Catering news Issue 03

OCTOBER 2008

issue no.3

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features in this issue

Welcome to catering news Judging by the feedback received after the second issue of catering news, this publication has been well received by those in the trade. Furthermore, following our appeals in the first two issues, we have even started receiving contributions, comments and suggestions for articles in future issues.

This is not to say we can now sit back and relax. It’s still early days. However, readers’ comments go a long way towards encouraging the Editorial team and spurring us to even greater efforts.

One of the more popular features in CATERING NEWS is the interview with market leaders. This feature affords you the opportunity to air your views publicly, and to come up with suggestions for improvement in your various sectors.

If you would like to be featured at some future date, do let us know. We will be delighted to interview you for a forthcoming issue.

We look forward to hearing from you.

r e l o S h c e Joe Fen Publisher Blues Limited Editor Joe Fenech Soler Design Blues Limited

Accounts Daniel Scicluna Printers Gutenberg Press

Blues Ltd. 104 Ground Floor Dingli Street Sliema MALTA tel 2133 5272/3 fax 2133 5271 email joesoler@maltanet.net Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission from the publisher is prohibited. All rights reserved. Dates, information and prices quoted are believed to be correct at the time of going to press but are subject to change and no responsibility is accepted for any errors or omissions. Neither the editor nor publisher accept responsibility for any material submitted, whether photographic or otherwise. While we have endeavoured to ensure that the firms and organisations mentioned are reputable, the editor can give no guarantee that they will fulfil their obligations under all circumstances. © 2008

P7

Ivan Lanzon Miller

P11

Amand Veranneman

P27

Kevin Decesare

Chef at Exiles Nikki Beach, Sliema.

Vice-Chairman Gozo Tourism Association Malta Hotels and Restaurants Association

oddsandends Have you just taken on a new chef whose name is a by-word in catering circles?

Are you planning regular exhibitions of works by local artists in your reception area or restaurant, with monthly rotation?

Have you just introduced, or are you planning to include some tasty items on your menu?

Has your restaurant/eatery just been redecorated, or undergone an extensive facelift?

Are you thinking of going for a Buffet-style lunch or dinner service on weekdays?

Whatever it is you’re planning, or have undertaken, we would love to hear from you.

Just write or email us and we will make sure that the word gets around.

Just remember that catering news will reach a wide circulation. The people that will be reading it MATTER. Which means you just cannot afford to be left out.

catering news features

Ivan Lanzon Miller Chef at Exiles Nikki Beach, Sliema.

What age were you when you started out in catering?

I started out as a barman at sixteen at Da Pippo, but in reality I was a jack-of-all-trades, washing dishes, helping out in the kitchen… you name it, I did it! It was definitely what I would describe as hands-on experience. I then moved on to TGI Friday’s for a twelve-month stint, after which I joined Café’ Rouge (the former Chains). From there, I worked at Giannini’s in Valletta for another twelve months.

The next step in my career was a six-month course in Ireland, sponsored by the Malta Tourism Authority, to train as a chef. I worked in Kilkenny and Dublin. I worked as an apprentice chef at the Riverside Hotel and at the Dublin Westin. I worked my apprenticeship, starting out as commis chef, did hot and cold larder, grills, sauces, etc. When I came back I spent a year working at Malata in Valletta, followed by some time at Peppino’s.

I then got a post at a five-star ski resort in Austria working as head chef in a boutique hotel.

Basically, I was responsible for preparing gala dinners for groups of thirty people. This entailed my choosing the menus, going into town to select all the ingredients, and supervising the kitchen brigade for the final product. I eventually came back to Malta, did a stint at Capriccio’s and finally took over at Exiles Nikki Beach.

Maltese entrepreneurs who decide to go into the restaurant business generally do so without any experience, with no knowledge of kitchen set-up, menus, etc. They just set the place up and then employ a chef. Would it not be a better idea if the chef is taken on board at an early stage, to give his input about the kitchen set-up, menus, etc?

I couldn’t agree more. I think it is essential for restaurateurs to start off with a chef before embarking on the rest of the project. The chef’s input is most essential for kitchen design, choice and costing of menu and a hundred and one other important decisions. Equally important is a GOOD front-of-house manager. All this does not come cheap, of course, but at least it means the place is off to a good start, and avoids hit-andmiss situations and possibly expensive mistakes which could easily have been avoided in the first place One gets the impression that chefs in Malta seems to be strictly motivated by financial

considerations, unlike their continental counterparts who seem to aim more at customer satisfaction, and for whom financial considerations are possibly of secondary importance…

Let’s be honest. Money IS the biggest incentive.

No doubt about it. What I feel we are not doing properly is something else. A sixteen-year-old student joins the Institute of Tourism Studies, eventually spends a training year in London or some other capital city, comes back and thinks he or she is qualified to run a kitchen. In my opinion, this is just not on. A good chef needs a thorough grounding, working in different kitchens and gaining experience – five years at the very least – before even considering running a kitchen.

I have to admit that I made this mistake myself. At thirty years of age, I now have another opportunity to go abroad and gain more experience.

What is your opinion of menus on offer at local restaurants? I often hear comments that most menus tend to gravitate towards the same or similar choices. It is a well-known fact that Maltese diners tend to prefer pasta and fish, but don’t you think restaurateurs can come up with more creative menus?

A good chef needs a thorough grounding, working in different kitchens and gaining experience five years at the very least – before even considering running a kitchen.

You’re right. Menus in local establishments do tend to have a lot in common. Unfortunately, they are put together to cater for diners’ preferences, and it’s not easy to change these preferences. Being so close to Italy, we tend to emulate their eating habits. One way to try and improve the product is by chefs opting for fresh produce like fresh pasta and sauce ingredients, making better use of fresh poultry, meat and game. We have to be more creative. Let’s face it, if a restaurant offers fresh fish landed just hours before, there is very little that can go wrong as long as it is cooked properly.

Without a doubt, however, chefs have to be more creative, bearing in mind that they are not cooking a meal for their families at home, but rather, for a much more discerning clientele.

If you had your own restaurant, what would you offer, bearing in mind that local dinersout have a preference for pasta and fish dishes?

I would still put a good selection of pasta dishes on my menu, but I would opt for fresh pasta. Most restaurants offering, say, ravioli, generally serve ravioli from the same suppliers, whereas fresh continued on page 9 ...

Gordon Ramsay Michelin Star Chef

catering news • october 2008 • 7

25, Triq il-Merill, St. Maria Estate, Mellieha, MLH 2572 - Malta Tel. 21 523 286 Fax. 21 521 567 Mob. 79496445, email. info@dentrade.com.mt web. www.dentrade.com.mt

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catering news features continued from page 7 ... ravioli would make all the difference. The same goes for fresh pastas and fresh sauces. One can still be creative, even with such simple cuisine. One has only to visit some restaurants in neighbouring Sicily to understand what I mean.

Maltese cuisine offers quite a decent selection of what I would describe as good food. Can we not introduce some of these dishes on our menus, instead of just sticking to triedand-tested Italian dishes? Dishes like stuffed courgettes, stuffed aubergines, etc?

I agree. I would just love to see a local restaurant offering these dishes. Dishes like beef olives (bragioli), stuffed flank (falda mimlija) etc would definitely go down well. We’re lucky to have some very good Maltese dishes which we could offer.

Perhaps some enterprising restaurateur could offer a mixed menu of Italian and Maltese dishes.

When I come back from abroad, I would look forward to opening a Maltese INEXPENSIVE fine dining restaurant offering typical Maltese cuisine.

Back to your career, your move to the UK. I understand you’re joining International chef Gordon Ramsay’s team. Who exactly is Gordon Ramsay?

Basically, Gordon Ramsay is someone I would describe as a man-in-a-million. He has been awarded a number of Michelin stars – the ultimate accolade for a restaurateur - runs twelve restaurants in London and another ten scattered in various countries, Trained in France. Started from scratch, and climbed the ladder from the lowest rung. Worked in one-, two- and three-star restaurants, returned to London, opened his first restaurant and never looked back.

How did you manage to arrange to join Gordon Ramsay’s team?

By being in the right place at the right time. The brother of a Frenchman I used to work with is a sous chef at PECTUS, a London restaurant. I sent in a CV, and to cut a long story short, I was offered this post.

What exactly are you going to do? Are you going to be working as a chef?

My intention was to start out as a commis, peeling potatoes and doing all sorts of other “lowly” kitchen jobs. However, I was told that my CV showed I was over-qualified for this work. I am now starting as chef de partie, with my own station. I can be working on meat, salads, fish… It will be a fantastic experience, and I think all chefs should go for something like this, broadening

their outlook and coming back with a totally different mentality.

I know it won’t be easy. Gordon Ramsay is considered a hard taskmaster. But the experience will be well worth it. I’d rather do it this way than get more so-called training in a local restaurant from some half-trained chef. Although I will be the first to admit that there are quite a number of excellent chefs in Malta. No doubt about that.

You mention the existence of some excellent local chefs. Would these chefs be prepared to pass on their knowledge and train a new generation? I get the feeling sometimes that most of them hold back from imparting their knowledge, for obvious reasons.

This may be the case, especially in restaurants.

However, the majority of our top chefs work in hotels. And the younger generation, just out of catering school, don’t want to work in hotels.

However, if one shows determination and is willing to work hard, Maltese chefs would be willing to pass on their knowledge.

My dream is to earn a Michelin Star.

No one has achieved this in Malta so far.

In your case, you’re 30 years old and you’re joining Gordon Ramsay’s team.

Of course. In catering you never know enough.

There’s always more to learn. The trade is very similar to the fashion scene. It’s always changing.

My advice to budding chefs is to start from the very bottom, work your way up step by step, and always aim to work with the best chefs possible. And without running down the local establishments, I feel it is important to gain experience abroad.

If you manage to work in a Michelin Star restaurant, you learn a lot. You learn braising, slow cooking, confis, etc. We tend to lack this experience in Malta.

During this phase of your training, I don’t imagine you’ll be earning a huge salary. In fact, knowing you, I imagine you’d probably be willing to do it for pin money. What advice would you give chef trainees in this regard?

I’ll be honest. Financially, I was doing well in Malta.

With Gordon Ramsay I’ll be making half as much as I was making here. Living in London is not exactly cheap. In the end I might just break even. But it’s a question of ambition. My year in London with Gordon Ramsay will pay for itself a hundredfold.

What do you plan to do when you come back?

What are your goals in life?

My dream is to earn a Michelin Star. No one has achieved this in Malta so far. I know it’s hard,

and the chances of it being awarded to a local establishment are slim. But if I can manage to achieve it in London, or for that matter anywhere in Europe, that would be a dream come true.

What exactly is a Michelin Star?

One Star means the food is very good. Two Star means it’s excellent. Three Star… basically, the chef takes you through a journey, offering a twenty-course meal in a couple of hours.

The Stars are awarded by the French Michelin Guide. The representatives come to your restaurant without your being aware of their presence – not just once, but twenty times during a twelvemonth period – and they rate you. They give you One Star. They come again for a second series of visits, and they might give you Two Stars. If your food is out of this world, they give you three. If, however, they turn up one day and your food is not up to the previous standard, they will then proceed to remove the Star.

I know of a particular restaurant in France whose chef unfortunately took his own life after the Michelin Guide removed his Star because they felt his standards had gone down.

That’s how seriously they take these prestigious Awards!

catering news • october 2008 • 9

catering news features

Amand Veranneman Vice-Chairman Gozo Tourism Association

talks to Joe Fenech Soler

Who is Amand Veranneman? Where does he come from? What has he done? How did he end up in Gozo?

Before I came to Gozo I had been a graduate from the International Hotel and Catering and Tourism Studies Institute in Brussels, a very well-known Institute with a world-wide reputation. I have also worked for GB.BM/Inno in Belgium. I was responsible for the day-to-day running of their catering outlets from north to south and west to east.

After all these years of experience in the tourism industry, in catering, marketing and sales techniques, I organised a seminar with participants coming from America under the famous Juret, so I had a very good formation. I therefore came over with considerable experience to the island of Gozo.

involved in politics, in Belgium I was approached under a protocol between the Maltese government involving tourist projects, and that’s how I came to the Maltese Islands. I was also involved in the opening of the Conference Centre and the running of the catering restaurants, and also the running of the Catering School at the Conference Centre for a few years.

I then came over to Gozo to look up some friends who were interested in setting up the best restaurant in Gozo. This led to my opening the Auberge Ta’ Frenc, which I partly owned. I then opened Auberge Chez Amand, and now I have my own place, Chez Amand in the beautiful Qbajjar

Bay in Marsalforn, which I am running together with my daughter Carolyn.

But why Gozo? Why didn’t you open a place in Malta?

When I was in Malta, I asked what Gozo was like.

I was told that it was just a couple of rocks. So I decided to check it out. At that time I was staying at the Excelsior hotel, so I caught the ferry GHAWDEX from Sa Maison to see for myself. I immediately fell in love with the place. Gozo – you either love it or hate it. There is no in between. If you love it, you stay. If you hate it, you have to leave. As I said, I loved it, and I simply stayed here. continued on page 13 ...

And what made you choose to end up in Gozo, of all the places in the world?

As my other part of the family was

Amand Veranneman (third from left) with his family.

catering news • october 2008 • 11

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catering news features continued from page 11 ...

How long have you been in Gozo?

I have now been here for nearly thirty years.

And can you tell us what you’ve managed to achieve in all this time?

During this time I have opened up a number of restaurants, including the one I now run. I was also involved in setting up an exchange programme between the Ministry for Gozo and our school in Belgium for Gozitan students to attend crash courses and undergo training in five-star restaurants and five-star hotels, and for students from Belgium to come over for threemonth training sessions. This was a very successful project, and we hope to continue this project through the Ministry and Belgium.

I also got involved when the Gozo Tourism Association was set up, together with the Malta Tourism Association which is the authority, while the GTA is like the MHRA, which is involved with all the stakeholders of the industry in Gozo. I have been working very hard to give something back, which is my way of thanking the authorities for letting me settle in this beautiful island.

I am also responsible for the marketing of Gozo as a distinct destination on most of the European main fairs… World Travel Market, ITB, Milan. So I feel I have been giving something back to the Gozo community.

If you had to go back in time for thirty years, what would you have done to Gozo, based on your vast experience?

First of all, I would always have marketed this place as The Maltese Islands… Malta, Gozo and Comino.

That’s how people should know them, and that’s how people will come here. I distinguish the three islands one from the other. Thirty years ago, as a foreigner I would have assessed the tourist zones, I would have improved on the beaches. I would have given the Gozitans the possibility to see how the system works abroad and how it could work here. There are many islands similar to Gozo which go much further than us in infrastructure. They have manipulated and they have trained their people for the tourist areas and for the tourist islands.

Is Gozo a whole tourist zone? I am the first one to say yes. There are no tourist areas of Gozo, and I will tell you why. The whole of Gozo should be declared as a tourist area because we are promoting the niche market as self-catering accommodation. If we want to do the farmhouses as in the village squares, they are all on the village

outskirts, so they are not in tourist zones. But that should be declared a tourist zone, because at the moment, even after thirty years, that is still what Gozo is depending on. The hotels we had thirty years ago were fantastic hotels.

When I look back at some five-star hotels… I don’t know what has gone wrong. Probably the expenses, the infrastructure… the stakeholders who invested so much money in the catering industry and in these five-star hotels were not backed up by the government to continue to give the service and the accessibility to attract quality people to this island.

Let’s look at the present. How would you treat Gozo? Would you treat Gozo independently?

What needs to be done to bring Gozo back to what it was thirty years ago?

I believe that in the first phase we have already passed a lot of comments regarding the way Gozo should be treated. We have drawn up master plans, a Gozo plan, an action plan. Unfortunately, everything seems to take so long, and so many meetings are held, and we have to wait and wait, and nothing is being done.

If I look at Gozo now, we have tourist areas… I take as examples Marsalforn, Qbajjar, Xlendi, Gnejna, Ramla, Qala, Mgarr… I would see the potential of these areas and set up a master plan straight away where we can take immediate action. A local council like Zebbug, as an example, can’t take responsibility to look after tourist areas like Marsalforn, Xwejni and Qbajjar. We have to set up a committee of troubleshooters BEFORE the season, in January and February, until Easter, with a plan for works to be completed before May. This has to be painted, this beach has to be put in order, this area has to be cleaned…

All this has to be completed well before the season starts. Take this area of Marsalforn, Qbajjar and Xwejni. A lot can be done with very little money. Why do I have to wait for ages to make a small artificial beach? This is something that can be done very quickly. So why do I have to wait for a master plan? Why do I have to wait for a bit of asphalt in a tourist zone?

I agree that the government has done a lot for Gozo on the big issues, but the small areas, the tourist areas have been left behind. We have people who have been coming here for five or six years, and they tell us that everything is still the same. Okay, one might say it is the charm of Gozo, but the visitors don’t take it like that any more.

I agree that the government has done a lot for Gozo on the big issues, but the small areas, the tourist areas have been left behind.

We have people who have been coming here for five or six years, and they tell us that everything is still the same.

continued on page 15 ... catering news • october 2008 • 13

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catering news features

continued from page 13 ...

We now have service providers on the web, who are projecting Gozo like a paradise. But when the visitors come here, they find it completely different. Let’s take self-catering accommodation.

Government did not put its foot down and exercise proper control. Now we have a situation where if someone builds a room at the back to keep rabbits, it’s described as a farmhouse. So when we are projecting a farmhouse abroad, people think it’s in a country area. The Malta Tourism Authority has a responsibility to ensure that the right information is projected on the web. We are losing the product day by day, because we are projecting a paradise, and when people come here they are finding their own accommodation.

So would you agree with me when I say that Gozo should project a different brand of tourism, maybe more five-star hotels, maybe a Mediterranean haven like Lampedusa?

And what level would you go for? Would you go for the masses, would you go for diving, would you go for five-star hotels and keep it exclusive?

You have a point. But what I would like to state, to answer your question correctly, is that trends have changed. We now have low-cost airlines. Okay, we’ll benefit from these airlines, because they will bring top people who want to come over because they have their property here. But what we want to ensure is that Gozo has to be treated separately as a distinct destination. This has been accepted by the prime minister in many of his speeches, and the MTA now has a Gozo unit, although it is being headed by a Maltese. I don’t agree. I think this unit should be headed by a Gozitan.

The chairman of Gozo Channel is a Gozitan. The Gozo unit on the MTA for marketing purposes should give us the funds to do our own marketing, and we will go much further.

Most definitely, government has to promote Gozo abroad as a distinct destination. For its scuba diving. For its walking tourism. For its countryside.

For its tranquillity. For its heritage. And THEN we come to the product. Then we have to see that the product is right. If you promote, for instance,

walking tourism, you need a proper walking trail.

If you promote Gozo as a place for farmhouses and country houses and town houses, promote this sector in the right way.

You want to promote the villages, the folklore festas, the social events.

Why have we not done anything on watersports and beaches? Why don’t we have Blue Flag status in Ramla yet, with showers and lifeguards? What about Qbajjar Bay, where the Gozo Sailing Club is situated? Why can we not have funds to promote sailing courses abroad? We can attract youngsters to follow sailing courses in Gozo when they stay in farmhouses with their parents. Okay, let us do it. We have all the tools. But nobody is doing anything.

Given the choice, what would you choose for Gozo – a bridge, a helicopter service, an airplane service, a seaplane service? Are you satisfied with the ferry service?

We don’t need the bridge. Gozo Channel is doing a fantastic job. The helicopter is a different story.

It was a good service. A direct service. And when we had the helicopter service we used to have skydiving. During the Christmas season we used to be full with skydivers. Remember, we are just three hours away from most European destinations.

Skydivers practice sport in the mountains of Morocco. Why not Gozo?

That’s why I deplored the attitude of the authorities at that time. When they knew that the helicopters and the pilots were not operating within European Union legislation, they should have tried to reach agreement with another helicopter company, and Gozo would not have lost its five-star tourism.

Let us not forget that Ta’ Cenc, Mgarr Hotel and Kempinski depended on the helicopter. That was already a niche market in itself.

I want the airstrip first of all for the locals, for communication between both islands. Secondly, with the helicopter buildings, it can be classed as a small airport. More job creation. Thirdly, I can see a

small pilot school for small aircraft. Another niche market. Come to Gozo to get your small aircraft licence. And we can also promote skydiving.

Why is such an emphasis being made on cruise liners? Let the cruise liners come. Let the skydivers come back. Give us the tools. Give us a small airstrip and a small aeroplane, and this island will make great leaps forward.

You have a lot of ideas. Would you say the Ministry for Gozo has done enough for Gozo in the past 25 years? I am asking this question because there are so many committees and they discuss and discuss, and as a Maltese, I get the impression that very little seems to get done.

I think the Ministry for Gozo has achieved a lot, and definitely, with the money from the European Union, a lot has been done for this island. What the Ministry seems to be lacking are the people who are responsible for the beaches, for the tourist zones. The truth is that we don’t have the right people in the right places over here. I think the Ministry has done an enormous amount of work, especially in the past ten to fifteen years, but they have not overseen the small tourist zones and the tourist areas.

A lot can be gained with small things. We know that the big project like the San Lawrenz road had to be done. What about public toilets near the dive sites? We have been asking for co-ordination with Ministry trouble-shooters. We need proper staff who will handle all these minor problems and more importantly, who can get things done with the minimum of fuss. Unless these little things are sorted out, we will keep on losing repeat business.

In Malta we have a continuous problem with restaurant staff. How do you cope with this problem in Gozo?

There have been improvements in that sector in human resources through the MTA, through European Union funds. Seminars and courses have been held for catering staff, cleaners, continued on page 17 ...

catering news • october 2008 • 15

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catering news features

continued from page 15 ... house-keeping. The MTA is doing a good job in human resources. What you have to remember, however, is that Gozo depends on seasonality.

What happens here is that a lot of restaurants are owned by families who have other businesses. To attract good staff, you have to pay.

I think we can improve with the Institute of Tourism Studies. The sum of 800,000 Euro is being spent on the ITS Training Centre. I hope that this time they will put the right people in the right place.

I would suggest that the Ministry for Tourism and the Ministry for Gozo give a boost to the ITS in Gozo and turn it into a first-class restaurant. When you get foreign people coming to Gozo, that’s where you take them for lunch. The ITS should be a showcase, and the trainees should realise that they can make a career in catering. If we want to improve the service in restaurants and hotels, we have to create a showcase in the Institute of Tourism Studies.

In a recent interview with Joe Bonello from ITS, he mentioned that they only turn out 200 qualified students per year, and most of them go and work abroad. Don’t you think producing just 200 is too little for these islands with so many catering establishments?

Of course it’s too little. What we have to emphasise is that from year five, we have to promote that catering is a career. That is why I am emphasising that the ITS has to be a showcase where students can show their skills. You can make a career by helping students to choose when they are twelve years old. When students are thirteen or fourteen, they have to be attending Catering School. They have to choose… either food preparation, sales and marketing or food service. That’s how they are trained. The only way you might lose out is that when they are trained, they might go to Malta and work in the five-star hotels, which is what already happens now.

Not many hotels in Gozo can boast that they have trained staff from ITS, because a lot of good people who have been abroad have chosen to work in five-star hotels in Malta, not far away from Gozo.

I really want to emphasise that ITS in Gozo has to be a showcase where students have to show their skills. Whenever there is a fair or an event in Gozo, the youngsters from the Qala Catering School will be there displaying their skills. This, in turn, will attract even more entrants.

I trained at the International Catering and Tourism School in Brussels, which is the showcase of Belgium. Most top caterers trained there and you now find them all over the world.

Why does Switzerland have a famous catering school? Because they have a reputation.

Why can’t Gozo have a reputation?

It’s important to realise, however, that not everybody can be a manager. You need people who want to work in the kitchen. Equally important is the waiting staff. I was the first one in Belgium, when I set up a training centre for the big company I worked for, to call waitresses HOSTESSES. A hostess in the air, apart from technical and safety skills, is the same as a waitress in a restaurant on the ground.

When the staff are called waiters or waitresses, it’s degrading. When a girl says she is a resident hostess at Chez Amand, it sounds much better.

But they don’t push trolleys like in an aeroplane, and they don’t hand out pre-packed lunches from the microwave.

I feel there should be grants from the European Union to enable restaurateurs in Gozo to retain their staff in winter, so that they will then remain with us in summer.

Talking of seasonality, don’t you think the time has come for restaurants in Gozo, and even in Malta, to perhaps open only in the summer months? This is what restaurants do in Positano and Taormina. They work very hard in summer and close down in winter.

No, I don’t believe that this should happen. We get visitors in winter, for conferences, short breaks, etc. and they need restaurants to go to. No, I don’t agree with you. I believe Gozo has a very good potential for winter tourism. We have the climate, the countryside, we have the walking trails. So let us provide the right product for the walkers.

One final question, Amand. How do you relax?

I don’t really relax. I love this profession so much that I try to involve myself in lots of things. I want to know what I can do to improve our product… all the time.

When the staff are called waiters or waitresses, it’s degrading.

When a girl says she is a resident hostess at Chez Amand, it sounds much better.

But they don’t push trolleys like in an aeroplane, and they don’t hand out pre-packed lunches from the microwave. catering news • october 2008 • 17

catering news issue no.3

“Excellence in quality is consistently being recognised“ Those were the words I heard from Mr Rizzo when I was at his office to interview him.

Today Double R Meats is part of the Rimus group of companies, both Steve Rizzo partner and managing director, and Chev. Peter Muscat Scerri chairman of the Rimus group, strongly believe in the quality Harmony Farm which originates from Ireland is consistently analysing the local market with regards to fresh beef, and today the demand for various cuts is growing tremendously.

Extract from The Sunday Times dated 6th June 2004

It was way back in 2004 when Double R Meats took the opportunity to introduce fresh chilled beef into the local market since then the brand Harmony Farm has been recognised for its quality, and demand is increasing dramaticaly.

“One has to mention and appreciate that behind this success there is my team that always promote this brand with great confidence” Mr Rizzo appreciates and thanks all his clients for trusting the Harmony Farm brand for their requirements.

Double R sales team Back row left to right: Frankie Aquilina, Martin Farrugia Front row from left to right: Gail Rizzo, Sean Rizzo, Lorraine Parnis

the team who make it happen

catering news • october 2008 • 18

catering news issue no.3 BUTCHERS ATTARD Aussie, Premier Cut, New butcher, Howard BALZAN Tal-laham.com, ARG B’KARA Chamb, Bismark, Tarcisio, Smart, Joe’s, Renos, Ta’Paris, Marks, Parktowers BUGIBBA Starlight, MJM, luciano Meatmarket, Charles BBUGIA Superstar FGURA Central, Chain s/market FLORIANA Buffalo GUDJA The butcher shop GZIRA London HAMRUN Australian, J&I, Cesula, Geranz IBRAGG Greens LUQA Gori MARSA Prime Ltd, 4 steps MELLIEHA Dingli, Ivan’s MOSTA Aguis, Continental, Creation, Modern M’SCALA Michael’s, Supreme MSIDA Corner, Family, London MGARR Snowhite NAXXAR Charles, Victory, Buffalo, Frans, Nickys, Cilia PACEVILLE Angus QORMI Domnic,Mangion, Anglu, Glenn, John’s, T Bone SAN GWANN SGS, Highway, Wentworth SLIEMA Cilia, Crown, Mario’s, Parktowers SIGGIEWI Paul’s ST.PAUL’S Antonio TA GIORNI Dalli’s ZABBAR Baron, Gordon, Welcome, Chain ZEBBUG Tal – Karrubin ZURRIEQ Nekkus, Grixti GOZO Master Cut Meats, Peters, Teddy’s, Carpark, Arcadia, Ta’ Natu, Tal- Mija

Because we want satisfied customers with satisfied customers

“Mr Rizzo appreciates and thanks all his clients for trusting the Harmony Farm brand for their requirements.”

Double R Meat Co Ltd tel. 2149 9941/ 2149 8413

CATERING BUGIBBA Venus, Wagon steak House, La Stalla, Sofra Kiosk, Mirabelle, Angelo’s 2, Villamare, Ta’ Pawla B’BUGIA Bite Size GOLDEN BAY SASGolden Sands Resort LUQA Airport Canteen MOSTA Olympic, Ta’Maria MDINA Xara Palace MELLIEHA Paradise Bay Hotel, Rebeccha’s, Sea bank Hotel, Il-Mithna,Riviera Resort,Luna complex M’SCALA Tal-Familja, La Favorita, 19th Twenty al Cafe MADLIENA Madliena Cottage M’XLOKK La Campana, Bukkett, Ron’s MGARR Mgarr Football, Ta’Soldi NAXXAR Mustang American Bistro PACEVILLE The Avenue, Buffalo Bill, Hard Rock, Mozzarella’s, Henry J Beans, Westin Dragonara Resort, Corinthia San Gorg, Corinthia Marina Hotel, SAS Radisson Baypoint QAWRA Michelangelo, Ruben’s Drive inn, Chaplin’s RABAT Il Veduta SALINI Coastline Hotel, Ta’Cassia, SENGLEA Nejna Wine Bar SLIEMA Mimi, Ta’Pina, Tigne Cafe, Snoopy’s, Preluna Hotel ST.JULIANS Wigis, Peppino’s ST PAUL’S BAY Terragon, Harleys, Portobello PACEVILLE Fregattina PEMBROKE Sprach Cafe VALLETTA Malata, Da Pippo’s, Fumia, Eddie’s, Dagostino, Pin Tonin, Rubino, Capistrano, Phoenicia VITTORIOSA Del Borgo, Lupanara, Don Berto GOZO Ta’Frenc, Kempinski San Lawrenz Resort, Il-Kartell, D Bar Cafe, Grand Hotel catering news • october 2008 • 19

44-46 Old Bakery Str, Valletta MALTA • tel: 2122 5039 / 2122 3999 • fax: 21239452 • email: alex.arrigo@nmarrigo.com

catering news issue no.3

Casa Vinicola

Sartori Tradition looking into the future The first step was taken by Pietro Sartori when he bought a vineyard with a small cellar near Negrar to assure supply of good quality wine for his hotel. This marked the birth of Casa Vinicola Sartori and wine has been the vocation carried forward by the Sartori family since then.

the art & culture of our homeland live in the spirit of our wines

The company has now passed its centenary in (1998) and a fourth generation of Sartori’s is now at the helm. The company has gone from small-scale production for Pietro’s hotel requirements to supply of many markets on a global scale with exports now comprising 80% of the company’s turnover; making Sartori a true international enterprise.

However, all through this development, Sartori have maintained their links with production in the Valpolicella area but with a real focus on innovation, especially in the field of winemaking.

Increasingly, the character of a wine needs to express something of its terroir and the history and culture of its homeland.

Its as if the essence of a place finds ideal expression in the way in which a wine caresses the senses.

This is obviously true of the wines of Verona. a meeting of the history of the city and its culinary and viticultural traditions; between the culture of good food and wine. this becomes irresistible for those who are attracted or filled with curiosity about the Arena amphitheatre, about Opera and about the love shared by Juliet and Romeo.

44-46 Old Bakery Str, Valletta MALTA tel: 2122 5039 / 2122 3999 fax: 21239452 email: alex.arrigo@nmarrigo.com

catering news • october 2008 • 21

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Standard Features: Airconditioning, Power Steering, Driver’s Airbag, Rubber Flooring in the loading area

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Standard Features: Airconditioning, Power steering, driver’s airbag, immobilizer, rev counter and adjustable headlamps

Price 1.4HDI

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Jumpy Fuel Consumption: 8.4l/100km (combined), CO2 emission 191 g/km, Jumper Fuel Consumption: 7.9 l/100km (combined), CO2 emission 208 g/km, Berlingo Fuel Consumption: 6.7 l/100km (combined), CO2 emission 143 g/km, Nemo Fuel Consumption: 5.7 l/100km (combined), CO2 emission 119 g/km

catering news issue no.3

THE NEW BERLINGO: GO: The New Berlingo is an artful blend of LCV and passenger car, combining practicality with comfort and ride features that are new to the small van segment. For example, it is equipped with the running gear of the C4 Picasso for optimum ride comfort even on the worst road surfaces.

The New Berlingo also sets the standard in acoustic comfort through its aerodynamic design and the absorbent materials used in the cabin, dashboard and engine compartment. Each detail of the vehicle has been carefully thought out.

The New Berlingo has an ergonomic driving position with prestige features, including a height and reach-adjustable steering wheel, a comfortable, height-adjustable driver’s seat and a dashboard-mounted gearlever. It also ships with a long list of equipment to make professionals’ lives easier, such as a speed limiter, cruise control and a Bluetooth® hands-free kit.

Underlining in its innovative, practical and economical nature, the New Berlingo can be fitted with a new navigation radio featuring a built-in navigation system with colour screen, a Bluetooth® hands-free kit as standard, a CD player compatible with mp3 and WMA files and an auxiliary connection for personal music systems.

Safety features for professionals Professionals, like private customers, want to travel in safety.

To meet their requirements, the New Berlingo is fitted as standard with ABS and emergency brake assist. It is also available with EPS, hill-start assist, a tyre-pressure monitor and a worksite pack for extreme requirements. At the same time, it ships with a choice of bulkheads, from the five-bar ladder fitted as standard, to a partition with a removable flap, with or without high-set meshing. For maximum safety, the New Berlingo can be fitted with up to six airbags, depending on the country. It thus becomes the benchmark in the small van segment for active and passive passenger safety.

High-performance business partner The New Berlingo ships from launch with a choice of three engines: the 90 bhp 1.6i 16V petrol and HDi 75 and HDi 92 diesels. All three units are mated to a 5-speed manual gearbox. The HDi 92 engine will be equipped with a particulate filter from December 2008. With this new engine, the New Berlingo will qualify for the Airdream® eco-label.

Citroën’s latest small vans aims to be economical to run with its robust, washable materials and longer servicing intervals.

The New Berlingo is also an excellent manager. It ships with a new service that lets professional customers optimise their fleet management costs. This innovative service remotely transmits the information essential to first-class fleet management (total and partial mileage, consumption, oil levels, pre-servicing mileage exceeded, etc.) on a regular and automatic basis. This Citroën Active Fleet Data service will be available in France from the launch of the New Berlingo. It will subsequently be extended to other Citroën vehicles and other countries.

The New Berlingo has a wide range of equipment to ensure the security of both passengers and goods. It ships with selective locking of the cabin and load area, along with deadlocks depending on the trim level. In addition, the rear swing doors are panelled as standard, with concealed hinges that prevent them from being forced open.

For information on the wide range of commercial vehicles, visit Muscats Motors Ltd, Rue D’Argens, Gzira or call on 2326 4584/5 www.citroen.com.mt catering news • october 2008 • 23

catering news issue no.3

Arena Laundry Ltd,

Malta’s foremost in the laundry and

Established in 1906 and founded by Concetta Arena, the services initiated as an in-house laundry in Valletta, were later taken over by her son Anthony. To date Arena Laundry and Dry Cleaning, has developed into a distinguished professional company, and administered by William and Joseph Arena born in the laundry Industry.

Arena Laundry & Dry Cleaning is equipped with high capacity machinery maintaining a high output with a short turnaround time. Due to the recent expansion project, the company performs its operations from a 5300 sq.m factory situated B38 Bulebel Industrial Estate, Zejtun. The company provides a high standard of hygiene to leading hotels and individual personnel, under the supervision of Seitz, GmbH from Germany.

catering news • october 2008 • 24

Thanks to their representatives twice yearly visits, Seitz perform continuous monitoring, auditing, as well as overall supervision concerning the maintenance of all wash cycles. All imported chemicals come under EU regulations and standards. Analysis on materials is carried out at an independent laboratory in Germany to check whether there is any deterioration in the washing process. The company has made a lot of investment since September of 2005 to further enhance the quality and efficiency of Arena Laundry Limited.

The plant consists of a REVERSE OSMOSIS, three P45 continuous batch washers with a maximum output of 3500kgs per hour distributed in eighteen dryers. Three flatwork-ironers/finishers & folders plus a stack and fold produce an average of 1800 sheets per hour. In addition,

they also handle another 3000 items consisting of pillow cases and table linen for the same duration. Arena Laundry operates five towel folders with three different folds simultaneously.

Two dry cleaning machines, eight presses, three iron hand finishers, two Hi-tech Trouser finishers and two Jacket/dresses finishers.

Arena Dry-Cleaning employees are trained and experienced in their respective fields. Specialised duties are professionally distributed to skilled individuals working in the suede and leather cleaning and garment dyes departments.

Wedding dresses and other delicate materials are given priority with all our esteemed clients.

Moreover, the company is also performing onsite professional carpet cleaning by Dry Fusion UK, without doubt a unique and effective carpet cleaning and maintenance system in the world.

catering news issue no.3

dry-cleaning industry.

The company also provides LINEN RENTAL SERVICES to most leading hotels and restaurants throughout Malta & Gozo. Customers have a choice of service from; same day, next day or 48 hours and Arena Laundry will meet their needs. Online booking can be obtained from our website on www. arenalaundry.com. It is yet another convenient source from your home or office. Collection and Delivery is FREE.

catering news • october 2008 • 25

catering news features

Kevin Decesare

Malta Hotels and Restaurants Association, talks to Joe Fenech Soler Kevin, coming straight to the point, what is the situation in the tourist industry at the moment?

At the moment one can say that the first six months of this year were not bad. The last three months, which is the third quarter – July/August/ September – have been challenging. There was a drop in the five-star market, but overall, tourist figures were slightly up. As you know, new hotels have been opened, like the Excelsior with 430 rooms, and the Palace, and if we don’t double the increases, we have a problem. There is a problem with the length of stay. We have a situation where I think so far, to date, length of stay has dropped by about point four or point five. In effect, point five on eight and a half or nine days translates into twelve or fourteen percent, which means we have to have twelve or fourteen percent more tourists to make up for that loss of beds. So although I wouldn’t say summer wasn’t a disaster by a long shot, it was challenging. Much more was expected

after last year’s performance.

Last year was good. With the introduction of low cost carriers and the competition of Air Malta, where they were more aggressive and more competitive, and the opening up of new routes with the low cost carriers like Ryan Air and German Wings… There are problems with these companies… some of them are stopping because of increased fuel costs. German Wings are stopping. It’s mainly the big two, Ryan Air and EasyJet who have just started now, are the important players. My worry is the winter quarter, where if I am not mistaken, there are 30,000 less seats. We only have a sixty percent load capacity in winter. People today are very choosy. Today fuel costs a lot, parking costs a lot. Everyone is being squeezed due to credit cuts, home repossessions, worries about losing one’s job… it’s not an easy time.

It seems to me, somehow, that planning in

tourism is not working. A lot of meetings are held, but everything takes a long time to happen.

Well, the government isn’t a private company.

Which means a private company will probably pay more, will give more incentives, and will decide whether to keep their staff if they don’t produce, A lot of government workers will not leave their jobs because the old mentality of jobs for life is still stuck in some people’s minds, although it’s not there any more because with re-structuring one can be paid off to leave one’s post. But the government always has a much more difficult time to assess and control a situation and act quickly.

The Ministry of Tourism or the Parliamentary Secretary do not have the power to clean the country. They don’t have the power to make sure the water is clean, or to allow bars or discotheques to remain open after four o’clock if the places are soundproofed. continued on page 29 ... catering news • october 2008 • 27

catering news features continued from page 27 ...

I can’t understand why, in this day and age, if you’re over 21 and work at night, and you finish at 2 o’clock in the morning and want to go out for a drink – as long as you don’t make noise and don’t bother the residents – you go into a place which is soundproof and the owners are made to switch off the music, it’s just ridiculous. The authorities are being very short-sighted, because people are not going home. People are going to apartments, or on the beaches… At least, in a nightclub, if there are abuses the owner is responsible. I hear people walking past my house at five or six in the morning and making noise. It would be better if these people were in a controlled environment, and much easier for the police to control them.

But we have this silly mentality of wanting to be all things to all men. We want to be an old destination… we want to be a young destination… we want to be more catholic than the Pope.

It seems to me that the MTA wants to attract students, five-star tourists, Ibiza style youngsters and history seekers, do you think this is right?

We get some seventy or eighty thousand students, out of which fifty or sixty thousand come for a stay of seven or eight weeks. You put this number in a one square kilometer area, all walking the streets. We all remember what we were like to control when we were young. As far as we were concerned, at that age we tried to break as many laws as we could.

entertainment, it’s just not possible to stop them from sneaking out and going to have the time of their lives. They can’t do it in their own country, so they do it here.

There are other issues, like cleanliness… the amount of filth is just unbelievable. I keep saying this to all the authorities, I tell them to come down on two or three weekends to see for themselves.

They tell me I’m exaggerating. Believe me, I’m not!

People literally vomiting on the roads, lying down in the streets… The amount of fast food sold in Paceville is astronomical. With every pizza bought by the slice, one has to dispose of the plate and the napkins. The authorities have just added a hundred and sixty dustbins. But these have to be emptied continuously, not just twice a day. And wardens. We need wardens. In Taormina you have thousands of wardens patrolling the area. We need wardens here to impose fines on the spot for litter louts. Put up signs all over the place.

When the authorities introduced towing twelve years ago, with a hefty fine, it worked!

Don’t you think that perhaps its about time we alocate areas to specialized tourism, for example Bugibba would be for students, St. Julians for five star tourists etc..?

What you’re saying is totally correct. I’m not saying where you’re suggesting where students should be, because students are a good market. I’m just talking in general.

Unfortunately we have all these students put in an area which is surrounded by five-star hotels.

So they’re running around Paceville buying alcohol from bottle shops, because although the law prohibits sales from these outlets after nine o’clock, everyone knows that there is no control, and these people are walking the street – this includes Maltese, not just tourists – and then you have a fifty- or sixty-year-old tourist wanting to walk up to Paceville to go to St Julians, having to walk through that jungle. And you expect him to go back home and say Go To Malta.

Although signs have been put up stating that no drinking of alcohol is allowed in the street, this is still happening till today. What are your feeling about this?

My fear is that despite all the money we’re pumping in to advertise Malta, a lot of money, a percentage of people who visit will go back and say, “It’s a nice country, but DON’T go there! It’s all kids.”

A lot of the five-star hotels are very good hotels.

They compare well with hotels abroad, but unfortunately when visitors walk out of the hotels, they find themselves in a two-star destination, because all the problems we mentioned earlier, students all over the place, people drunk, are right in front of them. We can’t live on two- or three-star tourists, we need high spending tourists.

So government has to decide. What does it want?

Does it want students? Does it want five-star, fourstar tourists, English families? We are trying to be all things to all men. In a country this size, having an area in Bugibba or some other location purely for students is a good thing. But their schools are in Paceville, so when a fourteen- or sixteen-yearold is surrounded by all these bars and places of

You can’t have confectioners selling alcohol, because unfortunately in this country you have to say NO ALCOHOL ALLOWED. I believe that if there are laws, they should be enforced. I’m not going to talk about bottle shops.

My fear is that despite all the money we’re pumping in to advertise Malta, a lot of money, a percentage of people who visit will go back and say, “It’s a nice country, but DON’T go there!

It’s all kids.”

I believe we can live together, as long as people find a clean environment when they walk out of their hotels, no noise pollution – the music in the streets is too loud. Government has got to decide continued on page 33 ... catering news • october 2008 • 29

catering news features continued from page 29 ... what it wants to do. It’s going to be tough. It’s not their fault. These things have gone on for the last forty years. I think the government should allow soundproofed places to open beyond four in the morning, and should allow establishments to take tables and chairs out in the streets, especially where one has closed streets, to encourage people to sit outside, because that’s what people do in our kind of climate.

In Italy, everyone rushes outside when the sun comes out. Over here, it’s the wrong mentality.

In England there’s a big craze of binge drinking.

Young people don’t fear the police, they don’t fear night attacks, because they are so drunk. You read of regular youth stabbings in the UK. If we’re not careful in this country, we’re moving towards creating a binge drinking society. And in a binge drinking society, if you can buy a bottle of vodka from a bottle shop for five pounds, you’re going to drink it.

This is not done anywhere in the world. If you buy a bottle, you’re not allowed to drink it in the street.

You’re not even allowed to carry it in the street.

I have to say the ministry of tourism does its best.

Parliamentary Secretary Mario De Marco is really doing his utmost. He has an uphill battle because he doesn’t decide on everything. I might not agree with Dr De Marco on everything he says… we have long discussions and disagreements, but I respect the fact that he has tourism at heart.

The MTA has to clean Paceville. Why should they be paying extra money for someone to clean, when it should be done by the central government?

The local council only has a cleaning budget to cope with the five or six thousand people who live there. They don’t have a budget for the forty thousand people who congregate there. This is not correct.

We have to admit that there are other resorts of similar size that are doing much better than Malta. Why? Well, I’ve been looking at arrival figures for different countries, and I don’t think they’re doing much better than we are. Product-wise, yes, they are. Which means, what worries me is that, not his year, not next year, but when our product looks as tired as it does, and more people are coming to Malta, they go back and say It’s a nice place, BUT…, then they go to other places where money has been spent and order is kept and there is discipline… Nobody wants to go to a jungle. I’ve been to Ibiza, and I’ve been to the old city. It’s not what people think. At night they bring out the chairs, everybody is walking in the narrow area. In the morning they take them away and it becomes

a shopping centre. And the clubs are away from the city.

Do you think that perhaps the MHRA should take over the MTA and make the whole thing function well?

All I can say is that the MTA is being run by a person from private industry… Sam Mifsud. He’s doing a good job. Their CEO, Josef Formosa Gauci, is a top quality person. So you have two top people running it from private industry.

In that case, why do people complain?

Because it doesn’t depend only on these two people. I don’t agree that the MHRA should take over the MTA. We represent an investment of six, seven hundred million, a billion pounds. But in reality, our association is just representative, and I don’t think…

You know what I think? Tourism is a bi-partisan industry. Which means Government and opposition should get together and decide what needs to be done for the good of the country, because there are some hard decisions.

If Kevin Decesare is appointed minister for tourism tomorrow, what would he do?

If I were prime minister, I would call in all ministers and ensure that the tourism ministry is given the necessary clout to be able to order what needs to be done for product and cleanliness.

If we can clean up the country and make it look five-star, already we have half the battle won.

Unfortunately, when visitors come here, they don’t get what they’ve been promised in the adverts.

The hotels are delivering, most of them are, but when you walk around in the streets it’s a different picture. Don’t forget, if you’re over fifty and you’re surrounded by ten thousand youngsters, it can be very intimidating…

I would definitely start with product. Let’s clean up the country, introduce more street furniture, try and extend the environment, have flowers on roundabouts from Neptunes all the way down to the Ferry. I would concentrate on product.

How does Kevin Decesae relax?

Good one. There were times when I used to relax.

Unfortunately I don’t seem to relax any more. This MHRA work takes up a lot of my time. Plus we’re launching a mobile network service, which needs a lot of concentration. So there’s less time for relaxation nowadays. However, when I leave work, I usually go walking… even if it’s in the sun. I know it’s bad, but I love walking.

Parliamentary Secretary Mario De Marco is really doing his utmost.

He has an uphill battle because he doesn’t decide on everything. I might not agree with Dr De Marco on everything he says… we have long discussions and disagreements, but I respect the fact that he has tourism at heart. catering news • october 2008 • 33

catering news issue no.3

catering news • october 2008 • 34

catering news issue no.3

catering news • october 2008 • 35

catering news issue no.3

catering news • october 2008 • 36

catering news features

Give waiters more credit

Service is as

important as the food The hospitality industry must stop ignoring frontof-house staff and start giving waiters as much credit as chefs according to Bob Walton, chairman of the Restaurant Association of Great Britain.

In an exclusive interview in the 18 June 2008 issue of CATERER magazine, and reproduced in CATERING NEWS by their kind permission, Walton says chefs had always been more celebrated both by the industry and the general public, and that it was time for this situation to change.

Furthermore, as Belgian restaurateur Amand Verraneman (proprietor of Chez Amand at Qbajjar, Gozo) says in an interview in another part of this issue, perhaps it is about time the industry started referring to the female equivalent as hostesses.

And perhaps it is also about time the industry – be it the MTA, the MHRA or whoever – set about organizing our equivalent of the Young Chef / Young Waiter/Waitress competition on an annual basis. Hopefully with handsome prizes.

“Service is the key to our industry, yet we’ve never really pushed waiters in the way that we’ve pushed chefs”, he says. “We need the support of our industry’s icons, and it’s important that the waiters are given as much recognition as the chefs.”

Walton, who owns the Trunkwell Mansion House in Reading, Berkshire, said he planned to expand the Young Chef/Young Waiter competition, which celebrates its 25th anniversary next year.

CATERING NEWS is of the opinion that Bob Walton’s criticism can easily be applied to the situation prevalent in catering establishments, hotels and restaurants in Malta and Gozo. Most definitely, waiters and waitresses should be given more credit for their efforts. catering news • october 2008 • 37

catering news issue no.3

CAFFÈ OLINARI M A story of traditions & innovation

What is coffee? Basically, the coffee plant is a shrub which belongs to the rubiacee family. The coffee genera includes some 66 species, of which only two are commercially important: Arabica and Robusta.

Coffee grows in the countries in between the Tropic of Cancer to the north and the Tropic of Capricorn to the south.

The coffee plant is a tropical plant, and its ideal habitat is in areas where the temperature varies between 15C and 25C and height above sea level is between 200 and 2000 metres.

The coffee plant grows for three of four years until it flowers. The flowering of the coffee tree is so spectacular that it seems like a snow-storm. After a few days from the flowering, the first few berries start to appear, but it will take a further seven months for the berries to reach the bright red colour that is similar to mature cherries.

The berry consists of the skin, jellylike substances, bean skin and bean.

The coffee trees flower every rainfall, and therefore it is quite common to find white flowers, green immature berries and brilliant red berries at the same time.

Café Bar Malta Ltd.

B 8 A, Industrial Estate, Bulebel Zejtun, ZTN 3000, Malta Tel. (356) 2169 2576/7 Fax: (356) 2169 5936 info@decomalta.com | www.decomalta.com catering news • october 2008 • 38

Arabica

Robusta.

THE

Harvesting Techniques As far as harvesting is concerned, the picking method is considered the best method, as the coffee berries are picked individually and therefore it is possible to eliminate defective berries.

CAFFĂˆ OLINARI M STORY

The stripping method consists in literally stripping the coffee tree branches once the coffee beans are mature enough. This is not a precise method and does not give a consistent result. This is considered inferior to the picking method.

In the DRY SYSTEM, the beans are left exposed to the sunlight for a week, and dried by using a method used as Sun Drying.

In the Wet System, the beans are immersed in water tanks where they separate from the jellylike berries. The beans are then washed with fresh water and sun-dried. The use of industrial driers allows the production of a better quality coffee by reducing production time.

The coffee beans are then ready for selection, and for calibration which determines the basic categories. These depend on the size of the beans, and include Coarse, Medium, Fine and Caracolico (rounded beans).

In the next stage of the process, the green beans are shipped to the roaster for blending and roasting. This is the most delicate part, as roasting is an art that requires know-how and skills that are handed down from generation to generation, combined with modern computerized technology.

The coffee beans are exposed to the heat that slowly starts to modify their chemical structure, shape and colour, to reach the final stage where there is decomposition of certain compounds, the liberation of essential oils and the formation of the aromas through the intervention of 800 atoms which characterize the typical flavour of the coffee.

Immediately after the roasting process, the coffee is air-cooled in order to trap the aromatic substances inside the beans.

Final packaging is also another important stage in the whole process, in order to preserve the freshness of the final product. Innovative and effective modern packaging techniques are used to supplement and sometimes replace traditional methods.

Fratelli Molinari started at the beginning of the nineteenth century as food suppliers.

Shortly after being set up, Molinari became suppliers to the Duke of Savoia.

The first coffee house was opened in 1911 on Via Emilia in Modena. Ever since, the Molinari family has roasted coffee and passed on their knowledge from one generation to the next.

Five generations down the line, Molinari today still follows the passion for quality whilst continually investing in new technology. This ensures that the final product comes to the consumeras an optimum quality product in line with the Molinari tradition.

Malta & Gozo Guide restaurant hotel guide boat excursions beach safaris bicycle hire outlets breakdown services bus routes camping sites car rental chauffeur-driven services churches cinemas craft villages discotheques diving services duty-free outlets services for the disabled embassies and high commissions English language schools village festas events and celebrations ferry services exchange bureaux tourist-oriented services public holidays pharmacies refuse collection bars and restaurants museums sports associations taxi services theatres water sports

ILLUSTRATED COLOUR PHOTOGRAPHS HANDY PULL-OUT MAP

For more information please contact

Blues Ltd. 104 Ground Floor Dingli Street Sliema MALTA tel 2133 5272/3 fax 2133 5271 email: joesoler@maltanet.net

Espresso

Mochacino

Mocha

Cioccolata

An ideal gift

for VIPs & visitors

Shakerato Yogurt

Shakerato

Flavoured

Thick Chocolate

Hazelnut Almond Coconut Dark Chocolate Rhum Orange White Chocolate Mint Chocolate Coffee

CafĂŠ Bar Malta Ltd. B 8 A, Industrial Estate, Bulebel ZTN 3000 Zejtun, Malta Tel. (356) 2169 2576/7 Fax: (356) 2169 5936 Email: info@decomalta.com Website: www.decomalta.com

catering news issue no.3

Products for the Professional Hotelier

www.valimexmalta.com info@valimexmalta.com Tel: 2157 7984 Mob: 9945 2972 Fax: 2157 8089

VALIMEX Expand Product Range This summer brought about exciting changes as Valimex welcomed two new partnerships – this time with Turkey and India – to enhance the evergrowing range of specialist products available to the hospitality industry in Malta and Gozo.

Kleo minibars come in a wide range of colours, such as black, white, silver grey, brown and beige for the standard models, with optional wooden colours in no less than 4 shades. These are also available with glass-door frames.

Valimex are now the proud sole and exclusive agents on these islands for KLEO, a Turkish manufacturing company specialising in minibars and bottle coolers. Kleo was established in 1956 in Turkey’s industrial area, now boasting more than 55 distributors worldwide. Being manned by 200 skilled persons, the production plant has been extended to 18,240m2, with a daily production capacity of 800 minibar units and 300 bottle cooler units. All units are tested twice, using a state-of-theart computerised system.

We highly recommend that you visit www. minibarworld.com to see the wide range for yourselves. By simply sliding the mouse on each of the models on your computer screen, you will get all the technical specifications necessary to help you choose the right product for your establishment.

Both catalogues (minibars and coolers) are available for immediate download. Other than that, Valimex are more than happy to assist you in your investment.

Kleo offer two different models of minibars and bottle coolers – compressor and absorption; minirefrigerators as well as camping fridges. The years of experience have led Kleo to prove itself reliable in fast production, delivery and after-sales service, with no less than 3 years of warranty on their products.

Our other very welcome addition is Maspar from India. Maspar was established in 2002, a subsidiary of its parent company Mahajan Overseas, which has been manufacturing home furnishings for the past 35 years. Maspar’s mission is to integrate itself well in Europe and other continents, not only within retail shops but also in the hospitality industry, as the

need for fresh new looks and designs becomes all the more evident.

In a nutshell, Maspar’s range spans no less than five different bedroom collections (made up of bedcovers, bed skirts, sheets, duvet covers, pillow and cushion covers, as well as floor cushions among others); three bath collections, including monogramming in three different fonts; four collections for table and kitchenware (incorporating table cloths, napkins, placemats and runners); not to mention an impressive range of fabrics in shades of reds, greens, blues as well as golden and neutral tones. Attention to detail is paramount and all products undergo intensive testing for colourfastness to ensure customer satisfaction.

But why take our word for it? Do spare a moment to visit www.maspar.in to browse through the collections at the click of a mouse! Then call us for an appointment to view the swatches available for you to help you make a most-informed decision for your refurbishment or brand new design project.

We’re looking forward to hearing from you. catering news • october 2008 • 41

catering news issue no.3

moves into food processing equipment...

Change? Yes we can!

As the campaign for the next president of the U.S. unfolds and heats up, this expression seems to be synonymous with the whole deal and one which most people are by now probably more than familiar with!

This is also however, the attitude preferably adopted by any strongly equipped organisation today, if it wants to remain at the helm and especially if providing a service. In the 1990’s Zamco Caterware Limited was finishing the infrastructural changes of its presently occupied manufacturing facilities in San Gwann. It was already evident then, that there was a readiness by the management to give service to any other entity requesting it. With a fully equipped engineering shop and a knack for inventive muse already tested on its production lines, this proved to be a success from day one. On this basis A.G. Packaging Systems was created and later moved to its own premises, in Qormi, in 1995. With a policy that only top quality branded equipment be supplied, together with an efficient and well backed up after-sales service, the company’s portfolio of packaging solutions expanded rapidly.

The year 2004 was another milestone for the company as it moved a few doors up into the corner showroom duly named “Zamco Building” on Mill Street in Qormi. This move consolidated all the administration of the group’s companies, operations and human resources in one location and inevitably increased awareness among the business community of the vastness of the range products and services being offered by

A.G. Investments Group. This building today houses the one-stop-shop concept for any kind of packaging requirement, but especially for the food industry.

Whilst efficiently servicing its equipment there were many requests for servicing of other equipment not sold by A.G. Packaging and although their principals’ equipment always took top priority, every effort was taken by the company to satisfy customer requests. Invariably when customers were looking for new equipment A.G. Packaging was often asked if it could supply any food processing equipment.

Some of the prestigious brands already exclusively represented by AG Packaging Systems:

Sister company, Zammit Trading Limited, handles the standard consumable items related to food packaging whilst also locally distributing all products manufactured by Zamco Caterware Limited. The range of items has today grown to around 6,000, these being mainly branded products from reputable international companies The calling came in 2005 when AGPS was offered to exclusively represent and service Taylor Company of Rockton, Illinois in the USA with its extensive

range of ice cream processing machines. Having already had experience working with refrigeration and electronics, Taylor training was quite easy to follow for the technical team. Taylor has proven to be a good start for AGPS and its debut in the food processing industry. Taylor have been building their empire since 1926 in the food industry. A global selection of food service operators, such as McDonald’s & Burger King, look to Taylor for business because of the high level of organisation, the custom built equipment and reliability. It has been over 80 years and Taylor are more successful than ever. Now part or the prestigious UTC Carrier group, Taylor has become an internationally known name for ice cream machinery and high capacity automated grills. Taylor appointed AGPS as exclusive distributor for the territories of Malta and Libya on the 8th April 2005.

The technical staff complement is now up to nine full-time very dedicated and well motivated technicians. They have rapidly adjusted to the requirements of the food processing industry which, out of necessity, tends to be more demanding, especially in the peak days and hours of the entertainment industry.

This year 2008 has proved to be a bumper year for the company and especially for Taylor Machinery, this due to the competitive edge held at the moment by the weak US$ and the newly restored after-sales service Taylor Company deserves. AGPS are looking forward towards expanding their services into the food processing industry, indeed adopting the ideal Change ? Yes we can !

YES

WE

CAN

catering news • october 2008 • 43

catering news issue no.3

LYONS SEAFOODS It’s what we do, it’s our passion!

This year Lyons Seafoods are celebrating their 50th anniversary as Europe’s leading supplier of prawns and specialty foods. Their range of products has been exclusively well represented in Malta

by J&C Pisani Ltd for the past 39 years.

By far the most successful product for Lyons in Malta has been the Lyons cooked and peeled prawns commonly referred to as Dan-Maid prawns, specially selected warm water prawns for caterers, ideal for prawn cocktails, salads and cooked dishes.

Notwithstanding the many years of success enjoyed by Lyons Seafoods both in Malta and internationally the company still strives in extending its range of products and in the past few years J&C Pisani have also successfully introduced additional products in the market such as the Cooked Chilean rope-grown blue mussels on the half shell with a truly grit-free texture, the Cooked and Peeled Tropical prawns ideal for all cooked dishes and the Salmon canapés a portion-controlled pack Ideal for starters, buffets & banqueting.

Lyons Seafood’s objective is not solely to continue furthering its success but to pursue this in a responsible and sustainable fashion. This is why Lyons vision is that to move towards becoming a 100% sustainable shellfish business minimizing environmental impact. This is why they source their raw material from controlled ecological sound and fully integrated sources and manufacturing to the most stringent standards always closely matching customer aspirations of quality, choice, flexibility and convenience.

Hence their claim that, ‘It’s what we do, it’s our passion. It’s what we have been good at for over five decades.’

For trade enquires and further information about Lyons Seafoods products contact J&C Pisani Ltd on 21231339 – 21241891 or be e-mail on info@jcpisani.com. www.jcpisani.com

catering news • october 2008 • 45

B F I  E  F  F F  A S,  T:   | M.   | F.  

Ozosystem Ozosystem is a unique International cleaning system, and has been available in Malta since 1995. This system is ideal for carpets, curtains, sofas and other upholstery, soffits and marble.

Carpet Cleaning - For the best results in carpet cleaning, a technology using ozone is being operated. The ozone generator is applied while cleaning with Ozosystem to eliminate all microbes, bacteria, fleas, dust mites etc.

Ozosystem cleans deep down into the fabrics using ionization and magnetism which removes all dirt and leaves the carpets clean and bacteria- free.

The system eliminates over 98% of all known stains.

Sofa Cleaning - Sofas can be washed and disinfected with Ozosystem, which will remove all types of fleas, microbes, dirt and 98% of all stains, leaving sofas 100% clean and restored to their original colour. With a drying time of approximately two hours, this treatment can be applied to any upholstery, including car seats and interiors.

Curtain Cleaning - Likewise, curtains can be cleaned and disinfected with Ozosystem, an environmentally friendly cleaning system, to eliminate all impurities and dirt.

The cleaning process is done without any disturbance, and there is no need to remove the curtains from where they hang.

Soffit Cleaning - The system can vacuum, wash, rinse and dry soffit ceilings simultaneously. Ozosystem will also remove nicotine stains. The right machinery is available to handle any type of soffit, including those very high and unreachable soffits at conference centres, cinemas, and hotels. No water or mess is left on the floor.

Marble Polishing - Ozosystem can help to bring the shine back to dull marble.

Tiles or marble surfaces can be polished, restored and crystallized without any water or mess. This process can be carried out during normal working hours, without creating any disturbance or interruption.

catering news issue no.3

fortuna cafe bar at badger raceway

Do we show

appreciation for our staff?

Any manager at an establishment with a higherthan-average staff turnover may wonder why that particular establishment – be it a restaurant, hotel, factory or supermarket – seems to require staff recruitment on a frequent basis.

“They’re reasonably well paid; they don’t lack anything. We even provide transport for the early and late shifts…”

Which is all probably very true. But… are your staff appreciated? “Of course! We hold a staff party every Christmas.”

with staff whose attitude may best be described as only just short of surly, if not downright rude?

If we can make our purchase at another outlet, our immediate reaction may well be to strike that particular establishment off our list. And all because the owner may not have considered giving his staff a small incentive based on a percentage of weekly or monthly sales.

Christmas to give a staff party. If one has had a good season, what is wrong with taking staff out for a meal or perhaps organizing a barbecue? This need not cost the earth.

How often have we sat down to dine in beautiful surroundings, only to be put off by the waiting staff ’s negative attitude?

What is wrong with taking staff out occasionally for an evening of go-karting and a plate of pasta?

It won’t cost much, but it will definitely reap untold dividends. Besides, your employees may well show their appreciation by coming up with suggestions which may lead to additional sales.

At a time when competition is fierce, particularly in the catering trade, appreciation of staff ’s efforts over and above the norm will reap untold dividends.

Regrettably, most owners of establishments seem only interested in counting their profits at the end of the day, and hardly ever give a thought to incentivising their staff and showing some form of appreciation for their efforts. Result? Staff will only work there because they can’t do otherwise, and will probably move to another job at the earliest opportunity, even making a move without necessarily getting an appreciable increase.

How often have we entered an establishment to make a purchase, and found ourselves faced

Management can show its appreciation in a multitude of ways. There is no need to wait for

Regrettably, holding a staff party once a year, at a time when parties are the norm, may not be enough.

fortuna cafe bar at badger raceway catering news • october 2008 • 48

What is wrong with offering a couple of bottles of wine, or some after-shave or perfume, to staff who really perform well, or who exceed sales targets?

Your employees are motivated by their pay packet, but little acts of appreciation will go a long way towards ensuring loyalty and, hopefully, less staff turnover in the long run.

Triq Durumblat, Mosta. - Limits of Ta’ Qali. Tel. 9905 0505

catering news issue no.3

30 years of Quality Quality Meat Products Ltd has transformed itself from a small business concern to one of the leading companies in the importation and distribution of frozen foods to the catering and retail channels.

Equipped with the latest advanced technological storage facilities situated in the centre of the island, and fully trained staff, the company has earned a reputation for offering a wide range of high quality products and providing excellent service to its customers.

Over these 30 years, the company has succeeded to offer high quality and service to all its customers at very competitive prices. It represents renowned foreign companies such as Ardo (vegetables), Clarebout (potato products), Cooperl (pork), Corico (poultry products), Danaeg (eggs), Favorita (chips), Kuhne & Heitze (poultry & pork), Friesland (beef ), Rose (poultry), Sadia (poultry), Saputo (mozzarella), Skare (beef & veal), Vestey Foods (poultry & beef ), Vion Foods (pork & lamb) and Zemo (beef ), to name a few.

The company’s policy is to take account of the evolving nutritional tastes of the Maltese and visitors, always striving to provide quality products at competitive prices, together with excellent service to all its clients. Our aim is to continue enhancing our relationship with our principals, clients and staff.

Undoubtedly, the significant achievements attained by the company since its establishment

by Mr. Gaetano Abela in 1978, are as encouraging to the management and staff as much as they are fulfilling to all those who in some way or another contributed to its success.

Since the beginning of this year, the company has been acquired by Mr. Ray Grech who is definitely not new to this line of business, and who is now the Managing Director. He brings with him 26 years of experience, holding managerial positions with several companies in the fast moving consumer goods sector. The main aim of the present management is to continue building on the solid grounds created by the predecessor and to strive harder to continue offering top quality in products, service and value. That is why our motto is “where quality counts.” The company’s workforce is made up of fully-trained, experienced employees, whose everyday objective is to offer the best service to all our clients.

We would like to extend an open invitation to all those owners and managers of catering and retail establishments to contact us and sample our products and services, prior to joining our ever growing list of satisfied clients. We promise that we shall do our best to make it worth their while.

Address: Racecourse Street, Marsa Contact Tel: 21232916/7, 21233981 e-mail: ray@qmp.com.mt

catering news • october 2008 • 49

catering news issue no.3

NIKKI BEACH at EXILES is

moving to winter quarters...

With the summer months drawing to a close, Nikki Beach at Exiles will shortly be making a move to winter quarters, after an exceptionally successful summer season.

“We’re moving places, but we hope, NOT faces”, says Joe Fenech Soler of Nikki Beach. “This summer has been fantastic, and we still have a few decent summer days left before the first of the winter storms. However, this is the time to say a big THANK YOU to all our patrons who have frequented Exiles Nikki Beach during the summer months.”

This is definitely not goodbye, however, as Joe Fenech Soler is moving to RISTORANTE CARUSO at Dean Hamlet in Upper Ross Street, St Julians (right behind HSBC Bank) where, as he says, “we

shall continue serving our exquisite dishes and providing entertainment”.

What’s on the cards at Ristorante Caruso? “Well, at Nikki Beach the accent was on fish dishes, with lots of pasta fare. At Ristorante Caruso we’ll still be serving lots of pasta, but the accent here will be on meat dishes, although fish fare will still be on offer.”

As for entertainment… “music will be the order of the day, Malata-style, for those who remember the good old days at Malata!”

Ristorante Caruso will be open on Wednesday/ Thursday/Friday/ Saturday evenings and Saturday and Sunday lunch. Bookings can be made for parties and private functions for any evening, by telephone on 2133 6625, 7986 8165.

nikki beach e x i l e s

Ristorante Caruso

Dean Hamlet Complex, Upper Ross Street. St. Julians, Malta T. 2133 6625 F. 2133 5271 M.7986 8165 E. joesoler@maltanet.net

catering news • october 2008 • 51

Genuinely Maltese Camel Brand GENERAL MERCHANTS eese

d Ch e t a r G

ives

ter

But d e t l a

S

ed Ol Stuff

Marin

ated V

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s

Caper

Camel Brand. Co. Ltd. GENERAL MERCHANT E.M.S. Stores, Triq P.P.Mifsud, Zebbug ZBG04

T. 2146 6292 F. 2146 3807 E. camelbrd@maltanet.net

catering news issue no.3

Camel Brand Co. Ltd. Camel Brand Co. Ltd. of Zebbug, Malta first started out in business in 1960, under the name of Emanuel Micallef & Sons Ltd. Initially, the company’s main line of production was the ever-popular Helwa tat-Tork, a confection which has been popular in these islands and abroad since time immemorial.

In 1995 the company expanded and moved to bigger premises in Zebbug, at the same time re-branding under its present name of Camel Brand Co. Ltd. The expansion was the result of a diversification of business, and Camel Brand is now a direct importer of olives, a wide range of cheeses and also packaging material.

In line with its policy of upgading, Camel Brand has recently invested in new and modern machinery.

Camel Brand is fully compliant with EU hygiene and safety regulations.

catering news • october 2008 • 53

Factory 160, Ta’ Qali crafts Village, Ta’ Qali RBT 13, Malta Tel (+356) 2141 4773, 2143 0951 Mob (+356) 7942 7365 Fax (+356) 2141 5239 E-mail potterware@maltanet.net Web potterwaremalta.com.mt

catering news issue no.3

cateringpremises cateringcareers cateringfor sale/wanted catering news is offering a service to assist the trade in matters relating to staff vacancies, situations wanted, premises being offered for sale or to let, or premises being sought. So, if you are planning to sell your business or are looking to invest in this lucrative sector by purchasing a property, then place your advertisement with catering news. We offer very low advertising rates. For example – just six Euro per single column centimetre. catering news is spread out on three columns. So a 4cm high advert on 2 columns will come to 48 Euro (4 x 2 x 6 Euro). Interested? Then call our Advertising Department on 2133 5267 NOW.

catering premises

St.Paul’s Bay Rest/Bar - One of the best, English style Pubs, in Bugibba, available for long lease having a seating capacity 40 indoors, besides al fresco seating, designer standard of finish throughout. Ready for immediate take over. Owner retiring.Premium and low daily rent.

Ref#12526 Eur 12 / Lm5 daily Premium: 50.000 St.Paul’s Bay Rest/Bar - Very well located spacious RESTAURANT, on a main road set on two floors, kitchen, bar, toilets and all other restaurants facilities included. Ready for business at any given time.

Ref# 12531 Eur 27 / Lm 11.59 Sliema Rest/Bar - Well located in the centre of Sliema, BAR/RESTAURANT on two floors, bar, kitchen and all facilities in the property. Covers 30 and situated on a known road.Premium 46,600 euro and low daily rent Ref# 12537 Eur 10 / Lm 4.29 Premium: 46600 catering news • october 2008 • 56

Valletta Rest/Bar - Owner retiring offering this well established restaurant, minutes away from Republic street with easy parking facilities close by.

Restaurant which is split in two levels can take up to 50 patrons pleasantly decorated to give a warm welcome to patrons. Ref# 12597 Eur 75 / Lm 32.2 Premium: 175000 Bugibba RESTAURANT situated on a main road in a busy tourist area, 62 covers, 2 bars, 2 room kitchen with all appliances (extractors etc.), laundry room, 2 guest toilets, storeroom, backyard and front terrace.

Ref# 12625 Eur 21 / Lm 9.02 premium: 49000 St.Julians Rare opportunity to acquire a successful WINE BAR and restaurant, enjoying spectacular views of Spinola bay, ready for immediate take over, offered for long lease.

Premium Euro € 184,000 and daily rent Euro55. Apply for further details Commercial Department St.Julians.

Ref#12632 Eur 55 / Lm 23.61 premium: 184000 Bugibba RESTAURANT and bar in a central location, seats 60 people (7m X 11m), kitchen with appliances (4m x 3m), store room (3m X3m) and toilet.

Ref#12662

Eur 35 / Lm 15.03 premium: 11700 Valletta Owner retiring!! An established fully equipped RESTAURANT in the centre of Valletta having a seating capacity of 40 covers with a possibility of an extension. Restaurant at street level, fully equipped kitchen, toilets and cellar. Property could be extended by purchasing adjacent property. ref.12753 Eur 58 / Lm 25.03 premium: 46588 St.Julians Very popular BAR in the heart of Paceville, licensed for 85 covers, ready for immediate take over, lock stock and barrel, just in time for the summer season. May easily be converted into a wine bar, situated close to 5 major hotels and Malta’s nightclub hotspots. Premium and low daily rent.

Eur 24 / Lm 10.3 premium: 60,000 ref.12791 Valletta OWNER RETIRING! Established newly refurbished cafeteria/snack bar, located in the upper part of Valletta having a seating capacity of 42 covers, fully air-conditioned, with new furniture and equipment.

Premises ready to be taken over and operate immediately. PREMIUM €232937 Eur 40 / Lm 17.25 ref. 12809

St.Julians Well located BAR and RESTAURANT, 55 indoor covers and 4 outside tables on patio, in the centre of Paceville, suitable for any type of a la carte, ‘Trattoria’, bistro, eastern style of catering. Offered for long lease.

Premium Euro 25,000 and daily rent.

Eur 70 / Lm 30.05 Ref.12817 Attard SNACK BAR class 2, central location, 28 covers, ready for immediate take over! Ideal for pizzeria or pasta house. Low daily rent and premium.

Call at our commercial dept for further details. Very good business venture.

Eur 24 / Lm 10.3 premium: 42000 Ref.12840 Sliema Popular seafront RESTAURANT on two floors, in a highly frequented area by locals and tourists. The property comprises dining area for 100 covers, bar, 2 guest toilets, well equipped kitchen with appliances, storeroom and staff room.

Eur 205 / Lm 88 premium: 46587 Ref.12844 Hamrun Going concern. Fully equipped BAR/ RESTAURANT, class 2, suitable as take away, pizzeria or kebab shop, full permits, outside and inside dining space, highly visible to passing

catering news issue no.3

trade located on a busy road with parking close by. Very central location. Premium € 70,000 and daily rent on a perpetual lease. Highly recommended.

Eur 28 / Lm 12.02 premium: 70000 Ref.12854 Gzira Established snack bar in comformity with all health requirements having a seating capacity of 20 covers fully equipped together with an equipped kitchen having all necessary appliances.

Eur 17 / Lm7.08 premium: 75000 Ref.12865 St.Paul’s Bay Commercial premises suitable for retail or catering. Approximately 80 Sqms located close to Bugibba Square, enjoying partial sea views, offered as long lease or outright sale.

Presently has class 4 permits in hand.

Excellent business opportunity!! per annum Eur 11,18 / Lm 4,800 Ref.12508 Attard Corner retail premises with surrounding patio, located in a new commercial area, exposed to daily passing trade ideal also as office.

Excellent finish throughout. Also available for sale.

Eur 19 / Lm 8.16 Ref.12525 St.Paul’s Bay Shop - Extremely well located RETAIL PREMISES measuring 65 Sqm. approximately, enjoying excellent passing trade, located in the heart of Bugibba’s centre. Ready for immediate take over. Suitable location for ice cream parlor, fast food outlet. Apply St. Julian’s commercial department for further enquiries.

Eur 58 / Lm 24.9 premium: 23293.7 Ref.12524

Valletta Corner SHOP in a good and ideal location. Suitable also as offices.

Comprising of boxroom and toilet.

Surface area measures 10 ft x 20 ft.

Eur 47 Lm 20.18 premium: 58250 ref. 12529 Sliema SHOP in a excellent location on two floors. Used to be a local butcher shop with all amenities and appliances.

Eur 12 / Lm 5.15 monthly premium: 16300 ref.12536 St.Julians Very well located SHOP on the seafront, overlooking Spinola Bay, comprising of main room and spare toilet. Property is air-conditioned.

Eur 82 / Lm 34.99 ref. 12542 Ta’L-Ibrag Corner SHOP, air-conditioned and having a front yard. Located on a main road. Could be used as office too.

Eur 28 / Lm 12.02 premium: 1170 ref. 12549 Valletta SHOP in a very good location, in shopping center for use as shop or office, as windows overlook the square. Kitchenette and guest toilet available. Premises are fully airconditioned. Eur 50 / Lm 21.46 ref. 12584 San Gwann SHOP on a very busy area, comprising two rooms open setting and toilet.

Ideal for shop, office or clinic.

Eur 12 / Lm 5.02 premium: 2330 ref. 12593 Mosta Owner retiring: 50 square meterSHOP on main road in need of improvments.

Eur 5 / Lm 2.25 premium: 24500 ref.12596 Sliema Well equipped spacious seafront SHOP on the main road. Comprising two big showrooms, store room on two floors, office, kitchenette and bathroom. Premises are airconditioned and have a modern finish.

Eur 140 / Lm 60.1 premium: 93175 ref. 12595 Floriana SHOP/OFFICE on a main road comprising entrance room, storeroom and toilet.

Eur 7 / Lm 3.01 premium: 70,000 ref. 12621 Zebbug Well located SHOP on a main road, currently used as mini-market, having guest toilet. Measuring approximately 140 Sqm. Long rental opportunity.

Eur 16 / Lm 7 premium: 32600 ref. 12636 M’Scala Finished Class 4, SHOP with front patio and toilet, total area 45 Sqms. offered for lease, Euro 7 daily or outright sale, Euro 50,000 suitable also for office use, located on a main road with easy parking in vicinities.

Eur 7 / Lm 3.01 ref.12646 San Gwann Retail SHOP measuring 50 Sqms, set on a busy main road in San Gwann’s shopping centre, offered for long lease. Eur 50 / Lm 21.46 ref.12652 Mosta SHOP located 50 meters away from Rotunda square, ideal for any type of

business. Shop is 8 meter deep with toilet, cellar for storage and a box room.

Eur 35 / Lm 15.03 ref. 12653 Pieta Corner commercial premises, suitable as office, retail or catering, with class 4 permits, ceramic floors, air-conditioning, store room and toilet, overall dimensions 55 Sqms approximately, offered for long lease. Excellent location right on the Msida seafront, highly visible to passing trade.

Eur 28 /Lm12.02 ref.12655 St.Julians SHOP situated on a main and busy road having a frontage, hall, back store, kitchenette, back yard (with possibility of toilet).

Eur 81/ Lm 34.77 Ref. 12657 B’Kara Large SHOP/SHOWROOM on three compartments with wide front display, 2 store rooms, 2 offices, kitchenette, bathroom and backyard.

Eur 77 / Lm 33.06 premium: 7000 Ref. 12672

For more information please contact:

David Axisa tel 79478858 Cassar&Cooper (Real Estate) Ltd., You can find more details regarding these and other Properties on www.cassarcooper.com

catering news • october 2008 • 57

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LAYOUT 1 issue 2 issues 3 issues 4 Issues

EURO Lm EURO LM EURO LM EURO Lm Front Page 1,001.63 430 978.34 420 955.04 410 931.75 400

Back Cover 768.69 330 745.4 320 722.11 310 698.81 300

Inside Cover 652.22 280 628.93 270 605.64 260 582.34 250

Full Page 512.46 220 489.17 210 465.87 200 442.58 190

Half Page 302.82 130 279.52 120 256.23 110 232.94 100

Quarter Page 209.64 90 186.35 80 163.06 70 139.76 60

Double Spread 931.75 400 908.46 390 885.16 380 861.87 370

Cost for Artwork: Full Page E104.82 Lm45

Half Page E69.88 Lm30

Quarter Page E46.59 Lm20

Published Quarterly Distribution Hotels in Malta & Gozo Aparthotels Guest Houses Restaurants Night Clubs Snack Bars Bars Canteens Bakeries Confectioners Butchers Supermarkets And Other Businesses associated with the catering trade

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