At Fooditude, we’re bringing the spirit of BBQ season into the workplace with Smoking Barrel.
Our latest BBQ theme celebrates premium British produce, cooked slow and finished over fire for smoky, succulent flavours. It’s a fresh take on workplace dining, combining chef-led cooking with seasonal ingredients to create a food experience that gives teams something to look forward to.
A great lunch is a chance to step away from the desk, gather with colleagues and enjoy restaurant-quality food together. Here’s what we’ve been cooking this summer.
From Suffolk fields to the BBQ
At the heart of last week’s menu was Dingley Dell smoked pork belly, bringing rich, smoky flavour to the plate.
Based in Suffolk, Dingley Dell Farm is run by brothers Mark and Paul Hayward, who produce welfare-friendly pork in line with the RSPCA’s Freedom Food scheme. Their approach centres on the relationship between people and animals, with the belief that good welfare ultimately leads to better-tasting pork.
Dingley Dell’s Suffolk Red pigs are outdoor-reared, with space to behave naturally and a focus on calm, careful handling. The breed is a unique cross between Red Duroc and Landrace, helping to develop the marbling and intramuscular fat that gives the pork its distinctive tenderness, juiciness and depth of flavour.
For Smoking Barrel, the pork belly is smoked low and slow before being finished over the fire, bringing together the quality of the produce with the deep, charred flavours at the heart of the concept.
More than meat on the grill
Our BBQ menu went beyond the grill with a selection of vibrant, plant-forward dishes.
Alongside the smoked pork belly came piri piri spatchcock chicken, bringing a smoky heat to the menu, while sticky smoked tofu, aubergine and mushroom BBQ skewers offered a plant-based option packed with flavour and texture.
We paired the smoky mains with fresh summer salads designed to bring balance to the plate.
Grilled peach, romanesco and green beans came together with pickled yellow onions and balsamic dressing, combining sweet, fresh and tangy flavours. Charred Mediterranean vegetables were served with feta, toasted seeds and fresh basil for another colourful, seasonal side.
The result was a menu that balanced the depth and richness of BBQ cooking with the freshness of summer produce.
Fresh flavours, finished with a Fooditude touch
The finishing touches brought the whole spread together.
Fresh salsa verde and roasted piri piri sauce added brightness and heat, while Seven Seeded Artisan Bakery focaccia provided the perfect accompaniment for soaking up all those smoky flavours.
It’s this balance that sits at the heart of our approach to workplace dining. From fresh produce to innovative cooking and plenty of variety, all brought together to create meals that feel exciting, generous and genuinely enjoyable.
At Fooditude our menus keep evolving, as workplace dining should never feel predictable, concepts like Smoking Barrel give teams the opportunity to discover something different, with menus that celebrate seasonal produce and take inspiration from food cultures and occasions throughout the year.
Bringing people together over food
Food has a natural way of bringing people together.
A shared lunch can create space for informal conversations, reconnect colleagues and break up the working day. That’s why we see workplace catering as more than simply providing a meal. It’s about creating food experiences that make being together in the workplace feel worthwhile.
Smoking Barrel captures that perfectly. Cooking over fire, the aroma of smoked ingredients and the generous spread of colourful sides, all help create a moment that feels different from the everyday.
From responsibly produced pork from Suffolk to seasonal vegetables, artisan focaccia and fresh-made sauces, every ingredient has been chosen to create a unique food experience that is distinctly Fooditude.
Chef-led, seasonal and made for sharing, our Smoking Barrel is our way of bringing summer to the workplace.
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