Hospitality Magazine April 2013

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No.693 April 2013

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foodservice

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accommodation

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beverage

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management

kitchen

POWER Top chefs reveal the appliances driving efficiency and productivity

Beyond espresso

Print Post Approved PP349181/00109

Baristas’ quest for best coffee method

Cosy customers

Winter proofing your outdoor spaces

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PUBLISHER Martin Sinclair martin.sinclair@cirrusmedia.com.au Ph: (02) 9422 2607 EDITOR Rosemary Ryan Ph: (02) 9422 2667 rosemary.ryan@cirrusmedia.com.au JOURNALIST Brea Carter Ph: (02) 9422 2461 brea.carter@cirrusmedia.com.au CONTRIBUTORS Christine Salins Ken Burgin Tony Berry GRAPHIC DESIGNER Rizwan Nawaz Ph: (02) 9422 2322 rizwan.nawaz@cirrusmedia.com.au ADVERTISING NATIONAL Rhonnie Merry Ph: (02) 9422 2481 Fax: (02) 9422 2863 rhonnie.merry@cirrusmedia.com.au PRODUCTION DIRECTOR Troy Stevens Ph: (02) 9422 8748 troy.stevens@cirrusmedia.com.au PRODUCTION CO-ORDINATOR Laura Panameno Ph: (02) 9422 8772 laura.panameno@cirrusmedia.com.au SUBSCRIPTIONS Ph: 1300 360 126 ONE YEAR: $132.00 incl GST TWO YEARS: $220.00 incl GST

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Editor’s Note THERE’S nothing like travel to refresh your palate and make you see your industry in a new light. I’m back on deck after two months away on my first visit to India, a country of amazing diversity - and of course incredible food and a vibrant dining culture. The Indians love to eat!

The street food was something I especially relished, with vendors on the side of the road selling an unending array of wonderful snacks, from the tastiest samosas with a zingy sambal to ac-

company them, or a fresh crunchy salad (against all the warnings but so good), and delicious momo dumplings while the dusty dhabas, and small local restaurants had incredibly tasty food, and the most amazing and attentive service (more chapati for you, more coconut chutney, more dahl?).

While of course the Australian foodservice industry is a world away from the way things work on the streets and in the little restaurants in India there were lots of

things that were so inspiring and that chefs and foodservice operators here could take something from.

There was the ability to so easily eat vegetarian in restaurants without feeling you were missing out on flavour or choice, and there was the way Indian cooks and chefs embrace spice and the freshest of herbs in their food.

Which brings me to our much-loved chef Christine Manfield who is both a frequent visitor to India and an consummate expert on the clever use of herbs and spice to add layers of flavour to dishes as well as texture and colour. I mention Manfield

one, because she features in one of our stories in this month’s issue, sharing her views about herbs and spice, but also two, because it gives me the chance to say how sad we are that this month she shuts her wonderful Sydney restaurant Universal.

We thank Manfield for the amazing contribution her restaurant has made to the dining scene in Australia. And we look forward with interest and also our best wishes to the next phase in her career.

Rosemary Ryan

contents 4 NEWS

12 FOODSERVICE

Restaurants turn off tap for bottled water; Don’t con your customers, says Accor chief.

What are the success secrets of red hot Adelaide CBD eatery Press Food and Wine?

6 NEW OPENINGS

28 MANAGEMENT

Latest hospitality arrivals opening their doors.

Ken Burgin’s tips for saving your customers’ hearing.

8 WORKPLACE ISSUES

28 DR HOSPITALITY

The challenges of absentee staff for business owners.

Your hospitality management dilemmas solved.

10 BEVERAGES

29 SHELFSPACE

The innovative entrepeneurs driving the real cider boom in Australia.

Check out the latest new foodservice products on the market.

Features 14 INSIDE KITCHENS Four top chefs reveal their most valuable appliances.

21 HEATING UP Winter proofing your outdoor service areas.

24 COFFEE INNOVATORS Espresso rules but new coffee methods are gaining ground.

26 HERBS & SPICE Christine Manfield drops some flavour bombs.

ON THE COVER: Gracing this month’s cover of Hospitality is Brad Bouhalis, head chef at Melbourne’s Mirka at Tolarno, one of Guy Grossi’s portfolio of acclaimed restaurants.

Bouhalis is one of the chefs who spoke to us for our story in this issue looking at the cooking appliances being used to boost efficiency and productivity (and also creativity) in today’s commercial kitchens.

Not surprisingly for Bouhalis it’s a

whizz bang pasta machine imported from Italy that speeds up the process of making fresh pasta that was one of the appliances at the top of his most relied upon pieces of equipment. From the restaurant’s signature pumpkin tortellini to the fettuccine, the machine is a major time saver for him.

Head to page 14 to find out what other equipment is making chefs’ lives easier in today’s modern high pressure kitchens.

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newsonline

in brief Champagne days for Australians as bubble love affair continues Australians continued their love affair with champagne in 2012 with sales up more than 11 per cent last year while back in France economic woes are being blamed for a decline.

The latest figures showing Australia imported 5,406,837 bottles of champagne - an increase of 11.2 per cent - make Australia the seventh largest market in the world in terms of importing.

First Holiday Inn Express for Oz Perth-based developer Sunfire Asset has enlisted InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) to manage Australia’s first Holiday Inn Express hotel in the Perth CBD. The 224 room hotel will be located at 257 Adelaide Terrace, and it will span 20 floors and incorporate an 1888 heritage house. Construction of the $35m development is set to commence by mid-2013, with Sunfire Asset aiming to complete it by early 2015.

$10,000 fine for restaurant owner The owner of an Indian restaurant in the Canberra suburb of Dickson has been fined more than $10,000 for failing to keep the premises clean. The case had been heard in the ACT Magistrates Court in October 2012, and Khawar Siddiq was fined $1800 but the Director of Public Prosecutions appealed the fine in the ACT Supreme Court on the basis that it was too lenient. The fine was increased to $10,625 after the Crown argued the magistrate should not have taken the costs Siddiq incurred while re-opening the restaurant into account when laying down the fine. Health inspectors shut down the restaurant in February 2011.

We don’t tolerate mistreatment: Inghams CEO Poultry producer Inghams said it was investigating procedures in one of its processing plants following the release of footage showing cruelty towards turkeys at the site. In a statement, Inghams chief executive officer Kevin McBain said the company wanted to “reassure” Australians that Inghams does not “tolerate the mistreatment of its livestock”. “We condemn the animal abuse we have seen in the footage and will work to review, retrain and reinforce our animal welfare standards,” he said.

For more of the latest industry news head to www.hospitalitymagazine.com.au

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Can I get you some tap water?

FOODSERVICE businesses have signed up to a new campaign to encourage diners to choose a glass of Melbourne’s finest over bottled water.

Cafes and restaurants are joining forces in a new program aimed at promoting the benefits of good old-fashioned tap water, and at making Melbourne the sustainable dining capital of Australia.

Twenty foodservice businesses in Melbourne’s Northcote have signed up to the new Choose Tap program that’s being run by the city’s largest water utility Yarra Valley Water.

As part of the program the businesses have pledged to offer tap water before bottled water to their patrons, provide drinking water in reusable Choose Tap bottles and have shop front stickers, to help reinforce the Choose Tap message.

The Choose Tap program aims to encourage people to consider choosing tap water as a positive alternative to bottled water, and as part of a healthy lifestyle.

Launching the program at participating restaurant Two by Two in Northcote, Australian nutritionist and Choose Tap ambassador, Lola Berry, said the Choose Tap program supports cafe and restaurant owners and operators who want to make a difference to the environment, and also helps the wider community reduce their carbon footprint.

“The Choose Tap program is something I’m passionate about because it not only supports the local traders who are pushing this sustainable movement, but it’s giving mother nature a helping hand, and we’re keeping ourselves healthy at the same time,” Berry said.

Water warriors: Cafe owner Ben Sanders (right) with Choose Tap’s Lola Berry and John Blaskett, and staff member.

Owner of Two by Two Ben Sanders said the program echoes the sentiments of the restaurant and its customers.

“It’s quite popular and trendy these days to serve bottled water which is crazy when we have a fantastic product that just comes out of our tap,” said Sanders who was previously assistant restaurant manager at Melbourne’s Press Club.

“We’re a new business and when we opened up it was part of our ethos to buck the trend and serve just tap water and local bottled sparkling mineral water.

“In the kitchen it’s always about local, seasonal produce, so the natural progression is local water Melbourne has some of the best drinking water in the world so why not take advantage of that.”

Don’t con consumers, Accor boss warns ACCOR chief operating officer Simon McGrath has urged hoteliers to be “genuine” in their approach, insisting consumers can no longer be “conned” into spending their money with a business.

Although the last decade has seen pricing, distribution and marketing become the major focus for a multitude of hotels, McGrath insisted those functional aspects, though important, are “very much yesterday”.

Instead, he underlined the importance of “emotional connectivity” in creating real relationships with customers.

“It’s how people feel about the brands and how they emotionally connect with the brands,” he told delegates at the recent No Vacancy conference in Sydney. “You want them coming in to your hotels because they want to be there, not because you’ve conned them into being there with marketing and pricing.”

Instead of responding to criticisms on new social forums such as TripAdvisor, hoteliers should instead simply “ensure service is great”, he continued.

“We need to have a better understanding about how people tick,” he added.

Simon McGrath

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newopenings

Butterworth Bar & Kitchen

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he Butterworth Bar & Kitchen is an impressive looking collaboration of vintage and modern, wood and glass interior, offering three dining options for its patrons.

Whether you want to relax with a cappuccino in the cafe, have a drink with friends in the American-style cocktail bar or enjoy a sophisticated Australian meal at its restaurant, the venue aims to cater for it all.

Located on Perth’s St. Georges Terrace, it’s one of the newest additions to hit the city’s restaurant scene and is already making its mark.

The cafe offers a variety of teas and coffees along with a selection of fresh salads, baguettes, and pastries.

Or head to the cocktail bar where the specialty is house-made bitters and enhancers you won’t find anywhere else in Perth, along with an extensive cocktail and wine list. On the food front you’ll find a bar menu of local and imported cheeses, beef tartar egg yolk wonton and toast, or pork shoulder cigar with green tomato chutney.

In the restaurant, the menu has a focus on seasonal ingredients and modern Australian dishes like a rack of Arkady lamb, eggplant and lamb neck presse with a mint and apple salad or market fish and heirloom carrots with cuttlefish, cress and saffron nage.

Check it out Owner: Keith Ashley, Ginger Hospitality Group.

Chef: Damien Young Where: 2 The Esplanade, Perth W: www.thebutterworth.com.au

Tonic Espresso + Bar

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risbane’s new Tonic Espresso + Bar aims to redefine the idea that the buzz of a city can only exist in its centre.

Tucked away on a laneway, the plan for the new venue first originated from an architectural firm’s idea to transform a roller-door garage into small espresso bar.

The bar grew in popularity and has recently also been extended into a late-night cocktail bar. It features raw, exposed brick walls with graffiti art from a local street artist.

You can make a daytime visit to Tonic just for its range of coffee - including Tonic’s special blend - and teas, as well as its menu of French

pastries and muffins from Le Bon Choix in Brisbane.

In the evening it turns into a different style of venue where the drinks list takes over from coffee. The range includes a selection of quality gins that are a specialty of the house with Portand-based Aviation American Gin amongst the juniper-infused drops served with specially-designed garnishes to match.

On the food front, peckish drinkers can order food at the venue from nearby restaurants - Oriental Yum Cha for BBQ pork buns, dim sims and spring rolls, Gyoza Ann Bar for three types of gyoza and Capri for three types of pizza.

Check it out Owner: Matt Riley and Ali Ferguson-Riley Where: 7 Hynes Street, Fortitude Valley , Brisbane P: 07 3852 5100 W: www.tonicespresso.com.au/

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workplaceissues

Here today, gone tomorrow Coping with absenteeism is a big challenge for hospitality businesses.

Restaurant & Catering Australia’s workplace experts explore the issue.

W

hen an employee fails to at- an unauthorised absence by the emConstructive dismissal tend work, the consequenc- ployee. For continued absenteeism to is where the employer tries es for the employer can be qualify as abandonment, it requires to lead the employee to resign. In significant. For small business in par- missing three consecutive shifts, this case, several incidents occurred ticular, absenteeism can cause strain where reasonable attempts have been at the workplace leading to the apto the operation of the business, and made to contact the employee. plicant feeling uncomfortable atmore than likely cause financial stress.

This requires an employer to fol- tending his employment. It was In some circumstances, absences low a procedure to show a ‘reasona- found the employer had not from work are covered by employ- ble attempt’ to make contact. In cases sought to ‘force’ the applicant ment legislation. where the employee can demonstrate to resign, and that it was reasonNevertheless, no business expects the absence was beyond their control able to terminate the emto be short staffed, and it’s for this the employer needs to carefully con- ployee for abandonment. reason that abandonment provisions sider the grounds for why there was a There are certainly times exist. It’s unreasonable to expect an delay in notification. where it is reasonable to miss employee, who stops attending their A recent case before the Fair Work work. However, a reason for absence workplace without reasonable cause, Commission dealt with the issue of is necessary. In circumstances where should be afforded job surety. abandonment. The applicant claimed no reason is provided, disciplinary acAbandonment is when an employ- that not only did his dismissal not sat- tion is justified. When such absence ee, without reasonable cause, fails to isfy the conditions for abandonment, continues for a substantial period of attend work or provide notification of but indeed his employer sought to con- time, and contact with the employee D _ H OThis SCO APR 1 3as - structively 1 2 0 dismiss 1 3 - 0 3 - 2 5 T 0 9 : 2 can’t 0 : 2be9made, + 1 1it:can 0 0be taken that the theAabsence. in Neffect is _seen him.

employee has abandoned their contract of employment.

This article is from the Workplace Relations team at Restaurant & Catering. Contact them on 1300 722 878. You can see an extended version at www.hospitalitymagazine.com.au

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beverageimbibe

Aussies warm up to cool cider Demand for cider, but not as we once knew it, continues to boom in Australia.

Christine Salins talks to some of the innovative brands driving the trend.

A

ustralians are thirsty for cider. Last year the segment had its fifth consecutive year of double-digit growth, according to Nielsen figures. It’s a remarkable result, especially when compared with other sectors in the liquor industry.

There are now more than 100 cider brands in Australia, many of them quite new - only about half have been in the market for more than two years.

Johan Axlund, managing director of Two Elk, which launched its Traditional Swedish Cider in Australia market at the end of 2011, said it’s been challenging for newcomers like him. But he said Two Elk had gained good distribution and sales had grown steadily.

“Competition in the segment is fierce - 60 to 70 new ciders entered the market last year,” Axlund said.

“We have the advantage of a distinctive product, being a premium Swedish cider and as such quite different stylistically from the majority of brands on the market.”

Brewed in Sweden using pure spring water, it comes in apple and pear flavours and doesn’t carry the yeast

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notes commonly found in traditional ciders from France and the UK. The company launched a strawberry/raspberry and lime cider in September last year that was very successful, and this year is making a determined push into on-premise, with venues such as Quay Restaurant, the Wine Library and Buzo in Sydney already listing the product.

Axlund says cider is a way of life in his native Sweden and he believes its high consumption there will be emulated here, given our alfresco lifestyle.

“Australians are craving a summer beverage that’s lower in alcohol and lighter on the palate, just as is commonly consumed in much of Europe and Scandinavia,” he said.

Also jostling for a spot in the $300m cider market is Tasmania’s Franklin Cider Co, which launched in December with the release of Frank’s Summer Apple and Frank’s Summer Pear Ciders.

Naomie’s great grandfather, Frank Clark.”

(Naomie Clark-Port is the company’s joint managing director.)

Mornington Peninsula proRebello’s Matt ducers Matt and Gallace and his Ruth Gallace, of strawberry grower Rebello Wines, father Mick. say they can’t keep up with demand for their pure-fruit ciders.

The Gallaces have been making fruit wine at the family’s Sunny Ridge Strawberry Farm for about eight years.

Two years ago, they turned their hand to cider, selling out of their first batch of Cheeky Rascal Cider before they had even bottled it. A trial ing a lot of limited edition flavours. run of 1,000 litres turned into the pair They recently experimented with pas-

‘Australians are craving a summer beverage that is lower in alcohol and lighter on the palate, just as is commonly consumed in much of Europe.’

More varieties are in the pipeline, including cherry and strawberry.

A collaboration between vigneron Julian Alcorso and Woodside Orchards, the company has appointed Domaine Wine Shippers as national distributor and has already secured key venues in the eastern states, including Melbourne’s Crown Casino.

Alcorso said the process is much like winemaking. “The quality and depth of a cider’s flavour is a direct result of the trees from which we source the fruit,” he said. “We use quality tree-ripened apples, some from trees dating back over 100 years, first planted by

having to buy enough tanks to produce rolling 45,000 litre batches.

Matt says the secret is using traditional winemaking and agricultural techniques with a twist. “We decided to use the fresh local berries at the farm, combined with apples and pears from other parts of Victoria, and without using concentrate, flavourings, colours or additives,” he said.

The Cheeky Rascal range now comes in seven flavours, although Ruth hesitates to use the word “flavour” because the product is all natural. Using fresh fruit, she says, “brings a different taste profile” to the product. “It’s like comparing a fresh strawberry with a strawberry Chupa Chups,” she said.

Their 100 per cent fruit cider is not as sweet as cider made with water “but it’s the authentic fruit flavour”, a quality that’s reflected in the premium price.

The core Cheeky Rascal range is blended with strawberries, raspberries and blueberries but Ruth says the pair “can’t sit still” so are also do-

sionfruit, guava and honey versions, all of which have sold out. Flavours due out this month include apple and mint; strawberry, apple and mint; apple and ginger; and strawberry, apple and ginger.

Earlier this year, they made a Passionfruit Pink Lady cider that proved so popular with the market that they’re doing another batch. “It tastes a little like Sauvignon Blanc, so people have identified that it’s really good with food,” said Ruth. They’re also introducing mulled cider products to show that its a drink that can be enjoyed all year round, not just as a summer refresher.

Ruth points to IBISWorld figures showing the cider market has grown by an average of 19.1 per cent a year since 2006. It’s predicted that from 2012 to 2017 the market will grow by 13 per cent year on year. “The growth is pretty impressive,” says Ruth. “Beer and wine are in decline but fruit ciders are really punching out pretty extraordinary numbers.”

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foodservice

Southern

success

Adelaide’s Press Food & Wine has quickly become renowned for its wood-grilled meats and seafood, and many say it has revolutionised the city’s culinary scene. Brea Carter investigates the secrets of its success.

Inside the awardwinning Press Food & Wine.

Chef Andrew Davies.

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hen Simon Kadachi, Andrew Davies, Sally Davey and Eloise Riggs opened a refurbished Adelaide print works as Press Food & Wine in August 2011, they didn’t know what to expect. But within a matter of months customers were flooding into the venue for lunch, dinner and any other time in between.

Press has been heralded not only for its food and atmosphere but also for its generosity and pricing - last year amongst its awards was named The Australian Magazine’s hottest value restaurant in its high profile Hot 50 Restaurant awards as well as best in South Australia.

The venue is split over two levels.

The top is lined with booths, accepts bookings and is designed for diners wanting to enjoy a more formal dining experience, while downstairs on the bottom level there’s a no bookings policy that has made it the place to go to grab a quick bite to eat or to stay longer.

Both levels of the venue offer the same menu, which takes up just

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one page and is updated about three times a week. It pays delicious homage to seafood and meats - there are typically four or five kinds of offal, various cuts of steak from the wood grill and suckling pig.

The venue also offers an eclectic mix of smaller dishes, including its now famous roast pork buns - with sweet glazed Chinese buns, pork belly and Kewpie mayonnaise - bream croquettes, chorizo with red peppers and choka sauce, and of course the Press burger.

Sally Davey, one of the four partners at Press Food & Wine, says the venue came about “organically”.

“One of our major partners, Simon Kadarchi had always planned to open up another restaurant in the city, and we were all looking to open the type of restaurant that we would all want to eat in, basically,” Davey says.

“We’re all a group of like-minded

friends and colleagues and that was the idea. We go over to Melbourne all the time and eat in all these wonderful restaurants and we wanted to open something we really all enjoyed in Adelaide.”

Davey says their business philosophy is simple - to provide diners with the opportunity to eat when they feel like it. “Basically we want to keep the doors open,” she says. “When we set up the business we wanted to trade for lunch and dinner Monday to Saturday but with our kitchen open all day.”

The venue offers meals at lunch and dinner time, but also caters to diners who are looking to graze over a long lunch, or grab a quick bite to eat at three in the afternoon.

The menu was a collective project, with all four partners involved in its creation. “[Head chef] Andrew Davies, along with Simon, Eloise and myself, had a fair idea of the type of food we wanted to serve, and we all had input on the different facets of the menu,” says Davey.

The venue’s philosophy and strategy have landed it a slew of awards.

Along with The Australian Magazine award it was also named the state’s Restaurant of the Year in the Adelaide Advertiser restaurant awards.

A modest Davey says such accolades are in large part thanks to the venue’s produce suppliers. “It was never our intention to win that sort of award and we were really chuffed

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foodservice Fresh local produce is at the heart of Press Food & Wine’s menu.

and thrilled to be included, but it is about finding good producers who are willing to support your business, and we have always been about great quality,” Davey says.

“When people come here we want them to have a substantial meal and we want them to feel satisfied when they leave, so I guess that is how we achieve the hottest value and what’s behind it, you get more for your buck, I guess.”

Davey says they try to source local produce wherever they can. “We try to

dynamic winery and vineyard in the Adelaide Hills. However, after eight months the partners decided the practice just wasn’t sustainable enough.

“It was an idea that we thought would work in the restaurant but due to its size we put that aside and now we just use our local producers to source food on a more regular basis,” says Davey. “We had a gardener and planted lots of different varieties, but in terms of supplying and creating a menu it just wasn’t possible for a restaurant the size of Press. It would be

“We are really pleased that it has taken off in a way that we anticipated because you are always nervous when you open your doors about whether people will come in - especially when we only take reservations on the first floor, she says.

“Getting Adelaide used to the no bookings policy has worked out quite well for us, and there are more casual diners out there which is great, it is what we wanted.”

The venue’s success could also be down to the clear organisational

‘It’s about finding good producers who are willing to support your business, and we have always been about great quality.’ work within the season and serve food that we can get close by but otherwise all of our producers are mainly South Australian,” she says.

Press works with a number of local producers, including Richard Gunner Fine Meats, Marriotts Meat, Fergusons Australia, Atlanta Seafood and D’Angelo Coffee.

When it first opened, the venue had its own garden at Ngeringa, a bio-

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great to do that, but in a smaller restaurant next time.”

Press continues to work with Ngeringa on other projects, such as Wood Oven Pizza Sundays, a monthly event where visitors can sample the vineyard’s wines and indulge in pizzas created by Davies.

Davey says she and her partners are extremely happy with how well the business has been performing.

structure the four partners have adopted. While they were all involved in creating the menu at Press, Davies is responsible for executing it and the kitchen is his domain.

Davey and Riggs are the public face of the venue. They interact with diners, schedule bookings and handle all other front of house matters.

While Kadachi is the director, he plays more of a behind the scenes role

as he splits his time between Pot Food and Wine in Adelaide’s Hyde Park, as well as Melt, a pizzeria with two locations in the Adelaide CBD in which he also has a share.

Davey says running a restaurant has its constant challenges. “It’s always been the same [challenges] for me in terms of running a restaurant,” she says. “Managing your staff and finding good quality staff is the hardest, and keeping your food costs at a level that is profitable for your business is always a challenge as well, especially when you want to put good produce on the plate.

“We’re really fortunate that we’re busy and can keep operating the way we do at the moment.”

While Davey has her hands full at the moment, she and her partners are always on the lookout for new challenges for the future.

“There are certainly plans for the other partners to do other ventures, and I will keep my ears open and see what they want to do,” she says. “It’s always nice to change and have different plans for the future.”

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insidekitchens

kitchen

MCEC’s executive chef Tony Panetta.

power

The latest kitchen appliances available are helping chefs throughout the hospitality industry increase the productivity and creativity of their kitchens. By Rosemary Ryan

N

ot that long ago it was combi ovens that were beginning a revolution in commercial kitchens, bringing with them not just a you beaut new piece of kit for chefs to play with, but a tool that could help increase productivity and efficiency in their operation.

Today commercial kitchens are continuing to evolve with a range of hi tech cooking appliances that were once regarded as novelty gizmos but are now being used by chefs in a cost driven business in practical ways - to make the most of produce, to surprise and delight diners, and to give their kitchen operations an essential extra edge.

We asked some of Australia’s top

Sepia’s Martin Benn.

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chefs about the most valued equipment in their arsenals.

Tony Panetta, Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre The giant foodservice operation that is the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre is a mindboggling one in its scope. “It’s the largest in the southern hemisphere,” says MCEC executive chef Tony Panetta. “But one of our big aims is for it to not feel like that, to keep it very personal and very intimate.” That includes, says Panetta, making more than 90 per cent of all the food for the MCEC in house from scratch.

One of the strategies for handling the workload is a lot of overnight cooking using the combi ovens.

“For time and efficiency we have to make sure we’re using the kitchens as much and as productively as we can,” Panetta says.

“I’ve got 280 kilograms of wagyu in the combi ovens for a function coming up. That will be cooked overnight and come out tomorrow.

“We have only two combis so that’s an important way to be more productive - having two shifts and using them pretty much

24 hours a day.”

Panetta also says his pressure bratt pan is a significant time saver for the MCEC operation. “It’s like a pressure cooker but it’s a bratt pan as well so it cooks a lot faster,” he says.

“We use it to cook down some of our lambs, or if we need to make a stock we can do that a lot quicker. We make all our own soups in there and we use it for sealing off as well. It’s probably about three times faster doing things using it.”

A new piece of equipment Panetta

do the job better in half the time, and save space,” he says. “If you get it right you can save on labour costs.”

At the top of the list for Benn is his much-used vacuum packing machine.

“Although it’s mostly thought of as a tool for sous vide cooking we use it for so much more,” he says. “These machines are really something I couldn’t work without.

“The great advantage is that you have an instant packaging machine. You can use it to portion control your products - if you need 20 portions of a certain

‘It eliminates three steps and countless hours and most importantly the staff required to do that.’ was hoping to purchase when Hospitality spoke to him was a centrifugal strainer. “It will be a real time saver for us when making things like soups,” Panetta says. “It eliminates three steps, three movements and countless hours of work.”

Martin Benn, Sepia, Sydney At the helm of a restaurant known both for its amazing use of produce and the creativity of its menu, Sepia’s chef Martin Benn says he has a strong focus on kitchen technology that can increase efficiency and productivity.

“With the rising cost of today’s employment in Australia it only seems logical to turn to equipment that can

sauce a day you can weigh out how much you require and set aside knowing you have the right amount. It’s also useful for packaging stocks or other liquids that need to be frozen. Plus we use it for things like instant marinating of meats and fish with less mess by placing the protein directly into the bag with the marinade and then sealing the bag on a full vacuum. The time needed for marinating is decreased.”

Benn was the first chef in Australia to bring a Pacojet into the country, and he still lists it as one of the most valuable tools in his kitchen.

“We use the Pacojet extensively – really as a food processor/ice cream maker. I think these days this type

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Mirka’s Brad Bouhalis in his kitchen.

of equipment is a basic essential item in the kitchen itinerary. I have two machines and they are a real work horses.”

Then there’s the more specialised equipment Benn has been one of the early adopters of.

“If you talk deeper about specialised kitchen equipment there are items like the Rotaval which is able to distil products and create essences,” Benn says. “We also have a centrifuge for spinning liquids extremely fast to separate oils from liquids. These types of equipment are definitely worth the initial outlay, it’s the true cost of business today.”

Brad Bouhalis, Mirka at Tolarno Hotel, Melbourne As head chef at Mirka, part of the Guy Grossi stable of top foodservice operations, Brad Bouhalis has much pressure on his shoulders to maintain very high standards and also run an efficient kitchen, and he looks to the hard-working equipment in his kitchen to achieve that.

Most invaluable says Bouhalis is his powerhouse combi - he puts it at

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the top of his list of efficiency driving equipment in his arsenal of appliances boosting productivity and creativity for the busy operation. “Combis speed things up and also add consistency – they take away human error,” says Bouhalis. “You can set and forget. We use them for so many things including baking our crostini, which we do every day.”

His immersion circulators also bring peace of mind. “You can get such a consistent product,” he says.

It’s the one thing [in the kitchen] that is on 24 hours a day. We do things like a lamb shoulder in there slow cooked for 24 hours at 76C. You can add whatever flavours you want into the bag. We use classics like rosemary and garlic and also sometimes a bit of sumac in there.

“We also do vegetables and fruits in there - a lot of pickling of vegetables like beetroot, radishes, carrots, cauliflower. And also fruit like persimmons and rhubarb.”

The cryovac machine has become an indispensable source of extra fire power, says Bouhalis because it al-

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lows him to achieve results with ordinary ingredients that can surprise customers. “The pressure changes the texture and a bit of the flavour,” he says. “We do things like adding a little bit of Pedro Ximenez to strawberries, or with rockmelon we might add some basil in there. The melon becomes translucent and we serve it with some prosciutto for our aperitivo menu. It’s important to do things that make customers go wow.”

used in the very busy kitchens that service the three different food operations that make up the business is at the heart of its efficiency. On top of his list of most essential are again the water baths, followed by his trusty Thermomix. “[The Thermomix] is an amazing tool,” he says. “You can do so many things in them and control the temperature so much easier than cooking something over the stove.

A Rotaval is also one of the pieces of equipment Wallace has his eye on. “The possibilities for ways to use it are just endless,” he says. “Things like impregnating food with another flavour or like making

‘These sorts of technologies still do give you a bit of a lead, put you a little bit ahead of the pack.’

Urbane’s William Wallace.

“I think it’s getting to the stage a mushroom stock that where the majority of kitchens will looks clear but still has have them, and equipment like wa- the full flavour. It really helps ter baths. They just give you so much you be able to give something to control and consistency. The contri- your customer that they don’t usually bution they make to the productivity have access to – something very creaand efficiency of a kitchen is huge.” tive. We’re not a big molecular-driven His water baths are invaluable for restaurant but these sorts of technolosaving time and stress, says Wallace. gies still give you a bit of a lead, put you William Wallace “You can be getting on with other a little bit ahead of the pack and help Urbane, Brisbane jobs because you don’t have to keep you to enhance what you’re doing.”

Ex-Royal Mail chef and now head an eye on it,” he says. “You have Induction is technology Wallace chef at Brisbane’s Urbane, William more control, especially when you’re loves and would like to have more of.

A D _ Hsays O Sthe S Kequipment O A P R _ being 1 3 - doing 1 large 2 0 1numbers.”

3 - 0 3 - 2 5 T 0 9 : 0 “We 4 : 5use 0 +some 1 1 small : 0 0 portable inducWallace, In a restaurant where fresh pasta is a signature, Bouhalis also gives passionate praise to his pasta machine.

“It’s one [of the appliances] that I love the most because of how easy it makes it to make mass amounts of pasta,” he says. “If I need fettuccine for ten I can make it in five minutes.”

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New kit in the kitchen The latest new kitchen efficiency boosters for the market.

1 Kitchen Aid

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The new KitchenAid 6.9L Commercial Bowl Lift Stand Mixer is a robust new mixer designed specifically for professional chefs. It features an 11-wire elliptical whisk for maximum volume in minimum time for lighter and fluffier whipped cream and egg whites, a 1.3HP DC motor to run longer and deliver optimum torque with less heat build up, and thirdly, a uniquely shaped knead dough hook.

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The new HotmixPro Creative was developed with the aim of creating one benchtop appliance that would do the job of some of the best commercial appliances on the market - but condensed into one unit. The multifunction machine features special blades designed to operate as a mixer and a cutter combined with a heating system that can cook at temperatures between -24C and 190C while mixing at variable speeds.

Contact Hotmixpro Australia

4 Royston induction The latest range of induction cookers from Royston can deliver all the advantages that induction equipment can offer to a range of kitchen operations. It includes equipment suitable for heavy duty full scale restaurant use or smaller scale cafe and restaurant use from the DL-5KW Freestanding Induction Wok to the Royston DL-3KW-FT benchtop model.

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Winner of Fine Food Australiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Best New Equipment Award in 2012, the new Frima VarioCooking Centre Multificiency offers plenty of efficiency and productivity boosting elements. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a multi-purpose cooking system that features a tilting pan, kettle and deep-fat fryer. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s capable of simultaneously boiling, pan frying and deep frying while using 40 per cent less energy. The heating system allows users to cook three times faster than conventional appliances.

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One of the kitchen innovation winners at the high profile RCA show in Chicago last year, the relaunched Alto Shaam 4.10 ESi CT Express Combitherm features some extra features that the judges called â&#x20AC;&#x153;revolutionaryâ&#x20AC;?. They include an integrated catalytic converter, toasting/finishing element and smoking abilities. With the integration of a 4.10 CCi catalytic converter that â&#x20AC;&#x153;scrubsâ&#x20AC;? the airstream of normal grease-laden byproducts, the CT Express now has the versatility to be placed in areas without a hood.

Contact: Comcater

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outdoorheating

The great

( and warm )

outdoors

While in summer diners fight for an outdoor space, the cooler weather can turn those areas into Siberia, unless operators can make them toasty warm for customers without breaking the bank. By Alexandra E. Petri

A

utumn is the signal that the chills of winter are just around the corner sending a shiver down the spines of hospitality operators who know the cool weather can send their customers running indoors and making a venue’s valuable outdoor space suddenly less appealing. That’s unless clever operators can come up with efficient ways to heat without sending their costs through the roof.

“There’s been a push for more outdoor dining, and this unquestionably brings a new range of challenges in terms of keeping patrons comfortable during winter,” says Ben Pearson, the energy efficiency expert behind the Green Chef program designed specifically for foodservice operators.

Jan McKenzie, the co-owner of Cafe Sydney, which has a large and spectacularly situated outdoor space, agrees, particularly with Sydney’s outdoor dining scene. “The thing with Sydneysiders is that they do love to dine outside, especially on beautiful clear nights, when [in winter] it’s just the temperature that’s a concern,” she says.

Keeping customers warm through the winter months means employing various methods of outdoor heating, which can send costs skyrocketing if

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not selected and used wisely.

At Cafe Sydney, which is located on the fifth level of Customs House on Sydney’s Circular Quay, and has space for 90 people on its popular terrace area, uses plumbed-in gas heaters along its terrace. In addition, the venue uses mushroom heaters, but which McKenzie says are “cumbersome and expensive” to operate.

To supplement the heating and as part of its strategy to reduce costs without skimping on customer comfort the venue also offers knee rugs draped over chairs once the temperatures start to fall.

Pearson says offering rugs is an innovative way to meet the heating challenge but says in general he doesn’t believe investment in the more efficient kinds of heating systems available is at the forefront of priorities for restaurateurs. “[Investment in efficient heating systems] is the last thing on the mind of most restaurateurs, particularly considering that in places like Sydney winters only last for about 17 to 20 weeks,” he says.

“I expected the introduction of a carbon price to really focus the industry’s attention on energy efficiency but most businesses took a ‘wait and see’ approach.”

Restaurant owners who offer out-

door dining say they feel they have no choice but to accept the extra cost of heating the spaces during winter.

“I have to have the heaters on and have to try and give my customers the best comfort I can provide,” says Mark Scanlan, co-owner of the Garfish group of restaurants. “Otherwise they aren’t going to sit there, and they will just go elsewhere.”

Garfish has three locations in Manly, Kirribilli and Crows Nest with both Kirribilli and Crows Nest

Energy efficient: Heatstrip heaters at Crown’s Club 23.

heating system underneath the awning of the building, supplemented by portable gas mushroom heaters when needed.

Scanlan says the increases in electricity prices over the past year have added yet another cost line for the businesses.

In June 2012, the total electricity bill for Garfish’s Crows Nest business was $3,500; in July, the bill jumped to $4,660. Meanwhile, at the Kirribilli business the total electricity bill for June 2012 was $3,090 dollars, rising

‘I have to have the heaters on...otherwise they aren’t going to sit here and they’ll go elsewhere.’ heavily reliant on their outdoor dining to cater for diner numbers.

Scanlan said two-thirds of the seating at his Kirribilli business was out in the elements. “We obviously have to try to minimise our use of the electric and gas cylinder heating systems because through winter our gas and electricity bills certainly spike up,” Scanlan says.

The two venues use a combination of gas and electric heaters, as well as also offering patrons blankets.

The Kirribilli location also features radiant electric heating bars under its umbrellas. The Crows Nest business employs the same kind of

in July to $3,986.

“In one month, [the bill] increased $1,000,” Scanlan said. “The carbon adjustments price was $342, so that was obviously a cost line that we never had before.”

But there are energy efficient options out there that can help reduce a venue’s outdoor heating bills.

Pearson says most restaurateurs have traditionally opted for gas heaters because they’re cheaper and more portable. However, when it comes to outdoor heating, electric heaters are more efficient and easier to maintain.

“The tendency is generally to opt for gas over electric heaters, primarily

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O U T D O O R

H E A T E R S

Outdoor heating just got hotter

Introducing the new Heatstrip® Max

because the perception is that gas heaters can be cheaper to run and you can move your heaters around,” he says. “But electric heaters are typically more energy efficient.”

Greg Trezise, the national sales manager Heatstrip at heating supheaters at plier Thermofilm, Rosetta . which makes the energy efficient Heatstrip brand of electric heaters, says he’s seeing a trend toward electric heaters, citing the price difference between the two kinds of heating systems as one major reason for the shift.

“I think there’s been a definite change hour to run. Tariffs, and so running throughout the past five years¨and costs, will differ state by state and at that the percentage of venues that are different times of day. using electric heaters is higher now,” Thermofilm’s Heatstrip Max was says Trezise. designed to be both effective and Trezise says, for example, a stand- energy efficient through its unique ard 9kg gas bottle will run a gas patio heating technology. Trezise says the heater for approximately nine hours. secret is the incoloy element in the If a gas bottle refill costs $30 the heaters that has a very low glow, hourly rate is $3.33. If it costs $35 to which means nearly 100 per cent of refill, the rate is $3.88. its energy is focused on creating heat.

For electric heaters, the running He says heaters using a quartz elecosts are proportional to the kilo- ment have a strong glow and a perwatt of unit. For example, Trezise centage of the energy goes into creatsays that based on a energy tariff ing that glow. of 20 cents per hour, a 2.4 kw unit “With all products, efficiency and - the most popular choice in Heat- star ratings come down to the energy strip heaters - will cost 48 cents per that is wasted,” Trezise says.

• High temperature output – perfect for higher ceilings or hard to heat areas • Unique low-glow element technology – an innovative incoloy heating element produces a very gentle glow and is vandal and shatter proof – no more replacing of elements or ruining your customer’s outdoor experience with a blinding light • No need for permanent overhead protection – ideal for smoking areas, beer gardens, courtyards etc • Commercial grade quality & construction – full 2 year warranty • Australian designed, engineered & assembled

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Hot tips for warm outdoors Ben Pearson offers tips to remember for more efficient heating of outdoor areas to keep your customers cosy but costs down.

• Outdoor gas radiant heaters have an effective heating area of about about 9m square. Patrons outside that space will not experience any of the heating benefits provided.

• Don’t heat empty tables.

• Install wind curtains. Any breeze or cross draft will render your radiant heaters practically ineffective.

• Maintain your gas heaters to ensure the flame is burning clean and without smoke. If you have orange flames and black smoke you’re throwing away money.

• The gas bottle on a properly maintained heater will last longer which means that your staff won’t need to change the bottle over as often.

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coffeeinnovators

beyond

espresso Cafes and espresso bars are broadening their coffee horizons, embracing alternate methods of making coffee such as aero press, cold drip and pour over. By Brea Carter

A

ustralia has traditionally had a strong connection with espresso coffee, thanks mostly to Italian migrants who brought their love of good espresso with them when they arrived in Australia.

But in recent times many baristas and coffee connoisseurs have begun

the water seep inside with the coffee so you can time the water in there.

“Then you just unlock the valve and let it pour out rather than adjusting the flow rate with the pour - it lets just the water seep in the actual coffee for longer before it drains through.”

Butler-White says the aero press

you do with a plunger it creates little air bubbles, and it uses air bubbles to push the water out through the coffee.”

Of the three alternate methods he offers at Pourboy, Butler-White says cold drip is by far the most popular with customers. “It’s getting quite a good following at the moment,” he

‘If anyone does want to keep comfortable they will just get pushed out because they are not keeping up with the trends.’ delving into new methods of making coffee as part of a mission to educate customers and provide them with new taste sensations and textures.

Sebastien Butler-White has worked as a barista at a number of well regarded espresso bars and restaurants, and says he’s seeing the Australian coffee industry slowly evolving.

At Pourboy Espresso, the Brisbane venue he co-owns with chef Mark Bell, ButlerWhite offers coffee made using a range of methods including the pour over, aero press and cold drip methods.

“We do pour over and we are using a clever dripper for that,” ButlerWhite says. “It’s basically the same as a standard V60 pour over but it lets

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hospitality | april 2013

method operates like a plunger, but in reverse. “It is a little bit cleaner than a plunger because there are no metal parts to it,” he says.

“So instead of using the metal filter to push the coffee through the water as

says. “It [offers] a cleaner and sweeter flavour than either of the other two because it takes longer as there is no temperature and no pressure. It takes about six hours to brew.”

Mike Ico from The Baron in Sydney’s Castle Hill is also a cold drip advocate. “We’ve got this steel tank with a bunch of filters in it and we just drop the ground beans straight into the tank, he says. “We brew it overnight for about eight hours, filter it and then serve it either black, or we do a mixture where we add some milk and a Sebastien Butlerlittle bit of sugar White from syrup to it.”

Brisbane’s Pourboy.

Ico says the concoction is The Baron’s take on the iced coffee, and

he says it’s proving very popular with customers. “For us it’s good because it doesn’t take long, we prep it overnight and the next day we just pour it into a bottle or into a glass and serve it straight away,” says Ico. “It’s an easy way of doing coffee a little bit differently, it is tasty and cold.”

Ico and his team are currently looking at how, and if, they can introduce other methods but still deliver good service to customers. “We’re just trying to figure out how to do pour overs and aero press without it taking too long,” he says. “We’re a small place and while we always try and push our limits to what we can actually do, I personally think it is not going to be justifiable doing aero press and pour overs - especially on the weekend. We only have one barista on and he does everything back there.”

When it comes to coffee, Stefano Manfredi, the iconic chef and restaurateur behind Sydney restaurant Balla and Bells at Killcare as well as his eponymously named coffee company, is staying true to his roots. “Our focus is on my Italian heritage of coffee, which is the espresso,” he says.

Manfredi says while these new methods are interesting, espresso continues to dominate the coffee scene. “I think if you look at how many cafes there are in Sydney and Melbourne, it would probably be a very tiny percentage that offer these newer ways of

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coffeeinnovators

making coffee,” he says.

Rather than provide customers with coffee made multiple different ways, Manfredi says venues should first focus on perfecting their coffee using just one method.

“I think once you start doing a number of different types of coffee ex-

the way they want to serve it, you can have it black or with milk, filtered or pour over,” Ico says. “You just stand up and chat to your friends.”

All agree these alternate methods are not the most practical in terms of both time and space. For one, Manfredi has restaurants rather than cafes,

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‘People want to line up, order their coffee, get their coffee and keep running to work.’ traction you make it much more difficult for yourself in terms of getting the coffee right,” he says. “Anybody who opens a cafe needs to have a point of difference, but that point of difference should start with the very best coffee that you can make.”

Butler-White agrees that espresso is still the most popular type of coffee; however both he and Ico have witnessed a number of venues dedicated solely to brewed coffee emerging.

“Some of the places in Melbourne and Sydney are getting more into the brew style of coffee,” he says. “They have areas specifically designed for

“they are not really appropriate because you need space and the bars at the restaurant don’t have the space to do all of those sorts of things,” he says.

Time and space constraints are proving at challenge at The Baron, and Butler-White says his baristas often resort to the kitchen to prepare such brews.

“Because it is such a limited market up here [Brisbane] at the moment we just do it around the espresso machine or wherever we can find room, which isn’t always practical,” he says.

Butler-White predicts alternate coffee making methods will become increasingly more popular; however espresso will continue to rule the roost. “I don’t think they will ever overtake espresso, and that’s partly because it’s such a fast paced culture here,” he says. “People want to line up, order their coffee, Top drop: Cold drip get it and keep runcoffee at Pourboy. ning to work, which is why the espresso machine works so well, because it is designed to push out a single coffee for a single person very quickly.”

On the other hand, Ico predicts new cafes offering such methods will continue to open, and already existing venues will adopt them. “I think the coffee industry in Sydney will just keep growing and if anyone does want to keep comfortable they will just get pushed out because brewed coffees and people designated they are not keeping up with the to making these coffees all day.” trends,” he says.

Ico noticed one such venue during While he’s dedicated to espresso a recent trip to Melbourne, Patri- through and through, Manfredi says cia Coffee Brewers, an espresso bar the most important thing baristas from coffee maestro Bowen Holden need to consider is taste. Regardless of Seven Seeds fame. “The coffee bar of the method they employ, they need doesn’t have any seats in it whatso- to focus on producing “a really good ever and the baristas only serve coffee cup of coffee.”

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herbs&spices

Flavour bombs Subtle and clever use of fresh herbs and quality spices are at the heart of the acclaimed food of one of Sydney’s most respected chefs Christine Manfield.

About Us The Foodservice Industry Association is a non-profit organisation formed in 1985 to organise and manage Hospitality and Catering Expos throughout regional NSW. The events provide an opportunity for members and non-members to promote their products and services to all sectors of the foodservice and associated industries.

By specialising in high value exhibitions for both participants and visitors alike, The Foodservice Industry Association has established itself as the leader in the regional Foodservice & Catering Expo/Trade Show field.

The association is managed by industry professionals from our membership, with some of Australia’s leading Foodservice providers at the helm, including Bayview Seafoods, Sara Lee, Clorox, Patties Foods, Ingham’s, Ready Bake, Murray Goulburn and Peerless Foods, just to name a few.

Vision Statement The Foodservice Industry Association is committed to the ongoing growth and development of the industry and our members by continuing to deliver high quality, high value trade shows and exhibitions throughout regional NSW. These expos and trade shows give a broad range of industry users the opportunity to meet and compare and discuss the latest trends in the Food Services Industry.

By specialising in high value exhibitions for both participants and visitors alike, The FIA – NSW has established itself as the leader in the regional Expo/Trade Show field

Upcoming shows MAY 28th - 29th Tuesday - 2pm to 7pm Wednesday - 10am to 4pm TAMWORTH TRECCTamworth Regional Ent, Conference Centre Greg Norman Dr, Tamworth JULY 23th - 24th Tuesday - 12pm to 7pm Wednesday - 10am to 2pm BALLINA Ballina RSL 240 River Street, Ballina NSW SEPTEMBER 3rd Tuesday - 11am to 7pm WAGGA WAGGA - Wagga Wagga RSL Corner Kincaid and Dobbs Streets, Wagga Wagga NSW 2650 NOVEMBER 19th - 20th Tuesday - 2pm to 7pm Wednesday - 10am to 4pm COFFS HARBOUR-Coffs Harbour, Race course, Howard street,Coffs Harbour 2450

For any enquiries please contact Melinda Snow Foodservice Industry Association NSW Inc

PO Box 4062, BAY VILLAGE NSW 2261 Tel: 02 43341114 Fax: 02 43341114 Mob: 0422 087 488 melinda@foodservice.org.au

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W

hen chef Christine Manfield launched a new campaign to encourage chefs to take steps to make their menu healthier one of her key tips was to look to the clever use of herbs and spices to inject mouth tingling flavour.

As the ambassador of the inaugural Good Fork Week, Manfield made a passionate case for the opportunities fresh herbs and quality spices offered to not only bring food to life, but to also deliver healthier menus to diners.

Known for her distinctive signature style of flavour combinations inspired by the flavours of the world (it’s the philosophy behind the name of her Sydney restaurant Universal), Manfield says clever use of the full range of herbs and spices rather than

standing what the end result is going to be.”

Manfield says it’s a mistake for chefs to perhaps rule out the use of certain spices and herbs when developing dishes for their menu because they regard them as only being intrinsically suited to one kind of cuisine, such as Indian or Thai.

“I draw inspiration from the entire world, hence the name Universal, hence my mantra - it’s always been the way I approach food. It’s about the world of flavours and flavours of the world without being boxed into to any traditional form.

“I don’t cook Indian food but it has certainly impacted and affected the way I think about food and the way I use spice. [In a dish] you can see where the origins are from. The dish may have been adapted

‘It’s about the world of flavours and flavours of the world.’ relying on fat or sugar for flavour could deliver both better tasting food as well as food that was better for diners.

“Really it’s just common sense to really try to make use of those things, the wonderful aromatics and the health benefits,” she told Hospitality magazine.

“You can introduce so many different flavour profiles by using herbs and spices. You can enhance so many simple dishes like salads or a piece of grilled fish or whatever just by mixing some herbs and cresses together to make a little dressing.

“With a hint of spice in it bingo, your palate wakes up. You don’t have to bog yourself down with heavy things that are going to weigh heavily on your gut.”

Manfield says when she’s designing a dish she uses herbs and spices subtly to add both flavour and texture to her dishes. “There is no blue print,” she says. “I’m very fortunate that I’ve been blessed with a fairly finely tuned palate - it’s not always just something you can learn.

“I just go with the flavours that work for me and they tend to be good flavour matches.

When I’m looking at creating a dish I’m looking for depth of flavour, complexity of flavour - but it can still be in quite a simple form and also texture.

“Texture and flavour are keynote things that need to be addressed in every single dish.

“And often just the subtlety of spice, just a small amount of something can really transform or change a dish. It’s not about being heavy handed or trying to be too clever without really under-

or you can see the starting point but it’s gone off in an entirely different direction.”

Desserts are a great opportunity for using herbs and spices as well. With a growing use of savoury elements being seen in desserts - something Manfield has long been a fan of - they can add a surprising element.

“Lots of spices of course have a sweet characteristic - nutmeg, cardamon, mace, cinnamon, even peppermint,” says Manfield. “But I also use things like cumin, pepper, rosemary.

“Pepper, black pepper, is fantastic with strawberry, especially if you get certain kind of black peppers that are quite fruity on their flavour profile. Getting that savoury element in sweet desserts is something I’m very fond of.”

By Rosemary Ryan

Flavour seeker: Christine Manfield

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herbs&spices

Christine Manfield’s Curry Fish Salad

You will find enhancing flavour easy with

Michaelona

Savoury Herb & Spice Flavours

Curry dressing • • • • • • • •

40ml lime juice 25ml coconut vinegar 25ml fish sauce 25ml sugar syrup 1 garlic clove, minced 1 tsp ground ginger 2 tsp mild curry powder 2 tsp chilli jam (or chilli sambal) • 1/2 tsp black pepper, freshly ground • 1 tsp sesame oil • 175ml sunflower oil

Fish salad • 1 tsp ground turmeric • 1 tsp sea salt • 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper • Vegetable oil • 300g salmon or ocean trout fillets, skinned and cut into four even-sized portions • 1 small cucumber, peeled and shaved into fine ribbons • 1 stick celery, finely sliced • 1/2 red onion, finely sliced • 1/2 avocado, diced • 8 green beans, sliced and blanched • 1 punnet coriander cress, snipped

hospitalitymagazine.com.au

• • • • •

1 punnet celery cress, snipped 1 tbsp shredded mint leaves 40g watercress sprigs 1/2 cup puffed rice 4 tbsp curry leaves, deep fried

To make Curry dressing: Put all ingredients in a bowl and mix with stick blender till emulsified.

Adjust seasoning if necessary.

Fish salad: Mix turmeric, salt and pepper into the oil then rub over the fish to season. Lay fish on flat baking tray and cook under hot grill for 4 to 5 minutes, the fish should remain rosy in the centre. Remove from heat and allow to cool for few minutes while you prepare the salad. Mix the salad ingredients and puffed rice together, then flake the fish into small pieces and add to salad. Add enough dressing to moisten. Toss to combine.

To serve: Arrange salad on

Some of our Seasoning Range include: Cajun Seasoning Chicken Seasoning Vegetable Seasoning Lemon Herb Seasoning Lemon Pepper Sour Cream and Chives Satay Sprinkle Pizza Seasoning We create a blend to suit your specifications Some of our Natural Savoury Flavour Range: Chives, Origanum, Capsicum, Chilli, Sweet Chilli, Pepper Steak, Clove, Coriander, Cinnamon, Various Curry Flavours, Ginger, White-, Black- & Green Pepper, Fried Onion, Roasted Onion , Caramelised Onion, Italian Herb Flavour, Mushroom, Garlic, Garlic and Coriander, Roasted Garlic, Our Pizza flavour: Origanum top notes, Tomato background, and a hint of Capsicum

Check out our website for more information on our products:

www.michaelona.com.au

plates, scatter a few fried curry leaves over the top.

Call now for your FREE sample

Curry Fish Salad image and recipe from Fire

03 9770 8331

and Spice by Christine Manfield. Published

by Penguin Books.

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managementcomment

Happy sounds, happy customers It’s a pet hate so why do so many restaurants inflict diabolical decibels on customers. Ken Burgin gives his tips for getting the sound right.

E

ver come out of a restaurant exhausted, with the same feeling you have after fighting your way through city traffic? It’s probably the noise. It becomes a strain to understand conversation in a loud environment, and your companions will be shouting to be heard. As everyone starts to yell, up goes the volume, the racket keeps increasing, and you start feeling tired and irritated.

A 2012 survey by Zagat, a US restaurant guide, said noise was the second largest source of customer complaints, after poor service.

It’s likely to be the same here.

As you age, the first part of hearing affected is sensitivity to sounds with a frequency above 4000 Hertz (Hz). Normal speech is 2000 to 3000 Hz, so you can still hear normal conversation and are unaware your hearing is affected. With repeated exposure it becomes more and more ddifficult to hear sound at lower frequencies.

and walls. It’s unnoticeable to the eye but means that on a busy night with 100 happy customers they can still hear the music, the conversation and the waiter who’s suggesting another glass of wine.

Noise is like bullets, bouncing off hard surfaces and being absorbed by soft ones. If you insist on hard floors, there need to be other surfaces to soak up the racket. Carpet is an excellent, and inexpensive, material to reduce noise, especially carpet tiles, and usually more effective than wall or ceiling panels. If you’ve inherited a space with a old or ugly carpet, investigate carpet dyeing.

During my ‘Starting a Cafe or Restaurant’ courses, I often ask participants for a list of likes and dislikes.

Noise is usually high on the list. Later in the day we look at design, and use the classroom as an example for redecoration. When I point to the floor, everyone wants to rip up the carpet and replace it with tiles or timber. Weren’t you the same people who hate noise?

Take a tough stand with your designer. Insist noise levels will fit within acceptable limits when the space is full. This means volume, which is measured in decibels or dBA), and reverberation, the way noise bounces off surfaces. Normal conversation takes place at 40-50 dBA, and sound levels start to cause hearing loss at levels above 85dBA. Your responsibility will be to control the volume, the beat and the choice of music. Download a free decibel metre for your smartphone, and try it at your venue.

Check the noise produced in addition to the

‘Noise was the second largest source of customer complaints, after poor service.’

What inspires the designers of so many hard-edged, concrete or wooden-floored restaurants to ignore this? It’s not that owners have actually asked for uncomfortable noise levels but in their enthusiasm to create a beautiful space designers often leave noise levels off the specification list.

But the over thirties usually have more money, especially when they head into their forties and fifties, with fewer family responsibilties and higher income - the very people who want the volume turned down.

Hats off to the owners of Melbourne’s excellent Albert St Food & Wine in Brunswick for the care they’ve taken to put acoustic panelling in the ceiling

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music. The scrape of chairs, kitchen noises, coffee machines, juicers and blenders all add up. Unless there is proper sound absorption the sound bullets will keep echoing around the room, killing customer enjoyment.

Finally it’s a health and safety issue. With tighter OH&S standards and the focus on duty of care, it’s not hard to envisage a day when a nightclub DJ or a bar worker will sue for lost hearing - and a failure of the business to provide earplugs and protection.

Ken Burgin is a leading hospitality management consultant. To find out more visit his website www.profitablehospitality.com, or call him on 1800 001 353.

doctorhospitality My staff won’t make any effort to sell extras - they just take orders from customers. How can I change this and get them to upsell?

This is what separates the good staff from the great ones. Many Australian staff consider this to be outside the job description and a little undignified. You can’t monitor every server interaction but you can make it clear that upselling is part of the deal, and some compromise is advisable. Select a daily menu item and give the employee who sells the most a bonus. Add a small commission to each name brand wine bottle sold, or for every dessert or side salad. Otherwise, you’ll just keep being bossy and frustrated with your upselling demands. Bonuses work, so join the party, and you’ll win too.

I’m the chef and now the owners want to cut back staff and have me wash dishes as well as cook. How can I say no to this?

Your owners has lost a bit of perspective in their attempt to cut costs. There’s nothing wrong with making a living washing dishes, but the chef has earned, by talent and experience, his place in the kitchen.

You are being paid for your time, not based upon business volume. Firstly, make sure the boss understands that you understand the need to cut costs and will work to help.

Then ask if there are other options that might accomplish this goal, and politely request that she respect your station as a professional. It may not be easy.

I have found our manager accessing x-rated websites at work. What’s the best way for me to approach this?

There are content filters that can work with your browser to prevent these sites from being accessed. Google for “content filters” and you’ll find reliable paid software that will solve the problem. Most people, when confronted with this will deny it, but if the manager attempts to access forbidden sites again, they’ll see a notice that the content has been blocked and the time and date of the incident recorded. It’s also time for a reminder memo to all staff . You’ve got a whole team to protect and your ‘duty of care’ extends beyond slippery floors and sharp blades.

Have a question for the good doctor?

Send him your queries via Hospitality editor Rosemary Ryan with a quick email to rosemary.ryan@cirrusmedia.com.au

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shelfspace

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1 Open plan cooking The Waldorf Bold range from Moffat offers an enhanced version of the 800 Series, with each piece recreated to deliver more speed, power and efficiency. The range allows chefs to mix and match individual pieces to create the perfect cooking space for their venue. All units in the range are finished in thick gauge 304 grade stainless steel and available in burgundy, red or black. Framed doors feature a new hinging system and all non-functioning stainless steel pieces have an impervious enamel surface. Durable 28MJ cast iron open burners ensure full heat control, and a forged brass cap ensures they distribute heat consistently.

See www.moffat.com.au

2 Inject a little colour Maxwell Williams has updated its Vivacious range to include a new bakeware collection, which

hospitalitymagazine.com.au

includes baking trays, bowls and plates. Each of the brightly coloured porcelain pieces can also be used as serving platters or decorative elements, adding a point of difference to tables. There are a range of different colour combinations including purple, green and orange, as well as blue, green and orange, so you can mix and match as you please. Each piece is dishwasher and microwave safe.

See www.maxwellwilliams.com.au

3 A barista’s dream The Latte Pro jug from Premier Products Australia is equipped with an inbuilt LCD thermometer so baristas can monitor the temperature of milk as it heats up without the need of a stick thermometer. It’s designed to improve hygiene by preventing the cross contamination that often occurs when unclean stick thermometers

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are reinserted into milk jugs. It also eliminates the challenges of perfecting the temperature of milk and removes external factors that can affect such temperatures, including ambient and body temperature. All of these features combined allow baristas to create better tasting beverages.

See www.premierproducts.com.au

4 Cutlery with a long lasting shine The Cantina range of cutlery from Casa Domani aims to allow hospitality business owners to find all their cutlery needs in the one place.

Each piece is made from stainless steel so they are long lasting and durable, making them ideal for commercial settings. They have a high-polish finish and are available in a 56-piece set, which comprises knives and forks for entrée and main meals as well as soup, des-

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sert and teaspoons. Plus there’s a separate eight piece steak knife set also available.

See www.hag.com.au

5 Tasty news for meatballs Markwell Foods has added two new flavours to its Butlers BC Meatball range - Indian Tikka and Moroccan. Both varieties have been created using a combination of traditional herbs and spices, and are free from added MSG. The products are individually snapfrozen for added convenience, ready to be baked, pan fried or microwaved and served. They’re available in 1kg bags with each meatball weighing in at 14g. The new flavours complement Markwell Foods’ existing meatballs range including Swedish, Grilled Italian, Char-grilled Mexican and Chargrilled Aussie Barbecue varieties.

See www.markwellfoods.com.au

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eventscalendar

hospitalitydiary APRIL 14-16 Fine Food WA; Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre This biennial event is Western Australia’s largest hospitality trade event. More than 150 exhibitors from equipment suppliers to coffee roasters will be on show under one roof. Plus there’s a packed program of business seminars.

See www.finefoodwesternaustralia.com.au 30 - May 1 Clubs + Hotels Australia 2013 Returning to the Melbourne Exhibition Centre in 2013, Clubs + Hotels Australia will have a range of new products, services and technologies on display. The event will focus on four key sectors: hospitality, foodservice, leisure/sport and gaming.

Visit www.clubsandhotels.com.au

JUNE 2-4 Foodservice Australia; Royal Exhibition Building, Melbourne Taking place for the first time in this grand venue, this year’s Foodservice Australia show promises to be one of the most spectacular yet with hundreds of top suppliers, special competitions and events.

Visit www.foodserviceaustralia.com.au AD_ HOS P HI 2 F E B_ 1 3 . p d f

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The fun of Fine Food Australia.

24-25 Lunch!; Royal Hall of Industries, Moore Park, Sydney Targeted specifically at the multi-million dollar food-to-go market, the Lunch! trade event will feature more than 100 specialist suppliers as well as a range of events celebrating the lunch market.

See www.lunchshow.com.au

AUGUST 12-13 Lunch!; Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre If you missed it in Sydney make sure you make it to Melbourne for the second Lunch! expo for 2013. See specialist suppliers as 1

Craft Brews a book explaining various ways to learn & understand what Craft Brews about!

Contact Phillip Lazarus 02 9316 7642

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P R O D U C T S

well as a range of events.

See www.lunchshow.com.au

SEPTEMBER 9-12 Fine Food Australia; Sydney Convention Centre The largest gathering of suppliers for the foodservice and hospitality industry is back in Sydney in 2013.

See www.finefoodaustralia.com.au Email us your upcoming event details at rosemary.ryan@cirrusmedia.com.au

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AUSCROWN

MADE IN KOREA

More Catering Appliances shop online

www.auscrown.com Austcrown P/L Ph: (03) 9873 5811 Fax: (03) 9873 5311 email info@auscrown.com hospitalitymagazine.com.au

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Striking design, powerful performance.

Waldorf Bold delivers a new aesthetic approach enhancing the Waldorf 800 Seriesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; widely appreciated speed, power and efficiency.

When your kitchen needs to attract and enthrall, this range is sleek, seductive and sophisticated right down to the custom plinth mounting. And, while we started with a dramatic black vitreous enamel finish, Waldorf Bold is also available in burgundy and chilli red.

So get in touch and get ready to make a bold impression.

For further information on the creative possibilities of Waldorf Bold contact www.moffat.com.au or phone 1800 023 953.

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