Archers thread #151: A Fête worse than death or a reverse ferret? Helen’s got the Borsetshire Blues, Tom’s talking shiitake, George is a rotten apple. Discuss The Archers here.

[Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g]

Thank you, @PseudoBadger, for kicking off this long, long series of Archers threads.

All views on The Archers welcome here! New blood welcomed, and of course we are always delighted to welcome back former or occasional listeners/posters. We don't all agree on all points, although we do mostly try to be civil about it. Most of us are posting tongue in cheek a lot of the time, so don't worry about revealing that you think Helen and Tom would do well on Dragons' Den, or other unusual views.

Spoilers: not on this thread, please! We don't wait for the omnibus to discuss the weeknight episodes, but we do try our best to avoid cross-contamination from www.mumsnet.com/talk/radio_addicts/4636789-the-archers-spoilers-thread-7-cant-wait-for-702pm-join-us-here, where spoilers are positively welcomed!

For newer listeners, lurkers or those who just have no idea what we're talking about, @DadDadDad has created this useful thread: www.mumsnet.com/Talk/radio_addicts/3557323-For-Archers-fans-a-guide-to-acronyms-on-the-long-running-discussion-threads-and-any-other-meta-thread-questions-you-may-have - BOOP point for him! (See thread for explanation.)

Thanks to @OverArmour for various title ideas! I would have liked to incorporate the suggestion from @Fleetress, which was

‘Do do one Ron, Ron, do do one Ron’

(Rob is Ron for many on this thread now)

Possibly a bit obscure for newer posters, though!

Anyway: we got through that last thread in no time at all. Combined effect of Rob and George, I suspect. I wonder if Rob will have made it to Ambridge by the time we need a new thread. I'm still waiting for Pat's shotgun to feature. That can't have been mentioned for the first time ever for no reason at all.

Over to you!

Yes, I thought his voice sounded slightly different. Covid aftereffect perhaps?

As to why Eddie would wind up Brad when he knew him to be shy etc, well, that's what wind-up merchants do. Sometimes they can't help themselves. They think it is gentle teasing, maybe even that it might help Brad to toughen up. But that's not what it feels like on the receiving end.

The Food Boss job at GG must be incredibly well paid if it's going to subsidise taking on a restaurant lease, kitting it all out and paying staff to run it.

Stella's going do or say something bad or breakdown or something isn't she?

I presume that, as well as putting his own money in, Ian would have to take out a loan. Isn't that the way these things are usually done?

*business loan

Is Head of Food actually a thing? How big is GG that it needs such a role? And part time but terribly well paid 🤔

I had assumed at a medium sized country hotel like GG ordering food and plannig would be done by the Head Chef in collaboration with the General Manager.

He'd have to be making a stonking profit with the van to be able to satisfy the bank that he was a good risk. I mean, maybe he is, but it's a very seasonal thing and the reality is that this summer he would have been struggling.

I thought Ian said last night that he doubted it could be done part time...

Maybe I misheard. A FT Head of Food role for GG seems wildly excessive.

Maybe GG is part of a small bespoke chain

Yes, it’s actually a thing

Ian was in charge of all the food ordering at Grey Gables when it was being run by Caroline Sterling. He would discuss menus with her once a week and then go away and order the ingredients for the food for the week they'd discussed. And anyone trying to sell Grey Gables anything such as geese at Christmas, or beef from their super new herd of Herefords or cheese at any time, had to approach him about it, though if he didn't want to tell them himself that their food was not wanted Caroline would do it for him, or latterly Kathy would (she was the one who sent Toby away).

But that was when it was a completely independent busness. I am fairly sure that the mysterious people who have now bought 60% of it have some connection to other hotels; I think it may have been mentioned at some point when Oliver was desperately justifying no longer subsidising the place out of his own pocket.

Are we sure it's not Demara?

I cannot really see Justin not nebbing in if it were his company that had bought Grey Gables; he can't resist interfering, on previous form.

@AskingQuestionsAllTheTime that makes sense but then surely Ian's job would be Head of Food at Posh Country Hotels inc not Head of Food at Grey Gables?

that would probably only come out in either later interviews or at the contract signing stage?

Ian may be the first person to find out who the actual partners are (after, i assume, Oliver)

Ian can’t exactly have been a dazzling success as Head Chef given that he wasn’t even on the shortlist for Head of Food the first time round and has only been offered the gig now the original first choice is out of the picture. I find it hard to think of him as a culinary wizard given that he is usually only whizzing up supper for Xander or thinking up pizza toppings.

I liked him calling out Helen re the advantages for BF if he was in charge of supplier selection. I suppose it’s not surprising that she should be a bit twinkly at the thought of it given he is actually meant to be her friend.

Absolutely! Imagine being THE top local chef for a decade or more and even your old boss forgets about you when looking for a food expert. Sick burn.

What I don’t get is that Ian owns a food truck - summer would be his busiest time and yet he decides to take time off and hire someone to do all the festivals. Surely Xander is young enough that they can holiday outside school holidays?

@MrsBennetsPoorNerves

I’ve listened again and it was temporary, not part time. My apologies.

It goes along with "Xander wants to take her the picture he has drawn of Weaver, so we can drop him off at nursery and take it in to her on our way home."

I have come to the conclusion over the years that Ian doesn't use reason in the same way most people do.

Thanks for confirming. The mind boggles slightly at what a full time head of food would actually do all day....

Jobs linked upthread, you can earn £120k. WTAF?

That will be a very fancy level Executive chef at a luxury place I expect - most jobs look more like £35k - £50K. I bet the hours are brutal.

It was a coffee and pastry chain.