Heinz’ when it comes to the Tomato Ketchup they put on their breakfasts.
“The Heinz sauces we use really complement the dishes that they’re served with, but that’s not the only reason we use them. We know that using a brand that is trusted and loved in the home in our restaurant shows our customers that we offer them what they want and that they’re getting good value for their money dining with us. We want our customers to feel comfortable and relaxed, and offering them the brands they buy themselves is a step towards that.”
Brett’s Farm Bistro, Brett’s Farm, Chelmsford Road,
White Roding, Dunmow, Essex, CM6 1RF