Category: General

The launderette isn’t normally a place you would associate with a smoldering male model inflaming the passions of a group of women doing their weekly wash – but jeans manufacturer Levi’s cult advert changed all that when it first appeared on our TV screens in 1985.

Anyone who was around in the ’80s – and younger generations too, thanks to the likes of YouTube – will forever associate Marvin Gaye’s hit record, I Heard It Through the Grapevine, with Nick Kamen strolling into the launderette, stripping down to his boxer shorts and putting his Levi 501s in the washing machine.

Flustered female customers – and one uncomfortable man – watch him with a mixture of awe and disbelief as he casually sits down to read, semi-naked, while he waits for his washing. The advert significantly increased sales of Levi 501s and was voted fourth in the 100 greatest TV ads of all time in a poll in 2000.

Story behind the ad

In the mid-80s, Levi’s fortunes were flagging – the brand, which had been around since the 1850s, had a reputation for being something your dad would wear. With hundreds of other trendy new brands on the market, the marketing executives were under pressure to come up with a campaign to make Levi’s fashionable again.

The target audience for Levi’s 501s was 15 to 19-year-olds and research revealed they saw the USA of the 1950s and ’60s as a cool time in history, thanks to the likes of Elvis Presley, James Dean and Sam Cooke. Subsequently, John Hegarty and Barbara Noakes thought up the launderette idea and director Roger Lyons was given the go-ahead to film the advert, which was set in 1950s America.

The song wasn’t actually the Marvin Gaye version – it was a newly-recorded “session” track – but after the advert was aired for the first time on Boxing Day 1985, the original “Grapevine” was re-released and charted again.

It wasn’t the first time an advert had featured a man stripping down to his undies in a launderette. Two decades earlier, an advert for Hamlet cigars had exactly the same theme in 1968. Dreamed up by advertising agency Collett Dickenson Pearce, it featured a bowler-hatted city gent throwing all his clothes into a washing machine in a public launderette, while he smoked a cigar. The famous Hamlet music – Bach’s Air on a G-string – plays in the background in one of English director Alan Parker’s first projects.

However, unlike Kamen, the earlier advert’s star isn’t revealing a buff body in trim boxer shorts – instead, he’s wearing a rather unflattering baggy white vest and boxers, with black socks, sock suspenders and a bowler hat! Needless to say, the female launderette customers are slightly less thrilled by his impromptu strip and the theme of the advert is that a Hamlet cigar creates “happiness” in otherwise difficult situations.

Superstar

The effects of the Levi’s 501 advert were instant: Kamen, aged 23, became an instant superstar, with consumers writing to Levi’s asking for his photograph. The jeans became a “must-have” item and sales rocketed by an amazing 800% almost instantaneously! In 1987, Levi’s sales were 20 times greater than they had been in 1984.

Boxer shorts’ sales also boomed to record levels, although the ad agency later admitted they had really wanted to dress Kamen in a pair of jockey shorts, but advertising standards wouldn’t permit this, so the boxer shorts were a bid to get the advert past the sensors!

Both teenage girls and boys flocked to buy Levi’s, as the girls made Kamen their pin-up and the boys wanted to emulate his toned physique and cool persona. The model became so popular that Madonna wrote a song which Kamen recorded, called Each Time You Break My Heart. It reached number five in the UK charts and Kamen, who originally hailed from Harlow in Essex, moved to Los Angeles, where he hoped to launch a solo pop career.

However, despite his smouldering good looks, his subsequent singles failed to chart. Even with Madonna providing backing vocals, Kamen’s singing career was short-lived. In 1992, he released his last album, Whatever, Whenever, but it failed to chart.

Kamen’s cult Levi’s launderette ad still receives YouTube hits today. He was superseded in 1999 by a yellow puppet called Flat Eric in the Levi’s advertising campaign. Now aged 55, Kamen has disappeared completely from the public eye.

Now we can’t promise that Nick Kamen will walk into your launderette, but Bartlett stocks a wide range of reliable commercial laundry equipment!

Launched in 1990 by the BBC, MasterChef is a competitive cookery television show with a format that has been copied in various other countries across the globe. It has spawned a number of spin-off shows and has attracted some of the most famous celebrity chefs and food experts in the world.

Original series

The first series comprised nine episodes. Three amateur cooks per episode were given the chance to take part in the heat, leading to the semi-final and eventually the grand-final.  They were tasked with cooking a gourmet three-course dinner in under two hours – preparing the dishes of their choice but with a limit on the price of the ingredients.

Equipment, utensils and everyday ingredients such as flour were provided, and they could each bring five specialist utensils or ingredients of their own. As the presenter of series one, Lloyd Grossman was a restaurant reviewer who had also produced his own range of cooking sauces and headed a multi-million-pound project to improve food in NHS hospitals.

The guest judges comprised a professional chef and a celebrity, who discussed the menus, tasted the food and walked round the studio chatting to the contestants as they prepared their meals. Edited highlights of the judges’ discussions as they selected the weekly winner were screened, before they announced the final decision on air. Grossman eventually left the series in 2000.

New format

In 2001, the series moved from its BBC1 Sunday afternoon slot and became a weeknight programme on BBC2 – chef Gary Rhodes became the presenter. The contestants’ cooking time had been trimmed down to 90 minutes and they had to cook only two courses. In 2005, the show was rebranded as MasterChef Goes Large, but three years later, in 2008, it reverted back to the original title of MasterChef. A revamped format was created by John Silver and Franc Roddam.

The show branched out into different spin-offs from the main MasterChef series, including Celebrity MasterChef for celebrities from any media; MasterChef: The Professionals for working chefs; and Junior MasterChef, in which young people aged nine to 12 years competed. The revamp proved so popular that in 2009, the show was moved back to BBC1 and won a primetime viewing slot.

The show was given an innovative new slant in 2010, when the judges were permitted to send more than one contestant through to the quarter-finals from each episode – or none at all if they didn’t think any of them were up to it!

International versions have been made in a host of countries such as Albania, Australia, Argentina, Bangladesh, the United States, Thailand, Spain, Sweden, the Philippines, Norway, Poland and many more.

Charity

Beginning in 2008, the show has also produced a number of charity specials. Junior MasterChef was part of the Children in Need fundraising extravaganza and this was followed by Sport Relief Does MasterChef in 2010 which was hosted by Scottish footballing legend Alan Hansen. Comic Relief Does MasterChef in 2011 was presented by comedian Miranda Hart (and Comic Relief Does MasterChef 2013).

Among the most famous contestants was the 1993 finalist, Ross Kelvin Burden (a former model from New Zealand) who made a big impact on the UK show and went on to achieve an international career – including becoming a regular on the TV show, Ready Steady Cook for eight years. He also published cookery books and wrote magazine columns, before his untimely death in 2014 at the age of 45.

Memorable moments

There have been many memorable moments over the years in all of the MasterChef series. Those that stand out in viewers’ memories include the moment when celebrity contestant Sinitta accidentally served raw (and potentially dangerous) meat in two disastrous dishes.

Disgruntled viewers complained about the judges’ decision after their favourite contestant, professional snooker player Stephen Hendry, was first to be voted off Celebrity MasterChef.

One of the worst moments was when one hapless contestant, Erryn Cobb, served celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay with the charred remnants of £500 worth of truffles and what looked like plastic vegetables. Ramsay was visibly horrified and before the results were announced, he said to just “admit your dish was the worst and leave”. Cobb obliged and exited the show voluntarily.

 

Judges Gregg Wallace and John Torode now present MasterChef, which is narrated by India Fisher. There have been 635 episodes of MasterChef and Celebrity MasterChef combined – and the shows’ popularity shows no sign of waning.

For eateries of all shapes and sizes – or if you fancy honing your skills in a bid to become the next MasterChef – Bartlett stocks a wide range of top-quality catering equipment. For further information, please give us a call.

Any wine connoisseur must dream of visiting the most famous and reputable vineyards in the world, to see and taste first-hand the wines that they produce. Since most people can only sit in their armchair and dream, we’ve compiled a list of the top wine destinations across the globe that should be on everyone’s bucket list

1) Loire Valley, France

A short train journey from Paris, Loire Valley spans 280km. With a romantic ambience, it is filled with cultural monuments and steeped in heritage. It’s a huge region but there are a number of outstanding wineries within, such as Château de Minière, Domaines Des Vallettes and Perre et Bertrand Couly. The Loire Valley’s main red grape varieties are Gamay and Cabernet Franc, while the white are Chenin Blanc and Melon de Bourgogne. Loire wines have a characteristic fruitiness with crisp, fresh flavours.

2) Cape Winelands

A country famous for its wines, the Cape Winelands vineyard is a major Western Cape tourist attraction in South Africa. Located behind the mountains, the vineyard has unique soil conditions which impact on the character of the wine. There are 18 official routes, where some of the world’s most popular wines are produced – and one of Cape’s oldest wine cellars, Spier Wine Estate, dates back to 1767. Among the most famous red wines, Pinotage is made from a grape that’s a hybrid of Pinot Noir and Cinsaut – unique to South Africa.

3) Bodegas Ysios

Designed by Santiago Calatrava, this Spanish winery in the La Rioja region is fully integrated into the landscape and described as a ‘temple dedicated to wine’. Its spectacular roof resembles an aluminium wave, while its cedar exterior blends into the backdrop of spectacular mountains. The vineyards stretch almost as far as the eye can see – for 75 hectares, to be precise. The Rioja wine region is one of Europe’s best in terms of the quality of grapes. It produces wines such as a high-quality Reserva and several special editions with a superb balance between fruit and wood.

4) Yarra Valley

Australia’s Yarra Valley is renowned for its classic sparkling wines, which are influenced by both continental and Mediterranean climates. As it’s a cooler wine region, it tends to produce leaner, acid-driven styles of Chardonnay, as well as Pinot Noir and Syrah. Among the highlights of a visit to Yarra Valley is a trip to Domaine Chandon, which was established by French champagne house Moet and Chandon in 1986.

5) Lavaux Vineyards

Located in Switzerland, the Lavaux Vineyards span 800 hectares in the breathtaking UNESCO region. High above Lake Geneva, the views from the terraced vineyards provide an amazing backdrop for wine-lovers. There are many charming ‘pintes’ along the wine route – mini-restaurants where travellers can stop for a bite to eat. The picture-postcard shores of Lake Geneva at the foot of the vineyards create an experience you’ll never forget. Different soils produce various flavours – the wines of Epesses have a robust, fruity and spicy aroma and the Lutry’s floral flavours have a hint of grapefruit and rose.

Top-quality wines should be served at the correct temperature for optimum enjoyment. Bartlett sells a comprehensive range of fridges and coolers which will cater for all your wine-storage requirements. Please contact us for further information on our full range of wine fridges and coolers.

Perhaps the best loved British sitcom of all time, Only Fools and Horses was written by John Sullivan. It was first screened in 1981 and ran for 10 years on BBC1, becoming the most watched television programme in history and returning for several Christmas specials until 2003.

Brilliantly played by David Jason, wheeler dealer market trader Del Boy Trotter, his younger brother Rodney (Nicholas Lyndhurst) and the rest of the Trotter clan – plus a host of other memorable Peckham characters – were much loved by the British public.

Their three-wheeler yellow Reliant Regal van with ‘Trotters Independent Traders’ emblazoned on the side, was legendary. It was recently revealed that Only Fools and Horses was the show most viewers would like to see back on TV.

More than 24 million people watched the most famous episode of all time, the 1996 Christmas special, in which Del Boy and Rodney finally hit the big time after auctioning an antique watch that turned out to be worth a fortune.

When the series began Del Boy, Rodney and grandad (played by Lennard Pearce) were the main regulars of the show, with occasional appearances from second-hand car dealer Boycie (John Challis) and Trigger the road sweeper (Roger Lloyd-Pack).

Over the years, more characters appeared including regulars at the Nag’s Head pub, such as landlord Mike (Kenneth MacDonald), wide-boy Mickey Pearce (Patrick Murray), lorry driver Denzil (Paul Barber) and Boycie’s wife, Marlene (Sue Holderness).

After Lennard Pearce’s death, the character of grandad died in the series in 1984. Buster Merryfield was then introduced to the show as grandad’s younger brother, uncle Albert. He moved in with Del Boy and Rodney to complete the regular cast, along with the love of Del Boy’s life, Raquel (Tessa Peake-Jones) and Rodney’s wife, Cassandra (Gwyneth Strong). Del and Raquel’s son Damien was played by five actors, although Ben Smith played the role for the longest.

A regular meeting place, Sid’s Café was a ‘greasy spoon’ run by Sid (Roy Heather). Nicknamed the ‘Fatty Thumb’ due to its reputation of selling greasy foods swimming in fat, it was first seen on 21st October 1982 in an episode called The Long Legs of the Law, in which Del stole some cutlery from the cafe and Sid emerged from the kitchen, his apron covered in fat and grease. Sid had run the cafe since the 1960s and it was frequented by truckers, labourers and builders… and the Trotter family, despite its reputation for serving awful food!

If Sid had known about Bartlett’s catering supplies, he could have made the Fatty Thumb into a respectable dining establishment, where food poisoning wasn’t on the menu. Bartlett’s supplies high quality refrigeration, air conditioning and catering equipment to the industry.

Our massive range of catering equipment includes griddles and grills for healthy cooking options and the most modern counter top fryers, chargrills, rotisseries and other equipment that will ensure that food is cooked to perfection. Please contact us for further information about our full range of products.

The son of a brewer with a passion for all things beer-related, Jacob Christian Jacobsen was born in Denmark in 1811. He made his first batches of lager in a copper wash basin which belonged to his mother. Returning by stagecoach to Denmark from a fact-finding mission to Munich in the summer of 1845, he kept yeast cool by dousing it in cold water. The resulting new lager required a bigger brewery with more cool storage space. It was built just outside Copenhagen – and the brand was born in 1847.

The name Carlsberg comes from the Danish term for hill (‘bjerg’) and Jacobsen’s son’s name, Carl. By 1868, the first batch of the brand’s lager was being exported to the UK.

A dispute with his father sparked when Carl cut the brewing process in half. As a result, Carl set up the independent New Carlsberg brewery but the two breweries ultimately merged in 1906, three years before the first Carlsberg pilsner was brewed. The pH scale and important enzyme research have been part of Carlsberg’s wider contribution to science over the years.

The first overseas brewery opened in 1968, generating a brand-new interest in the lager all over the world… expansion continued. Since its birth 170 years ago, Carlsberg has become one of the world’s five biggest brewery groups, Britain’s fourth largest and northern Europe’s biggest brewer. Its famous green logo is recognised around the world.

The company became listed on Copenhagen’s Stock Exchange in 1970 and in 1983 the famous tagline, ‘Probably the best lager in the world,’ was created by KMP for the UK market – the slogan was only dropped in 2011 as part of a major new rebranding push. The original 1983 advert featured the voice of actor Orson Welles.

Other catch lines that have caught on are ‘That calls for a Carlsberg’ and the ‘If Carlsberg did…’. Successful marketing drives have included posters dispensing free beer, a beer-flavoured sorbet and a YouTube ‘friend test’ video – a stunt involving people phoning a friend and pretending they’ve run out of money in a shady poker game to see whether they’ll come and rescue them.

Today, the Group’s portfolio incorporates more than 500 brands with its flagship, a 5% abv pilsner, exported to 140 markets. Other beverages in Carlsberg’s line-up include the strong Special Brew first produced to mark Winston Churchill’s 1950 trip to Denmark, Elephant beer, Tuborg and Somersby ciders.

KF Bartlett Ltd supplies an extensive range of bottle coolers for perfectly chilled beverages, including Carlsberg! Our top of the range coolers from leading brand Prodis come in varying sizes… and they won’t break the bank. What’s more, we can fit and service our cooling machines across the south-west.

For a non-commitment quote, talk to a member of the Bartlett team today or check out our website for further details. Remember, all our online prices include delivery.

Well, you wouldn’t want a warm beer!