Open House Foodservice August 2015 Issue by Creative Head Media Pty Ltd

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AUGUST 2015

Asian health kick Electrolux awards celebrate Restoring the gender balance

Cleaning up Chux Superwipes

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PROUDLY AUSTRALIAN MADE

CONTENTS

ON THE COVER Chux Superwipes have been cleaning up Australia’s kitchens for over 40 years, with their quality, durability and versatility giving even more reasons to stick with the brand you trust.

Print Post Approved PP231335/00017

Regulars

JULY 2015

04 Editor’s word 06 News 12 In season

Features

Cooking with fire Gelato gets creative Old is new for craft beer OH0715.indd 1

14 Origins Marshmallow

10 Cover story Chux Superwipes

15 Q&A Stevan Premutico, Dimmi

16 Sauces The 101 on Asian sauce staples

32 Regional snapshot Adelaide Hills, South Australia

20 Asian ingredients Asian menus a healthy choice

34 Cooking the books

24 Talking point Female chefs in the spotlight

36 Products 38 Profile Ben Nicholls, Pullman Sydney Olympic Park 39 Australian Culinary Federation news

28 Design A better workplace by design 30 Electrolux Appetite for Excellence 2015 awards This year’s up and comers celebrate

They’ve cracked it Sunny Queen’s new Egg Meal Solutions 29/07/2015 5:20 pm

To ensure you never miss out there are now more ways to enjoy Open House. As well as the monthly magazine, Open House is also available as a free iPad app, which is packed with exclusive extras. The Open House app is available at the iTunes app store.

Subscribe to the OH iPad app

www.openhousemagazine.net

www.openhousemagazine.net Open House, August 2015 3

EDITOR’S WORD

Gloves off R

Published in Australia by Creative Head Media Pty Ltd

esponsibility. That’s the theme this month. Who is responsible and just what are they responsible for? Two things happened to trigger this questions. The first was a letter from an eagle eyed reader who pointed out that the photo of Chef of the Year winner Chris Malone (on page 15 of our June issue) showed him handling food without gloves and with an open wound. The reader pointed out quite fairly that for an industry that relies on strict health and safety guidelines and regulations this set a bad example. I’ve seen many culinary competitions in my time, and it is true they get very hands on. Watch any doco on a high end restaurant and each dish is fiddled around with by multiple gloveless food artists. Prodded, squeezed pushed and pulled, it’s like auction day at a cattle farm. In our defence the shot was taken during the heat of competition, so the gloves were off, quite literally. But this does beg the question – were we wrong to show it?

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The other thing that piqued my curiosity was yet another headline featuring Pete “paleo” Evans. Here he was defending his controversial baby broth formula. Now this is controversial for two reasons. One he is a man, and as far as I am concerned that makes anything he has to say about infant diets controversial. But more importantly he is vouching for the safety of the main source of nutrition for a developing human. He told Channel Seven’s Sunday Night programme that there has been “no recorded case of harm from that one recipe”. However, many experts in the field of nutrition have slammed the recipe and his claims. Which poses the question should chefs ever be held accountable for the food they produce beyond a primary hygiene level? It might give the owners of Las Vegas restaurant The Heart Attack Grill food for thought.

JOURNALIST Anastasia Prikhodko

PUBLISHER Alexandra Yeomans GENERAL MANAGER Michelle Cullen MANAGING EDITOR Sheridan Randall

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

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Sheridan Randall Managing editor

THIS MONTH’S TOP STORY A new generation of chefs are stepping into the kitchen and changing the traditional attitudes of the industry. They are young, have good attention to detail, love cooking, and happen to be female. See the full story on page 24.

4 Open House, August 2015 www.openhousemagazine.net

Official publication for the Australian Culinary Federation

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INDUSTRY NEWS

Entries open for Fonterra’s mentoring program Entries are now open for the 17th annual Fonterra Proud to be a Chef mentoring program. Thirty-two apprentice chefs will be selected to take part in the all-expense paid program held in Melbourne on February 21-25, 2016. “Through the Proud to be a Chef program, Fonterra is committed to investing in Australia’s culinary industry, both recognising and rewarding up-and-coming chefs and future leaders in the food industry in Australia,” said Carolyn Plummer, chef coordinator of Fonterra Proud to be a Chef.

Urban Purveyor Group launches new scholarship

ebecca O’Shea has been awarded Urban Purveyor Group’s inaugural Mike Spithill Wine Leadership Scholarship. O’Shea, the 24-year old assistant manager of The Cut Bar & Grill, will undertake an all-expenses paid, 10-day tour of Europe to visit some of the world's most celebrated wine producers, including Torres, E. Guigal, Pol Roger, Allegrini (pictured), Prunotto, Gaja and Antinori. Urban Purveyor Group launched the scholarship in honour of its late board member Mike Spithill, who provided education and training expertise to the

Of the thirty-two finalists, one apprentice will receive the major prize – $7500 to spend on an international culinary paid placement, exclusively personalised to their aspirations as a professional chef.

Group and its key wine partners Samuel Smith & Son and Negociants Australia.

The finalist group will be presented with the opportunity to be mentored by Australian culinary leaders, Anna Polyviou – executive pastry chef at Shangri-La Hotel Sydney, Josh Pelham – head chef at ESP (Estelle by Scott Pickett) in Melbourne and foodservice consultant Peter Wright.

“Mike sat on the board of Urban Purveyor Group for over 10 years, he mentored members of our senior leadership team, and was an infinite source of knowledge on the restaurant and wine industries,” said Urban Purveyor Group CEO Thomas Pash.

The four day program will include the opportunity to dine at award-winning restaurants across Melbourne, whilst culinary master classes provide a platform for the apprentices to learn and develop new skills from the Australian foodservice industry.

"Mike’s educational endeavours will live on through the Wine Leadership Scholarship which will be open to Urban Purveyor Group employees who are interested in furthering their knowledge and passion for wines from around the world.”

Growing trends around food sustainability are in this year’s program theme, set to educate finalists on the field to fork journey with a field trip to Western Star dairy heartland, at Cobden in Regional Victoria.

SCBW program launch 2015 The Sydney Craft Beer Week (SCBW) 2015 program was announced this month at The Royal Albert in Sydney’s Surry Hills. Guests were given a taste of beers from various breweries around Sydney, including the first ever official SCBW beer made by the Batch Brewing Company. “Ultimately, it’s a brewmance,” said Joel Connolly, director of SCBW. “The Festival is as much about raising the profile of craft

beer as it is about Sydney coming together for a week celebrating the brews and their brewers across awesome venues. We’ve got a tonne of events this year, so SCBW is reflecting the city’s ever growing love for the things that makes us human: the enjoyment of good beer.” Sydney’s largest celebration of craft brewing will run from October 17-25, with over 130 events held in over 70 bars, restaurants, breweries and outdoor spaces across town.

6 Open House, August 2015 www.openhousemagazine.net

In addition, the program will finish with each of the finalists cooking an original creation and work with a food photographer to see their dish and recipe come to life and be published in Fonterra’s Proud to be a Chef yearbook. Entries for this year’s 2016 program are open from now until October 31.

NEWS BRIEFS

Golden Chef regional heats wrapped The 2015 Nestlé Golden Chef’s Hat Award regional heats ended on July 29, with one of this year’s youngest competing chefs secure a place in the final to represent Tasmania. Luke Roe, aged 17, and second-year apprentice teammate Brigid Mallett (pictured) won over the judging panel with a menu of trout, lamb and poached pears. Australian Culinary Federation competition director Deb Foreman said the Tasmanian final was one of the best the competition has seen this year.

Bilton, both aged 18, who out-cooked some of WA’s best young chefs to cement their place in the final. Pat Dobbs, county business manager Nestlé Professional Oceania, said it was set to be an exciting national final at Fine Food Sydney this September. “The national final is a at a new venue for us this year and we’re going to take it more public than we’ve done in the past,” he said.

“It’s the biggest Tasmanian final we’ve ever had and the overall quality of the dishes was outstanding,” she said.

The series follows chefs Neil Perry (Rockpool), Ben Shewry (Attica) and Peter Gilmore (Quay) as they come together to create a uniquely Australian menu set to impress some of the

Wine festival takes over Clark Island Clark Island on Sydney Harbour is hosting the inaugural Wine Island in November, featuring some of Australia’s most exciting winemakers, sommeliers and chefs. Taking place from November 13-15, the festival will showcase cellar door experiences and gourmet food huts.

Momofuku Seõbo have debuted a new tasting menu from the culinary team led by executive chef Paul Carmichael who said: “It is truly a collaborative menu inspired by Australian ingredients. The invitation to be creative in a new space has been a unique opportunity.” Watch the video in the Open House iPad app.

Restaurant Australia turned into TV series Tourism Australia has partnered with The Precinct Studios to create Restaurant Australia, a three-part television series showcasing Australian cuisine to the world.

The NSW Food Authority is reminding businesses that Food Safety Supervisor (FSS) certificates issued in 2010 are due to expire next month. Businesses have 30 working days to ensure their appointed Food Safety Supervisor renews their training and obtains a new FSS certificate.

Momofuku Seõbo gets tasty

“Luke and Brigid were up against some talented chefs but they kept their focus. The flavours in their dishes were spot on and their kitchen work was impressive.” Also headed for the national final are newcomers Brody YoungSteedman and Hayden

Food safety refresher

world’s toughest critics including A.A. Gill, Heston Blumenthal and Alice Waters. The series is an extension of Tourism Australia’s Invite the World to Dinner event held at the Museum of Old and New Art (MONA) in Tasmania last November. “When people see these three episodes they’ll see just what an incredible undertaking the Invite the World to Dinner event in Tasmania really was, and get a much better appreciation of the people, the produce and places which make Australia such an exciting food and wine destination for international travellers,” said Lisa Ronson, chief marketing officer at Tourism Australia.

It’s all Greek for Aussie team Australia has won all three sections of the Pacific Region Global Chef Competitions held at the NZ Chefs Salon in Auckland. Jenni Key won a Global Pastry Silver medal, Chris Malone snagged a Hans Bueschkens Gold medal and Matt Weller was awarded a Global Chef Gold medal. Tassie set to sparkle Tasmania’s emergence as a producer of some of the world’s best sparkling wine will be celebrated in November (13-15) at Effervescence Tasmania 2015. This year Effervescence Tasmania will have Tetsuya Wakuda as its guest chef for the official welcome dinner on Friday, November 13.

www.openhousemagazine.net Open House, August 2015 7

Restaurant hit with $142k penalty after refusing to back-pay The former operators of a Bendigo restaurant who repeatedly short-changed their employees have been fined a total of $142,000 following legal action by the Fair Work Ombudsman.

investigation and legal action by the Fair Work Ombudsman in relation to nine casual and part-time employees who were underpaid $11,201 between October 2012 and September 2013.

Sona Peaks, which previously operated the Curry Garden Indian Restaurant in Victoria’s Goldfields region, has been fined $118,650.

The Court has also ordered Sona Peaks to back-pay the workers their outstanding entitlements in full.

The Federal Circuit Court in Melbourne has also imposed a further penalty of $23,715 against the company’s sole director and partowner, David Peter Anderson.

It is the second time the Fair Work Ombudsman has secured Court-issued penalties in relation to underpayments at the Curry Garden Indian Restaurant.

The penalties are the result of an

Earlier this year, Sona Peaks and Anderson

were fined a total of $15,500 for refusing to back-pay another employee who was owed more than $5000. Fair Work Ombudsman Natalie James says the Court has made it clear that recalcitrant employers who repeatedly underpay their staff will face serious financial consequences. “We are happy to resolve cases of inadvertent underpayments co-operatively with employers – but we will not tolerate cases of repeated and blatant underpayments by employers who refuse to take corrective action,” James said.

The Star shines at TAA awards For the second year running The Star in Sydney has won Chef of the Year, with Sokyo executive chef Chase Kojima (pictured) taking out award at the recent 2015 Tourism Accommodation Australia (TAA) NSW Awards for Excellence.

SA’s best Savour the night The best restaurateurs, caterers and café operators in South Australia were announced at the Savour Australia Restaurant & Catering Hostplus Awards for Excellence on August 3.

In addition to their major awards, Penfolds Magill Estate Restaurant also won best Fine Dining Restaurant and Blanco Catering won the Events Caterer category.

More than 1000 guests and dignitaries gathered at the Adelaide Convention Centre to celebrate the industry’s night of nights.

Chianti, Adelaide also took out two awards, winning both the Breakfast Restaurant – City and Italian Restaurant - Formal categories. Its sister venue Bar Torino took out the prestigious Small Bar award.

Penfolds Magill Estate Restaurant, Magill (pictured) was awarded Restaurant of the Year; Blanco Catering, Trinity Gardens was named Caterer of the Year; 2KW Kitchen & Bar snagged Best New City Restaurant. Peter Morelli was indcucted into the Lifetime Achiever & Hall of Fame – Individual, while Assaggio Café, Campbelltown was named Hall of Fame – Café.

“The winners should be proud of their achievements, as they have been rigorously reviewed in one of the most objective awards systems, which looks at the entire dining experience, rather than a single food or service dimension,” said Restaurant & Catering Australia (R&CA) CEO John Hart.

8 Open House, August 2015 www.openhousemagazine.net

Director of banquets, Scott Bayne, also won Food and Beverage Employee of the Year and BLACK Bar at The Star’s restaurant, BLACK by ezard took out the title of Bar of the Year. “The Star is proud to deliver the highest standards in tourism; it is an honour for our team members and facilities to be recognised by Tourism Accommodation Australia in this way,” said Greg Hawkins, managing director of The Star. OH

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COVER STORY

Cleaning up Chux Superwipes have been cleaning up Australia’s kitchens for over 40 years, with their quality, durability and versatility giving even more reasons to stick with the brand you trust.

hey say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery with many brands looking to copy Chux Superwipes in appearance if not in quality. “As with any market leader, there are always imitators who try to mimic the appearance of the product, even though they can’t match the quality,” says Clint Austin, Clorox Australia national sales & marketing manager – commercial. Some cheaper brands may look similar to Chux Superwipes, but they offer inferior levels of absorbency and durability. Chux Superwipes provide a complete range of high absorbency cloths for all commercial cleaning applications, soaking up all liquids including grease fats, oil and even ink. The double action holes trap dirt, absorb spillages and then rinse out clean, and can be laundered and used over and over again.

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They’re even colour coded to protect against cross-contamination. This HACCP Australiaapproved Colour Coding System allows you to use any of the five different-coloured wipes for specific applications – such as cleaning food preparation areas, toilets, general purpose use and so on.

10 Open House, August 2015 www.openhousemagazine.net

“The Chux colour coding system makes it easier to maintain hygiene guidelines in accordance with HACCP methodology – making Chux Superwipes the cloth of choice for smart foodservice professionals,” says Austin. The range also includes Chux Espresso Café Superwipes designed specifically for all café cleaning situations. The Espresso Café Superwipes are stronger, thicker and more absorbent than regular Chux, and come in a contemporary coffee/cappuccino colour which hides coffee stains. Made from soft non-woven viscose rayon fibres that are tough and durable, Chux Superwipes are available in Regular and Heavy Duty for any foodservice cleaning task. There’s no mistaking the top quality cleaning cloths on the market with Chux Superwipes featuring the Chux logo prominently printed on the fabric. “So to avoid any confusion and leave you in no doubt that you’ve purchased a quality Chux product, we’ve ensured that Chux Superwipes are now easier to identify than ever before,” says Austin. OH

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IN SEASON

Red papaya W

To prepare the fruit, cut it in half lengthways, remove the seeds and skin, then chop the flesh, it is sweet enough to have on its own or with a dash of lemon juice. The fruit can also be added to sundaes for a more tropical feel or used in salsa to serve with fish. It’s also great in puddings, smoothies and fruit salads.

ith aromatic flesh, slightly perfumed taste and a sweet smell the red papaya is considerably sweeter than other papayas and contains a healthy dose of vitamin C. The papaya tree is a large herb that grows at the rate of two metres in the first year and reaches six to nine metres in height. It is recommended to pick the papaya from the trees when it first shows colour. The fruit should be firm, but not too hard to ensure maximum goodness.

Red papaya is predominately grown in the warmer tropical climates of Northern Queensland, in areas such as Tully and Innisfail to Mosman and Mareeba, with new plantings in Lakeland as well as in the Northern Territory and Western Australia.

The fruit is pear shaped with an orangered colour on the inside, and when it’s ripe the colour of the skin is yellowish orange. Look for sugar spots on the skin (brown freckles) as this is an indication of sweetness.

It can be stored at room temperature for up to a week. But once opened wrap it in plastic and place in the fridge, it will last for up to 48 hours. OH

August • Avocado • Beetroot • Blood oranges • Broccoli • Broccolini • Brown onions • Brussels sprouts • Cabbage

September • Gai lan (Chinese broccoli) • Garlic • Ginger • Grapefruit • Jerusalem artichokes • Kiwifruit

• Navel oranges

• Artichokes

• Grapefruit

• Potatoes

• Olives

• Asparagus

• Green asparagus

• Pumpkin

• Parsnips

• Avocados

• Green beans

• Red papaya

• Pineapple

• Blood oranges

• Hass avocados

• Potatoes

• Broccoflower

• Leeks

• Rockmelon/ cantaloupe

• Pumpkin

• Broccoli

• Lemons

• Rhubarb

• Cabbage

• Lettuce

• Silverbeet

• Carrots

• Mandarins

• Spinach

• Cauliflower

• Mushrooms

• Carrots

• Kumara or sweet potatoes

• Cauliflower

• Leeks

• Strawberries

• Chillies

• Onions

• Celeriac

• Lemons

• Tangelo

• Chinese greens

• Oranges

• Celery

• Limes

• Witlof

• Peas

• Chinese greens

• Mandarins

• Gai lan (Chinese broccoli)

• Custard apples

• Nashi

• Dutch carrots • English spinach • Fennel • Fuji apples

12 Open House, August 2015 www.openhousemagazine.net

• Garlic • Ginger

• Pineapple

• Silverbeet • Spinach • Spring onions/ green shallots • Strawberries • Tangelo • Vine sweet minicaps

ORIGINS

Marshmallow The humble marshmallow may be associated with kids’ camping trips but the spongy treat is tougher than it appears.

he ancient Egyptians used marshmallow to cure sore throats by using mucilaginous extracts from the root of the marshmallow plant, Althaea officinalis. In the great tradition of making medicine taste nice to get kids to take it they decided to sweeten it, by extracting sap from the plant and mixing it with nuts and honey. The stem of the plant could also be peeled back to reveal a soft and spongy pith, which was boiled in sugar syrup and dried to produce a soft, chewy confection.

In early 19th century the French owners of small sweet shops changed the recipe to pâte de guimauve, by whipping up the marshmallow sap and sweetening it. This confectionary treat became an instant hit in France, despite its labour-intensive manufacturing process. To avoid labour costs French manufacturers in the late 19th century changed the recipe to include egg whites or gelatin, combined with modified corn starch, to create the chewy base. The modern marshmallow was developed by an American Alex 14 Open House, August 2015 www.openhousemagazine.net

Doumak in 1954. The marshmallow mixture was pumped through extrusion heads with numerous ports aligned next to each other to form long continuous ropes of marshmallow. This invention allowed marshmallows to be manufactured in a fully automated way. Marshmallows no longer carry any medicinal or health properties but are instead used to bribe children by adults that should know better and make adults feel like children again. Pop them on twigs – as Jock Zonfrillo did with stone fruit sherbet when he cooked at US Michelin-star restaurant Manresa restaurant as part of global challenge The Grand Gelinaz! Shuffle – sandwich them in S’mores, dunk them in hot chocolate or eat straight out of the pack. For those lacking a sweet tooth, go savoury. Avocado and lime, red bean and sesame and chicken and beef marshmallows have featured on menus previously. If you think marshmallows are just too childish bear in mind gladiators in ancient Rome used to rub their bodies with the marshmallow plant's sap before a fight. Puts this spongy treat in a whole different light. OH

Q&A

Relationships in a digital word Open House spoke with Dimmi founder and chief executive Stevan Premutico about the rapid rise of the online restaurant booking site, which was recently bought by TripAdvisor, and the challenges along the way. Q: You came from a hospitality marketing background – when did you see a need for Dimmi? A: The big “aha moment” for me happened on a trip flying from London to Rome for a mate’s wedding. I was standing at the airport and had no accommodation upon arrival, so I jumped on the TripAdvisor app and booked a top ranked hotel right there and then. In the click of a few buttons I had somewhere to sleep. It was brilliant – great value, great location, a great experience from start to finish. When I checked out of the hotel, I thought, wow, imagine if this existed in the restaurant space. Q: You managed to sign on restaurants early without a website or product – what was the hook that landed those early fish? A: It wasn’t easy. Believe me. At the beginning my mum’s dining table was my office. I started pitching to restaurants with just a few ppt designs and a large suitcase. They started signing up to a concept – to an idea that wasn’t even tangible. Restaurants knew there had to be a better way. Scribbling their most important asset into a pen and paper diary was crazy, having no way to get real feedback from diners was limiting their innovation, and having no way to attract new customers was crippling. Something had to change. Q: What were the greatest challenges early on in the business?

McConnell’s group joined, followed by the Rockpool group – the tide was turning. Q: Did you envisage this is where the business would be when you launched? A: To be perfectly honest, no – never. Ninety-five per cent of start-ups fail. Never in a million years did I think that what began as some ideas scribbled on a napkin in London would become the business that it is today – that TripAdvisor would want us as part of their story. Sometimes I have to pinch myself. Q: You lost focus for a while – what caused that and how did you regain it? A: It really hurt. It was early 2014 and we went from 10 to 30 people pretty quickly, off the back of a couple of cornerstone investors coming on board. We became lazy and complacent, and forgot the things that made us great in the first place – speed and feet on the street. I’ve always said that as soon as you become a big business you’re a dead duck – and with just 30 people, we were beginning to behave like one. We carried on like this for six months before I realised that I had to shake the tree. Q: Are the smaller operators still slow or even fearful of embracing technology?

A: Raising money one was. I think any start-up will tell you this. In the beginning it was tough. When I landed in Australia, unable to get my idea off the ground in London, I gave myself three months to raise money otherwise I was going to have to give it in. I was in serious debt. Time ticked on, but my belief never waned. A great friend of mine Tamara introduced me to a family friend. We met for a coffee at The Westin Hotel in Sydney and a few days later I had a $300,000 investment from him. It was the moment of great hope that I needed.

A: Not anymore. There has definitely been a shift in the past 12 months, bridging the gap between the digital customer and analogue restaurants. Smaller venues are seeing the benefits of digitisation and are embracing it more and more. The industry as a whole is seeing how technology can help them do better business – how it can minimise labour costs; increase efficiency; put more bums on seats by plugging into key distribution channels like Qantas and TripAdvisor through the Dimmi Booking Network; collate data and help them to understand customers more intimately – the list goes on and on.

Q: Was there a tipping point or has it been organic growth year on year?

Q: The recent sale to Tripadvisor is a final tick that you were doing the right thing – what does it mean for the company?

A: Mid last year something happened. It was our tipping point – our watershed moment. You read about these moments, but I thought they were bollocks! But then it happened to us. We landed the Qantas partnership, Google approached us, Andrew

A: Well, we are super excited. But it’s business as usual for Dimmi. Nothing changes. We still get to run just as hard and just as fast as we always have – but now with the help of bigger, but equally nimble brother. OH www.openhousemagazine.net Open House, August 2015 15

SAUCES

Straight from the sauce They are in many kitchens and often taken for granted but look behind the labels of these Asian staples and they reveal some very different stories.

Wasabi There is wasabi and then there’s wasabi. Belonging to the same plant family that includes cabbages, horseradish and mustard, it is the stem that is used for the condiment either very finely grated, as a dried powder or most commonly as a ready-to-use paste. The plant is very difficult grow, traditionally coming from the mountainous areas in Japan, which results in its high price tag for the real deal. You can get home grown wasabi now, from Tasmania no less. Often what is sold as wasabi is actually a

mixture of horseradish, mustard oil or extract, citric acid, and yellow and blue dye. There is a difference in taste between the real thing and its substitute, with true wasabi being milder and more floral in flavour. Because the burning sensations of wasabi are not oil-based, they are short-lived compared to the effects of chili peppers, and are washed away with more food or liquid. Roots can keep for three months in the fridge. When it’s grated it begins losing its intense flavour almost immediately so serve fresh. Best use: Freshly grated if you can afford it; the leaves and flowers can also be eaten.

16 Open House, August 2015 www.openhousemagazine.net

Hoisin sauce Used for dipping, glazing, and marinating, the word hoisin comes from the Cantonese word for seafood and although it doesn’t contain any seafood it is used primarily in seafood dishes. It is also known as plum sauce in the UK but usually doesn’t contain any plums. Hoisin sauce is made with soybean paste, garlic, chilies, vinegar and sugar mixed with a starch from sweet potato, wheat or rice. Best use: With its mix of salty, sweet and tangy, along with a little spicy heat, hoisin sauce is often used in classic dishes such as Peking duck and mu shu pork. It can also be used as a base to create

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Every SqueezMe! has a barcode making it easy to scan and sell.

SqueezMe! More sauce in every squeeze. For more information or to order visit heinzfoodservice.com.au, call 1800 037 058 or contact your local foodservice distributor.

other sauces or used straight as a dipping sauce and is often served alongside Vietnamese Pho to be stirred in or used as a dipping sauce.

Oyster sauce With its sweet, salty and earthy flavour this is an umami powershot. Traditionally, oyster sauce is made by slowly simmering oysters in water until the juices caramelise into a concentrated sauce. However, shortcuts are often taken, with some made with a base of sugar and salt, thickened with corn starch and then boosted with oyster extracts or essences to enhance the flavour. A vegetarian version of oyster sauce is made using mushrooms instead of oysters. Best use: Can be used straight from the bottle or as a base for more complex sauces.

Miso This Japanese nutrient booster is usually made from fermented soybeans, but can also come from other rice, barley, buckwheat, rye, millet, wheat or other grains. The flavour can also vary according to the fermentation process, the type of bacterial or fungal culture used for fermentation and the length of time the mixture is allowed to culture.

All types of miso are known for their saltiness and are most commonly used with dashi (fish stock) to make miso soup but can also be added to glazes, marinades and braising liquids. Because miso is a fermented product with live cultures, it is sold in sealed containers and should be refrigerated after opening. Tip: Combine two parts miso to one part unsalted butter and serve with any vegetable or meat that needs some love.

Soy sauce Made from fermented soybeans, salt, water and sometimes roasted grains soy sauce is an all-purpose seasoning packed with a salty, umami punch. Best to use naturally brewed soy sauce, with the beans cooked and then fermented using a bacterial or fungal culture, before being pressed in a process that takes months. Cheaper sauces avoid the lengthy brewing process and opt for an acidhydrolyzed vegetable protein version, which taste as good as they sound but come out quicker and cheaper. Tamari is a Japanese soy sauce usually made with only soybeans and no wheat or other grains, making it a standby for gluten freebies. Once opened, soy sauce should be kept in the refrigerator to maintain the flavour. Best use: Straight as a dipping sauce or anything that needs a little salty, umami goodness, which is just about everything.

18 Open House, August 2015 www.openhousemagazine.net

Sriracha sauce Often served as a condiment in Thai, Vietnamese, and Chinese restaurants, this bright red, multi-purpose hot sauce is made from red chili peppers, garlic, vinegar, salt and sugar. Hot and tangy with a hint of sweetness, it can be used as a dipping sauce, thrown into soups and used to marinade. Also goes well with anything creamy or cheesy, so feel free to mix with sour cream, mayonnaise, or cream cheese or any egg dishes. A true multicultural crowd pleaser. Tip: Add to Bloody Marys for an extra kick.

Sambal Popular in many countries across Southeast Asia, particularly Indonesia and Malaysia, this spicy gem consists of ground or pureed chilies and can include citrus juice, shallots, fruit, salt, sugar and other spices. The flavour is dependent on the type of chili used with habanero, cayenne, bird’s eye and Lombok popular options.

Best use: Throw in with noodle dishes, soups, stews, meat, rice, and eggs dishes, as well as marinades, dips, sauces and spreads that need a little kick. OH

ASIAN INGREDIENTS

See recipes in the Open House iPad app. 3

Naturally Asian Introduced during the gold rush of the 1800s, Asian food has become ingrained in the nation’s culinary past and present. The cuisine has also become a popular choice for health conscious diners, writes Anastasia Prikhodko.

“A

sian cuisine is about heritage and creativity of the ancestors, which has been passed on from generation to generation,” explains head chef Mawan Khachitporn from Mama’s Buoi, a Vietnamese eatery in NSW and VIC. “No wonder we have so many ingredients and spices to use in our food,” he says. “The plate is full of flavours that are sweet, sour, salty, hot, spicy and bitter. Also you need to understand the dish and have a knowledge of ingredients and techniques. So

much care is required because once you become a master it allows for more creativity.” Based in Redfern, Oratnek blends Australian and Japanese influences. “Australia has to be one of the most culturally diverse countries and with this brings all the flavours from everyone’s world,” says Kenny Takayama head chef and founder of Oratnek. “We don’t have to travel more than 20 minutes to get cuisine from around the world,” he says.

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“Asian is also known to be one of the more healthy options and Australia, as one of the more health conscience nations, loves to eat great tasting food and not worry about it affecting their lifestyle.” He says that Asian inspired cuisine is all about fresh herbs, simple sauces, flavour some ingredients and heated spices, with miso being his favourite. Serving up dishes ranging from a bacon and egg roll to a Japanese fried chicken and kimuchi mayo sandwich,

Takayama says the influence behind the dishes is his mother. “She was the first person to teach me how to cook good, fresh, flavourful family food, she even made the most boring ingredients into something special, this has stuck with me through my life.” With more chefs incorporating Asian ingredients into their dishes, as well as transforming the simple stir fry into gourmet fare, Takayama says that such popularity is creating a challenge. “When you make the Asian

1 Rice Den, St Leonards. 2 Chef preparing prawn dish, Rice Den. 3 Stir fry roast duck Sang Choi Bao, Rice Den. 4 Kingfish at Ceviche.

Celebrating Asian fusion Asiafest: The ASIAFEST Food & Cultural Festival will be running over 10 days this year from October 2-11. Asian Food teamed with traditional beverages and entertainment is a favourite among Adelaide’s locals. www.asiafest.com.au Noodle Night markets: As part of the Good Food month, the outdoor festival celebrates over 18 nights, complete with more than 40 food stalls, a selection of bars and nightly entertainment to market-goers. This year will include ramen hot dogs, sweet treats from Black Star Pastry and a Momofuku pop up Milk Bar. “Currently, there's a big push for street level Thai food – the funkier the better,” says Myffy Rigby, creative director for The Sydney Good Food Month. “That means lots of shrimp paste, fish sauce, sun-

dried meats, and plenty of chilli. I think Asian cuisine continues to get better, sharper and more diverse. With more restaurants opening, the more choice we have, and the more we demand great quality produce. I'd love to see more regionally specific Chinese, Thai and Vietnamese food in Australia going forward.” www.sydney.goodfoodmonth.com/ noodlemarkets

Malaysia festival: In its 25th year, the event will be held at Sydney’s Pyrmont Bay. The cultural event, seeks to promote and raise awareness about Malaysia’s culture through cuisine and colourful cultural performances. Malaysian restaurants will be manning food stalls, and Sydney’s Malaysian student population will be providing a myriad of cultural performances. www.malaysiafest.com.au

www.openhousemagazine.net Open House, August 2015 21

ingredient the star attraction in the dish, people feel like they are taking more of a risk, but with Sydney now catching up on the foodie scene more and more people want a dish they can’t get anywhere else,” he says. Asian fusion has long been part of Australia’s cultural food revolution as foodies have grown up with Chinese and Thai take

away options of fried rice and pad Thai. But now more diners are steering away from traditional westernised choices and are experimenting with lesser known Asian dishes such as Singaporean Katong Laksa, or Cantonese steamed barramundi with ginger, shallots and soy sauce. Newly opened Rice Den in Sydney’s North Shore, serves

1 Sokyo Restaurant. 2 Crispy lamb spring roll, Rice Den. 3 Bug tempura, Sokyo. 4 Dish from Mama’s Buoi. 5 Tuna crispy rice, Sokyo. 6 Prawn dish, Rice Den. 7 Goma Street dessert, Sokyo.

modern Cantonese with farm-totable ingredients spun into dishes inspired by their homeland. “I’ve been in the industry for 16 years and its changed a totally 360,” says Roy Chan, head chef at Rice Den. “Basically, the sweet and sour pork, Mongolian lambs and black beefs used to be the traditional staple for Chinese cooking in restaurants but now it’s about using local, fresh and seasonal ingredients without the additives.” Chan says that fresh herbs, coriander, spring onions, garlic and ginger are all essential ingredients when it comes to Cantonese cooking. Cantonese is a precise way of cooking, where one dish can take up to three to six hours to prepare. Chan explains that the challenge lies in hiring good chefs who know the spectrum, the sharpness and dips of the flavours as well as use ingredients that their grandparents used and understand the process of slow cooking. “A lot of time everyone thinks Asian cooking is all about wok cooking and wok cooking is important to get the smoky flavours but at the same time you have to do your ground work to get that base,” he says. A trend Chan has noticed in the industry is chefs recreating Asian cuisine into exotic, creative and healthy dishes that reflect the heritage of the region.

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“Instead of being a restaurant doing jack of all trades, they are going to target a particular region for the authenticity,” says Chan. Nahji Chu founder of the misschu Vietnamese tuckshop says that Australia will only continue to become Asian centric in its eating habits. She says since opening in 2007 the only changes implemented are the inclusion of the words “gluten free” and “hearty meals.” “It hasn’t changed that much at all. I have been doing something that people have demanded since I started,” she says. The continuous demand for exotic and unfamiliar food is a result of a well-travelled, generation of foodies. “Once upon a time the only Asian ingredient western people knew was bok choy,” says Chu. “Whereas now we are starting to know more about choy sum, coriander and other types of Asian greens.” She predicts that in about five years Australians will be more educated and comfortable with other traditional Vietnamese food such as chicken feet, tendon and offal. The increasing by popularity of Asian greens is reflected in the latest Nielsen consumer research. Data indicates that the volume of market share for Asian vegetable varieties against other vegetable types has increased by

14 per cent in value and 12 per cent in growth. The rise cooking shows and food blogs has stirred diners to tweet, post, talk and hash tag about unique dishes. “Consumers are getting more educated and everyone knows about food,” says Chase Kojima, the executive chef at Sokyo restaurant.

“Food is coming back and it is cool now, dining out is cool and knowing about food is normal.” Sokyo, based at The Star in Sydney, serves traditional Japanese food with a slight twist by making his dishes more “approachable, enthusiastic and welcoming”. “I love traditional Japanese food

focused on delivering natural umami flavours. Kojima explains the two key elements to Japanese cooking are Katsuobushi, where bonito, a type of fish is smoked, dried and fermented and made into stock and Kombu, large kelp containing all the natural minerals of seawater and salt, which is also made into stock. “I use the two elements and marinate them in soy sauce to intensify the umami flavour. I think the fermentation and aging are key,” he says.

but because Japanese food is so subtle it sometimes doesn’t attract or welcome everybody,” he says. “So by enhancing the flavours and adding more umami, the food is a touch sweeter, approachable and open minded. It’s more universal.” Japanese food differs from Asian cuisine as it doesn’t contain many spices, and the food is

With more consumers opting for healthy Asian food, Kojima predicts that eventually people will stop eating processed food. “We are going to be seeing more honest food,” he says. “In Australia, there’s an Asian market because Asians want to eat Asian food. Also, I think more Australians are eating Asian food because of the health benefits. So let’s eat healthy, not waste food and respect authenticity.” OH

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TALKING POINT

Breaking through A new generation of chefs are stepping into the kitchen and changing the traditional attitudes of the industry. They are young, have good attention to detail, love cooking and happen to be female, writes Anastasia Prikhodko.

esearch from William Angliss Institute shows that an increasing number of women are putting on the chef’s hat. In 2006, 39 per cent of students across all foods programs were women and in 2014 the number went up to 54 per cent across all food programs. “In our new generation of chefs, the males seem more accepting that the females are equal,” says Claire Benson the international coordinator and cookery teacher at the institute. “A few of our

teachers have commented on this change in their restaurant classes, which possibly reflects a changing of the guard.” The Changing mindset can be attributed to a new generation coming into the kitchens. “There were more males in the kitchen back then because it was more of a European industry,” says Lisa Attard, a cookery lecturer from TAFE SA. “But now the European chefs have left and the next generation have come in.”

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Cooking competitions are also seeing more female apprentices partake. Competing for the second year, ACT duo Georgia Harrison and Amanda Polsen won gold in their regional heat to secure their place in this year’s Nestlé Golden Chef’s Hat award. Being at the beginning of their culinary journey, Harrison says that many shared their preconceived ideas with her about the industry. “I was heavily warned about the

manual labour involved and long hours required,” she says. Harrison adds that the biggest challenge is breaking through the gender boundaries. “I am very privileged to work in an inclusive environment currently but I have not always experienced equality.” Polsen hopes that the strong presence of female chefs competing this year will encourage more women to compete in future events.

Are you meeting your 4

1 Bakery apprentices from William Angliss Institute. 2 Lisa Altard, cookery lecturer from TAFE, SA. 3 Analiese Gregory, ACME. 4 Bethany Finn and Ross Lusted at the Appetite for Excellence awards.

The increase of female apprentices and chefs is part of the industry changing as a whole. TV cooking shows and the media have brought forward the behind the scenes behaviour of chefs. Such visibility is changing the perception of chefs and making it a more desirable career. “Career opportunities have also increased and diversified within the industry,” says Karen

Doyle, president of Australian Culinary Federation NSW and ACT and head of the culinary program at Le Cordon Bleu, Sydney Culinary Arts Institute. “But mainly there has been a breakdown of the traditional attitude of an almost military brigade, with a higher emphasis on creativity and passion for food and ingredients.” Doyle says that historically

GLUTEN FREE challenge?

female chefs needed to be strong and match the boys if they wanted to keep up with the male chefs. “During my apprenticeship in Europe, it was an expectation that female apprentices would either be in the pastry or food service area,” she says. “In one of the hotels I trained there were three female apprentices and no female chefs out of

This year’s Fine Food Australia is celebrating a diverse and inspiring panel of women in the hospitality industry. The Fine Food Australia’s Women in Foodservice Charity Event will bring together leading women from across the industry for a morning of inspiration and networking. Guest speakers include Anna Polyviou (pictured), executive pastry chef of Shangri-La Sydney, along with Laura Neville and Joanna Savill, with the women sharing anecdotes and insights from their time in the industry. In addition, the women of the Australian food industry will be showcased across the floor of the Fine Food 2015 event in Sydney, with chocolatier Kirsten Tibballs heading up the Bulla Pastry Stage. The breakfast will take place at the Nexus Room, Pullman Sydney Olympic Park, on Tuesday 22 September 2015 from 10:30am - 12:30pm.

Get your FREE Gluten Free toolkit* on www.nestleprofessional.com All you need to know about gluten free, includes:

• Comprehensive Guide • Handy Wall Poster • Product Samples *Offer limited to first 100 claimants

NFS222 GLUTEN FREEHouse, OPENHOUSE 1_4PP 14/08/15 AD AUG.indd 2:51 PM 1 www.openhousemagazine.net Open August 2015 25

1 Third year apprentice from William Angliss Institute. 2 Luke Mangan.

approximately 90 chefs and apprentices. In college, we had four female apprentices in my year and I am the only one still in the industry.” Doyle agrees that views have slowly changed; “people have realised that females bring different skills to the kitchen and this counters the perceived male domination and are welcomed into kitchens”. Despite the change and a more welcoming environment there are still certain disadvantages and challenges that female chefs continue to experience, unlike their male counterparts, with

Inspirations Karen Doyle: “Cassandra Austin from Australia is the representative for woman in the World Association of Chefs Societies, Pacific rim.” Bethany Finn: “Australia has had some incredible iconic women chefs, which is something that I drew inspiration from as well as they had already paved the way. People such as Stephanie Alexander and Gay Bilson.” Luke Mangan: “I have been inspired by many female chefs that have been game changes in the industry from Alice Waters to Christine Manfield here in Australia.”

family being one. Starting a family can ultimately curtail a career, come the long hours and physical nature of the job are reasons why some female chefs choose to transition into catering, aged care and hospitals, which can accommodate more normal working hours and provide more flexible working conditions. Analiese Gregory, former senior sous chef at Quay now part of travelling Sunday dinner series Funemployment and chef at ACME restaurant, says that about half of the female apprentices she studied with have left the industry. “I have a few female friends that I used to cook with, who now work in food PR or styling but don't cook professionally anymore,” she says. “It's not a very life friendly profession.” She says that other challenges consist of not being as physically fit to lift stock and pots, keeping up 16 hour days and having to put up with “the sexual jokes or being discriminated against for being a girl”. “When I first started cooking most of the women were in the pastry kitchen,” she says. “When I worked at Le Meurice in Paris I was the only girl in the restaurant kitchen out of 35 chefs.” Bethany Finn, of Urban Bistro

26 Open House, August 2015 www.openhousemagazine.net

in Adelaide, was the first Australian born female to hold the position of executive chef, as well as the first female executive chef at Hilton International. “There is a dramatic increase in female chefs which I believe is due to a mindset that changed for my generation,” she says. “In fact looking around my kitchen this morning we have about a 50/50 ratio of female to male all of whom have been selected on their ability.” Although not many females hold the title of executive chef due to the low number of female chefs that stay on and get to top, Finn says that respect for executive chefs has always been high regardless of gender. “The position of executive chef is taken very seriously,” she says. “It’s not just about cooking good food – it’s about running a business in a profitable manner for the owner regardless of whether you are male or female.” Luke Mangan, co-founder of Appetite for Excellence, a program that provides support, recognition and mentorship to chefs, waiters or restaurateurs, says that in the last 20 years the environment of the kitchen has changed and has become more inclusive and flexible. “I have to admit though, women do really take the cake for being very organised and that’s a great

strength regardless of position,” he says. He also believes there will be a continuous increase in female chefs in charge in restaurant kitchens. An area that women continue to dominate is patisserie and baking, with enrolments at William Angliss Institute for patisserie courses increasing by 170 per cent from 2006 to 2014 and bakery programs up by 102 per cent from 2006 to 2014. Anna Polyviou, executive pastry chef at Sydney’s Shangri-La, says that when she was starting out things were a lot tougher than they are today. “But I don’t think it was the fact that you’re a female,” she says. “I think the mentality back then was completely different. If you wanted to be a chef it was because you loved it, it wasn’t about fame and glory. It was literally because you wanted to cook good food.” Being in a top position, Polyviou says that she never saw gender as a challenge or obstacle for her career. “I never saw myself as a women in the kitchen like a lot of people do,” she says. “I don’t really notice the whole male and female thing. I’m in my kitchen and if I want something I just go and do it. We are chefs. It should be about skill level.” OH

DESIGN

Better by design Kristina Hetherington, owner of hospitality specialist interior design agency Design Clarity, talks about the importance of design in motivating staff.

ithin the hospitality industry, design and interior design play a critical role in creating the identity of your bar, restaurant or hotel. The first impression and the feeling your customers have when they walk into the space will leave a lasting impression. Design creates the atmosphere that sets your establishment apart from the rest, it makes you who you are.

Let’s consider your staff. Your business is judged on the service it provides. As designers specialising in hospitality, we look beyond the obvious to understand where design can add value to your business. When designing or redesigning in the hospitality sector, where amazing service comes from happy and engaged staff, we look to create a space that staff are pleased and excited to work

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in. Happy staff means happy customers, happy customers means a better business. Here are my top five tips for motivating staff through great design. Social Responsibility: Does your brand connect with your team and is it something for them to believe in? The best brands in the world have an ethos that includes what staff want their company to achieve.

Does the company you work for believe in sustainability, being charitable, or putting staff perks at the forefront? Staff who have something to uphold will be the brand and deliver your service aspirations. Functionality: Ensure your space actually functions for staff. Is it easy for staff to navigate across the restaurant and serve all the tables within their remit? Practical seating

Bringing o ut t h e b e s t in yo u r ba king.

1, 2, 4 Din Tai Fung in Emporium Melbourne. 3 Kristina Hetherington.

plans and considering the lines of sight within the space means that the staff can easily walk around checking on tables and see how busy the kitchen is so expectations can be managed. Ensure there is enough space for high traffic areas, allowing a free flow of movement around the bar, service counter, wash area, etc. The Moo Moo Wine Bar & Grill in Brisbane’s has earned a reputation as one of Australia’s best steak restaurants. The careful planning invested in the back of house and kitchen functionality has a big part to play in its success. Planning: The back of house area is important – ensuring easy access for rear loading and stocking; direct paths to cool room and dry stores;

well-considered waste collection and management; ample space for staff office; and simple essentials such as dedicated storage space for cleaning equipment. For some businesses, a restaurant or bar manager needs an office but what about the coats, shoes, bags of the team? In a hotel for example, do the team have somewhere to eat and relax outside the view of the guests? Training: Without adequate support, professional service can be strained and customers see the difference instantly. Knowing how to work new POS and ordering systems, and being familiar Good looks: Your restaurant or bar must be somewhere your team are proud to work in. They want to tell their friends

they’re working in the best looking bar or restaurant in the city. For example, any of the Din Tai Fung restaurants we have designed (Emporium Melbourne, Central Park Sydney and Westfield Miranda) all are “instagrammable” spaces that are fun for the team to work in.

For

great ideas on

how to bring out the best in your baking request a FREE copy of our BAKERY BOOKLET.

For great staff, motivation must come from within. Staff must enjoy what they do and where they do it. A work environment is crucial to get right and something where service businesses such as banks and offices invest millions of dollars. Within hospitality, employee motivation is just as important and forward-thinking businesses are experiencing the benefits through better performance and outstanding customer service. OH 3610NPD_DD1_DocelloBakery_QtrPg_openHse_B.indd 23/06/15 4:37 2 PM www.openhousemagazine.net Open House, August 2015 29

EVENT REPORT

Electrolux Australian Young Waiter 2015 Winner: Brooke Adey – Bentley Restaurant & Bar, New South Wales Runner Up: Louise Naimo – Estelle Bistro, Victoria Highly Commended: Nikki Friedli – Africola, South Australia Electrolux People’s Choice: Elizabeth Thomas – Supernormal, Victoria

Electrolux Australian Young Chef 2015 Winner: Jake Kellie – Estelle Bistro, Victoria Runner Up: Aaron Starling – Bistro Guillaume, Victoria Highly Commended: Matt Binney – Merricote, Victoria Electrolux People’s Choice: Matt Binney – Merricote, Victoria

Electrolux Australian Young Restaurateur 2015 Bianca Welsh from Stillwater Restaurant & Black Cow Bistro, Tasmania, and Chris Thornton from Restaurant Mason, New South Wales.

Celebrating the up and coming It was a night of festivity for all, as the Electrolux Appetite for Excellence 2015 awards celebrated its 10th anniversary with the nation’s rising hospitality professionals, writes Anastasia Prikhodko.

“I

t’s about the young guys and the newcomers,” said presenter Magdalina Roze, who presided over the awards held at Salt Meats Cheese in Sydney. “Let’s face it the old guys are getting offered TV roles, ambassador roles and magazines but it’s the young guys that are actually running the place.” Runner Up Aaron Starling.

This year a new award was introduced as part of the 10 year anniversary celebration, the Electrolux People’s Choice Award, where consumers were able to vote for their

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favourite young chef and young waiter. Danielle Djestland, owner and manager of Wasabi Restaurant & Bar, Noosa, and 2009’s Young Restaurateur of the Year, presented the first award of the night to Brooke Adey from Sydney’s Bentley Restaurant & Bar for Young Waiter of the Year. “I am pleased to see a trend shifting to an equal spotlight being shared by the kitchen and front of house teams,” said Djestland. “We are investing in our industry and we understand that happy waiters equal

Opportunities and prizes The Electrolux Australian Young Chef 2015 prize package offers

Singapore, to attend wine and food master classes, events and network with world renowned industry leaders and wine makers

• An opportunity to attend a four-day culinary experience in Italy courtesy of Sanpellegrino at the ALMA International School of Italian Cuisine in Parma; followed by a stage in a Michelin star restaurant in Italy

• A two day experience with Australian wine makers

• A two week stage at a world renowned restaurant

The Electrolux Australian Young Restaurateur 2015 prize package offers

The Electrolux Australian Young Waiter 2015 winner prize package offers

• Network with industry greats at “Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants” awards 2016 in Singapore or “The World’s 50 Best Restaurants” awards 2016 in London

• Attend 2016 World Gourmet Summit in

• $8000 to invest in their business

1 (L-R) Winners Jake Kellie, Chris Thornton, Bianca Welsh and Brook Adey at the night. 2, 3 Canapes at Salt Meats Cheese. 4 Chef David Thompson presenting the Young Chef Award.

happy customers. Great service will never go out of style.”

was awarded the Young Chef Award by judge David Thompson, from Nahm.

Djestland also added that although the hospitality industry is a rewarding one, the challenge of finding acceptance and recognition for front of house as a profession remains.

Bianca Welsh from Stillwater Restaurant and Black Cow Bistro in Launceston, took first place alongside Chris Thornton, of Newcastle’s Restaurant Mason, for Young Restaurateur of the Year.

“In Australia we have a relatively young front of house industry and we are still building on what it means to be a front of house professional,” she said.

Co-founded by Luke Mangan and Lucy Allon, the awards recognise Australia’s up and coming culinary talent and provide support and networking opportunities for young professionals.

Jake Kellie from Melbourne’s Estelle Bistro

“What we didn’t envision 10 years ago was that Appetite for Excellence would become the ultimate prize for young Australian hospitality professionals,” said Allon. “What is especially gratifying about this is that everyone has understood what we set out to achieve. “Being a talented chef, a charismatic wait person or a knowledgeable sommelier is not always enough. Being a successful in this industry requires determination, passion, tenacity, innovation and a clear vision that is never compromised.” OH

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REGIONAL SNAPSHOT

1 Penfolds winery. 2 Strawberries from Beerenberg Farm. 3 Cherries at the Cherry Trail.

Adelaide Hills, SA Influenced by its early European settlers the Adelaide Hills has an abundance of fresh produce, hand picking farms and premium wineries all with a strong German flavour.

idden away 30 minutes east from Adelaide's central business district, Adelaide Hills is part of the Mount Lofty Ranges.

pubs, restaurants and cafes. Situated at the eastern end of the main street of Hahndorf is Beerenberg, a family-owned jam, condiment and sauce producer.

Renowned for its cool climate wines, there are more than 60 wineries and cellar doors on offer. With its year round cool weather, the Adelaide Hills is one of the oldest premier wine regions in Australia and home to iconic winery Penfolds.

Stock up on fresh strawberries, apples, figs and cherries at the hand picking farms in Summertown, Glen Ewin Estate and the Cherry Trail.

Hidden in the Adelaide Hills is Hahndorf, Australia’s oldest surviving German settlement, so beer is also on the menu with micro-breweries Lobethal Bierhaus and Grumpy’s Brewhaus producing all-grain European influenced beers. The town’s strong German presence is also showcased through smallgoods outlets, bakeries,

The foodie region serves up an array of seasonal produce at the many farmers markets such as Adelaide Hills Farmers Market in Mount Barker or Mount Pleasant Farmers Market, with local fruit, vegetables, milk, cheese, eggs, honey, olive oil and meat on offer. The Nirvana Organic Farm in Heathfield has a diverse collection of cool climate produce including raspberries, currants

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and gooseberries in summer, and chestnuts in autumn and early winter. Tumbeela Native Bushfoods in Verdun is a premium grower of lemon myrtle, mountain pepper leaf and other native bushfoods. Adelaide Hills is also home to two award winning cheese makers – Woodside Cheese Wrights and Udder Delights. With an emphasis on handcrafted goat and cow milk cheeses, Udder Delights is a favourite go to for locals and chefs, including Tyson Van den ende, the executive chef from Hahndorf Inn, who is a fan of Udder Delights goat’s curd. “It has great flavour and is very light in texture and does not have the overpowering richness that a lot of goats curd have,” he says.

VIEW FROM THE KITCHEN

DIARY DATES The Coffee Experience September 3-5, 2015

For three days, The Royal Hall of Industries in Moore Park will come alive when Sydney’s coffee community comes together to celebrate the best of Australia’s coffee industry, from products to technology and coffee competitions. www.thecoffeeexperience.com.au

Fine food Australia September 20-23, 2015

Tyson Van den ende, executive chef from Hahndorf Inn

Best thing about the region: The abundance of fresh produce. In Hahndorf we have a fruit and vegetable supplier called Hahndorf Fruit and Vegetable Garden, they offer all ranges of seasonal produce. We also have Hahndorf Venison, they are known for their farmed and butchered onsite venison.

2 3

Food heroes: Heston Blumenthal.

4 5 6 7

Most overrated ingredient: Micro herbs. Food philosophy: It must have flavour and it must be fresh. Career highlight: Cooking for Elton John, his entourage and tour crew.

Best advice you’ve been given: There’s a fine line between crazy and genius. OH

Most underrated ingredient: Salt and pepper.

Fine Food Australia 2015 at Sydney Showground, Sydney Olympic Park will bring the best of the food service industry with a line-up of new features and interactive sessions designed to help every facet of the industry. www.finefoodaustralia.com.au

Woolgoolga curryfest September 26, 2015 2

1 Hahndorf Village. 2 German food can be found in Hahndorf.

Curryfest celebrates Woolgoolga’s unique Punjabi heritage. The Curryfest Market Day results in the main street of the town being lined with over 100 food and market stalls. The whole town gets behind the event with local retailers hosting special sales, participating in Tastes of Woolgoolga. www.curryfest.com.au 1

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COOKING THE BOOKS

Pumpkin pleaser Renowned chef Alessandro Pavoni, of Sydney's two-hatted Ormeggio at the Spit, hails from Lombardy. Here he shares the secrets of Lombardy’s rich produce with this deceptively simple and rich gnocchi dish from his book A Lombaridan Cookbook.

ne of my cousins married a Mantuan, and I remember looking forward to visiting them in Mantua as we always got to enjoy their different regional specialities, even though they only lived 45 minutes away. This style of gnocchi is traditional to Mantua, as they grow a lot of pumpkins. Their pumpkins are a lot drier and more floury than Australian ones. In Australia, the type of pumpkin available often depends on the season, and the moisture content varies a lot between different types, and even from pumpkin to pumpkin, depending on how long they’ve been stored. Sometimes, if there’s a lot of moisture in the purée, I wrap it in muslin and hang it over a bowl in the restaurant cool room to drain for a while.

Pumpkin gnocchi with gorgonzola sauce Serves: 8 1kg russet or other floury potatoes, scrubbed 2.2kg butternut pumpkin (squash), cut into eighths and seeds removed Rock salt, as needed 250g plain flour, plus extra for dusting 250g cornflour, plus extra if needed 250g Grana Padano, freshly grated Fine salt 2 eggs 250ml water 100g unsalted butter 24 sage leaves 300g gorgonzola dolce, diced Preheat the oven to 180°C. Place the potatoes and pumpkin on a bed of rock salt on a baking tray and bake for 1-1½ hours or until a wooden skewer can be inserted into a potato without any resistance. Remove

from the oven, cut the potatoes in half and immediately press, flesh-side down, through a potato ricer, onto a clean, dry workbench lightly dusted with extra flour, spreading it out on the bench. Remove the pumpkin skin and press the flesh through the ricer onto the potato. Leave to cool for a few minutes. Sift the combined plain flour and cornflour over the top, sprinkle with 200g of the Grana and fine salt to taste and break the eggs into the centre. Using a pastry scraper and your hands, work the mixture until the dough just comes together; don’t overwork it, add a little more cornflour if it’s too moist. Shape the dough into a 4cm-high brick, cut lengthways into 1cm-thick slices. Cut each slice into 1cm-thick strips and roll gently with your hands to form logs. Cut the logs into 1cm-thick pieces. Bring a large heavybased saucepan of salted water to the boil. Add the gnocchi and cook for 1-2 minutes or until they rise to the surface.

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Meanwhile, combine the water, butter and sage leaves in a heavy-based frying pan over medium heat. As the gnocchi rise to the surface, scoop them up with a slotted spoon, drain well and add to the frying pan. Gently toss for a couple of minutes to coat well. Remove from the heat, add the gorgonzola and remaining Grana and continue tossing until the cheese has melted. Transfer to a platter or divide among plates and serve.

This is an edited extract and image from A Lombardian Cookbook by Alessandro Pavoni and Roberta Muir (Lantern, $59.99).

What’s on shelf this month? The Edible City

Lonely Planet’s From the Source: Thailand

David Herbert’s Best Home Cooking

by Indira Naidoo Lantern, $45

by Austin Bush and Mark Wiens Lonely Planet, $34.99

by David Herbert Lantern, $39.99

Naidoo shares gardening tips and practical advice on beekeeping, worm farming, composting and setting up your own community garden, as well as 40 of her delicious recipes. She also visits some of Australia's most innovative and memorable kitchen gardens from the rooftop worm farm combatting food waste at a Melbourne restaurant, to the community gardens bringing neighbours together to share meals and stories.

In its new series of recipe books, From the Source, Lonely Planet presents the world’s most authentic dishes – direct from the kitchens where they were perfected. Wherever they’re found, the dishes shared in From the Source: Thailand signify history and heritage: a family recipe, created in the same way for generations, or a regional tradition, evolving with the twists and turns of geography and social history.

Food writer David Herbert, brings together 200 of his most-loved recipes from his popular column in the Weekend Australian. Herbert has handpicked his most-requested recipes, covering everything from party food, warming soups, roasts and casseroles, fresh salads and pasta dishes, naughty desserts and, of course, his ever-popular cakes, muffins and biscuits. OH

@ Fine Food Australia 2015

Sydney Showgrounds, Olympic Park 20 - 23 September 2015

Thai Trade Centre Royal Thai Consulate-General, Sydney Level 21, Suite 2102, 56 Pitt Street, Sydney, NSW, 2000 Tel: (61-2) 9241 1075 Fax: (61-2) 9251 5981 Email: thaitrade@ozemail.com.au

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PRODUCTS

Crepes get snappy

Hahn’s refreshing twist on beer

Australian-owned Gourmet May’s Crispy Rolled Crepes are authentically hand baked, thin, and crispy. With a flaky pastry, using only the finest quality ingredients, each crepe is hand rolled and baked resulting in a delicate aromatic crisp. The range includes three flavours: Traditional Recipe; Toasted Coconut and French Almond.

Australian brewer Hahn has unveiled a new addition to their portfolio – Hahn Radler. Unlike anything else on the market, Hahn Radler is a beer cut with natural lemon (70 per cent lager, 30 per cent natural lemon) and is now available in bottles nationally. As a natural result of this blend, the beer is also lower in alcohol (3.2 per cent ABV) than regular beers, light in colour with a mild lemon aroma and taste that is extremely refreshing.

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www.gourmetmays.com

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www.hahn.com.au

New Wood goes vintage

Voodoo works its magic

GreenPan has launched its new Wood Be collection combining cutting edge technology with a natural, vintage look. The Wood Be Collection has a warm woodprint on the Bakelite handle, elegant single-tone interior and exterior coating, Thermolon Marathon ceramic non-stick coating and Magneto induction base for outstanding performance on all stove tops.

The Mama Blu’s Food Company’s original Voodoo Chile Sauce has won the gold medal in the chili jam, sauce, dressing, or paste category at The Royal Melbourne Fine Food Award. Produced from Australian habanero chilies, the Voodoo Chile sauce is one of six different in The Mama Blu’s range of chili sauces and chutneys including three chutneys – Tomatillo, Mango and Beetroot – and three chili sauces – Voodoo Chile Sauce, Hot’n Sweet and Dis Da Mild Wan!

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www.green-pan.com.au

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www.mamablu.com.au

A perfect emulsion solution

SodaStream goes gourmet

Robot Coupe has introduced its latest stick blender, the ultra-compact MicroMix, made from stainless steel. The MicroMix includes a specially designed “Aeromix” accessory to allow you to instantly produce light and airy emulsions that really hold their shape. Switch to the blade accessory, and the MicroMix will make all your favourite soups and sauces, with its powerful and ultra-quiet motor.

SodaStream’s new flavour line, Sparkling Gourmet, has been created in collaboration with two-star Michelin chef Paul Liebrandt. Sparkling Gourmet includes 12 new innovative flavour combinations divided into three groups – herbs, fruits, and flowers – all using high-quality natural flavouring and only featuring natural ingredients. The new range is capsule-based, made exclusively for use with SodaStream Sparkling Water Makers, and will be available in Australia from October 2015.

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www.robotcoupe.com.au

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www.sodastream.com.au

Drumstick duet for summer

Super Dry’s new six pack

Peter’s Ice Cream has added two new flavours to its Drumstick range. Inspired by Australia’s favourite housewife, Dame Edna Everage, Glamington is a sponge cake flavoured ice cream with a raspberry swirl, topped with choc-coconut ice cream, chocolate sauce and a sprinkle of coconut. One Tough Cookie Dough, created in honour of legendary rocker Jimmy Barnes, is a cookie dough flavoured ice cream studded with cookie dough pieces, topped with chocolate sauce and cookie crumb.

Asahi Super Dry has launched new packaging for its bottled 330ml product six pack baskets and cartons throughout Australia. The new packaging was designed in Japan with the intention of creating a more premium feel to replicate the Asahi Super Dry brand positioning. The Asahi Super Dry product and bottle design remain unchanged.

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www.asahibeer.com

www.peters.com.au

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PROFILE

See the recipe in the Open House iPad app. 1 Ben Nicholls. 2 Sticky Moroccan lamb ribs with chipotle mole.

All or nothing Solid advice and an early interest in food are two factors behind Ben Nicholls success, but ultimately passion is what has driven this young chef to achieve his career goal by the age of 25, writes Anastasia Prikhodko.

“D

on’t take anything personally,” says Ben Nicholls the executive chef at Pullman Sydney Olympic Park. A piece of advice Nicholls carries with him at all times. “It took me the first four years of my career to realise not to take things personally and just push through.” Early this year Nicholls was appointed executive chef of Bacar Restaurant at Pullman Sydney Olympic Park. “Suppliers who come and see me say, ‘you must be the only 25-year-old executive chef in a five-star hotel,’” says Nicholls. “It’s pretty awesome.” Nicholls manages a diverse team ranging in age from 17 to 60 in such a varied environment it is a win-win for both ends of the spectrum.” “You’ve got chefs that have been in the industry for 40 years and want to work for you and with you,” he says. “They want to help the new wave and make sure that you’re doing the right thing from their experiences.” One constant challenge he faces is a shortage of good chefs that are willing to work towards a career in the industry. “I had an apprentice who did a full time TAFE course and then got into the kitchen and decided that this wasn’t what it’s cracked out to be,” he says. “Plus they don’t want to work the long hours. They aren’t passionate about their job, they enjoy cooking but they aren’t willing to put their life to it. Passion is what keeps you going.” Brought up on the NSW Central Coast, Nicholls says that his love and interest for cooking started very early on and led him to start

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working in a number of kitchens at the age of 14. Nine months into his apprenticeship, Nicholls was advised to make a lifestyle change and move from Gosford to Sydney. “The head chef at the time said to me, you know if you really want to continue and make something of yourself, you should move to Sydney and dig a little deeper. And that’s what I did.” After arriving in Sydney, Nicholls was fortunate to land a job within two weeks at Mercure Parramatta, where he stayed for nine months before making the jump to the Qantas First Class Lounge. “I was there for about four years and that’s where I finished my apprenticeship and really got to dig deep with all that I had learnt,” he says. “We were doing consulting with Rockpool, so it was great fun.” Nicholls’ style of cooking is fresh, clean, highlighting the rustic flavours of Australia. He says that spring is his favourite season, as that’s when everything comes back to life. “I’m not the type of person who likes stews and stuff, I always prefer fresh,” he says. But the chef does have an exception when it comes to guilty pleasures saying, “I always go back to pavlova”. Adding another high to his career was winning the Talent Development award at the Accor Excellence Awards. With one goal down, the young chef is still looking to the future. “In another five years I hope to do a stint overseas and run some kitchens,” he says. “I like Asian cuisines and want to learn over there.” OH

AUSTRALIAN CULINARY FEDERATION NEWS

Rally call I

f you care about your industry then it is time for you to support the largest and most reputable national chef’s Association in Australia, the Australian Culinary Federation (ACF). As I travel talking with Members and the greater part of the industry I hear the same things repeated about our skills shortage and the demise of our training packages (Certificate 3 in Commercial Cookery) followed by “what does the ACF plan to do about it?” Both these matters are complicated and will reflect the future of the industry if we don’t start to address the issues directly. As I become more informed in these areas I find that it is all about the political gain and movement of money through government portfolios, rather than protecting our trade against others who see our profession as second rate. If we as chefs decide to hide in our kitchens hoping for a miracle and change, I can assure you that things will only get worse for us if we don’t unite.

ACF has engaged with Service Skills Australia but this is not enough. We need a position on the Tourism, Travel and Hospitality Industry Advisory Committee which reports to the Industry Skills Council. Only through this committee can we propose change and work through issues. We as an association need to start lobbying both sides of politics being the voice for chefs, cooks, apprentices and culinary students. We need to consult with government in relation to 402 and 457 Visas, and work closer with our local Registered Training Organisations (RTO) to protect our interests. We are all time poor and work a lot of hours: but I ask “if you want change in your industry and you are so passionate about your industry then by becoming a member you become part of the solution and if you are not a member then you are part of the problem”.

PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE

Neil Abrahams Australian Culinary Federation (ACF)

Most chefs do not have any spare time to contribute to industry but if the only contribution you make to industry is joining ACF then through membership you will strengthen the industry and create a stronger association. It’s time to join. OH

ON THE MOVE Richard Ousby has been promoted from head chef Stokehouse Q to the new Group position of executive chef – Stokehouse Restaurants. Ousby joined Stokehouse Q in late 2012 and became head chef in early 2013.

Executive chef Lenny Weis has joined O’Reilly’s, in TNQ, where he will oversee daily kitchen operations of both the Rainforest Retreat and Canungra Valley Vineyards. He brings 22 years of restaurant experience to the role.

Parramatta’s Restaurant 317 has welcomed new head chef Brian Campbell to the team. He brings nearly 20 years of industry experience at venues including Bilsons, Park Royal, Gunya, Dry Dock Hotel and Hayman Island's Yeppoon Sailing Club.

Gavin Berrecloth is the new executive chef for Foodlink Australia. He was previously group executive chef of Management International/ARIA.

Sydney-based hospitality group Keystone has appointed Chris Morrison to the position of group wine director. He has over two decades experience working as a sommelier across both the UK and Australia.

Stephen Nairn (pictured) has taken over the role of head chef at three hatted restaurant Vue de Monde. As the former sous chef, he replaces Cory Campbell who left after five years in the role.

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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