Restaurant & Catering Magazine

May 2019 $6.95 GST incl.

Focus On

Abhi Mahadevan Restaurateur & Sommelier How a Focus on Food Safety Can Improve Your Business Seven Dining Out Trends 2019

Official Journal of Restaurant & Catering

Thank you to all our sponsors: DIAMOND

Contents From the Association

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CEO’s Letter

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President’s Letter

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From Our Partners

PLATINUM

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Goodman Fielder

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Helping simplify beer for restaurants and caterers to drive new avenue for growth!

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State Updates

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GOLD

Features 4 Tips for instilling resilience in yourself and your team

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Welcome recognition of small business, skills and training in the budget

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Seven Dining Out Trends 2019

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How a focus on food safety can improve your business

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Taste our new menu based model 10 Restaurant and Catering release first-ever industry guide to online delivery

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Member Profiles

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Abhi Mahadevan

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Ormeggio! 9

EDUCATION & PROJECT PARTNERS

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Restaurant-Catering Austalia Level 3, 154 Pacific Highway, St. Leonards, NSW 2064 Tel: 1300 722 878 Email: restncat@restaurantcater.asn.au Web: rca.asn.au

FROM THE ASSOCIATION

CEO’s Letter

Social Media details:

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THE ASSOCIATION has enjoyed a busy start to 2019, and at time of print we are in the middle of the Federal election campaign. The Association welcomed the recognition given to the importance of small business and skills and training in the budget. We have long called for extending the instant asset write-off program, and we welcomed the announcement that it will be increased from a $20,000 threshold to $30,000 enabling small businesses to invest in more updated and productive equipment. On the labour supply side, we continue to have concerns over the government’s plan to reduce permanent migration by a planned 120,000 places over 4 years. Restaurant, cafes and catering businesses are already facing an intensifying crisis, caused by skills shortages across vital hospitality positions such as cook, chef and café and restaurant manager. 47 per cent of our business-owners reported ongoing difficulties in filling positions last year. The forecast employment growth for the sector is for an additional 74,700 jobs by May 2023, and without skilled migration the industry simply will not have enough people to fill the many skilled vacancies that exist. The Association is now preparing for a grassroots campaign to highlight the importance of small business to the community and the economy: “Small Business is a Big Deal” and we’ll be encouraging members to get involved in amplifying the message to all parties. Regardless of the eventual election result, R&CA will continue its strong advocacy activities with all levels of government on behalf of the sector.

Juliana Payne, CEO Restaurant & Catering Australia

President’s Letter THE RESTAURANT INDUSTRY has been around for a very very long time. Although our way of life has undergone a complete metamorphosis into today’s modern society, restaurants, cafes and caterers hadn’t really changed significantly. The tipping point came in 2007 with the mass commercialisation of smartphones. Big data and algorithms can now be engaged in real time to optimise and drive business.

We are seeing the effects of this with restaurants, cafes and caterers functioning very differently. Customers are interacting with restaurants via virtual interfaces like mobile phone apps and tablet software. Operators cannot afford to ignore this technology with the new generation of customers being totally obsessed with it. Operators need the intelligence that is derived from such technology to understand their market – where their customers live, what they do, how much is their discretionary spend, what they like to eat/drink, and how often they dine out. With greater choice than ever, and with the impact on delivery services, we are working to give our members the edge in this space. The Association is constantly looking for ways to improve and to better serve the interests of its members, so if you have any suggestions, don’t hesitate to get in touch on 1300 722 878 or restncat@restaurantcater.asn.au today!

Con Castrisos, President Restaurant & Catering Australia

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FROM OUR PARTNERS

Goodman Fielder EVERYTHING WE DO at Goodman Fielder Food Service is about providing you with premium quality ingredients, inspiration and tools to empower you to deliver food excellence to your customers. A passion for us is to drive a positive hospitality community and to create a one stop shop for all chefs to seek inspiration, share tips and tricks and gain insights on industry trends and consumer behaviours. We utilise our internal resources and continually reach out to industry experts to gain

Helping simplify beer for restaurants and caterers to drive new avenues for growth!

WE ARE MALTSHOVEL, a little crew dedicated to doing what we love, making great craft beers and helping small bars, restaurants, pubs and bottle shops do what they love too.

We believe in making things easy and that is why we start with yes and end with cheers. When working with us you’ll enjoy access not only to our great range, but competitive pricing, no minimum order quantities, next day metro delivery and ease of doing business, all facilitated through Ordermentum, our one stop shop for all your ordering and account needs.

If this all sounds good to you, we offer a large range of unique and great tasting local, national and international beers, that we’d love to tell you a bit more about. www.maltshovel.com.au or call 1300 217 377

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a deeper understanding on product applications, yield and performance to make sure you get the most out of all our ingredients. Our extensive foodservice range includes well-known brands such as Meadow Lea, White Wings, Pampas, Helga’s, ETA, Crisco, Cornwell’s, Holbrook’s and Praise. With our entire fridge, freezer and pantry range in front of you, we will back your creation for every occasion.

STATE UPDATES

New South Wales The re-election of the Berejiklian Government was a close-run thing until the last week of the campaign when, the Labor Party leader, Michael Daley, had a final campaign week to forget, where he stumbled over several questions about education and TAFE funding promises during a leadership debate. A video also emerged with Daley saying that “our young children will flee” Sydney, and were being replaced by “young Asian people with PhDs.” This cost Labor vital support in seats with large Asian populations, such as Ryde and Kogarah. The ALP won only two of the six seats they needed to prevent the Coalition from maintaining their majority with the most notable results being the Coalition’s loss of another two seats to the Shooters, Farmers,

Victoria

Following a comprehensive election victory in November 2018, the Victorian Government is proceeding with implementing many of its election promises as well as the legislative agenda from its previous term in office. A key focus of the Victorian Government is the TAFE system, with the State Government promising $220 million as part of its Building Better TAFEs Fund to upgrade facilities across metropolitan and rural Victoria.

Another key aspect of the Victorian

Fishers who defeated the Nationals in water challenged Barwon and Murray with extraordinary swings of 19.5% and 26.2% respectively and abnormally large swings against the Nationals in Upper Hunter, Lismore and Dubbo which they still managed to prevail in.

The Berejiklian government therefore has a two-seat buffer to ensure that the increases in the payroll tax threshold to $1 million can be implemented and that the laws which allowed Boxing Day trading across the whole state after a two-year trial won’t be repealed. We look forward to ensuring the collective voice for our industry is heard by the Coalition when advocating for the Restaurant and Catering Association’s FIVE election priorities.

Government’s focus on the TAFE system is the Free TAFE for Priority Courses Program. Thanks to R&CA’s lobbying, Certificate III in Commercial Cookery was included on the Priority Course list, in addition to Certificate III in Hospitality which had already included on the original version of the list. R&CA will continue its industry advocacy with the Victorian Government throughout the remainder of the parliamentary term, having recently published its Victorian Policy Priorities list.

South Australia The South Australian Liberal Government under the leadership of Premier Steven Marshall has almost ticked over a year in office, with many important legislative priorities originally promised as part of the Liberal Party’s election commitments now in effect.

The Government’s reforms to payroll tax, raising the payroll threshold to $1.5 million from $600,000 came into effect on 1 January this year. The Government has also held a number of parliamentary inquiries of relevance to the café, restaurant and catering sector including

business investment attraction, the economic contribution of migrants and wage theft. R&CA wrote submissions to all three of these parliamentary inquiries as well as another submission to the inaugural inquiry of the SA Productivity Commission which examined how to improve the processes around tendering for government contracts and procurement. R&CA has also been fighting hard on behalf of the industry to ensure that increases to liquor licensing costs in South Australia remain both fair and sustainable.

Queensland R&CA has provided the Queensland Government with substantive submissions on several key policy areas, including improvements to the State’s VET system as well as preventing incidences of wage theft.

R&CA’s submission in response to the Government’s Skilling Queensland Discussion Paper is currently under review, with the Association to liaising closely with government stakeholders over the coming months to improve the perception of VET and the hospitality industry. The Association’s submission

to Queensland’s parliamentary inquiry into wage theft was thoroughly quoted and referred to in the final report as evidence. One example of this was R&CA’s arguments and evidence around the cash economy and employees requesting cash rather than electronic payments which was quoted extensively. R&CA is committed to working collaboratively with the Queensland Government as well as other industry and political stakeholder to advance the views of its members.

Western Australia R&CA is committed to working with the Western Australian Government to improve the state’s tourism industry, with the most recently released international visitor survey statistics showing that expenditure in WA by international tourists had decreased by $166 million of 6.8 per cent over the 12-month period between September 2017 to September 2018. R&CA has already helped deliver significant reforms to liquor licensing relaxing some of the restrictions on serving alcohol in licensed restaurants so that international and domestic visitors alike can easily experience many of the fantastic wines on offer in the State. R&CA has also been lobbying local WA Council such as the Town of Victoria Park to ensure that sensible

regulations concerning food trucks are put in place, ensuring that the takings from restaurants are not compromised by their presence. These steps have been taken by the Association to ensure that the State’s thousands of cafés, restaurants and catering businesses are well-equipped to take advantage of the shift from the boom in mining to tourism which continues to gather pace. R&CA has also made a submission to the WA Government’s inquiry into incidences of wage theft, highlighting the importance of getting the facts right in these cases as the label of ‘theft’ is highly charged and emotive, and can have a significant negative impact on a small business, where it is shown that the underpayment is due to error, rather than deliberate.

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FEATURE

Tips for instilling resilience in yourself and your team

By Mark Milic PhD, Clinical Psychologist

WHILE WORK AND society in general have become rapidly more complex, our biology has not changed very much for hundreds of thousands of years. One of our survival instincts is the stress response which prepares us either to avoid threats and danger or confront them. The stress response was very helpful to our ancestors because they mainly faced physical threats such as predators, avalanches or tribal battles.

In modern times however, we are stressed by things like work, bills, mortgages, traffic congestion and fears of missing out because of things we see on social media. These situations still trigger a stress response which prepares us to either fight for survival or run away from danger. In civilised life, however, it usually does not do us any good to fight or run. We must face the situation and deal with it by managing our stress response. The following are some tips for managing stress and increasing resilience.

1. Note that that there are three components to stress. Firstly, there is the TRIGGER (such being stuck in traffic), secondly there is the MENTAL REACTION (worry about being late, for example). Thirdly there is the PHYSCIAL REACTION (such as rapid heart beat). This knowledge reminds us that we have choices in how we cope with stress: By changing the situation, by changing thoughts about the situation or by changing our physical reactions.

2. Here are examples of tips for managing stress triggers: • Noise-cancelling headphones • Blue light filters on smartphones and computers at night • Getting sunlight during the day • Exposure to plants/green environments

• Organise environment to reduce heavy lifting, awkward positions, noise and crowding • Avoid remaining in one physical position for long periods • See also: www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au 3. Here are some quotes designed to help change our mental reaction to stressful situations: • “People are not disturbed by things, but by the views they take of them.”

Epictetus, Philosopher • “For there is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so.”

Shakespeare (Hamlet) • “It’s not stress that kills us, it is our reaction to it.” Hans Selye, Scientist • “The truth is that stress doesn’t come from your boss, your kids, your spouse, traffic jams, health challenges, or other circumstances. It comes from your thoughts about your circumstances.” Andrew Bernstein, Philosopher • “Much of the difference between what is work and what is leisure is branding.”

Nassim Nicholas Taleb, Essayist 4. Finally, here are some strategies for managing physical responses to stress: • Exercise • Short bursts of stress can be heathy (saunas for example) • Eat pre-biotic (high fibre) foods. This helps to prevent weight gain associated with chronic stress • Avoid sugary and highly processed foods • Use a heart variability monitoring app on your smartphone

Welcome recognition of small business, skills and training in the budget THE ASSOCIATION WELCOMED the recognition given to the importance of small business and skills and training in the 2019 Federal budget.

The R&CA had called for funding to extend the instant asset write-off program with a view to expanding the eligibility requirements. Particularly welcome was the announcement that it will be increased from a $20,000 threshold to $30,000.

With 97% of 42,805 businesses in this sector having fewer than 20 employees and many others under the $50 million turnover, Restaurant and Catering businesses will be able 4

to improve their businesses through investing in more updated and productive equipment. This will be further amplified by the reduction of the corporate tax rate for small business from 27.5% to 25% and the higher tax discount rates for unincorporated small businesses which rise from 8% in 2019-20 to 16% by 2021-22.

The Association also welcomed both the $36.3 million over four years to

establish a National Careers Institute and appoint a National Careers Ambassador as well as the employer incentives of $4000 to increase apprenticeship commencements for bakers and pastry chefs deemed to be in shortage. R&CA says that this employer incentive should be widened to cooks, chefs and café and restaurant manager which are also facing significant shortages.

Restaurant and catering businesses are already facing unique challenges, including the intensifying crisis, generated by skills shortages across vital hospitality positions such as cook, chef and café and restaurant manager. 47.3 per cent of business-owners reported experiencing difficulties in filling positions last year. The forecast employment growth for the sector is for an additional 74,700 jobs by May 2023, and without skilled migration the industry simply will not have enough people to train and provide a pipeline of apprentices, with the requisite skills, to ready them for work in the industry, let alone fill the industry’s current vacancies.

However there are serious concerns over the government’s plan to reduce permanent migration by a planned 120,000 places over four years.

The 5.4% increase in all Visa Fees except for those visiting Australia will also make it more expensive to attract much needed skilled people from overseas.

FEATURE

Seven Dining Out Trends 2019 A new multifaceted transparency

HERE ARE OUR predictions for the culinary trends set to dominate global dining in 2019. TheFork Dining Out Trends* highlight the year on year shift in diner expectations and restaurant offerings, with the following seven trends leading the charge in 2019.

Food service that is transparent about the sourcing, origin, growing and processing methods of food.

This includes more transparency around business operations, including pricing, compensations and corporate performance, as well an emphasis on fair trade, diversity and environmental impact.

Victoria’s Project 49 brings to life the food of the local producers of Beechworth and Collingwood, supporting small scale producers and farmers in their local surrounds and working to incorporate seasonable produce such as honey, cheese and homemade pickles, as well as locallyproduced wine.

Sensory thrills beyond a snapshot

Technology continuous growth

Social media has revolutionised the food industry, with restaurants curating menus for maximum social impact.

Now, Instagram Stories, Facebook Live and YouTube have extended this trend beyond a single snapshot, with dining experiences that work well in videos reigning supreme. Restaurants now create plates and beverages with theatre (and video views) at their core.

There has been an increase of technological tools designed for catering both in the backend and in the front end. Drone delivery, robots, app-based checkout, and more; the dining space is increasingly using technology to improve efficiency for consumers and staff. In some cases, tech becomes part of the experience.

Bringing this trend to life is Melbourne’s Rare Hare, located on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula. With a location to “ensconce in, not just see”, the restaurant offers consumers a visual experience made for the ‘Gram. The restaurant, defined by ‘aspect, soil and toil’ has an expansive vineyard attached to the property, while beautiful cocktails such as the High Sparrow and a wood fire pizza oven in the middle of the building add to the video appeal.

TheFork Managing Director Jared Chapman says, “TheFork is a great example of using technology as part of the exploration and discovery phase of dining. We’ve created a place where diners can be inspired and delighted, and save time and money in the process. With so many exciting developments in the dining space in Australia, TheFork is proud to be part of bringing restaurants and diners together in the simplest and best way.”

Meanwhile, Sydney’s The Botanica, is committed to using local growers and farmers to provide its sustainable produce. Its expansive garden and 65-acre farm in New South Wales’ Jamberoo Valley provide ample ingredients for their offering; simple menus that are shaped by the seasons.

Free-from to the extreme The rise of plant-based dining and expanding the offering for specific food needs is informing and influencing a restaurant’s entire operation, including the increase of zero-waste and sustainability policies and philosophies.

It’s no surprise that Sydney is hot on the uptake with plant-based dining, and chef Matthew Kenney’s Alibi is no exception.

Avocado tikka, watermelon poke and vegetable carpaccio are just some of the ways this dynamic restaurant is bringing spark to clean eating. There’s even a plant-based high tea promising a decadent sweet/savoury mix – with champagne (and without the guilt).

Not meals, but experience When eating out, diners are looking for more than a meal. There is a rising demand for experiential or ‘narrative’ dining, including themed restaurants,

multi-sensory dining experiences and temporary – sometimes obscure – pop-up restaurants.

With its candy pink front door, wall murals, and pastel-coloured booths, Daisy’s, nestled in Sydney’s Inner West, takes diners straight back to the oldschool Aussie milk bar. Think gourmet waffles, milkshake and sundaes, as well as a range of jewellery and accessories made by local designers.

Further south, Melbourne’s Hana, a tropical oasis in the centre of the city, transports diners to Maui through tropical cocktails, bar snacks and atmosphere.

Natural enhancements and healthy restaurants The superfood trend is going even further with the introduction of functional ingredients and culinary experiences to benefit the body and mind, such as collagen for beauty, cannabis for relaxation and karkadè for stress relief.

‘Food as medicine’ sits at the core of everything they do at Rosie’s in Coogee, Sydney. They promise a health-centric menu that is all about balance – pairing fresh food with ‘conscious’ cocktails and organic wine – a dining experience that benefits from the inside out.

Growing consumer knowledge Diners will keep taking extra steps to learn more about where and what they eat – particularly with the help of technology, for example using DNA data to create meals catered to personal genetic codes and apps to help diners identify unfamiliar ingredients.

It’s a trend that’s also seeing new realms of ingredient appreciation, similar to the likes of coffee and alcohol. With tea-infused pastries, tea-sangrias and marTEAnis, Tavalon Tea Lounge in Queensland brings consumers a new way of looking at tea, elevating the knowledge and appreciation of the brew through its exploratory concept.

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FEATURE

How a focus on food safety can improve your business Excellent standards of hygiene and how you use your Food Safety Supervisor* can create a point of difference.

THE TOP PRIORITIES for customers heading out on a food adventure are tasty food and a charming, consistent customer experience. But how do you create this experience, complete with first-rate service and an inviting atmosphere?

By Sally Santacruz

Believe it or not, it basically comes down to excellent standards of hygiene and how you use your Food Safety Supervisor to create a point of difference.

Humans are born with about 10,000 taste buds. Evolution originally designed these taste buds to help humans stay healthy. Using taste as a sense, your taste buds actually protect your body from food poisoning or rancid food by assessing whether the food will nourish or kill you. So food hygiene is really where a stellar customer experience starts.

*A Food Safety Supervisor is Mandatory in NSW,VIC, ACT & QLD

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To build trust and strive to meet customer’s expectations, a great starting point is to transform the way your business handles food safety. Let’s look at your food business from top to bottom. It all starts with the kitchen.

Organise your kitchen The kitchen is the soul of a food business. Does your kitchen look confident and clean, or is it a frantic, disorderly mess?

This is where a Food Safety Supervisor can really help to revolutionise your food business.

Get your Food Safety Supervisor to reorganise your kitchen workspaces to make them more efficient, using creative, cost-effective ideas to improve food safety. Here are a few ideas to get you started: • Build your kitchen around your workflow. Consider using what interior decorators call the Golden Triangle. This positions the refrigerator, stove, and sink at the points of a triangle, allowing easy movement between each point.

• Create and implement a FIFO (First In, First Out) food rotation system to ensure your food is always fresh.

• Design a cleaning schedule as part of your Food Safety Program.

• Organise your storage space to save time in daily tasks. You’d be surprised at how such a simple idea, like using labelled containers to sort products, using transparent containers, and installing sliding shelves, can make such a huge difference. Here’s a great example of how you can use food labelling to transform and simplify your storage space.

• While you’re at it, perform a stocktake on all your storage items – containers, pots, pans – to ensure there are no leaks. Chipped plates and cups can actually harbour harmful bacteria and need to be replaced.

• Look at local suppliers to see if there are homemade or locally produced foods you can use in menu items. Put a system in place to ensure all supply deliveries are checked for quality and spoilage before the delivery is accepted.

• Optimise your kitchen to deal with hazards. Make sure your floor is free of obstructions. Buy a fire extinguisher.

All of these tips should free up workspace and ultimately improve productivity.

Foster a culture of high food safety standards Look at your staff and study their habits. How often do they clean or clear tables?

What about water jugs? Are these wiped with a tattered, grimy cloth? Do staff dress professionally, or are their lax hygiene standards damaging the food business’ reputation?

Reduce waste and promote your business’s corporate social responsibility Do you find that you have waste leftover at the end of the day? You could partner with a charity like OzHarvest or a similar community organisation, like a church, to capitalise on this opportunity to do good and give food to those in the community that need it.

Make sure you ask your Food Safety Supervisor to review the food to make sure it’s safe to eat and safely stored before it’s taken away. This will increase organic word of mouth about your business and subtly emphasise your business’s safe food practices.

You can also get more involved in local food festivals and events, or provide customers with the option of donating to a charity. Make sure that the charity you choose to sponsor aligns with your business’s values.

Ultimately, food safety is the cornerstone of best practice in a food business, and a Food Safety Supervisor is your best tool to achieve this. Customers are most happy when they know that their food is safe, high quality, and comes delivered with a pleasant experience. Show that you value your customer’s happiness, rather than just their wallet, and you’ll be two steps ahead of your competitors.

For more information visit: www.foodsafety.com.au

MAKE YOUR RESTAURANT STAND OUT!

It might be time to upgrade your staff ’s food safety skills and knowledge through training. A Food Safety Supervisor can teach this to new workers into the workplace or when assigning them to a new task for the first time. Encourage staff to ask questions. There is no such thing as a bad time to up-skill a worker and increase their confidence.

Also consider how you can use visual cues, such as posters or charts, to encourage workers to adopt hygienic work practices. Make these clear and easy-to-follow.

Anticipate what will make these jobs easier to perform. Food safety is best integrated with strategies to make jobs simpler.

Promote your food safety to customers No, really. Show them you care about their health by making your food safety transparent. Chances are, your competitors haven’t thought to do this.

Design friendly-looking, simple signs that demonstrate your above-board food safety practices, such as little statements that promote your daily cleaning schedule or demonstrate how fresh your food is, how often you receive deliveries from suppliers, and the origins and quality of your food products.

And don’t forget to display your Food Safety Supervisor’s Statement of Attainment on the wall so that customers know that they’re in safe hands with someone who has completed nationally recognised training.

WITH ILLUMINATED LED MENU + BILL folders THE SMALL DETAILS MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE

AKS IMPORTS / 0418 766 308 Enquires: andysims@live.com.au

AKS R&C QTR PG AD 2.indd 1

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14/3/19 3:33 pm

MEMBER PROFILE

Abhi Mahadevan Restaurateur & Sommelier

ABHI MAHADEVAN WAS introduced to the Australian foodservice industry as a young child when he helped his father in the North Strathfield restaurant that was named after him. Abhi’s father, the acclaimed chef Kumar Mahadevan, established Abhi’s Indian Restaurant, with a philosophy based on food, family and tradition which is now a local icon approaching three decades of serving fine cuisine.

Immersed in the family food business environment during the school holidays, Abhi’s interest in the industry grew and his casual work in the restaurant became a greater involvement in the management and overall business operations.

By the time the family opened a second restaurant, Aki’s Indian Restaurant (named after Abhi’s younger brother), in Sydney's prestigious dining precinct at the Woolloomooloo Finger Wharf, Abhi had developed a strong passion for the world of food and wine.

Abhi set out on a professional path studying for the Certified Master Sommelier Program at the age of 22 and travelling to various wine regions around the world to further expand his knowledge in all aspects of wine service including wine and food pairing.

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These international experiences and specialised knowledge of wines led Abhi to reconsider the approach to wines at AKIs and he developed an outstanding local and international wine program.

The contribution of his expertise to the restaurant is reflected by the many wine and food accolades it has received.

With a high-achieving father as a great source of inspiration, Abhi finally fulfilled his own ambition of opening Culina et Vinum in Elizabeth Bay, a restaurant with a modern European take on food and wine as the English translation (kitchen and wine) of its Latin name suggests.

In August last year Abhi was invited to the Central Otago wine region by the New Zealand Institute of Wine. He was also was recognised by Food Service Australia as one of the top “30 Under 30” Industry Players in 2018 who are considered to be making their mark in the foodservice industry and shaping the future of the sector.

This can certainly be said of Abhi, and the Association offers him hearty congratulations.

Abhi's Indian Restaurant 163 Concord Rd, North Strathfield NSW 2137 abhisindian.com.au (02) 9743 3061 Aki's Indian Restaurant 1/6 Cowper Wharf Rd, Woolloomooloo NSW 2011 akisindian.com.au (02) 9332 4600

MEMBER PROFILE

Ormeggio!

Celebrating a decade as a recognised leader of contemporary Italian cuisine in Australia IN 2009 ALESSANDRO Pavoni was the Executive Chef of Park Hyatt Sydney, and was on the cusp of climbing the hotel hierarchy by way of Asia, when he had a heart attack and his life and ambitions abruptly changed. Alessandro’s attention turned to owning his own restaurant and, within a few months of his health scare, he opened Ormeggio at D’Albora Marina The Spit.

That was 10 years ago, and to this day the high culinary art of cutting edge Italian cuisine and fine dining at Ormeggio continues to rival the restaurant’s sensational waterside setting on the north shore of Sydney.

Overlooking Middle Harbour and Pearl Bay, Ormeggio is now a local icon. Year after year it has been awarded a multitude of accolades. A hatted restaurant since opening in 2009, Ormeggio was awarded two Chef's Hats in the Sydney Morning Herald’s Good Food Guide 2019. Ormeggio is currently rated #10 in NSW Delicious 100 list, with the title of Best Italian Restaurant, #44 in Gourmet Traveller’s Australia’s Top 100 Restaurants, Three Hats in the Gault&Millau guide and also in the Australian Good Food Guide.

A key to Ormeggio’s success is its selective evolution over the years. While the restaurant’s initial tagline “Contemporary Italian” remains a constant, its execution has changed with the times and the team.

The “Trip Through Italy” menu launched in 2016 has been a principal concept influencing all matters food and wine. Each dish is inspired by a traditional dish or ingredient from a particular Italian region. This concept deviated for a while, in homage to Head Chef Victor Moya’s roots, by taking the Trip via Spain, which was a magnificent showcase of the synergies between Italy and Spain.

Ten years of success is no small feat in this industry, and Ormeggio continues to shine by fostering its talent, encouraging and sharing its passion for quality with both staff and customers, and continuing to deliver a world class dining experience, with its waterside location, elegant yet comfortable interior, polished service and phenomenal food. Happy birthday Ormeggio!

ONGOING PROMOTIONS BYO Lunches: We are listening! Due to popular demand, Ormeggio will now offer BYO. Bring a bottle of your favourite wine from the home cellar to enjoy with your lunch at Ormeggio! BYO wine is now welcome at $15 per bottle corkage available for lunch bookings with out a la carte or degustation menu.

Early Bird Special: Catch the tail end of sunset, and enjoy an early meal with a 20% discount off the food menu price of our three course a la carte menu or A Little Trip Through Italy degustation menu for bookings at 5:45pm or 6:00pm.

Stressless Sunday Dinners: A local institution…. Relax and let our Chefs cook for you, every Sunday evening. Enjoy our five course Chef's Degustation for only $79 per person.

UPCOMING EVENTS Northern Beaches Rivalry Dinner: Wednesday 5th June Join Alessandro Pavoni and Giovanni Pilu, long time friends and rival chefs, to enjoy a unique collaborative four course menu featuring their Young Talent.

Truffle Dinner: Wednesday 24th July

At the end of last year Ormeggio re-energised once again with the concept focus returning to a Trip to Italy and the launch of a newly styled a la carte menu. This major change is in keeping with current dining trends and customer feedback with a move away from the degustation only menus and combines with offering BYO for lunches.

Enjoy a truly decadent event for truffle lovers, celebrating Australian black truffles.

“The passion the team feels for a particular ingredient, home region, or traditional dish is the guiding light for what is then interpreted into our place in the world. We use the best ingredients, work closely with our suppliers and listen to our guests. We reflect our modern times by using the very latest cooking techniques, while staying grounded in the skills and recognised abilities of the past. We consider our space, by working with local craftsmen on memorable tableware, a comfortable yet beautiful dining room with of course THOSE views, some of the best absolute waterside tables in the country. And of course we work together with the people in our team who come from all over the globe and have skills, experiences and memories that they love to share.”

We've invited back some familiar faces from the Ormeggio family to create a collaborative menu to show off their talents! Featuring Federico Zanellato, Matteo Zamboni, Laura Ballester, Jason Saxby, and Victor Moya.

Fathers Day: Sunday 1st September Alumni Dinner Event: Wednesday 9th October

#10years10dishes: Wednesday 20th November Our final event in celebration of our 10th birthday! A dinner event featuring 10 courses of our signature dishes from the past 10 years. www.ormeggio.com.au www.chiosco.com.au www.alessandropavoni.com.au

– Alessandro Pavoni, Ormeggio 9

FEATURE

Taste our new menu based model RCA have revolutionised the training delivery model for both Apprentice Chefs and Restaurant Front of House Apprentices.

The new Menu based delivery model replaces the old traditional linear approach to training. Units of competencies are clustered into stages which align with recipes, to create a more holistic approach to learning.

Apprentices use a series of recipes to gain the underpinning knowledge & skills they need to be successful in the workplace.

The program will contribute to improved outcomes during Apprenticeships, including boosting productivity and morale, leading to increased rates of uptake, retention and completion.

The intensive upfront training in an institutional setting, together with applying the knowledge and skills into the workplace will ensure Apprentices are more engaged from day one of their Apprenticeship.

Restaurant/Chefs/Employers have found the traditional way of training delivers learning in isolation and the result is Apprentices are less productive as it often takes until their 2nd year of the Apprenticeship until they grasp the key concepts. The Menu based model by clustering learning and aligning them to the practical application of recipes, enables the Apprentice to ‘hit the ground running’ in the kitchen.

Intensive up front learning combined with application in the workplace, results in productive, engage, empowered Apprentices and Employers who see tangible benefits and productivity increases from an earlier stage.

The project aims to attract a broader range of apprentices and secure the supply of qualified people to address ongoing skills shortages and bring broader benefits to the hospitality industry.

RCA has responded to the decline in Apprenticeship numbers in the Hospitality industry by creating the Menu based delivery model in partnership with Australian Training Products.

“We have seen the decline for some time in the uptake of Apprenticeships, we can either hope the decline corrects itself or we can listen to our Industry and identify the challenges. Our Industry has recognised that a new way to deliver training will better engage Apprentices and improve retention, while ensuring a higher return on the investment Restaurant/Chefs/Employers” Taste our new Menu based model!

It is delicious!

For more information please contact Katrina Higham: KatrinaH@australiantrainingproducts.com.au +61 (0)3 9815 7021 +61 417 669 724

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FEATURE

WHAT’S NEW

New from Bega Foods Foodservice

proudly Australian owned and grown

Dairymont Hi Melt Large Burger Slices

Restaurant and Catering release first-ever industry guide to online delivery THE RESTAURANT AND CATERING Industry Association of Australia (R&CA) has published Australia’s first independent resource to help restaurants, cafes and other retailers navigate the online food ordering and delivery industry.

generally. We’ve worked closely with key stakeholders, including restaurants, customers and our corporate partners to create a consolidated resource that we believe will be incredibly useful for the restaurant and catering industry.”

The seven-page ‘master guide’ and series of fact sheets provides essential information and considerations for restaurants either pursuing a new online business stream or already working with an online delivery solution.

Online food ordering and delivery is one of the fastest evolving e-commerce industries globally, with the number of Australian businesses using online food delivery services doubling according to the 2018 R&CA benchmarking report; 31.2 per cent in 2018 up from 15.4 per cent in 2017.

As Australia’s peak industry body representing the interests of 45,000 restaurants, R&CA has designed the educational resource in a bid to dispel common misconceptions around the industry and to provide clarity on investment and return of online ordering and delivery.

Featuring information on major online delivery and ordering providers, Menulog, Deliveroo and UberEats, the guide covers a variety of topics including the opportunities and considerations for food and beverage retailers, financial information and key statistics around the industry.

Supplementary fact sheets also include a comparison of online food delivery providers, an overview of dark kitchens and advice on how to make the most out of an online listing.

R&CA CEO Juliana Payne said, “Online delivery is one of the biggest topics of conversation both within our member network and the food and beverage industry

Specifically developed for consistent professional kitchen performance this product is designed with a larger slice for use with hamburgers, sandwiches and baking/cooking applications. It has a smooth, creamy and mild flavour with a yellow to orange colour which retains consistency on hot food.

Dairymont Cheese Sauce Dairymont Cheese sauce is the perfect accompany as a pour over sauce to Mexican dishes, loaded fries, burgers and more. It’s pale yellow in colour, has a smooth, clean mild cheddar flavour with no artificial colours.

Dairymont Butter Dairymont butter is made in Victoria with fresh milk from Australian dairy farms. It’s creamy & yellow in colour and has a clean, sweet pleasant flavour with delicate aroma.

“The industry’s rapid growth coupled with the increasing media attention it receives, means that it is vital now more than ever to provide restaurants with all the information they need to capitalise on and weigh up the opportunity that online delivery can bring.

“We’d like to thank industry providers, particularly our Gold Association member, Menulog, for their transparent and detailed contribution to this guide,” concluded Payne.

All products are proudly made in Australia, HALAL certified and suitable for Vegetarians

Navigating the online food delivery industry: A guide for food and beverage retailers and series of fact sheets are now available to download on the R&CA website.

Visit http://rca.asn.au/rca/doing-business-better/ for more information.

Contact our Foodservice Customer Care line for more information on info@begafoodservice.com.au Or call 1800 884 886

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ADVERTORIAL

Why Gourmet Burgers Won’t be Disappearing Any Time Soon Australia has always loved burgers. From the humble fish and chip shop burger on a Friday night to classic fast food outlets on a long road trip. But in the past five or six years there has been a rapid increase in popularity of burgers (and burger joints) across Australia. And the burgers have changed.

Instead of the quick-slap together or ‘the lot’ style burgers of last decade, burgers have become gourmet offerings with artisan flavours and pairings. Many are calling this a ‘trend’ that will disappear as quickly as it began. Yes, the world of food is fickle, but we think gourmet burgers are here to stay. Here’s why: If it tastes good, it will stay put: Once you’ve tried a gourmet burger with the freshest ingredients possible, the best bun and top quality meat that’s not thrown together in a hurry for a drive through, you can’t really go back.

If it’s easy to base a business around, it will thrive: Burgers are relatively simple to make and the set up for a shop is easy as you don’t need too much equipment. Think of Shake Shack, opened by high-end chef Danny Meyer who spent his career in fine dining only to find the most success when he moved to burgers.

If it suits all dining levels and needs, it will outlast others: There was a time when casual and fine dining were direct opposites. Now the lines are blurring, and premium casual has become popular among all diners – from families to young couples to retirees.

If there are more combinations, there are more opportunities: This means people don’t see burger joints as one and the same. You may go to one for your favourite fried chicken burger and another for a middle eastern twist.

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Gourmet burgers are here to stay. It’s as simple as that. From fine dining restaurants to holes-in-the-wall, it’s likely you’ll find a burger or two on the menu for years to come. Tip Top Foodservice has expanded its Tip Top Gourmet Burger Range and launched its softest bun ever, the Tip Top Potato Bun. Inspired by on-trend burger outlets in the US, the Tip Top Potato Bun has a light and moist crumb and is softer than traditional hamburger buns.

The new product is pre-sliced to save chefs time and joins Tip Top’s Milk, Briochestyle and Damper Buns, which have already proven popular with outlets around the country.

The Tip Top Gourmet Burger Range includes: • • • • • • • • •

New 4.5” Potato Bun 4.5” Milk Bun 4.5” Brioche Style Bun 2.5” Brioche Style Slider 2.5” Seeded Burger Slider 5” Damper Bun 5” Hamburger Bun 4” Hamburger Bun 7” Hot Dog.

See the full Gourmet Burger Range at: www.tiptop-foodservice.com.au and contact your local distributor to place an order.

pre-sliced BUNS

Our softest bun ever!

NEW

POTato BUn 4.5"

9108

85G / 48 PER CARTON

✓ VEGAN ✓ convenient inner portion packs ✓ 4 months frozen shelf life ✓ freezer to table ✓ available nationally CONTACT YOUR LOCAL FOODSERVICE DISTRIBUTOR TO ORDER NEED TO TRY BEFORE YOU BUY?

tiptop-foodservice.com.au

TM