Hospitality Magazine December 2012 - January 2013

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No.690 December 2012 - January 2013

hospitalitymagazine.com.au

foodservice

accommodation

beverage

management

Frying up savings Tips for better, cheaper ways to fry

Pizza power Passion and quest for authenticity drives pizza evolution

Cheap labour?

Avoiding penalties with foreign hires

Vegging

out

Print Post Approved PP349181/00109

Vegetables take centre stage for creative chefs

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ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Martin Sinclair martin.sinclair@reedbusiness.com.au Ph: (02) 9422 2607

Editor’s Note

EDITOR Rosemary Ryan Ph: (02) 9422 2880 rosemary.ryan@reedbusiness.com.au JOURNALIST Danielle Bowling Ph: (02) 9422 2667 danielle.bowling@reedbusiness.com.au CONTRIBUTORS Christine Salins Ken Burgin Tony Berry ADVERTISING NATIONAL Rhonnie Merry Ph: (02) 9422 2481 Fax: (02) 9422 2863 rhonnie.merry@reedbusiness.com.au GRAPHIC DESIGNER Ronnie Lawrence Ph: (02) 9422 2741 PRODUCTION CO-ORDINATOR Laura Panameno Ph: (02) 9422 8772 laura.panameno@reedbusiness.com.au PRODUCTION DIRECTOR Troy Stevens Ph: (02) 9422 8748 SUBSCRIPTIONS Ph: 1300 360 126 ONE YEAR: $132.00 incl GST TWO YEARS: $220.00 incl GST

that reflected how tough the game can be. And we’ve seen further consolidation of large hospitality companies opening multiple outlets to appeal to a range of markets.

In the accommodation sector as well there’s been plenty of colour and movement with new hotels opening and major investment by some of the biggest players in multi-million dollar makeovers and rebrandings.

It’s been a big year for pubs too with a market that’s traditionally been

“AND so this is Christmas and what have you done.

Another year over...” and so on. Yes here we are with our last issue for the year and of course, like everyone else, wondering where the hell the year went.

But this year seems to have shot past more quickly I think because of how flat out the Australian hospitality industry has been.

It’s been an overwhelmingly eventful year with intense activity around new restaurant openings, as well as some spectacular closures

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4 News

12 Mystery diner

The year that was. Industry leaders look back on 2012 and ahead.

Melbourne’s iconic Il Bacaro reviewed.

13 Imbibe 8 Openings

What would be your all time favourite wine?

Three top sommeliers show you theirs.

Latest restaurant arrivals opening their doors.

23 Burgin

Cheap foreign labour?

Think again.

Top tips for working smarter in 2013.

10 Secret ingredients 25 Shelfspace

Q&A with pastry chef extraordinaire Anna Polyviou.

Latest new products on the market.

Features 14 Vegging out Chefs making vegetables the hero of the plate.

18 Pizza the action There’s a pizza evolution happening.

21 Fry up the savings Expert tips for extending the life of your very valuable cooking oil. Your bottom line will love you!

ON THE COVER:

hospitalitymagazine.com.au

foodservice

accommodation

beverage

management

Frying up savings Tips for better, cheaper ways to fry

Pizza power Passion and quest for authenticity drives pizza evolution

Cheap labour?

Avoiding penalties with foreign hires

Average Net Distribution Period ending September 12 13,959

hospitalitymagazine.com.au

Rosemary Ryan

No.690 December 2012 - January 2013

Printed by GEON 181 Forster Rd, Mount Waverly, Melbourne, VIC 3149, Australia Ph: (03) 9538 9999

Vegging

out

Vegetables take centre stage for creative chefs Print Post Approved PP349181/00109

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.

well, as operators seek to diversify. And how good is it to have somewhere to keep those diners waiting for a table (well no one’s taking bookings any more right?).

And in the club sector, while a lot of energy has gone into fighting the precommitment pokies legislation, there’s also been lots of clever work on food and beverage offerings.

But now the industry is pedalling like mad into the silly season. We here at Hospitality hope it’s a supremely successful festive period for you that continues into 2013. And we thank you kindly for your support this year. See you soon!

contents 9 Workplace

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dominated by independent players continuing to seeing a strong move towards consolidation and the trend of multi-ownership by companies who have been busy adding to their portfolios.

They’ve been fuelling that other big trend, the march of the gastropub (yes I know we hate that word too but what else to call it?), as clever pubs enlist the skills of top class chefs to boost their food offering and meet the demand by diners for casual but quality food experiences. It’s been hard to keep up with companies like Sydney’s Merivale and The Keystone Group.

Bars have been huge too this year. Not just the small bars big on personality that are popping up but bars attached to restaurants as

On the cover of this month’s issue is one of the amazing vegetarian dishes from chef Alejandro Cancino from Brisbane’s Urbane restaurant.

The dish features the combination of edamame, avocado foam, rye bread, ponzu sauce, micro shiso, eggplant puree, and deep fried eggplant.

It’s just one of the dishes on the menus at Cancino’s special vegan degustation dinners that have been one of the former UK Young Chef of the Year’s pet projects since he arrived at the restaurant earlier this year.

A vegan himself, Cancino has been delighted the dinners have so far been rapid sellouts, validating his confidence that diners are interested in trying well prepared and interesting dishes that make vegetables the champions of the plate.

Cancino is one of the chefs we spoke to for our feature in this issue about the trend towards vegetables taking more of a starring role on menus around Australia. Turn to page 14 to find out more about how he’s working with veggies.

hospitality | december 2012 - january 2013

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in brief Liquid nitrogen allowed Licensed venues who were banned from using liquid nitrogen for making cocktails have been given the go ahead to resume the practice as long as they have strict guidelines in place.

In October the NSW Office of Liquor Gaming and Racing had ordered four Sydney bars who were selling drinks containing liquid nitrogen, and ordered them to cease using it until an investigation was completed on its safety. The move followed an incident in the UK in which an 18-year-old girl had to have her perforated stomach removed after ingesting a cocktail containing liquid nitrogen.

Report reveals $4m debt for Canberra restaurateur Companies owned by Canberra restaurateur Fiona Wright and her business partner Jeremy Paul owe more than $4m to employees and creditors, according to reports compiled by the liquiditor of the business. The Canberra Times said that the reports compiled by the liquidator Henry Kazar showed employees of the companies that ran the now-closed Dieci e Mezzo restaurant in Civic and catering contracts at the National Gallery of Australia are owed $1.23m in unpaid wages, superannuation and annual leave alone.

Approved eggs mandatory for foodservice operators South Australia has joined the growing number of states requiring foodservice businesses to only use eggs marked as being from accredited suppliers under a new program aimed at preventing salmonella poisoning from eggs. From last month the SA Government joined Queensland, WA and Tasmania in requiring that all eggs for sale in the state be stamped with a unique identification code identifying the producer and its accredited status.

FSANZ estimates there are about 12,800 cases of egg-related salmonellosis per year in Australia.

Trends

Another year over, new one ahead As 2012 ends we asked industy leaders to sum up the year and predict what’s ahead. In the first of a two part report we look at clubs and accommodation.

FOR THE Australian hospitality industry 2012 has again been a strong but tough year for operators across the various sectors from restaurants and cafes, to hotels, pubs and clubs.

While the Australian economy remained in good shape, hanging over the year and causing unease for consumers has continued to be the uncertain economic climate in Europe and the US, unease that makes people think twice about how they spend. Plus there’s been the dampener across all sectors of the continuing challenge of the labour shortage that’s hitting service industries hard across the board particularly hospitality, as well as rising costs for both staff and utilities.

So what’s ahead for 2013 - the Year of the Snake? More of the same or some new challenges? As 2012 wound up we asked some of the leaders of the industry’s peak representative bodies across different sectors of the industry to look back at the year but also to gaze into their crystal ball to tell us what’s ahead.

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hospitality | december 2012 - january 2013

both areas with a lot of attention on them, and there always will be,” he said. “It’s hard for a business that’s so exposed to regulatory change.”

“It means that there has been a dark cloud over the industry but we’ve just urged our members to get on with the task of pleasing their members, and working hard on delivering the offering that their members want. It used to be poker machines and beer but now its poker machines, and beer, and accommodation and cafes and entertainment.” >>

“Fantastic concierge” awarded

Perth hotel’s social media sleepover 12 ways to grow your business this Christmas Pete Evans cops Twitter activated almonds rampage Latest hospitality launch for Justin Hemmes Liquid nitrogen cocktail ban for bars after UK incident

Seasons greetings!

The team at Hospitality magazine wishes you all a very happy and prosperous Christmas. See you in 2013!

For the licensed club industry 2012 has been a challenging one in many ways with several high profile battles being fought against legislation around poker machines and problem gambling.

Clubs Australia chief executive officer Anthony Ball said the pressure highlighted the need for today’s clubs to continue to reinvent themselves as a hospitality destination for their members, away from the traditional reliance on poker machine revenue. “Obviously we operate poker machines and we sell alcohol which are

Source: hospitalitymagazine.com.au, 26-30 November, 2012

Sebel & Citigate Albert Park Melbourne’s assistant concierge, Andy Byrne, is Les Clefs d’Or’s 2012 winner of the Alfred Jasinski Award for Excellence in Service. Named in honour of the late Jasinski, the co- founder of Les Clefs d’Or Australia, it’s aimed at encouraging concierge, doormen, and porters who have demonstrated an exceptional commitment to service. Byrne said he was humbled by the award. “I’m so thankful to be working at such a wonderful hotel which welcomes so many people on a daily basis,” he said.

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Letizza Bakery 5 Tait Street, Smithfield, NSW 2164

t 1800 107 520 e sales@letizza.com.au

www.letizza.com.au

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news

Ball said quality food and beverage is a key focus for clubs today in their strategy to deliver that offering. “The days of the cheap beer and the cheap steak are over – it’s just not enough. Back in the 60s you could serve whatever you pleased and people would come and eat it but these days you have to be much better than that - food and beverage has become hugely important.

“Clubs are becoming state of the art – doing a very good job there and investing heavily in this area.

They’re becoming very good at providing a high quality food offering at a reasonable price, which is what people want. And they’re well placed to do well. They’re usually in the middle of a suburb or CBD and they have a hugely loyal following with their large membership base.”

Ball said clubs would continue to diversify their hospitality offering with some clubs even adding hotel style accommodation. “They aren’t trying to make as much money as a Sheraton or a Hilton but they are responding to a need that exists in their community in some areas,” Ball said. “That’s why some clubs like Wests in Newcastle of Panthers have built accommodation. Clubs

offer a lot of entertainment and they host a lot of events and conferences – accommodation can fit very snuggly with that. If you’re a large club with a conferencing business it really makes sense to have a hotel attached to that.”

Looking to 2013 Ball said he’s very optimistic about the future of clubs. “We do have our smaller clubs that are struggling – in the world we live in scale matters and so it’s difficult for a lot of them who are struggling to adapt. But overall as an industry we see a very bright future. We’ll continue to have regulatory issues to smooth out but we are saying to clubs, ‘Stretch yourselves beyond the traditional offerings that clubs have been involved in. Improve your food and beverage offering, be innovative and you can attract all kinds of business.’”

Rodger Powell, managing director of Tourism Accommodation Australia, the new body launched last year by the Australian Hotels Association to represent accommodation hotel operators, was positive about the achievements for the industry in a year that saw some major investment activity by the big hotel brands.

He said one of the big wins of the year had been the industry’s success in fighting the Federal Government’s proposed new visitor arrivals tax. “It was led by TTF but everyone joined together and that demonstrated that the industry is cohesive and can work effectively together,” he said.

Powell said while Accor’s acquisition of Mirvac was one of the most talked about events of the year and was critical in terms of industry consolidation, it was the opening in Sydney of QT Hotel’s new property that he saw as a “real game changer”. He predicted its style was the start of a trend in the market.

“It was only the second new hotel since the Olympics,” he said. “To build a new hotel was a very bold move but I think it’s going to prove that conversions are a very sustainable option compared to new builds.

So I think it’s a good indicator of the future. I think we’ll see more like that next year.

“And I think that style of hotel, the lifestyle-based hotel, is something we will see a lot more. It’s where the action is overseas. In modern terms it’s what hotels used to be so I think it’s a bit of a renais-

sance for the hotel industry.”

Powell predicted the QT launch would spark some international hotel brands to launch their lifestyle brands into the Australian market as well. “That would be a very good thing for the market,” he said.

As well as a focus on design and service, the lifestyle-based hotels also tend to have a strong focus on delivering a high food and beverage offering. “That’s something you’re seeing at the QT, and I think it’s something you’re going to see more of. Hotels once were the leaders in haute cuisine and I think we’ll see them winning that ground back.”

Powell said that along with continuing investment in properties in the market will come even further pressure from the critical labour shortage. “We’ve got to address the labour shortage and all these things like 475 visas and working holiday visas are just tinkering around the edges,” he said. “The government’s own taskforce says there is going to be a need for 30,000 jobs.

By Rosemary Ryan See our February issue for the second part in our report looking at the restaurants and pub industries.

Our commitment to safety is reflected in our outstanding safety record. Our clients respect us for it and as a result we have long term contracts with some of Australia’s largest resource providers.

Our Registered Training Organisation ensures our people are well trained and assists them in their career progression.

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openings

The Woods, Sydney Hamish Ingham and Rebecca Lines, the duo behind Sydney’s Bar H, have opened the next stage in their collaboration with Sydney’s Four Seasons Hotel - The Woods restaurant. The opening of the signature restaurant for the hotel follows the earlier launch of the new Grain Bar at the hotel - also with food by Ingham. With a stunning design by Michael McCann, the new ground floor split level restaurant has an open kitchen and earthy features like a live herb wall and a hand hewn wood block. The restaurant also has a semi-private dining room with its own separate entry path.

Opened: December Head chef: Hamish Ingham Seats: 180 The food: At the heart of The Woods is its stunning wood-fired oven and grill with a particular focus on home-grown food. Ingham plans to showcase ingredients in a “light, fresh and balanced” way with his creative menu centring around the use of fresh, quality produce cooked over a range of naturally-flavoured Australian woods - everything from olive tree wood and mallee stumps, to spruce tips and grapevines.

Address: Four Seasons Hotel, George Street, The Rocks Phone: 02 9250 3100 Web: www.fourseasons.com

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St Ali North, Melbourne

Baccomatto Osteria, Sydney

The much anticipated second branch of Salvatore Malatesta’s coffee geek heaven St Ali is offering much more than just some of the country’s best coffee - you can also have you beard trimmed and your bicycle repaired.

Malatesta has put together a team including co-owner and chef Jesse Gerner (Anada, The Aylesbury) and Velo Cycles’ Harry Fishman, and some of our top baristas and coffee experts to launch the venture at the space on the Capital City Trail that’s described as a “veritable one-stop bike café”.

From the restaurater who gave us Mille Vini, Caffe e Cucina and Enopizzeria comes this latest new Italian diner. Mauro Marcucci has headed back to Sydney’s Surry Hills after three years away to open his latest venture, Baccomatto Osteria. Attached to the Cambridge Hotel, Marcucci’s vision is for a rustic Italian osteria where diners don’t have to blow the budget to eat good food.

He’s teamed up with Bloodwood’s Gabrielle Webster to create the wine list she’ll also be opening an adjoining wine bar in March next year.

Opened: December Owners: Salvatore Malatesta, Jesse Gerner Chefs: Jesse Gerner, Chris Hamburger, Shaun Quade General manager: Adam Del Mastro Seats: 188 The food: Described as a “banging Melbourne influenced cafe breakfast and lunch menu” the food being served up will include house cured bacon, as well as all things smoked, pickled, preserved and foraged - plus amazing pastries from Quade. Dinner will be added down the track.

Where: 815 Nicholson Street, Carlton North Web: www.stali.com.au

Opened: November Owner: Mauro Marcucci Chef: Valerio Buoncompagni The food: Baccomatto’s menu is divided into two sections - From the Oven and From the Kitchen - and offers diners the chance to custom design the way they want to eat from cured meats, cheeses and marinated and fried mouthfuls with drinks, to some house made tonnarelli with aged pecorino Romano or char grilled spatchcock.

Where: 212 Riley Street, Surry Hills, Sydney Phone: 02 9215 5104 Web: www.baccomattoosteria.com.au

hospitality | december 2012 - january 2013

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workplace

Foreign staff, same obligations If you think foreign labour is a chance to get cheaper staff then think again. Not meeting your wages obligations risks hefty penalties, warns Restaurant and Catering Australia’s workplace relations team.

IT’S BECOMING ever more common for businesses to seek to address skills shortages by providing employment to foreign workers. Doing so is not limited to large corporations, but indeed small businesses are increasingly seeking immigrant workers, through 457 visas.

While the paperwork and red tape can deter businesses from engaging workers under 457 visas, nation-wide skills shortages, particularly in the hospitality industry, have made the application a key component of labour supply.

An integral part of any business within the hospitality industry involves filling labour intensive positions. The longterm success of businesses can indeed be dependent upon doing so. A well-documented skills shortage exists within the hospitality industry, one that has made meeting minimum skill requirements exceptionally difficult for business owners.

Like other industries, the hospitality industry has started to look beyond domestic borders, and sought to use the ever expanding foreign workforce.

Whether this is done to find niche skill sets (such as exotic culinary experts like Vietnamese, Japanese or Indian chefs) or simply to cover the basic requirements of the commercial kitchen, this employment option is often necessary to consider. But to engage labour on a 457 visa, several key provisions need to be adhered to.

To initially apply for the visa an employer must apply to be a sponsor, and nominate a position. Following this process, the worker must then apply for the visa.

Once an employer has successfully become a sponsor, they nominate a worker who satisfies the skills requirements necessary for the position. An hospitalitymagazine.com.au

‘It doesn’t make sense to try to cut corners with employment obligations as the penalties far outweigh the payment. employer needs to demonstrate that they would pay the proposed 457 visa holder the market salary rate. The market salary rate is designed to ensure that an overseas worker receives equivalent terms and conditions of employment equivalent to Australians. This requirement is designed to protect skilled overseas workers from exploitation.

It’s also designed to ensure skilled overseas workers are not used to ‘undercut’ local employment conditions and wages. Employers must demonstrate that the market salary rate for the position they are seeking to fill is greater than the Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold (TSMIT).

If the market salary rate for the position you wish to fill is under the TSMIT, they will not be able to access the subclass 457 visa program.

At present the TSMIT is set at $51,400 and is indexed annually. Under the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations ‘skills shortages list’, several hospitality related jobs are considered to have a skills shortage. These include bakers, pastry cooks, butchers and chefs/cooks. Subsequently, seeking 457 visas for such workers is available.

Business owners must ensure they “are providing no less favourable terms and conditions of employment to the skilled worker than you would provide to an Australian performing equivalent work in the same workplace”.

This ensures that no disadvantage befalls 457 visa workers and they are paid at the relevant industry standard. If

for any reason a business does not meet these obligations, they risk not only the cancellation of their sponsorship status, but indeed risk penalties and fines for the business.

Recently the Fair Work Ombudsman (FWO) launched a prosecution against the operator of a Sydney company, alleging it underpaid 21 foreign workers a total of almost $360,000.

The FWO stated in respect to this case that: “All the employees were female of Chinese heritage who speak little English.”

The employees were allegedly paid flat rates of between $11 and $13 per hour, resulting in underpayment of their minimum hourly rates, casual loadings, overtime rates and public holiday penalty rates. The Fair Work Ombudsman discovered the alleged underpayments when it investigated complaints lodged by employees.

The potential penalties for underpayment of wages can be up to $6600 per breach, whilst for companies they can be up to $33000 per breach. This would be on top of legal costs and the retrospective adjustment of shortfalls which in this case totalled almost $360,000.

It doesn’t add up to try and cut corners with employment obligations as the penalties in being caught far outweigh the payment of minimum wages and conditions under the Australian workplace relations system.

This article was written by the Workplace Relations Team at Restaurant & Catering Australia. Contact them on 1300 722 878. hospitality | december 2012 - january 2013

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newsextra

secretingredients Executive pastry chef at Balmoral Beach’s beautiful Bathers Pavilion, Anna Polyviou, took five minutes out of her hectic schedule in the restaurant’s busy kitchen (and in between her 24 hour shifts!) to give us some insight into her sweet life, the secrets behind her inspiring creativity and why she loves having last spot on the menu. raspberry sorbet and cacao crumbs because of the visual aspect and at the same time the technique behind it. It’s fun, funky and sharp.

Can you give us a quick overview of your career so far?

I kick started an apprenticeship at Sofitel in Melbourne, then managed to get a scholarship overseas by Les Toque Blanc. I worked at Claridges Hotel in London beside UK’s best pastry chefs, Julie Sharp and Nick Paterson. I’ve also worked with Pierre Herme at Rue Bonaparte Paris.

After returning to Australia I won Callebaut Dessert of the Year in 2008 for Best Chocolate Dessert, which allowed me to go to Chicago to train with Jerome Landrieu. Over the past five years I’ve worked as executive pastry chef at The Bathers Pavilion at Balmoral Beach.

Where do you get your ideas and inspiration for your creations?

I surround myself with passionate and driven people who, no matter how hard things get, are still driven and have a positive attitude, and that ambition to succeed.

Ideas come from all different things, from eating a chocolate bar and thinking of how to turn it into a dessert, to looking at a cookbook and seeing a new visually appealing product.

Or just eating out and looking at what people are doing and creating.

Most importantly inspiration comes from my team, I’ll have an idea and I’ll work with my sous chef Brooke Stephens to create a dessert people rave about and continue talking about after their meal.

What is it about dessert and baking that appealed to you so much that you made it your career?

I see my career as a hobby rather than a job. I love the skill and technique that’s behind getting your imagination on a plate. I love having the last impact on someone’s mood before the end of the meal.

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What’s the most frustrating thing about your job?

I miss the simple things like having Christmas off or a weekend off. I’m fine with hard work but at least once a week I do a 24 hour shift. I don’t mind the hours but it’s hard when my partner wants to do things such as go to the beach on Saturday morning or head to the markets.

What or who would you say have been the biggest influences on your career?

I’ve learnt after years of being a pastry chef not to sit there and criticise what each pastry chef is creating or their style but rather appreciate it and encourage it because each person’s style is different.

Being arrogant isn’t attractive and you open yourself to be criticised.

When I walk into any pastry establishment I always compliment and encourage along with asking questions so I can learn. My mentor Miss Julie Sharp taught me to be humble and also to allow myself to continue learning from products that I like, love or even the ones I dislike.

with cool funky transferee sheets across the product or different fillings. The sable being different colours and flavours too.

What are some of the key issues and challenges facing the hospitality industry at the moment?

The shortage of talented pastry chefs.

There are so many job opportunities but they’re either paying too low or there just aren’t people to fill the position. People are leaving the industry because they don’t want to do the hours and want to make more money with fewer hours.

So we’ve seen macarons and cupcakes, what do you think will be the next big thing in pastry that everyone will be talking about?

Choux pastry for sure, from eclairs to Paris Brest,

What’s your favourite dessert on the Bathers menu at the moment?

Mine would have to be the milk chocolate and raspberry jelly crema with peanut parfait bar,

If you weren’t a chef you’d be...

I’d love to be an artist a dancer/singer or even a break-dancer - that of course would be if I actually had a voice or if I could spin on my head!

hospitality | december 2012 - january 2013

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review

Il Bacaro Il Bacaro is a Melbourne institution that’s been delighting diners for more than a decade with its impeccably prepared modern Italian menu and its attentive and friendly service.

Our masked diner has fast become another fan under its spell.

mysterydiner A ‘BACARO’ IS a type of Venetian inn or wine bar and this cosy place certainly fits the definition. It’s one of the few restaurants I’ve been to where the tables are angled toward the central hub of the place, rather than to the outside. Dominating this view is a magnificent, horseshoe shaped, marble topped bar.

So large is the bar that The Bride wondered on the value of its dominance of the floor, but we soon established that it was central to proceedings as the tables filled and seats were at a premium – a stool at the bar seemed a perfect perch to watch over the assembled throng.

Il Bacaro has been a stalwart at the finer end of Italian food in Melbourne for many years and I’ve longed to take a seat inside, having often strolled past the timber slatted windows, in one of Melbourne’s most elegant spaces.

We’re warmly greeted by our waiter and he works his way through the impressive list of specials, his accent wafting in and out as he crosses from the Italian names to English. We’re sorely tempted, but have our eyes fixed on the Coffin Bay oysters ($4.50 each) as the first order of business here. They’re as fresh as can be imagined, with lovely attention to detail in the lemon wedge being placed inside some muslin delivering you the juice but none of the pips. Freshly shucked they even retained a small portion of sea water to help lubricate them on their way.

They’re accompanied by a prosecco that has the excellent name of Umberto Luigi Dominico Cosmo. It’s as elegant in body as in moniker. I start with a glass of the Almondo Arneis, that’s as fresh and lip smackingly delightful as you could wish from a chilled white wine.

I am not going to diarise the lovely, elegant, Italian names that announce the dishes as it will nearly double the length of the review, but the choices are both enticing and interesting with Venison Bresaola, Thistle Quadretti and Globe Artichokes stuffed with Porcini, Buffalo Mozzarella, Lampascioni (Hyacinth Bulb) and Truffle among the offering tonight.

We opt for a couple of light starters with eyes on richer mains; kingfish and ocean trout ‘Crudo’ ($26) for my beloved and seared quail ($26) for me. Crudo is to Italians as sashimi is to the Japanese; great care is taken to select the very best and 12

hospitality | december 2012 - january 2013

‘It is no surprise to me why this restaurant has been at the top of Melbourne’s Italian food scene for many years; it seduces you.’ freshest fish and it is served simply. It arrives with dots of Bottarga mayonnaise, thin slices of grapes and pickled cucumber and a scattering of pink peppercorns that are like little flavour explosions in the mouth.

The quail is semi-boned and stacked one piece on top of the other with a salad of green micro leaves, toasted pine nuts and pomegranate seeds the length of the plate, bookended by two wedges of grilled pear; complete with char lines.

In between, was a large quenelle of delicately flavoured, blue cheese ice cream that offered a sensational counterpoint to the rest of the dish in texture, flavour and temperature. Glasses of Soave and Bianco Silento more than ably assist in rounding out this excellent entrée selection.

When the waiter says ‘suckling pig’, how could I refuse? It sounded sensational, even though they don’t actively market the tastiest of morsels that come with it. I’m sure that ‘Coppa Di Maiale’ sounds better than ‘Pigs head terrine’, but that meant little to me as I devoured these fried cubes of moist loveliness at an alarming rate.

They came with pork ‘Rotolo’ ($45) which was a boned and rolled lion of suckling pig at one end of my plate and a twice cooked square of belly at the other and a line of creamy cauliflower puree through the middle. Also around these elements

were small squares of black pudding and mustard fruits. It’s a super dish; with complex flavours and textures, and presented with style.

More style was on show with a very Viennese baked risotto ($39) with rich flavours of saffron, tarragon, scampi oil and fish stock all coming together to create a wonderful dish. It’s baked firm then cut into a large triangle before being set into a bisque and garnished with broccolini, salmon pearls and a whole scampi, split down the middle.

As much as we all think we look closely at the card and judge the desserts independently of each other before making an appropriate decision, it’s not always the case. The Valrhona chocolate ‘Buddino’ ($21) stood out like a beacon and we couldn’t resist. The dish of chocolatey joy that was placed between us was a slab of crisp shelled pudding with a molten middle with diced white chocolate jelly and sorrel granita. It was a decadent delight and a marvellous way to finish a terrific night out.

It is no surprise to me why this restaurant has been at the top of Melbourne’s Italian food scene for many years; it seduces you. We saw new diners and obvious regulars all warmly greeted and treated to a night where you feel as if you have been cosseted in a special place and been allowed into the inner sanctum. Il Bacaro is that kind of restaurant; you feel special and privileged, and the food, wine and service are of such a high standard that they support this notion. Long may it remain that way.

The details Il Bacaro Where: 168-170 Little Collins St, Melbourne Owners: Graeme Ballentine, Joe Mammone, Marco Tenuta.

Chef: David Dellai Phone: 03 9654 6778 Website: www.ilbacaro.com.au Verdict: With more than a decade of charming diners with its fine Italian fare and brilliant service, Il Bacaro is the kind of restaurant that makes you feel special and privileged and that you can’t wait to return to.

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What wine do you love?

When a trio of top sommeliers get together to choose their favourite wines it’s always going to be interesting. Christine Salins was there for this special event.

I

f you could select your favourite wines from top producers anywhere in the world, what would they be?

When three of the world’s leading sommeliers had the enviable task of doing just that, the result was a mixed dozen of mostly French and US wines, with an Italian Barbaresco, Penfolds Grange and a German dessert wine in the mix as well.

The wines were put up for tasting in front of 50 attendees at the high profile international event the Hawaiian Food Wine Festival in October. The wine tasting was led by three sommeliers, Joseph Spellman, Roberto Viernes and Richard Betts, who all hold accreditation from the prestigious Court of Master Sommeliers.

Viernes, the general manager of American Wine and Spirits, got hooked on wine while working as an apprentice chef. Joe Spellman, a former sommelier for various Chicago restaurants, including Charlie Trotter’s, is accounts manager and sommelier for Justin Vineyards and Winery in California. Richard Betts was “sommelier to the stars” at Little Nell in Aspen, founded a number of wine brands and has made wine in Australia.

Perhaps not surprisingly given that all three sommeliers work in the US, their “best of the best” list is skewed to the US rather than other New World regions.

First was Paul Lato 2009 Le Souvenir Chardonnay from Sierra Madre, California, described by Viernes as having “a beautiful essence of fruit. It’s not overly tropical. It has one foot in the old world.”

“We’re always waxing on about terroir but here it is in its most extreme,” said Viernes of the second wine, Domaine Francois Raveneau 2009 Blanchots, a grand cru Chablis. “When I smell that, it’s like low tide in the ocean,” he said. “It’s really delicious. It’s one of my favourite wines.”

The next wine, Domaine Roulot 2009 Vireuils, was described by Betts as a “village-level Meursault”: only about 150 cases are produced. “This is my favourite winemaker on the planet,” he said.

One of the least heralded wines in the line-up was Domaine de Cherisey 2009 La Genelottes, a Meursault from a small winery that has flown under the radar.

“The great domains have all been found but to find a small hamlet like this is an amazing thing,” said Viernes. hospitalitymagazine.com.au

Next up was another Burgundian wine, Domaine Coche-Dury Puligny Montrachet 2009 Les Enseigneres. This very compelling premier cru Chardonnay won the admiration of Betts. “He’s making Chardonnay crack, man,” he said.

When vines were planted in Carlisle’s Sonoma Country vineyard in California in 1927, many of the varietals were unidentified. It’s now known that many of these old vines are Zinfandel, although one vine still has a tag that says simply, “The Old Black Shirt”. The Carlisle Vineyard 2009 Zinfandel is an aromatic, savoury wine that particularly appeals to Viernes. “It’s not shy but it’s not big and jammy. It’s a seamless wine,” he said.

Betts said if a wine “makes you smile, you should drink it” and that was the mantra adopted when Penfolds 2007 Grange was offered for tasting, even if it was “awfully young”. Spellman described it as “one of the most historic wines in the new world, if not the world”.

Then was an intensely aromatic Shiraz from the Rhone valley in France, Domaine Thierry Allemand Cornas 2009. which Viernes said “speaks of the earth”.

A Hermitage from northern Rhone, La Pierrelle by Kermit Lynch 2009, was described by Viernes as a “brilliant exam-

A few of my favourite things: (L to R) Joseph Spellman, Roberto Viernes and Richard Betts.

‘When I smell that it’s like low tide in the ocean.’

‘I argue that it’s better with shellfish than a barrelfermented Chardonnay.’

ple of why so many producers worldwide have tried to emulate Rhone styles.

The Gaja Sori 2007 San Lorenzo was almost Burgundian in style rather than a fuller-bodied wine as might be expected of an Italian Barbaresco. It had a generosity of fruit, emanating from a visionary winemaker who put Barbaresco into the same league as the much-revered Barolo.

Chateau Bellevue Mondotte 2005 St Emilion is a Bordeaux wine with a cult following. Harvested at less than a tonne per acre, only 3000 cases are produced each year of this 90 per cent Merlot ten per cent Cabernet Franc blend.

The tasting ended on a higher note than even these experienced sommeliers might have expected, with Donnhoff Niederhauser Hermanshohle 2010 Riesling Auslese, a late-harvest German wine.

With superb minerality and acidity, it had delicate passionfruit notes and beautifully balanced sweetness. “Try this with a nice lobster dish or fish,” Spellman said. “I argue that it’s better with shellfish than a barrel-fermented Chardonnay.”

Viernes spoke for all three sommeliers when he admitted to being “a little awestruck” by the tasting. Needless to say, it was one where there was more sipping than spitting. hospitality | december 2012 - january 2013

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No longer just a side dish or an

Vegging Matt Wilkinson in the garden.

HOW BIG A ROLE DO VEGETABLES PLAY ON YOUR MENUS? MATT WILKINSON POPE JOAN AND BISHOP OF OSTIA, MELBOURNE: It’s hard when it’s a café/breakfast and lunch place, because a bacon and egg sandwich is a bacon and egg sandwich and a full English breakfast is full English - it’s usually all meat apart from beans, tomatoes and mushrooms. However, it’s about seasonality.

For example, at Pope Joan tomatoes aren’t on in the middle of winter. I only use what’s around in Victoria at the time, so we’re coming into summer and fresh tomatoes will go on as a side and 14

hospitality | december 2012 - january 2013

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will go on dishes that we create for breakfast.

And mushrooms aren’t around in summer but they’re around in autumn and spring so that’s when mushrooms are on. Seasonality dictates the menu, so it’s forever changing with the seasons.

It’s all about celebrating vegetables from your area. Rather than think about the meat first I think about the vegetable first.

ALEJANDRO CANCINO EXECUTIVE CHEF, URBANE, BRISBANE: Every course has at least one vegetable on the plate, so they are extremely important. And I’ve been very happy with the response to some vegan degustation dinners we’ve run. I couldn’t believe

excuse for extra colour on the plate, increasing numbers of chefs across the country are turning the spotlight on vegetables and making them a hero on the plate. Danielle Bowling chatted with three of our leading veggie worshipping chefs about how they are celebrating this bounty from the earth.

they’ve all been sellouts. At the moment there is no options for people who want to avoid animal products so I thought it would be a good idea to try something. I was a little nervous when we did the first one but the response has been amazing.

GRANT KING GASTRO PARK, SYDNEY: Vegetables play a massive part at Gastro Park.

These are the ingredients that make a dish, it’s very easy to add some meat or fish, the hard part for a chef is being able to add to that protein and make it an exciting, delicious plate of food. Hooray to the farmers markets, I wish there was one in every suburb. hospitalitymagazine.com.au

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WHICH VEGETABLES ARE YOU PARTICULARY ENJOYING COOKING WITH AT THE MOMENT? IN WHICH DISHES? Matt Wilkinson: Zucchinis have just come in and it’s about to become the end of the asparagus season.

I’m loving Alexanders at the moment, it’s just come in and was grown just for us from one grower in Daylesford. It’s a Roman vegetable which is like a cross between a spinach and a celery. We’re mainly using that in beautiful purees, sautéed with garlic, used in a very similar way to silverbeet and spinach, but we’re using the whole stem as well.

And we’re loving Jicana which is a Chinese vegetable which is a cross between a turnip and a nashi pear.

Alejandro Cancino: Corn - in the corn amuse in particular. We use broth and frozen corn in this amuse bouche. Tomatoes - in a tomato, daikon and walnuts dish and asparagus, in an asparagus, sweetbreads and egg yolk dish.

Grant King: I pick a lot of wild leaves which I love - thistle stems, sorrels, nasturtiums, parsley roots but also different lettuces cooked in different ways are stunning and the depth they can add is so surprising.

Different acids, milk products and the right seasoning can really lift these humble ingredients into surprisingly tasty, moreish elements to make a dish or excite a vegetarian with an ingredient they haven’t had before.

WHAT ARE SOME SECRETS TO MAKING A VEGETABLE THE STAR OF A DISH? Matt Wilkinson: Look at the flavour profiles. Everything has a companion when it comes to vegetables and there are lots of things that just don’t go together - I don’t think potatoes and eggplant go together even though they’re in the same vegetable family.

Classic marriages are there for a reason so keep those classic marriages together. For example carrots and parsnips go beautifully with honey - it’s a classic match, don’t try to change it. It’s a flavour profile that’s very good for the palate. Potatoes like butter, they like cream, they like olive oil and lots of honey.

Most things that are companions in the garden are companions on your palate.

Alejandro Cancino: Quality is as important as the technique used, as well as the seasoning of the vegetable. There are no secrets, there is only trial, practice, and more trial to find your flavour profile. hospitalitymagazine.com.au

Urbane’s Alejandro Cancino

Every vegetable can be cooked in different ways and I think it comes down to what you prefer, and what you would like your guests to try.

Vegetables offer so many options - raw, roast, fry, steam, juice and so much more.

If you want to make a vegetable the star of the dish, my advice is to ensure that when guests finish the dish, they remember the vegetable that was on it, by making the vegetable the most intense flavour of the dish.

Grant King: Produce must be good but this is a given to any decent cook. Any

‘Vegetarian food can be as robust as a good rib of beef.

You just have to know what you’re doing.’

chef who is not using quality produce is a very average chef. The key is loving the ingredient to begin with, most chefs think vegetarian is not as exciting as protein, I don’t know why, but therefore they don’t put the same love into cooking a carrot as they do a scallop.

Perfect seasoning is essential as well as balancing flavours and textures. Chefs still don’t taste enough to hit the perfect seasoning or balance, so this results in very bland, unexciting food.

Vegetarian food can be as robust as a good rib of beef. You just have to know what you’re doing. >> hospitality | december 2012 - january 2013

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Veggie masterpiece: Alejandro Cancino’s Avocado, Edamame, and Rye.

WHAT ARE SOME VEGETABLES YOU’D LIKE TO WORK WITH IN AUSTRALIA BUT CAN’T GET YOUR HANDS ON?

an dishes] really well, but I think it’s the whole world, not just Australia that’s behind. I think we’re quite hard on ourselves in Australia.

Matt Wilkinson: It’s really hard to

Alejandro Cancino: I haven’t been

get perfect, small green beans and it’s also really hard to get really miniature asparagus.

in Australia long enough to have tried enough dishes to give an informed opinion, but, like in so many cities, the really good options for vegetarians in Brisbane are so limited. So often the ‘vegetarian option’ is a token dish, with no real creativity or flavour profile created.

There is so much room to grow in this city and so many other cities around the world. This is an exciting part of the dining world.

Alejandro Cancino: Mushrooms!

Including ceps, trompets, chanterelles and girolles.

Grant King: Mushrooms like ceps, morels and chantrelles as well as elderflowers, alpine berries and beautiful baby seasonal potatoes.

Common potatoes can be very average. I also can’t get baby globe artichokes like you get in Italy.

IN GENERAL, HOW DO YOU RATE THE VEGETARIAN MEALS BEING DISHED UP IN AUSTRALIA? Matt Wilkinson: It’s hard to not fall back on some of the classics, like risotto, gnocchi, deep fried zucchini flowers, because that’s how we’ve been trained.

I think there’s one or two restaurants in the world that do [vegetarihospitalitymagazine.com.au

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Grant King: There is always room to grow. Some places are doing fantastic things, others still have the same old lame options which must be such a bore for vegetarians.

We go out of our way at Gastro Park for vegetarians but we don’t have heaps of variety printed on the menu because our menu is not structured that way. We’re always prepared for vegetarians even if they want a ten course degustation. I feel things are always fresher, exciting and vibrant this way.

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Pizza champions drive quality The evolution in the quality of pizza available in Australia is picking up speed with passionate supporters pushing the industry to create an ever more authentic product matched by smart service. By Rosemary Ryan

The Margherita at the accredited 400 Gradi.

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Pizza passion: Johnny Di Francesco (left), Niko Pizzimenti and Peter Zuzza.

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izza has long been up there with the most popular dishes for Australians but these days it’s a more sophisticated style of pizza that they have an insatiable appetite for.

Over the past ten years and even more so in more recent times there’s been increasing momentum in the evolution of the quality of pizza being served - “real” pizza is now mainstream.

It’s an evolution that started off quietly with a few independent pizzerias that began developing Australian’s taste for traditional pizza, but it’s been gathering speed with the new breed of pizza devotees continuing to raise the bar, serving up not just great quality pizza with a focus on great ingredients, but also adding top level beverage and service.

Pizza has become serious business in Australia with top restaurateurs bringing their foodservice experience to the cause with a commitment to delivering a better pizza experience. And diners are loving it, gaining an ever growing appreciation of what an authentic pizza is and the skill that goes into creating it. Hey, we’re even hearing the world pizzaiolo being bandied around more and more by consumers in the know. Are they the new baristas?

Roman or Neapolitan style, they pizza we’re able to more easily get our hands on now is a world away from the fat, doughy bases finished with a mountain of shredded ham, plastic mozzarella and rubbery olives that dominated the domestic market pre-pizza revolution.

To appreciate the shift you only need to look at the hard marketing yards the big pizza chains are doing at the moment as they try to reinvent themselves to keep up with the demand by consumers for a better tasting, better quality pizza.

They’re chasing a slice of the success that companies like Crust Gourmet Pizza have hospitalitymagazine.com.au

had in its strategy of delivering a better style of pizza backed up by slick business systems, but also of the new generation of independent pizza restaurant operators who have customers queuing to take a seat at their very stylish tables.

One of the leaders in the new generation of pizza restaurants was Ladro – the Melbourne operation that was launched nine years ago by partners Sean Kierce, Ingrid Langtry and chef Rita Macali.

The trio set out to set a new gold standard for pizza and to take the concept of a traditional pizza that was being made by a smattering of small pizzerias and meld it with a commitment to using quality ingredients and delivering it with top service delivered in a casual way.

“We wanted to bring good food and good pizza together in a restaurant environment,” says Kierce who along with partner Langtry bought a background in design to the business. “It was about offering the service, the wine list, the whole package. We wanted a place that we would want to go ourselves somewhere where the food was fantastic - a great product with equally good service and wine and atmosphere and interior.

“So we got all these people together and we took the high techniques and broke it down and used great ingredients treated well. That’s what we bought to our kitchen as well as to front of house.

We used to call our service fine dining on speed – it was fast paced – but we made sure people were really looked after.”

“Obviously pizza wasn’t new but we wanted to really take it back to the traditional style of pizza. When we first opened people couldn’t get their head around that style – they’d say is it gourmet pizza?

We just wanted to get away from that and use two, three, four ingredients. And we were lucky enough to hit the nail on the

Pizza at Ladro.

‘Obviously pizza wasn’t new but we wanted to take it back to the traditional style of pizza.’ head. Our feelings were right about what Melbourne wanted.”

Kierce said the fast popularity of the concept had taken the team by surprise.

“We had a 50 seat restaurant and we thought we’d be doing 40 people a night Wednesday to Thursday and maybe 80 on a Friday, 50 on a Sunday. But in reality we were doing more than 100 people every night of the week so we had to really quickly develop systems to be able to meet that demand, get our systems in place and the skilled staff on board so that people could be fed and watered very quickly.”

Since then the Ladro brand has expanded to two, at Prahran and Fitzroy, both still packed pretty well constantly.

And just recently it has also welcomed a new executive chef, Sicilian Niko Pizzimenti, who since coming on board has worked to tweak the pizza and the cooking methods. Kierce says that while Ladro may have been leading the way when it first launched there have been many new arrivals with the same underlying principles and competition is hot. >> hospitality | december 2012 - january 2013

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“But that’s been good for the industry,� says Kierce, pointing to the recent next wave newcomers to the Melbourne pizza like restaurateur Chris Lucas’s new Baby and Paul Mathis’ Firechief – the unique concept that lets people choose between three styles of ovens for their pizza - woodfired, deck or conveyor. “[The competition] means we’re constantly having to raise the bar. We got in at the right time but then our business has had to keep evolving to keep up with what other people are doing.

And we realised that we needed to change our product a little bit and bring it up to what other people are doing.�

Helping to drive diner awareness and attention to “real� pizza is also the growth in recent years of the Naples’ Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana (AVPN) that in the last few years has begun to establish a foothold in the Australian pizza market with its accreditation scheme aimed at championing the preservation of the ideals of the traditional Neapolitan pizza. So far six pizzerias

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in Australia have met the rigorous certification conditions - 400 Gradi, Scoozi, and La Svolta in Melbourne, and Pizza Mario, Gigi Pizzeria, and Lucio Pizzeria in Sydney.

400 Gradi’s Johnny Di Francesco, the AVPN’s representative in Australia says there are another two pizzerias in Melbourne going through the testing procedures now. He also expects there would be another three on board by early next year. The AVPN decrees a wood-fired oven capable of reaching 400 degrees, hand-blended sugo made only from San Marzano tomatoes and salt, ‘’00’’ flour, minimal yeast and a fermentation process to the order of 24 to 36 hours, and a cooking time of 60 to 90 seconds. “It’s been a pretty major growth since I started which was only two years ago, since I became fully involved,� Di Francesco says. “It’s about just keeping the tradition alive and preserving the skills. At the same time it does also ensure that people are focused on making a better pizza, that’s the beauty of it. [To be accredited] they

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hospitality | december 2012 - january 2013

‘In the beginning it was a little difficult because people were coming to the restaurant and saying, ‘What kind of pizza is this?’ have to show they really understand how to make a good pizza and that they will maintain that quality of their product.�

Di Francesco – who regularly heads back to Italy to compete and who also has official pizzaiolo certification from Naples – says he’s noticed a distinct shift in the general public’s knowledge and appreciation of a true Neapolitan pizza with its minimal toppings and lightly crisp but soft and pliable base. “In the beginning it was a little difficult because people were coming to the restaurant and saying, ‘What kind of pizza is this?�, he says. “There was still the misconception that all pizza should be crunchy but this was light and fluffy and very digestible.

Di Francesco is also keen to introduce official AVPN pizzaioli certification into Australia as another way to acknowledge the skill involved in the role. “I’m working on that right now,� he said. “I think real recognition here is overdue – we have pastry chefs, we have chefs and sommeliers. So why not also introduce something similiar for what is a growing industry – it’s possibly one of the biggest industries in Australia in the food sector.�

Another key driver in this pizza evolution has been the ever-growing accessibility to better and more consistently good produce and ingredients - from the best tomatoes to local high quality buffalo mozzarella - and consumers appreciation of these ingredients.

Restaurateur Peter Zuzza, who took one of Sydney’s pizza pioneers La Disfida, a perennial favourite on any list of Australia’s top pizzerias, and brought it into the new age of pizza restaurants, says the last five years has seen big changes in the accessibility of produce that’s made it easier to source the top ingredients that are at the heart of La Disfida’s supremely popular pizza.

After being a long time devoted customer Zuzza bought the iconic business from founder Ruggiero Lattanzio in 2009 and set about injecting a new level of service and full restaurant experience into the business to match the quality of the pizza. “I think especially in the last five years there’s been much better availability of product, and that has made it easier to deliver a better pizza,� he says. “Even from local producers and small growers, the quality of the tomatoes and even being able to get fantastic buffalo mozzarella and fior di latte more easily. “There’s a lot more international product available now but there’s also local producers doing buffalo mozzarella. It’s much more accessible. Probably much easier than it was when La Disfida first opened!� hospitalitymagazine.com.au

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Save while you fry Filter and filter often is the mantra from the experts on how foodservice operators can extend the life of their deep frying oil and reap the rewards in the form of some major cost savings. By Rosemary Ryan.

H

ow much does your business spend a year on cooking oil for deep frying? While foodservice operators may balk at spending big dollars on the latest new frying equipment many foodservice operators would be amazed to learn exactly how much more they’re actually spending on the oil that goes into it over its lifetime.

Experts in the field of frying estimate that it’s likely you will spend upwards of seven times the cost of the fryer on constantly replacing the oil.

But there’s plenty you can do to reduce hospitalitymagazine.com.au

the cost of your oil, and also produce a better quality product out of your fryer at the same time.

At the heart of good frying technique to dramatically extend your oil life is of course to filter and filter often – a simple idea but one that’s not always adhered to in the busy day to day operation of foodservice businesses.

Frying expert Brandon Clarke says filtering as often as possible is one of the best methods for reducing the impact of the cost of oil on your business. “It can have a dramatic effect on extending the

life of your oil,” says Clarke.

“Filtering at least three times a day, after the lunch rush, after the dinner rush and then at the end of the night is what I recommend.

“A big problem is that oil cost is one of the costs [in foodservice] that people forget about the most but it’s one of the biggest for many businesses.”

Clarke, who represents Pitco fryers in Australia, said frequent filtering can at least double oil life. Add in some other careful oil and fryer management practices and you can get even more life out >> hospitality | december 2012 - january 2013

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frying

Save your oil There are a range of factors that can affect the life of your oil but that can be easily avoided by ensuring you have good systems in place.

of your valuable oil, and save some significant dollars.

“If you base it on two standard sized fryers that is 25 litres of oil per fryer so 50 litres – that’s two and a half drums, that’s about $150. Let’s be generous on them and say we are not filtering so we are changing it every five days. You’re looking at $10,800 in oil for a year.

“But filter it two or three times a day and extend the oil life by just half and you’d be saving around $5000 a year.

You’d be paying off your entire filter system in 15 months.”

Clarke says that while there are several methods for filtering, from the old school manual cone type or ‘Chinaman’s Hat’ to using a portable oil filter, it’s an inbuilt filtration system that is by far the best option for extending oil life. It makes it easier for kitchen staff to carry out regular filtration with not too much disruption to the operation of the kitchen, and in a safer way.

“I’ve gone into operations where there’s just a chef and I say the more you filter the better and you usually get the reaction, ‘Well clearly you don’t understand how busy we are – we don’t have time to stop and filter,” Clarke says. “But if you have a bank of three and you are turning one off to filter while the other two are cooking what’s the issue?”

“The in-built system allows for filtering to be done quickly whenever it’s required and with most systems usually takes no more than five minutes per fryer.

“If something is too hard – like having to bring in a portable filter – it’s not going to happen. The reality is if you have an inbuilt system you will certainly filter more often and start to save and save and 22

hospitality | december 2012 - january 2013

Heat degradation: There is generally an urge to turn the thermostat to full bore when peak times arrive, unfortunately all this does is rapidly break down the oil. In fact, once you go beyond 190C, the breakdown due to heat degradation increases by as much as 20 times.

Air: The addition of air causes oxidation of the oil. This generally leads to a build up, otherwise known as “Gummy Residue”. This build up adds to the rapid breakdown of oil.

Moisture: Another enemy of oil is often accidentally added when the contents of a frozen bag are emptied directly into the baskets whilst they are above the fryer. This practice also causes the oil to spit and can be dangerous to the operator.

Product load: A common misconception is that fryer baskets can be filled to the top. Over filling baskets has a tendency to cause the temperature to drop significantly, allowing more oil to be soaked up by the product as it takes longer to seal on the outside. Fryer baskets were designed to be filled half way only.

Fryer maintenance: A by-product of frying is carbon. The carbon builds up on the fryer tank which creates a thermal blanket reducing the fryer’s efficiency.

Temperature of product: The temperature of the product when it goes into the fryer is also critical. Some products are only designed for frying when frozen. Others work better when blanched and then finished later from a thawed state.

Oil quality: There are many types of oils available, both solid and liquid. They all have varying life expectancies. As a general rule the cheaper the oil the shorter the life span. Particularly in the case of increased frying temperatures, which will also impact the life span of the oil.

save on the oil costs.”

A fryer option designed to help foodservice operators reduce the amount of oil they are using is the use of so called low volume oil fryers that have been launched by some of the leading fryer makers over the last few years.

Frying equipment expert David Magnanini from Comcater, the distributor in Australia for Frymaster, whose latest innovation in fryers is its OCF (Oil Conserving Fryer) brand of equipment, says the fryers work by combining a smaller fry pot with computerised inbuilt automatic filtration, and automatic oil replenishment.

In the Frymaster OCF the frypot is 15 litres compared to 20 or 25 for a standard fryer. “So when you go from a 25 to 15 that’s already 40 per cent less oil being used,” says Magnanini.

“It’s able to do that by using the entire area to fry while traditional fryers have a large area below the frypot – the cool zone – which has oil sitting in it that you can’t use to fry because that’s where all your sediment sits.

“But in an oil conserving fryer it’s encouraging you to filter on a more regular basis so you don’t need such a large area for a cool zone, or sediment area. It prompts you to filter several times a day and that keeps the oil fresh.

“It will direct you to filter after a period of frying and lead you through a series of steps. It takes about five minutes to filter. It certainly makes it easier to ensure the user is filtering regularly.”

‘You would be paying off your entire filtering system in 15 months.’

Frymaster says its latest OCF Series Fryers will match the production capacity of larger fryers while also extending oil life by as much as 92 per cent.

Magnanini says he’s seeing an increasing trend for more foodservice operators to favour fryers that have an inbuilt filtration systems. “I think operators in general are looking for equipment that’s going to improve their operation and help them control and reduce costs, and streamline their business,” he says.

“And certainly with fryers if you have more than one store and you have maybe young staff to manage the fry stations you have to be able to rely on them and the more simple you can make tasks like filtering of the oil the more likely they are to do it, and do it properly.”

Along with a commitment to frequent filtering, just being careful about the daily systems you have in place to maintain your fryers will also pay dividends with reduced oil costs.

Clarke says steps like ensuring you clean your fryer tank daily, making sure you remove the gummy residue build up around the edges, and also making sure tanks are covered at night can prevent contamination that will degrade oil.

“If those lids aren’t on at night there’s always the chance you’ll get stuff dripping in from the canopy, you’ll get dust, bugs.” Clarke says.

“All that adds up to reduced oil life they are simple things but they all have an impact on your oil and the cost of running a business.” hospitalitymagazine.com.au

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management Conference Sponsor

Here’s to a smarter new year As another year ends it’s time to put your mind to ways you can work smarter in 2013. Ken Burgin gives his tips for improvements.

2013 WILL be challenging, so ‘working smarter’ must be a priority…again. Commodity and energy costs are up, competitors are hungry, consumers reluctant and we all know about staff shortages.

Australia does not need one more average restaurant, café or bar, but we’re still short of friendly, efficient and good-value places. The opportunities are right in the middle – cool but not frigid, welcoming but not pushy, spicy, sweet and familiar.

Look closely at how you’re building and maintaining relationships through attentive service, value pricing, a good website and social media activity. Put aside your hesitations about Facebook and pick up a mobile phone – take a photo every day of events within the business, local news, cooking and staff. Photos are the new ‘currency’ of social media – choose the best and post them onto Facebook or photo-sharing sites like Instagram. Share smiles and quirky moments, making sure the staff also contribute.

Make 2013 the Year of the Gift Voucher. Have sample vouchers on display and order forms at the counter or for sale on your website. Bonus offers will drive sales, for example a $20 voucher for the buyer for each $100 voucher purchased. Give staff a bonus for each one they sell. It works.

Boost the retail side of your business. Let customers shop as well as eat: display and sell t-shirts, caps, wine, cookbooks and preserves. Have them well displayed with an order form, plus an online shop for purchasing later.

Gather customer details with a short feedback form, asking for email and phone numbers with their thoughts on the food, the service and the atmosphere – incentivise with a monthly draw or birthday bonus. Most Aussies don’t say much if they’re not happy with their experience, saving it up to tell friends later and never returning. Organise it so you hear about problems straight away, and praise flows freely when you’ve done a good job. Once you have customer details, keep in touch using an online service such as Constant Contact, Aweber or similar. It will store the data, design the email and manage email bounces.

Check how your website looks on a mobile phone – many restaurants have more than 40 per cent of website visits on a smartphone, and traditional designs do not look good. Make it a priority to talk with your web person about a new, mobile-friendly site. And no, that doesn’t mean your own phone ‘app’ – most of these are rarely used after downloading. Put that money into a mobile website upgrade, and it will serve the same purpose.

Support for community and social groups can boost business and reputation. Start to reach out more actively to groups that match your target demographic. Ask for written acknowledgement and don’t spare the highly regarded ‘Dinner for Four’ vouchers. Your gift costs much less than its perceived value.

All the websites in the world won’t help if the service is indifferent and the menu disappointing. Start your own ‘mystery customer’ program to check the speed and quality of service. Sometimes the truth is surprising, but you might as well know it. Modern menus cheerfully acknowledge the desire of customers for gluten-free, vegetarian and low fat options, plus great steaks, dangerously hot chilli and wicked desserts. Is it time for some more variety? There are no transplants available for unsmiling staff, but there does need to be a clear expectation for all staff to greet visitors, actively make sales suggestions and offer a friendly farewell. Good product knowledge can turn even a shy waiter into a sales expert, so include regular coaching sessions in the new-year training program.

This is also the year for handling poor performance on the spot. Less tolerance for the slow and the shifty; plenty of short training sessions for those with potential. As you make changes, the morale, productivity and sales will improve dramatically.

How about your role in the business? It’s interesting how many restaurant operators, bar managers and chefs are actually quite shy when out of their business ‘comfort zone’. But Aussies love meeting people who work in hospitality. Networking costs little and creates great word-of-mouth, so now’s the time to step out and join the Chamber of Commerce or a business marketing forum. Go wider than just other hospitality operators – team up with retailers, designers, consultants and accountants. Ask friendly questions, they will also enjoy learning from you.

As you learn more about smart business, you’ll be noticed for what a great place you have for your customers to eat, drink and socialise. Make this the year for more enjoyment at work, looking forward to the start of each week, not the end.

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

The Fork in the Road

GETTING TO 2020 CMAA 2013 Conference, AGM & Trade Expo March 12 & 13, 2013 @ Darling Harbour

MAKE A note today in your 2013 Events Diary for the 2013 CMAA Conference & Hospitality Expo on March 12 & 13 at the Sydney Convention & Exhibition Centre at Darling Harbour.

The two-day Conference program – ‘The Fork In The Road’ - is exceptional in content and in the calibre of presenters engaged over the two days.

‘The Fork In The Road’ Conference theme follows on from the highly successful ‘2020 VISION’concept for 2012.

Again, the cost of attending the two half days is very reasonable at less than $290 per person and the Expo will feature more than 120 quality trade exhibitors again supporting the event.

An extra day of education is planned for those attending the Conference prior to the Tuesday so that delegates from out of Sydney can take advantage of the fact they are in town and can make some savings on travel and accommodation.

Refer to the Conference brochure at the CMAA website – www.cmaa.asn.au – for details.

Conference Registrations are now open – also at www.cmaa.asn.au – and it’s the perfect time to commit to the event with travel and accommodation if required.

To book a stand for the 2013 CMAA Hospitality Expo, contact Expo Coordinator Judy Rayner at Rayner Sales & Marketing – P: 02 – 9332 2363; or 02 – 9360 6177; F: 02 - 9361 5142; or E: rayner@bigpond.net.au This event is the premier Conference and Hospitality Expo to kick off the year, so don’t be fooled by imitators.

Go to

www.cmaa.asn.au today hospitality | december 2012 - january 2013

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management/comment

doctorhospitality My new manager is surprisingly weak with computers.

How can I get her up to speed quickly?

Next time make it clear that certain computer skills are required for the position, and do a quick test for typing speed and Excel ability. Your resident computer geek may be able to assist with training in the most important features of your systems, working through a checklist of essential skills. Try to do this early in the day or when most employees aren’t around so they don’t see their superior fumbling with the equipment they can handle in their sleep. As your manager’s computer skills improve, so will the person’s self-esteem. This is an area everyone knows they need to be strong in.

How do I deal with a group of ‘mean girls’ who think they’re better than the other staff?

Members of a clique or gang like this are often loyal to each other, support each other’s work and may even be good team players. Those outside the gang don’t fare so well. Part of the reason they enjoy their work is the clique itself. The moment they have a detrimental effect on the performance of other employees (or on anything else), remind them how easy it is to schedule them in separate shifts. Otherwise, it may actually be advantageous to allow them some leeway to help each other perform better, but it sounds like the ring-leaders will need to be moved on fairly soon. You don’t need the hassle of dealing with this kind of issue.

I’ve just lost another young waiter. They’re here five minutes then announce they’re going overseas, or off to study linguistics. It drives me mad.

The interview process is the time to get a solid first impression that will help you make a better selection.

Always ask for a resume, look at job history and do plenty of reference checking. With young employees, there will always be a degree of uncertainty that offsets the enthusiasm and energy. Sometimes those crazy stories are a way to avoid saying “I quit.” Consider giving new employees a longer trial period before they are allowed to fill a full-time position. The ones that need or want a steady job will likely be the ones to step up.

My cafe is seven years old; I’m bored, not making much money and about to turn 50. Should I get out or try and push it to the next level?

If you’ve lost your passion, customers and staff are noticing it too. And if you were optimistic, you wouldn’t be writing to me, but already blitzing the decorations, updating Facebook, hiring new staff and organising the street’s best Christmas party. If you don’t want to let go completely, consider hiring someone to do most of the legwork and give them a profit share. It gives you the option to stay involved without burning out, and time to meet with your lawyer to organise putting the business up for sale.

Have a question for the good doctor? Send him your queries via Hospitality editor Rosemary Ryan with a quick email to rosemary.ryan@reedbusiness.com.au

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hospitality | december 2012 - january 2013

Digital ‘disease’ is nothing to like Do you really have to be in it to win it? Definitely not when it comes to social media, says our columnist, who argues this “must have” is more trouble than it’s worth.

THERE’s a plague upon us that’s growing to proportions beyond the scourge of the Black Death.

And it’s being fostered and encouraged from within the industry and even promoted as a “must have” marketing component for any business keen to succeed in this brave new world.

Anyone not willingly embracing this festering disease is considered by those who should know better as being beyond the pale. Apparently we should welcome this contagion rather than immunise against it.

Mad cow disease, typhoid, foot-andmouth, Asian flu and fowl pest were mere hiccups in global health compared with the infection we now face. Nowhere was its effect more vividly demonstrated than in the recent outbreak surrounding self-promoting chef Pete Evans and the revelation of his dietary delights. Activated almonds anyone?

Twitter is the plague upon us. Reinforced by its equally ravenously infectious partners, Facebook and YouTube. It’s laughable that this toxic trio are described as social media. Such a label is surely the ultimate in irony for they’re anything but social.

True, they open lines of communication faster and broader than any previously available. But at what cost? To place one’s business on Facebook or Twitter is akin to a Saxon king lowering the drawbridge and allowing entry to all; the riff-raff, the rabble, the invading hordes.

Where once there was dialogue and reasoned discussion there is now diatribe and abuse. A single act or comment becomes the target for an onslaught of everything from snide smart-alecky slurs to downright vilification. And to compound the evil, those behind most of the offerings are anonymous and untraceable.

No doubt we have to accept the glib assertion that “everyone is entitled to their opinion.” But that by no means justifies opinions being foisted on the wider community regardless of their validity, accuracy or humiliating and defamatory nature.

In the Middle Ages, it was miscreants

who were forced into the stocks for the community to hurl abuse, rotten tomatoes and buckets of slops at. Several centuries on and we have presumably sane and respectable foodservice operators voluntarily placing themselves in the “stocks” that are Facebook and Twitter, willing and easy targets for unknown, and uncaring, assailants.

“Join us on Facebook” goes the universal invitation. Yes, and while you’re there, let fly with slurs, aspersions, disparagement and downright rudeness. Meanwhile, over on Twitter, why not show how clever you are by seeing how many barbs, brickbats and insults you can cram into a tweeter’s permitted brief vocabulary?

Who wants this? Who needs it? And, in these times of tightened margins, rising wages and cutbacks, who can spare the resources needed to cope with this floodtide of so-called communication?

The instant nature of such cyber correspondence means it needs continual monitoring, to weed out the offensive and damaging and also to define and act upon those messages that really do demand attention.

Failure to act could do untold harm to an operation’s image. After all, there’s a good reason for the rapid spread of these messages beings described as “going viral”. They are a virus; a damaging, infectious disease that, sadly, is spread for no better reason than to give pleasure to the anonymous creator. It’s exhibitionism at its worst.

Poor Pete Evans. Love him or loathe him, there is surely no reason he should attract so much abuse for simply writing about food preferences which are no weirder than those of many who inhabit the nation’s health food shops.

The storm will abate and Evans will survive. But how will your business cope when the Facebook renegades decide to “Like” your page and it turns out that liking you is the last thing on their mind?

Inoculate now while you still can. Maintain a professional web page but leave Facebook and Twitter to the lunatics now let loose from the asylum.

Tony Berry is a former editor of Hospitality magazine, restaurant reviewer, and restaurateur. You can contact him via email at tonybee@ozemail.com.au hospitalitymagazine.com.au

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1 Wok it up. Bringing great opportunities for wok cooking comes the recently released HPA100LPB model of high pressure LP gas burners from Auscrown. They’ll be of particular use at Christmas time with the convenience of being able to be transported to other venues for functions, conferences and events. And because they’re designed for outdoor use only, they provide a more comfortable and productive working environment for chefs enduring the summer heat.

They can be used with 16, 18 and 24 inch size iron woks and pack a punch emitting a high level of heat.

Head to www.auscrown.com 2 Desserts with a conscience. As society tries to tackle obesity and many of us are becoming increasingly health conscious, the demand for flavoursome yet nutritious foods has never been so high on the agenda. Working in consultation with Australian heath care dieticians, Birch and Waite has developed a vanilla bean flavoured

hospitalitymagazine.com.au

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panna cotta dessert that’s both gluten free and Halal certified. Plus Birch and Waite has packaged the desserts in individual 100g portions to prevent over eating and to promote the idea that a healthy diet can be achieved by consuming foods in moderation. To view the entire dessert range head to www. birchandwaite.com.au 3 Easy mix and match cooking equipment. Commercial kitchen equipment maker Luus has released its Professional Series, a new range of commercial cooking equipment that comprises ovens, grills, barbecues, cook tops, pasta cookers and griddle toasters. Each product in the range is designed with a modular profile and a range of added features, and are available for purchase individually. This means business owners can pick and choose those products that best suit the needs of their cafe, restaurant, hotel or other establishment. A range of combinations are also available for those in need of a

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complete kitchen overhaul. Find out more at www.luus.com.au 4 Turkey with a twist. P&H Fine Foods has added a new product to its Christmas range, Turkey Jarrahdale. The succulent turkey breast is filled with crushed roasted pumpkin, pepita seeds and English spinach. Final preparation just requires heating the turkey sous vide in the bag, or simply slice and reheat as required to serve. The product has a chilled shelf life of 28 days, and each turkey weighs in at approximately 2.5 kilograms.

To find out more about how the company’s turkey products can ease your workload and ease the pressure this festive season visit www.phfinefoods.com.au 5 Impress with pastry. Ready Bake’s new sweet and savoury fluted shells, available in 100mm and 120mm sizes, deliver contemporary pastry shells with less fuss. The prepared shells provide convenience for chefs - they just

need to be thawed and baked.

Ideal for plated dinner or dessert dishes, the shells are ready to help you impress your customers with their distinctive shapes. For more information on Ready Bake’s pastry products and how to use them effectively on menus see www. readybake.com.au 6 Sushi revolutionised. The traditional sushi concept has been turned on its head and applied to iced desserts with this new product from Riviana. So-shi is a fruity sorbet that’s similar in structure to traditional sushi. It contains an outer layer of flavoured sorbet that is designed to protect the tasty ingredients inside. Choose from either lemon sorbet, which encases a delicious strawberry centre, apple sorbet, which has been carefully paired with soft caramel, or a pomegranate-lemon sorbet. You’ll be pleasantly surprised by the mixed berry combination hidden within. Get all the details at www. rivianafoodservice.com

hospitality | december 2012 - january 2013

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what on

hospitalitydiary MARCH 2013 8-10; Melbourne Food & Wine Festival Masterclass Weekend; The chance to get up close and personal with some of the world’s best chefs.

Check out the 2013 line up at www. melbournefoodandwine.com.au

APRIL 1-3 Hotelex Shanghai; Shanghai New International Expo Centre, Shanghai. See www.hotelex.cn

biennial event is WA’s largest hospitality trade event. Head to www. finefoodwesternaustralia.com.au

14 -16 Fine Food WA; Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre. This

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A must for your morning buffet!

Winner of the FIA Foodservice Association Industry. Best New FIA Product

For further information on any of our products contact Sara Lee Consumer Services FREECALL 1800 065 056 or visit www.foodservice.saralee.com.au

JUNE 2-4 Foodservice Australia; Royal Exhibition Building, Melbourne.

P R O D U C T S

Being held for the first time at this venue, Foodservice Australia 2013 promises to be one of the most spectacular yet with hundreds of top suppliers and special competitions and events taking place. See www.foodserviceaustralia.com.au

®

Take the opportunity to range the 2013 AGDA Grand Champion Tasmanian Heritage St Claire today!

For further information on the award winning Tasmanian Heritage St Claire contact your local sales representative or phone 1800 000 816, or visit our website at www.tasmanianheritage.com.au

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www.auscrown.com Austcrown P/L Ph: (03) 9873 5811 Fax: (03) 9873 5311 email info@auscrown.com 26

hospitality | december 2012 - january 2013

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