Hospitality Magazine July 2014

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No.706 July 2014

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Print Post Approved PP100007268

No.706 July 2014

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foodservice

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accommodation

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beverage

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culture bringing

ON BOARD

Specialty cheese venues on the rise

PLUS:

Crowdfunding, restaurant design, food trucks & more

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editor’s note

T

wo quotes from interviewees in the restaurant design feature I penned this month have really resonated with me.

Hassell’s Susan Standring spoke about how venues can “encourage diners to linger”, while owner of Richmond’s The Top Paddock’s cafe, Nathan Toleman insisted that “over service is worse than no serivce.”

I had a dining experience recently which made both of these nuggets of gold pop up in my mind. I was in a cute little tapas bar in the Blue Mountains and the food was great, my cheeky little Gin concotion was lovely and the ambience was bang on. The only problem: it was all over in less than an hour.

With a packed floor and a lengthy waiting list, I’m sure the staff were told to get people in and out as quickly as possible, albeit in as friendly and attentive a fashion as possible. (Three very cheery waiters asked if our order had been taken within a 10 minute period).

I felt like I was saying ‘But..but...but...’ while being ushered out as I looked longingly over my shoulder back at my empty martini glass. I really had nothing to complain about apart from my desire to just soak it all up for a little longer.

I get it. There’s a dollar value attached to food and wine, but there isn’t one on “lingering.” Having said that, we’re in the hospitality game, aren’t we? And a lot can be said for those places that just want you to make you feel at home.

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

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

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24 Cheese is the focus at Milk The Cow, pictured here with manager Laura Lown

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cover

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contents FEATURES

12 Culture on board Specialty cheese venues are on the rise.

16 Crowds over cash The audience trumps the funds in the crowdfunding game.

20 Form & function A restaurant’s design can leave a lasting impression for diners.

24 Food truck figures

REGULARS

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

26 Industry Observer

The latest industry news.

8

New openings

Tips on being an effective leader.

27 Rant

Check out the latest arrivals on the hospitality block.

10 Q&A

Today’s menus are as pretentious as ever.

28 Ken Burgin

A day in the life of a Sydney bar manager.

11 Wine

What costs are involved?

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

News online

Are you ready for your diners’ food safety questions?

29 Shelf space

Add some Mediterranean magic to your wine list.

Six new products to consider for your kitchen.

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

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newsonline

reader comments Stewart commented: There has always been a shortage of chefs in Australia, not because we don’t get apprentices coming through the system, but because the industry can’t retain them. After more than 30 years of watching the industry cycles, I believe younger generations have got smart and asked the question, “why should I put myself through long hours, emotional and physical stress, only to be poorly rewarded at the end of each week?”

CAFE & COFFEE SHOPS

AS of this month, chefs will be added to the Skilled Occupation List, meaning foreign workers can apply for a permanent visa without a sponsor.

In February, Restaurant and Catering Australia called for jobs within the sector to be returned to the list, with CEO John Hart claiming employment in cafes, restaurants and takeaway venues is projected to grow by more than 8.1 percent to November 2017.

Hart said the addition of chefs to the list is recognition that skilled migration in the hospitality industry is necessary for the economic growth of

the country. “R&CA’s 2014 Benchmarking Survey found that 60.8 percent of businesses currently have vacancies with 22.3 percent indicating they were having extreme difficulty finding staff.”

However trade union, United Voice, said there’s no shortage of local chefs in Australia, but low wages and high turnover are the real problems.

“The industry has no problems attracting staff in Australia, the industry has a problem keeping staff,” acting national secretary, David O’Byrne, told the Australian.

Siôn Harwood commented: I hope this is not a step back to the days where foreign students took up hospitality careers just to get residency in Australia.

And we are left with poorly trained staff, from badly run colleges out for the money and not the industry. We really need to make the industry more attractive for young Australians.

The industry generated a total of

$4,200,000,000

REVENUE SOURCES coffee

in revenue

In March ‘14 there were a total of

6,613

$1.6 billion went to wages

51%

$269.6 million

26.5% 22.5%

was profit

other beverages

businesses in the industry

food

Source: IBISWorld

Out & about May 27 Rare Medium comp @ Foodservice expo

Industry events the Hospitality team attended this month...

June 10 Masterclass filming @ Mille Vini

June 10 Jacob’s Creek’s Double Barrel launch

June 12 Launch of Zeus in Drummoyne

June 12 Launch of Mr Black @ The Nixon Project

June 13 Winterlicious lunch @ 360 Bar & Dining

For other stories and information please visit our website: www.hospitalitymagazine.com.au 6

hospitality | July 2014

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Image: Design Pics - Thinkstock

Chefs added to Skilled Occupation List

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newopenings

Cowch

Those with a sweet tooth or cocktail craving are in for a treat with the opening of dessert and cocktail bar, Cowch. The venue’s novelty lies in its ‘naked pop’ innovation, where customers can create their own ice cream on a stick. Dessert lovers can dress their ‘pops’ in a white, milk or dark chocolate coating and style it with an assortment of decorations. The menu encompasses a number of desserts, such as the Dip & Chill and Waffle Bowl, as well as drinks including fruit smoothies and cocktails. Served up from 7am, the breakfast menu features churros, crepes and fruit parfait, along with lighter options such as bircher muesli and seasonal fruit. The venue was designed by Michael McCann of Dreamtime Australia Design, and it features a central fire pit, mood lighting and lounge seating.

Check it out

Image: Kristoffer Paulsen

Owner: Arif Memis Where: 2/179 Grey Street, South Brisbane P: 07 3844 1559 E: southbank@cowch.com.au W: www.cowch.com.au

Zeus

Giving Greek souvlaki a contemporary makeover, Zeus in Sydney’s Drummoyne uses traditional cooking methods and recipes that have been passed down for five generations. The venue cooks its meats to order ‘kontosouvli’, a traditional Cypriot method where the meat is chargrilled on short skewers to keep it fresh and succulent.

The house specialty is The Zeus – slow-cooked lamb with Aegean slaw, smoked eggplant, onion and parsley wrapped in pita bread. Zeus pays homage to the ‘God of Hospitality’ and the Greek custom of ‘filoxenia’, which translates to everyone being welcome in a Hellenic house where there is always food and wine to be shared.

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Yayoi

Japanese restaurant Yayoi, which is known as Yayoi-ken in Asia, has opened its first Australian venue. Located on the corner of Bridge and Loftus Streets in the Sydney CBD, the 80-seat restaurant and sake bar specialises in Japanese home-cooked style set meals known as ‘teishoku,’ which include rice, miso soup, a main dish of meat or fish and a side dish of vegetables or Japanese pickles. The kitchen team is led by head of operations, Junya Kitano, who has 15 years experience working in Japan and abroad. The Yayoi team also includes sake sommelier, Kenji Minagawa, who is in charge of a list that boasts an extensive range of sake and Japanese craft beers.

Supernormal

Andrew McConnell’s highly anticipated restaurant, Supernormal, is now open. The Asianfocused menu includes some old favourites from Golden Fields in St Kilda, such as the New England lobster roll and the peanut butter parfait, as well as new dishes trialled at the pop-up test kitchen over summer. The fitout is a collaboraton between McConnell and Prahran-based architectural and design team, Projects of Imagination.

It includes an open kitchen and bar, spacious dining room and a private dining and karaoke room.

Taking the reins alongside McConnell in the kitchen is the head chef from Golden Fields, Todd Moses. Supernormal is open seven days.

Check it out

Check it out

Check it out

Owners: Costa Anastasiadis, Peter Augoustis & the Pony Dining Group Where: 187-189 Lyons Rd, Drummoyne, Sydney P: 02 9181 4646 W: www.zeusstreetgreek.com.au

Owner: Plenus Co Ltd Head Chef: Junya Kitano Where: Shop 2, 38-42 Bridge Street, Sydney P: 02 9247 8166 W: www.yayoi.com.au

Owner: Andrew McConnell Head Chef: Todd Moses Where: 180 Flinders Lane, Melbourne P: 03 9650 8688 E: info@supernormal.net.au W: www.supernormal.net.au

hospitality | July 2014

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question&answer

Behind the bar Glen Wheeler, bar manager at Sydney’s O Bar and Dining, tells us how he’s made a career out of cocktails.

HOW DID YOU GET INTO THE INDUSTRY?

HOW HAS BARTENDING IN OZ EVOLVED RECENTLY?

I was studying hospitality during high school and after that I studied Food and Beverage at Ryde TAFE. More than 14 years later, I’m still in the industry.

I think it has certainly changed since I started in the industry. Some things for the better and some for the worse. There is a lot of brand training and cocktail competitions, and while this allows bartenders to boost their knowledge, skills and experience, personally I would like to see more training on speed and efficiency.

WHAT DOES A TYPICAL WORKING DAY LOOK LIKE FOR YOU? Being the bar manager of a large restaurant and cocktail bar certainly keeps me busy. My day usually starts off with the admin side of the job. Reports and feedback from the previous day, stock ordering, liaising with our event cocoordinators about upcoming functions.

Then it’s usually on to the bar side of operations: ensuring the bar is set up for the evening, creating cocktail specials, some wine tasting and just ensuring the general smooth running of all things bar and beverage.

WHAT DO YOU LOVE MOST ABOUT YOUR JOB? Cocktails have changed so much throughout my career, so I love getting the chance to utilise my imagination in pushing the boundaries and creating amazing cocktails with fresh-market produce … Oh and definitely the view – O Bar provides a 360-degree, panoramic view. One of the best in the world.

WHAT’S THE BIGGEST FRUSTRATION IN YOUR LINE OF WORK? It’s always frustrating when food and beverage deliveries are delayed – it pushes the whole day back – and I definitely value an organised schedule!

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WHAT POPULAR TRENDS ARE YOU NOTICING AT THE MOMENT? The craft beer scene is certainly booming. I also have a lot of customers interested in premium rums, especially the Pyrat range. Single malt whiskies such as Edradour are also popular and certainly people are ordering plenty of cocktails; our bartenders served 1,600 in the first week of June during the Vivid festival.

WHICH SPIRIT ARE YOU EXPERIMENTING WITH AT THE MOMENT? Lately I have been playing around with Coeur de Genepi. It’s a French aperitif made from Genepi. Flavour-wise it sits inbetween Absinthe and Chartreuse.

WHAT QUALITIES DOES EVERY BARTENDER NEED? I certainly appreciate someone who has banter, who is personable and can converse with all customers – that’s a must.

It’s also important to be hardworking and creative.

WHERE DO YOU LIKE TO DRINK ON YOUR NIGHTS OFF? A few of my mates own small bars around town so I usually go and visit them at Papa Gedes and Grasshopper.

Otherwise somewhere nice and chilled with a good food and wine selection.

YOUR DRINK OF CHOICE? If it’s after a shift it’s usually a cold beer like a Larger or a good Riesling like Van Volxem. Otherwise I can’t go past a good blackberry Rum Manhattan with Bacardi 8 year old.

hospitalitymagazine.com.au

Image: ArturNyk - Thinkstock

I started working at my local pub in 2000. Since then I have been lucky enough to work around the world in many different styles of venues including cocktail bars, four and five star hotels, hatted restaurants, pubs, clubs, ski resorts and also VIP events and private parties at various venues around Sydney.

Image: Daniel Sponiar (bottom)

GIVE US A QUICK OVERVIEW OF YOUR CAREER?

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beverageimbibe

A drop in the

Mediterranean If enjoying a glass of wine at a beachside taverna or trattoria is not an option, bringing some European sunshine to local tables is the next best thing, writes Christine Salins.

M

Image: ArturNyk - Thinkstock

Image: Daniel Sponiar (bottom)

any of the regions in Spain, Italy, France and Greece produce some compelling wines. They are wines shaped by the Mediterranean climate, where cooling sea breezes and moderate summer temperatures allow the grapes to ripen slowly.

This gives the fruit a lightness, brightness and freshness that UK master of wine Janis Robinson has described as a “quintessentially marine Mediterranean quality”.

As Australian consumers become more familiar with varieties like Nebbiolo and Fiano, it’s worth having a look at some of the regions where varieties such as these thrive.

Wines from these regions make great additions to local lists, not only for the interest they add but also because they pair beautifully with the Mediterranean food that is so popular on Australian menus. There’s a natural synergy between these flavours and wine from the same bright, sunny regions.

So what are some Mediterranean wines you might consider when putting together your list?

There are two outstanding wine regions near Barcelona, the first port of call in Spain for many Australians. Penedès and Priorat are known particularly for their reds including Garnacha, Carinena, Monastrell and Tempranillo. One label in particular, Torres, has a very strong presence in the export market.

In Spain, Penedès is also renowned for its cava, sparkling wine produced in the champenoise method. The two biggest production houses are Codorníu and Freixenet, whose wines, including Freixenet’s famous Cordon Negro bubbly, are readily available in Australia.

Lesser known in Australia are wines

hospitalitymagazine.com.au

from Andalusia, where Tempranillo and Mourvèdre (known as Monastrell in Spain) flourish in the regions around Murcia and Valencia.

In France, the Languedoc-Roussillon and Provence regions were once known for bulk wine production but these days the wines are of a higher quality – from sparkling, rosé and fruity whites to flavour-driven reds.

Traditionally, Languedoc-Roussillon produced Carignan, Grenache, Cinsault and Shiraz in reds, but Cabernet and Merlot are becoming more and more common. Chapoutier, a Rhône name that is widely known locally as it has various winery interests in Australia, produces wine from some Roussillon appellations.

Kick back with a glass of Rosé and you may well be in Provence. This charming region of southern France produces refreshing, food-friendly Rosé as well as lively reds such as Grenache, Cinsault, Carignan, Mourvèdre and Shiraz.

On the west coast of Italy, Piedmont, Tuscany and Campania draw on the favourable Mediterranean climate to produce a fine line-up. Piedmont is known for its Nebbiolo, Barbera, Dolcetto, Moscato, Arneis and Cortese.

In Tuscany, Sangiovese is the prized red and Trebbiano the most popular white. Fiano (white) and Aglianico (red) are the flagships in Campania.

Prosecco is the drink of the moment and Australian winemakers are producing some worthy examples, but for the real thing you need to turn to Italy’s Veneto and Friuli Venezia Giulia regions, especially around Conegliano and Valdobbiadene in the hills north of Treviso.

As visitors to the islands of the Mediterranean can attest, many have flourishing wine industries. Sardinia is known for its white Vermentino and red Carigiano and Cannonau.

Wines from Crete, Santorini and Corsica are bright, crisp and full of character, but although Corsica has been growing grapes for hundreds of years, it exports very little wine.

Sicilian wine is more readily available abroad. No doubt you’ve heard of Zibibbo thanks to Brown Brothers popularising the name in Australia.

Sicily’s best known red is Nero d’Avola, reminiscent of Shiraz with its sweet tannins and plum/peppery flavours. Some producers age it in amphora, earthenware jars that have been used in winemaking for thousands of years.

By seeking out some of these wines, sommeliers can add interest to their lists and bring some of the flavours of the Mediterranean to the Australian table.

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TOP & BOTTOM: Milk The Cow (head cheesemonger, Laura Lown).

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TOP & BOTTOM: The Stinking Bishops. Images: Jamie Nimmo

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dairycheese

culture ON BOARD The rising number of venues paying homage to the humble cheeseboard proves that this dairy delight is no longer confined to the after dinner menu. By Brea Carter.

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heese is becoming quite the lucrative offering for today’s food service businesses, with customers flocking to indulge in their favourite varieties at any time of the day, many carefully paired with wines, whisky or even sake.

From an operator’s perspective, the cost-saving opportunities are endless, particularly as product wastage is kept to a minimum.

The retail-dining hybrid The Stinking Bishops in Sydney’s Newtown operates as both a retail cheese shop and a dining destination, and co-founder Jamie Nimmo says the two are equally important.

“We went around Sydney and looked at the experiences being offered by different types of cheese shops and found they either focused on the retail or dining aspect and didn’t really integrate the two.

“We offer something a little different. People are able to walk in and have a look at the fridge, sit down and enjoy a sample and then head back to the fridge and buy some cheese to take home if they please – we allow customers to really indulge in the world of cheese,” he explains.

“We do two, three and four variety cheeseboards as well as customised boards – people can pick any cheese they like, and we can talk them through the different cheeses on offer.”

Cheeseboards aside, the venue also offers a series of meat platters as well as more substantial meals including toasted sandwiches during the day, an English-style pork pie and mac and cheese.

Nimmo and his business partner, Kieran Day carefully crafted their wine list to ensure it can be paired with their cheese offering, and they’ve also been experimenting with whisky.

“We’ve got really light, beautiful drinking reds that are all concentrated on subtle fruit flavours and our white wines aren’t overly strong or too sharp or too dry. I am finding whisky is quite a picky style of matching, and it is usually requested at the end of the night – we’ve noticed the Marcel Petite Comté goes really well with it,” says Nimmo.

Apart from designing its own cheeseboards and customising them to suit each customer, the venue, open until 1am every night, also supplies to bars and restaurants across the city.

“Gin Palace, Bar Ampere and Om Nom Adelphi all buy cheese from us. Our head cheesemonger Laura Lown designs their cheeseboards and changes them however often they like,” he says.

Verheyen also has his hands full managing an expanding catering arm as well as an outdoor events schedule.

“We do a lot of corporate events and wedding cheese towers, and we do outdoor events including the Great Australasian Beer SpecTAPular – bums on seats in the restaurant is just one part of it,” he adds.

The venue itself, situated in St Kilda, stocks around 150 different cheeses. Half of these are from France, a large portion are sourced from other parts of Europe and then there’s smaller sections dedicated to the US and Australia.

“We have a five metre long cabinet which operates as the bar top – the whole idea is to offer artisan cheeses from all around the world,” he says.

Cheese and wine pairings are also available at Milk The Cow, and there’s a focus on teaming particular cheeses with other beverages.

“We do a cheese night for the Belgian Beer Café once a month; we did a tequila pairing one night and we match sake with cheese – that’s probably the one that people are most surprised by, however because sake is a rice wine it goes quite well with cheese,” he explains.

“Cheese lasts for quite some time and it doesn’t necessarily have a use by date.”

Multiple business opportunities While focusing primarily on cheese may on the surface seem restrictive, Daniel Verheyen, the founder and director of Melbourne’s Milk The Cow says this isn’t the case.

The go-to venue for cheese education Wine and cheese pairings are the focus at The Cheese Barrel, which makes perfect business sense considering the venue’s location within Western Australia’s Swan Valley wine region.

“Our aim is to showcase international cheeses and match them to wines that are produced next door at Olive Farm Wines,” says operations manager, David Mullender.

“Most of our cheeses come from places like France, Spain and Italy, and we have a few from Australia, America and England as well. We stock authentic Brie and Camembert, we have authentic Gorgonzola from Italy and Roquefort from France, which has a very long history – it’s thought to be the first blue cheese ever invented.”

Mullender says The Cheese Barrel is particularly unique in that it’s an educational resource for people interested »

Nimmo

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dairycheese

in learning about cheese.

“People can learn all kinds of things about cheeses that they have never heard before, and we have a local cheesemaker who comes in to teach students how to make cheese at home.”

When it comes to sourcing cheese, Mullender says it can be a bit of a balancing act between determining what will sell and what will appeal to the Perth palate.

“I will often speak with our distributors to see what’s new or popular; I will taste the cheeses and then see what I can do with them – I might showcase them on a particular board, substitute some of our other cheeses with them or add a new line in our cheese stock.”

There’s a variety of different cheeseboards on offer, and customisable options are also available.

“We have various themed boards including a Cheddar board, Soft Cheese board and Blue Lovers board and we also have regional boards where we showcase four cheeses from a particular region such as France – they tend to be our more premium boards,” Mullender explains.

What’s trending?

Much to Nimmo and Day’s surprise, washed rind cheeses are proving particularly popular with customers.

“Our distributors told us washed rinds are in decline, but we’re finding that people are requesting the very smelly washed rinds. These include the Affidelice, which is washed in chablis wine, and the Soumaintrain, which is washed in brandy,” says Nimmo.

The Cheese Barrel’s David Mullender agrees. “They are becoming very, very popular. People try them for the first time and want to take some home, and they often request it on their return – washed rinds tend to have quite a pungent aroma but a very creamy, buttery centre,” he explains.

Verheyen says the Epoisse Berthaut cheese, which is also a washed rind, is one of Milk The Cow’s top sellers. “It has a mellow salty flavour and softens dramatically as it ripens.”

Nimmo adds people are increasingly fascinated by unpasteurised cheeses. “The Isle of Mull cheddar and unpasteurised cheddar also seem to be doing really well,” he says.

The wastage factor All three operators agree their businesses are cost-effective to run, particularly as wastage is kept to a minimum.

“The beauty of cheese is that it lasts for quite some time and it doesn’t necessarily have a use by date – a best before is often an indication of when the cheese is coming to its peak or maturity,” says Mullender.

“It means our waste is minimised and people aren’t getting a poor quality cheese, rather they’re getting a much higher quality cheese because it’s closer to its peak or maturity.”

Verheyen praises his highly skilled cheesemongers for their ability to keep wastage down at Milk The Cow. “We have portion control for each flight and each board, however you’re only as good as the team you’ve got – the better cheesemongers know how to curate the cheese and push those cheeses that need to go sooner than others,” he says.

The Stinking Bishops’ primary sellers are cheeseboards, so they don’t get as much wastage as a general deli, Nimmo explains.

“We tend to churn through our product pretty quickly so it doesn’t really affect our margin that much, which is great.”

TOP: The Cheese Barrel.

BOTTOM: Milk The Cow’s five metre long cheese cabinet.

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hospitality | July 2014

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All Round Flexibility

Egmont’s superior taste and melt make it the perfect all-rounder for the kitchen.

For more information, visit fonterrafoodservices.com.au

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Crowds over

CA$H

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hospitality | July 2014

Although crowdfunding is a relatively new concept to the hospitality industry, it’s proving to be a powerful launchpad for savvy entrepreneurs, writes Aoife Boothroyd.

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crowdfunding

Image: Amanda Michetti

Duncan Mccance, Bobby Carey, Jez Spencer & Matt Stone of Stanley Street Merchants.

S

tarting up any new venture can be a daunting process. Not only do you have to perfect a business plan, you also have to source equipment, find a location, conform to relevant legislation and of course, secure funding to make the aforementioned happen.

All of this is enough to quash the dreams of many budding distillers, restaurateurs or indeed any other entrepreneur wanting to get an idea off the ground, however crowdfunding could represent a viable alternative – providing you execute it properly.

For those unfamiliar with the term, crowdfunding essentially provides a platform for people to present their ideas to an engaged online audience, and seeks funding in return for rewards matched to the level of funds pledged. The concept of crowdfunding has been around for a few years within creative fields, but has only recently started to make its way into the hospitality scene.

There are a number of crowdfunding platforms within Australia including Pozible, Indiegogo and the recently launched IconPark. A few notable success stories within the industry include the launch of The Speakeasy Group’s Eau de Vie cocktail book which was made possible via a campaign on Indiegogo last year; not-for-profit hospitality organisation STREAT which was able to fund the opening of a new café in Melbourne’s CBD on the back of a Pozible campaign; innovative cold drip coffee liqueur brand, Mr Black which success-

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fully launched its product on Pozible, and Australia’s first crowdfunded restaurant, Stanley Street Merchants which opened via IconPark.

Hospitality magazine recently caught up with chef Matt Stone of Stanley St Merchants and Tom Baker, co-founder of Mr Black to chat about their experience with crowdfunding.

IconPark, which is set up as a crowdfunding competition platform, accepts concepts from food and beverage professionals and uploads the concept to its online crowdfunding platform. The concept that receives the most support from the ‘crowd’ wins the right to trade at the IconPark location, (Stanley St, East Sydney) fully funded for a three month period.

Stanley St Merchants was the first concept to win the opportunity to trade at the IconPark venue, and according to Stone, the response generated from the platform has been fantastic.

“We’re extremely busy … We are full most nights and cooking quite late. We are really solid for lunch and breakfast, and coffee is doing really well. We’ve really hit the ground running.”

Completely new to the concept of crowdfunding, Stone says that he was amazed at how much faith people were willing to put into a concept before it had actually been launched.

“It’s been a very interesting process.

To get such a following of people willing to invest their own money into something before there is actually a concept in place is very interesting. »

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“It was very interesting to see how much faith people put in us before we had actually done anything.”

In terms of whether he himself would consider using crowdfunding to launch a concept in the future, Stone isn’t entirely sure, however he says that it provides an ideal platform for those looking to break out in the industry.

“I’m not that technologically savvy and there’s quite a lot of IT work involved in stuff like that,” says Stone.

“But I would suggest that it’s not a bad idea or a bad option for others, for sure.

“I think for people that don’t have as much experience, knowledge or connections in the industry, it’s definitely a good option to look at … I think it’s definitely a great way to give people who wouldn’t normally have the opportunity, the opportunity to open a bar or restaurant.”

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Tom Baker, founder of cold drip coffee liqueur brand, Mr Black says that crowdfunding is all about the crowd – not so much the funding.

“I find myself saying this so many times but it’s not just about the money,” says Baker. “The money does help but it’s very much about connecting with the community before you launch, that’s the number one reason to do it.”

Coming from a design background, Baker has been long acquainted with the concept of crowdfunding, and says there are a number of fundamental elements that determine the success of a campaign, including a unique offering, genuine audience engagement and a passion for thinking outside the box.

“The reason why we crowdfunded was because we are not just another boring craft gin brand … we make a coffee liquor which is a bit odd – not many people get home from work and feel like a coffee liqueur, and so for us it was just really important to be different,” says Baker.

“I come from an innovation background and I’ve spent my career forcing brands to do things differently, and I was like ‘Well hold on, we’ve got a really good product here, a world class product that people don’t really drink… how are we going to connect this product – being a tiny little company with no marketing budget – with the type of people that really dig that sort of thing?’ And obviously, crowdfunding was perfect for that.”

Baker says that crowdfunding enables people to tap into an engaged, more progressive and design-conscious consumer – those that would be inclined to

Matt Stone

“If we wanted to be the same as everyone else we would make a craft gin and buy an ad in Vogue magazine.” appreciate concepts that stand out from the norm. Best of all these consumers, as Baker discovered, are exceptionally loyal.

“After Pozible they [the supporters] weren’t really our Pozible supporters anymore, they were our first fans. They were our first consumer advocates that went and told their mates. I get people emailing me, people who we have sold booze to nine months ago, that are still around. They are still the same people that like the pictures on Facebook, they are the same people at events, and they are still the same ones spreading the good word about Mr Black … They are the people that like what we are doing and there are thousands of them now, and you know, it all started from that one Pozible campaign.”

Baker says that while crowdfunding provides a great platform to generate cash for your idea, it shouldn’t be the sole motivator for engaging in the medium. According to Baker, meaningful conversations and audience engagement should be

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crowdfunding

In reference to the hospitality sector, Baker believes the reason crowdfunding hasn’t been taken up at the same rate as it has in other fields is simply because there hasn’t been a real need for it.

“Hospitality hasn’t really needed to get involved in crowdfunding like some of the more creative industries have.

That doesn’t mean food and hospitality shouldn’t do it – it is all powerful when they do – it’s just that there hasn’t been a pressing need.”

PROFESSIONALS A COMPLETE RANGE OF PRODUCTS for hospitality professionals!

People don’t buy your product, they buy the concept

the basis of any crowdfunding campaign.

“There really is no reason not to use crowdfunding if you are going into it for the right reasons. If you are going into it because you really want to connect with people and have meaningful discussions with the right kind of people early on, then it’s great. But if you are going in on it just for the cash – I mean don’t get me wrong the cash helps – but it’s definitely the conversations that you have with people right from the get-go that really matter.”

Passion and persistence For Baker, Mr Black started off as a passion project. Having been aware of crowdfunding for some time, he figured that starting a campaign on Pozible would be the best way to get the product off the ground. The only problem was that at that stage, crowdfunding alcohol was not permitted.

“You weren’t actually allowed to crowdfund booze on Pozible … it was one of their regulations so I got in touch with them and subsequently had to work through quite a number of regulatory hurdles and then there were licencing considerations such as selling booze online and a whole lot of things that we had to take into account, such as delivery.

“But it allowed us to be the first alcohol brand in the world to use crowdfunding to ship booze, and for me personally, I quite like that badge.”

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Baker says that another element budding crowdfunders need to take into account is that the audience is not necessarily looking for something tangible after donating. What they are interested in is how and why you want to make your concept come to life.

“People don’t actually buy your product, they buy why you are doing it.

People come online, they see your video and they are like, ‘Wow these guys are trying to do something different, I respect that.’

“When you throw your product up and you make some money then leave, you might get some cash in your back pocket but you’re definitely not getting the most benefit out of it. People definitely buy why you do it, not the product.

“People eat with their eyes and drink with their eyes and shop with their eyes.

I mean there are no secrets to getting people to buy stuff, other than your product needs to look and feel beautiful and aspirational. What I found absolutely outstanding was that we sold 550 bottles online and no one had actually tried our product. People were literally buying it based on looks.”

One last tip that Baker says paved the way for Mr Black’s success was simply being brave enough to challenge the status quo.

“You know if we wanted to be the same as everyone else we would make a craft gin and buy an ad in Vogue magazine,” he says.

“We are up against big brands that are hundreds of years old, with millions of dollars behind them … so for us, crowdfunding was really the best option. It got us noticed, and it continues to get us into the hands of a really progressive community, so if you are a challenger brand, or you are really trying to push something different, then crowdfunding is perfect.”

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2.

FORM

4.

3.

FUNCTION

Sometimes put in the too hard (or perhaps the too expensive) basket, the design of your food service venue can leave a lasting impression on diners, reports Danielle Bowling.

1.

I

n today’s crowded hospitality market, finding a point of difference is harder than ever for business operators. It’s near impossible to predict what Australia’s fickle diners will be craving next: is Korean the next big thing? Are burgers on the way out? Will the popularity of share plates ever subside? There is one thing, however, that restaurant owners can be confident of – diners will always want to feel comfortable; they’ll always crave a memorable experience when eating out. And that’s where a venue’s design comes into play.

It might have a very subliminal effect on a dining experience, but the design of a venue and the ambience it creates go a long way in enticing guests in the door, delivering an enjoyable experience while they’re there, and ensuring they return another day.

Regardless of your budget or whether or not you decide to employ third parties

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to assist with the creation and design of your new business, Paul Papadopoulos from creative agency DS17 says having a detailed brief is imperative. Operators need to understand what the business’ concept is, and how it will be conveyed.

“We can be as creative as possible, but if we haven’t got a distinct brief and budget direction, then we can’t really start to put pen to paper,” he told Hospitality. “Everything is driven by a brief or a budget. It’s about the menu, the style, the direction. For example, it could be Chinese, but it could be street food, it could be fine dining, it could be mid-range, it could be yum cha. It’s very important to get a clear message from the outset to understand how to pitch the design and the look.”

DS17 has worked on a number of popular hospitality venues both here and abroad, including Sydney’s Greek

restaurant, Alpha, China Republic in World Square (which boasts a $6.5 million fit-out), the Meat and Wine Co in Darling Harbour and the Intercontinental Hotel in Sydney.

Work performed by agencies like DS17 doesn’t start and stop with the physical structure of a business; they oversee the creation of a concept right from inception to marketing.

“Ultimately, we’re producing a brand, a concept, and you want to carry that right from the way the message is portrayed through the name, the business cards, the level of lighting, the beautiful music, the uniform designs, the plateware – crockery and cutlery. We get into all those aspects,” he says.

And while elements like staff uniforms and menu design are hugely important in creating ambience and defining a venue’s offering, operators need to get the basics

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restaurantdesign

7.

1, 7, 9. China Republic, Sydney 2. Esquire, Brisbane Image: Roger D’Souza 3. Inbound Cafe Sydney 4, 5, 6, 10. Top Paddock, Richmond Images: Albert Comper 8. Alpha, Sydney 11. Deba Sushi, South Yarra

8.

5.

6.

right before they delve into the finer details.

“The old method of form follows function still applies,” insists Papadopoulos.

“It can look good, but if it doesn’t work, it’s useless. That comes down to planning and making sure that you get the fundamentals right. Where is my host? How do I enter? Where do I meet? Where’s the bar positioned? Where’s the kitchen? How do I get out? And where do my deliveries come from, so no one sees that? … All of these little things play a big, big part.”

Stop and shop Perhaps the most important thing for an operator to consider before kicking off the design process is the business’ entrance, Papadopoulos says. There’s no point having a well designed restaurant floor and a crystal clear concept if no one bothers to walk in the door.

“I’ve got the stop and shop mental-

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ity in design. And what does that mean?

What makes me stop before I shop? It’s the same principle as a nice dress in a window or a pair of shoes that make you stop before you go in to buy them or ask about the price. It’s about what makes me feel comfortable, and that’s a really clear message that we need to ascertain when we’re doing a design,” he says.

Susan Standring, who heads up the hospitality sector globally at design practice Hassell, agrees and reiterates that having a detailed brief is a must.

“I think it’s about establishing the curiosity to enter; it draws people in.

So depending on what the offer is, if it’s very exposed and very transparent, if it’s welcoming you in it means you have to have something quite visual inside that you can see from the outside to draw you through. But if you want something

“I want things to look beautiful but there’s no point them looking beautiful if they don’t function well.”

that’s quite mysterious and evocative, it’s got to have that sense of theatre [to it].”

It’s not just the entryway for diners that needs to be given serious thought, Standring says. Staff and suppliers also need to be provided with a design that makes sense and is easy to negotiate.

“So we look at access into the venue, guest access, but then there’s also the service aspect. What you don’t want to be doing is bringing all the ingredients and goods through the front door, so it’s about locating the kitchens, looking at the services and then looking at the structure.

“Obviously the function has to work, because if the space isn’t working effectively for the chef and his people – the waiters and waitresses – then it will be conveyed in their service, so I guess the functional planning is really imperative in a space,” says Standring.

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restaurantdesign

Pared back, the new black?

There’s no denying that the pared back, industrial look is an extremely popular design theme in the hospitality industry at the moment, characterised by exposed brick work and lighting, bare tables and the “relifing” of materials, as Standring describes it.

She says this style involves embracing “an honest palette” when it comes to materials, with timber, concrete and stone commonly used. And while this can be a cost effective theme to pursue, operators need to be aware of the impact the pared back look can have on other design elements.

“One of the things that people tend to forget with the pared back look and materials is the acoustics. Because they’re just using hard finishes, there are some venues that I’ve been in where you can’t hear yourself think. You can’t talk and it doesn’t encourage you to linger. It’s like ‘I just want to eat and I want to leave.

I don’t want to buy more wine or have dessert, I just want to get out of here.’”

Alongside acoustics, Standring says lighting is one of the most important, yet cost effective, elements of a design.

“It can create theatre and it can create calmness in a space. It’s quite effective and I think it’s something people tend to overlook a lot. So if you look at a space and you have different light environments it completely changes the mood and the emotion that it evokes.”

A unique perspective Winner of the Best Café Design award at the 2013 Eat-Drink-Design awards, Top Paddock café in Victoria’s Richmond is owned by Nathan Toleman, who is also founder of Nathan Toleman Design and Construction.

With a thorough understanding of not only how to run a foodservice business, but also how to make it look and work well, Toleman says he wanted to make Top Paddock something unique.

“We wanted to create a new category. It’s very easy to replicate the industrial [look], and you can almost get that without using an architect – exposed brickwalls and exposed lightbulbs, that kind of thing … we wanted to create a new look that wasn’t as easy to recreate, with more layers and textures,” he says.

This was particularly challenging given the size of the space: Top Paddock is over 400 square metres and seats 160.

“We generally try to break the café up into sections so it doesn’t feel too cavernous,” he says. “We had to make

it feel intimate and broken up without it being like you’re sitting in a basketball court, so by doing that we created different layers and levels, and the idea was to put the coffee bar in the middle and have different zones around that.”

Rather than giving top priority to the aesthetics of the space, Toleman’s first mission when getting Top Paddock off the ground was to give thought to those elements of the business that customers tend not to consider.

“First we always think about the stuff that the customers don’t see … So we put the kitchen in an area where there’s the least visible outlook; you’re not going to give the kitchen the north facing view looking out onto the street, that’s where the customer would want to be.

“We also like to make it so every single seat has something to look at, so it’s not like there are 25 great seats and 15 dodgy seats that are near the toilets. We like to shield unsightly things or move them into an area where people won’t be exposed to them as much.”

Toleman also gives a lot of attention to his staff and how they’ll move around the space. “We try to allocate about 20 percent of the space to back of house.

We realise the importance of having a big kitchen or a kitchen that can cope with that number of seats,” he says.

Breaking up the front of house into separate zones also gives floor staff a clear understanding of their responsibilities, and allows the business to shut off sections on a quiet night without it looking empty. It also helps to deliver the best possible service to diners.

“Generally the cafes that are run really well are the ones where you don’t feel like you’re being asked by 10 different waiters if you’d like to order a coffee. [When] the same waiter looks after you, they know what you’re doing, they know you’ve had a coffee or that you’ve already eaten. Some people actually over-service and overservice is worse than no service,” he says.

Toleman believes too many operators insist on fitting as many seats as they can into their venue, sacrificing both form and function. The key, he insists, is to find the perfect balance of both.

“I think you’ve got to really put your architect’s cap on and look at it from a designer’s point of view. I want things to look beautiful but there’s no point them looking beautiful if they don’t function well. There’s definitely a fine line between too much form and too much function. I guess you’ve got to put yourself in the space before you go all out and do it.”

9.

ELEMENTS OF A GOOD DESIGN BRIEF SITE What are the opportunities & constraints of the site?

EXISTING CONDITIONS What can be retained and reused?

CLIENT OBJECTIVES What is my vision for the project?

KEY COMPETITORS Who are my key competitors?

10.

TARGET MARKET Who are my key customers?

REQUIREMENTS Do I need permits for the project?

EQUIPMENT What equipment do I need?

SEATING How much seating do I need?

PROJECT CONTACTS Who are the key contacts for the project?

TIMING When do I need to trade by?

11.

Source: ZWEI Interiors Architecture

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Food truck figures

It looks like Sydney’s food trucks are here to stay, but what are the costs for operators, and how will they affect nearby businesses?

By Jasmine O’Donoghue.

‘SYDNEY FOOD TRUCK TRIAL EVALUATION’

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Setup costs

tend to be around

Weekly operating costs between

$100 -

$150K

$1K -

$5K

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Image: Sharon Hickey

F

ing n

ood trucks hit Sydney streets in May 2012 for a two year trial after the City of Sydney realised a need for better late night high quality food options. Following the trial, in March the council decided to make the trucks a permanent fixture and issue permits to up to 50 operators over the next two years, at an increased fee.

Lana Zegura, food trucks program manager, says the trial fee of $300 was based on ice-cream trucks, where food safety is less of a concern than with other food items. The trucks are now required to pay as much as $16,830, in order to operate in high and low traffic sites and street vending, plus an additional $2,000 refundable bond. The council says the fee changes are due to the infrastructure provided for the food trucks at trading sites, access to a food truck app and website and an outdoor dining fee.

The fee structure is split up into three sections: ‘street vending only’ at a cost of $4,000, ‘low demand sites and street vending’ for $9,350 and the most expensive ‘high and low sites and street vending’ permit for $16,830.

Unsurprisingly, many of the food trucks which participated in the trial have opted for the cheaper permits.

Stephanie Raco, co-founder of Cantina Movil says the fee changes make it less worthwhile to be part of the development application (DA) sites, which only those paying the highest fee have access to.

“As wonderful as the DA sites were, it is a cost that we don’t actually feel is necessary to our business moving forward. We do so many different events and street trading and different corporate gigs that we’ve built up over the two years we’ve been trading,” Raco says.

Cantina Movil will instead move towards areas that don’t require the higher level of licencing such as sporting events, concerts and their regular street-trading spot at Barangaroo.

“Places that don’t require us to have that greater level of licencing really keep the wheels turning on our business.

They’re not necessarily more successful, but they have less risk because [at] the DA sites you are relying on the passer-by traffic whereas [at] other organisations it’s not just passer-by traffic, but tens of thousands of people that are attending events.

It becomes a completely differently ball game.”

The Agape Organic food truck is one of the few food trucks that will be sticking around at the DA sites, with the rest of the sites likely to be filled by new trucks.

Simon Lawson, owner and executive chef of Agape Organic Restaurant and Bar and Agape Organic food truck, sees the fee increase as an investment into what the City of Sydney Council has done already, and a way of supporting the initiative.

“It was a fair chunk of money to pay at once, but I understand that the City of Sydney invested a lot into it. If you

Turnover

$5K $10K per week

break it down and do a weekly [assessment], it is quite fair.

Without City of Sydney giving this initiative, we wouldn’t have food trucks in Sydney. It has spawned a whole new industry and I think it’s the most exciting thing to happen in Sydney hospitality-wise in years,” Lawson says.

The success of the food trucks has spread to other councils, with trucks operating in Warringah and Parramatta.

Raco says the fee structure is “significantly less” at Warringah, and that a fee structure is yet to be discussed at other councils.

The City of Sydney Council is asking other councils to consider allowing food trucks to trade across borders if they already have a Sydney permit, in order to relieve other council’s staff and resources of any extra burden.

But what is being done to protect standalone business owners, who also have significant operating costs and a huge amount of competitors all vying for the same dollar?

The City of Sydney Council specifies that “no Mobile Food Vending Vehicle is to trade within 50m of an existing trading takeaway food or drink premises open for business that is serving the same or similar food types.”

The food truck vendors who spoke with Hospitality magazine said they understand the reasons for the rule, but argued that trucks enhance certain areas by ‘activating’ spaces.

Both Cantina Movil and Agape Organic said the trucks help spur healthy competition, which is likely to bring a higher standard of product and service to Sydney.

Bar H in Surry Hills operates a short walk from Belmore Park – where food trucks host ‘Food Trucks United’ on Friday nights, but Bar H chef Hamish Ingham does not see it as a concern.

“I don’t think food trucks affect us at all; it’s a totally different kind of market. We’re not really competing against them. The food is very street-food orientated and they’re customer experience is very different. They come to us and they have a sit down, have nice wine, they’re not standing at a window getting a quick snack. If a truck parked directly out the front and people crowd around, it might block the entrance to my restaurant, which is more of a concern, not that they were going to take customers away,” Ingham says.

Ingham echoes the opinion of food truck operators, emphasising that they help generate nightlife. “It’s quite a nice atmosphere and that brings people to a destination,” he says.

The initiative is set to gradually expand, with the council predicting it will take a couple of years to get 50 trucks on the road.

“It’s a very long process to get a food truck up and running so I don’t expect to be flooded with applications at the moment,” Lana Zegura, food trucks program manager says. “I think it’s going to take a long time to get lots on the road but hopefully we’ll see two or three pop up in the next few months.”

Staff numbers

from

3-27 Source: Woolcott Research - Oct 2013 | Infographic: Michael Bevan

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industryobserver

Lesson E A DERSHIP

There’s more to being an effective leader than yelling out directives from the pass. Your respect needs to be earned, writes our Industry Observer

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Authentic leadership Be yourself. It is important that you do not present a veneer of authenticity; you need to show the ‘true you’ and be prepared for the consequences of that.

If you are not happy with the real you and how that projects to others, perhaps the need for change lies within. However, followers will be much more inclined to buy into the culture that an authentic leader is trying to establish as they can be believed.

Honesty is the top ranked trait expected in leaders.

Transformational not transactional Lead with purpose, inspire your followers and be a great communicator. Most ‘silos’ are created by weak managers who cannot articulate their plan.

Add value to your organisation and lead your team – don’t just manage them. Managing involves dealing with the issues they bring to you, leading sets their direction. Be brave.

Positive organisational behaviour Get the best from your team by building on their strengths and working with them to achieve reachable goals – you will find that their success brings confidence and satisfaction which will in turn provide a platform for greater success.

It is easier to get skills to go from good to great than from poor to satisfactory, so focus on the positives and use them to build confidence.

There is a massive amount spent every year (in the billions in the US) trying to identify and train leaders and yet this does not seem to have had much impact on whether or not they exist, nor has it transpired that there are more leaders for the investment.

The reason why might be that the situations tend to be as great a determinant on the leaders as the leaders are on the organisation.

Churchill often said that he would not have been as effective or prominent without Hitler, and the race riots of the 1960s made a national leader out of Martin Luther King. Consider the circumstances within your own business, what kind of leader you are to your ‘followers’ and how you can improve.

The most critical leadership skill of all is listening; it shows respect to your team and your clients, and enables you to be in possession of information. Use it wisely…

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Image: jocic - Thinkstock

If success can be delivered using positive organisational behaviours then it’s worth considering some of the available options in order to provide balance to this commonplace KPI culture. It can be worthwhile to utilise an online tool to establish your own personal character strengths (easiest done through a free website like www.viacharacter.org) as I fig-

ure that if you want to lead others, it’s a reasonable idea to have an understanding of who you are. You are then able to tailor your leadership style to your strengths.

The service industry is seen by many within it as unique and with special ‘rules’ – as though the things that occur in the provision of hospitality give an allowance for certain behaviour. This is simply not true, as you will find many of the challenges faced by hospitality mirrored in other environments. The sales industry that services the hospitality industry can provide a crossover for many who tire of the weekends and nights and yearn for a more ‘normal’ life. The next step is then the most interesting – what of your previous skills and experience can you bring and add value to your organisation, and will you cope with the different leadership models you now face? I know that I struggled from time to time.

Here are what current management theory sees as important in being effective as a leader:

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W

e are subject to any number of different leaders over our working lives, from those in the home, to the workplace and on to politics. Each of them has an impact on the way we then choose to lead or be led.

We develop a preferred leadership style based on the influence of the traits and learned behaviours that are intrinsically ours. Finally comes the situation that will ultimately decide the way we respond and our success or otherwise.

When you reach a certain age, you get the opportunity to reflect on these factors and how you have performed in any number of situations. Often people find their harshest critic lies within, yet while we cannot change history (although a few try) an amount of reflection can provide an important guide to how you would deal with similar situations in the future.

In order to qualify as a leader, you need followers – and, as they are expensive to recruit and train, treat them well. Sadly HR departments usually insist that we use the tool of KPIs as a business personnel controller. While we need to drive accountability in organisations, KPIs drive two separate problems in regard to how we lead: 1. They focus on negative aspects of behaviour that ‘need improvement.’

2. They can deliver a culture of blame instead of one of accountability, as in “That is not one of my KPIs and therefore not my responsibility.”

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O

nce upon a time … but this is no fairy story; there really was a plush and revered dining venue in Melbourne, much admired by its somewhat restricted clientele, where the entire menu was in French. It was not a French restaurant as such. Many of the dishes were not especially Gallic in content or composition and the diners were more likely to come from Caulfield than Cannes and be about as conversant with the language as an illiterate Inuit.

And so the first duty of the formally attired waiters, safely assumed to hail from Murrumbeena rather than Montmartre, was to translate back into Oz English what a few hours earlier someone had painstakingly transformed from the chef’s notes into something resembling the carte at a banquet in the Elysee Palace.

It was pure theatre and everyone played their role to the full. And once the ritual was done, the diners and staff got down to basics and orders were processed for onion soup, steak and chips and apple tart with not another foreign word being spoken.

Thankfully, such places and their formal processes have largely disappeared. They were good at the time though hardly in the realms of haute cuisine. They provided plush and gloss and glamour and a prissily polished performance that made dining out a memorable occasion, even if the food was little better than what a competent home cook could rustle up.

Now we have gone to the other extreme where everyone makes an effort to

Tony Berry

“Staff are so casual in dress and manner that it is hard to differentiate them from their scruffy customers.”

dress down rather than up. Staff are so casual in dress and manner that it is hard to differentiate them from their scruffy customers. Surroundings are generally a melange of king-size garden shed, an industrial site and a garage workshop.

And, as if to emphasise the “anything goes” total informality that now rules, chefs have gone berserk in creating dishes where mayhem of looks and ingredients have become the priority.

But one aspect of the formal past remains: the language of the menu.

Where once we had impenetrable French needing to be translated by waiting staff, we now have descriptive prose urgently in need of an accompanying glossary.

A puck of protein is served on a nest of wild grasses drizzled by a froth of honeyed glaze – not a genuine quote, admittedly, but making as much sense as what is now the norm. No longer do we have a sauce, and certainly not something as honest as a gravy, but everything comes with a jus. And every plate is smeared (so reminiscent of kindergarten daubs) by the mutilated remains of a mashed-up vegetable.

Foams have become almost obligatory as if by trying to replicate what Ferran Adria, Heston and their ilk have introduced, similar fame and fortune will follow. But repetition and duplication rarely succeed; they merely lead to a proliferation that reduces everyone to the same level – and bores the customer to tears.

The language now being used to describe these fanciful creations belongs more in the rarefied world of avant-garde art galleries than on a restaurant menu.

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A serve of simplicity,

PLEASE

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They are becoming impenetrable, incomprehensive and, above all, meaningless.

There is no place on menus, or on plates, for the drizzles, towers, swirls, nests, crumbs, powders and all the rest of this garrulous gallimaufry – a word from the French that adequately sums up so much of what diners are being hoodwinked into thinking is quality modern cuisine.

The height of all pretentiousness, however, is reached with the universal determination to deconstruct. Is there a dish remaining that some misguided chef has not taken completely apart and then littered our plates with its components arrayed in some pseudo meaningful fashion? It is as if some demented watchmaker has decided to prise open a Georgian fob watch to show its intricate mechanism, scattered it out on his bench and left it to the apprentice to reassemble.

I do not want my tarte tatin spread out as pastry, fruit and syrup with a “foam” of cream on the side. Nor do I wish to see my beef wellington as bits of meat and crust and stuffing no doubt set in a pool of a fruity jus. This craze has gone to ridiculous extremes. If you, as a chef, cannot be bothered to prepare and cook a tarte tatin, why bother going to the trouble of presenting it to diners as bits and pieces as if you have created some culinary marvel?

Meanwhile, stop deconstructing (i.e. reinterpreting) the language in order to fool and bedazzle the punters. It results only in confusion and disappointment.

Perhaps that plush old Melbourne establishment wasn’t so bad after all. At least staff and diners knew what was on their plates.

Fine diner numbers might be dwindling, but our menus are still impenetrable, incomprehensive and above all, meaningless, writes Tony Berry.

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Image: Stuart Scott (1), Blink Productions (5)

Food safety information diners are hungry for...

Your guests are more switched on than you realise when it comes to food safety. Be ready for their questions, writes Ken Burgin.

T

he interested public can handle more, not less information about food safety. The best restaurants will not wait for government; they will go ahead and make their food safety practices available in a variety of media and Ken Burgin brag about them.” That’s the opinion of Dr Douglas Powell, a former professor of food safety at Kansas State University, now living in Australia.

We talked recently for a podcast interview, and he had some interesting observations about how he as a consumer would like more information and reassurance about the food he eats at a cafe, a restaurant or even a community sausage sizzle. He said: “When I order meat and the server asks how I would like it done, I always say ‘At the appropriate temperature.’ Only once over the past decade has a server been able to say, ‘We can do that,’ and pulled out a tip-sensitive digital thermometer. I have returned to that establishment.

“If the restaurant or market advertises its food as local or sustainable, organic, natural or ‘GM-free’, I ask, ‘How is that verified? Is there any testing for microbial food safety?’ Bringing soil-covered vegetables into the kitchen might be great for Instagram, but it’s an opportunity for bugs and bacteria to enter what should be a sterile environment.”

Inspection reports are only a snapshot of a particular day, but patterns can be detected over time. Recurring problems mean diners will go somewhere else.

When diners ask to take leftovers home, does the restaurant take the remains to the kitchen (bad) or bring a clamshell to the table (good)? What about some food safety stickers on that clamshell with date, time and reheating guidelines? It’s not hard to do with a word document and a box of address labels.

A restaurant that cares about food safety will

have its own auditors and secret diners to ensure that what management says is happening with front-line servers is actually happening.

Does management provide food safety information so front-line servers can at least attempt to answer basic food safety questions?

Most food safety training is forgotten as soon as the student leaves the classroom. Powell finds that putting up dramatic ‘Infosheets’ is effective. You can download and print more from the Barfblog.

Is there equipment for proper hand washing? Vigorously running water, soap and paper towels? Hot air hand dryers are not a substitute for disposable towels.

Are steps taken to prevent cross-contamination? Separate utensils and storage for cooked and raw food is basic practice, but not for some operators. “‘What’s in that dip?’ has become my standard question at many Australian restaurants,” said Powell. “Usually they use raw eggs, and the outbreaks keep piling up.

I choose something else.”

Raw produce is problematic. Does that sandwich have raw sprouts?

Where did that lettuce or spinach come from? Was it grown with good agricultural practices, because washing ain’t going to do much. This is a challenge for the fans of ‘paddock to plate’ – it should not mean ignore the cleaning.

Are employees vaccinated against Hepatitis A? Do employees work when they are sick with norovirus – it happens every week somewhere in the US. It’s easy for Australian businesses to become complacent about ‘overseas’ problems.

Does the restaurant welcome questions and support disclosure systems?

“That’s a lot of questions when I just want to go out on the town with my youngest daughter, but I ask these routinely and learn a lot,” says Powell.

Curiosity has its benefits.

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“Most food> safety training is forgotten as soon as the student leaves the classroom”

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1. Warming soup for the cooler months Three flavours comprise Maggi’s new Premium Soup Mix range: Thai Pumpkin, Italian Style Minestrone and Noodle and Sweet Corn. Each is thick in texture, includes freezedried vegetables and is said to be flavoursome with a homemade taste. The soups are packaged in pre-portioned pouch-style bags, and once combined with water each makes three litres, or 11 servings of soup. The soups take between five and 15 minutes to prepare – once the water is added simply whisk and simmer. They can be kept in a stock pot or soup kettle for up to four hours.

Visit www.magggi-professional. com.au

2. Portion controlled muesli Each portion controlled 50g packet of The Muesli breakfast cereal contains four dessert spoonfuls – the amount required to stave off

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hunger until lunchtime. The Muesli Classic and Gluten Free varieties contain ingredients including oats, nuts and seeds, which offer a combination of nutrients, good fats, protein and fibre. Individual portion packs can be stocked in hotels, meanwhile three and five kilogram products are available for cafes and restaurants.

See www.themuesli.com.au

3. Small batch rum Following the success of its Master Distillers’ Collection (MDC), the Bundaberg Distilling Co has launched a new range, Bundaberg MDC Small Batch Rum. The spirit is aged with rich rum reserves and matured in sweet cognac and brandy barrels, and it’s crafted by award-winning blenders in the Master Distillers Collective. Each batch includes only 30,000 bottles, which are 700ml and 40 percent ABV. See www.bundabergrumshowcase. com.au

6 4. Master the art of Brazilian style BBQ Scheer brand commercial Brazilian and Argentinean style churrasco grills, parilla grills and charcoalfired steak grills are now available in Australia through Brazilian Style Imports. They can be used to cook Brazilian, Argentinean, Uruguayan, Greek, Middle Eastern, Korean and Japanese style cuisine including true wood and charcoal flame-grilled steaks, burgers, ribs, whole and half pigs and pork belly. Customers can choose from 13 to more than 150 skewer units, and charcoal as well as gas fired options.

Visit www.brazilianstylefoods.com.au

5. Unpasteurised craft beer Coopers has added a new premium craft beer variety to its Thomas Coopers Selection: Artisan Reserve Pilsner. The unpasteurised beer contains four hop varieties, two of which are sourced from Bavaria in

Germany – Hallertau Tradition and Hallertau Hersbrucker. On first taste the product is said to exude citrus, lime and orange peel flavours, followed by a crisp, clean palate with balanced malt character.

Head to www.coopers.com.au for more information.

6. Paleo friendly banana bread Paleo Instinct has released a banana bread product that complies with the paleo diet; it’s made from banana, almond meal, organic coconut oil, organic coconut sugar, vanilla extract, organic apple cider vinegar, cinnamon and Celtic sea salt and is free from gluten, grains, dairy, refined sugar and preservatives. The product can be delivered to cafes in either a pre-sliced, individually packaged state or as un-sliced whole loaves. The banana bread has a shelf life of four days.

Check out www.facebook.com/ paleoinstinct

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hospitalitydiary JULY 10-13, Decor + Design Show Informa Exhibitions is unveiling a new look ‘Decor + Design Show’ at Furnitex, Australia’s largest furniture and furnishings trade fair, at the Melbourne Exhibition Centre. The exhibition will show case an array of high-end designers in interiors and furnishings as well as the International Industry Seminar Series. www.decordesignshow.com.au

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Truffle Melbourne, July 11-`13

AUGUST 26-28, Australian HACCP conference Attendees can attend more than 20 food safety presentations by industry leaders at this year’s HACCP conference in Sydney.

The three-day conference will include the 21st Annual HACCP Awards, food safety workshops, networking opportunities and

the chance to meet with and gain insight from food safety exhibitors www.haccptown.com.au/Australia/ html/conference.htm

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11-13, Truffle Melbourne Truffle Melbourne will celebrate all things truffle, as well as Australia becoming the world’s fourth largest truffle producer (after France, Italy and Spain).

Key features include truffle tasting plates by the festival’s executive chef, Phillipe Mouchel, truffle inspired dishes served by Melbourne’s food trucks and truffle tales from Australia’s best growers. www.trufflemelbourne.com

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