- By Clodagh Rice
- BBC News NI Business Correspondent
A Belfast restaurateur has spoken of the pressures facing the hospitality industry this Christmas as food costs rise.
Johnny Taylor was speaking ahead of the announcement of this month’s inflation figures. Inflation is the rate at which prices rise.
Restaurants try to balance prices to cover their costs without turning away customers.
Mr Taylor said vegetables were up 50% and proteins 10% on last year.
Owner and chef Taylor said: “Turkey prices are up 10%, pork belly 10% and cauliflower. We were buying a packet of cauliflower last year for £10 and this year it’s £25, so it’s a huge jump.” From Shed Bistro, on Ormeau Road.
“Gas has actually fallen in the last couple of months, but it’s still double what it was two years ago, and electricity is 300% higher than it was two years ago,” he told BBC News NI.
As a result, the restaurant was forced to raise its prices, which upset some customers, but he said they had no choice but to try to pass some of the increases on to customers.
“We actually had a big group episode [us] We complain that we have increased by 16% over last year.”
“I appreciate that it’s frustrating, and I’m very frustrated that my electricity is up 300% and there’s nothing I can do about it.”
That’s why menu selection and ingredients this year, more than ever, are so important because some things are expensive and won’t be on the menu, he said.
“The perfect example is salmon,” he said.
“Six years ago when I started here, we did a smoked salmon dish, but at the time it was less than £10 a kilo, and now it’s over £20 a kilo, and I don’t consider it a starter anymore.”
So far this year, he said, they are busier for dinner on weekends than last year, but midweek trade has also slowed this year.
“If we weren’t sustainable, we wouldn’t be here,” he said.
“I’m worried about what’s going to happen next January because a lot of restaurants that have been struggling will hold out until December to try to get something going, and if they have a bad January and February, they might decide it’s not worth it anymore and pull the plug,” he added. .