Hospitality Magazine June 2014

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Print Post Approved PP100007268

No.705 June 2014

hospitalitymagazine.com.au

foodservice

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accommodation

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beverage

Grabbing a

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management

SLICE of the action

Pizza by the slice cuts into the Australian market

Appetite for style Is quality tableware worth the expense?

No small feat The pros and cons of making your own smallgoods

GET OVER IT

Operators need to accept some harsh realities

PLUS:

11

trends to consider for your wine list

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editor’s note

I

’m writing this in the midst of a food coma, so apologies if this seems a little rambly. I’ve just spent three days at Foodservice Australia, the annual trade show which brings together some of the country’s most innovative and respected suppliers.

Of course shows like Foodservice Australia are a great opportunity to network and catch up with fellow industry folk, but they can also be a glutton’s dream.

You’d think I would have learned not to over-indulge by now, but my food baby says otherwise. In my defence though, this year was different. Miss Chiko Roll and her infamous denim cut-offs were nowhere to be seen. There were no garlic stuffed chicken nuggets and no flocks of seagulls pecking at food without even knowing – or caring – what it actually is they’re consuming.

Of course there was plenty to eat, but the food wasn’t being dished out to feed the hoardes; it was being used as it should at a trade show, to showcase the high quality goods on offer in the industry and to help build valuable, long term relationships. And the improvements, both in terms of the food and the business leads, were obvious. You could tell that people were there to do business, not to get a free lunch.

So yes I’m over-full and I probably should have reconsidered that last pastizzi, but as usual, I was over excited. And if you were at the show too, no doubt you’d be feeling the same.

12 Pizza by the slice at Frankie’s in Sydney Images: Rizwan Nawaz - Anarchy concepts

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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 Aoife Boothroyd Ph: (02) 8484 0907 aoife.boothroyd@cirrusmedia.com.au Jasmine O’Donoghue Ph: (02) 8484 0854 jasmine.odonoghue@cirrusmedia.com.au

hospitalitymagazine.com.au

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contents FEATURES

12 Appetite for style

REGULARS

4

Is top quality tableware worth the expense?

14 A slice of the action

18 No small feat

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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

New openings

10 Industry Observer

You can’t afford to turn a blind eye to discrimination.

27 Rant Quit whinging about penalty rates and personnel.

28 Ken Burgin

You might think you’re being sustainable, but ...

10 Wine

Why and how your business can make the most of technology.

ADVERTISING NATIONAL Rhonnie Merry Ph: (02) 8484 0642 Fax: (02) 8484 0915 rhonnie.merry@cirrusmedia.com.au

26 Workplace

Check out the latest arrivals on the hospitality block.

Making smallgoods in-house is tricky - but tasty - business.

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

News online The latest industry news from our website.

Operators embrace pizza by the slice.

22 Tech talk Editor: Danielle Bowling danielle.bowling@ cirrusmedia.com.au

cover

Don’t let a kitchen fire burn your business.

29 Shelf space

11 trends to consider for your next wine list.

Products that could make all the difference in your kitchen.

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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Sunday penalty rates cut by 25 percent

reader comments Jude commented: We only open on special Sundays when we know we will be very busy, as it just isn’t worth the risk in our town to open every Sunday. We used to have a cafe that had to open on Sundays and we generally went backwards for the week after trading on that day. Having the choice now is much better under the current circumstances. I think that more businesses will consider opening if penalty rates are adjusted...

DINING TRENDS

THE FAIR WORK COMMISSION has announced a 25 percent cut in penalty rates on Sundays for casual employees.

Casual loadings will be reduced from 175 to 150 percent, effective from 1 July 2014.

The move has been welcomed by peak industry association, Restaurant & Catering Australia (R&CA). CEO John Hart, said the decision has come after the association’s “historic fight” for changes to the penalty rate regime.

The association initially made an application

85%

under the Modern Awards Review Process in 2012 to change the award. It was rejected by Fair Work in October 2013, which resulted in R&CA lodging an appeal to a Full Bench. “[The changes] will provide labour cost relief for restaurant and café operators currently trading on Sundays,” said Hart. “Businesses that are currently shut on Sundays may re-consider closing – returning convenience to Sunday diners.

“The industry will most likely save about $112 million each year,” he added.

YET

of respondents dine out at least twice a month

Brett commented: Maybe Fair Work should focus on helping people that haven’t been treated fairly at work. I worked two casual shifts over the Easter weekend for a bar/restaurant and ... after numerous failed attempts to get paid and then taking it up with Fair Work, I was told that my only option would be to take it to small claims... What a joke!

POPULAR CUISINE CHOICES

60%

79%

call to book with only 8% using email or online

42%

It a

Modern Australian

li a

Thai

n

say they check a restaurant’s website before they visit

of those dine out 5+ times a month

Source: The Entertainment Book

Out & about April 28 MLA lunch @ Almond Bar

Industry events the Hospitality team attended this month...

April 30 Opening @ A Work in Progress

May 1 Aussie Wine Month launch

May 7 FSAA Viewpoint lunch @ Baroque

May 13 Haverick Meats dinner @ Alpha

May 20 Entertainment Book lunch @ Catalina

For other stories and information please visit our website: www.hospitalitymagazine.com.au 4

hospitality | June 2014

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newsonline

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newopenings

La Boca

La Boca offers diners authentic Argentinean cuisine. With its unique Asado grill fire pit as the centrepiece, the newly multi-million dollar refurbished venue features large wooden ‘cages’ which operate as semi-room dividers, as well as street art murals that depict the vibrancy and colour of an Argentinean street scene. Head chef Nicolas Arriola takes food preparation to its most primal form with recipes direct from his homeland. The menu pays homage to Arriola’s food philosophy of nose to tail dining, and it includes beef, pork and lamb slow cooked over the Asado. Guests can choose between traditional long table and booth seating options, along with tables designed for smaller groups or couples. An express lunch menu is also available for those with less time to spare during the day.

Check it out Owners: Stamford Plaza Hotel Head Chef: Nicolas Arriola Where: 150 North Terrace, Adelaide, SA 5000 P: 08 8461 0860 W: www.laboca.com.au

Din Tai Fung

Sydney has a new dumpling house, with Din Tai Fung in Westfield Chatswood recently opening its doors. The restaurant is the group’s largest in Australia and seats 140 people. Décor features include large glass and wood panels, handmade tiled feature walls and wallpaper panels featuring peacocks in hues of green. The dining room combines banquet, bar and group seating options to accommodate groups of two to 10 or more diners. The menu spans everything from Ding Tai Fung’s famous dumplings, which are made to order and steamed in three minutes, to Taiwanese rice and noodle dishes, hot desserts, signature drinks and alcoholic beverages.

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Meatballs & Sons

Meatballs & Sons is characterised by a humble take on dining, reflected in its commitment to wholesome food. Everything is made from scratch in the kitchen and herbs are grown on the premises. Designed by Kano, the brains behind Misschu, the interior draws inspiration from old general stores. Meatballs & Sons has incorporated recycled materials in the build, from the timber panelling and metal chairs to the pastel tiles and vintage Victorian gumball machine. The menu comprises gluten-free Achiote Mexican beef balls with chipotle chilli sauce and tostadas, salt and pepper squid and a house-smoked snapper salad with pomegranate seeds and avocado.

Nantucket Kitchen & Bar

Docked in Indooroopilly Shopping Centre’s new dining precinct, Peabody’s Nantucket Kitchen & Bar draws inspiration from the iconic wonders of Cape Cod with its white walls, dark hardwood floors and New England interiors. The venue features a café-bar, formal dining space and a private dining area known as The Montauk Room, which is complete with a modish glassed-in terrace. The venue offers contemporary American fare including pork sliders, crab Rangoon and sizzling potted garlic bay prawns, and the charcoal oven delivers the likes of bacon-wrapped meatloaf and Tasmanian lamb chops with honey mustard glaze. Nantucket is open seven days.

Check it out

Check it out

Check it out

Owner: Dendy Harjanto Where: Westfield Chatswood, Shop 332-336,1 Anderson Street, NSW P: 02 9415 3155 E: vera@dintaifung.com.au W: dintaifungaustralia.com.au

Owners: Carlos and Prini Swinton-Lee with Jo Duffield Head Chef: Daniel Schai Where: 266 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy, VIC P: 03 9416 3006 W: meatballsandsons.com

Owners: Kim and TJ Peabody Head Chef: Chris Sell Where: Shop MM5 Indooroopilly, QLD Shopping Centre P: 07 3878 9697 W: nkb.com.au

hospitality | June 2014

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industryobserver

S

ustainability: It takes more than a logo or an impressive-sounding certification scheme for a food product to be genuinely sustainable.

strolled into an independent central Victorian market recently, passing signs on the way in that trumpeted their support of local produce. It seems a bit sad that there is a need to do that – surely, in this incredibly lush and diverse food bowl, what can be produced locally should out-price and out-perform any import.

However, this is often not the case. As the customer becomes more removed from the process of creating ingredients and more familiar with buying finished goods, the origin of the produce becomes less relevant than the desire to have it. When we have discussions with children we point out the difference between wants and needs, and in food terms, it is clearly time we had this as a national discussion.

On the surface, most customers want to see ‘Australian Made’ as a key platform of their food.

Pressure from the media and interest groups has once again kept this tenet of supply important, with the retailers finally making visible and publicly announced changes to their offer – especially in-house or private label brands.

Recently, the decision to support growers in the Goulburn Valley (and our iconic fruit processor, SPC) provided welcome relief for the farmers, but questions still remain about the process and the ongoing success of the nation’s food production industry. In this case, canned fruit was seen as a political weapon

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hospitality | June 2014

and support for SPC and the local community was divided between federal and state governments. Manufacturers usually tread a fine line in product sourcing as they are pushed to seek the cheapest ingredient in order to survive among a raft of upward financial pressures – and we need them to be successful.

To better support our local manufacturers, we all need to understand some of the pressures they face in bringing food to the table. For instance, look closely at where some of our food comes from and what transpired to get it through our doors; has the beef been trucked from North Queensland to Perth or has the pork on your fork done a round trip of the country?

For instance, Victoria supplies the bulk of dairy product into the domestic market and exports an enormous amount, but it is not always a simple process.

I know of a dairy product that was trucked in bulk from south to north, processed into retail packs and then sent back again to be dispatched to a supermarket’s main warehouse, where it was then sent all over the country – including back to the outlets just around the corner from the factory in Queens-

land. The complexity involved in getting everything right was exhausting and the end product travelled further than Bourke and Wills. Could it have been streamlined and made more efficient?

Manufacturers need to source the most suitable product for the best price, and the balance between sustainability and cost creates another massive supply chain pressure. If you take processed fish as an example, the supermarkets are well driving a sustainable model – Coles for example has stated that all Coles branded fish will be MSC certified from 2015 in a partnership with the World Wildlife Fund for Nature.

The manufacturers can and will comply, but at what cost? For instance, in order to keep to a price point, and so the fish stays the market researched preference of ‘white’, Alaskan Pollock is a favourite.

Pollock represents about 30 percent of all processed fish in the US and it is widely used here – however, the sustainable fishery for this species may be off the coast of Canada or Russia.

Its sustainability as a breed isn’t in question, but it has most likely travelled a long way and through many hands to make it to our shores. Therefore the fish may be sustainable, but is the supply chain? The difficulty in changing this is that to supply enough fish from local sources would massively drive up the shelf price and there isn’t an industry currently large enough to support the market need. Consequently, supermarkets would be accused of taking basic items (such as fish fingers and portions) out of the reach of the nation’s poorest consumers. They are in a no win position on this front. The same would apply to a number of staples.

The problem is incredibly complex and there is no easy solution in sight, other than to continue to support our local producers and manufacturers.

We need to create more win/ win partnerships through the supply chain, from producer to manufacturer and on to the wholesalers and retailers.

“Has the beef been trucked from North Queensland to Perth or has the pork on your fork done a round trip of the country?”

Industry Observer is a qualified hotel manager who’s worked extrensively on both sides of the kitchen door. He has 15 years’ experience in national sales roles across the retail, foodservice and industrial ingredients sectors and once operated his own wine business, consulting with restaurants, manufacturers and government organisations.

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I

are we doing it wrong?

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beveragesimbibe

Create a winning wine list What’s hot on our wine lists right now?

Christine Salins looks at some popular trends being snapped up by consumers and sommeliers alike.

5. Alternate grape varieties

If there’s been one big change in wine lists over the last few decades, it’s in the number of imported wines. Sommeliers love them, and diners clearly do too. And it’s not just wines from well-known regions like Burgundy and Bordeaux. No, Australian drinkers are after something more obscure – Grüner Veltliner from Austria perhaps, or Txakoli from Spain. They want bragging rights at their next dinner party.

Aussies are quick to embrace all things new, including wine varieties. Of the seemingly endless number of Italian, Spanish and other varieties, some – like Pinot Grigio and Sangiovese – have become almost mainstream.

Geoff Hardy offers a veritable feast with his KI, Pertaringa and Handcrafted by Geoff Hardy labels, with Montepulciano, Nero d’Avola, Teroldego, Primitivo, Graciano and others on offer.

Vermentino thrives in Sardinia so why not in our own warm climes? And winemakers have readily embraced Tempranillo, producing it in styles ranging from easy drinking quaffers to powerful and complex.

2. A love of bubbles Along with this trend comes a passion for Champagne. Although sparkling wine sales have been flat for a few years, Champagne has had two successive years of double-digit growth, according to Nielsen figures.

3. Aussie pride For an Aussie wine to get a look in, it helps if it’s made by a boutique producer or young gun winemaker. Creative young folk are shaking up the industry with their enthusiasm, talent and new approaches to winemaking.

The Next Generation Hunter Valley Project puts a cool spin on Hunter wine. In Rutherglen, young guns Eliza, Angela and Nicholas Brown show that a 150 year old winery, All Saints Estate, needn’t stand still.

4. Time for the underdog Food-friendly but somewhat old-fashioned varieties like Grenache, Chenin Blanc and Gewurztraminer are nudging their way onto today’s wine lists.

Dowie Doole’s vibrant Chenin Blanc is complemented in special years by a Reserve called Tintookie, while The Little Wine Company’s delicately spicy Gewurz has been finely honed after several decades’ production.

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6. Brilliant blends Mount Majura winemaker, Frank van de Loo, who has helped put Tempranillo and Graciano on the map, believes blends will be the next big trend.

For small wineries like Mount Majura, he says, “We’ve got to find what makes us stand out.” He’s pinning his hopes on TSG, an exciting blend of Tempranillo Shiraz Graciano, but is also working on a wild-fermented blend of Pinot Gris and Riesling. Something to rival Semillon Sauvignon Blanc, perhaps?

7. Clean and green Just as many chefs are focusing on local, ethical and sustainable produce, so too are winemakers opting for clean and green – or should that be clean and red? Burke Reschke, who has one of the biggest privately owned vineyards in Coonawarra, refuses to use insecticides or sprays.

“My father died of cancer young and I would blame that on agricultural chemicals. I know a lot of those old chemicals are banned now but I don’t want any chemicals in my wine,” says Reschke, producer of the

highly regarded Empyrean Cabernet.

Some winemakers are taking this a step further and seeking organic or biodynamic certification.

8. The wild one Wild ferments are fun – for consumers, if not for winemakers.

All of Lark Hill’s wines are wild fermented from biodynamically grown grapes. Winemaker David Carpenter acknowledges it can be a challenge to rely on natural rather than added yeasts, but if a wine speaks truly of its place, then this is it.

9. Preservative-free An extension of the craze for organic and/ or biodynamic is an interest in preservative-free wines. This is tricky as preservatives counter oxidisation, but there’s a growing demand and winemakers are rising to the challenge. Battle of Bosworth, Rosnay and Lowe are names to look for.

10. Let’s get funky Wild yeasts and minimal handling produce more authentic wines, but some wines are so “natural” they are positively funky. Trendy venues usually have at least one such wine listed, often with a symbol to differentiate it.

11. Leaner wine styles Lighter, lower alcohol wines are also enjoying their moment in the sun. Styles such as Prosecco, Moscato, Pinot Grigio, Rosé and medium-bodied Shiraz are perfect for our warm climate and pair easily with food.

And the hottest trend of all? That would have to be restaurants that put as much thought and creativity into their wine list as the food menu; and if that’s not a trend, then it should be.

Image: alan64 (corkscrew & stain) - Thinkstock

1. Going global

hospitalitymagazine.com.au

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8/05/14 11:12 AM

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tabletopdesign

FOR

APPETITE

style

Nothing sets the tone for a quality dining experience like an elegantly laid table, but does investing in top of the line tableware really pay off? Aoife Boothroyd reports.

A

Images: Manfredi Group

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restaurant’s tableware has the unique ability to communicate to diners what they can expect from their meal. The debate as to whether or not a sizable investment in quality tableware is really worth it, however, is something that many restaurateurs struggle with. So how do restaurants find a balance? Does compromising on quality, even if it’s the slightest of downgrades, reflect negatively on a restaurant’s brand?

Hospitality magazine recently caught up with Julie Manfredi-Hughes from Manfredi Enterprises and Fiona Rey from the Trippas White Group to discuss everything from statement pieces to classic white plates, and whether quality arrangements can be achieved without breaking the bank.

Julie Manfredi-Hughes, the creative mastermind behind the tabletop designs at the Manfredi group of restaurants, says she engages both local and international artists and potters to create unique pieces. The business also has its own Ceramica di Manfredi brand of crockery. Manfredi-Hughes says although she doesn’t believe that tabletop design should be the focus of a meal, it needs to complement the food, and as such it must be of the same calibre as the fare that is served upon it.

“I think that high quality restaurants make the effort to invest in quality tableware. I mean for me, that’s a part of the dining experience,” she says. “Compromising on quality is just something that we wouldn’t do in our restaurants.

“Nothing bores me more than going into a restaurant or a café where everything is the same - you know, what’s on offer down the road at the local catering shop. I think everyone is sort of looking for that point of difference these days, it’s like it’s almost become expected.”

The Manfredi group comprises three restaurants throughout NSW: Balla at

Sydney’s The Star, Manfredi at Bells and Pretty Beach House, as well as coffee brand, Espresso di Manfredi. ManfrediHughes is very hands-on when it comes to tabletop design, and says that in order to ensure consistency in quality, the group decided to enter the manufacturing space.

“One of the reasons that we have gone into manufacturing ourselves is to have a bit of control over [quality] and some control over the pricing as well,” she says. “Whether the final product is good or bad - you’ve got to take that risk as well, but essentially, you have that ultimate control.

“We have always kept a consistency in terms of producer and manufacturer… For example with Espresso di Manfredi, we developed a cup suite with Rod Bamford, one of our ceramic designers, with the aim of creating something that was functional, timeless and elegant, and would work for the coffee brand.”

Quality pieces to complement quality fare With over 30 years’ experience in the business, Manfredi Enterprises has developed strong relationships with local and international artists, enabling the group to source and develop unique pieces that are consistent both in terms of quality and style. Manfredi-Hughes admits that while replacing quality pieces can be expensive, it is a cost that simply needs to be worn.

“For us there has always been a constant trend of looking for quality items - items that are functional, at the same time as useful and elegant. We’ve always worked with artists and designers and commissioned them to do certain things to add character - there is a big trend towards that now at all levels of the market.

“It’s really a matter of just trying to maintain a certain standard, and

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each restaurant has to decide on where they invest their dollar and what they need to keep replacing. For example at Bells, I had Jonathan Baskett, a wellknown Australian glass artist, hand blow some beautiful blue goblets. It’s a big deal to replace all the blue glass and not to compromise and go, ‘you know what, maybe we just won’t bother. We’ll just put a normal glass on the table,’ but it’s like, well, that’s one of the signatures of the restaurant and really adds a point of difference, so you do keep investing in that.

“It’s the same with Balla, we have beautiful pottery and beautiful Italian knives and forks, and we keep investing in those things because they are part of the whole design and brand experience, so to speak; you just have to make those decisions.”

In terms of other quality manufacturers, Manfredi-Hughes sights two that are ahead of the curb in the food service scene.

“Riedel glassware is doing amazing things now. When we set up Balla, we specifically imported a new glass shape that they were making called a swirl glass which is a stemless glass, and designed so the wine can be swirled around - we were looking for something that just took it to a new level and that did. Riedel offers different grades of glassware for hospitality, and for very fine wine. It’s an incredible brand; it’s a go-to for pretty much for all restaurateurs these days.

“It’s the same with companies like Villeroy and Boch that is now very specifically into the food service market as well. They’ve developed a number of fantastic chefs ranges with beautiful shapes. Hospitality is big business for quality glass and tableware.”

“A great tabletop set-up really complements the food - without question and I think that also translates into the chef really going to an effort in how the meal is presented. It’s not just slapped on a plate and sent out - some thought has been given into how the meal is presented and then that sort of feeds back,” she says.

Rae says that while some of the tableware purchased for the group’s fine dining restaurants is of very high quality, she also mixes up the crockery with less expensive pieces.

“Investing in quality is worth it but it’s also good to mix it up. There are a couple of key items that give the most wow factor and are a higher spend, but it’s not on every dish. So there is an overall perception that everything is of high quality, or high end but it’s not necessarily so,” she says.

With a bit of imagination, restaurants can create a point of difference within a reasonable budget, she says, and this can be achieved by having a mix of stylish yet functional statement pieces as well as the classic plain white plate. “[Statement pieces] give a surprise element when they come to the table. For example at 360, our pate is served in a gorgeous rectangular wooden carved bowl with the pate sitting inside. It definitely gives a wow factor when it arrives at the table; it just really adds something special to the dish as it’s contained in something that is totally unexpected.

“Botanic Restaurant also features a flat white plate that curves up on two sides and food presented on that works really well; it makes it look very contemporary. There has been a lot of thought that has gone into presenting what comes out to the table, it’s not just everything on a white plate.”

In terms of consumer expectations, Rae admits that not everyone is observant when it comes to what their food is served on, however unique statement pieces have the ability to create a conversation which immediately makes that meal memorable.

“I think that some people just wouldn’t notice at all, and for others it would have a major impact. With plain white plates people don’t take note, and when it is a little bit different, it becomes a talking point, which is great.”

“Compromising on quality is just something we wouldn’t do in our restaurants.”

Finding a balance The Trippas White Group boasts a portfolio of 13 venues, all dotted across Australia’s east coast. Offering everything from fine dining at 360 Bar and Dining in Sydney Tower, to a more casual approach at the National Portrait Gallery in Canberra, the Trippas White Group has varying needs when it comes to tableware.

Stylist for Trippas White, Fiona Rae, says that above all, the tabletop needs to complement the food of each individual venue, but style doesn’t necessarily need to cost the earth.

hospitalitymagazine.com.au

Images: Trippas White Group

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Traditionally popular among Italians and Americans, pizza by the slice is on the rise in Australia, Brea Carter discovers.

Frankie’s Pizza By the Slice.

Images: Rizwan Nawaz Anarchy concepts

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number of hospitality businesses have expanded their food offering to include not only whole pizzas, but pizza by the slice, a move that allows customers to pick and choose from a number of different toppings.

Affordability is driving the change; pizza by the slice is cheaper to produce and the benefits are passed on to the customer. Convenience also plays an important role – rather than sit down and compromise on which pizza you will share, customers can purchase their slice of choice and continue on to a new venue if they please.

The late night alternative Anton Forte and Jason Scott, the brains behind Sydney’s The Baxter Inn and Shady Pines Saloon, are championing the trend at their aptly named basement bar, Frankie’s Pizza By The Slice.

“We do anywhere between 150 pizzas on a Monday to well over 500 on a Friday,” says Scott.

“In terms of whole pizza orders versus pizza by the slice, it’s a pretty even split – some customers like to share a full pizza whereas others like to munch on a slice and try a few different flavours.”

The pair opted to include pizza by the slice as well as whole pizzas on the menu at Frankie’s for a number of reasons, and the decision seems to have worked in their favour.

“It hits a cheaper price point and it’s better for those who feel like snacking rather than eating a full meal. We also noticed there was a lack of quality versions of the pizza by the slice model in Sydney.

“The pizza has played much more of a role in Frankie’s than we planned – it was more of a ‘right thing to do’ move with a late night booze offering at the planning stage, but the first night we opened we realised it was crucial to the entire business model.

Plus the first pizzas turned out delicious,” he adds.

Frankie’s pizza menu includes 12 different varieties, from the traditional Margherita, to the prosciutto, rocket, tomato and cheese-topped Pomodorini pizza and perhaps the most polarising of all pizza varieties, the Hawaiian. »

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pizzatrends 400 Gradi

While a slice of pizza costs customers $5, that doesn’t mean Frankie’s pizzas compromise on taste or quality.

“All of our pizzas are hand stretched to order, and their cooked on stone. We source all of our ingredients from top suppliers including Itaus, Easy Squeeze and Napoli Food,” Scott explains.

The pizzas are generally quite affordable to make he says, which explains the low price point. “They are probably one of the only food items that you can make a good margin on, ingredient wise at least.”

Location, location Brisbane-based bar and restaurant, Alfredo’s Pizzeria similarly offers pizza by the slice into the early hours of the morning.

“Often people come in very late at night – they come in after they’ve been at a show or another bar and they don’t want to eat a whole pizza,” says owner Damian Griffiths.

“The pizza by the slice is like their late night supper – the midnight snack to keep them going.”

The business very much leverages off its location within one of the city’s busiest entertainment districts, Fortitude Valley.

“We think there is definitely demand for pizza by the slice in the area – there are lots of young people, we’re on the fringe of the entertainment zone and overall Brisbane lacks late night eating destinations.

“We also have Alfred & Constance next door which is a 700 person capacity pub, and people love the fact that they can just duck next door, grab a slice of pizza and keep on partying,” he explains.

Griffiths says Alfredo’s sells well over 1,000 slices of pizza per week, and produces around 1,000 whole pizzas over the same period.

“I think pizza by the slice just hits the perfect price point for that late

night customer. It does probably give an operator a slightly more increased margin, but it’s really something that is designed to meet the needs of the customer more so than the operator,” he adds.

Alfredo’s offers four pizza varieties by the slice – the Chuck Berry, which resembles a Margherita, The Boss, which is a pepperoni pizza, the Brown Sugar, which includes meatballs, pancetta, provolone and BBQ sauce, and the gorgonzola, parmesan, taleggio, mozzarella and rosemary topped Sex Pistols pizza.

“We take the traditional Italian pizza and add flavours that we know Australians love such as different types of meat, prawns and barbeque sauce – toppings Italians wouldn’t necessarily put on a pizza.

“We use more modern toppings yet traditional cooking methods. All of our pizzas are cooked in wood fired ovens and the bases are traditionally made,” Griffiths explains.

The cultural shift Champion pizza maker Johnny Di Francesco, the owner of 400 Gradi on Lygon Street in Melbourne’s Brunswick is unsure whether Australians are ready for pizza by the slice.

“There are lots of places that do pizza by the slice in Italy, they call it Pizza a Taglio and it works really well,” he says.

“I think it’s amazing, I love Pizza a Taglio.

Every time I visit Italy I’ll track down a really good place and take a slice and walk along the street, but whether or not Australia is ready for that at the moment, I don’t know.”

He believes cultural differences play a part – Australians see pizza as a sit down meal, not a snack on-the-go.

“Italians are used to pizza by the slice – they walk down the street with their friends, stop-off to get a slice of pizza and keep walking, whereas here it’s more like ‘let’s grab a sandwich or a foccacia’ and you see people walking down the street with that.”

Di Francesco is clearly an avid fan of pizza by the slice, and says he’d consider adding it to 400 Gradi’s menu if the demand was there.

“I think there’s

a market for everything and if you do something well it’s obviously going to work – if eventually there’s a market out there for pizza by the slice you never know, you might see me doing Pizza a Taglio myself.”

While he isn’t convinced about Australia’s appetite for pizza by the slice, Di Francesco knows one thing for sure: wood fired pizza is definitely on the rise.

“It’s great – the more exposure wood fired pizza has the more people understand the product, and when places do it really well people can see the difference between a really good pizza and something that is sub-standard.

“I’ve been doing this for a long time so I don’t have a real answer as to why wood fired pizza is more popular now, I think it’s just become more accepted. Twenty years ago pizza in Australia was very different to what it is today, whereas in Italy they’ve been doing it [wood fired pizza] for years,” he adds.

Cost vs. quality Quality is at the forefront of all that Di Francesco does, and subsequently cost takes a back seat in his pizza making equation.

“It’s not always about cost cutting; it’s about giving the customer something different. Your price should follow the quality of your product,” he says.

“When you look at the big chains they’re selling pizzas really cheap – there must a reason for that, and if something seems expensive to a customer there must be a reason for that too – it must be costing the operator a lot more money to produce.”

The secret to a perfect pizza Di Francesco, who took out the Pizza World Championships in Parma, Italy in April, says it’s all in the dough.

“You’ve got to make sure you’ve got a quality made base,” he explains.

“I don’t use a lot of yeast in my dough whereas a lot of people use large amounts of it. I minimise the yeast to nearly nothing as I feel that’s healthier and you get a much better product. I think that’s the way it should be done.”

Alfredo’s Pizzeria

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The Perfect bite.

Add a little perfection to your dishes.

Discover the world’s most comprehensive resource for independent pizza operators at www.clubperfect.com.au

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Image credit: Hollie Adams (3 on LHS)

Making smallgoods:

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NO SMALL FEAT All images: Chester White

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While many of today’s chefs are keen to be as hands-on as possible, some things might be best left to the suppliers, reports Jasmine O’Donoghue.

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e’re all aware that consumers are moving back to food of a simpler time, and as such, chefs are going back to basics. ‘Less is more’ is definitely a common theme on menus today, and it’s for this reason that more and more venues are shining the spotlight on smallgoods.

While many chefs are keen to get their hands dirty, making as much as they can in-house, is producing your own smallgoods really worth the time and money? Is it best left to the suppliers?

Adrian Richardson, owner and head chef at La Luna Bistro in Carlton makes his own bread and pasta, produces his own honey, grows his own herbs and cures his own meat.

He wouldn’t have it any other way, he told Hospitality. »

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Adrian

“A lot of chefs are starting to go back to basics,” he Richardson says. “It’s old fashioned stuff but it’s coming back into flavour. The reason why [smallgoods] have stood the test of time is because they’re good, they’re fun to make and people enjoy eating them.

“I think that this molecular stuff has had its day. You can only do so much and there are a few guys who do it really well, but I think that making something, watching it ferment over a period of time, seeing it mature and then you can slice it and put it on a plate – for me, that is technique.

That is true science. [Customers] want simpler food, something they know.”

Richardson says that making La Luna’s smallgoods inhouse helps the business to stand out from the crowd.

“When you come to my restaurant, you eat what I make, not what I buy in from someone else,” he says. “The other reason is that if the produce is for sale elsewhere, everyone else is buying it. What difference is it to you, when you come to my restaurant and I slice a piece of salami, tell you how great it is, then you go up the road and it’s the same thing? What would you come in here for? Why don’t you just go and buy it from the butcher?”

So why don’t all venues make their own smallgoods? Richardson puts it down to three things: food safety, cost and skills.

“It’s very difficult to convince a [restaurant] owner to make their own prosciutto. It costs a lot of money and unless you’re really clever, you’re better off just buying it in. For me, because

Image: keko64 - Thinkstock (meat and knife)

“When you come to my restaurant, you eat what I make, not what I buy in from someone else.”

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I own [La Luna] I put my money behind it and I want to make my own and that’s why I can do it. I’ve been able to put in rails and put in dry ageing rooms and hanging rooms for my smallgoods. If you don’t own the business or the property, well then that’s a very difficult thing to do,” he says.

“Once you push those things aside, it is possible; it’s not that difficult. You can make small batches of things and have some fun doing it. You’ll muck a few things up, you’ll get a few things right but I think the end result is well worth it. The more people do it, the better the skills are and I think it’s better for the dining public.”

Smallgoods can take between months and years to cure properly and it’s important to have the correct machinery and techniques on hand – another reason why most restaurants tend to order from suppliers.

Skara Smallgoods in South Australia has seen a rapid growth in the smallgoods industry since opening in 2007, and director Anthony Skara believes it’s due to the spread of European culture in Australia.

“A big trend is the Mediterranean/European way of eating – they are very rich with their salamis, their olive oils and their red wine, it’s all part of that process of [enjoying] smallgoods.

Instead of having big plates it’s more about having a really good quality plate and not so much.”

Skara believes that between the 80s and the early 2000s, a lot of smallgoods sat on the backbench because the quality wasn’t there, but as more people walk into his shops and say ‘oh I remember having this as a kid’, smallgoods have stepped up in quality and popularity.

“We don’t cut any corners, we use fresh meat and we don’t buy any imported products. [We are] focusing back on getting the whole carcass. There are not many people out there who can get a whole carcass and know how to make the product out of it anymore.”

The philosophy at Chester White Diner in Sydney’s Potts Point revolves around the Italian tradition of honing in on a few key ingredients or foods – and using them well.

For Chester White, this is the pig and much of the menu revolves around smallgoods, all of which are ordered in. “[To make smallgoods is] such a massive and long process that it sometimes isn’t really feasible or justifiable; it’s the whole thing of actually storing it and all the time that goes into it. It’s a science, really. We do know how to do it, but we just don’t have the time and we also don’t have the facilities to keep them stored at the right temperatures. It gets tricky because they really need to be tested and treated and you don’t want to get anyone sick,” co-owner Peter Kypreos says.

“Because it’s already been cured when it’s given to us, it’s highly unlikely that anyone could get sick from it. It’s been salted and there’s so much fat on it that it’s pretty hard to penetrate. In saying that … all our measures are really strict on hygiene.

“We actually display our cured meats on the wall behind us, but they’re all still sealed and packaged. As soon as we open up the packaging they go straight into the fridge. People are still wary, they’re like ‘is that safe to eat because it’s been sitting on the wall?’

It’s just about educating people.”

hospitalitymagazine.com.au

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If MSA graded beef is the missing ingredient on your menu, contact your wholesaler or Meat & Livestock Australia for a list of stockists today.

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POS/IT

Talk ech

When it comes to using technology in the hospitality industry, three of the most important factors to consider are suitability for purpose, integration and innovation, writes Tim McNevin.

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e can be driven to embrace new technology for a variety of reasons, including compliance, legislation, the activity of competitors or by a perceived business opportunity. The choice of technology is an important and quite often, an expensive one. And my goodness – we are spoilt for choice, aren’t we?

Before making a purchase, here are some questions you may wish to consider: • How does your marketing strategy need to connect and integrate with your systems and technology in order to deliver the greatest benefit?

• What type of data and information would be useful for you to collect about your guests?

• What are the privacy considerations you need to take into account?

• What systems do you already have in place and where do you see the greatest opportunity for integration?

• What is your budget?

• What is the cost of expanding the capability of the system if you wish to in the future?

• Should you buy or lease the technology?

• What warranty is available and what are the potential future upgrade costs?

How do I make the most of the technology that I have?

Image: YekoPhotoStudio - Thinkstock

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To make the most of technology (in an ideal world), our technology systems would be perfectly integrated. Whether it be reservation systems in accommodation venues, electronic point of sale (EPOS) processes, stock management or HR functions – true and comprehensive integration delivers significant business and cost benefits to the organisation.

Those venues with significant levels of system integration receive a significant competitive advantage in cost management and guest satisfaction as well as significant value-add opportunities. By building system capability real opportu-

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What to consider before investing in technology: 1. How will the technology complement your marketing strategy?

2. What information would you like to collect from diners?

3. What are the privacy considerations?

4. How will it fit in with other technologies in the business?

5. How much can/will you spend?

6. How easy/affordable is it to expand the technology’s capabilities?

7. Buy or lease?

8. What about warranty?

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nities also exist for building brand.

Of course utilising the full capability of each of the components of any technology within the system is a very important pre-requisite for effective system integration and business benefit.

EPOS systems – a great example The modern EPOS system has a vast range of capability which can include inventory management, cellar operations (in a bar context), customer relationship management (CRM) and more. In the past, each of these processes may have required completely different systems, each of which may have had their own operating system or proprietary platform. Drawing information and data from one component system and linking it with data from another system to inform strategic decision making was a time consuming and often clumsy task. The result was sub-optimal and inefficient. Today’s EPOS systems have all the capability of the previously separate processes integrated into one.

The innovation in EPOS in recent years has been significant: • In restaurants, the front of house interface technology communicates with the kitchen and back of house staff to communicate orders.

• Table-based credit card capability syncs with back of house and front of house to automatically generate reports to manage stock and costs.

• For restaurants within accommodation venues, integrating restaurant technology with other venue systems allows for the transfer of food and drink sales to a guest room account.

• Integrating these systems with property management systems allows venues to monitor guest arrival and departure times and configure hotel services to increase sales.

• Expenditure and facility use patterns can be tracked to monitor the expenditure habits of guests.

• Connecting these functions to the reservation system, housekeeping and front desk systems allows an enhanced customer experience at every point of contact with the venue.

EPOS systems also offer item tracking opportunities from your menu so you can monitor which items are the most popular and which ones aren’t selling, helping you to make informed decisions in regards to menu modifications.

Generating and targeting reward programs for returning clientele and promot-

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ing your business at those times when the For many organisations, breaking old venue is typically quiet are activities that habits and moving to new technolgies can can be far better executed when the data be one of the greatest barriers to success. from your EPOS system is harvested and Staff can feel threatened that the new correctly analysed. In regards to busier technology may do them out of a job; the periods, including promotional activities new systems may be threatening because like Happy Hours, managing price ad- staff may not feel that they have the skills justments can be a real difficulty in the to use it. The introduction of new techabsence of an effective EPOS system. nology should be managed in the same Inventory management capability can way as any other significant change – it also be used to highlight any variance needs a plan. On the other side of the in stock levels with recorded sales – this change management plan lies a business has proven very powerful in reducing model that maximises the capability of instances of staff fraud. EPOS systems the system and therefore the benefit. can also assist in monitoring staff performance by tracking transactions made The possibilities and by individual staff members, transaction opportunities are endless EPOS technology is one example of the times and average sales made.

Much to the relief of today’s time- variety of new technologies available for poor population, take-away processes hospitality businesses today. These new can be automated with guests pre-order- technologies, when fully utilised, allow a ing their selections online via a mobile rethinking of the entire guest experience device, enabling quick pick-up and pay- in ways not considered before.

Loyalty programs are made more ment when they arrive at your venue.

So often when it comes to new tech- manageable through such technologies – nology, we purchase the best system but data can be accessed and retrieved quickonly use it to half of its potential. If you ly and accurately allowing for personalare not utilising the capabilities of your ised targeting of incentives and services.

Online booking systems are becomEPOS system, you have just bought your0 6expensive 1 4 _ 0 cash 0 0 _ DEL 1 ing2 more 0 1 4and - 0more 5 - popular 2 1 T 0 among 7 : 3 con1 : 1 7 + 1 0 : 0 0 selfHaO very register.

“So often when it comes to new technology, we purchase the best system but only use it to half of its potential.”

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sumers, and regardless of whether it is for restaurants or hotels, the majority of online bookings are made via mobile devices. Extending your system’s capability to connect with theses mobile devices presents some very interesting opportunities, particularly as the use of social media becomes increasingly prevalent. Significant marketing opportunities exist through processes that connect with peoples’ profiles on social media platforms to generate referrals and reviews.

Technology presents new frontiers for any organisation of any size in the everchanging hospitality industry. Applying the right technology to your business and utilising it to its full potential can deliver significant growth and business benefit as well as new ways of working and delivering better customer experiences. Embrace change and have a go!

Tim McNevin has more than 20 years of experience in management and training, holding formal qualifications in hospitality, life coaching, management, human resource development, training and career development. Contact Tim at TIMM@MarketingPlanCoaching.com

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DISCRIMINATION: why employers can’t afford to turn a blind eye

Employers need to be aware of and abide by their obligations surrounding workplace discrimination ... or face the consequences, writes Restaurant & Catering Australia.

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orkplace discrimination can occur in a number of ways, and for the most part employees are protected by General Protections under the Fair Work Act 2009.

However some acts can breach other pieces of legislation such at the Sex Discrimination Act 1984 (Cth). Discrimination can occur due to a variety of factors such as sexual harassment, racial discrimination, age, disability and religion. The discrimination can occur through adverse action being taken against the employee during their employment, including things such as altering working hours, demoting an employee or refusing to promote an employee, terminating the employment of an employee etc. Additional to this, potential employees can be discriminated against. This can occur in situations where the aforementioned factors can prevent an employee from gaining employment where they otherwise would have.

Discrimination in the workplace is a complex hybrid of issues, encompassing a variety of different state and federal laws. As such, it is important for owners and operators to be

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aware of the parameters of anti-discrimination and general protections. A recent sexual harassment case heard at the Federal Circuit Court brings to light the importance of having appropriate internal policies to mitigate instances of discrimination and harassment, or to deal with them at an early stage.

In Alexander v Cappello & Anor [2013] FCCA 860 the employer was made aware of an instance of sexual harassment at his café in Sydney. At this stage there was an obligation for the employer to investigate the issue and respond accordingly. In circumstances where one employee was found to have sexually harassed the applicant, it would have been expected that the employer discipline the offender, if not terminate his employment. Additional to this, there was an expectation that the employer assist the harassed employee where necessary. This could include things such as offering counselling, allowing the employee to be part of a workplace overhaul of sexual discrimination and sexual harassment policies etc.

In this case the café owner was found to be vicariously liable for a breach of the Sex Dis-

crimination Act 1984 (Cth) and was ordered to pay damages of $75,000 and additional interest. The judge found that the café owner failed to act in accordance with his obligations and in fact terminated the employment of the applicant in response to her seeking assistance with the matter.

Whilst this may be an extreme example of a breach, it raises a number of other points.

Firstly, there was an obligation bound to the employer that required him to take reasonable action to prevent harassment in the workplace as well as reasonable steps to deal with issues as they arise. Secondly, this case highlights the potential for adverse action if an employer fails to appropriately deal with workplace issues. Terminating an employee for enforcing a workplace right, or for complaining about a workplace issue is unlawful. These principles are important to include in the development of any workplace policy.

This article was written by the Workplace Relations Team at Restaurant & Catering Australia. Call them on 1300 722 878.

hospitalitymagazine.com.au

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Staffing and wages stressing you out? Well get over it, you should’ve known what you were getting in to. By Tony Berry.

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hospitalitymagazine.com.au

ver since Adam peeled that first blighted apple, the hospitality industry has been whinging about a perceived skills shortage.

How our ancient predecessors managed to feed themselves with so few people capable of skinning a bison and roasting a boar Tony Berry is a source of continual amazement.

It is a truly odd state of affairs when we have this perennial whinge about the skills shortage (a hidden agenda there perhaps) sitting alongside a tidal wave of expansion through all sectors of food service. Apart from the usual closures of mum and dad suburban outlets and the regular blight of high profile shutdowns, the news columns continually inform us of openings and expansions. And apparently there is much more to come. The forecasters are all predicting food service as an almost unstoppable growth business … and thus tempting still more hopefuls into what the existing outlets claim is an already over-crowded market.

If a skills shortage exists as dire as the whingers would have us believe, how is this endless expansion being staffed?

No one throws open the doors of their brand new – and inevitably hugely costly – fitout unless they have the staff capable of making it all happen. Where do they all come from if this shortage exists?

I suspect the situation is nowhere near as bad as being painted.

The endlessly raised voices about the lack of skilled staff helps feed another conundrum based on another of the industry’s continual vociferous complaints: the one where everyone is pleading poverty because of penalty rates. These admittedly illogical imposts have been foisted upon us now for as far back as any of the current operators can remember. They are a fact of Australian life – and a curiosity that much of the rest of the world finds hard to comprehend.

Anyone entering this industry does so

fully aware of the requirements to work at hours which were once considered the norm. You choose the trade; the trade doesn’t choose you.

Further, there is no valid argument for paying anyone “overtime” if they have not worked the basic number of hours for their trade. Work your 35, 37.5 or 40 hours and then, and only then, expect to receive overtime for any additional time worked.

There can be no justification for paying penalty rates to someone who chooses to work only at night or on weekends and public holidays and can therefore take home for 20 hours what others get paid for 40.

Unfortunately, all such arguments have long been resisted and the punitive (for employers) system is well and truly set in stone. It will not go away; it will not be watered down. As the saying goes, get over it.

It is something that all operators need to take into account when setting out their projections and plans (you do plan, don’t you?) for the months and years ahead.

With wages accounting for such a considerable portion of a business’ outgoing, they clearly cannot be ignored. Nor can the addition of penalty rates.

To be in the hospitality business these days means taking a seven days a week, 365 days a year view of the world.

If days off are needed, plan them for when punters are less likely to require your services. If you are serious about remaining in business, you have to be there when the customer expects you to be there, not when the wage bill will be lower.

The answer is to work smarter (penalise the no-shows), improve service and value-add. And if that doesn’t work, tweak the bill and raise prices – far too many outlets are emphasising cheapness instead of educating the public on the true cost of the product (and experience) being provided. And if all that fails, maybe then you have an excuse for whinging.

“I suspect the situation is nowhere near as bad as being painted.”

Reader comment: Claudio Crupi commented: Running a business is tough. Even when you have lots of customers. The comments made by Tony assume that it’s easy, and that making a profit is easy. Margins are tight and with running costs at 20 percent excluding rent, electricity etc, it doesn’t leave much. Wages are around 40 percent of takings then you have to pay GST. It doesn’t leave much for us ...

Finding a chef is always a nightmare. I could write a comedy book on the responses I get via email for a chef [position]. And that’s if I get responses via email. I now get resumes via text! Yes text. With spelling mistakes from start to finish. I even get applications from plumbers for a chef position. It has taken us six months on two occasions to get a chef who knows modern food and is capable of running a kitchen.

The comment Tony made that people are opening doors of new restaurants with full staff is nonsense. It might be full of staff but how many are well trained? We hire them out of desperation.

I want Tony to come and sit with me and tell me to “get over it” in person. I’ll take him back to the future on how hard it is for us to make a real buck. He might be an ex-chef, owner, manager but he has lost touch with what’s real. May he remain ‘ex’!

Claudio Crupi is chef at Miminio, an italian restaurant at Brunswick, VIC.

hospitality | June 2014

Image: Staras (smoke); VvoeVale (pot) - Thinkstock

PENALTY RATES & PERSONNEL

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smoke...

Where there’s

Kitchen fires can be quick to start and easy to get out of control. Ensure your business doesn’t get burned by following these simple guidelines. By Ken Burgin.

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ity. This is the person who won’t accept excuses for shortcuts and ‘do it later’ attitudes – they don’t mind being unpopular around safety issues. They insist that the new apprentice has proper training, even if chef says she can’t be spared.

Many fires are put out quickly, but it’s important to think about what else can go wrong ...

• The fire blanket will go missing – someone put it in a drawer.

• Fire extinguishers are out of date – they’ve got date labels for a reason!

• Kitchen equipment has been moved into dangerous positions – fryers too close to flames or salamander grills over stoves.

• Power-boards and double adapters turn into a big knot of risky cords, waiting to short-circuit.

• Greasy rags and tea towels are hazardous – if you wash and dry your own kitchen linen, understand that domestic machines can’t get all the grease out. Load them into the dryer and they can easily go up in flames – crazy, but it happens!

Ken Burgin • Untrained staff are cooking – they can make a great sauce, but haven’t been shown the fire drill or evacuation route.

• The super-efficient kitchen hand has very limited English – everyone assumes he can understand safety posters. Does his training need some extra steps?

• The fire door is propped open as an exit – it’s kept closed to avoid drafts that will make fires worse.

• The fire doors can’t be opened – there have been many nightclub tragedies because escape doors are locked from the inside.

• Someone will be forgotten – who’s on the second floor of your building and might be overlooked when everyone clears out?

• Some customers will leave without paying – it’s a pity, but can’t be avoided. Your safe should be fireproof, so hopefully it has most of the takings.

Image: bgton - Thinkstock

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ombine naked flames, hot fat and young chefs showing off and it won’t take long for a fire to jump off the stove and take control of your kitchen. At the minimum you’ll be closed for a few hours, or it could be days or weeks, as happened recently at several restaurants, including Sydney’s Rockpool Bar and Grill and Stokehouse in St Kilda.

In 10 years of restaurant and café ownership, I only had two big fires, and they burnt out the exhaust ducts, not the building. Both times they were caused by staff doing ‘crazy pans’ – adding an extra dose of flambé to a sauté pan or grill.

With helpful tradesmen and a very large cheque, we were back in business the next day, shaken and much wiser.

Fire, like armed robbery, is something most people have never experienced – posters, reminders and practice drills can have an unreal air about them. For maximum impact in your fire training (as with armed-holdup drills), find a staff member who has experienced a fire and ask them to tell others about it – how commonsense goes out the window, and how steady hands and preparation can save the situation. Or not.

Most landlords require a fire policy, and it will have detailed requirements about the proper cleaning of hoods, filters and ductwork. None of this is cheap, but a catastrophe is worse. Fire suppression systems and sprinklers are standard in modern kitchens, but not in older kitchens. If you don’t have them, you need to double down on other control systems like extinguishers and fire blankets. Your insurance company and the fire brigade will also have a raft of good training materials – often long and detailed, covering just about every situation.

Appoint your most pedantic supervisor as the fire safety monitor and trainer. WH&S policies will mandate people for particular roles in the business, so fit the job to the personal-

Stay safe and keep everyone conscious that they’re working in a highly-flammable workplace.

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4 1. Mexican infused beer The Australian Brewery has decided to bring its Mexican Lager into full production following a successful trial period. The Lager comprises 20 percent maize and a small initial hop to prevent bitterness, while US Liberty hops post-fermentation is responsible for the beer’s lemony aroma. Brewers note the beverage can be paired with a slice of lime, yet never lemon. Overall it’s described as a light, crisp beer and it’s packaged in the Brewery’s signature metal cans.

For more information, check out www.australianbrewery.com

Image: bgton - Thinkstock

2. Standout coffee cups Separate your takeaway coffee cups from the rest with Biopak’s new BioCup Art Series range. The sustainable packaging company has commissioned nine new artists for the project, and this time around the range is available in additional sizes – 16oz single wall and 8oz, 12oz and 16oz double wall cups. Cartons

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contain a combination of the BioCup designs for the size ordered, and each of the nine artworks explore an environmental theme, whether it be a cactus, the beach or marine life.

Visit www.biopak.com.au

3. Liqueur with a caffeine hit Following six months of trial and error and 300 iterations, Sydney-based distillery Mr Black Spirits Company has released its flagship product, a cold drip coffee liqueur coined MR BLACK. The liqueur contains coffee from three different continents and it’s made from 100 percent Australian grain spirit, making it suitable for mixing with rum, tequila and even Absinthe. The liqueur is made in small 300ml batches and it’s packaged in 700ml bottles. Each bottle has its own unique number, allowing drinkers to note the subtle changes that occur due to the seasonality of the coffee used to make the liqueur.

See www.mrblack.co

4. Healthy snack alternative Cobs Popcorn has launched a new snack range for the coffee shop market, Cobs Popcorn Mini Favourites. Each of the three new flavours in the range offers a twist on Cobs’ original chocolate caramel coated popcorn flavours, and they include – caramel popcorn drizzled in milk chocolate, caramel popcorn drizzled in dark chocolate and salted caramel. The popcorn is packaged in bite-sized packs ideal for snacking, and it’s designed to be enjoyed on-the-go or at a cafe.

Head to www.cobspopcorn.com.au

5. Artisanal wine glasses A new six piece range of wine glasses that reflect our drinking habits is now available from Noritake. Through its research the company has found Australians prefer rich, red wines in the cooler months and crisp whites, as well as sparkling wine in the summer. The Vizio collection

by Tuscan-based glassmakers IVV

includes a champagne flute, red wine glass, tumbler, long tumbler and 1.8L decanter, as well as the Red Vintage Wine glass, which is designed to hold 760ml of liquid and stands on a long, slender stem. Each piece is handmade and free from lead oxides, heavy minerals and volatile pollutants.

See www.noritake.com.au

6. It’s a pizza revolution Already stocked in New Zealand and Dubai, the Pizza Pronto offering from Pronto Cuisine LP is now available in Australia. Pizza Pronto’s Italian made, wood fired cook from frozen bases are 30cm wide and come complete with tomato paste, oregano and mozzarella. The one touch operation compact oven, which is also from Italy, is said to cook two pizzas from frozen in just three minutes.

Its two separate compartments are complete with stone bases, a feature that is designed to ensure pizza bases are served crispy.

Email prontocuisineaust@gmail.com

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hospitalitydiary JUNE 22-24, Fine Food NZ Fine Food NZ returns to Auckland this month HO0 6 1 4 _ 0 3 0 _ BL A_ P S H

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showcasing the most innovative products and services to the hospitality industry. New to Fine Food NZ this year is the ‘The Barista

Smackdown’ which will see the top baristas compete head-to-head in knockout heats. www.finefoodnz.co.nz

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Ready Bake’s NEW range of Designer Pastry Shells

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Our 60mm Rectangle Fluted Shells are also available in Gluten Free in Sweet and Savoury varieties. These Designer Shells are ideal for buffets, canapés, patisserie cabinets and high teas.

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Excite your customers with these innovative and sophisticated Pastry Shells. Our new range includes 42mm Square and 60mm Rectangle Fluted Shells available in Sweet and Savoury varieties baked and unbaked.

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Enquiries: sales@readybake.com.au or call 1800 651 044

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*Available 1st July 2014

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Have you got your tickets for the 2014 Food Magazine Awards?

Tickets are now on sale for the 10th annual Food Magazine Awards!

These prestigious awards recognise best practice and innovation in the Australian and New Zealand food and beverage manufacturing and packaging industries.

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Tickets: Single ticket: $176 (inc. GST)

Table of 10: $1650 (inc. GST)

How to buy:

www.foodmag.com.au/awards phone: 02 8484 0822 or email alice.wearne@cirrusmedia.com.au

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Your Perfect Mozzarella is produced in perfect conditions.

Discover the world’s most comprehensive resource for independent pizza operators at www.clubperfect.com.au Perfect Italiano is a trademark of the Fonterra group of companies.

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