‘Tis the season to be truthful…

Christmas is a busy season for restaurants and caterers, so to help keep your customers in the festive spirit, follow the advice below and ensure your Christmas menu descriptions are accurate and informative.

● Turkey and other meats: If the products you use are not 100 per cent meat and are labelled with terms such as “reformed,” “chopped and shaped,” or “with added water,” these terms should be reflected on your menu.

● Ham and gammon: These should be sliced from a whole cured piece of meat from the hindquarters of a pig. Any terms like “reformed” or “with added water” should also be included in your menu description. Be aware that cured pork shoulder or other cured meats must not be called ham.

● Roast: This description should only be used if the food has actually been roasted. It should not be used for foods that have been steamed and then flash-roasted.

● Flavour: Products such as brandy sauce and vanilla coffee must contain real brandy and vanilla to be described as such. If artificial flavourings are used, state this clearly with descriptions such as “brandy flavour sauce”.

● Smoked products (for example, salmon or ham): This term should only be used if the product has been genuinely smoked. If a smoke flavour has been added instead, you must describe it as “smoke-flavoured”.

● Vegetarian dishes: These must be prepared without any contact or contamination with meat, fish or seafood, including any oils used for frying. At Christmas, be especially careful with recipes like roast potatoes cooked in, or gravy containing, animal fat.

● Vegan dishes: These must be made without any ingredients or contamination from animal-derived products, including dairy, eggs and honey.

● Drinks: Well-known brands such as Smirnoff, Bacardi, Baileys and Coca-Cola should not be substituted with cheaper alternatives. Do not use branded terms like “Baileys coffee” unless you can be certain the branded ingredient is always in stock.

● Homemade: This description means the food is made on the premises. It must not be used for food produced elsewhere and simply finished or served on site.

● Origin descriptions: Do not use terms like “Scottish salmon” unless you can guarantee the product’s origin. Origin statements must not mislead consumers.

● Claims such as “fresh, local, seasonal, pure, natural”: Take care with claims about provenance or production methods.

The overriding advice is to be clear and truthful about your Christmas menu, ensuring dish descriptions accurately match those provided by suppliers. If you run out of a product or ingredient, do not substitute it without informing your customers; if the change is permanent, update your menu. Accuracy is especially vital with allergenic ingredients.