Open House November Issue 2012

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11 12 Australia’s leading news magazine for the hospitality industry

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Sweet Delight Sara Lee’s new croissants www.openhousemagazine.net

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Fresh thinking Top dessert trends Sustainable seafood Easier than ever CAB Audited. Circulation 20,280 — March 2012

OPEN HOUSE NEWS

Labour and utilities to remain biggest cost burden

A

high Australian dollar, rising utility prices and high labour costs are here for the foreseeable future, according to BIS Shrapnel economist Tim Hampton, who spoke at a Foodservice Suppliers Association Australia breakfast forum in Sydney last month.

A robust economy, driven by a sustained resources boom and to be supported by an expected rise in building

activity in most states, has seen household spending continue to grow at around 3.5 per cent annually, but due to the high Aussie dollar it is being spent overseas rather than at home, while domestic retail spending remains sluggish. The high dollar has also seen the number of overseas visitors “flatline”, and when they do come they are spending less, which again is impacting negatively on the foodservice sector, according to Hampton.

Wage inflation is expected to remain steady at around 4.5 per cent, but due to weak domestic demand, price increases in the foodservice sector are only expected to rise around the 2 per cent mark. Utility costs, particularly electricity and gas, are set to rise 15 per cent, with the carbon tax only playing a limited part in the increase.

“Wages and utility costs, with or without the carbon tax, remain the largest cost burden for foodservice operators,” Hampton said.

However, the high Aussie dollar means “it is the best time to be importing labour saving technology”.

Aussies value money over health of the healthiest lunchtime choices, while New South Wales and Queensland residents place the least amount of importance on health and nutrition at lunch.

The National Lunchtime Habits Survey showed that 46 per cent of Australians place convenience and value for money as the main drivers for their lunchtime decisions, with health and nutrition only driving 31 per cent of choices. Consumers in South Australia, the Australian Capital Territory, Victoria and West Australia make some

Amongst the top takeaway choices for Australian workers were burgers or chicken and chips, Asian dishes (curry, stir-fry and noodles), and bakery items (pies and sausage rolls). Cake, slices and doughnuts (28 per cent) and chocolate (20 per cent) were the most popular lunchtime “treats”.

CONTENTS

Australians are placing convenience and value for money over their health and well-being, according to the food chain SumoSalad.

Industry news......................................... 04

Chinese New Year............................... 14

Cover story – Sara Lee

Desserts................................................. 16

Sweet Croissants............................... 06 Q&A – Adam Robinson...................... 08 Origins of rice........................................ 10

Editor’s word

W

ith

National Recycling Week on from November 12-18, now is an ideal time to take stock of the waste your business creates.

Ask yourself what is it that’s being thrown away? Is it recyclable or compostable? Is food being allowed to go bad in cool room? Are portion sizes too large? Once you identify problem areas it may be that a few simple operational changes will be enough to fix them.

Of course, the best way of reducing waste is to prevent it being produced in the first place so look at sourcing products that come with less packaging, buying in bulk or supporting distributors who use reusable containers.

You may not think that doing something as simple as eliminating paper placemats is going to make much difference to the amount of waste the business creates overall, but like cash in the till, every little bit counts.

Ylla Wright Managing Editor @ohfoodservice

Chinese New Year.

Truffles.................................................. 18 Cooking the books................................. 19

Consultant chef...................................... 10

Products................................................. 20

Seafood................................................. 12

Culinary clippings.................................. 22

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www.openhousemagazine.net Open House, November 2012 3

NEWS

Sydney launches food truck tracker F

ollowing on from the start of Sydney’s year-long food truck trial, a new smartphone app has been launched which will allow would-be diners to track the trucks.

auditors, Intertek Moody Marine, to meet the global MSC standard for sustainable and well-managed fisheries.

The free app, available for iPhone and Android-powered devices, gives real-time information about truck locations, operating times and menus, and draws in the social media feeds of the truckers and their followers.

According to Lord Mayor Clover Moore, the new app will “tell you how long a food truck will be in a particular location, what the specials of the day are and it will give you ideas on the best way to get to your chosen food truck”.

The food trucks trial aims to increase the diversity of Sydney’s high-quality food offerings late at night while encouraging new small businesses. The trucks serve restaurant-quality food at approved sites across the city and in designated streets under a pilot plan for on-street trading.

There are five food trucks currently operating, with more to follow in upcoming weeks.

Operators were chosen on the basis of their business plans, as well as health and safety requirements.

Offerings include gourmet tacos, Asian-Australian fusion food, organic pizzas and vegetarian burgers.

Food trucks have already taken off in a number of cities including London and Los Angeles, where they have developed a cult following through social media.

Gordon wins Victorian sustainability title Geelong-based culinary school The Gordon has won the Tertiary Education category at this year’s Premier’s Sustainability Awards in Victoria.

As a result of an AustralianTAFE case study in partnership with Sustainability Victoria, The

Gordon developed a best-practice sustainability model considered to be a first for this type of service industry that included major changes to the school’s practices in purchasing, menu design, energy, water use and waste management.

Gordon skills centre manager David Musgrove said that the dedication of the school’s staff is “creating behaviour change with students who are the up-and-coming industry leaders of tomorrow”.

“Whilst we continue to minimise environmental impacts across our training facilities, the culinary school is also educating students and industry on how to employ shortand long-term sustainability practices, and this award is further recognition that the model works,” he said.

NZ Hoki gets MSC certification again New Zealand’s Hoki fishery has been awarded Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification for a third time, one of the first fisheries in the world to do so. The fishery received certification twice before, in 2001 and 2007.

MSC Manager of Australia and New Zealand, Patrick Caleo, said the Hoki fishery’s long-term commitment to sustainability has led to many improvements in management which have contributed to reducing the environmental impact of the fishery.

The fishery has been independently assessed by international accredited

“This is testament to the industry’s commitment to continuous improvement and to the close collaborative partnership with the Ministry for Primary Industries,” said George Clement, chief executive of the Deepwater Group, which represents the Hoki quota owners and the New Zealand Ministry for Primary Industries.

New website for Peerless Foods Oil and fats manufacturer Peerless Foods has a newly designed website, www.peerlessfoods.com.au, which offers even greater relevance to foodservice professionals and allows them to navigate more easily through the site.

The new website has been designed to be more user friendly, includes an improved search function to find specific information, and can be used across all devices including mobile phones and tablets.

Jamie’s food crusade reaches Geelong The first Victorian branch of celebrity chef Jamie Oliver’s Ministry of Food has opened its doors in Geelong.

The Centre will offer a 10-week basic cooking course, comprising of one 90-minute cooking class per week. Participants gain the skills and knowledge in not only how to cook, but they also learn to how to shop, budget and plan meals for

the whole family, using fresh local seasonal produce.

Ministry of Food ambassador and executive chef Ian Curley officially launched the Centre with Victorian Minister for Health David Davis.

“This program has got the ability to really make a difference to the people who need it most,” he said.

“The people of Geelong are the first in Victoria to benefit from this initiative but there is more to come. Jamie genuinely cares about the health and happiness of this generation and our future ones to come.”

Jamie’s Ministry of Food was established in Australia in 2010, when electrical retailer The Good Guys partnered with Jamie Oliver to bring the concept to Australia.

Sydney winners announced Sepia Restaurant has been named Sydney’s Restaurant of the Year in the 2012 Savour Australia Restaurant & Catering HOSTPLUS Awards for Excellence – Sydney & surrounds.

The announcement was made at a gala event at Doltone House, Darling Island Wharf, in late September.

Other major awards announced on the night included 2012 Sydney Metropolitan Caterer of the Year, which was won by Eurest (Australia) – Westpac Banking Group, Sydney; the Savour Australia Consumer Vote Award, which went to Raw Bar, Bondi Beach, and Restaurateur of the Year, which was jointly won by Mark Scanlan and Mark Dickey from Garfish Restaurants.

Maurizio Mencio from Il Perugino, Mosman, won the lifetime achievement award while Leo Fink from Quay Restaurant was inducted into the Restaurant & Catering Hall of Fame. Both award winners were acknowledged for their exceptional achievement, commitment and contribution to the industry. OH

Want more industry news?

For even more industry news, in-depth reports and new product information, or to sign up for Open House weekly email newsletter, visit www.openhousemagazine.net. You can also follow us on Facebook or Twitter (@ohfoodservice). Or download the free Open House iPad app, packed with additional, exclusive content and updated monthly, from the iTunes app store.

4 Open House, November 2012 www.openhousemagazine.net

cover story

French for sweet thing Sara Lee’s new sweet croissant range delivers an irresistible breakfast treat that is still fully baked and snap frozen to capture that “just baked” freshness.

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ime pressed consumers looking for increased convenience offer foodservice operators an even greater opportunity to tap into the booming breakfast market. On weekdays breakfast-onthe-go is fast becoming a staple, with consumers favouring something they can grab with one hand while clutching their morning coffee, while on the weekend heading to the local café for breakfast with friends and family is becoming increasingly popular. One breakfast staple that caters to both markets is the croissant – a classic French breakfast item that has become a symbol of a tasty yet sophisticated breakfast treat or afternoon snack.

Sara Lee has been a trusted name in Australian baking for over four decades, building on its reputation for sourcing the best ingredients and creating the most delicious recipes to hand.

Sara Lee’s croissant range, baked fresh every day and then snap frozen to retain that “just baked” moment, has now added two new sweet croissants, Chocolate and Custard Crème.

sweet crumb, while their Chocolate Croissant has real chocolate in the rich chocolate sauce filling and is topped with chocolate flakes.

Made with real butter and delicate pastry to create 96 layers, all Sara Lee Croissants have a light and flaky texture.

The key to a great croissant is the quality of its ingredients and the integrity of the baking technique, with Sara Lee’s commitment to using the best and freshest ingredients wherever possible and their European baking techniques ensuring product taste and presentation.

Leave behind the hassle of baking your own croissants and still be guaranteed the quality you expect. With each foil tray individually wrapped for ease of storage and protection from freezer burn, Sara Lee Sweet Croissants are fully baked and ready-to-go in a convenient thaw-and-serve format, saving you time and energy.

Sara Lee’s Custard Crème Croissant has a deliciously creamy custard centre and is sprinkled with

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Complementing Sara Lee’s range of traditional croissants, their new sweet croissant range is the perfect accompaniment to a breakfast menu or morning buffet, or even as an afternoon snack. Reward your customers with a perfectly delicious way to start the day with Sara Lee’s Sweet Croissants. OH

Crafted for baristas using Australian grown whole soy beans.

Download the Good Habits iPhone app from soy.com.au to find your nearest café serving Café for Barista.

it’s naturally better

Q&A

Smart thinking StreetSmart helps grassroots homeless organisations, raising funds through its highly successful CafeSmart and DineSmart initiatives. Open House asks chief executive Adam Robinson how they work.

Q: How does StreetSmart help local communities?

A: I set up StreetSmart to raise funds and awareness for smaller grassroots projects that assist people who are homeless or at risk. These small organisations often don’t have the resources and people to fundraise themselves – that’s where we help out. Since 2003 we have raised $2.02million and supported 491 projects.

Q: Your main fundraiser, DineSmart, is now in its 10th year.

How does the concept work?

A: 2012 will be our 10th DineSmart fundraiser. During the six weeks leading up to Christmas, at participating restaurants, diners are asked to add a small donation ($2 or more) onto their bill. It’s that simple and the reason for its success. The principal of everyone chipping in a little to fill the pot is a concept that restaurateurs have supported, diners have embraced, and other charities have copied!

Q: Has the industry thrown its support behind the initiative?

A: Absolutely, we wouldn’t have been around for 10 events if they hadn’t. I find the industry is full of good people willing to get involved and who want to help out. The industry is tough with long work hours but still we find people willing to join up. I think one of the reasons StreetSmart has such great support is that we help the little guys and keep it local. This year we will have over 130 restaurants involved. Three restaurateurs have been involved since the start – Simon Denton at Isakaya Den, Martin Pirc at Punch Lane and Adam Cash at Union Dining – all in Melbourne, where we started. Many restaurant owners and staff want to be

involved in their local community, they like the fact that 100 per cent of the funds go to local projects and we make it easy for them to get involved and have a very positive outcome. The event also unites them, their staff and their customers for the good of the community – that’s a powerful feeling.

Q: Are most diners generally prepared to add a few dollars to their bill at the end of the night?

A: Yes, we have great support from diners – if you think about it around a million diners have chipped in so far. Many restaurants report only a few people in the whole six week period saying that they would rather not donate.

What’s $2 on a table’s bill? It’s not even the cost of a bottle of water these days. Many diners will leave more; one group even left $100.

Q: How are the funds raised then distributed?

A: One hundred per cent of donations are distributed locally, through State-based grants committees. Organisations are invited to apply for funds and these applications are reviewed by committees drawn from the community, made up of people working in the homeless sector and also people who have experienced homelessness.

Q: Last year saw the first CafeSmart event. How did you come up with the idea?

A: We have always had a small number of really committed cafes involved in DineSmart – those who have a great food offering, however, many business who really only do coffee also wanted to be involved.

I spoke with some key people in the industry including Salvatore Malatesta at St Ali, Allpress Espresso and Five Senses about putting together a coffee-based event and we created CafeSmart.

Q: Is the fundraising concept behind CafeSmart the same as

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for DineSmart?

A: No. DineSmart asks diners to add a donation to their bill; CafeSmart asks the café to donate $1 per for every coffee they sell. Coffee roasters help support the day with beans for participating cafes and this year some milk suppliers also chipped in. It’s a team effort.

Q: How has the idea been received by cafes and roasters?

A: Because the idea came out of discussions with the coffee industry we have had great uptake.

This year we had 232 cafes involved (up from 175 in 2011) and 12 roasters (up from 5 in 2011)

– there are some very community minded people out there!

Q: The results are in from this year’s CafeSmart event, held in August.

Do you feel it was a success?

A: Absolutely. To raise $69,412 in a day is an awesome effort and I think every café and roaster should be proud of their efforts.

Q: The next DineSmart takes place from Nov 12-Dec 24. What do restaurants need to do if they want to get involved?

A: We would love more restaurants to be involved. Details can be found online at www.streetsmartaustralia.org. OH

origins of...

Rice One of the most versatile ingredients available, rice has been cultivated around the globe in its long history, writes Megan Kessler.

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ice is one of the oldest crop species, dating back almost 10,000 years, and it is a staple food for almost half the world’s population. There are currently thousands of different rice varieties grown around the world.

The origins of rice have long been debated, with some food historians arguing that the crop originated in China and some say it came from India. However, scientists have found archaeological evidence which indicates that rice was first cultivated in the Yangtze Valley of China.

Rice kernels found in ancient ceramic vessels suggest that the food was domesticated in this area of China around 8000 to 9000

years ago. Traders took it to India around 4000 years ago where it was domesticated, first in the North and then in the South.

The grain spread rapidly and it wasn’t long before rice was being cultivated in Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Pakistan, Thailand, Korea and Vietnam.

Across Asia, the locals way of life was centred round the cultivation of rice; as well as being the main source of food, rice was integral to the economy in these areas.

The two main types of rice grown are indica and japonica. The indica variety is commonly known as Asian rice and the japonica variety is known as Japanese rice. Indica is long grained rice while japonica is

Beware the arrogant rep’ It has been an interesting trend over the past 10 or so years for companies to employ chefs as part of their sales team. You can see the logic in this: chefs know food, chefs know chefs, so let’s put them together and make it happen.

The reality of this is that selling is possibly the hardest job on earth (with the exception of running a chefs’ association), it takes highly motivated, disciplined, thick skinned persistent people with a sound knowledge of sales techniques and products, generally with an extraverted personality.

When you look at your average, very opinionated chef, the industry has changed considerably over the past 15 years. There are many more fantastic convenience foods available now and the chef-salesperson generally has knowledge about the section of the industry they have worked in, not an overall view of foodservice.

short grained with a sticky texture that makes it ideal to make sushi.

Rice was taken from India to Europe by merchant vessels in the 8th century. It was first introduced to Greece where they ate it ceremonially. It would be boiled, placed in a bowl and served with other dishes.

Rice gradually reached other parts of the Mediterranean such as Northern Italy and Sicily where the climate was ideal for rice growing.

In the 10th century the Arabs were exporting rice from Sicily to Spain.

The Europeans adopted their own ways of preparing rice, with early rice dishes baked or fried. The Italians developed risotto using short grained rice and in Spain paella became a national dish. In the early 16th century the French and English were known to eat rice pudding, a dessert which is made with milk, rice and sugar.

During the late Middle Ages in Europe many people blamed rice for the spread of malaria. They believed that the standing water in rice paddies gave mosquitoes a place to lay their eggs. Many towns discouraged farmers from planting rice in hopes of preventing the

Consultant chef

This will ultimately inhibit their ability to sell as they are simply not aware of the changes that have happened.

Most chefs take great delight in telling sales people how they produce everything in their kitchen, which in most cases is a load of crap, but it is a technique used to shut a salesperson down rather than admit they actually don’t have an understanding of the product on offer.

There are many examples of this, such as the fantastic cooking cream produced by Fonterra, a product which, if used correctly, saves time and money as it is pre-reduced, meaning you use less and saving on energy. To achieve the benefit however, you will need to review your recipes and methods. Ill-informed people state they have no need for such a product; thankfully we do not have many of them around.

Writing about a game farm bird, the educated response would be

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Glenn Austin

www.xtremechef.com.au “let’s give our clients a wonderful experience”; the uneducated response is “my clients will not eat quail”. Oddly enough there are approximately 28,000 people eating quail a week, so I wonder where your clients come from.

At the end of the day however, my point is the same: selling is a specialised job that requires a completely different skill set to the ones chefs have developed. Chefs

disease from spreading.

In the early 16th century, Central and South America received rice seeds from Spain and rice cultivation began to take place in the United States.

From the 18th century rice was a major crop in Carolina and Georgia; because it is such a labour intensive crop, the rice plantations employed hundreds of slaves.

Rice was bought to Australia in 1850 by the Chinese attracted by the gold rush. The first commercial crop was grown in Murrumbidgee River in New South Wales, which remains one of the main cultivation areas in Australia today.

Rice is grown and cooked all around the world, resulting in a huge variety of rice dishes and ways of cooking including fried rice, saffron rice, risotto, sushi, pilaf and biryani. OH

are generally introverts and selfappointed gods behind the swinging doors – choose carefully before inflicting them on your clients.

Companies should also consider retraining this potential salesperson, as I have noticed a defiant arrogance with chef-salespeople over the past couple of years. For some reason this attitude seems to creep in with the newly found shirt and jacket, and they forget what it is like to be at the coalface. This, partnered with the general lack of knowledge of modern products available, turns them into an opinionated order taker, not the sharer of knowledge that the company thought they had employed.

Beware of the wolf in sheep’s clothing.

PS: If you are a chef-salesperson, do not be peeved at this article – there have been many instances where I have had plenty to say about those chefs that enter the kitchen thinking they have the skills of a well trained chef, damaging the perception of us as skilled culinarians. The axe swings both ways.

seafood

Chain reaction With one of Australia’s largest foodservice distributors now certified by the Marine Stewardship Council, adding sustainable seafood to your menu is easier than ever, writes Megan Kessler.

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oodservice distributor Bidvest has recently gained Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) Chain of Custody certification, making it easier for restaurants, cafes and caterers in Australia to serve sustainable seafood and giving them the chance to become MSC-certified in their own right.

The MSC is a global not-forprofit organisation that promotes sustainable fishing practices by developing international standards for sustainable fishing and seafood traceability which help to increase the availability of certified sustainable seafood.

Attaining MSC certification is a key element in Bidvest’s commitment to making a positive contribution to the environment, according to the company.

“The Bidvest environmental policy is central to the way we do business, and affects the entire supply chain relationship – from supplier to customer,” said Rachel Ruggiero, Bidvest chief operating officer, speaking about the announcement in late September. “Chain of Custody certification proves complete traceability of our MSC-certified

people then demand will grow.

“The Australian public are discerning about food products, produce and quality. The supply is small and growing but the demand is there.

The more people are aware of where their food comes from the better.”

The MSC has also seen a shift in consumer behaviour, with the public wanting to know that their seafood has been caught and produced in a sustainable way.

sustainable seafood from ocean to plate, so now we can proudly promote the merits of policy at work.”

“To achieve Chain of Custody certification all companies in the supply chain, from boat to plate, must be independently audited to ensure seafood from an MSCcertified sustainable fishery isn’t mixed with other seafood,” says MSC country manager for Australia and New Zealand, Patrick Caleo.

“This ensures that any seafood product with an MSC eco-label can be traced back from the retailer to the packager to the processer and all the way back through to the sustainable fishery.”

already offering MSC-certified seafood is Fish & Co in Annandale, Sydney. Owner-chef Tom Kime is a strong supporter of MSC-certified seafood and an ambassador for sustainability.

Although the use of MSC-certified sustainable seafood in the Australian foodservice industry is relatively new, the program is well established in Europe where there are a number of restaurants that carry MSC certification.

Kime works with the MSC, fisherman and small fisheries around Australia to ensure that the seafood he uses is both sustainable and wild caught.

These include Wahaca and Moshi Moshi restaurants in London and Jamie Oliver’s Fifteen restaurant in the Netherlands.

One of the Australian restaurants

When UK native Kime first set up Fish & Co in Sydney he didn’t think that serving sustainable seafood would be a big deal as so many other chefs in London were already doing it. However, he quickly realised that he was trailblazing here in Australia, a fact he found not only surprising but also rewarding and challenging.

Kime says that MSC certification is about having proof of sustainability from a third party.

“You can be doing things in a sustainable way but there has to be certified proof,” he says.

At Fish & Co Kime uses Coorong yellow eye mullet, Coorong pipis surf clams and schooled mulloway, which are all from MSC-certified fisheries. Kime also uses MSCcertified New Zealand Hoki for his fish and chips, recently voted Sydney’s best fish and chips in the Feast Food Awards in 2012.

While there is a limited demand for sustainable seafood in Australia, Kime suggests that the foodservice industry can help to increase demand by educating people about seafood sustainability.

Watch the video in the Open House iPad app.

12 Open House, November 2012 www.openhousemagazine.net

“It is all about generating demand,” he says. “Once you tell someone what it is and why you are using it, they come back for more and you are able to sell it. If we can educate

“We’re noticing a growing trend in consumer behaviour towards sustainable and social responsible food choices,” says Caleo. “The rise of certified organic products and certified Fair Trade coffee is telling us that consumers no longer just want to take someone’s word that a product is organic, ethical or sustainable, they want to see that third party, independent assurance that it is; they want to see a credible eco-label on products.”

With Bidvest gaining Chain of Custody certification it will be easier for those in Australian foodservice to start offering customers MSCcertified sustainable seafood.

“If restaurants choose to obtain Chain of Custody certification they can begin marketing their own seafood with the MSC eco-label,” says Caleo.

“All the cafes, restaurants, canteens and catering venues that Bidvest supplies will be able to serve MSC-certified sustainable seafood, confident it hasn’t been mixed or substituted with any other fish.”

“The Chain of Custody certification takes out all of the arguments; it proves who caught it, where it was caught and the name of the boat,” adds Kime.

With the big two supermarket chains already committing to sustainable seafood sourcing, it’s time foodservice got on board, adds Caleo.

“Already Coles and Woolworths have made commitments to source MSC-certified seafood products, and the Western Australian Government has just pledged $14.5 million to have the state’s fisheries certified sustainable by the MSC,” says Caleo.

“So if the foodservice industry isn’t already interested in serving MSCcertified seafood, they should be.” OH

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chinese new year

Come together Food plays a central role in Chinese New Year celebrations, but the Lunar New Year is also celebrated across much of South East Asia, with each region bringing its own flavours to the dining table, discovers Sheridan Randall.

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unning from February 8-24, 2013, the Chinese New Year, or Spring Festival, marks the beginning of the Lunar New Year. However, it is not just China that celebrates, with many countries throughout South East Asia marking the Lunar New Year with food and drink.

Melbourne’s Red Spice Road offers a mix of traditional Vietnamese, Thai and other South East Asian dishes, with head chef John McLeay describing it as “a bit more funked up than if you went to a basic Vietnamese restaurant”.

the Tet festival, which begins on February 9 next year, McLeay says that the regional nature of the cuisine means there isn’t a standard meal that symbolises the holiday, such as the turkey on Thanksgiving in the United States.

With the Vietnamese celebrating

“It’s very regional in Vietnam and it’s very hard to say that there is a classic dish,” he says. “Whatever is the specialty or glamour dish for any particular region would be pulled out during the festival.

“The Chinese are very symbolic in what they do but there isn’t so much from a Vietnamese perspective.

However, when they’re not eating, they’re buying food to eat, and when they’re not buying food to eat they’re thinking about food they’d like to eat, so it’s a very family and community-based festival.”

Focusing on fresh ingredients, Red Spice Road’s menu strives for colour and vibrancy.

“The onus is on communal dishes, so when we design our banquet menus there will always be an appetiser, a fish dish, a salad and our signature dish of pork belly. There’s always a flow to what we are doing and that’s how South East Asians eat – particularly in Thailand.

Appetisers to a relish, to a soup, to a stir fry, to a salad, that’s the stock standard Thai banquet. It’s a good blend of things.”

One Vietnamese dish often seen during the Tet festival is banh chung, which is sticky rice, mung beans, and pork cooked in a banana leaf.

A braised dish with caramel sauce,

14 Open House, November 2012 www.openhousemagazine.net

called kho in Vietnamese, is also a staple during Tet. Fatty pork leg, eggs and coconut water is popular in South Vietnam while stewed pork riblets or beef drop flank and ginger also work well. (See page 19 for McLeay’s caramel inspired pork belly recipe.)

Vietnamese pork roll is another traditional food during the holiday and can either be rolled in banana leaves and boiled or deep-fried, and is often accompanied by pickled shallots or leeks to offset the richness.

Boiled whole chicken, thit ga, plays an important role in the Tet holiday, although some now simply use a roasted chicken instead. The chicken is served with sticky rice, xoi, and banh chung, and is traditionally accompanied by sliced lemon leaves and saltand-pepper sauce.

Chinese cuisine is also very regional, with different regions favouring their local favourites.

People in Southern China, such as Guangdong Province, make preserved hams, chicken, fish and sausages, as this is the best month of the year to prepare such food.

Rice cakes are traditional food across China, although in northern China rice cakes are always sweet, using dates, peanuts, sugar and beans, while in the south they prefer salty rice cakes, which may use meat as the ingredient. The cakes can be steamed, fried, stir-fried or boiled in soups to make different dishes.

How things sound or how they look is also very important, with

traditional dishes often having lucky names. In northern China, people eat jiaozi, or boiled dumplings, and refer to them as yuanbao, as they have a similar shape to old China’s gold or silver ingots and symbolize wealth.

The Chinese word for fish sounds like the word for abundance, which makes it important to serve the fish with the head and tail intact, as you don’t want to curb your profits.

Another item you don’t want to short change yourself on are noodles, which should be as long as possible to ensure a long life.

Chinese New Year is as much about bringing the family together, with the Tray of Togetherness a must. Eight is traditionally a lucky

number, so the eight compartments of the tray can be filled with any number of delicious snacks, such as preserved kumquats for prosperity. In fact anything orange is a good bet, as the Chinese words for gold and orange sound alike, while the word for tangerine echoes luck. But don’t put them in groups of four, as that is associated with death, and that’s would be a tragic way to end a winning streak.

The word for bamboo shoots in Chinese sounds like the phrase for “wishing everything would be well”, so add to stir fries. Lobsters, or dragons of the sea, symbolise a dragon food as part of the dragon and phoenix combination, with chicken the phoenix, representing a good marriage and the coming together of families. However, both the lobsters and chicken should be cooked and eaten whole to promote unity.

Folklore says that a snake in the house means you will never starve, and with next year celebrating the Year of the Snake, it’s unlikely anyone will starve with the myriad of delicious foods on offer. OH

See recipe in the Open House iPad app.

www.openhousemagazine.net Open House, November 2012 15

Desserts

Sweet satisfaction It’s often said that diners have a second stomach just for dessert. Ylla Wright investigates the contemporary dessert trends that have them saying “yes, please”.

W

ith the majority of diners eating in casual and fine dining restaurants likely to order dessert, according to the latest American Express Market Briefing, no menu is complete without a tempting array of dessert options.

The survey found that almost twothirds (62 per cent) of people said they would be likely to order dessert when dining in a casual restaurant, while 54 per cent would be likely to order dessert in a fine-dining environment. Even at lunchtime, most respondents indicated that they would be likely to order dessert. Most tempting for diners are those desserts that can’t be easily made at home, a restaurant’s “signature” dish and desserts that are either new or unique.

Simped’s

Portioning and presentation can also be key factors in driving dessert choices, with 60 per cent of women saying that “shareability” is an important factor. Conversely, a majority of women (56 per cent) say they’d order dessert more often if there was a sampler available, allowing them to try more than one option.

While for many people dessert preferences change depending on the time of the year, only 46 per cent of women and 34 per cent of men said they seek out desserts they consider to be healthy.

While classics remain popular, many chefs are turning to more innovative flavour combinations and techniques to tempt diners over the line. Amongst the key trends to emerge in recent years has been

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Christmas & chestnuts

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16 Open House, November 2012 www.openhousemagazine.net

The Graham Hotel’s dark chocolate panna cotta with salted peanut sponge.

sweet-savoury combinations such as salted caramel, with even coffee chains such as Gloria Jean’s recently releasing a Salted Caramel Latte and Salted Caramel Espresso Chiller into their range.

“Desserts with a sweet-savoury balance round out a meal better than a big lump of hot chocolate pudding,” says Melbourne pastry chef Darren Purchese, author of Sweet Studio: the art of divine desserts. “I like to have contrasting flavours there. Acidity with fruit, or the addition of salt to a crumble or in a caramel, adds balance and tempers the sweetness of a dessert.”

Purchese makes about 100 litres of salted caramel a week at Burch & Purchese Sweet Studio, using it in desserts such as his Chocolate 60%, Mandarin and Salted Caramel cake.

Another favourite is substituting different fats, such as olive oil, for butter to create “another flavour dimension”.

Finding the right balance is particularly important for Purchese’s Sweet Studio Sessions, dessert nights which see guests enjoy four dessert courses.

“You can’t just put for sweet dishes on because after the second one people will start to feel a bit sick,” he says. “You need to start with a more savoury dish and finish on something sweet or chocolatey.”

Most of all desserts have to have the wow-factor, says Purchese,

See recipe in the Open House iPad app. citing his “explosive raspberry”, which features chocolate popping candy, fresh raspberries, freeze dried raspberries, chocolate mousse, crumble and raspberry cream.

“A lot of people don’t normally eat desserts at home, so when they eat out and want to treat themselves, they want something that leaves a lasting impression.”

Pastry chef Grant Turner, from the Stamford Plaza Brisbane, who recently won a gold medal at the Dilmah Real High Tea Challenge with his Spring garden-party themed menu, has also noticed increased demand for sweet-savoury flavour combinations such as dark chocolate and peanut butter.

“There’s definitely a market for it,” he says. “People are becoming more interested in trying different flavour combinations and the industry as a whole has to keep upping the ante.”

However, he believes that there’ll always be a place for classic desserts, with “a twist”.

“When it comes to desserts particularly people often relate to the dishes they’ve grown up with,” he says. “Chefs are putting a different twist on dishes, and updating the way they present them, but at their core people can still relate to them.”

For the High Tea Challenge, Turner updated an old family recipe, presenting a French vanilla tea steeped peach blossom cake, however it is another dessert,

“Essence of Queensland”, which the hotel is arguably best-known for. The fruit filled confection was created for Queen Elizabeth II during her visit to Brisbane in October 2011, not long after the floods which rocked the state, and features many of the tropical fruits and nuts Queensland is famous for.

“The concept behind it was to support the local growers who’s gone through such a hard time and lost so much revenue, as well as to showcase to Queensland, and Australia in general, what a plethora of great produce we have,” he says.

With summer almost here, Turner will be using more seasonal produce to lift desserts.

“As we come into summer, we’re looking at light, fragrant, not-soheavy dishes,” he says.

Perry Schagen, head chef of the Graham Hotel in Melbourne, believes that with the popularity of molecular gastronomy techniques, “chefs have has more of an opportunity to mimic confectionary companies”, leading to some interesting dishes.

“I’ve also noticed that chefs are

branching out as far as the produce they use is concerned,” he says.

“Where Valronha chocolate was a preferred item, for example, lesserknown, smaller producers like Michel Cluziel are being used.”

While soufflés are perennially popular with his customers, Schagen says many of the dishes are inspired by seasonal produce at its peak, such as the mandarin velvet with liquorice crumble, liquorice ice-cream, freeze dried and fresh mandarins, served with lime jelly, which was on the menu recently.

Smaller portions are also a key trend, with many restaurants offering tasting plates featuring bitesized versions of dessert options, and caterers offering dessert buffets which allow guests to choose from a number of small options.

“Desserts seem to be getting smaller, but more intricate, with lots of different components, and contrasting textures and flavours,” says Purchese.

It seems that in the case of dessert, quality really is more important than quantity. OH

Darren Purchese’s white chocolate, avocado, mint, cucumber, apple and lime dessert.

www.openhousemagazine.net Open House, November 2012 17

Truffles

Earthly pleasures Australian truffles are being recognised for their regional differences, discovers Sheridan Randall.

T

hey are said to an aphrodisiac.

Whether true or not they are undeniably the most expensive food product on the planet – not bad for what is essentially a funny looking mushroom that grows underground.

Coming for the Latin word “tuber”, meaning lump, truffles haven’t been described as the diamond of the kitchen because of their looks.

The secret is in the aroma, and so powerful is it, Australian farmers are charging up to $3000 a kilo for the black European truffles that have been grown here since 1999.

Perigord Tuffles of Tasmania was the first farm to harvest a truffle in Australia, following six years of research by co-founder Duncan Garvey.

Garvey says it was “difficult to begin with”, as the French industry, which produces most black Perigord truffles, was very much a familybased cottage industry, founded on “doing what their fathers did”.

Instead he approached it from a technical point of view.

“Like wine, you grow different grapes in different regions for different characteristics. It’s the same with truffles,” he says.

“To grow really good truffles you need a really cold winter with a regular frost. Our production comes from the cold areas of Tasmania and New South Wales.”

Western Australia produces the largest volume of truffles nationally, with Sake van Weeghel, chief executive of the Manjimup-based Wine and Truffle Company, saying the region’s cool climate with a hot summer replicates the temperature in the Perigord region of south western France, where the black truffle originates.

to develop our standing in the international market place.

Van Weeghel says that the Australian truffle is now getting the recognition it deserves.

“Truffles are not just truffles”, says Rachel Lindley, from Truffle Distributors Australia, adding that their “terroir” is the best way to describe the differences.

“One of our key customers is Ralph Bos, the ‘gourmet food and truffle pope’ of Germany, and he has rated the Australian Perigord truffle similar to the French one, based on pungency, aroma and texture,” says Van Weeghel.

Although comparable in terms of quality, the much larger industry in France is a “bit of a different ball game”.

There have been efforts to introduce a national grading system, but the difficulty is that it would only be based on shape, not on aroma or taste, which as Garvey says is “so subjective”.

“There’s no grading on wine, and there couldn’t be one for truffles,” he says.

“We visited different farms in our research and tasted their truffles and noticed that they are so different from one another,” she says.

“This season in Australia we talk about four tonnes, but in France you’re looking at 18-20 tonnes,” he says.

“I think really it comes down to individual taste, even more so than with wine, as the scent in truffles mimics pheromones. Some truffles give me tingles while others I might think are nice but don’t have the same effect.”

For Van Weeghel, the priority is

Climate, soil composition and

Porterhouse steak with black truffle sauce Serves 2

60g unsalted butter at room temperature 2 teaspoons olive oil 2 porterhouse steaks (about 600g each), cut thick Salt and freshly ground black pepper 1½ tablespoons minced shallots 75ml beef stock, preferably homemade 60ml Cognac or other brandy 10g fresh Manjimup black truffle, sliced paper-thin Put ½ tablespoon of butter and 1 teaspoon of olive oil in each of 2 large heavy skillets and heat over moderately high heat until the butter is melted and foaming. Season the steaks on both sides with salt and pepper. Add to the pans and cook,

turning once, for 3 to 4 minutes on each side for medium-rare. Transfer the steaks to a warm platter and cover loosely with foil.

Pour off the fat from the skillets and set one pan aside. Add 1 tablespoon of butter and the shallots to the other skillet and cook over moderate heat, stirring frequently, until the shallots are softened. Meanwhile, add about 2 tablespoons of stock to the reserved skillet, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pan to release the browned bits (the pan should still be hot enough for deglazing). Set it over moderate heat briefly if necessary.

Add these juices to the skillet

with the shallots, along with the remaining stock. Increase the heat to moderately high and bring to the boil, stirring occasionally, until almost reduced to a glaze.

Add the Cognac and cook, stirring occasionally, until reduced.

Remove from heat and add the truffle. Gradually add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, ½ a tablespoon at a time, stirring with a wooden spoon until the butter begins to combine and the sauce has thickened slightly. Spoon sauce over the steak and serve immediately.

See recipes in the Open House iPad app.

18 Open House, November 2012 www.openhousemagazine.net

farming practices all contribute to the characteristics of each truffle.

“We even find variants depending on the species of tree they are grown on, as truffles have such a symbiotic relationship with the tree. If something is grown on a hazelnut tree it has a beautiful nutty flavour coming through, while its aroma will have a lot more of the soil characteristics.

“Manjimup has very iron-rich soil, so those truffles have a really metallic smell to them. You go to Tasmania and it’s much more of an earthy smell, and we have some new growers in Victoria and they are producing a lovely sweet truffle,” she says.

Nathan Le, head chef at Lamont’s Bishop’s House, in Perth, says that the Manjimup truffles are “getting better and better each year”.

“The aroma and texture is comparable to the ones I’ve seen in France and Italy,” Le says.

“I’ve been lucky enough to go on a wild truffle hunt in Italy and I can tell you that as soon as you break the ground you can smell it straight away, so I have that experience to compare it to.”

Bishop’s House recently offered a truffle inspired three course menu of smoked mushroom risotto with fresh Manjimup truffles for entree, truffled corn fed chicken breast, petite gnocchi, sugar snaps and foie gras for main and truffle infused brie with shaved pear, and truffled honey to finish.

“The base of the dishes we used really emphasised the aroma of the truffle.

The smoked flavour in the risotto really encourages that truffle smoke to come through again and you get a more lingering smell. With the main dish, the chicken breast, which has quite a plain flavor, the truffle really penetrates it and flavour’s the meat.”

However, if you use too much truffle it can “overpower” a dish, warns Le. “You don’t need a lot of it to flavour a dish; if you use too much it becomes counter-productive,” he says.

Most agree that there is scope for the industry to grow. However, Garvey says that it “has to grow with respect to the quality of the truffle”.

“We never have any trouble selling truffles. This week we harvested around 10 kilos but I could have sold 100 kilos. People are really starting to understand what a really good truffle is,” he says.

As Le says, “there’s nothing you can use in place of it. So it’s definitely worth it”. OH

cooking the Books

Stick ’em up

Skewering is one of the oldest known ways of preparing food. John McLeay, from Melbourne’s Red Spice Road restaurant, shares one of his favourite dishes.

Place the belly in a baking tray. In a bowl mix together the soy sauce, water, sugar and star anise then pour it in to the baking tray. Cover with non-stick baking paper (parchment paper) and foil and place in an oven preheated to 180°C. Cook for around 4 hours, checking occasionally to make sure the liquid has not reduced too much – if it has, top up with a little more water. Allow to cool slightly, then remove the belly. Place it on a tray, and refrigerate.

When chilled completely, cut the pork belly into 2cm cubes.

Meanwhile, prepare the chilli caramel. In a saucepan, add the sugar and water and bring to the boil. Continue to boil until the mixture starts to caramelise. Add the chillies, star anise and fish sauce, being careful that the caramel does not splash you, as it becomes extremely hot.

Turn down the heat and simmer for 5 minutes.

Add the extra water, turn off completely and leave for 5 minutes.

Strain and set aside for later use.

Put the cold pork pieces into a bowl, add the soy sauce, mix to coat the belly and then pour off the soy sauce.

Add the tapioca starch and the five spice powder and gently mix, making sure you coat the pork pieces evenly.

Pork belly with chilli caramel

Dust off any excess starch and set the pork aside ready for cooking.

Makes 15

Heat the oil in a wok or large saucepan to roughly 170°C, test the temperature by dropping a piece of pork in the oil: it should sizzle as soon as it hits the oil. Add the coated pork pieces to the wok, being careful that the oil doesn’t boil over. You may need to cook the pork in a few batches to keep the oil temperature at the right level. Fry each batch of pork for around 5 minutes, then remove from the oil and place on absorbent paper.

Red Spice Road and pork belly go hand in hand.

There is not a chance in hell I could ever take it off the menu. To say it’s popular is a bit of an understatement – it’s all our customers ever seem to talk about. This being the case, I thought I had better give you a slightly simpler stick version. I like to serve this version of the belly in large shot glasses.

You’ll need 15 shot glasses for this recipe.

100ml water, extra 700g piece pork belly 200ml light soy sauce 2 cups water 3 tbsp caster (superfine) sugar 6 star anise 15 small skewers Chilli caramel 500g caster (superfine) sugar 500ml water 2 small red chillies, chopped 12 star anise 200ml fish sauce

Place the cooked pork in a bowl, add the black vinegar and carefully toss the belly pieces so that they are coated in the vinegar. Drain the vinegar off, pour in a little chilli caramel and move the pork around so it gets coated in the caramel.

To serve 100ml light soy sauce 2 cups tapioca starch 5 tbsp five spice powder 1 litre vegetable oil 75ml black vinegar

Thread two pieces of pork belly onto the end of each skewer, and repeat until you have prepared 15 skewers.

Garnish 2 large red chillies, seeded and sliced 1 spring onion (scallions), finely sliced 4 tbsp crispy fried shallots 1 small Granny Smith apple, peeled, and cut into small dice

Pour some chilli caramel into the shot glasses, place a pork skewer in each glass, then scatter the chillies, spring onion, fried shallots and apple over the skewers.

This is an edited extract from Bits on Sticks by John Mcleay (New Holland, $29.95). Photography

by Graeme Gillies. Food styling by Fiona Riggs. OH

www.openhousemagazine.net Open House, November 2012 19

products cocktail functions and snack menus. ● www.steggles.com.au

Year-round crab meat Phillips Blue Swimmer Crab Meat is high quality crab meat that has been developed for restaurant use by restaurateurs. The crab is caught year-round from the waters of South-East Asia and put through a quality control process to meet Phillips’ standards.

The fresh crabs are steam cooked and cooled then the meat is handpicked and placed in cans. The meat goes through a pasteurisation process to extend shelf life without adding preservatives. This gives the crab meat a shelf life of 18 months in cans and 12 months refrigerated.

Phillips Crab Meat is virtually shell-free, consistent in taste and can be supplied all year round. It is available in six grades: colossal lump, jumbo lump, backfin, special, claw and claw fingers. ● www.phillipsfoods.com

Perfect presentation

Bite-sized quail Ideal for catering menus, game bird producer Game Farm has released their new product, Quail Tulips.

The product is a Quail Maryland which has the thigh bone removed and the quail meat Frenched to create a “tulip” shape. They are approximately 18g per piece, making them an ideal canapé or appetiser option.

The quail are grain fed, free of added hormones and all Game Farm products are 100 per cent Australian owned and grown. They can be supplied fresh or frozen in 20 or 30 piece packs for convenience. ● www.gamefarm.com.au

parsley bread crumb. They are the ideal appetiser or snack option for hotels, caterers, cafes and restaurants.

“Our new mini kievs are a great entertainer,” says Steggles brand manger Nicole Camilleri. “They require no preparation, are portion controlled and can be cooked in the oven or deep fryer in as little as six minutes making them great for

Old classic with a twist Steggles has recently launched a new range of chicken products to the foodservice industry. The Mini Chicken Kievs are a bite sized snack, giving a twist on the classic dish.

Steggles Mini Chicken Kievs are made with quality chicken, filled with garlic butter and coated in a 20 Open House, November 2012 www.openhousemagazine.net

Sico South Pacific has released a new range of tables for hotels and conference facilities to present food at buffets and functions.

and contemporary display.”

The range is available in a variety of frame colours, frosted or glass tops and laminate finish. They are designed for easy storage, transport and set up for inside or outside areas. ● www.sicosp.com.au

Professional paella pans When it comes to cooking Spanish cuisine Lacor have cookware covered. The Spanish cookware company has just released their range of professional paella pans into the Australia market.

The Sico Food and Beverage tables have glass and laminate table tops for a sleek, modern look to suit any function or venue.

“The latest in food and beverage presentation is linenfree,” says SICO hospitality sales manager, Stephen Catterall. “Our nested tables provide our customers with a system which is portable, easy to reconfigure and offers a clean

There are various sizes available, ranging from the single portion 20cm model to the large 130cm model.

They are made in traditional black iron steel with red flared handles and enamelled steel.

The products are suitable to use on electric, gas, vitro and induction cooktops.

The sweetest thing Bee2 has developed single serve honey straws that contain 100 per cent Australian honey. They are perfect for sweetening foods such as cereal or adding to hot drinks.

The single serve straws are ideal for foodservice as the convenient

The oven can keep a steak at mediumrare for up to three hours and salmon medium rare for up to two hours. It can also hold crumbed products for up to an hour without them going soggy.

packaging means they are easy to use and cause no mess or wastage.

Bee2 straws contain Yellowbox honey that is sourced from eucalyptus trees in the Northeast of New South Wales which gives the honey its unique taste and texture.

The honey straws have no fat, added sugar, colour or flavour. ● www.bee2.com.au

Naturally sweet carob bars The Carob Kitchen has just released Australia’s first range of carob milk bars. The range is made from organically grown Australian carob, real cocoa butter and natural ingredients resulting in a smooth, sweet carob bar.

The range is packaged in 80g blocks and available in two varieties; Milk and Almond. Their other product is Banjo – The Carob Bear, a popular no added sugar treat for kids that comes individually wrapped in 15g bars.

Overall, the HoldO-Mat is excellent for preparing food hours before service and is ideal for events or functions where a lot of preparation is required. It is easy to operate and completely portable. ● www.mermaidck.com

Very versatile oil Peerless Foods have introduced Pura Sun Ultra, a new high quality oil for the foodservice industry. The sunflower oil is a unique product

because of its versatility and long lasting fry life.

The oil has a high heat tolerance and is suitable for both deep and shallow frying. Its neutral taste makes it the ideal option for sauces, mayonnaise, dressing and marinades.

Pura Sun Ultra oil has the Heart Foundation Tick endorsement because it is cholesterol free with virtually no trans fats. It is also Kosher and Halal certified to suit a range of dietary requirements. ● www.peerlessfoods.com.au OH

Grab and go treats Priestley’s Gourmet has made it easy to offer customers a tasty treat that they can pick up and eat on the go. Their Grab & Go range includes cake bars, muffins and cookies that are individually wrapped for convenience.

The range is ideal for customers looking to have something sweet with their coffee or afternoon tea.

The cake bar and muffin options include chocolate, banana bread, carrot cake, orange and poppy seed, and apple and cinnamon.

There are also generously sized cookies which come individually wrapped. Flavours include Triple Choc, Date and Ginger, Melting Moment, Monty Delight and

Gingerbread Man and there are gluten-free options across the range.

The Grab & Go products are supplied frozen for the best flavour and to maximise shelf life. They can be kept frozen for 12 months and thawed in the fridge for one to two hours. ● www.priestleys-gourmet.com.au

The whole range has no added sugar and is caffeine- and gluten-free.

Each of the products are available in specially designed countertop dispensers for cafes, supermarkets and health food shops. ● www.thecarobkitchen.com.au

Multi-purpose oven The Hold-O-Mat is a unique oven product made by European catering equipment company Hugentobler. The Swiss product has been hugely popular in Europe and now Mermaid Commercial Kitchenware is making it available to foodservice in Australia.

The Hold-O-Mat can be used to slow cook meat or fish and acts as a holding unit by keeping food warm whilst maintaining its quality. www.openhousemagazine.net Open House, November 2012 21

CULINARY CLIPPINGS

There’s no place like home

remoteness of the locations. In some instances the actual dollar difference was as low as $8 per hour from the job they left to travel and work.

A

After doing a stint in Eastern Europe it has been refreshing to see how great our young chefs are doing here at home, as well as how privileged they are with the exceptional produce we have here in Australia.

Having the ability to order pretty much anything we want at any given time is not something the rest of the world has the benefit of.

My advice to you is the grass is not always greener on the other side of the fence, so make the most of what you have.

ll that glitters is silver and gold – congratulations to our national culinary squad winning one gold and three silver medals at the recent Culinary Olympics in Erfurt, Germany – the junior team finished 7th in the world and senior team 9th. It is no easy feat competing at this level, so well done to both senior and junior teams, and I look forward to welcoming them back home safe and sound to share their success and newly found skills with the greater membership. International events take a considerable chunk of the Australian Culinary Federation’s (ACF) limited office and financial resources, and we are looking forward to taking the next period of time to review our existing services and office with the view to growing our resources to better service our members and supporters.

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

Peter Wright Australian Culinary Federation (ACF)

Interestingly, despite this time of constant global economic turmoil where traditionally voluntary associations seem to struggle both financially and with membership, the ACF is growing in members.

Why you might ask? Well I put it down to the great programs the ACF offers to its members and strong support from the board, which as you know comes from your State presidents and ongoing sponsorship support from industry.

With the spring carnival affecting most of us and Christmas already knocking on our door there will be the usual pressure on our chefs to go that extra bit harder. Thankfully this year I have seen a few local guys leaving the mines and returning to the traditional industry. The dream of big dollars may not have eventuated in the way they first considered, but the trek back home is a welcome relief to mainstream hospitality, as a lot of our cafes and restaurants have been operating with more junior staff than they would have liked and are now welcoming back the more established chefs.

In speaking to a few of the guys, the money was not that much better when you took into consideration the hours worked and the damage done to relationships due to the

Again congratulations on the success of your culinary teams and a sincere thank you to all the supporters and sponsors in particular Fonterra Foodservice, Nestlé Professional, Bidvest, SAFCO, MLA, Krio Krush, Robot Coupe, Victorinox, Fraser & Hughes, and Moffat.

Peter Wright National President Australian Culinary Federation peter@xtremechef.com.au www.austculinary.com.au

Canberra hosts International Secondary Schools Competition The Australian Culinary Federation ACT Chapter recently hosted this year’s International Secondary Schools Culinary Competition (ISSCC), with 18 students (pictured) from Japan, Taiwan, New Caledonia, Tahiti, New Zealand and Australia competing to be crowned number one Secondary School in the region for culinary skills.

Teams had an hour to prepare and cook one main course dish for four people, Chairman of Judges chef Paul Krantzcke commented on the high standard of competition with the judges taking well over an hour to decide on a winner.

In the end Taipei Kaiping School, from Taiwan, were crowned the overall winners, with the Japanese team coming second and Australia’s own Isaac Brown and Brad Bool, from St Edmunds College, ACT, taking third place.

22 Open House, November 2012 www.openhousemagazine.net

Brisbane Olympic medal tally chef goes for puts Aussies in top 10 French gold Brisbane chef and Australian Culinary Olympic Team member Shannon Kellam (pictured) has been selected as Australia’s official representative in the internationally recognised Bocuse d’Or, where he will compete in France against the best of the best from 24 countries in January, 2013.

Kellam has been training for almost two years in the lead up to the competition, during which he battled teams from all over Australia in the national selection process.

“The Bocuse d’Or is an amazing opportunity, not only for Shannon, but for Australia to be recognised as a culinary capital,” said Bocuse d’Or president Romain Bapst.

After an intense build up and punishing three days in October that saw more than 40 nations and 1200 chefs are competing, the 2012 IKA World Culinary Olympics are over, with both the junior and senior Australian Culinary Olympics proving their worth in Germany with four medals collectively won.

The senior team, captained by Shane Keighley, won two silver medals – in the Hot Kitchen section and Cold Table section. In the Hot Kitchen section the team had six hours of intense preparation from scratch, with no pre-prepared food allowed. Australian Culinary Federation spokeswoman Deb Foreman said the team performed well under pressure, with their kitchen work standing out.

“We have been on a journey for the past three and a half years, which has taken us nearly the whole way around the world,” said Keighley.

“This would not be possible without the support of our sponsors, who

Official organ for the Australian Culinary Federation; Association of Professional Chefs and Cooks of NSW; Professional Chefs and Cooks Association of Queensland Inc.; Academie Culinaire de France; College of Catering Studies and Hotel Administration, Ryde, NSW; Les Toques Blanches, NSW Branch; Australasian Guild of Professional Cooks Ltd. Subscriptions: 1 yr $99; 2 yrs $174; 3 yrs $261 (incl. GST and surface mail).

ISSN 0312-5998

we appreciate greatly. Let’s keep the flame alive and keep paving the way forward for a very bright future for all the young Aussies out there.”

The junior team, captained by Matthew Wynn, won gold in the Hot Kitchen section and silver in the Cold Table section. Wynn said that the experience was “incredible” and had “changed my life forever”.

first into the stadium. Escorted by teams of local children, the teams were cheered by spectators complete with horns, balloons and flags, Foreman described it as a “wonderful experience”, and one of many no doubt. OH

OPEN HOUSE FOODSERVICE is proud to be a diamond sponsor of the ACF.

“Being given the opportunity to captain a team of such talented, professional chefs has been an honour,” he said. “Everybody has put their hearts and souls into doing well at the Olympics and the blood sweat and tears have paid off – I couldn’t be happier.”

Sweden took out the top honours in the competition, but the hugely impressive effort resulted in Australia finishing with both teams ranked in the top 10 in the world.

One of the highlights of the three days was the Parade of Nations, with the Australian team the

PUBLISHER Alexandra Yeomans MANAGING EDITOR Ylla Wright Journalist Sheridan Randall Sales & Marketing Manager Jo Robinson Regional Account Manager Leah Jensen Account Manager Monica Osorio DESIGN/PRODUCTION Bin Zhou ADVERTISING CO-ORDINATION megan@creativehead.com.au

For information on ACF, visit www.austculinary.com.au, or contact the ACF National Office via acfnationaloffice@austculinary.com.au or (03) 9816 9859.

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