No more Travelling Chef on FGW?

[dk1]

Heard some rumours today that FGW intend to withdraw the Travelling Chef concept from later this year. Not sure if anyone else has heard anything or if its anything to do with the reduced 1st class accomodation that will be available after conversion of 1 vehicle to Standard class. Will be a shame if it is true. I always make use of them each time i head out West & always seem to be popular.

 

[CC 72100]

Heard some rumours today that FGW intend to withdraw the Travelling Chef concept from later this year. Not sure if anyone else has heard anything or if its anything to do with the reduced 1st class accomodation that will be available after conversion of 1 vehicle to Standard class. Will be a shame if it is true. I always make use of them each time i head out West & always seem to be popular.

I have also read about this rumour. Of course, the Travelling Chef can be found on quite a few services and is separate to the Pullman Dining service, although I'm sure that the removal of the Travelling Chef would provoke doubts over the future of the latter.

It would be interesting to know whether this decision is purely financial, or whether the fact that they are going down to 1 + 1/2 a coach 1st class makes it difficult too from a practical viewpoint. (Although people would eat at their normal seat If I remember correctly, there was no 'dining' section as such as per the Pullman Dining)

 

[dk1]

Should also add thea the person talking about this also stated that no staff will be made redundant over this which is extremelly good news. They will be absorbed into other catering positions.

 

[Essexman]

Very bad news if this is true. The Travelling Chef is an excellent service which helps FGW stand out from most other train operators.

 

[Sleepy]

:cry: Very bad news indeed - an excellent service at reasonable prices available to all ticket holders.

 

[richw]

bnm I believe asked FGW on facebook on 4th July.

A summary of the reply was it's under consultation pretty much,

The proposals are for additional Pullman services, in place of the travelling chef.

Anyone on facebook should be able to find BNM question and full replies from 4/7/14

 

[bnm]

Here is that conversation:

Me: "So, you are going to phase out the Travelling Chefs are you? Another erosion of the quality of catering across UK rail services. One can only eat so many Merrychef'd baguettes and toasties. They are no substitute for a proper chef prepared meal."

FGW: "Hi xxxxxx,

I've now been given the following response:

"We are talking to colleagues and crew about ways we would like to improve food and drink provision for both Standard and First Class customers on our long distance trains.

This follows the successful re-launch of our Pullman services last year.

The proposals include four additional Pullman services, with the return of a Pullman to our South Wales services. If agreed, the changes would also mean an updated buffet car menu and a change from Travelling Chef services to a service more suited to the choices being made by our customers."

So as it stands, it is just proposals and needs to go via consultation until any proposal is put in place.

-xxxxx"

 

[DaveNewcastle]

I'm sorry to say from my own experience, that while I have been enjoying the offering and service from travelling with a Travelling Chef on FGW, I have been dissapointed by the lack of enthusiasm by so many other passengers on board, many seemingly quite content to eat as many free biscuits or whatever else is available from the trolley at no cost.

In the words of Falklands War commentator Brian Hanrahan, when referring to the prohibition on stating exactly how many Harrier jets the UK deployed, I have counted the fruit leaving the kitchen on an FGW trolley, and "I counted them all out and I counted them all back".

I worry, not just for the future of FGW's Travelling Chef, but for the long-term health of the residents of Somerset, Devon and Cornwall.

 

[455driver]

The travelling chef food is very good and I cannot recommend it highly enough.

 

[TheJRB]

Sad news if it comes to anything. I've only used the service once (after all I don't use FGW that much) but I was impressed when I did take advantage of it on a trip to Cardiff last year. A Full English 'Great Westerner' breakfast was a nice treat after battling across to Paddington from Charing Cross on the hottest day of the year!

Eating a proper meal on a train heading through some beautiful countryside was lovely and something I wish would be more widespread. First Class catering, mainly on the weekends I'm thinking of, is lacking sometimes. Still, as has been pointed out, it all comes down to people not using it. Maybe better advertising of the service would improve usage.

 

[Dennis]

I have counted the fruit leaving the kitchen on an FGW trolley, and "I counted them all out and I counted them all back".

I Think some of those apples have got more mileage than me

re staff redeployment, FGWs consultant celebrity chef Mitch Tonks is reported to have said recently 'there is no way I'm going to be associated with prawn sandwiches on a trolley'. Guess he's going to be out of a job then.

 

[Craglad1975]

I had a great westerner breakfast on the train from Swansea to paddington the other week and it was bang on , I hope they don't get rid of the traveling chef it's great

 

[GatwickDepress]

Am I the only person who ever has the fruit?

 

[Be3G]

I always make use of FGW's frankly excellent Travelling Chef when I can – and the impression I've always had is that plenty of other people do too, judging from the amount of time I have to hang around the buffet car waiting for the chef to get around to cooking my food! I'd be very sorry to see it go.

 

[Hyphen]

Am I the only person who ever has the fruit?

Nope! If I'm in first on FGW, I will usually help myself to a banana if they have any - fairly often they've sold out of them

 

[SickyNicky]

The travelling chef (and the Great Westerner breakfast) on the 06.43 Hereford to Paddington service is the reason I travel in first. Lose the chef and back I go to standard.

Sigh - yet another opportunity for a proper meal on a train lost. I'm prepared to bet that we never see a Pullman dining service to or from Hereford.

 

[dk1]

The travelling chef (and the Great Westerner breakfast) on the 06.43 Hereford to Paddington service is the reason I travel in first. Lose the chef and back I go to standard.

That will probably fit nicely into the loss of 1st seating & keep the Reading lot happy

 

[Greenback]

That will probably fit nicely into the loss of 1st seating & keep the Reading lot happy

Yes, the Reading commuters have no need for such a service, so it has to go

The take up of Travelling Chef has been disappointing whenever I've travelled on FGW. I suspect that part of the problem may be the delivery of it, in as much as some trains that are marked as providing the service don't, so there is an apologetic message from the TM, and then other services have it when it's not been advertised.

No doubt this is due to disruption, but it sends the wrong message to passengers who might decide to take their own food next time if they had been expecting to enjoy a hot meal and didn't get the chance.

Also, one time we were travelling to London for Mrs G's birthday. I'd booked first class as a treat, and we were thinking about enjoying lunch with the Travelling Chef. When we boarded at Swansea and went to sit in the area marked for TC service, a member of staff told us the heating wasn't working so we shouldn't sit in there. I asked if we could still get the food if we went into the next coach, and he replied that it would be rubbish today, half the items were off the menu and the chef was new. Faced with such negativity, we abandoned the idea and decided to spend the money on something else instead!

 

[Blindtraveler]

Sigh - yet another opportunity for a proper meal on a train lost.

Secconded. I believe its called progress???? it frustrates me greatly that the rail industry seams to think that we all want to eat sandwitches, tosties or something that can be flung in the general direction of a microwave, an opinion mirrored at stations and onboard!↲

 

[SickyNicky]

What are we left with now? A handful of inconveniently timed Pullman services going to the West Country on trains where off-peak tickets can't be used and the WAG express (if that's still available - haven't checked recently).

Or plastic food on Virgin. Or no food (sorry, we've run out) on East Coast. Or cardboard on XC (OK- someone's now going to tell me I'm being too hard on them).

I have a 1st advance for the 06.43 to Paddington on the 23rd, so apart from availing myself of a Great Westerner, I'll have a chat with the chef then and see what he or she (the Hereford train alternates for some reason) thinks. It's always quiet on the train until you start getting into the Cotswolds anyway.

 

[David Goddard]

We are booked on the 1803 ex Plymouth on Friday, to round off our ALR.
One of the reasons we chose it is the travelling chef. Hope it runs or it will really take the shine off of our week.

 

[Sleepy]

I'm a bit confused - some people are giving the impression Travelling Chef is only available in First Class - I always thought anyone could purchase food ??

 

[Greenback]

Yes, you can. It's brought to your seat in first class, but you have to go to the buffet to order it, then hang around to take it back to your seat in standard.

 

[Clip]

Here is that conversation:

Me: "So, you are going to phase out the Travelling Chefs are you? Another erosion of the quality of catering across UK rail services. One can only eat so many Merrychef'd baguettes and toasties. They are no substitute for a proper chef prepared meal."

"

Im sorry but do you think that is the proper and correct way to address a company about an issue? To me it sounds like a child stomping their feet.

Im surprised they gave you any answer at all.

Im guessing that if they are reviewing it then it hasnt been the success they first thought it would be and why should they as a business spend money on something that is not being used when that money could be directed somewhere else.

 

[meridian2]

I'm not surprised either. Companies don't like refreshingly honest views, preferring to use old cliches, which was what the rest of the dialogue with bnm comprised of.
Giving the silent treatment for a customer expressing his honest views is unprofessional, TBH.

 

[Blindtraveler]

What are we left with now? A handful of inconveniently timed Pullman services going to the West Country on trains where off-peak tickets can't be used and the WAG express (if that's still available - haven't checked recently).

Or plastic food on Virgin. Or no food (sorry, we've run out) on East Coast. Or cardboard on XC (OK- someone's now going to tell me I'm being too hard on them).

I have a 1st advance for the 06.43 to Paddington on the 23rd, so apart from availing myself of a Great Westerner, I'll have a chat with the chef then and see what he or she (the Hereford train alternates for some reason) thinks. It's always quiet on the train until you start getting into the Cotswolds anyway.

I look forward to the broadcastable bits of that convo when you return. As to being hard on XC etc, hard maybe, but most definately accurate! Its times like this that it amazes me that I can go to almost any UK airport and get anything from a salad to a fresh baked pizza but öt so for what could be an identical journey, lets say Cardif to Glasgow on a train or at a station.↲

 

[Clip]

I'm not surprised either. Companies don't like refreshingly honest views, preferring to use old cliches, which was what the rest of the dialogue with bnm comprised of.
Giving the silent treatment for a customer expressing his honest views is unprofessional, TBH.

Which is probably why they replied then isnt it?:roll:

 

[SephenWorceste]

> The travelling chef (and the Great Westerner breakfast) on the 06.43 Hereford to Paddington service is the reason I travel in first.

I agree. I occasionally take that train (or the earlier service). It is a real pleasure to have a good breakfast travelling through the Cotswolds.

> Sigh - yet another opportunity for a proper meal on a train lost. I'm prepared to bet that we never see a Pullman dining service to or from Hereford.

We will never get a Pullman dining service.

I will switch to Virgin trains via Birmingham. For me in Worcester it will be quicker and cheaper.

Sad, Stephen.

 

[455driver]

The travelling chef supposedly loses FGW £10 per item served and the number of staff has increased greatly through 2013 and 2014 (how and why?) /and these are the reasons given for its withdrawal (oh it is being withdrawn the staff have already been told), funnily enough the Pullman dining (with its many more staff) supposedly makes a profit!

The displaced staff will be kept on in other roles still based at their home depots and nobody will be made redundant unless they ask to be.
Isnt it strange that this is the case and the IEP not having any sort of catering facility for standard class (the 1st class driving coach has a galley area behind the cab) is just a happy coincidence.

Having read the document the only thing missing is the 'once upon a time' at the beginning of it!

 

[higthomas]

I agree that it will be a sad loss, but sadly it doesn't surprise me. With regards which trains it is available on, their timetable and the Travelling Chef page on their website disagree. I have frequently emailed them, but usually nothing happens, occasionally they do change the info, but then it becomes wrong again at the next timetable change.

This lack of proper advertising combined with it just not being available for other resaons means that I have a success rate of about 40% when hoping to catch it. Sadly one can easily see why it failed. It is a great loss, and provides the sort of service that I really think should be a minimum on all very long distance services, with restaurants available on a selection, but sadly giving a much reduced offering away to those in first class only is the best way of maximising profits, whilst reducing overheads. :cry: