Tricks of the Restaurant Trade
Season 2
Kate Quilton and chef Simon Rimmer investigate how consumers can get the best experience when dining out.
Where to Watch Season 2
4 Episodes
- Coffee Chains, Railway Station Snacks, Chinese Takeaways
E1Coffee Chains, Railway Station Snacks, Chinese TakeawaysThis week, the show spills the beans on high street coffee chains. Chef Simon Rimmer and co-presenter Kate Quilton find out how good the coffee really is and how the big chains ensure it tastes the same wherever you go in the country. And reporter Adam Pearson challenges fans of big brand names to a blind taste test - can they really tell the difference? Plus - how much do you know about what's in railway station snacks? Should you think a little more before you grab a bite to eat before you jump on the train? And the horrible truth about just how many calories there could be in your Chinese takeaway. The answer for one family of four: 15,000 calories in just one meal. - Sushi Chains, Pub Roast Dinners, Indian Takeaways
E2Sushi Chains, Pub Roast Dinners, Indian TakeawaysThis episode goes behind the scenes at one of our biggest high street sushi chains. Kate Quilton asks how healthy sushi really is, and investigates whether there is any actual wasabi in wasabi paste, while Simon Rimmer heads to Billingsgate fish market at 3am to help choose the fish for the day's sushi. And do we use too much soy sauce when we eat sushi? Reporter Adam Pearson pits groups of British and Japanese people against each other in a sushi eating contest. Plus: what do we get for our money when we pay £30 for a pub roast as opposed to a fiver? Kate samples them both, while Simon reveals the shocking calorie count in an Indian takeaway. - Takeaway Lunches, Frozen Yoghurt
E3Takeaway Lunches, Frozen YoghurtA huge percentage of British workers now buy their lunch from big chains and what's on offer has moved a long way from the simple sandwich. This episode reveals what's in some of the takeaway lunches sold by big brand names and especially whether those salads and soups are quite as good for you as you think. Could a fish salad have more calories than a fry up? And can a chocolate frozen yoghurt really be fat free? Plus: why you shouldn't eat at your desk. - Restaurant Portion Sizes, Leftovers
E4Restaurant Portion Sizes, LeftoversThe final episode in the series weighs up restaurant portion sizes, which are getting bigger without us noticing. Kate Quilton takes some hungry taxi drivers out for a steak dinner but when they're given the portion sizes we ate a generation ago they aren't best pleased. Meanwhile, Simon Rimmer campaigns to bring the doggy bag to Britain. Teaming up with Mish Mash restaurant in Manchester, he gives the customers their leftovers while trying to get to the bottom of our very British embarrassment over taking them home with us. And with nearly 200,000 tonnes of food waste thrown away by restaurants each year, Kate is amazed when she visits a popular Mexican restaurant chain and learns about the surprising uses for leftover Mexican food.