Open House Foodservice June 2015 Issue

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JUNE 2015

Game changing apps Pizza reigns supreme Appetite for food festivals

Inspiring desserts NestlÊ Docello’s great range

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CONTENTS

ON THE COVER Nestlé Docello is a versatile range of high quality chocolate that you can trust to work beautifully across a wide range of dessert and bakery occasions.

32

Regulars Print Post Approved PP100020878

04 Editor’s note

MAY 2015

06 News 12 In season

30

13 10 things

Cashed up chefs 14 Origins Soup

Features

15 Q&A

Chris Malone, Unilever Food Solutions

Chef of the Year

10 Cover story

Nestlé Docello expands its

chocolate range

32 Regional snapshot

Canberra, ACT

16 Pizza

The takeaway classic comes of age

34 Cooking the books

22 Food and wine festivals

Foodies flock to the regions

36 Products 38 Profile

Justin North, executive chef at the

Hotel Centennial 39 Australian Culinary Federation news

Home grown heroes Flavour forecast gets spicy Australia’s culinary heritage OH0515.indd 1

Mövenpick & RoyalCDS 13/05/2015 10:47 am

To ensure you never miss out there are now more ways to enjoy Open House.

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26 Technology

New apps looking to shake up foodservice 30

Premium partnership

Foodservice Australia This year’s highlights from Melbourne

www.openhousemagazine.net

www.openhousemagazine.net Open House, June 2015 3

EDITOR’S WORD

Snakes and ladders Published in Australia by Creative Head Media Pty Ltd

I

t’s the end of the financial year, with everyone from small businesses to governments looking to balance the books for the last 12 months and plan ahead for the next year. On a state government level it was swings and roundabouts depending where on the map you lived. New South Wales saw fit to slash funding to TAFE – again. TAFE in that state has been bleeding both students and staff since the introduction of the Smart and Skilled policy, which saw student costs increase. That contrasts with the increase of government funds that have been shifted to private training companies.

Victoria’s TAFE system fared better, with the Andrews Government pledging $50 million for its TAFE Back to Work Fund aimed at helping more than 7000 Victorians start an apprenticeship or a traineeship. William Angliss Institute also saw a $4.47 million Government windfall which includes $2.72 million for a regional tourism employability initiative to boost standards and training in regional areas.

Suite 202, 80-84 Chandos Street, St Leonards 2065 P.O. Box 189, St Leonards 1590 Website: www.openhousemagazine.net ACN 147 436 280 ISSN 0312-5998 PUBLISHER Alexandra Yeomans GENERAL MANAGER Michelle Cullen MANAGING EDITOR Sheridan Randall

A second grant of $1.74 million has been awarded for the Institute to launch Melbourne’s first International Hotel School to train the next generation of hotel management professionals.

JOURNALIST Anastasia Prikhodko

While governments continue to play idealological chess with their funding for the next generation of foodservice talent, some of the best known food companies continue to support the industry through a variety of competitions.

ACCOUNT MANAGER James Zantis

Nestlé Golden Chef’s Hat Award has already seen a young team from North Queensland secure a place in September’s national finals. Young chef Chris Malone put himself firmly on the “one to watch” list when he took out the Unilever Food Solutions Chef of the Year title at Foodservice Australia this month. Brae sous chef Damien Neylon is set for a game changing year after scooping the 2015 Hostplus Hospitality Scholarship, while a bevvy of upcoming talent is being put through their paces for the Electrolux Appetite for Excellence Awards which will be announced soon.

There will always be challenges, but I’m optimistic that talent will always find a path. And talent we have.

DESIGN/PRODUCTION MANAGER Bin Zhou PRODUCTION CO-ORDINATOR Anne Esteban SALES & DIGITAL CO-ORDINATOR Grissel Ritchie ADMINISTRATION ASSISTANT Kate Wilcox

HEAD OFFICE – SYDNEY Creative Head Media Pty Ltd Suite 202, 80-84 Chandos Street, St Leonards 2065 P.O. Box 189, St Leonards 1590 Tel: (02) 9438 2300 Fax: (02) 9438 5962 Email: enquiries@creativehead.com.au SUBSCRIPTIONS 1 yr $99; 2 yrs $174; 3 yrs $261 (incl. GST and surface mail)

Sheridan Randall Managing editor

Copyright © 2015 Opinions expressed by the contributors in this magazine are not the opinion of Open House Foodservice. Letters to the editor are subject to editing.

THIS MONTH’S TOP STORY New apps targeting the hospitality sector are set to change the way businesses operate and fuel consumer demands for more efficient and hassle free services. Find out more on page 26.

4 Open House, June 2015 www.openhousemagazine.net

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INDUSTRY NEWS

William Angliss Institute welcomes $4.4m boost

W

illiam Angliss Institute has been awarded $4.47 million in funding from the Victorian Government to develop much needed skills for the tourism and hospitality industries.

The funding includes $2.72 million for a regional tourism employability initiative which will provide highly skilled staff for Victoria’s regional destinations.

“Victoria’s regional destinations need appropriately skilled staff in hotels, restaurants and other facilities to ensure our destinations are attractive to visitors,” said William Angliss Institute CEO Nicholas Hunt.

“The Regional Tourism Employability project will see William Angliss Institute partnering with regional TAFEs to provide cost-effective tourism and hospitality training in regional areas. Students will be able to continue living in the regions, while gaining the practical skills and specialist knowledge they need to drive regional hospitality and tourism to a more competitive level.”

A second grant of $1.74 million has been awarded for the Institute to launch Melbourne’s first International Hotel School to train the next generation of hotel management professionals.

2015 Scholarship winner announced Damien Neylon (pictured above), sous chef at Victoria’s Brae, has won the 2015 Hostplus Hospitality Scholarship supported

by Melbourne Food and Wine.

Photo by Adam Hacking.

(L-R): Nazir Elasmar (Member for Northern Metropolitan), Caley Davies (Student Ambassador), Minister Steve Herbert, Aiden Coffey (Student Ambassador), Daniel Huang (Student Ambassador), Nicholas Hunt (William Angliss Institute CEO).

Bringing home the bacon Australian Bacon Week has kicked off running from 21-27 June celebrating 100 per cent Australian bacon.

As part of the celebrations, Australia’s bacon was put to the test in the Australian Bacon Awards.

For the second consecutive year, the judges named Pialligo Estate Smokehouse Australia’s Best Artisan Bacon. The dry cured and smoked shortcut rashers produced by the Canberra company were described by the judges as

beautifully marbled, with a nice smoky aroma and a nice balanced taste.

Bertocchi Smallgoods also became a back-toback winner, taking home the Best Nationally Available Bacon. This year they impressed judges with their Bertocchi Brothers’ Long Rindless Hickory Smoked Bacon, which is available in the chilled aisle of Coles stores.

The judges said it had the perfect aroma with a nice, gentle smokiness, minimal shrinkage and a great balanced taste.

6 Open House, June 2015 www.openhousemagazine.net

“There was a real depth of quality in the applications that we received this year, however, Damien’s level of skill and dedication to his craft stood out to the judging panel," said Natalie O’Brien, CEO, Melbourne Food and Wine.

"He clearly has a very bright future ahead of him and it is such a pleasure to play a helping hand to realise his career aspirations.”

Neylon will work closely with Melbourne Food and Wine and Hostplus to tailor his once-in-a-lifetime work experience to three world-leading restaurants later this year. He will also be connected with a Melbourne Food and Wine Legend for a year-long mentorship on his return.

This year’s scholarship also included three runners-up who will each receive a year-long mentorship with a local industry leader: Alex Croker, cellar door and functions manager, Bird in Hand Winery (SA); Angus Beaumont, butcher and charcuterie maker, Du Fermier (VIC); and Patrick Sullivan, winemaker, Patrick Sullivan Wines (VIC).

NEWS BRIEFS

Melbourne keeps liquor freeze The Victorian Government will extend the liquor licence freeze for another four years from July 1, stopping big new venues from selling alcohol beyond 1am.

The original freeze was introduced to reduce social problems associated with late night liquor licenses.

Minister for Consumer Affairs, Gaming and Liquor Regulation, Jane Garrett, said while the freeze will be extended, new guidelines will mean small boutique bars can apply for exemptions to their late night licences.

Under the reform, venues located in Melbourne, Port Phillip, Stonnington and Yarra can apply for an exemption if they want to serve alcohol after 1am.

To be exempt, venues will need council support, be able to demonstrate economic

The Fair Work Commission Minimum Wage Panel decided to lift the national minimum wage to $656.90 per week and increase all Modern Award wages by 2.5 per cent from July 1, 2015.

Hart said that “legislative changes must overcome

The Truffle Festival Canberra Region has begun with more than 250 events to be held across the region until early August. The festival will see Pepe Saya sponsored truffle hunts and cooking demonstrations from some of Canberra’s top restaurants.

Coffee festival set to Rocks

benefits, take steps to prevent alcohol abuse, and have a maximum patron capacity of 200.

“We know there’s a relationship between the concentration of licensed premises in an area and alcohol-related harm, and extending the freeze is just one of a number of ways we are making our community safer," said Garrett.

Minimum wage hike a one size fits all approach Restaurant & Catering Australia (R&CA) CEO John Hart said that the decision to increase wages by 2.5 per cent across all industries fails to recognise that some sectors are doing it tough with profit margins in restaurants being eroded by escalating costs.

Truffle festival begins in Canberra

these barriers in the process that impact small businesses and leaves them without any recourse to address their incapacity to pay”.

R&CA workplace relations director Greg Parkes said the Minimum Wage Panel continues to apply a one size fits all approach to wage setting.

“This equates to excessive minimum wages applying across the board to small and large businesses alike,” he said.

“The problem is small business owners have to find a way to pay for the actual wage increases.”

Sydney’s annual celebration of coffee culture The Rocks Aroma Festival has announced its line-up of events for July. Coffee connoisseurs will enjoy a full program of activities culminating in the Aroma Festival Day, held on Sunday July 26.

Sweet Street back for second bite Pastry chef Anna Polyviou will bring Australia’s best dessert chefs together for decadent dessert event Sweet Street, at Shangri-La Hotel, Sydney on July 8. The one-night-only ticketed dessert festival will feature Adriano Zumbo, Gelato Messina, LuxBite, Cacao, Kirsten Tibballs, N2 Extreme Gelato, Black Star Pastry and Andy Bowden.

Queensland’s recipe for success North Queensland chefs Adam Millard and Lincoln Peagham are through to the national final of the 2015 Nestlé Golden Chef’s Hat Award after beating 18 of the region’s best young chefs in a three-course culinary challenge at TAFE North (Cairns) commercial kitchens.

Cappuccino for a Cause raises over $100k Gloria Jean’s Coffees’ national fundraising campaign Cappuccino for a Cause has raised over $100,000 for Variety, the Children's Charity, Gloria Jean’s Coffees Foundation, With Heart, doubled the 50 cent donation for 62,000 cappuccinos sold during the campaign over the two-days in March.

www.openhousemagazine.net Open House, June 2015 7

World’s best restaurant Spanish restaurant El Celler de Can Roca is back at the top of the culinary tree, being named the S.Pellegrino World’s Best Restaurant.

The Catalan restaurant previously nailed the top spot in 2013.

“The holy trinity of head chef Joan’s thoughtful but original cooking, pastry chef Jordi’s imagination-defying desserts and sommelier Josep’s beautifully considered wine pairings already adds up to significantly more than the sum of its parts, before you add in a vibrant family dynamic and a deep sense of hospitality,” is how the organisers of the annual list describe the result.

Ben Shewry’s Attica in Melbourne was the highest Australian entry at 32nd place. Sydney saw two restaurants, Quay and Sepia, take 58th and 84th respectively, while Brea, in Birregurra, Victoria, came in at 87th spot.

Aussie chefs working overseas did well again, with Brett Graham heading up London restaurant The Ledbury coming in at 20th place and Bangkok’s Nahm, headed by expat David Thompson, two spots higher at 22.

The top 10 are as follows: 1 El Celler de Can Roca, Girona, Spain.

2 Osteria Franciscana, Modena, Italy.

3 Noma, Copenhagen, Denmark.

4 Central Restaurante, Lima, Peru.

5 Eleven Madison Park, New York, New York.

6 Mugaritz, San Sebastian, Spain.

7 Dinner by Heston Blumenthal, London, UK. 8 Narisawa, Tokyo, Japan.

9 D.O.M., Sao Paulo, Brazil.

10 Gaggan, Bangkok, Thailand.

Winner of Chef of the Year Chris Malone (pictured centre) from Western Australia won the 2015 Unilever Food Solutions Chef of the Year competition at this month’s Foodservice Australia expo.

“I wanted to test myself,” said Malone. “I only qualified as a chef last year and after winning National Apprentice of the Year, I wanted to follow up the title with Chef of

the Year.”

Competing against 32 finalists over three days, the contestants were given one hour to cook a dish from a mystery box of ingredients. The winner of each heat proceeded to the grand finale to compete for the trophy, prestigious title and $6000. (See more on page 15).

Zomato roll out begins Urbanspoon users have been completely migrated over to global restaurant search app Zomato, which bought the Australian company for US$52 million ($67.7 million) at the beginning of the year.

The move keeps the best of Urbanspoon’s content whilst enhancing it with a host of new features including curated collections from Zomato’s own “feet on the street” experts.

Restaurants can now access a range of free and paid services that include analytics on how they are performing compared to other restaurants in the area, sharing events, daily deals and special menus, as well as hyperlocal advertising.

Over the next couple of months, Zomato will begin rapidly rolling out online ordering, followed by table reservations, cashless payment facilities and a point of

8 Open House, June 2015 www.openhousemagazine.net

sale system for restaurants.

“At the heart of the new website and app is our commitment to building local relationships with restaurants and bloggers and working together to grow Australia's vibrant foodie community,” said Kate Parker, country manager – Zomato Australia. (See more on page 26).

Perth welcomes $20m 140 food precinct A new flavour in modern dining and retail has officially arrived in Perth with the completion of 140, a $20 million food, art and retail precinct in the heart of the CBD. Combining modern architecture, heritage buildings, art and space, the five year redevelopment opened this month with 21 retailers open for business.

Developed by Cbus Property, 140 marks a first for Perth in moving away from the traditional self-contained shopping centre model, according to Cbus Property CEO Adrian Pozzo.

marvel at world class architecture and interact with art in various forms.”

The eclectic blend of hospitality venues includes the first Western Australian location of Ribs & Burgers and German casual dining restaurant, Brotzeit; Perth’s newest bar, The Globe Bar; chocolatier, Koko Black’s biggest Australian salon; and Perth’s latest American diner, East Village.

Diego Muñoz (pictured left), head chef of Astrid y Gastón in Lima, Peru, is heading to Australia to cook at Rockpool Est 1989 with Neil Perry and head chef Phil Wood at a special one-off event, with all proceeds going to food rescue organisation OzHarvest.

“The completion of 140 is the realisation of a bold vision to bring a unique food, beverage and retail precinct to Perth,” he said.

“We analysed what was and wasn’t working in the retail sector and identified an opportunity to create a place for people to not only go to grab a bite to eat or drink, but also to extend that experience by being able to

Hospitality workers short changed $1.2 million Food services workers in restaurants, cafés and catering companies throughout Australia have been underpaid over $1.2 million.

identified at 615 businesses, with almost 20 per cent of mistakes related to weekend penalty rates.

A total of 456 businesses were found to have short-changed 2752 employees, with one worker owed more than $40,000.

“The majority of errors related to wage entitlements,” said James.

The underpayments were identified as part of the second wave of the Fair Work Ombudsman’s National Hospitality Industry Campaign.

Fair Work Ombudsman Natalie James said of the 1066 employers asked to supply their 2012-13 time and wages records for assessment, only 42 per cent (451) were fully compliant with their workplace obligations.

A total of 879 individual errors were

Astrid y Gastón chef to cook for OzHarvest

“Employers were paying flat rates for all hours worked, which was often not enough to cover penalties, loadings and overtime.”

James said a 58 per cent contravention rate shows an ongoing need for intervention by the Fair Work Ombudsman in the food services sector.

“According to recent data, this is an industry with a vulnerable workforce comprised largely of young employees and low-skilled employees,” she said.

The dinner on Sunday, August 2, 2015, supported by the Rockpool Foundation, will feature a six-course menu with matching wines. Muñoz and Wood will take ingredients which represent the most frequently rescued produce by OzHarvest, such as potatoes, lettuce and apples and turn them into mouth-watering dishes.

Founder and CEO of OzHarvest, Ronni Kahn, met Muñoz last year at the United Nations Environment Programme Sustainable Innovation Forum as part of COP20.

“As soon as I learnt about what OzHarvest does, I knew I needed to be involved,” Muñoz said. “For me, cooking does not start when you turn the fire on or you grab a knife, but rather it begins right where food is sourced and how it is utilised to its fullest potential.”

Perry said he was “thrilled” to be working alongside Muñoz for this event.

“It is also the first major event for the Rockpool Foundation, the charity arm of our restaurant group, which we have just created,” he said. “We are incredibly proud of this achievement and all the money raised via the Foundation will go directly to organisations such as OzHarvest.”

Muñoz will also take over the kitchen for one night only at harvested, OzHarvest’s pop-up restaurant at Sydney’s Pyrmont on Wednesday, July 29 and cook a Peruvianthemed dinner inspired by zero waste. OH

www.openhousemagazine.net Open House, June 2015 9

COVER STORY

Chocolate solution Nestlé Docello is a versatile range of high quality chocolate that you can trust to work beautifully across a wide range of dessert and bakery occasions.

W

ith a rich history in making chocolate for many years here in Australia, the Nestlé Docello complete chocolate range made from quality ingredients is available in dark, milk and white varieties across a complete range of couverture and compound options.

With eight chocolate varieties in the recently expanded range, four couverture and four compound, you will have the perfect chocolate for every baking occasion.

Create any wonderful chocolate recipe, from elaborate chocolate sculptures through to the humble, yet tasty, muffin – there is a chocolate to match your every need.

To order your free 2.5kg sample from the Nestlé Docello chocolate range go to www.nestleprofessional.com

French for “covering”, couverture was originally used in France as a coating chocolate. Sometimes referred to as “true” or “pure” chocolate, the darker the colour of the couverture, the more intense the cocoa flavour; giving it a distinctive flavour and a very smooth texture. A high

10 Open House, June 2015 www.openhousemagazine.net

percentage of cocoa butter, combined with proper tempering, gives the chocolate more sheen, a firmer snap when broken and a creamy mellow flavour.

Compound chocolate is a multi-purpose chocolate that is made from a combination of cocoa and vegetable fats. Compound chocolate drops hold their shape well in baking and compound chocolate pieces have a wide variety of uses, including dipping and coating. Compound chocolate is far easier to work with than couverture chocolate, requiring little technique in melting.

So whether you are tempering, moulding, baking, panning, dipping, decorating or making a ganache, the Nestlé Docello range has got all your chocolate needs covered.

All Nestlé Docello chocolate comes in a 5kg box containing two handy 2.5kg bags inside to help maintain freshness and quality for every use. OH

Uncover your potato possibilities What are patrons hungry for now? At Lamb Weston®, we’ll bring the next delicious thing to your menu – simply and profitably. Whether it’s a not-to-be-missed LTO or a new signature side, we’re always ready to dig a little deeper to help you be greater.

See what’s possible with potatoes at LambWeston.com/FoodDomeAU or call (07) 3462 4700

©2015 ConAgra Foods, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

IN SEASON

Quince Q

harsh taste to it.

uince originated in Persia, now known as Iran, and then spread throughout the Mediterranean before coming to Australia in small quantities.

The fruit is related to apples, pears, plums, apricots and almonds.

The whole fruit can be cut into large pieces and slowly simmered in water for several hours, sometimes overnight, until it becomes soft and changes colour to a ruby red. The slower and longer it cooks the stronger the colour. Then its strained through for quince jelly and the pulp made into quince paste or preserved as quince slice. The unique fragrance and sweet flavour also complements cheese platters.

The toughness of quince trees allows it to grow in cooler subtropical areas to cold temperate regions. A number of quince farms are located in Victoria and New South Wales.

The fruit has a lumpy appearance, as over decades the tree has developed a gnarled and twisted form. Since ancient times quince has been a symbol of love and fertility.

The fruit turns from green to yellow when it is ripe. Although the flesh is hard it bruises easily, so care should be taken when picking them. The fruit can be stored for around three months in the refrigerator. OH

The skin and flesh is hard and needs to be cooked to bring out the flavour. The fruit cannot be eaten raw as it has a sour and

June

July

• Apples

• Fennel

• Parsnips

• Avocados

• Garlic

• Olives

• Avocados

• Grapefruit

• Passionfruit

• Beetroot

• Ginger

• Parsnips

• Banana

• Jerusalem artichokes

• Pears

• Broccoli

• Grapefruit

• Pineapple

• Pomelo

• Broccolini

• Pink lady apples

• Potatoes

• Brown onions

• Jerusalem artichokes

• Beetroot • Broccoli • Brussels sprouts • Cabbage • Carrots • Cauliflower • Celeriac • Celery • Custard apples

• Kiwifruit • Kohlrabi • Leeks • Lemons • Mandarins • Nashi • Olives • Onions

• Pumpkin

• Brussels sprouts

• Quince

• Cabbage

• Rhubarb

• Carrots

• Silverbeet

• Cauliflower

• Spinach

• Celeriac

• Sweet potato

• Celery

• Turnips

• Chinese greens

• Oranges: Navel

• Custard apples • Dutch carrots • English spinach • Fennel • Fuji apples • Gai lan (Chinese broccoli)

12 Open House, June 2015 www.openhousemagazine.net

• Kiwifruit • Kumara or sweet potatoes • Leeks • Lemons • Limes • Mandarins • Nashi • Navel oranges

• Pomegranates • Potatoes • Pumpkin • Quinces • Red delicious apples • Rhubarb • Silverbeet • Spinach • Witlof

TOP 10

10 cashed-up chefs From cakes and pasta to Emmys and television shows, these culinary high achievers are at the top of the food chain, writes Anastasia Prikhodko.

1 Rocco Dispirito

3 Curtis Stone

The Italian-American celebrity chef is well known from his appearance in the culinary-themed reality series, The Restaurant, and The Melting Pot. He won the prestigious James Beard Award in 2004 for his cookbook – Flavor. Dispirito is worth $6 million.

Bourdain first gained fame after writing his first book, Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly.

He is most recognised for his sense of humour and his no barriers on tasting unique foods on his popular food shows The popular television personality is also a chef and food author. His Australian travelling cook show, Surfing the Menu earned him a spot in The Celebrity Apprentice 3. The entrepreneur is worth $8 million.

2 Ron Ben-Israel The Israeli baker is the owner of Ron Ben-Israel Cakes, one of New York’s most popular pastry shops. He also hosts the cooking show Sweet Genius. The mastermind of cakes is worth $6.5 million.

5 Anthony Bourdain

Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations and The Layover. He is also a crime novel author, and is worth $12 million.

6 Nobu Matsuhisa

4

Matsuhisa and actor Robert DeNiro became partners in 1994 and now have an overseas chain of 31 sushi restaurants. Nobu has a net worth of $20 million.

9 Paul Bocuse Bocuse is considered to be an ambassador for French cooking and master at nouvelle cuisine. He owns restaurants in France and Japan including three-star Michelin

This Austrian chef is the official caterer of the Academy Awards, owns more than 20 restaurants across three continents, has published an array of cookbooks and has launched several kitchen and food merchandise.

He is worth a hefty $97 million.

8 Gordon Ramsay

restaurant L’auberge du Pont de Collonges in Lyon. Worth a cool $240 million.

This potty-mouthed celebrity chef is known as much for his short temper as for his Michelin starred restaurants.

Ramsay owns a total of 33 restaurants across three continents, and has published 21 cookery books. He is worth $157 million.

Ana Quincoces Apart from being a chef, Quincoces is also a successful businesswoman, lawyer and actress.

She was also voted Miami's Hottest Chef

by Eater magazine in 2011, and has written two best-selling books on cookery. Quincoces is worth a $9 million.

7 Wolfgang Puck

10 Jamie Oliver One of the most recognised faces in the culinary industry, Oliver is face of Jamie’s Italian chain of restaurants. The British chef has appeared in television shows broadcasted in over 100 countries, and has published 26 cookery books. He is worth a grand $520 million. OH

www.openhousemagazine.net Open House, June 2015 13

ORIGINS

Soup Soup has been around since the beginning of cooking, and with advancements in science and technology is set to remain one of the most universal and versatile dishes of all time, writes Sheridan Randall.

T

he opening scene to Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey shows an early human throwing a bone into the air before cutting to a space station orbiting earth. A great way to fast forward thousands of years but really he could have just as well shown a can of soup. This ubiquitous method of cooking is as old as mankind, with evidence our ancestors were busy in the kitchen preparing a broth some 20,000 years ago. While hunting and gathering may have past its use by date for most of us, soup has gone from strength to strength, giving rise to the first restaurants, becoming an icon of the pop-art movement, and even being the “right stuff” for those pioneering astronauts on the early Apollo missions.

Why soup? Well its simple to make, gets the most out of ingredients, is generally fool proof to prepare and moves seamlessly between the class barriers. On a technical level cooking ingredients in water is highly efficient, as being submerged allows for a quicker cooking time and more complete cooking. It also helps make otherwise inedible plants digestible, releases new flavours and with cereal grains releases starch into the liquid causing it to thicken.

So from the earliest times we have been flicking flies out of our soup, although it was many thousands of years before anyone could complain about this to a waiter, with broth, bouillion and consommé 14 Open House, June 2015 www.openhousemagazine.net

making their debut in the first public restaurants or “restoratifs” in 18th century Paris, Culturally soups are often associated with specific places – New England chowder, Spanish gazpacho, Russian borscht, Italian minestrone, French onion and Chinese won ton – but in reality there was an enormous overlap between the recipes of different countries.

In the 19th century canned and dehydrated soups came onto the market making soup a favourite for people on the go. One nation very much on the go at that time was the US, with Doctor John T. Dorrance, a chemist with the Campbell Soup Company, inventing condensed soup in 1897. To this day, Campbell’s Tomato, Cream of Mushroom, and Chicken Noodle Soup are three of the most popular soups in the US, with Americans consuming approximately 2.5 billion bowls of these three soups alone each year.

Andy Warhol cemented Campbell’s soup as an icon of American consumerism and innovation with his 1962 art work 32 Campbell's Soup Cans. The US space race was also in full swing at that time, with the astronauts on early Apollo missions rehydrating packet soup as they orbited earth. No matter where we are on the evolutionary ladder it seems soup will be there with us. OH

Q&A

Aiming for the stars Only having qualified as a chef last year, Perth based chef Chris Malone from Balthazar restaurant won this year’s Chef of the Year competition. He talks to Open House about working in the industry at a young age and his goal to work at Michelin starred restaurants.

A: It’s about wanting to do something different by using flavour combinations that aren't normally used and pushing the boundaries with different ingredients.

Q: What made you want to become a chef?

A: I've always loved cooking since I was in primary school.

I used to always tell my mum that I couldn't wait to finish school and become a chef. I grew up around food, and my mum used to be a cake decorator. Once I finished year 10, I handed my resume to Frasers restaurant in Kings park and it’s all gone from there.

Q: Ideal restaurant to work at?

A: I'd love to work at Sepia in Sydney, it's such an amazing restaurant.

But the place I'd really want to go to eventually is Eleven Maddison Park in New York, as their book has been a big inspiration for ideas.

Q: Hardest aspect about being a chef?

A: Being a chef in general is a very hard career. I guess what I found hard at first were the long days, which are usually around 12 to 16 hours seven days a week and dedicating everything to the job. Especially at the age I was, all of my friends were partying and doing normal teenage things and I was always working, but it's turned out to be beneficial.

Q: Biggest challenge in your career so far?

A: During the second year of my apprenticeship, I was working so much and getting so run down that I was considering leaving the industry altogether. It was also when I started competing at a more serious level, so that all added to the pressure. This industry will either make or break you but I'm so glad I stuck with it.

Q: Biggest highlight of your career?

A: My biggest highlight would probably be taking out the title of National Apprentice of the Year in 2013. To be recognised as the number one apprentice chef in Australia is just amazing, and then to take out the title as National Chef of the Year is quite unbelievable.

Q: Inspiration behind your recipes?

Q: Do shows like MasterChef and My Kitchen Rules glamourise and give a false outlook on the hospitality industry?

A: I think it's starting to get a little too fake, I don’t usually watch them but I turned it on the other day and some of the dishes they are producing are impossible for a home cook. From a professional perspective they should be advertising the fact that the contestants are getting major guidance and help behind the scenes. But the shows have also been good for the industry because it's gotten people out of their comfort zones and trying new things.

Q: Favourite ingredients to cook with?

A: I've always loved cooking with star anise. Also a lot of Japanese ingredients like yuzu, sake and seaweed. They're all so versatile and can be used in many ways.

Q: What’s next for you?

A: I've recently started my baker and pastry chef combined apprenticeship, so for now it's just sticking that out and completing it. Then I'm planning on moving to the Eastern states and hoping to try and get a position. OH www.openhousemagazine.net Open House, June 2015 15

PIZZA

Dough way to make a killing

See recipe in the Open House iPad app.

Pizza reigns supreme in the high street with the consumer love affair with this Italian staple showing no signs of slowing down, writes Sheridan Randall.

I

t may seem an odd barometer of the nation’s love affair with pizzas, but the stock market says it all. Brisbane-based pizza chain Domino’s has seen its share price rise almost 900 per cent in the last five years. That’s a lot of pizzas being sold.

Domino’s success is mirrored across many other outlets both large and small, with the variety of pizza offerings probably at an alltime high.

shifting consumer taste for pizza, which is constantly evolving and not put off by higher price points particularly when it comes to gourmet and healthier options.

Product innovation has been the driver of the pizza sector’s growth with total revenue reaching $3.6 billion in 2014-15.

From gourmet and traditional to the tacky and whacky there is a pizza for everyone.

Pizzas have become the internet of hospitality. They are everywhere, they cater to all tastes and there seems no end to the growth of the market.

Domino’s is charging ahead in the lucrative QSR sector, with the company constantly evolving both its offering and its method of delivery. With an eye always on the changing tastes of the market, Domino’s last year’s intends to remove all artificial colours, flavours and preservatives from its pizzas over the next two years, as part of an ongoing strategy to reflect a healthier image.

One engine for this expansion is the

“We are extremely proud of our main

16 Open House, June 2015 www.openhousemagazine.net

product, our dough, which is preservative free, contains no artificial colours, GMO free and MSG free and is baked fresh daily in our stores,” says CEO Don Meij.

“We now have plans to be as equally proud of our entire menu and what it boils down to is if you can’t pronounce it, it shouldn’t be in the food – it’s all about simplifying the ingredients.”

The company is also a big fan of technology since launching its mobile app in 2009.

Almost 60 per cent of its sales are online, with a target to increase that to 80 per cent in two years. In addition there are the popular Pizza Mogul schemes and new GPS driver tracker app that lets customers track their pizza from the oven to their door.

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1 Pizzaperta.

2 Circa 900 Pizzeria Napoletana.

3 The Pizza Box. 4 Vacanza Pizzeria.

4 3

Outside the QSR sector, other venues are being equally innovative, with Salt Meats Cheese’s The Pizza Box pizzeria housed inside a shipping container. Looking to bring “a modern Italian approach to pizza, from the dough through to the toppings”, The Pizza Box is not afraid of trying new things, with the most ordered pizza their signature pizza, the Black Lobster featuring lobster tail on a squid ink pizza with fontina, mozzarella, garlic oil and thyme.

“Our customers are still able to get the traditional margherita,” says Stefano De Blasi, co-director of Salt Meats Cheese.

“But we are also very excited to start experimenting with layering pizza with topquality ingredients and innovative pairings."

This wave of exotic pizzas has been coined as “new-wave” by Pizzaperta, a pizzeria based at The Star in Sydney, with prawn, zucchini and mint, buffalo ricotta and fennel sausage (handmade in Balla) and lamb belly with Mediterranean herbs all in the mix.

“Although traditional and classic Italian flavours of Marinara and Margherita are no doubt clear favourites, the new-wave menu offers emerging trends of the humble Italian

A right caper Pizza Capers has claimed the Canstar Blue’s top award in pizza satisfaction for a fifth time. The survey of Australian consumers saw Pizza Capers given five-star ratings for overall satisfaction as well as delivery, menu variety, taste of pizza and service at ordering.

“We focus on giving our customers a great meal experience with menu variety, unique toppings, quick delivery times and generously topped pizza,” says Pizza Capers general manager Yvette Shearer.

“We continue to put the customer first and provide them with healthy, real food and hand-crafted gourmet products.”

18 Open House, June 2015 www.openhousemagazine.net

street food,” says Stefano Manfredi, founder of Pizzaperta.

Manfredi gets his inspiration from the Italian new wave in northern Italy from people like Simone Padoan at I Tigli, and Gabriele Bonci at Pizzarium in Rome.

“The Italian food landscape is caught in a battle between traditional, regional food and the modern demands of globalisation,” he says. “Traditional pizza can still be found in Napoli, however across the country, young pizzaioli are playing around with fermentation, hydration and special stone-milled flours as well as nontraditional toppings to raise the level of pizza in Italy.”

One of the challenges for Pizzaperta is to create pizza that caters to consumer demand for healthier dining options.

“Society is turning towards quick but gourmet and healthy eating options to counter expanding waistlines,” says Manfredi. “We are revolutionising the way we eat pizza by demonstrating that taste and technology can return the flavours of the past with a nutritional balance suitable

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1 Queen Margherita of Savoy. 2 The Pizza Box. 3 Salt Meats Cheese.

for a healthy lifestyle.”

After training with renowned Italian chef Biaggio Longo in Southern Italy, Vacanza Pizzeria owner Nick Gilbert was inspired to bring a similar style of pizza to Australia. With two venues to his name, in Sydney’s Bronte and Surry Hills, Gilbert went for tradition.

“While pizza will always exist as a fast food option, Australians are becoming more familiar with traditional Italian pizza,” he says. “There is a greater acceptance of the Italian philosophy ‘less is more’. Genuine pizza lovers are more concerned about the quality and taste of the dough and quality ingredients.”

Associazone Verace Pizza Napoletana (AVPN) accredited pizzerias in Australia are on the rise, with Giuseppe Zagari, owner of Aperitivo restaurant in Sydney’s Leichhardt, saying “everyone wants to make traditional Neapolitan style pizzas”.

“When we opened six years ago, pizza Napoletana was only being served in one other restaurant (Pizza Mario),” he says.

“Customers would come in and try our pizzas thinking it would be as per usual pizza found in Australia, thin base, crispy, almost cardboard like. There was an education process involved with serving

this style of pizza to our customers until it has reached where it is today, where almost every restaurant saying they make pizza Napoletana.”

For today’s consumer it is all about quality of both preparation and ingredients.

“From the size of the cornicione (crust) of a pizza to the colour of the toppings,” he says. “Gone are the days of being able top a pizza with pour quality ingredients and expecting people to enjoy it.”

Queen Margherita of Savoy, in Sydney’s Cronulla, is the 10th pizzeria in Australia to be AVPN accredited, offering authentic Naples style pizzas. The growing trend for “well-produced comfort food" is only in its infancy stage, according to head chef Lee Carroll, who maintains the biggest challenge is converting the "ham and pineapple" eaters.

“We don't serve pineapple, BBQ sauce or chicken and some people don't get that,” he says. “That over-done American version of pizza is not what we're all about. We're promoting true Neapolitan pizza and want to give our customers something that is as close to a visit to Naples as possible.”

Carroll sources the ingredients from Campania wherever possible and says the Margherita has continued to be the first

20 Open House, June 2015 www.openhousemagazine.net

choice pizza with the Carne, a combination of pork and fennel sausage, nduja (salame) and leg ham, close behind. “Personally I'm a sucker for a four cheese with a few mixed mushrooms, garlic and thyme,” he says.

Mark Capparella, of Melbourne’s Circa 900 Pizzeria Napoletana, was born and raised in Naples and comes from three generations of pizza makers. Unsurprisingly, his pizzeria is also AVPN accredited, with the Regina Margherita the restaurant’s best seller.

“This simple pizza it has so much flavour you can taste,” he says. “The dough, the sweet aroma from the San Marzano tomatoes and the amazing buffalo mozzarella cheese taste finished with basil and olive oil which is as amazing eaten straight out of oven or cold.”

The pizza sector has changed over the last five years, with consumers looking beyond the “the old $5 pizza” and seeking out great products and service, according to Capparella.

“I think people are finally coming to terms they want good quality pizza now,” he says. “Pizza has revolutionised the world now and finally people understand now what a good quality product is and they demand it now. The public now, want quality not quantity.” OH

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This makes them perfect for pizzas and pasta, but just as delicious in salads.

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FOOD & WINE FESTIVALS

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A taste of the nation Food and wine is proving a winning combination when it comes to promoting Australia overseas, with that same passion working equally well at drawing locals to regional destinations, writes Sheridan Randall.

W

hat started as a putting another shrimp on the barbie has morphed into a fully-fledged degustation with matching wines. Tourism Australia’s Restaurant Australia campaign has been working wonders so far with perception rates of Australia as a food and wine destination by overseas visitors increasing.

has to offer, generating around $44 million worth of global exposure.

Lisa Ronson, chief marketing officer for Tourism Australia, says food and wine are “are really powerful” tools for attracting visitors.

The next phase of the campaign aims to broaden its scope. While the gala dinner focused on Australia’s culinary elite, the next stage will see more talk about the produce.

The government agency has spent around $40 million in the last eight months, including the gala dinner held in Tasmania late last year, which saw the culinary glitterati of the world descend on the Museum of Old and New Art in Hobart for the posh version of an Aussie barbie.

Local culinary heavy weights such as Ben Shewry (Attica), Peter Gilmore (Quay) and Neil Perry (Rockpool) donned white aprons and delivered a true taste of what the nation

“We still have a way to go so it will be a massive part of the campaign going forward,” Ronson says. “I think what the event in Hobart showed was that we are really serious about our food offering. We have great people, place and produce.”

“That’s our challenge in the next year,” she says. “How we do that we are still working through. From an event point of view, which is what we did in Hobart, we are really going to look at that and take it more out into the regional areas. It’s got a long life and we have a long way to go. People want to experience everything about a country, they want to spend time off the beaten track where they can get really authentic food and

22 Open House, June 2015 www.openhousemagazine.net

wine experiences.”

John Hart, CEO of peak industry body Restaurant and Catering, says the positive effects of the campaign have “brought the industry together”.

“What we are starting to see now is those coming to this country that are responding to the Restaurant Australia campaign are spending more when they get here,” he says.

“We are not only getting an uplift in the number of people coming to the country but once they get here they are a different type of tourist and spending more, which is great for business.”

Encouragingly the scope of Australia’s food and wine offering goes far beyond the top end venues in capital cities and well into the regions.

“Really it’s about getting a deeper engagement and making sure we have some of that particularly regional product involved in Restaurant Australia,” he says. “We want to

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1-7 The Noosa International Food and Wine Festival.

4

get people out into the regions.”

Mark Best, of Marque Restaurant and Pei Modern, says Tourism Australia “has done a fantastic job in bringing together a whole heap of compelling storytellers”.

“It’s about perception,” he says. “The French are very good at marketing their cultural heritage and we can learn a lot from them.

In our unique way we have an incredible product. When you talk about grassroots you don’t get any more grassroots than our producers. The local cafes and local restaurants, they all follow.”

That push for authentic food and wine experiences is driving an expansion of culinary festivals and events in the regions, with the Noosa International Food and Wine Festival considered the godfather to them all. In attendance terms the festival has been staggeringly successful, with visitor numbers rocketing from 100 when it launched 12 years ago to 35,000 in later years. Driven by the passion of local restaurateur Jim Berardo, the festival’s future may now be under threat, with Berardo’s company, which ran both the festival and local restaurant Berardo’s, going into voluntary administration (see more in the box).

6

Despite the uncertainty over how it will continue, the festival has been a template on how to attract the best culinary talent and legions of interstate visitors to a regional destination.

Simon Ambrose, chief executive at Sunshine Coast Destination Limited (SCDL) says that food and wine festivals don’t just bring foodies to the region.

“Events such as the Noosa International Food and Wine Festival have definitely become a drawcard for incentive groups looking for something exceptional to include into their programs,” he says. “The good news is, other Sunshine Coast events are also attracting a number of incentive groups from across Australia and New Zealand.

Our business events team are finding groups are very surprised and attracted by the accessibility and ease of being able to incorporate a paddock-to-plate or trawler– to-plate offering into their program. There are not many places where farm tours can commence within minutes’ drive of the main tourism hubs.”

Tropical North Queensland is also keen to show off its culinary credentials with Port Douglas Carnivale (May 22-31) combining

community events with a strong focus on food and wine.

“Food events such as the original Food, Wine and a Taste of Port, The Longest Lunch and Seafood Extravaganza have made up the very fabric of Carnivale and are what have helped it to grow into one of Australia’s best known events over the last 21 years,” says Roy Weavers, general manager of Port Douglas Carnivale.

“Over the years, Carnivale has continued to embrace more and more food events as people’s appetite for food tourism continues to grow. Events such as Palates of Port, an eight course degustation under the stars, Taste Port Douglas and more have all made their mark on the Carnivale calendar.”

Carnivale began as an incentive for yachties attending the Clipper Cup to come into town, but now attracts local, interstate and international visitors thanks to direct flights to New Zealand.

“Carnivale provides a boost for local businesses, filling local accommodation and restaurants over the festival period, and is a wonderful talking point for those that come along and those who aspire to,” he says. “A domestic publicity campaign can generate

www.openhousemagazine.net Open House, June 2015 23

1

Cooking up a storm Open House was at this year’s Noosa International Food and Wine Festival and caught up with some of the culinary talent.

Dan Hong (left), Ms. G’s, Mr Wong: “It’s a case of work hard and play hard. It’s my fourth year here and I just love coming. Chefs in general, we don’t have much time to hang out with other chefs because we are so busy with our own restaurants, so it’s really good to catch up with them.”

Matt Moran (right), Aria, Chiswick, Opera Bar: “I think this is my seventh time to the festival, but I spend a lot of time in Noosa because I have a house up here. It’s like schoolies week for chefs. It’s always fun.”

George Francisco (left), Circa 1876: “I love Noosa. It’s my second time to the festival. Coming here was up on my list and once I got invited I’ll always come back.

The producers are a big draw.”

1 Port Douglas Carnivale’s Longest Lunch.

around $2 million worth of exposure across all media for Port Douglas, which is incredible.”

Relish Food and Wine Festival (June 6) is another Queensland festival dedicated to pleasures of the palate. Held in conjunction with the World's Greatest PubFest, this year’s event saw a record 3000 people attending.

“Relish Food and Wine Festival has been a great way in the past to show South East Queensland what the Fraser Coast has to offer,” says Councillor for Events Darren Everard.

“This year we have decided to make our local chefs the 'hero' of the festival. We have so much talent here on the Fraser Coast with many award winning chefs and restaurants.”

Fraser Island prawns and Hervey Bay

scallops are just some of the local produce being showcased, and with the event very much about promoting the region’s produce it is beginning to attract more visitors from beyond the region as far as Sydney.

“Food is a part of Australian culture,” says Everard. “It is a huge part of the Fraser Coast lifestyle, and it is continuously growing.”

The Hunter Wine Festival (June 20) is also looking to make its mark on the Australian psyche, and with the deep pockets of hotel owner Dr Jerry Schwartz funding it is not likely to be going under anytime soon.

Held at the Crowne Plaza Hunter Valley as part of Hunter Valley Food and Wine Month, the event is set to bring in more conference and incentive groups looking to sample the array

In the balance The future of the Noosa International Food and Wine Festival is uncertain following an announcement that festival organiser and restaurateur Jim Berardo has entered his company into voluntary administration.

Noosa Food & Wine Events, owner of Berardo’s Restaurant, appointed John Cunningham and Paul Nogueira of Worrells Solvency and Forensic Accountants at the end of May. The news comes only weeks after this year’s festival closed its doors.

The administrators have stated that although the restaurant was trading at a loss it was the festival’s ongoing losses that forced the move, with 2014 ticket sales particularly affected by heavy rain.

In a letter to the Sunshine Coast Daily, Berardo stated that he had “worked hard and long, at great personal expense, to resolve all financial issues facing the company”.

Rising infrastructure costs, capped sponsorship and a decline in discretionary spending all contributed to the festival's financial woes, he stated.

He hoped that with the assistance of local and state governments and the key partners that the festival will continue in 2016 and “be better than ever”.

24 Open House, June 2015 www.openhousemagazine.net

of local wine, food, beer and cider on offer.

“Food and wine have been crucial in driving the events sector in recent years, and Tourism Australia has really supported the push by making food one of their international priorities,” Schwartz says.

Describing food and wine as “crucial differentiating factor” for a regional destinations, Schwartz says “a destination’s attractiveness grows significantly depending on its profile as a foodie destination.”

Schwartz has been very proactive in raising the profile of the Hunter Valley, with the festival another tool in his wellfunded marketing box being used to bring in business.

“I think it is fair to say that the Hunter Valley has not had the same positive profile as some of Australia's other food and wine destinations in recent years,” he says.

“Everyone knows the name Hunter Valley and associates it with wine but I don't think it has made the most of its heritage.

“Wine regions like Margaret River and Yarra Valley have really stepped up their marketing with outstanding events, which is why we decided to invest our own money into resurrecting the Hunter Valley Wine Festival. It hadn’t been held for 30 years, when we revived it in 2013, which is ridiculous given that the Hunter that is one of Australia’s leading wine regions.”

As Australia’s confidence in its food and wine continues to grow so to do the number of festivals across all the states and territories celebrating its local produce and talent, giving more visitors and locals alike a real taste of Australia. OH

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TECHNOLOGY

Game changers New apps targeting the hospitality sector are set to change the way businesses operate and fuel consumer demands for efficient and hassle free services, writes Anastasia Prikhodko.

N

ew apps are coming online at an accelerating rate across every industry. Some are disrupters, innovations that turn the conventional way of doing things on their head – think Uber. Others simply make what has always been done easier and more widely available.

The hospitality industry is not immune to any of these gamechanging apps, with many new ones hitting the market set to impact every facet of foodservice. As diners become increasingly dependent on mobile technology operators will be made to adapt and change their business models, transforming the traditional way of serving, delivering and ordering food.

26 Open House, June 2015 www.openhousemagazine.net

Food and restaurant finder Following Zomato’s recent acquisition of Urbanspoon, the restaurant search and discovery app now sees around eight million visits to the website and app each month from Australian diners.

“Globally, this grows to over 80 million visits per month providing users with in-depth information on over 1.4 million restaurants across 22 countries,” says Kate Parker, country manager at Zomato Australia.

With over 500 000 users in Australia, Parker says foodies will

be better informed, more socially connected and engaged with the experience of dining out.

As part of their innovative strategies, Zomato has included a number of features to interact with the growing trend of food bloggers.

“We now have more than 2000 bloggers registered with Zomato who have access to features including ‘Spoonback', that directly links their blog to Zomato (and Zomato to their blog), helping to drive traffic back to

Appetite for waste Waste not, want not is the philosophy behind the new free app Yume.

“The idea of connecting food outlets directly with food programs and diners hatched six years ago,” says CEO and founder Katy Barfield. The key is to offload small amounts of food that organisations are unable to pick up.

“With over 4 million tonnes of food going to waste in this country every year, the app is a cost effective and smart way to make sure that the fantastic food created by our chefs doesn’t go to waste and actually goes to the bellies of the people,” she says.

"It could be a few muffins or slices of lasagne. Food rescue organisations just can't put more food vans on the

road to pick up these small quantities, so Yume puts food donation in the hands of the general public."

Pubs, restaurants and cafes list their extra food on Yume, which is then sold to the public for half price. Food outlets also have the option of donating unwanted food to community food programs.

“We all known how difficult it can be in the industry,” she says. “Many years ago I owned a little bar in Melbourne and it’s a tough gig. Every single piece of food that you throw into the bin, you are literally throwing away money and that is a disaster for the business, environment and community.”

Food outlets simply provide details

on the item, cost, number of items that are available and the time frame for collection. Customers can search by list, location or food type, or by a map feature which picks up their current location and displays the closest offers.

Every time a consumer eats with Yume, they earn eco-coins, an online currency that grows with every Yume purchase. The coins can then be used to either redeem a free meal, gift them to a friend or donate to charity.

Currently, there are 52 venues registered with Yume and 1500 downloads across Australia.

“We would like to stop one million kilos of food from going to waste via Yume and see 2000 cafés and restaurants by 2016 on board,” she says.

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“The app is an information and education tool, it’s a way of teaching the general public about food waste. Although Yume has only been available for a few weeks, we have already had interest from New Zealand and America. To put a food pun on it, there’s a real appetite for an app like this.”

their blogs and build their audience,” says Parker.

“We have also introduced a blogger ‘Leaderboard’, which bloggers can climb based on how many restaurants they have written posts for using the Spoonback feature,” she says.

Parker explains that the feature helps identify prolific contributors in a city, helps bloggers track their rankings and connect with other bloggers.

Online ordering, table reservations, cashless payment facilities and a point of sale system for restaurants are set to follow.

Restaurants can also access a range of free and paid services including analytics on how they are performing compared to other restaurants in the area, share events, daily deals and special menus.

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www.openhousemagazine.net Open House, June 2015 27

Wholesale shift The hospitality wholesale industry is also undergoing a change with the recent launch of Ooder, a supply ordering app. The Melbourne based start-up allows users to integrate all of their suppliers into one platform and place and manage their orders for free.

The founders came up with the idea while exploring wholesale opportunities for their previous start up, an online tea business.

“We went out to see cafes and restaurants and while we discussed tea wholesaling the pain of placing and managing orders with their various suppliers came up time and time again,” says co-founder

Pizza driver GPS Christian Mildner.

“Ooder creates a range of benefits for users. The key advantage is the ability to place and manage all orders with various suppliers in the same, simple way and on the device of their choice. Users always have access to the latest product information of their suppliers and records of all orders are kept automatically.”

The app also works for teams.

“We can set up multiple users per restaurant or café,” he says. “This makes it easy to delegate ordering between staff members while keeping everyone in the loop. Users can create and modify their own pantry lists and order templates from the supplier catalogues.”

Mildner says that the company is not a marketplace but is based on pre-existing relationships.

Domino’s Pizza is looking to keep ahead of the innovation game launching its GPS Driver Tracker earlier this year. An evolution of Domino’s Live Pizza Tracker, which launched in 2006, the app lets customers track their order from the store to their door .

“This was previously a blind part of our business,” says chief digital officer, Michael Gillespie.

“Customers would know that their pizza was on its way but have no idea when it was likely to arrive at the front door. We now have transparency over a significant part of our business – essentially it’s the biggest change to pizza delivery in the brand’s 54 year history.”

style stores and this is just another example of being us being proud to be on display,” Gillespie says.

Domino’s Group CEO Don Meij says that the GPS Tracker will set good driving behaviour benchmarks in the business through its ability to generate unsafe driving behaviour reports. “Over an 18 month trial period the number of driver incidents reduced by 50 per cent,” he says.

Delivery times on average have increased by 20 per cent, with drivers making the 20-minute mark compared to five years ago where delivery time was around 30 minutes.

Customers will now know the drivers name, favourite sports team and pizza. “We have spent a lot of time heroing our food and putting it on display via our Theatre of Food

Totally queue-less Benefiting both customers by eliminating wait times and businesses looking to minimise staffing costs, the PocketButler app lets diners choose, order and pay at venues without going to the counter.

In 2013, co-founders Christian Riegman and Paul Bellamy saw a need for improvement in service levels at busy venues.

Riegman explains that with more patrons using the app, more venue resources will be freed up to provide better services, resulting in venue revenue increase, greater customer satisfaction and order errors will minimize.

“Take a bar environment for instance, if the ordering and payment for drinks is done by PocketButler, a bartender can improve their output,

spending less or no time processing payments and more time making drinks,” he says.

Venues choose the options they want for their customers, whether that is table service or pick-up. Customers are then notified once their order is ready so they know to pick it up, or that it is on its way to their table.

we program ourselves to do this by committing this routine to our habitual memory. We then perform these tasks on auto-pilot and often struggle to see there being a better way.”

Although venues and customers see the benefits, breaking the habit of standing in lines can be significantly difficult.

He also says that one of the challenges in launching the app was "habitual nonsense".

“By utilising technology like smartphones, apps and cloud based POS terminals; it is possible to run a much more efficient hospitality business,” Riegman says. “Queues will disappear, patrons will be happier and stay in venues longer, which in turn means people spend more.

Businesses that resist the current digital trend will simply not last whilst their digital neighbours will thrive.

This is no longer a ‘what if’?

“We are creatures of habit and most of us don't like change,” he says. “Once we get used to a routine, whether that is how we get dressed in the morning or standing in line to order,

“This is no longer the future – it is here now and it’s a really exciting time for the consumer. In five years’ time, you simply won't see queues anywhere. OH

“I expect that the hospitality industry is going to look quite different in two years,” says Riegman.

28 Open House, June 2015 www.openhousemagazine.net

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FOODSERVICE AUSTRALIA

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On show The theme behind this year’s Foodservice Australia tradeshow ‘refresh your thinking’ successfully brought exhibitors and visitors together to discover new products, new equipment and new ideas, writes Anastasia Prikhodko.

“W

e have seen a fantastic result this year, numbers are up 30 to 40 per cent,” says Tim Collett, event director of Foodservice Australia. “There are more exhibitors, more visitors and you can really feel the buzz. It’s just staggering how much the show has lifted.”

Collett says it was especially poignant to hold the exhibition on the anniversary of the first show ever held at the Royal Exhibition Building 135 years ago.

The exhibition featured over 200 exhibitors including a range of events designed for chefs, food managers and hospitality operators.

Special events at the show

30 Open House, June 2015 www.openhousemagazine.net

included the Unilever Food Solutions Chef of the Year, FSAA Foodservice Conference, Australia’s Best Pie Competition, Café School Workshops and the new Restaurant and Bar Theatre.

Chef of the Year attracted around 150 entries and after three consecutive days of competition

Chris Malone from Balthazar in Perth took home the trophy and $6000 in prize money.

“It was really tough, once you see what’s in the mystery box you don’t have much time to plan your dishes,” says Malone. “I am so proud just to have competed with these other awesome finalists, to win is amazing.”

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6 1, 2, 5 On the show floor. 3, 7 Dishes prepared by contestants for Chef of the Year. 4 (L-R): Chef of the Year contestants Richard Robinson, Sydney, Leslie Chan, Melbourne, Chris Malone, Perth, Chloe Donaldson, Brisbane with sponsors & judges. 6 Restaurant and Bar Theatre.

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Chief judge Neil Abrahams says it was a very close contest. “It is a challenging competition, there’s no doubt about it,” he says. “50 per cent of the points are for taste, but contestants are also marked on their skills in the kitchen, their waste minimisation and their time management.”

In Australia’s Best Pie

Competition, Bel’s Gordon Street Bakery in Port Macquarie NSW took the award for Australia’s Best Pie. Meanwhile Denmark Bakery in WA won the Great Aussie Pastie prize.

Tony Smith from the Baking Association of Australia says they received 270 entries from around Australia, with Ron

Taylor and his team of judges tasting 1600 pies and pasties in 17 classes.

Lunch and food-to-go was the focus at Café School with sessions on making coffee, sandwiches, burgers and pizzas.

Next year’s Foodservice Australia trade show is expected to run from May 22-24 at the Royal Hall

of Industries in Sydney.

“Sydney is a tough market at the moment, but we will be working hard to take the success of the Melbourne show into Sydney next year,” says Collett. “We have already signed up most of the exhibitors and will be introducing some new ideas to boost the trade audience”. OH

www.openhousemagazine.net Open House, June 2015 31

REGIONAL SNAPSHOT

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1 Truffle hunting in Canberra. 2 Lonsdale Street Roasters, Canberra. 3 The Boat House by the Lake.

Canberra, ACT Eat your way through the city’s growing food precincts, go hunting for truffles, and sip on local wine while enjoying the views of the nation’s capital, writes Anastasia Prikhodko.

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nfluenced by the garden city movement, Canberra’s natural vegetation has earned itself the title – the bush capital.

With its abundance of produce, the focus on locality and sustainability is behind a thriving slow food movement, along with an increase of outlets for people interested in buying directly from small local producers.

Choku Bai Jo in North Lyneham and Capital Region Farmers Market are the largest farmers market in the Southern Tablelands. Fyshwick fresh food market and Belconnen fresh food market are also popular markets offering fruit, vegetables, plants, pastries and meats.

Sasa Sestic’s win at the 2015 World Barista Championships has put Canberra on the

map as a coffee destination. Popular coffee places include Sestic’s Ona Coffee House, the Cupping Room, Remedy and Lonsdale Street Roasters.

months. The Perigord truffles are locally grown, with the Truffle Festival in Canberra giving visitors get the chance to taste, cook and learn about the culinary delicacy.

There are around 33 cellar doors within 35 minutes of the city to explore and plenty of bistro eateries, quality cheap eats and fine dining to complement the wine. Restaurants serve local produce and Canberra District Wine, the inland location and altitude provide a great range of seasonal food options.

As part of truffle season, The Boat House by the Lake will be offering guests various tasting options including adding truffle shavings to any dish, featuring truffles on the degustation menu and hosting a truffle dinner with matched wines.

Canberra's newest brewery Bent Spoke Brewing Co. and Hopscotch have joined the neighbourhood along with an Argentine open grill.

Truffle hunting is a popular activity among locals and visitors during the winter

32 Open House, June 2015 www.openhousemagazine.net

“Canberra has become a thriving truffle region which means I have access to fresh local truffles, one of the most highly prized delicacies in the world,” says John Leverink, executive chef at The Boat House by the Lake. “Therefore, it is no surprise that I work closely with our local trufferies and eagerly await truffle season each year.”

DIARY DATES The Truffle Festival June 26-September 7, 2015

VIEW FROM THE KITCHEN

The Canberra region have venues offering the opportunity to taste and experience the truffle, with events ranging from degustation dinners, pastries, cooking classes and demonstrations, wine tastings and matchings, farmers markets, truffle hunts and more. www.trufflefestival.com.au

Montalto Abundance Olive Festival July 4-5, 2015

John Leverink, executive chef, The Boat House by the Lake

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Best thing about the region: The produce and passionate people in and around the Canberra region. We have venison from the surrounding mountains, rivers full of trout, highlands for great dairy, cheese makers, trufferies and an amazing local wine region.

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Food heroes: It's a hard question as there are so many that provide inspiration in so many different ways. I have cookbooks from most of the top Michelin chefs across the world, as I like to draw from all sources.

I think I admire any chefs pushing hard to

create something different, working crazy hours and loving what they do every day.

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Most underrated ingredient: Cheaper cuts of beef like osso buco, beef tendon, bone marrow and brisket.

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Most overrated ingredient: I would like to see the use of truffle oil banned in Australia. It’s great to see more chefs using local Australian truffles. You can’t beat fresh.

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Food philosophy: Local is always better.

We are only an emerging centre for local and sustainable food but we as a region are growing in leaps and bounds. My direction on food these days is keeping the flavours simple but interesting through modern technique. Also using ingredients that reflect the season because this is when they really come to life. And to try new, out of the box ideas and not being afraid to fail.

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Career highlight: Well you can't really beat the feeling of buying your own restaurant, the first time you open the door, the anticipation, the excitement, and the adrenalin.

See recipe in the Open House iPad app.

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Best advice you’ve been given: Dream big, work hard and you will succeed. OH

Montalto, in Victoria’s Red Hill South, have been holding the annual weekend celebration for 13 years. A festival spirit pervades the atmosphere with live music, markets, cooking demonstrations, martini bar, olive oil massage, kid’s activities and Montalto food, wine and hospitality. www.montalto.com.au

The Rocks Aroma Festival July 1-31, 2015

Sydney coffee lovers can indulge their passion of the precious bean with events throughout July. World Barista Champion Sasa Sestic and Latte Art master Habib Maarbani will also hold in a series of talks and demonstrations.

Culminates with a full day of activities on Sunday July 26. www.therocks.com

www.openhousemagazine.net Open House, June 2015 33

COOKING THE BOOKS

Winter warmer Food writer Olivia Andrews brings some much needed warmth for the cooler months with a rich Thai curry from her latest recipe book Whole Food Slow Cooked.

Duck mussaman

Serves: 4. Preparation time: 10 minutes.

Cooking time: 4½ hours (slow cooker).

2¼ hours (stovetop) 4 duck legs 4 shallots, halved 2 x 270ml tins coconut cream 2 cassia or cinnamon sticks 4 kaffir lime leaves 2 tablespoons finely shredded ginger 3 medium potatoes, cut into wedges 2 tablespoons tamarind purée 3 tablespoons fish sauce 50g grated palm sugar or raw sugar Chopped roasted peanuts, chopped coriander (cilantro) and steamed rice, to serve Curry paste 10 dried long red chillies, soaked in hot water until soft, seeds removed 45g dessicated coconut 4 tablespoons unsalted roasted peanuts 6 cardamom pods, cracked, seeds removed, husks discarded 2 dried bay leaves, coarsely chopped ¼ teaspoon ground cloves

separates and rises to the surface. Stir in the remaining ingredients, then transfer to the slow cooker and cook on high for 4 hours until the potatoes and duck are tender.

Skim any fat from the surface of the curry, then serve with peanuts, coriander and steamed rice.

In the slow cooker For the curry paste, pound the ingredients to a coarse paste using a mortar and pestle.

Season the duck legs with salt and then place, skin-side down, in a large, non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Cook for 8 minutes, then turn over and cook for 2 more minutes. Transfer to the slow cooker.

Pour off all except 2 tablespoons of the fat from the frying pan. Add the curry paste and shallots to the pan and cook, stirring, for 3-5 minutes until fragrant. Add the coconut cream and cook for 6-8 minutes until the oil

On the stovetop For the curry paste, pound the ingredients to a coarse paste using a mortar and pestle.

Season the duck legs with salt and then place, skin-side down, in a large, heavybased saucepan over medium heat. Cook for 8 minutes, then turn over and cook for another 2 minutes. Remove and set aside.

Pour off all except 2 tablespoons of the fat from the pan. Add the curry paste and shallots and cook, stirring, for 3-5 minutes until fragrant. Add the coconut cream,

34 Open House, June 2015 www.openhousemagazine.net

cassia, lime leaves and 250ml (9 fl oz/1 cup) of water, then cook for 6-8 minutes until the oil separates and rises to the surface. Return the duck to the pan, cover with a lid and cook for 1 hour, turning halfway through.

Stir in the remaining ingredients, cover and cook for a further 45 minutes until the potatoes and duck are tender.

Skim any fat from the surface of the curry, then serve with peanuts, coriander and steamed rice.

This is an extract from Whole Food Slow Cooked by Olivia Andrews (Murdoch Books, $35).

What’s on shelf this month?

The Pasta Book

My Street Food Kitchen

The Chef Gets Healthy

by Gennaro Contaldo Penguin UK, $19.99

by Jennifer Joyce Murdoch Books, $39.99

by Tobie and Georgia Puttock Lantern, $39.99

Chef and restaurateur Gennaro Contaldo, best known as Jamie Oliver’s mentor, offers his take on the world of pasta, from easy tomato sauces and toss through spaghetti to slow-cooked ragus and warming baked dishes.

My Street Food Kitchen is a passport to enjoying the crunch, spice, sweetness and tang of exotic foods bought from food trucks and markets around the globe. With over 150 recipes including tacos, curries, dumplings, souvlaki and much more.

Australian chef Tobie Puttock packs away his Italian apron and gives his cooking a healthy makeover, taking up the challenge of creating low-fat, low-carb, gluten-free recipes without compromising on flavour. OH

Get it while it’s hot!

Open House is now available as an iPad app, offering even more ways to enjoy industry news, views and feature stories on the key issues and trends affecting the hospitality industry.

This exciting free app is packed with bonus extras including recipes, behind-the-scenes videos and interactive features.

Updated monthly, the Open House iPad app is available to download free at the iTunes app store or www.openhousemagazine.net.

www.openhousemagazine.net Open House, June 2015 35

PRODUCTS

Natural wonder

Decadent dessert sauces

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Beerenberg has extended its premium Signature Collection to include three decadent hand-made dessert sauces, designed to add an element of effortless luxury to dessert creations. The Chocolate Peppermint, Chocolate and Strawberry sauces are the perfect accompaniment to ice-cream, puddings and sweet indulgences.

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LG chilled to the max

Twisted ideas

LG’s has released a larger volume (900+L) Door-in-Door refrigerator. LG’s Door-in-Door refrigerator features a CustomChill Drawer that can be set to different temperature settings depending on your need.

With zucchini spaghetti or zoodles all the rage, get on board the health/Paleo-fuelled spiralising trend with the Lurch Super Spirali. With three different blade inserts, fruits and vegetables can be easily cut into fine or coarse spaghetti, as well as spirals.

The Super Spiral Cutter can also make curly fries in an adjustable thickness of up to 5mm which can be baked or fried.

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www.lg.com/au/french-door-fridges

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36 Open House, June 2015 www.openhousemagazine.net

www.vgminternational.com.au

All original

Special K a whole grain tastier

Whisky label Glenfiddich has launched Glenfiddich The Original, an exclusive re-creation of the original 1963 Glenfiddich Straight Malt, which was the first ever single malt to be actively promoted internationally, single-handedly established the entire single malt category as we know today. The release is a limited addition to the family run distiller’s collection of whiskies, with just 6400 bottles released in Australia.

Kellogg Australia has launched a new granola-style blend to Special K’s range of cereals. Providing whole grains, fibre and protein, Special K Whole Grain Clusters offers an abundance of wholesome, ingredients like whole grains, fruits, nuts and seeds. Special K Wholegrain Clusters are available in two flavours: Flame Raisin & Red Apple and Flaked Almonds, Cranberries & Pepitas.

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www.kelloggs.com.au

www.glenfiddich.com

Mayo for the masses

New flame

Roza’s Gourmet Sauces has launched a new Vegan Mayonnaise.

Created using a traditional tasting mayonnaise without the ingredients that many food-allergy sufferers and vegans have to avoid. It is soy, dairy, egg, nut and gluten free, which means everyone enjoy it.

Stoddart has released the Asado Parilla Grill as part of a growing trend in commercial kitchens towards more traditional ways of cooking with solid fuels. The adjustable Asado grill allows produce to be cooked or smoked as close to the flame as required, creating an entirely new cooking experience. For more information, contact Stoddart on 1300 791 954.

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www.rozas.com.au

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www.stoddart.com.au

OH

www.openhousemagazine.net Open House, June 2015 37

PROFILE

See the recipe in the Open House iPad app.

Back to basics New Zealand chef Justin North has been through his share of career ups and downs, but passion and a forward outlook on the industry has kept him creating, writes Anastasia Prikhodko.

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or a young lad from a tiny town in New Zealand, Justin North would have scarcely imagined the future that awaited him. Years of hard graft across New Zealand, Australia and Europe saw North achieve greatness with his French inspired restaurant Becasse only to see everything he built up fall apart post GFC. It’s been a while since the implosion of his culinary empire but North has been busy since, getting back in the kitchen to do what he does best – cook.

“At 15, I moved to Wellington from Blenheim to start my apprenticeship,” says Justin North. “At 19, I moved to Australia, then to England and then Paris. It seemed like Europe was where all the excitement was.”

At 22, North become second sous chef and was voted employee of the year at Blanc’s acclaimed Le Manoir aux Quat' Saisons.

In France, he worked at three Michelin starred Pierre Gagnaire and the Guy Savoy, before heading back to Sydney where he joined Banc Restaurant and two years later opened Bécasse.

The flagship restaurant was a combination of fine French cooking and modern Australian, had 25 seats and offered a $190-a-head degustation menu, served on ostrich-skin tables. The $4 million fit out had Swarovski crystal chandeliers, velvet banquette and an entry corridor clothed in silk.

“I ran the restaurant for a decade until 2011,” he says. “I was also doing a lot of other things than just cooking. I was running businesses and doing TV shows like MasterChef.”

Following the restaurant’s success, North opened Quarter 21, Etch, Le Grand Café and North Food Catering. But the impact of the GFC brought an end to his culinary empire, with the restauranteur owing an estimated $7 million to creditors.

“Since 2011, there’s been a massive shift away from fine dining,” he says. “People began spending a lot less and the impact of the GFC 38 Open House, June 2015 www.openhousemagazine.net

effected a lot of restaurants.”

Despite the tribulation North explains that this is common in the industry.

“In 2005 to 2010, there were more restaurants owned and run by chefs,” he says. “But these days more are operated by businessmen and that partnership between a businessman who can focus on the structure and cost, and the chef who can be creative works because they are playing to their strengths.”

Despite the pitfalls, for the last two years North has been the culinary ambassador for Accor Hotel’s Pullman brand and the executive chef at Hotel Centennial.

He has also steered away from fine dining. “I’ve spent many years in fine dining, where you are often overcomplicating things,” he says.

“Now it’s about going back and delivering what people want to eat every day. It’s a cross between sophistication and simplicity.”

On a personal level a highpoint has been playing a role in the career progression of apprentices.

“There is an apprentice and staff shortage,” he says. “Cooking is a labour intensive career and often hospitality magazines and TV shows make it look amazing, and although it is amazing sometimes they don’t show the hard work that’s involved. So people come and see a different perspective and once they see the reality, it can be tough for them.”

North says that for there to be an increase of apprentices coming in and staying on in the industry, traditional attitudes need to change.

“Senior chefs need to change their management style,” he says. “They can’t just say do it because that’s the way I want it done, you have to inspire people about what they are doing. This can be a difficult transition but it’s critical to have senior people embracing the junior, less skilled people.” OH

AUSTRALIAN CULINARY FEDERATION NEWS

Healthy competition H

alf the year has gone and where did it go? What a fantastic six months for the Australian Culinary Federation with all State Chapters working hard across the industry, delivering many events and programs.

The upcoming WA Oceanafest, in Perth on July 5-7, will see Australia, Asia and Pacific national teams battling it out in the Fonterra Foodservice Restaurant of Nation Challenge.

The Australian Culinary Challenge held at Fine Food Sydney later this year will be one to remember with the Fonterra Foodservice Battle of the Pacific Challenge seeing teams from all Australian States and the Pacific Region vying it out for the grand prize.

Good luck to the Aussie representatives in the World Chefs Global Chefs Challenge semi-finals held in New Zealand from July 30 to August 2.

Chris Malone, having recently won Unilever

Food Solutions Chef of the Year, is set to compete in the Hans Bueschkens Global Young Chefs Challenge, which is an accolade in itself.

Another upcoming young talent, Matt Weller, will be competing in the Global Chefs Challenge as a member in the Australian National Team and winner of the Fonterra Foodervice Restaurant Challenge in 2014.

Jenni Key will be competing in the Global Pastry Challenge; a respected and reputable team member on the Australian National Team for many years and a highly successful chef who has dedicated her knowledge to develop the young chefs of today.

The highly anticipated Fonterra Foodservice Cheese masterclasses will be beginning in rural and metropolitan areas following the success of the MLA Masterclasses.

PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE

Neil Abrahams Australian Culinary Federation (ACF)

On final note, we are also pleased to announce the Australian Culinary Federation has updated its website.

For further information on state contact details, membership, events, competitions, sponsors, chef certifications, education and more visit www.austculinary.com.au OH

ON THE MOVE Brisbane’s Zeus Street Greek has appointed Damian Draper as head chef.

Brisbane-born, he is previously behind Pony Dining Brisbane.

West Australian catering company Ultimo Catering & Events has appointed Matt Leahy (pictured) as executive chef and David Whitting as head chef. Combined the two chefs have 30 years of culinary experience.

Jupiters Hotel & Casino on the Gold Coast has appointed Steven Forrester as executive sous chef. He brings 17 years’ experience in the hospitality industry and was most recently executive chef at Parliament House Canberra and Stamford Plaza Brisbane.

Stuart Blair has joined the Sofitel Fiji Resort & Spa as executive chef. He arrived in Fiji from The Philippines where he spent the last two years at Crimson Resort & Spa, and has previously worked in The Maldives, Malaysia, Seychelles and Bali.

Swiss born Markus Nufer has returned to Fiji to become executive chef of the Outrigger owned and managed Castaway Island Fiji. He was previously the executive chef at five star cruise line Crystal Cruises.

Spicers Retreats has appointed Will Wallace as head chef of The Balfour Kitchen at Spicers Balfour Hotel in New Farm. He has worked at a wide range of restaurants, from the hatted Royal Mail Hotel to The Bentley Restaurant.

www.openhousemagazine.net Open House, June 2015 39

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