3 Suppliers - a love-hate relationship
It’s inevitable — chefs and suppliers can have rocky relationships. It’s almost like a series of trials and errors until culinarians find a company that understands what they really need and cater to that.
Clague says that while suppliers in the UAE can perform deliveries every day, chefs have to place orders well in advance so whether or not they need the product at a particular time, it has to be accepted. “Whereas everywhere else in the world you can order every day,” he adds. He also says that if you accept, even once, ingredients of lower quality, the trend continues.
Kempinski Hotel Mall of the Emirates head chef Francisco Llanos agrees and says: “As soon as you send it back they will realise [you mean business] and they will not play with you.”
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Lorenzo says the important thing is establishing that relationship with the purchasing manager at the hotel and with the supplier as well.
She explains: “Purchasing managers will automatically find the cheapest thing because they will look at the invoice and they need to look good when they present their numbers. So establish that good relationship and let them know that it’s not acceptable.
“Yes, take some hits on things like carrots and onions but with other things you have to have quality. And receiving is important too — if something falls below standard you have to reject it immediately otherwise they’ll keep sending it.”
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