Hospitality Magazine February 2014

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No.701 February 2014

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No.701 February 2014

hospitalitymagazine.com.au

foodservice

Seven ways to cut your wage costs

LEFT OUT IN THE COLD? Don’t let your refrigeration costs run away from you

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beverage

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flip

The Print Post Approved PP100007268

PLUS:

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side

Fine dining chefs take a bite out of the burger market

Oils go alternative

Ghee, coconut, sesame & rice bran oils on the menu

Easter planning

Is this holiday season all it’s cracked up to be?

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editor’s note

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s the first issue of Hospitality for 2014 was going to the printers, the industry was all fired up. NSW premier Barry O’Farrell had just announced liquor licensing reforms for Sydney’s CBD as a means of curbing ‘alcohol fuelled violence’.

Reforms include stopping alcohol sales from 3am; 1.30am lockouts; 10pm closing times for liquor outlets; and a riskbased licensing scheme.

Restaurant and Catering Australia was quick to support the reforms, with CEO John Hart arguing that the collaborative approach between operators, police and government in Brisbane has worked well in reducing alcohol related incidences.

But not everyone’s convinced. The Australian Hotels Association was right in pointing out that the lockouts need to be accompanied by a long, hard analysis of the city’s public transport issues.

John Ibrahim even weighed in, labelling the reforms as “ridiculous.” I never thought I’d say this, but I actually agree with the Kings Cross ‘kingpin’. What the city needs is cultural change; imposing restrictions on the industry that generates about half of the revenue made in the local government area won’t stop hot headed young men high on their own selfimportance from proving their machoness by flooring some innocent kid who doesn’t even get the opportunity to defend himself.

The sooner everyone realises that ego is the real fuel, not alcohol, the better.

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PUBLISHER Martin Sinclair martin.sinclair@cirrusmedia.com.au MANAGING EDITOR Danielle Bowling Ph: (02) 8484 0667 danielle.bowling@cirrusmedia.com.au JOURNALISTS Brea Carter Ph: (02) 8484 0661 brea.carter@cirrusmedia.com.au Alexandra E Petri Ph: (02) 8484 0854 alexandra.petri@cirrusmedia.com.au CONTRIBUTORS Christine Salins, Ken Burgin & Tony Berry

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hospitality | February 2014

cover

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contents FEATURES

11 The flip side Why the burger business is so appealing to fine dining chefs.

14 Oils go alternative Chefs are thinking outside the square when it comes to oils

17 Easter planning Is the Easter long weekend really worth all the hype?

23 Left out in the cold?

Editor: Danielle Bowling danielle.bowling@ cirrusmedia.com.au

Chef Warren Turnbull at Surry Hills’ Chur Burger.

Image: Rizwan Nawaz - Anarchy concepts

REGULARS

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ADVERTISING NATIONAL Rhonnie Merry Ph: (02) 8484 0642 Fax: (02) 8484 0915 rhonnie.merry@cirrusmedia.com.au PRODUCTION DIRECTOR Troy Stevens Ph: (02) 8484 0748 troy.stevens@cirrusmedia.com.au PRODUCTION CO-ORDINATOR Mary Copland Ph: (02) 8484 0737 mary.copland@cirrusmedia.com.au

28 Ken Burgin

What’s hot online?

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Our hospitality guru shares seven tips on how to reduce your wage costs.

Mystery diner Sushi in style at Melbourne’s Tempura Hajime.

29 Shelf space We profile new products that could make all the difference in your kitchen.

Imbibe Reminiscing in Rutherglen with Morris Wines.

27 Rant

Don’t spend more than you need to on refrigeration.

GRAPHIC DESIGNER Rizwan Nawaz Ph: (02) 8484 0622 rizwan.nawaz@cirrusmedia.com.au

News

30 Diary

Are food bloggers the ambulance chasers of our industry?

Masterclasses, competitions, fresh produce and industry experts at the upcoming Fine Food Queensland expo.

SUBSCRIPTIONS Ph: 1300 360 126 ONE YEAR: $132.00 incl GST TWO YEARS: $220.00 incl GST

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Average Net Distribution Period ending Sept’ 2013 - 13,966

PRINTED BY: Bluestar Print 83 Derby Street, Silverwater NSW 2128 P: 02 9748 3411 MATERIAL The publisher does not accept responsibility for any editorial or advertising material forwarded or held in storage nor will material be automatically returned. Whole or part of this publication cannot be reproduced without prior written approval from Hospitality’s management.

CIRRUS MEDIA Tower 2, Level 3, 475 Victoria Ave, Chatswood, NSW 2067, Australia Locked Bag 4700 Chatswood Delivery Centre, NSW 2067, Australia P: (02) 8484 0888 F: (02) 8484 0633 ABN 80 132 719 861 www.cirrusmedia.com.au © Copyright Cirrus Media, 2013

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Some things are meant to be grown in Australia, which is why on the 15th of January we presented Compass Group with a ‘Thank You Can’. A can of Australian peaches symbolically hand-signed by 30 SPCA workers directly involved in its production. We signed it to say thanks for supporting over 2,000 hard-working Aussies and our families by buying Australian grown.

Call us today to see how your kitchen can switch to Australian grown and Australian made.

ANT TO BE E M E R A s g in Th E SOM LIA

TRA grown in AUS

meanttobeaussie.com.au | Tel: 1800 805 168

SPC is a trademark of SPC Ardmona

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newsonline

Restaurants and cafes the stars of retail growth Recently released data from the ABS shows that restaurant, cafe and catering services are enjoying impressive growth, up 10.6 percent in the year leading up to November 2013.

John Hart, CEO of Restaurant and Catering Australia, says “Restaurants, cafes and catering services are the star performer of all retail growth, with a 4.6 percent increase in all retail sales between November 2012 and November 2013,” he says.

In November 2013 full service dining accounted for 60 percent of the total cafe, restaurant and takeaway food category, a reversal from 1998, when take-away represented the majority of the category.

In terms of state by state growth, NSW achieved growth of 15 percent, while Queensland notched up 21 percent growth. Victoria, Tasmania, the ACT and the Northern Territory all recorded growth of between five and 10 percent, compared to 2012.

An all-time record of $1.9 billion was achieved in the month of November 2013, with NSW contributing $626m.

INGERSOLL’S NEW BEAST POPS-UP IN SYDNEY Jared Ingersoll, the Sydney chef with his finger in many pies, and Summer of Riesling co-founder Jason Hoy have launched a new pop-up bar, Bottle and Beast, situated at the old Pyrmont Hotel site.

The pop-up will run for 65 days, closing on 31 March, and each day a beast will be on the menu, with the likes of pig, lamb and goat cooked on a spit, all sourced ethically and raised sustainably.

Bottle and Beast will also offer a range of share plates including a selection of cured, dried and raw meats, a pickled beetroot, avocado and skoradlia dish and an Ora King salmon belly creation, served with preserved egg and miso.

“We’re going to cook some great gear and serve some excellent booze, and like most Sydneysiders, we’re not interested in anything that’s not bloody awesome,” said Ingersoll.

hospitality | February 2014

HospitalityMagazine posted album:

Hospitality visits Chur Burger

Image: vkovalcik - Thinkstock

“Despite these record performances and the strength returning to consumer sentiment - the fundamentals of the business are still in crisis,” Hart said. “Businesses are still closing their doors either for good or on Sundays and/or public holidays because of the dangerously high cost of labour.”

3D PASTA PRINTERS? Pasta manufacturer, Barilla, is looking to introduce 3D food printers in commercial kitchens, allowing diners to design and print their own pasta.

Over the past couple Image: of years, the company has TNOResearch been working with research organisation TNO in the Netherlands, and a number of experimental 3D food printers have already been installed in restaurants in Eindhoven.

Barilla is hoping 3D food printing will get to a point where users fill printers will dough cartridges, providing consumers with great flexibility in terms of their pasta designs.

“You could surprise your wife with pasta in the shape of a rose for your marriage anniversary. You can simply save your design in a USB and bring it to the restaurant,” said Kjeld van Bommel, project leader at TNO.

For other stories and information please visit our website: www.hospitalitymagazine.com.au

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yoursay

■ Photos at http://on.fb.me/1aNAh4h

Jeremy commented on:

Are bloggers the ambulance chasers of the restaurant industry?

While it is certainly true that some bloggers chase the next ‘hot’ venue to review, the blogging community is a diverse range of ‘talents’. Some write well and are trusted by their readers to provide fair, interesting reviews.

It’s also true that some are like the author of this article, speaking in broad generalisations, lacking an understanding of the topic they choose to cover and writing with a misplaced confidence.

■ Read the story on Page 27

HospitalityMagazine posted:

Stokehouse owners promise revival after fire destroys St Kilda restaurant Powering Restaurants commented: Very sad #ilovestokehouse and another sad loss The Diggers Club in Dromona lost their cafe Fork to Fork to fire. Staff have already set up temporary kitchen, lets hope Stokehouse can do something quickly to keep going!

■ Full story at http://bit.ly/19RhYga

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from FIELD, to FRYER, to bio FUELS.

Bio fuels

Cookers sustainability in action

CBO146HM

Cookers are leading their category in developing responsible sustainable actions that can make a positive difference to your business.

Join with them in eliminating drums so no tin waste goes to landfill, use the Cookers fryer-filling system to improve staff safety, and ensure they

For more information phone 1300 882 299 or visit www.cookers.com.au

collect your waste oil to use for bio diesel.

You’ll be helping your business and the environment.

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mysterydiner

Sushi in style Our masked diner finds his way to one of Melbourne’s hidden gems, Tempura Hajime, where he enjoyed Geisha-style grace and flawless service, not to mention the most exquisite of sushi offerings.

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s a location, there is little to align the Geisha laden streets in the old part of Kyoto known as the Gion, with Park Street in South Melbourne, however a secret lies behind the most innocuous of facades.

Hidden (in a way) is the most Japanese of restaurants and from the outside it looks like an office building, but once through the door and around a corner, you are welcomed into the refined anteroom of Tempura Hajime. It is through another door that we are ushered to the actual room of the restaurant.

This proves to be a most exclusive realm, with 12 seats around a chef’s work-station with a wok of oil at each end and a bench in the centre. The customers are protected from any oil splashes by big, curved copper shields. It is a hushed and almost reverent environment with each piece of tempura announced and then placed with some ceremony on a small plate in front of each diner.

The four of us are entranced. The rest of the seats are taken by a group of ladies celebrating someone’s birthday and a lovely Japanese couple who have dined here before and will do so again.

It’s intimate, you learn these things ...

Choice is not offered here in any great amount; there are three. You may have the Tempura Set ($75 for 10 pieces and some sashimi) or the Tempura and Sushi Set (seven pieces for $85 and 10 for $92). The second option brings with it some sashimi, an appetiser, sushi and a dessert. Great, we’ll have four please.

We had advised the restaurant upon booking that one of our party has an aversion to prawns and the staff were both discreet and wonderful with the ease in which this was handled. For every prawn dish (and there were a few), she was offered something great and completely without fuss. Bring on the first bottle of Chardonnay, the sashimi has arrived.

Fresh grated wasabi is a world away from the tubes of lurid green paste that adorn our everyday sashimi experiences and this little pile of joy accompanies some excellent Gurnard, Kingfish and Salmon slices resting on a fresh shiso

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Sensational scallops at Tempura Hajime

“To describe the batter on these offerings as crisp and light would be akin to saying that water is wet.”

leaf. A small bowl of poached chicken in a sesame mayo is a delight. Simple soy sauce and a pair of dodgy chopsticks complete the tray. Our set is off to a fine start.

The next tray is set and we now have the option of traditional tentsuyu (tempura dipping sauce) with fresh grated daikon as well as pink salt and lemon. I try both with each tempura piece and lean toward the zing of the lemon by meal’s end.

To describe the batter on these offerings as crisp and light would be akin to saying that water is wet. Of course every piece is perfect and, such was the skill in preparation and delivery that you walk away without the heavy feeling that so often comes with a fried food feast.

The procession began with a single asparagus spear and square of sweet corn. These were then followed by single items of: a perfect prawn (or whiting for our non-prawn friend), white sweet potato, eggplant with chicken mince, tuna with avocado, zucchini with spicy salmon stuffing, scallop, sea urchin roe and shiso leaf (the dish of the night), King Dory wrapped in shiso leaf and finally, mushroom with prawn mince (or a wagyu option). As a meal goes, its pace was perfect and each single item could be appreciated for sheer quality and flavour.

With chef keeping a keen eye on our progress, we then move to the sushi plate. Made at the front counter with a speed and skill that had to be admired, what was noticeable was the temperature and the texture of the fish and meat. Allowing it to come away from the frigid cold that sushi is so often served at meant the sensation was enhanced all the more, with great produce again being a key factor.

Dessert is an interesting yoghurt jelly with moscato, two grapes and a dash of cointreau that provide a refreshing end to a special meal.

I cannot commend Tempura Hajime highly enough for taking a purest approach to a key part of Japanese cuisine and culture. They have held a coveted Chef’s Hat in The Age guide since 2008 and deservedly so; they provide a true experience of the highest quality in service, setting and food. I hope I can find their door again.

Check it out: Where : 60 Park St, South Melbourne, VIC 3205 P: 03 9696 0051 Lunch: Tue-Fri -12-2:30pm, Dinner: Tue-Sat - 6pm-late

hospitalitymagazine.com.au

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beveragesimbibe

Reminiscing

in Rutherglen

The history is palpable at Morris Wines, the Rutherglen winery where fifth-generation winemaker David Morris has just celebrated 20 years at the helm.

T

he cobwebs have been allowed to gather on the old pot still that was last used about 30 years ago.

But two basket presses that were installed soon after World War II are still in use at Rutherglen winery, Morris Wines. Winemaker David Morris has been leading the brand for 20 years and says the gentle handling of the fruit is key to softening the tannins that Rutherglen grapes have in abundance.

They also use an old Whitehill crusher. “It’s slow compared with a more modern crusher but … the beauty about it is there’s a little bit of stalk inclusion which is now becoming a bit more trendy.”

Time-honoured techniques continue to hold this 154 year old company in good stead. It also uses open fermenters, the submerged cap holding the skins down in the juice, producing what David describes as “layers of flavour.”

After vintage is over for Morris’s rich, full-bodied reds, the open fermenters are used for Port, Muscat and Tokay, wines that are among some of Australia’s, if not the world’s, finest fortifieds.

There’s history in the barrels as well, all 300 or so of them, in various sizes, some with a capacity of up to 550 litres.

David’s father, Mick, who relinquished the role of chief winemaker to David after spending 40 years in the job, points out an old barrel made from Baltic oak and says, “You wouldn’t get that thickness of oak these days.”

Mick knows the barrel is well over a century old because the local cooper who made it went out of business in 1900 when phylloxera hit the region.

David is grateful for the legacy he has been left. “The old barrels have a tight grain to them and now they’re a fantastic vessel for maturing fortifieds because you don’t want the oak (to flavour the wine).”

Although he had made table wines with his father before taking over in 1993, David never realised how much work was involved in making fortifieds.

“There’s always so much unfinished business. It’s all a work in progress.”

His efforts have clearly paid off, as during his time at the helm, Morris wines have amassed more than 4,250 awards, including 337 trophies and 1,399 gold medals.

David’s great great grandfather, George Francis Morris, established a

vineyard and winery near Rutherglen in 1859 and by 1884 it was the largest wine producer in the district. Today, it is still a key player, producing more than 50 percent of Australia’s Topaque (formerly known as Tokay) and being Rutherglen’s biggest producer of Muscat.

David’s father, Mick, was the first in the family to be university educated, gaining a Bachelor of Science at Roseworthy before returning to Rutherglen for his first official vintage in 1953.

In 1969, Mick sold the company, which ended up in the hands of the global Pernod Ricard group. Remarkably, Mick and subsequently David have continued to be hands-on in the business, preserving its family feel and great sense of history.

Mick still does some tasting and blending with David. “We’ve got very similar philosophies,” says Mick. “It’s always very considered; there’s no heat of the moment,” adds David.

In 1954, Mick made his first Durif, then labelled Claret, and this rich, full-bodied wine has since developed a cult following. But it is the fortifieds that Morris is planning to take to the world.

“We’re putting more spotlight on them to elevate them to the level they should be,” says David. “We’re looking at more international distribution in the UK, Belgium and Scandinavia. We don’t believe anyone does what Rutherglen can do in terms of Muscat and Topaque.”

Morris plans to introduce some regional wines as part of its Five Generation series, including a wild ferment Chardonnay from the King Valley and a Heathcote Shiraz. But don’t expect huge changes. “We’ve never really chased trends,” says David. “If it’s not broken, you don’t fix it.”

“We don’t believe anyone does what Rutherglen can do in terms of Muscat and Topaque.”

Mick & David Morris

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hospitality | February 2014

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IT’S MORE THAN A

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burgerbusiness

flip

The

Images: Rizwan Nawaz - Anarchy concepts

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side

Fine dining is a tough gig; there’s no denying it. Here, Danielle Bowling chats with three of the country’s most respected chefs about why they decided to pack up the skills they learnt at the upper echelons of the industry, and start flipping burgers.

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urgers – it’s the food trend that just won’t go away … and for good reason. Some of the country’s best chefs are putting them together, using their fine dining cooking skills and knowledge of the industry to create a booming business model.

While each of these three chefs have no regrets about their previous business ventures (or ongoing ventures, as is the case with Daniel Wilson) – they even attribute their current successes to lessons learnt in fine dining kitchens – they say the burger business is a little easier to stomach than the blood, sweat and tears required to keep a fine dining restaurant afloat.

Warren Turnbull, Chur Burger, Surry Hills, NSW “I had no idea Chur Burger would be like this. Even when I put a plan together to do a burger joint I thought ‘OK, we could do 40 burgers on a Tuesday lunch and if we could do 40 burgers for a Tuesday dinner that would be amazing.’ We opened on a

hospitalitymagazine.com.au

Tuesday and I think on the first day we did 400. So it’s crazy. Good crazy.

“For me, it’s a lot less stressful. It’s a lot easier. It’s still hard work, but it’s more volume. The average spend is $20 whereas at Assiette it was about $150. I’m lucky that I’ve got the Assiette staff; I’m lucky that I don’t have to freak out trying to find chefs that can do the Assiette style of food. A lot of the chefs that are with me have been with me for quite a while and they see the trends that are happening in the food scene. They said they’d stay on and to be honest, now I can pay them more than what I could before (at Assiette). So that’s quite nice.

“And to be honest it’s a much happier environment. I’m happier. They’re doing burgers but they’re still good burgers; it’s not like they’re doing McDonald’s burgers; there are still some good cooking techniques involved.

“We’ve got to do the volume, so it’s hard work and it’s non-stop, but it’s cer-

tainly a lot easier than fighting for Warren covers on a Tuesday or Wednesday.

Turnbull Every day is a Friday crowd now.

“Plus we don’t need a sommelier, which can be quite important to your bottom line. And we don’t need tablecloths. I save $600 a week just by not having tablecloths.

“But I think all the time I’ve spent in fine diners is partly why Chur Burger’s going so well. Because of all those years in fine dining, people know who you are and know you’re not going to bash out some rubbish just to make a dollar. We still use all those things that we had in the fine dining restaurant in regards to the service, like greeting people when they enter and leave. Yes, it’s just a burger bar but we like that sort of thing. And the same goes with the food side of things.

We still put in a few extra hours to make sure it’s all perfect. We treat it like a proper service, just like the old days. And I think that’s what shows in the final product, and in the atmosphere too.” »

“I think all the time I’ve spent in fine diners is partly why Chur Burger’s going so well.”

hospitality | February 2014

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burgerbusiness

Take a bite of this For those of you who thought burgers were just another trend in the foodservice scene – albeit a resilient one – think again.

Smudge Publishing has released The Burger Book, a more than 280 page guide to the best burgers in Victoria. Yep that’s right, that’s nearly 300 pages dedicated to the plethora of bun offerings available in just one of our states.

The Burger Book is a guide to the humble hamburger in all its forms – from the burger by the bay, to the pre-football fix and the hangover cure. It also includes recipes and a foreword from Simon Crowe, founder of burger franchise Grill’d.

Popular burger joints featured in The Burger Book, available in bookstores across the country, include The Merrywell, Parlour Diner, Maha, Huxtaburger and The Wayside Inn. Head to www.smudgepub.com.au for more info.

Top quality produce is paramount at The Burger Shed

Justin North, creative director at The Burger Shed, Mosman, NSW “The two things that I get most passionate about are working with producers, suppliers and really good products, and also working with and training young chefs. This job gives me the opportunity to do both of those.

“Being at the business side of things for the past 10 years, it’s nice to take a step back and focus more on the creative side.

I’m more of a mentor in this business. I guide the chefs, but I’m not working in there every day like I would be in a fine dining establishment. In fine dining, you can’t do it by halves. I’m not saying that you should in this segment either, but it takes a lot more commitment.

“My passion now is about producers and young chefs. This is a great entry point for youngsters, teaching them to cook things properly on the grill, to respect produce, how to work in a busy environment and how to be consistent.

That’s a real challenge. But I guess it depends who you speak to. Some of the people working on the grill will do 800 burgers a day – that’s a massive amount of pressure compared to getting your tweezers out and fiddling over 20 covers for lunch. It’s just a different type of pressure I guess.

“I have two kids and of course we don’t have the financial capability to go out to beautiful restaurants every night, so I understand that parents want to feed their kids well and want to feed them quick, so it’s good to have a burger sometimes. The buns here are freshly baked every day by local artisan bakers and there are no preservatives or anything like that in them. The meat’s ground fresh every day and there’s beau-

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hospitality | February 2014

tiful lettuce and tomato.

“I’ve always worked across all different markets, whether it’s fine dining, casual dining or takeaway, so for me, I’ll always try to use a beautiful tomato or a beautiful piece of lettuce, whether it’s in a fine dining aspect or simply sliced in a burger.”

Justin North

Daniel Wilson, co-owner of Huxtaburger, Collingwood, VIC “We decided to open Huxtaburger because after we opened our restaurant Huxtable in 2010, lunches were a bit hit and miss and we noticed that a lot of people in the area were buying kebabs, spanakopitas or Vietnamese rolls for lunch. We like burgers, and with the time I spent in the US, I thought I could construct a good one to be in the $10 price point. I guess we thought the universal appeal of burgers would be a good choice, and that Smith Street was in need of some decent burgers.

“We put the success of Huxtaburger down to the fact that we are all about

quality ingredients: Victorian grass-fed Wagyu beef, housemade mayo, pickles, beetroot, fresh pineapple, Yarra Valley eggs. And also the ties with Huxtable help.

The fact that we are restaurant people who have opened a burger shop adds weight to the fact that our burgers are top quality.

Plus we appeal to everyone; our customers range from parents with kids, teenagers, tradies to suits and elderly people.

“I don’t think that burger shops are necessarily easier to operate than restaurants. But the skill level of staff doesn’t need to be as high as say a one hat restaurant. Plus the type of ingredients you need aren’t as specialised or as broad. But obviously in any hospitality business finding staff that share your ethos is paramount.

“There’s also the benefit of having a streamlined amount of stock on hand, and costs such as wastage can be controlled much easier too. The percentages in a burger business stack up a bit better in terms of wages. We’re open all day so there are lulls, but it just keeps ticking over during the quieter times.”

Daniel Wilson Caption: circle for headshot only

Huxtaburger capitalises on the reputation of Wilson’s fine diner, Huxtable hospitalitymagazine.com.au

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For me it’s the confidence I get from Australian grain fed beef. consistency flavour quality

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cookingoils

Oils go alternative

Umami mushrooms at Monk Bodhi Dharama

A new breed of oils is coming to fore in today's kitchens as chefs embrace less common offerings such as ghee, coconut, sesame and rice bran oils, as well as traditional olive oil varieties. By Brea Carter.

S

imon Lawson, the head chef and owner at Agape Organic Restaurant in Sydney uses rice bran oil for cooking, baking and salad dressings.

“It is our general purpose oil,” he says. “Rice bran oil has many health benefits. It is high in antioxidants, notably oryzanol, which remains constant even under high heating. It contains high levels of vitamin E and reduces cholesterol.”

Coconut, macadamia, pumpkin seed and extra virgin olive oils are also used at Agape. “Pumpkin seed oil and extra virgin olive oil are used to finish dishes to add flavour and colour,” Lawson explains. “And we use macadamia oil to cook with and finish certain dishes.

“Pumpkin seed oil is amazing; it tastes like [you are] eating a handful of pepitas. Macadamia oil is nutty and delicious. Rice bran oil has a neutral flavour

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so is a great carrier for the beautiful organic produce we cook with,” he adds.

Lawson chooses to incorporate alternative oils into his dishes because he says they reflect the venue’s philosophy. “At Agape we are always looking at two things: the organic food we serve has to be delicious and in turn also good for you.

That is why we choose to use alternate oils with added health benefits,” he says.

Agape’s spelt, pineapple, coconut, popped quinoa and butterscotch muffins are made using coconut oil, and pumpkin seed oil is used for dressing salads, such as the spice roasted butternut pumpkin, green bean, popped

quinoa, amaranth and almond salad.

Alternative oils are also used at Brisbane’s Mondo Organics, which comprises a restaurant, catering arm and a cooking school.

“In my cooking school I use ghee (pure butter fat).

I also use grapeseed oil, coconut oil, roasted sesame oil and extra virgin olive oil,” says co-owner Brenda Fawdon.

At the school, Fawdon uses ghee and grapeseed oils to start her dishes because they have a high smoke point.

Monk Bodhi “I use grapeseed oil for Dharma dishes where I need a neutral tasting oil, like Japanese dishes. I like to use coconut oil to prepare desserts and also to start Asian dishes.

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Crispy fish taco from Primal Pantry

Brisbane’s Primal Pantry cafe Image: DC8 Studio

“I use roasted sesame oil as a flavouring in Asian dishes. I mostly use extra virgin olive oil as a salad dressing, however if I’m starting a Mediterranean dish on a low temperature I’ll use it there too,” she adds.

Mondo cooking school’s steamed baby bream dish is made using roasted sesame oil, and its mung bean, wild rice and buckwheat kitchari contains pure ghee that’s made in the classes.

Fawdon praises alternative oils for their health benefits, but says the industry is yet to fully embrace them.

“Good fat is expensive and from my experience most people are not prepared to pay for it. Highly processed oils are cheap to produce and are easy and convenient to use,” she says.

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Mondo’s grilled tofu sticks with tahini satay sauce

But Fawdon has found that those who attend Mondo’s cooking school are increasingly interested in alternative oils.

“Foodies that take part in my classes are very interested in learning about healthy fats, why they are good for you, how to use them and where to buy them.”

At Melbourne’s Monk Bodhi Dharma, a specialist coffee and tea house that also offers homemade vegan and vegetarian dishes, spearmint, grapefruit, lemon myrtle, mint, lemon and cinnamon flavoured oils feature prominently on the menu.

Owner and head chef, Marwin Shaw has chosen to use these oils for two reasons: they infuse dishes with extra flavour and they offer a number of health benefits.

“They allow certain aspects of a particular dish to ‘pop’ and renders the dish with a complete flavour profile ... We utilise oils to accentuate dishes, almost akin to a ‘cherry on top,’” Shaw adds.

The cinnamon oil in Monk Bodhi Dharma’s vegan Avignon apple buckwheat pancakes adds additional flavour, and complements the accompanying cinnamon flavoured ice cream.

The raw vegan breakfast trifle, which contains seasonal fruit and dairy-free vanilla bean cream, is made using mint and lemon myrtle oils, while Monk’s raw vegan ice cream uses grapefruit oil.

Shaw says using alternative oils enables businesses to stand out from the pack.

“As our industry becomes inundated with

new food venues, there is a need for kitchens to not only differentiate themselves but also to [cater for] the health conscious clientele,” he explains.

Brisbane-based cafe and caterer Primal Pantry selects its oils based on their compliance with the paleo diet. “That means no oils that are extracted from grains or legumes,” says head chef Tracy Hirst.

Coconut, olive, sesame and nut oils form the basis of dishes at Primal Pantry, and each has its own unique purpose.

“Coconut oil … is used in baking. We use the fat component as a setting agent for our protein fudge, and depending on the dish we can use it at a high temperature for pan frying or for a crispy coating,” says Hirst.

In the paleo chocolate brownie, both coconut and olive oils are used at different stages of the baking process, she explains.

“The coconut oil imparts flavour and is the fat molecules in the cooking process, while the olive oil is added towards the end of the baking process to keep the brownie moist.”

Olive oil is used for a range of applications, from mayonnaises and vinaigrettes to marinades and spice rubs “[It] is the work horse of our kitchen.”

Sesame oils are used for Asian-flavoured dishes, such as Primal Pantry’s cauliflower fried rice. “[We] use olive oil to sauté the ingredients and the final process is to drizzle with sesame oil for flavour and fragrance,” Hirst explains.

“We utilise oils to accentuate dishes, almost akin to a ‘cherry on top.’”

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easterplanning

Easter: Hospitality’s bittersweet holiday Is this long weekend really all it’s cracked up to be?

Alexandra E. Petri reports.

T

Snapper from Nick’s Seafood.

Images: Paul Gosney

hospitalitymagazine.com.au

here’s no arguing that holiday periods are among the busiest times of the year for the hospitality industry. Bookings, set menus, events and special holiday-themed dishes are all on the to-do list for operators looking to usher in holiday-makers.

Easter is a time of indulgence and a time for celebrating with family and friends. In the past, chefs have talked of everything from impressive chocolate creations to plentiful seafood smorgasbords; however, it seems the buzz surrounding Easter may have fizzled out in comparison to other holidays throughout the year.

“So many people are on the road at Easter - really, it’s like half of Australia gets on the road at that time of the year,” says Miccal Cummins, owner of Sydney’s largest privately owned and multi-award winning catering company, Gastronomy.

“I think that most Australians think about Easter as a time when they can just relax and hang out. I am serious when I say half of Australia gets on the road and relaxes somewhere else.”

Cummins, who has been in the hospitality industry for the past 30 years,

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Easter’s not a busy time for Gastronomy, says Cummins.

Images: Penelope Beveridge

works with venues around Sydney to cater events of every kind, with clients including Nestle, Mercedez Benz, Louis Vuitton and Apple.

Cummins says that his business has been closed for the past six years at Easter time. The Tuesday before Easter and the Tuesday after Easter are a “black hole” for invitations and events because so many people are away, he says.

“Easter is not as big a holiday, and in fact I would say that lots of people close down, restaurants included. I know that I do. Talking to you, this is the first time I’ve thought about this in 15 years...the reason I close down at Easter is because no one seems to have events. There are never any bookings... and no one seems to be freaking out that they can’t book,” he says.

Steve Davies, executive head chef at Nick’s Seafood restaurant, seems to agree that most people travel during the Easter weekend, making it a quieter time for the hospitality industry.

“The difference is that with Christmas, for example, you have a lot of functions, whereas with Easter it is pretty much a one weekend thing, similar to Thanksgiving,” Davies says.

But that isn’t to say that his restaurant isn’t bustling with packed tables on Good Friday and throughout the long weekend, he adds. “[We] actually find Easter to be quite busy in the sense that Good Friday obviously is fish-related, so we find that to be one of our busiest days of the year.

“It’s pretty much the Good Friday

Miccal Cummins

weekend - that is the four or five days where you run around and work hard and do all that kind of jazz,” Davies says.

Nick’s Seafood is part of the Nick’s Group, which currently has six venues across Sydney, and the beauty of working at a place like Nick’s Seafood, Davies says, is that its connections to the fish markets makes a weekend like Easter a busy time for the restaurant.

Despite being quite busy throughout this holiday period, Nick’s Seafood doesn’t create any special menus or dishes to mark the occasion, instead creating a menu that highlights the freshest catch at that point in time.

“We don’t actually have a special menu on for that particular time. It usually comes down to sourcing the freshest product we can from the markets.

Usually we get a lot of our Moreton Bay Bugs, which is one of the Australian specialities we have,” Davies says.

“We source all of our oysters from regions around New South Wales and our lobsters are purchased direct from the fisherman. We do have a unique dish on our menu which is a salmon tail, but we pretty much just source what we can at the time. It’s more of a case of putting specials on with the

“It isn’t always about what you want to do, but instead it’s about what the market wants you to do and what is financially viable.”

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product that is available and using the freshest product around.”

Over in Melbourne, Shane Delia from Middle Eastern restaurant, Maha, agrees that when he creates the set menu for Easter, he doesn’t insist on including flavours that are representative of the holiday.

“At Easter we do a set menu, but it isn’t a special Eastery-menu. We do have a set price menu because it goes back to viability - you want to make sure you cover your costs while giving your customer a good experience.

So it isn’t really an Eastery-flavoured menu; it’s just a beautiful menu,” Delia says.

“On Good Friday we run a few extra fish dishes because I am Catholic and we try to eat only fish on Good Friday, so no meat. We add in a few little culturally different things that we do that are tradition, things within the Lebanese and Maltese culture. We try to run a few of those little sweets through Easter and a couple of little dishes that you do on Good Friday, so yes, there are cultural dishes that we’d run, but I suppose there really isn’t a huge menu.”

Maha is closed on Easter Monday but is open throughout the weekend.

Delia admits that opening through the Easter long weekend can be a “gamble” for restaurateurs.

“To be honest it isn’t a hugely busy time. It’s hard to read, because people

celebrate Easter at different times. In Melbourne we’ve got a very multicultural society with a very eclectic group of religions.”

In addition, Delia says that high penalty rates make restaurants less willing to take the risk of operating throughout the long weekend.

“The hardest thing about Easter is that it would be a lot more successful for restaurants, and restaurants would be willing to open a little bit more if the government didn’t disadvantage us so strongly with all these penalty rates. That is a big determining factor for restaurateurs in terms of when you open or how much of a big deal you make out of it, because when you are paying all these excessive rates for a public holiday, you really need it to be busy.

“When you’re taking a gamble because you’re not sure if it is going to be busy or not, then you just close. So there are a lot of impositions on us in terms of what we can and cannot do as responsible business owners. It isn’t always about what you want to do, but instead it’s about what the market wants you to do and what is financially viable.”

“We don’t actually have a special menu on for that particular time. It usually comes down to sourcing the freshest product we can from the markets.”

Shane Delia

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refrigerationcosts

Don’t be

cold

left out in the

Image: MileA - Thinkstock

There are some hard and fast rules you can follow to reduce your refrigeration costs and keep your kitchen performing at its peak. Tim Smallwood reports.

hospitalitymagazine.com.au

I

t’s never too soon to service your refrigerators, but it can definitely be too late. Just like your car, refrigeration requires periodic servicing if you don’t want to be let down at the worst possible time. Of course it may not be a lack of servicing that’s the reason your refrigerator keeps breaking down - just like packing a ute to the rafters because you didn’t want to spend the cash on a truck, overloading a refrigerator or freezer will also end up costing you, both in terms of food spoilage and afterhours call out fees.

Assuming that you have bought the right refrigerator for the job with the right engine capacity and the right load capacity, the next thing you need to think about is where to put it. It’s no good complaining if you take your Toyota Yaris off-road and it breaks down because it overheats; just like a vehicle engine, a refrigerator needs ventilation to work. Putting a refrigerator in a storeroom without adequate ventilation will result not only in the room getting hot and the spoiling of other foods, but it will also cause the refrigerator motor to burn out.

In the same way, a bench-type refrigerator must have ventilation and if you pile up boxes of cups on the shelves alongside the refrigerator motor, the same thing will happen. Likewise if the refrigerator is sitting in the sun or too close to cooking equipment without suitable protection, even if it doesn’t break down, it won’t work efficiently and as a result will cost more to run.

The difficulty is that when you look for a new refrigerator you will find there is a wide range of prices for what on the surface would appear to be identical units: all have the same capacity and number of doors and they’ll all probably last over 10 years, even if you don’t have them serviced regularly. The

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difference between these refrigerators will be how much it costs to keep them running in addition to the purchase price. This includes the operating cost, the cost of maintenance and in the worst case the cost of food loss and even loss of business in the event of breakdown. Most of the features available on modern refrigerators, such as drawers for an under-bench cabinet and half doors for an upright cabinet, are designed for not only more efficient use but also their running cost will be lower.

The cost of maintaining a well-made modern refrigerator is just like the cost of keeping your new car on the road: choose the right equipment for the job, look after it and service it regularly. This will help you stay in business for many years to come.

Some helpful pointers Julian Ha from accredited kitchen designers, Foodservice Consultants Australia, points out that even the best maintained piece of equipment will occasionally suffer small problems. The most important thing to do is recognise the problem and do something about it before it becomes worse. All too often we see a two or three door refrigerator with one door out of line with the others – a sign that a door hinge is loose. Without the simple task of tightening a couple of screws the hinge becomes more and more loose with regular opening and closing until the hinge fixings pull out of the metal and the door falls.

Wasco Dimitroff from foodservice design consultancy, MTD, reinforces the fact that early intervention in maintenance will save money.

For instance making sure the door gaskets make a seal when the door is shut.

They can easily get damaged, which will result in leakage and increase the running cost of the cabinet. You can put off getting the serviceman in to replace the gasket because of the cost, or you can pay a bit more for the refrigerator and get one which has “push-in” gaskets which you can replace yourself without tools – just ring up the manufacturer or agent, give them the model number and they’ll post you the replacement which you can replace in minutes.

Dimitroff also advises that the best option for managing the risk of refrigeration breakdown is to invest in a maintenance contract which will ensure your food spoilage risks are eliminated.

Brad Dunn, managing director of Williams Refrigeration Australia, points out that the running cost of the refrigerator is also in your control when you are selecting a new cabinet – so choose wisely. The most efficient refrigerator is the unit with the highest heat capacity to watts. A typical reach-in refrigerator operates 16 to 18 hours a day and a higher wattage unit operating for 16 hours a day will be 12.5 percent more efficient than a lower wattage unit that has to operate 18 hours a day, with a corresponding lower operating cost.

Other factors that will have an impact on the running cost include the defrost system: a hot gas defrost will have a lower overall running cost than an electric defrost even though there will be a higher refrigeration energy cost. Most refrigerators today use a forced draft evaporator which uses a fan to circulate the cold air through the refrigerator. These are not only more efficient than static coil or natural convection cooling (e.g. no fan), they also require less energy to run because the evaporator temperature required to maintain the unit at the required temperature is higher.

A unit running at four degrees celsius will have a forced draft evaporator running at minus 1.1 degrees celsius com-

“You will minimise costs and maximise profits if you simply select the right equipment in the first place.”

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pared with a static evaporator which has to run at minus 6.7 degrees celsius to maintain the same temperature, which results in the cooling system costing more to run.

Dunn says that even if you already have an existing refrigerator or freezer, you are still in control of the running cost. Factors such as leaving the door open for longer than required (or not shutting it properly or not fixing a damaged gasket) can increase the running cost by 25 to 50 percent if care is not taken. It is also important that you set the temperature correctly in a storage refrigerator and do not use it to chill cooked food or you will affect the overall temperature and risk the other food items being stored.

Craig Pickford, managing director of CyberChill Refrigeration, points out that in the case of walk-in cool rooms, the normal usage is considered to be six to eight door openings a day and heavy use is 12 or more times a day.

The heat which infiltrates the cool room when the door is opened increases by up to 50 percent between normal and heavy usage. Cool rooms are not efficient for frequent access by the cook having to go into the room during ser-

vice for every new order, changing the duty of the room from normal to heavy duty with the power cost increasing accordingly. For this kind of use, a cabinet in the work area or under counter refrigerator drawers will not only have a lower running cost but also be more efficient to use.

Pickford adds that one of the best ways to minimise your refrigeration costs is to make sure that you waste as little of the energy used to maintain the refrigerated temperature of your food as possible. Adding plastic strips to your walk-in cooler doors can reduce the heat gain experienced when the door is open by over 30 percent, which might be as much as over 20kW a day.

An air-curtain over the door can save twice that amount.

At the end of the day, you will minimise costs and maximise profits if you simply select the right equipment in the first place. You will have to invest from the get-go, but as they say, you’ve got to spend money to make money.

Tim Smallwood FFCSI MDIA Principal: Foodservice Design Management - Professional Advisory Services. www.foodserviceconsultants.net

Follow these simple pointers to keep your refrigeration costs under control: 1. Recognise problems with your equipment and do something about them before they get worse.

2. Manage the risk of refrigeration breakdown by investing in a maintenance contract.

3. The most efficient refrigeration unit is the one with the highest heat capacity to watts.

4. A hot gas defrost system will have a lower overall running cost than an electric defrost, even though there will be a higher refrigeration energy cost.

5. Don’t leave the door open for longer than required and always make a point of shutting it properly.

6. Set the temperature correctly in a storage refrigerator and do not use it to chill cooked food or you

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will affect the overall temperature and risk the other food items being stored.

7. For walk-in cool rooms, the normal usage is considered to be six to eight door openings a day, and heavy use is 12 or more times a day. Adding plastic strips to your walk-in cooler doors can reduce the heat gain experienced when the door is open by over 30 percent.

*Based on a standard coolroom 1460 x 1760 x 2360 H with intergral refrigeration and standard install

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hospitalitymagazine.com.au

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How to make cool savings

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managementcomment

Better the

critic we know

We all know it – a restaurant review can make or break a business these days. But whose opinion should diners be trusting?

Experienced industry folk or fickle faddists? Tony Berry reports.

Image: zentilia - Thinkstock

I

t’s worth paying good money to see the looks of shock followed by outright panic that cross the faces of restaurant staff who suddenly discover that the couple at the table in the draughty corner are reviewers from one of the metropolitan dailies.

The consternation that follows is probably only matched by the rare occasion when, far too late, it dawns that the lone diner scribbling away on her notebook is an inspector from the Michelin Guide – or worse still, a food hygiene officer from the local council.

These are the moments that strike fear into a restaurateur’s heart and send tsunami-like waves of stress through the kitchen brigade.

If errors have been made, the service been slack, dishes sent out lukewarm, meat cooked too much or too rare, or the wine sploshed rather than poured, it is by now far too late.

Fawning apologies will not work. Reductions on the bill will have no effect.

The damage has been done. Ahead lies the agonising wait for the review to appear.

Of course, all may be well. The diners who appeared anonymously and unannounced might well have enjoyed a positive experience. Accolades, accreditation and plaudits may well follow. It is the waiting and the uncertainty that creates the stress and anxiety.

There are brave souls around who shrug their shoulders and put on a show of indifference. They claim not to need glow-

hospitalitymagazine.com.au

ing write-ups, stars or hats. They have a loyal clientele; they have the runs on the board; and they have survived – more than what can be said of many of their more highly praised colleagues.

Awards tend to come at a high price.

Inevitably they mean stepping out of the shadows and into the spotlight. They bring higher expectations of your food and service. With this comes an increase in business from a public easily swayed by a newspaper columnist’s praise or the addition of a plaque or star. These new customers are often more demanding and more critical. The restaurateur suddenly has new and intense pressures to confront.

Fame is a fickle and demanding mistress who many have trouble controlling. A perusal of the various capital city Good Food Guides from past years quickly reveals its fleeting nature.

So many establishments that have risen through the hatted ranks have now passed into other hands or closed their doors. Either they are no longer the place that was so loudly applauded, or they have simply ceased to exist – the victims of fame and fortune; or, lack thereof.

It’s a bit like lotto winners who claim that the unexpected millions won’t change their lives. Go tell that to the fairies.

The saving grace of such commendations is that they are generally made by reveiwers experienced in judging foodservice venues. They are names the public has come to know and trust over time.

Tony Berry

“They are narcissists who see themselves as trend-setters by rushing to write gushing words about their latest ‘find’.”

Thus their bouquets (and brickbats) are well-founded and well-reasoned.

Now, however, there’s a new kid on the block and one whose presence operators should fear and dread far more than any big name reviewer.

These are the fickle faddists who write their own blogs or contribute to websites dedicated to lauding what they perceive as the hottest (ugh!) new venue. They have been labelled as the ambulance chasers of the restaurant business. They are narcissists who see themselves as trend-setters by rushing to write gushing words about their latest “find”.

They have few credentials, are often anonymous and provide little critical analysis. They seek style over substance.

Yet such is their following that a new outlet can find itself “enjoying” a surfeit of customers almost before it has opened its doors. It has to suffer a rush of these culinary thrill-seekers before it has had time to iron out the inevitable glitches and become a smooth and efficient entity.

It is surely preferable to endure the presence of a genuine reviewer than be the subject of a froth and bubble comment from a blogger whose followers will fill your seats many times over one week and leave you scratching for business the next. By then they will have moved on to the latest cool, hot, cute, fun or whatever place is next on their fragile list.

Better the critic we know than the blogger we don’t.

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7

ways to

wage costs

If some of these lessons feel too hard, what needs to shift to take on the challenge?

Australia is a high wage country and it’s unlikely the new government will change this – smart management and ingenuity is needed, writes Ken Burgin.

F

oodservice operators aren’t hesitant to point the finger at wage costs when discussing burdensome business costs. But that doesn’t mean they have to sit back and simply accept the impact that wages can have on their bottom-line. Following the seven pointers outlined below will not only help to reduce your wage costs, but will also improve efficiencies and productivity in your business. What have you got to lose?

1. Menu pricing Here’s an example: let’s say your sales are $1,000 from 200 items at $5 each.

Wages of $350 are 35 percent and too high. Add 50c to each item and if you sell the same number, your sales are now $1,100 and the $350 wage cost is 31.8 percent. Sounds simple – and only you know how flexible you can be with pricing. But I’ve rarely seen a menu that can’t have some increase on price endings and the ‘middle prices’ pushed up, between the highest and lowest. It all helps.

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also related to better forecasting – watch for opportunities like special events, changes in the weather, TV specials and sport. They may mean more customers, or a lot fewer.

3. Employ more productive people How fast and efficient is everyone on your team? Any dead wood? It’s worth paying more for someone who achieves 50 percent more output than a slowcoach. Fast people want to work in an efficient team – they won’t stick around if you expect them to carry the slow and the lazy.

4. Automate processes Most restaurants and bars are very conservative behind the scenes, resisting innovation and technology. When you’re looking at labour-saving equipment, think about how many labour hours it will eliminate each week – the payback time is often quite short. Why not start with the coffee machine?

2. Volume

5. Outsource production

You could handle 100 customers or 120 with the same staff, even 130. Chances are you’d still have most of them on duty if only 80 turned up – it makes a big difference in the final wage cost percentage. Getting it right needs attentive management who are ready to cut unnecessary staff and help the team knuckle down when there’s a rush. It’s

It’s becoming more and more common – hollandaise out of a tin, lamb shanks from a bag, fancy cakes in a box and juice from a bottle. The knifeless kitchen is here, and we lose a little flavour and variety each time someone else makes it for us. But in high-wage locations it’s inevitable – just don’t lose your point of difference.

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6. Set up real-time cost tracking with online rosters If you want managers to watch and adjust costs day by day, you must give them the tools to do it. That means accurate rostering and staff schedule systems like Deputy.com. Spreadsheets won’t give you that information day by day, tied into sales results from the POS. This is one of the most important of the seven points here – if you don’t give managers accurate, timely information, they don’t know if they’re doing a good job with wage control.

7. Tie incentives to wage targets With quality checks to ensure costcutting doesn’t mean skimpy service or cheap-quality food, you can set up a bonus system that gives managers a cut of whatever labour costs they save. Bonuses bring out the ingenuity in staff – if they bring labour costs $600 below budget, a 25 percent bonus would give them $150 and you’re still $450 ahead. But as with all bonus systems, make sure there are regular spot checks for accuracy, honesty and make sure it doesn’t reduce quality.

Alternatively, you can set a budget figure that must not be exceeded – ‘chef you have $4,000 to pay all your kitchen wages – cut the roster to fit your budget.’

This can work if you have tip number six working well and a manager or chef who’s been trained to use it – you may be surprised how much can be achieved.

Ken Burgin

“It’s worth paying more for someone who achieves 50 percent more output than a slow-coach.”

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4 1. Convenient dessert solution Designed to slash time in the kitchen, Aeroplane Jelly’s new ready to eat range of jelly cups are available in four flavours: raspberry, strawberry, orange and blackcurrant. The 120ml jelly cups are 99 percent fat free and contain all-natural colours and flavours.

They do not require refrigeration when unopened, which makes storage a breeze, and they are designed for use across a range of foodservice operations.

Head to www.aeroplanejelly.com.au

2. Tasty tapas The new Findus Tapas Solutions range from Markwell Foods comprises four products: two croquette varieties, a burger slider and panko bites. The salted cod croquette is encased in a crispy parsley breadcrumb; meanwhile the beer and cheese option is filled with mashed potato, two varieties of cheese and infused with golden

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blonde beer. The spicy crab sliders are accompanied by a mustard, celery and cayenne mayonnaise for additional flavour, and the panko cod bites are coated in a crispy panko breadcrumb.

To find out more see www.markwellfoods.com.au

3. Snap and squeeze sauce sachets New Fountain smartSQUEEZE sauce sachets from Cerebos Foodservice can be opened with a simple snap and squeeze action, which eliminates mess and prevents wastage. The 14g sachets are available in tomato and barbeque sauce varieties, both of which are gluten free. For ease of stock control the sachets have their own individual barcode, and each shipper of smartSQUEEZE comes with a dispenser unit for countertop display.

For more information head to www.fountainsauces.com.au

4. Custom made muesli New breakfast brand Yousli provides chefs, business owners and consumers with the opportunity to create their own muesli blends. Simply access the Yousli website and select one of four base blends, which include ingredients such as oats, quinoa and chia seeds. Next, opt for a range of additional grains, nuts and dried fruit such as activated almonds, cranberries, and goji berries. Five premade mixes, including a gluten free option are also available, and they can be ordered in large quantities.

Check out www.yousli.com.au or email hello@yousli.com.au for information on large quantity pricing.

5. Fuss free gravies and sauces Gravox has released a premium range of liquid gravies and sauces that are said to be of the same quality as those made from scratch. The new range comprises rich brown and roast chicken gravies, as well as

creamy pepper, creamy mushroom and Diane sauces. Each product can be prepared with ease and does not require additional ingredients - simply heat and serve. They are available in two kilogram long life packs and maintain their consistency when held in bain maries.

Visit www.gravox.com.au

6. Traditionally made Italian cheeses Floridia Cheese has created a new Italian cheese range comprising parmesan, bocconcini and ricotta varieties. Each is made using milk sourced from Organic Dairy Farmers Australia (ODFA) because its cheesemakers firmly believe milk quality can greatly influence the overall taste of hard cheeses. The parmesan is available in a six kilogram wheel or one kilogram shredded, meanwhile the bocconcini and ricotta varieties are available in one and two kilogram baskets.

See www.organicdairyfarmers.com.au

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hospitalitydiary APRIL 13-15, Fine Food Queensland.

Fine Food Queensland will this year put the spotlight on the trials and tribulations of local and international hospitality leaders, buyers, producers and suppliers.

The leading trade show is expecting more than 200 exhibitors and over 6,000 buyers from across the foodservice industry, which employs close to one million Australians.

The event will include live demonstrations, business seminars, masterclasses and industry-recognised competitions,

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providing an abundance of information and inspiration to help you take your business forward. Chefs Alastair McLeod, Kirsten Tibballs and Philip Johnson are also confirmed to present at the show.

First launching in 1995, Fine Food Queensland has announced a number of program additions this year, including the Caterer’s Kitchen demonstration stage; Chefs on the Couch, where local and interstate chefs will debate industry issues; and Growers Avenue, which will showcase fresh, locally grown produce.

Head to www.finefoodqueensland.com.au

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Ready Bake’s NEW range of Gluten Free Pastry Shells Our Pastry Chefs have developed Sweet & Savoury Gluten Free recipes, using only the highest grade of quality ingredients to produce excellent tasting pastry shells.

Currently, our new Gluten Free range includes 50mm Triangle and Square shaped shells for finger food/canapes sizes. We have also produced a beautiful rectangle fluted shell suitable as a plated size or compliment a patisserie cabinet.

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NO ORDINARY ISLAND. NO ORDINARY CHEESE. Bass Strait is famous for roaring winds and ocean swells. Both constantly salt the grass our cows eat which helps create our unusually rich milk.

No wonder our cheese is like no other.

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hospitality | February 2014

Phone: 1300 737 108 Mobile: 0400 693 865 Email: sales@texanimports.com.au

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