What happens when you are no longer a new kid on the block?
The easiest PR is achieved when you are new and exciting. Whether it was the new restaurant, the new book or being on a new TV programme, I was fresh and exciting for a few years. Then I was established. Say Pyromaniac Chef to journalists in Gloucestershire and many will say, oh the fire pit restaurant woman? The stories had been written, the fish had been wrapped and I was old news. Time to give up and just sink your money into advertising. I mean, I suppose that’s one option. It didn’t appeal to me.
In my mind, no longer being novel presented a real opportunity. Sure, Gloucester Studio was recognisable. People seeing me get out of my car which has magnetic panels from TripAdvisor featuring the Kota Hut and part of a quote from Michel Roux Jr, “It’s bonkers but it works!”, would ask me about the programme and today when I talk to people at events they often interject with, “didn’t I see you on TV?” But the majority of my coverage had been about the cool building and the novelty of having a meal cooked in front of you over fire. I still got the question, “so you cook barbecue?”
In my mind, no longer being novel presented a real opportunity. Sure, Gloucester Studio was recognisable. People seeing me get out of my car which has magnetic panels from TripAdvisor featuring the Kota Hut and part of a quote from Michel Roux Jr, “It’s bonkers but it works!”, would ask me about the programme and today when I talk to people at events they often interject with, “didn’t I see you on TV?” But the majority of my coverage had been about the cool building and the novelty of having a meal cooked in front of you over fire. I still got the question, “so you cook barbecue?”
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Branding my cooking style as Fine Dining over Fire has been a great way to subtly move the restaurant’s image from being about the novelty setting to being about the food in that setting. Last autumn I decided to show what was possible by creating a classic ten course meal cooked over fire; hors d’oeuvres, soup, fish, entrée, sorbet (yes, you read that right), roast, salad (really truly and it is not a hot salad), pudding, cheese and petit fours. The media were invited, and I hired a photographer for the night to not just take the photos for my use and thought might be wanted for any articles but to take requests from the journalists. The resulting coverage was phenomenal and allowed for the creation of a strong reviews page on the Gloucester Studio website.
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Since Gloucester Studio was featured on Hidden Restaurants with Michel Roux Jr, imitators have sprung up but I’m taking the compliment. There’s televised evidence that Pyromaniac Chef was first and nowhere else has my level of detail tailored to each meal served. At the beginning of this year I launched another new menu, my Full Pyromaniac Meal, where I cook five courses over five different fires or fire cooking methods; smoker, tandoor, Spanish barbecue, potjie and fire pit. Other restaurants offer fire cooked food which goes beyond barbecue and other venues offer dining huts and hygge spaces but combining the two with a private chef who designs a menu to your requirements is unique. Competition thus becomes a trigger for inspiration as it drives me to maintain my lead.
I’m settling into my business now. In the early days bookings were a huge source of excitement, now it’s a quiet high five with my husband. Feeling a little more confident that Gloucester Studio will still be around next year (actually, that’s a given as I have bookings through 2019) means I’m thinking longer term with my PR plans and that is very exciting. I have identified two TV programmes I’d like to participate in next year and know they will be ready for pitches in late spring/early summer. Achieving coverage there will naturally see print and radio follow so the investment now in those pitches feels to be a wise move.
