Big Chef Little Chef: Channel 4 To Save Little Chef!
Last year, Little Chef was saved from financial collapse by venture capitalists. Now in its 50th anniversary year, the home of the Olympic breakfast and Jubilee pancake is still in need of creative inspiration.
Enter British Chef Heston Blumenthal. The nostalgia of the Little Chef brand is a strong childhood memory for this chef but he will have to work his magic if he is to restore it to former glories.
Big Chef, Little Chef, to air on Channel 4 later this year, is the most extraordinary of culinary challenges – can a chef with a reputation for excellence and innovation transform the fortunes of a much loved but tired British institution?
Sue Murphy, Channel 4’s Head of Features said: “I’m delighted that one of Britain’s most unique food talents is joining Channel 4 Features. With his established interest in innovation and his dedication to culinary perfection, Heston is a perfect fit for us.”
Heston added: “The opportunity to work with Channel 4 has presented some creative new projects that are extremely pertinent to the research and development work we are currently undertaking. I am excited about this new partnership and look forward to the fascinating challenges ahead.”
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any one know when this will be shown on C4
Looks like they’re still filming: http://www.flyingtv.co.uk/news.html
I think it all started to go wrong when they stopped doing the traffic light lollipops on the counter.
Hi there i was curious as to when the “Big chef little chef” would be shown on tv as me and my partner happen to be in it and was telling our friends/family to keep an eye out for it…we would hate to miss it so would appreciate an indication of when to expect it? thankyou.
cant wait to see the program i was there when filming started dose anyone know when it will be on
Will start this month, not sure of exact date as they are still filming a couple of ‘after’ interviews with the little chef execs and staff
am looking forward to this though!
And to crouchingbadger, the lollipops are still avilable on all little chef counters!
IT WILL BE SHOWEN ON THE 19TH JAN
Hey! My brother is in that program and its being aired on monday 19th,tues 20th, wed 21st next week. 9pm on C4!
I was part of the production team for Big chef takes on little chef (as its final name has been confirmed) The filming finished just before xmas, and since then it has been in final editing and final adjustments with Channel 4. Unfortunately, a lot of customer interaction has had to be cut from the programme due to time restraints (3 x 1 hour shows) and so please dont get your hopes up that you will feature. Sorry!
And it runs from Monday 19th for 3 nights
I used to work at Little chef in sparkford near yeovilton (Somerset) I enjoyed every day I worked there and my collegues were like my family. (including my mum) Sadly we had to close down and we were all relocated to different little chefs. I would love this project for Heston to be a success and would love to see my old little chef in Sparkford back on the road for good!
Does anyone know the names of any of the little chef management team that are on 2nite’s programme, i used 2 work with one of them and cant remember his name he has glasses and really short hair (nearly bald) its really bugging me!!!!!
Having just watched this programme I was struck a few times by a number of important worrying facts about some of the British public.
The people who are regular little chef clients dont care about the quality they want quantity. They Dont want expertise they want cheap. They dont want presentation they want speed. The staff have been there so long the furniture is wearing better they attitude will never change so in order to change Little Chef surely the Staff new to change . Heston Blumenthal is far too good, miles ,miles too good to even bother with this surely, the Little Chef man in charge is a joke he looks as though he lives on the menu enough said!!! culture clash definately.
The take-a-way service is very good at some Little Chefs. However, it is very much hit and miss. The new menu is much improved. Although there is room for more change. I like freshly cooked food served by an interested waiter/waitress. Usually the staff are miserable and do not care enough about the customer or the food.
Recently I asked for a cup of coffee but was given a mug. When I asked if it was possible to have it in a cup they ignored my request and walked away making strange faces. I was made to feel that it was an unreasonable request.
Well done for overhauling the ‘Little Chef’ chain. It was rapidly going down a slippery slope of no return. Regards, Catherine
The gentleman with the glasses from the little chef management team is called Jonathan.
Having watched tonight’s programme, I think they’ve got it all very wrong. The first major change required is the Little Chef image – the logo, the look of the premises, the inside – all needs bringing into the 21st century. Then the staff need a complete image overhaul, followed by some rigorous re-training in presentation and customer care etc. Once this has been looked at why not start by simply improving the menu they already provide in simple effective ways – for example investing in proper coffee machines would be a good start! I think the public in general like the type and choice of food available, its the quality and presentation that needs improving with a few simple extra twists!
Than Ian, the manager, what a prick. treats Blumenthal like dirt. and he was never happy. the poor bloke tried his best and he was acting like a pratt.
they should change the name ‘little chef’ into ‘the not so little chef’. Good publicity all round!
I can’t believe heston wanted to bring a michellin menu into a fast food joint!I don’t think he realised who the clientelle actually was! His mates sure did look down on the food being enjoyed by its regulars! … I don’t think they realise that in the real world most people couldn’t afford a hundred pound plate!
I work for the little chef in the summer and have done for the last few years and even I don’t eat the food! The quality just doesn’t justify the cost. People are simply not willing to pay £7.25 for a breakfast that they could make for themselves for far less.
The people I work with are lovely and as far as I am concered that is the best thing about the little Chef. We have just had the exterior and interior of our resturant done and even that has brought more people in. Before people thought that we were closed!
I think the first step should be to make sure that the resurants are updated, at least this will start to bring people though the door to try the new menu.
You can’t polish a turd.
Little Chef has always been crap. 20 years ago when I was about 10 I wanted a plate of chips and they didn’t serve chips alone, so we got charged for Sausage and Chips and they removed the Sausage and left me with 10 chips. You could see where the sausage had been.
Shut them down.
What a simple and easy request, but Heston and that idiot in charge went off on a completely ridiculous avenue.
All Litle chef needs to do is provide a decent menu of good english food. Fresh produce cooked correctly, not on a griddle or microwave all the time. Jamie Oliver would have a been a far better chef for this program. I hope the owners see sense and get rid of Ian Pegler, they’d be mad to keep him as he hasn’t got a clue.
That guy Ian was infuriating!! He wasn’t willing to invest anything of himself into the whole venture and was contradicting himself left right and centre. Does he have ANY idea what Little Chef customers want? Who hired him!
They definately got in the wrong man for the job in Blumenthal too. I agree that Jamie Oliver would’ve been much better suited. I really sympathised with him, as he was trying to work to an impossible brief.
Can hardly bear to watch tonight’s episode (of course I will though, nothing like a TV baddie to keep the punters coming back for more!)
They are both infuriating, Hestons brief was to come up with unusual ideas not to overhaul the entire chain. Ian should of been a lot more specific in the brief and re explained it. They both need throwing off the job, the whole chain is under equipped ill trained and poorly managed and under invested. How about a good clean with £2 worth of detergents wouldnt go amiss aswell as haicuts for them all, the cobwebs in a restaurant is absolutely unbelievable, not much you can do fresh without a saucepan, they need a steamer a broiler/grill and a fresh coffee machine, that would be a start then get marco pierre white in to put a ready meal lasagne on the menu and his great tasting soups!, how hard is it to fry some eggs and chips??? dirty filthy nasty places, i’d never go in one again.
In its hay day ,early 1980s to the late 1990s there were only 32 of the 300 or so restaurants in the U.K and Ireland I had not visited. Then the service and food quality was consistant,good variaty and reasonably priced .The solution is easy , find a 1980s menus and re-introduce the big 7 , red tea pots and grapefruit in the salads and side salads but dont forget , Little Chef is a roadside cafe for travelers and tourists and not a Hestons wierd 5 star restaurant.You could save £350000 instantly and the salary of the incompetent on MD .Get rid of the excentric and get Jamie Oliver .
What’s the problem??? Surely Heston Blumenthal knows WHO the clientele of Little Chef is..its the great british public who are on their way somewhere and need to stop for a ‘BITE’. Of course they don’t want his brand of cuisine!!
My household is very confused that he is making such a fuss over something so simple to remedy…better quality foods..BREAKFAST YEAH!!!
Get real.
I am horrified at how the managing director or whatever he is of little chef has treated Heston. What an arrogant self centre man he is. He has simply diminished Hestons career. I admire Heston on keeping his end of the bargain. As for little chef – with management like that who wants to work for them anyway. I think it’s made me even LESS likely to stop for food. I’d rather eat a pre-packed sandwich thanks!! Britain……sometimes we are just embarrasing and down right rude!
I agree Carol, however when you can’t even get a proper brief from the man that’s ‘employing’ you to save his skin. A man who simply wants little chef’s providing Fat Duck standard food then what is Heston to do? I agree that Heston is slow off the mark, but come on. I would have walked away on the first day.
If he’s been told to work his magic and then nobody likes it then who’s fault is that? Surely the man at the top giving the ‘employer’ the brief.
I missed the first 10 mins of the first programme – so dont know how this ‘challenge’ came about. Did LC ask for Heston, did Heston volunteer – or are we all being duped for sake of prime time TV?? Niether party doing themselves any favours – especially Ian Peglar and Little Chef. Even Heston can’t make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear – and what is wrong with a good sow’s ear if that is what you’re wanting ?
Right at start when Heston walked in and pointed out 70 odd items on menu, I thought “This is Gordon Ramsay territory” – more so than Jamie Oliver. But when Heston started getting stuck into re-inventing “English classics” and how he managed to invent boil in the bag scrambled egg, I thought maybe Heston has a chance. I mean, did you see the lengths he went to to re-invent Black Forest Gateaux? Best of luck to him, can’t wait for last episode!
Mind you, the way Pegler has come across, I’d have been off the job after the first show. He seemed to want Charlie and The Chocolate Factory with his taste explosions.
It could be Fat Duck quality food for under a tenner but I still wouldn’t give Pegler my money.
I really think it has to be basics there is NO doubt that Heston is a fantastic chef and knows what he is at but possibly not at the £10 breakfast end of the market. I used to be a regular user of little chef but now I would sooner pay a little more (and it is only a little) and get decent coffee and tea the Breakfast that Little Chef are noted for need to be served and presented a lot better get the quality up a bit i.e. sausages that taste of something years ago they used local meat for their bacon and sausages now it is bland (all pre Heston) Please clean the places up sticking a notice in the washrooms saying they are inspected every hour and not doing it is disgraceful. The staff look shattered the “uniforms” look dreadful and often the staff are not customer orientated. I have been to the the popham eatery a couple of years ago it was busy but could have been busier if it turned the food around more quickly, I am sure people use Little Chef for it’s supposed speed of service rather than for it’s culinary delights. It used to be that you new what you were going to get I hope they get it right it would be great to see them and others doing well perhaps we can hope that Happy Eater and CJ’s may re-enter the market. One last thing how in the world did Ian Peglar become MD a cliche ridden nut case
I have seen parts one and two so far. I think Heston and Ian are dong a fine job in dramatizing their relationship in order to spice up the show and thus use the TV as a marketing tool. I also loved the way that Heston managed to persuade Ann (the lovely LC griddle chef) to return to the Popham LC on the morning of the second day. However, I am sure this was filmed at 4pm on the next day. Why? Because Heston’s rather smart watch says 4pm on it during their discussion at the Fat Duck. Gotcha!
Heston Blumenthal till he did this show had a great deal of my respect as a great Chef, however i have now seen his true colors, especially boil in the bag scrambled eggs, People don’t want zainy food at the Little Chef, just plain old British food, as for him not understanding the needs for beans on a big breakfast explains his short falls in understanding the needs of Mr & Mrs average, had i seen that viniger stuff on my eggs as Mr average i would have assumed it was a small spillage of cooking oil.
Gordon Ramsey would have been ideal for this case, he would not have taken the rubbish from the MD and he would have taken a simplistic but correct direction.
Heston Blumenthal needs to get back to his tiny upper class restaurant with his nitrogen ice cream and stay there.
Andy
I have enjoyed watching parts 1 and 2 so far. It seems to me that poor Heston is stuck between a rock and a hard place. He has been given a brief to be pretty much the Fat Duck on a budget by the crazy CEO who is paying zero attention to what his customers want. I thought Heston’s first attempt at a revamp with pea and ham soup and tea-smoked salmon and scrambled eggs was quirky but not unapproachable, and still Ian wanted more unusual flavours! Yet the customers were completely turned off. Perhaps developing a more interesting (or “poncy”?) menu would attract new customers, however.
Have to say, have only been to a Little Chef once and never again… There would be some mileage in a Gordon Ramsay style back-to-bistro-classics approach but this does not seem to be the direction the CEO wants to take. Presumably that would have been far too sensible an approach.
By the way, I don’t “need” beans on my breakfast. Thought Heston’s looked great.
Surely Heston can evaluate the clientele at ‘Little Chef’..??
Surely that is what you cater to….what the customer is looking for at that eating house..?
We have been to the roadside stop-offs many times over the years and have always found the ‘breakfasts’ to be tasty, hot and just what you’re looking for at an affordable price.
However, of late have noticed the COFFEE not so good….used to be very good.
Perk up!!
FINALLY been able to get on Little Chef website to see new menu after it crashing out on me last 2 nights.
Carole, I noticed Fair Trade coffee, step in right direction? No espresso, but maybe not a bad thing as motorway service stations usually leave me underwhelmed at best, regretful at worst. A lick of paint and decent coffee goes a long way.
And “L” – I know! Heston’s original Traditional menu didn’t wow him, but Liver and Onions and Chicken Tikka Marsala did!
I will be driving through Gretna in May – how tonight’s episode ends will decide whether I am curious enough to pop in to the LC there or drive past as fast as possible.
Am watching this programme as I am typing. WoW what a waste of time the little chefs nickname isnt the little thief for no reason. I used to be a travelling salesman and when I stoped for food I wanted quick easy no hassle food moste importantly I didn’t want to pay £10 for breakfast AND I WANTED BAKED BEANS!!! If I want a decent meal I will go to a proper restaurant not a truckers cafe.
I worked at the hind’s head in Bray it’s a great place and Heston is the devil in perfection, what he’s done for little chef is a graet work.I know now when i drive throw one of little chef’s I’ll get a great food and a good service and that’s because of Heston.
2 hours from start to finish on a late sunday afternoon – wont appeal to travellers. Food was excellent, the burgers the best I have eaten bar home made. Service was appalling and the toilets smelt awful – probably because the film crew spent about 45 minutes each with the manager and assistant manager. Staff were very friendly (just inefficient) and the place was clean, a million miles from many other Little Chefs. More like this please.