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www.thecaterer.com Extract from AI’s menu
considering how it can benefit your business, whether you’re brainstorming a menu, plan- ning a marketing campaign or even setting up a new operation. In the interests of research, we put AI’s busi-
W
ness acumen to the test and set it to task plan- ning a restaurant opening. We selected a space available for leasehold in Sadler’s Yard, Man- chester, and used AI systems including Chat- GPT and Midjourney to develop a concept, name, marketing, business plan and menu before asking some industry experts to cast a critical eye over its efforts.
The concept The 7,660 sq ft restaurant space is in Manches- ter’s new Nova development, an area the list- ing says has “a reputation for its own unique event, wellbeing, food and drink culture”. Asking ChatGPT ‘what kind of restaurant
should I open in Sadler’s Yard, Manchester?’, does not reap a simple answer but a list of considerations, including identifying gaps in the market and modelling potential clients – hardly a groundbreaking start. Some further research revealed that the
20-acre Noma site has recently undergone an £800m redevelopment to create a residen- tial and business hub and is home to retail business the Co-op’s headquarters, ensur- ing strong footfall in the week. Other existing businesses include the Sadler’s Cat pub at the heart of the development and the Allpress cof- fee shop and training centre. AI did tell us that the development has been created with strong sustainability credentials
Logos for ‘Leaf & Lantern’, generated by Midjourney
hile we wait to see if artificial intel- ligence (AI) will bring about our salvation or destruction, it’s worth
“Something AI- generated, however useable, will never have that heart, soul and significance” Hugh Richard Wright
and an emphasis on thriving cultural spaces and a sense of community. As such, we settled on planning an independent, modern Brit- ish restaurant with sustainable practices and foraged ingredients at its heart.
Developing a brand And so to a name, and here we started having some fun. We asked AI to suggest names for a sustainability-focused restaurant in Manches- ter and it gave 20 suggestions, which ranged from uninspiring (GreenEats MCR) to com- pletely bizarre (MancSustainaFlavour). Its own guidance for picking a name stressed the importance of it accurately rep- resenting the concept, being memorable as well as easy to pronounce and spell (try say- ing MancSustainaFlavour six times quickly). Restaurant public relations and communica-
tions consultant Hugh Richard Wright looked at the suggestions and gave his verdict: “There’s clearly a theme here of smashing two words together with a capital in the middle. These are all awful, and mostly meaningless, but let’s not forget that actual human brains came up with
Starters O Nettle and spinach tart A flaky pastry filled with sautéed nettles and spinach,
topped with a wild garlic pesto. O Stuffed wild mushroom caps Local field mushrooms filled with a mix of foraged herbs, breadcrumbs and goats’ cheese, served with a balsamic reduction.
Mains O Foraged herb and potato gnocchi
Handmade potato gnocchi sautéed in a foraged herb and butter sauce, finished with
wild garlic and aged Parmesan O Foraged seafood stew A hearty stew featuring locally caught fish and shellfish, simmered with foraged seaweed and coastal herbs, served with crusty bread.
Side dishes O Foraged herb buttered new potatoes O Steamed new potatoes tossed in foraged
herb-infused butter. O Wild garlic and nettle mash O Creamy mashed potatoes with sautéed wild garlic and nettles.
Desserts O Nettle and lemon verbena sorbet Refreshing sorbet made from nettle and lemon verbena, garnished with foraged
edible flowers O Elderflower and rhubarb panna cotta Creamy panna cotta infused with elderflower and topped with a rhubarb compote
Drinks O Foraged herbal infusion A herbal tea featuring a blend of foraged herbs and
flowers O Wild berry spritzer A refreshing non- alcoholic drink made with foraged wild berries, sparkling water and a hint of citrus
www.thecaterer.com 24 November 2023 | The Caterer | 31
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