September 2010 Issue 1
The Competition heats up! Are you the face of HTN? Exclusive HTN Masterclasses Interview with Nino Zoccali Recipe: Lavendar Brulee with Honey and Lavendar Biscotti
Plus loads more!
Gareth Robb – A force to be reckoned with
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The finalists face off
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James Fairbank – Frequent Flyer Miles
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Entrée into hospitality
Featured Host – Pendolino
Peter Howard – HTN Patron
Recipe – Lavendar Brulee with Honey and Lavendar Biscotti
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Jack Peacock – Cooking at 30,000 feet
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HTN Exclusive – Ideas for Masterclasses
Nontas Lingonis – Award winning patissier
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Plus Message from the CEO Little Chef Rod Cobram Estates Sandhurst Fine Foods Tweed Heads Bowls Club Meat and Livestock Australia Recipe – Mini Lamb Burgers
HotClub Barista Competition Director of First Impressions Futura – Training goes Cyber Funny Butchery apprentices About HTN Fraser and Hughes Congratulations Masterfoods
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HTN; Workforce solutions for the Hospitality and Food related Industries. What a remarkable year it has been! The political landscape, significant changes to the Industrial Relations framework including the phasing in of Modern Awards and changes to the “Skills Occupations List” have truly had an impact on our industry. Despite all of this, I am pleased to report that throughout this year, HTN has experienced somewhat of a “growth spurt” and have consequently welcomed additional team members into the HTN family to aid our growth. We also welcomed Primo Smallgoods as a major client and are proud to be supporting such a well known organization with their Apprentice Butcher program in outlets that include Joe’s Meats and Farm Fresh Stores throughout NSW.
In closing, we wish HTN 4th Apprentice Chef Garreth Robbs the very best of luck. In one week’s time, as an award finalist, Garreth has a one in six chance of being named overall “Apprentice of the Year” in the 2010 DET NSW Training Awards - Apprentice of the Year Category. My congratulations to TAFE NSW - Hunter Institute for training such a capable chef.
At the time of writing, the HTN and MARS Food Australia Apprentice Culinary Competition series Grand Final has just been coordinated at Northern Sydney Institute of TAFE Ryde College. My thanks to the forty (40) amazing apprentice chef grand finalists for their efforts as the competition standard was exemplary! A wrap up of the competition is included within this edition of our new look E-Zine and I congratulate all who competed. I also wish to extend a very sincere thanks to the ten (10) HTN corporate sponsors that have chosen to support Australia’s largest and most successful apprentice culinary competition series throughout 2010. Without your support, this would simply not have been the success that it has been.
Should we be able to assist you in any way, please feel free to contact any member of the HTN Team on Toll Free 1300 139 108.
Yours sincerely, Michael Bennett Chief Executive Officer
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Where’s Little Chef Rod? Little Chef Rod has become the HTN motto over the last year, turning up at competitions and functions (and even lending a hand judging at the VET in Schools Master Class). However, Little Chef Rod likes to wander off and get lost. In future publications, we are going to run an ongoing competition to find where Rod has been hiding. Watch this space and join his Twitter Page to keep informed of his travels. www.twitter.com/littlechefrod
Are YOU the next face of HTN? We are looking for four current HTN apprentices or trainees to appear on our updated marketing material. You will be photographed in a kitchen and out at the markets and potentially appear on HTN adverts, posters, online etc. Please send a photo with your name and current place of work to Jonathan Sharp – Marketing and Business Development Manager: jonathan@htn.com.au or 83 Pacific Highway, Roseville, NSW 2069
HTN Apprentice Chef Garreth Robbs wins 2010 Apprentice of the Year at the HRATA regional Apprenticeship and Traineeship Awards HTN 4th Year Apprentice Chef Garreth Robbs was named HRATA Regional Apprentice of the Year at a gala dinner held recently at the Newcastle Panthers Club. Garreth was named overall winner from an extensive field of talented apprentices across all vocations having also been named Apprentice of the Year – Hospitality and will now progress to the State Awards later this year. This significant achievement is yet another feather in the talented young chef’s toque having also won the Nestle Golden Chefs Hat NSW competition within the same week. He has also managed to secure a number of high profile scholarships that have provided him travel to Europe and has consistently been a Grand Finalist in the HTN and MARS Food Australia Apprentice Chefs Culinary Competition. Garreth Robbs is certainly a culinary force to be reckoned with and will no doubt be the one to watch in future high profile culinary challenges.
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08 Cobram Estate, Australia's leading provider of olive oil, and the Australian Olive Association (AOA), have begun a partnership to educate HTN Apprentices and Trainees about the quality and benefits of Australian extra virgin olive oil. With a portfolio of award-winning oils, including 'Best in Show' at the AOA's National Olive Oil Awards last year, Cobram Estate is Australia's largest olive oil producer. The Estate grows fourteen different olive varieties at its groves in Victoria, allowing the brand to have a number of different oil styles to suit different tastes and dishes. Together Cobram Estate and the AOA are embarking on a series of activities, including tastings at HTN events, to raise awareness of the quality of ‘home grown’ extra virgin olive oil. Most of Australia’s olives are grown in the east, south and west of the country, with Victoria producing a significant majority. Most of the world’s major olive varieties are grown in Australia and the extra virgin olive oil from each grove tastes different because, like fine wine, it takes on the flavours and aromas of its particular region. Tim Smith, Sales and Marketing Manager of Cobram Estate, said: “We have invested for many years to build a world class Australian extra virgin olive oil business. As a result, we produce some of the world’s best olive oils. We’ve developed a whole range that can be used for all types of cooking, not just on salads!”
The Cobram Estate range is 100 per cent Australian extra virgin olive oil. This means it's cholesterol free, packed with antioxidants and loaded with Vitamin E and essential fatty acids. It also has a high proportion of monounsaturated fat, which is good for heart health, and is virtually free of trans fats. From Light & Delicate, the ideal companion when stir-frying, baking and roasting, to Rich & Robust, great for marinating or drizzling or adding to casseroles to Fresh & Fruity - a multi-purpose oil that’s great for salad dressings and dipping with crusty bread, Cobram has an oil for every dish. HTN trainees and apprentices will get an opportunity to try Cobram Estate oils and learn more about the range at the upcoming HTN and MARS Food Australia Apprentice Chef Culinary Competition Grand Final.
Cobram Estate – An oil for every taste and dish
Cobram Estate is a signatory to the Australian Olive Association’s Code of Practice, which guarantees the quality and authenticity of Australian extra virgin olive oil. To be certified and display the code of Practice logo on the bottle, every drop of oil in a bottle labelled extra virgin olive oil must meet or exceed standards for quality and must be free of smell and taste defects with a free fatty acid level of less than 0.8 and a peroxide value under 20. Additionally products must have undergone organoleptic and chemical testing and be Australian. For more information visit www.australianextravirgin.com.au and www.cobramestate.com.au.
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2010 HTN and MARS Food Australia Apprentice Chef’s Culinary Competition Grand Final
Hospitality Training Network (HTN) and MARS Food Australia coordinate Australia’s largest cooking competition series annually for future chefs. The well publicised skills shortage in the commercial cookery sector highlights the need to promote the career of a professional chef and HTN actively pursues applicants to meet their demand average of 100 cooking apprenticeship vacancies listed all year round. This competition provides an ideal opportunity for cooking apprentices and trainees to engage in structured skill development, further enhance their unmistakable passion for the culinary art and celebrate the excellence of cookery as a career without limits. In excess of 280 commercial cookery apprentices have now competed in the HTN and MARS Food Australia Apprentice Chefs Culinary Competition series which encompassed ten (10) regional heats coordinated throughout NSW and ACT - thus providing the industry with the largest and most exciting commercial cookery competition in the country. The series Grand Final was held on Tuesday, 7th September, 2010 at Northern Sydney Institute of TAFE Ryde College. Outstanding performances in the kitchen resulted in the following apprentices achieving Gold and were awarded cash prizes on the day: 1st Year Gold: 2nd Year Gold: 3rd Year Gold: 4th Year Gold:
Sophie Hedges – Roberts Restaurant – $2,500 Mieko Shimoda – $2,500 Matt Walton – Restaurant Como – $2,500 Stephanie Coupland – est – $2,500 (Stephanie also received the HTN Chairman’s Award for Excellence)
MARS Food Australia, Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA), Krio Krush, MAS National, Fraser & Hughes, Futura Training, Hennessy Coffee, Sandhurst Fine Foods, Cobram Estate, Australian Olive Association, TAFE NSW and CIT have generously supported HTN as sponsors of this initiative, ensuring that the commercial cookery sector’s future is assured.
Take a look at photos from the grand final and the heats on our Facebook page. Click here
Over 280 apprentices cooked-off in the 2010 HTN and MARS Apprentice Challenge
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Under the skillful guidance of head chef and owner Nino Zoccali The Restaurant Pendolino specialises in regionally-inspired Italian cuisine featuring some of Australia and Italy’s most prestigious extra-virgin olive oils and food and wine products. Beyond these amazing olive oils the Restaurant Pendolino features a range of artisanal pastas made on the premises in a dedicated pasta kitchen with all pastas made from flour and organic eggs.
Shop 100, Level 2, The Strand Arcade 412-414 George Street, Sydney 2000 T: 02 9231 6117 | info@pendolino.com.au
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Featured Host - Pendolino Interview with Head Chef and Owner Nino Zoccali.
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Q: How did you start as a chef? A: I trained in economics! I have a double degree in Economics and Italian and won a language scholarship to go to Italy for a year before I started cooking. All through my university studies I worked in hospitality businesses and really liked them. After I finished my scholarship I came back [to Australia] and was stuck between a rock and a hard place not knowing whether to go and do post graduate studies, because that’s the only way you get a decent job in economics. I was over studies and a friend was starting a café in the inner city in Perth and asked if I would come and help start it. Within twelve months I owned my own restaurant in Margaret River ,which was pretty quick, but sold it after two years. I lived and worked in Melbourne for a year, then came to Sydney and about two years later I started Otto at the Wharf as the Executive Chef there. After leaving there I did five years in consultancy before opening Pendolino – which has now been here coming up to two and a half years.
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Q: How did Pendolino come about? A: I really loved the site [floor 3 in the Strand Arcade] for this restaurant in terms of what we wanted to do and its concept as a high quality Italian restaurant with a café out the front, and an olive oil store as well. Its close to the city business community, which is what the restaurant is all about and its in a very high end quality fashion precinct which is very attractive – so it ticked all the boxes. I have always loved this building and the architecture was very important.
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“…you need to map out a plan for yourself.”
Q: How about the menu? A: Its my food and absolutely my personal influences. We make all of the pasta upstairs and I have a special interest in olive oil because its one of the cornerstones of Italian cooking and the industry in the main produces very high quality olive oil - we wanted to profile that.
Q: You employ a number of HTN apprentices, what piece of advice would you give to a new apprentice wanting to start in the industry? A: If its what you want to do then you need to map out a plan for yourself. You should start with what you want to be at the end and work back. Work out what you need to do and what experience you need to get, to get to where you want to go. Once you know that, concentrate on putting your head down, back side up and work hard to get the skills and knowledge you need. All the time you need to be aware that if you want to make a success of yourself in the industry, both from a learning your craft perspective and moving on into senior roles, you must, must, must learn management skills. Technical skills come first but always keep in your mind that management has got to be your ultimate goal.
HTN Apprentice Chef Morgan Neveceral gets silver at this years Golden Chef’s Hat Award HTN 3rd Year Apprentice Chef Morgan Neveceral recently competed with Brad Carson (both above) at the Nestle Golden Chef’s Hat Award in ACT. Morgan, who is currently hosted by Parliament House Catering by IHG, showed his talent and skill in the first heat for 2010. The challenge involved preparing a 3 course meal in 4 hours that impressed the judges. With 13 teams participating on the day only 3 medals were provided. Morgan and Brad proudly achieved silver in this heat, which continued from their success last year when they were the ACT winners and bronze winners at the National Finals. We congratulate Morgan on his success at the Nestle Golden Chef’s Hat Award and wish him all the best for any future competitions he may commit to.
Tweed Heads Bowls Club wins the Chefs Table Award Tweed Heads Bowls Club has been a HTN Host Trainer since early 2006 and under the guidance of Brad Whittaker, Executive Chef currently host employ two apprentices. Their growing reputation for culinary excellence has been confirmed with two chefs from the Tweed Heads Bowls Club jointly winning the title as the state’s best at a gala ceremony recently in Sydney.
David Carolan and Jonathan Aussieker impressed the judges of the Chefs Table Award with their 3 course menu. The win is the first time a chef pairing from the Tweed has won the award, although Tweed Heads Bowls Club did win the bronze medal in 2007. The competition requires chefs to work together to prepare a 3-course meal for 20 guests without spending more than $20 on each person. The Tweed Heads Bowls Club 3 course meal was: •Fresh local snapper marinated in chermoula and oven-baked, served on a warm kipfler potato and rocket salad, finished with fresh aromatic herbs. •Grilled quail with Ras el Hanout, served with preserved lemon cous cous and harissa, Slow-cooked pork belly with infused Asian flavours, served on a bundle of bok choy, Oven roasted lamb backstrap served on a sweet pumpkin puree, •with oyster mushrooms and a cabernet jus •A wicked passionfruit tartlet is matched with a classic opera cake and garnished with a glass biscuit and a double cream quenelle. ClubsNSW CEO David Costello said the win came as little surprise to him given the reputation of the Club’s The Blue Room restaurant. “I previously said David and Jonathan were entitled to feel confident about their chances. I felt that way because of the quality and variety of their dish and their commitment to making the most of the incredible seafood and fresh produce available out of the region. “I make a point of eating at Tweed Heads Bowls Club every October during the club industry’s annual conference on the Gold Coast. The food at the Club is remarkable and yet done at a price level that is affordable to most,” he said. David Carolan and Jonathan Aussieker will now represent NSW at the National Chefs Table competition final being staged in October this year.
22 Non-loin cuts of lamb set to take centre stage on spring restaurant menus Lamb’s popularity within foodservice has not wavered despite of the impacts of the Global Financial Crisis and recent high prices. Although foodservice has seen an increase in lamb prices, lamb’s popularity on menu hasn’t suffered with the average number of dishes on menu remaining the same over the last few years. (Penfold’s Foodservice research, May 2010). Despite the recent price hikes tracking confirms Australian consumers are still willing to pay for lamb, with data confirming lamb serves have risen by almost 2 million servings per week year on year (Roy Morgan, June 2010). The big change at foodservice has been the new and innovative ways chefs are using lamb to keep it on their menus. There has been a significant drop in demand for racks, down 5% from this time last year, and cutlets as well as eye of loin are coming in second to boneless leg in the lamb cut popularity index (Penfolds Foodservice research, May 2010). Lamb rump usage has also increased, up from 4% to 7% and a large increase in chump chops, up from 2% to 7% has been seen over the last 12 months. Chefs who serve seasonal dishes on their menu should look to spring as the perfect time for lamb. Quality Australian lamb is available year round but spring is when supply peaks in response to the traditional breeding cycle of ewes - born in winter and sold in spring. The term ‘spring lamb’ is used to describe this seasonal peak in supply making spring the perfect time to feature lamb on seasonal menus. The development of ‘gastro’ pubs and the gourmet burger phenomenon are huge trends in the US that we see trickling into to the high end of Australia’s restaurant and bar scene. Lamb’s strong association with these trends has some US food industry commentators calling 2010 the ‘year of lamb’. Because lamb can be paired with so many flavours and lamb mince is relatively in-expensive, burgers are really a place where lamb can come into its own and gourmet burgers have the potential to stretch across the entire foodservice marketplace- from high end to fastfood chains. This recipe is available in the Chefs Special magazine or for more information email Mel Marshan on mmarshan@mla.com.au.
Mini lamb burgers 6 garlic cloves, chopped 1 tbsp grated lemon rind 1 tbsp black peppercorns 2.2kg lamb shoulder 200ml olive oil, plus a little extra for drizzling 2 medium brown onions, chopped Salt Freshly ground white pepper 2 bay leaves 2 red capsicums, chopped 80g brown sugar 80ml red wine vinegar Rocket Hummus 30 mini bread rolls •Preheat oven to 180C. Crush four garlic cloves, lemon rind and peppercorns in a mortar and pestle and spread on lamb. Season. •Roast lamb for 30 minutes; reduce heat to 150C and roast for 2 hours or until meat falls from the bone. Using 2 forks, coarsely shred meat into a large bowl. •For the relish, heat olive oil, add onion and remaining garlic and season. Cook until onion in translucent and soft. Add bay leaves and capsicum and cook for a further five minutes. Add sugar and vinegar and simmer for 30 minutes to reduce liquid. To serve: Fill bread rolls with rocket, hummus. Squeeze a small handful (60gms) of lamb together to help it hold together. Top with a large spoon of relish. The burgers should stay together but for sturdiness insert a toothpick through the top of the bun.
2009 HTN Peter Howard Scholarship winner James Fairbank shares his experience
James who has a passion for desserts based his application for the 2009 HTN Peter Howard Culinary Scholarship around his desire to see how the top chefs in the UK and New York approached their craft. He was particularly interested in finding out, amongst other things, where they start planning their menu, how they interpret ingredients, how technology has influenced development of new dishes, the importance of structure in plating, the importance of complimentary flavours and what place savoury desserts have on their menu. Shortly after being awarded the scholarship, he contacted two of his previous Head Chefs, Jeff Turnbull and John Evans, and sought their opinion of which chefs to contact. On their advice, he researched which Chefs were renowned for their desserts. John Evans put James in touch with one of Gordon Ramsay’s leading Chefs, Simon, who secured interviews with some of the best chefs in the business.
Far North Scotland, Edinburgh, Lakes District, London, Switzerland and New York After drafting a letter introducing himself and what he was aiming to achieve, he sent it to 25 of the top chefs in the UK and New York, asking for 30 minutes of their time, six months in advance. The response he got from (almost) all of them was amazing, as they all indicated they were happy to sit down and give half an hour (or more) of their time and were willing to talk desserts with an apprentice from half a world away.
James’s trip started in the far North of Scotland, went down through Edinburgh, The Lakes District, London, across to Switzerland and finished in New York. Along the way he met some incredibly talented and inspiring chefs, who were happy to give him the wisdom of their knowledge, their time, sound advice and useful tips. These Chefs are all leaders in kitchens that have been awarded at least 1 Michelin Star and have huge demands on their time, so James made sure the topics they covered were relevant to their particular venue and cooking style. The kitchens they lead range from modest in size to enormous, from 26 covers to over 150 and from $40 three course set lunch menus to $400 nine course tasting menus. The one thing they have in common is they are recognized as leaders in their industry. There are many similarities in how they approach their menu development, but even more differences in how they are executed. An example of this is Chefs Charlie Lockley and Tom Aiken. Both start with seasonal availability as the core of any new dish that will appear on their menu, both using local produce where available. Chef Aiken uses English produce when it is in season, but relies on strawberries from France or Spain, Belgian rhubarb and French mushrooms before English versions become available, and after the English season concludes. Chef Lockley is, however, a member of the ‘Slow Food Movement’ that insists on using local produce and knowing the origin of every ingredient used on their menu. His menu is a daily changing, 6 course set menu that only uses produce from Scotland. For example, he will not use foie gras, limes or vanilla beans. The furthest anything travels is the beef, which travels 250 miles from the Borders Region.
New York
Switzerland
This finds him foraging for wood mushrooms in the forests surrounding the restaurant, harvesting wild watercress from the brook that runs through the hotel grounds and visiting the greenhouses in the restaurants walled garden, to cut herbs for garnishes, 30 minutes before service.
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Both their menus feature seasonal produce, sympathetically prepared and served to the customer in peak condition, but with ingredients sourced from completely different regions. James spent a day in the kitchen at The Ledbury, and saw how an establishment at the pinnacle of dining operates. Their systems ensure seamless delivery of incredible food, as well as spotless preparation of mise en place. This was tested by a snap inspection by a food inspector in the middle of a busy Thursday evening service. A thorough evaluation of all prep areas, cool rooms, food storage methods and temperatures gave the Ledbury a clear pass for all their procedures and foodstuffs. As well as meeting some amazing chefs, he was lucky enough to eat incredible meals at their establishments. In the UK, some highlights included the Rhubarb Charlotte at The Kitchin in Leith, Scotland, sampling a tasting menu at Texture in London with Garreth Robbs (2008 scholarship winner) and the best dessert he had ever tasted, The Square in London’s Lemon Tart with Yoghurt Ice Cream.
New York was beyond anything he could have imagined, with the opportunity to interview 3 of the top pastry chefs in the world. Executive Pastry Chefs Michael Laiskonis (Le Bernadin), Johnny Luzzini (Restaurant Jean-Georges) and Elwyn Boyle (Per Se) all agreeing to give him half an hour of their time was a career highlight. As Executive Pastry Chefs for 3 Michelin Star establishments, the insights and advice they were able to give me on how they do things was a real eye opener. James was also lucky enough to eat at Per Se (which was the best meal he has ever eaten), Le Bernadin (a close second), The Grammercy Tavern and, at the invitation of Chef Iuzzini, tasted the entire dessert menu at Restaurant Jean-Georges. He also ate at ChickaLicious, which is a ‘dessert bar’ that opens evenings and only serves desserts. It’s a small operation that serves some cutting edge fare and punches above its weight. Of all the Chefs James was fortunate enough to meet, the most inspiring were Chef Lockley (Boath House in Scotland) and Chef Phil Howard (The Square, London). Here were two humble, modest men that show their passion for their industry by quietly providing their customers with amazing interpretations of new season produce. The most memorable quote was by Chef Johnny Luzzini, who, when asked ‘Is it important to challenge the customers preconceived ideas of what an ingredient should look and taste like?’ replied ‘I’m not here to challenge the customer about anything. I want them to be excited about what they will be getting, not be challenged. I’m here to excite them’. Away from the kitchen, he was able to get to see the Borough Markets, the Fun Loving Criminals and go up The London Eye while in England, visit the studios owned by rock band Queen while in Montreux, Switzerland, see the New York Yankees in action at Yankee stadium (twice), the Red Bull Air Race over the Hudson River, walk over Brooklyn Bridge, go up The Empire State Building and visit Ground Zero while in New York. The 8 weeks James spent away was undoubtedly the highlight of his career so far, and has given him a small insight to what needs to be done to achieve success in this industry.
While the apprentice chefs were cooking off in the kitchens at the Grand Final, the competition was just as fierce at the front of house! Eleven baristas from NSW Hotels, Pubs and Clubs fought for the title at the inaugural Hotclub Barista Cup, designed and run by Hennessy Coffee. Each competitor had to serve different types of drinks to order, and then produce a signature coffee and were marked on presentation, technique, cleanliness, service and engagement, creativity and fluid-ness of operation. First, second and third place took home not only a handsome cup each but a Breville domestic coffee machine. The winners were: 1st Place – Joel Lascano – Blacktown Workers Club 2nd Place – Jay Ene – Mingara Leisure Group 3rd Place – Kirsten Shanahan – Fairfield RSL
Who says you can’t get a great coffee outside of a trendy café?
Congratulations to all who entered and watch this space for next year.
HTN Employee Profile Bridget Gibbons – Director of First Impressions
My name is Bridget Gibbons and on the 4th January 2010 I became the Business Trainee and Receptionist of ‘HTN’ located at the Roseville office in Sydney. I arrived for my first day of work a little quiet and reserved, not sure of what to expect. That was a little over six months ago. I have now formed a very special bond with all of the staff at HTN and thoroughly enjoy the responsibilities that come with the title ‘Director of First Impressions’. The skills and the knowledge I have come to acquire over the past six months of my traineeship have helped me to develop and grow, not only as an individual, but also a team member in and around the work place. I have just completed my certificate III in Business Admin and have now decided to stay on with HTN to complete a further certificate IV with the help of my trainer Greg Kent (Customer Focus Group Training). Throughout the year so far, I have come to realise the significance of a company like HTN, how much work goes on behind the scenes and how lucky I have been to come across a position with this company.
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Head Teacher Glen Anderson interviews third year apprentice Kathleen Mitchell at the opening of entree
In June 2010, Western Sydney’s newest training restaurant, entree, officially opened its doors with a gala event to celebrate the occasion at the Kingswood Campus of Nepean College, TAFE NSW – Western Sydney Institute. Local employers, the architect, builders, staff, industry, and local government representatives also attended the event, which showcased the facility with a delicious student-designed and served menu. Bill Galvin from Tourism Training Australia said the menu served at the opening was so good it could be served at the Four Seasons in Sydney. Institute Director Susan Hartigan said that the facility is a great boost to the Western Sydney hospitality industry. “Our new restaurant, entree will stimulate the growth and development of the local hospitality industry. It is a place where we can train future hospitality professionals to be high quality and innovative leaders in their industry.
“...the menu served at the opening was so good it could be served at the Four Seasons “
entree into the hospitality industry
“The name entree, meaning the right or privilege of entering, is indicative of the role we play in giving students access to a successful career in hospitality,” said Ms Hartigan. The opening of the restaurant was successfully organised by Nepean College’s Advanced Diploma of Hospitality Management students. The event’s menu was designed by third year Commercial Cookery apprentice Kathleen Mitchell and served by first year Food and Beverage students. Entree is now open to the public - call 02 9208 9391. Nepean College provides a range of accredited hospitality, tourism and events training in house and in the workplace. For more information call 131 870 or visit the website www.wsi.tafensw.edu.au
HTN Host Trainer Profile – The Westin Sydney The Westin Sydney is a HTN Host Trainer dedicated to continually training and supporting HTN apprentices. They offer a variety of innovative tools to simplify and enhance the planning process from single-day meetings to creating a customised website for your event. Their personalized services allow you to effortlessly create a memorable experience for each and every invitee. Conveniently located at Martin Place, Sydney the award winning Westin Sydney is a perfect base for all that Sydney has to offer. Their restaurant Mosaic has innovative Mediterranean cuisine, which surpasses all expectations of a hotel restaurant.
Training goes cyber!
For anyone who desires the ultimate Westin Sydney experience, an upgrade to the Westin Executive Club® offers a sophisticated range of services including a revitalising club lounge breakfast, an executive meeting room and complimentary cocktails and canapés each evening.
Futura has launched their new online resources in the exciting eCoach template.
Inspiration is in the detail. The Westin Sydney has some of the most comprehensive banquet and catering facilities in the city. They also partner with neighbouring venues to cater for larger meetings and events. The Westin Sydney offer attentive service, distinguished amenities and unique dining experiences.
Each unit contains interactive videos, picture sequences, quizzes, interactive exercises and audio files to contextualise the learning. The resources are linked into a Learning Management System (LMS), which allows the trainer to monitor progress, collate marks and record the success of learners. The results of the built-in quizzes for every unit are calculated for you and can be viewed at the click of a button.
For more information on The Westin Sydney visit www.westin.com.au/sydney.
Flexibility, innovation and meaningful learning are key to improved the skill level and knowledge of hospitality professionals.
The Online Training can be customised by selecting a range of units required by the learner or enterprise.
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Peter Howard – Chef, Author, TV Personality, Ambassador and now HTN Patron. Peter Howard is one of Australia’s best known food and wine commentators, appearing regularly on television, broadcasting on radio, writing for magazines and newspapers and advising industry and government organisations on hospitality and tourism issues. He is one of the most highly sort after personalities on the speaker’s circuit. For 16 years his national television segments, regular radio interviews and articles in magazines and newspapers have kept Australian audiences informed of the latest trends in food and wine. His extensive public appearances, both in Australia and overseas, have sharpened his communication skills which have led him to become one of Australia’s most sought after media and presentation skills trainers.
The foundation of his success is his professional background in hospitality. He is experienced in hotel and restaurant management (having run his own catering business and four restaurants in the 70s, 80s and 90s) and was a lecturer at the prestigious Ryde Catering College, Sydney, from 1979 to 1988. With Jeffrey Puckeridge, he wrote his first textbook - The Professional Waiter while studying for his degree in education. This went on to become the highest selling Australian textbook on waiting – a second textbook followed, The Professional Bar Attendant. Peter has a passionate interest in all things edible! This encourages him to search out new developments in food and wine which he presented on weekly appearances on the National 9 Network’s ‘Today Show’ for 14 years as Food Editor; and at cooking classes and demonstrations. He retired from the Today Show in December 2002 to make way for other interests in TV and travel. He is also committed to promoting excellence in all aspects of Australia’s food and wine industries. In May 1996 he convened the first Culinary Tourism Advisory Committee, now known as FWTAC, to make recommendations to Tourism New South Wales on how to best use food and wine in tourism promotions.
Peter has worked in the USA, Canada, Japan, Germany and the United Kingdom both independently and as a representative and consultant to major food manufacturers and wine producers. While President of the Food Media Club of Australia he oversaw the bi-annual Food Forum which highlighted the quality and diversity of regional Australian cuisine, and introduced the organisation’s biannual Food Writers’ Awards. Peter is on the “speakers” circuit where he mostly delivers papers on matters around agriculture and horticulture. He has a passionate belief in rural Australia and the people that make it the best country in the world in which to live. On an annual basis, Peter is an Australia Day Ambassador and has been since 1996 – he was offered such a role in the inaugural Ambassador program for Queensland in 2004. He has been recognised a Living Legend of Australian Tourism - one of 100 only in Australia. Peter appears annually at the G’day LA program in Los Angeles where his role is as co-ordinating Chef for the organiser, Consuming Passions; he also does celebrity appearances for this organisation is the USA when needed. His product range, Peter Howards Selection, is also sold in speciality stores in the USA, UK, Holland and Germany – this range also sells across Australia and features only Australian produce.
Peter works closely with the hospitality industry as an adviser, coordinator and presenter, to help lift Australia’s food and wine profile. In the past seven years, he has: • prepared a cocktail party for Australian wines in Verona, as part of the Vin Italy wine exhibition • presented two one-day cooking and wine tasting classes for Good Housekeeping Institute Magazine in the UK • organised and cooked a luncheon highlighting Australian food styles and wines at an up-market resort in St Mellions, (UK) • launched the new rices for the Ricegrowers Cooperative in Australia and New Zealand • orchestrated the regional cooking component at Wine Australia ’96 and ‘98 and worked with McWilliams at this event for 2000, and 2002 and 2004. • chaired the Regional Cooking Competition at the inaugural Tasting Australia ‘97 and subsequently went on to work for Tasting Australia ’99 and Chairman for the 2001, 2003 and 2005 competition. • filmed the Australian lamb promotion for the Australian Meat & Livestock Corporation in New York after having worked for five years at trade shows for this organization in the USA; in 2002, he launched the Summer Lamb Campaign in New York. • was a part of the awarding winning team of writers that won bronze at the International Food Media Awards in Adelaide in August 2001 for the Le Cordon Bleu’s book, Wine Essentials. • organised the inaugural Taste of Queensland Show Kitchen for the 2004 EKKA with Alison Alexander – in 2005 this section will be much larger an have more impact and features only Queensland products and produce
BOOKS PUBLISHED • Cooking with Peter Howard • Peter Howard’s Favourite Menus • Peter Howard’s Favourite Menus and Their Recipes • Midday to Midnight Recipe Collection from Peter Howard • Cooking Today with Peter Howard • Entertaining with Liqueurs (co-authored with Lesley Richardson) • John West Quick and Easy Cookbook (co-authored with Lesley Richardson) • The Professional Waiter (co-authored with Jeffrey Puckeridge) • The Professional Bar Attendant (co-authored with Jeffrey Puckeridge) • Barbecued! New Holland. • Meat! Lothian • Licence to Grill – Modern Barbecue Food • Delicious Living (best seller) • Delicious Entertaining • Barbecue Seafood • Peter Howard’s Barbecue Collection VIDEOS RELEASED • Cooking Today With Peter Howard. • Dine in Style – the Hunter Valley on a Plate
HTN is honoured to have Peter as our official Patron.
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Primo , Joe’s Meats and Farm Fresh Meats HTN is proud to have a new relationship with the three brands of butchers and be in a position to help butchery apprentices realise their careers. Primo Smallgoods is the largest producer of ham, bacon and small goods in Australia. From humble beginnings, this family owned and operated company has gone on to become a household name. Catering for both the domestic and export markets, Primo holds a unique position in the industry by owning and operating abattoirs, manufacturing plants, packing facilities and distribution warehouses. By controlling these critical stages of the production and distribution process, Primo maintains the highest level of quality control in the industry. Our customers know that when buying from Primo, they will only receive products of the highest quality, on time, every time. To ensure we maintain our position of leadership within the meat and small goods industry, Primo continually trains and develops young employees for the challenges that will face them both today and in the future. Research and development ensures we remain a leader in product innovation, whilst capital expenditure enables us to continually be the lowest cost producer.
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Watch our corporate video (click on the below)
About HTN HTN is a leading Group Training Organisation established to provide the hospitality and related industries with quality Apprentices and Trainees. We encourage, support, promote, develop and nurture the training of people who wish to develop high quality vocational skills. Apprentices are contracted to HTN through the unique group training system and are able to rotate to up to three different establishments during the course of their Apprenticeship. Traineesships are offered under the same successful system but are encouraged to remain in the one establishment for the full term of their contract, which is twelve or twenty four months. HTN has a highly regarded recruitment division and assists in the selection of applicants and their placement with "Host Employers". Experienced consultants make frequent visits to support training development and to assist Host Employers and Apprentices/Trainees where possible. Host Employers can select their Apprentices and Trainees according to their skills needs and capacity to train. They can adjust their Apprentice workload to suit a fluctuating market. To download the HTN Customer Service Charter, click here.
10 All the colours of the rainbow What is a RAINBOW OLIVE? A rainbow olive describes the mixture of the wonderful coloured olives from Cerignola in Italy. These are marketed exclusively by Sandhurst Fine Foods. Using a patented colouring process, the olives take on warm, natural colours found in Nature. Red – tomato, green – from Olives, Yellow – is actually light green and black uses the same process as is used for Spanish Olives – fixing the colour a jet black by oxidizing and stabilizing this colour with ferrous glucontate (579). How are they coloured? The olives are placed in large tubs and colouring takes a few weeks. The natural colours permeate the olive and do not have any interfering flavours. The resultant taste is similar to Sicilian Green Olives – a nutty, firm taste that is excellent for people that don’t like strong or salty olives. Is it a natural colour? Yes – permitted colours are Red (127) and Green (141) – these are nature identical colours used in many food products all over the world.
What is so special about Rainbow Olives? The shape is an oval shape, they are firm with a crunch – they look fantastic in antipasto platters and add colour to all dishes. Where can I use Rainbow Olives? Used wherever you would use Olives for entrees and canapés – these are big so they make a big impression! Where can I buy Rainbow Olives? Rainbow olives are sold in 500g jars, 2kg jars as well as bulk refrigerated pails. All Sandhurst resellers are able to access these sizes via Sandhurst. Independent stores and foodservice distributors will stock this product.
Can anyone else make Rainbow Olives? No company has successfully marketed these olives outside of the USA. There are some imitation olives but the quality and texture doesn’t match up to the original Bella Di Cerignola recipe.
The Aim of the “THE BEST ANTIPASTO RECIPE” competition is to find the most original, creative and innovative recipe using one or more of our products as the main ingredient. There is no limit to what can be made, from Canapés, Entrees, Mains, Drinks, Desserts and the favourite of all Buffet Platters.
The key competencies which we are looking at are: Originality ο Innovation ο Cost ο Creativity The winner will have these main competencies covered very well. No ideas are out of the question.
The way in which to lodge your entry is simple. Complete the recipe card here, ensure all requirements are completed. A photograph of the dish is most critical as this is the only visual we will get. If one photograph does your dish no justice, then don't be afraid to add a few extra. Entries can be sent to: reza@sandhurstfinefoods.com.au by the 30th November 2010. The WINNER will be treated to a Dinner for two at Big Mammas Trattoria, 51 Moncur Street in Woollahra Sydney. We will organise dinner and drinks, and also a tour of the fabulous kitchen by the Executive Chef.
Lavender Brulée with Honey and Lavender Biscotti – by Laura Wilson
350g sugar, 1 large handful lavender flowers 1. 2. 3.
Place lavender and sugar in an air tight jar. Set aside for 24 hours minimum. Remove lavender flowers.
Lavendar Coulis
Scald cream, vanilla bean and lavender flowers. Allow to cool slightly allowing lavender to infuse into cream. Mix egg yolks with sugar. ( Don’t over mix) Slowly pour cream mixture into eggs whilst mixing. Allow to cool for 10 minutes. Strain mixture removing all flowers. Pour into brulée moulds. Place in a steam oven for 20-22 mins or until cooked. Cool before serving.
2 ¼ C flour, 1 tsp baking powder, ½ tsp baking soda, ¼ tsp salt, 2/3C sugar, 3 large eggs, 3T honey, ½ tsp vanilla extract, 2T orange zest 1T dried lavender flowers 1. Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt together. 2. In another bowl cream sugar and eggs, stir in honey, vanilla extract, orange zest and lavender flowers. 3. Fold dry ingredients into egg mixture until dough is just combined. 4. Divide dough into two logs on a lightly floured surface. 5. Par-bake at 170°C until golden brown or springs back when lightly touched. 6. Remove from oven and cut into slices and bake at 100°C for 10 mins.
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
Bring sugar and water to the boil. Add lavender flowers. Reduce until desired consistency. Add food colouring. Strain flowers from mixture. Serve when chilled.
1 large handful lavender flowers, Water Sugar, Purple food colouring Lavendar Toffee
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.
200g sugar, 200ml water, Small handful lavender flowers, Purple food colouring
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.
Place lavender flowers and water in a pot. Reduce water by ½. Remove flowers and add sugar. Bring to the boil and allow to turn golden brown. Remove from heat and add food colouring. Set toffee on greaseproof paper. Blend toffee in thermo mix.
Small handful lavender flowers, 100g sugar, Purple food colouring Lavendar Dust
Honey and Lavendar Biscotti
Lavendar Sugar
Lavendar Brulee
1500ml cream, 1 large handful lavender flowers, 18 egg yolks, 350g lavender sugar, 1 vanilla bean
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
Finely chop lavender flowers. Add sugar and continue chopping. Harden mixture under lights. Place in thermo mix and blend until a dust. Add small amount of food colouring.
Laura Wilson is a first year apprentice at Peppers Anchorage – this was her creation for an in house competition. Well done Laura.
48 Where are they now? Jack Peacock Don’t always think that doing an apprenticeship as a Chef will restrict you to the confines of a kitchen for the rest of your life. Jack finished his apprenticeship just before his 21st birthday and decided to head overseas to see what life had to offer. He started working in a pub in London a few days after his arrival. Between working in numerous kitchens around London his time was spent travelling and partying through Europe. After returning to Sydney a few years later he moved back into the kitchen, running the kitchen at a prestigious golf club. He soon realised he had not seen enough of the world and was itching to head back overseas. A friend of Jack’s was well aware of his need for more travel and handed him an advertisement from the Sydney Morning Herald. Gulf Air was recruiting In-flight Chefs. Chefs to cook in flight for First Class passengers based in the Middle East. This would change his life forever.
Jack started working for GF as an In-flight Chef when he was 26 and it was like a dream. The weather was extreme but worth every second. His job was to prepare and serve 8 to 12 First Class passengers en route at 40,000 feet with the only cooking equipment being 3 small ovens and a hot cup that boiled water. For the 5 years he was at GF they were awarded Best airline catering in the world for First Class. Jack worked with many young Chefs from all over the world, many from Michelin star restaurants. He spent 5 years in the Middle East and flew around the world, staying at all sorts of destinations in 5 star hotels. The 4 years of hard work and little money as an apprentice definitely paid off. Being a Chef has opened so many doors in Jack’s life and he will always be grateful to HTN for guiding him in the right direction from the beginning.
Got a story, comment or photo you would like to see in HTN Quarterly online? We are looking for recipes, apprentice stories and host profiles too. Send the material or idea to: jonathan@htn.com.au or phone: 02 9495 4444
HTN CEO Michael Bennett with HTN Patron Peter Howard and Director Education, Tourism & Hospitality Anne Goonetilleke
HTN and Western Sydney Institute of TAFE sign MOU HTN is proud to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Western Sydney Institute of TAFE as it formalises a joint commitment from both organisations to improve and grow quality apprenticeship and traineeship outcomes in the hospitality industry. HTN chooses to partner with WSI TAFE as they have demonstrated with continuity an innovative approach to delivering quality programs that are based on industry needs.
Where are they now? Nontas Lingonis
Q A
Q: How did you end up as a chef? A: I am actually from New Zealand with a Greek background. When I was a teenager I moved to Greece and got into Tourism and Hospitality very easily because I could speak English. So I started as a waiter and eventually got into the kitchen doing purely Greek cookery which I did for about twelve years before deciding to move to Australia with my wife. Now in Australia I found it hard to find employment in a kitchen because in Greece you don’t have to go to a TAFE or do a formal qualification you just kind of start work! I kept being told to do an apprenticeship, and I thought that if I was going to do this I should get out of it what I am interested in, and I had always been interested in pastry. So I started again and did a Pastry apprenticeship through HTN.
Q A
Q: It would have to be hard going back to square one, what age were you when you became an apprentice? A: I was 31 when I came to Australia. Financially it was hard going from full time work back to an apprentice but as a mature aged apprentice [with experience in the kitchen] it was a bit easier. You get treated better and with a bit more respect. Not that anyone gives us foot massages or anything like that! But although financially it was a step backwards and my wife paid our bills for the first two years, the experience wasn’t at all bad.
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“Not that anyone gives us foot massages or anything like that! “
Q A
Q: You have been here [at Merivale] for a while, how did you come to be here? A: I started at Nick’s Bar and Grill at Cockle Bay Wharf and was there for my first year, then onto Aqua Dining and after seven months I got a phone call from the pastry chef at Nick’s who was just moving here [to Merivale] as Executive pastry chef. He knew I was interested in furthering my pastry skill and offered me a job here with him. So I came across and finished my apprenticeship here and then stayed. I have been here for about three years. Its a fantastic team here, a small pastry team with masses of experience. Claire [Head pastry chef] has 25 years experience, the Pastry Sous Chef Nicole has 15 years in a pastry kitchen so between them they have 40 years of experience for me to learn from. I am keen to develop all I can and so although I have finished my apprenticeship, I am back at TAFE doing my Certificate IV – Advanced Patisserie.
52 “Adrianno Zumbo had four of his chefs in the competition, so I was a little bit intimidated!”
Q A Q A
Q: So tell me about the competition? A: I heard about it through a friend and I knew it had different categories in the competition. I love working with chocolate and am always playing around with it – moulding chocolate, sculpting – so the part I looked at was to make a chocolate dessert for restaurants. I trained for a few months working on some recipes and playing around with chocolate ganaches to get ready. Q: I understand the field was a really high standard? A: I wasn’t actually expecting it! I turned up on the day and looked at the other pastry chefs and hadn’t realised the level the competition was at. I was amazed that pastry chefs from all over Australia had come – most with executive pastry chef or head pastry chef as a title. There were chef’s from Melbourne, Brisbane, Tasmania, Adrianno Zumbo had four of his pastry chefs in the contest! So I was a little bit intimidated!
Q A Q A Q A Q A
Q: At this point how long had you been a qualified pastry chef? A: Less than six months. So although it was intimidating, it was new for me and fun - so I wasn’t trying to get first place. Although you can enter year after year they don’t encourage the top three to come back so I wanted to just get the experience and if I did ok, then I might come back next year and see how I do next time. After talking to the team here I would be really happy with top ten. Then I came second and won quite a good prize too! [A chocolate melting machine worth about $1000] Q: And now you are not allowed to go back into it next time?
A: Well you are not encouraged but there are other parts of the competition like chocolate sculpting but I haven’t decided yet whether to enter. I need to have a bit of a play around with sculpting and get a bit of training from the team here. Q: So do you provide patisserie for est and the conferencing facilities here? A: More than that. est has a pastry section of its own but we do all the chocolate work for them, and the conference rooms as well as shipping out items to the twenty or so Merivale properties around Sydney. Q: What piece of advice do you have for a new apprentice just getting into the industry? A: Its a big learning curve. Don’t get discouraged. You will try lots of things that won’t work the first time and probably not the second or third time either, but keep trying. Some things in this industry need a lot of patience to get right. I have been known to get discouraged in the past but in cookery, practice really does make perfect.
For the recipe of Nontas’ Apple and Cinnamon Delice, click here.
HTN Exclusive! The picture is a hint – HTN is working on some exclusive “money can’t buy” experiences for HTN Apprentices, Trainees and Hosts. These fantastic experiences will be offered on a first come first served basis and promoted through our new “HTN Quarterly online” e-zine and on our “Pour Print” e-bulletin. Celebrity chefs, unusual environments and exciting learning experiences that you simply can’t get unless you are with HTN
So keep your eye on your inbox for the “Pour Print” and don’t you dare miss the boat… If you are not receiving the “Pour Print” regularly check your junk or bulk folder and email us with your up to date email address. Click here.
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Congratulations …. Janet Haigh 3rd Year Apprentice Three Bean Hamilton “Well done achieving a high distinction” Lily Newton 1st Year Apprentice Tweed Heads Bowling Club “Well done at the Golden Chefs Hat at Ashmore TAFE”
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To send your congratulations or comments through click here.
Laura Wilson 1st Year Apprentice Peppers Anchorage “Congratulations on Staff of the Month”
Congratulations To all the apprentices who competed in the HTN & MARS Apprentice Culinary Challenge.
Congratulations Gareth Robb 4th Year Apprentice – Bistro Molines Finalist in the NSW DET Training Awards and selected as Executive chef for the HTN Youth Showcase
HTN Apprentice, Trainee and Host Trainer Master Class At the recent HTN Master Class well known Chef Jeff Turnbull captivated HTN Apprentices, Trainees and Host Trainers in the demonstrations kitchens at TAFE NSW Northern Sydney Institute – Ryde College. This event, exclusive only to HTN Apprentices, Trainees and Host Trainers, provided individuals with the opportunity to watch Jeff prepare and discuss several dishes, with the assistance of Nicola Bell (HTN Apprentice) and George Carpinato (HTN Field Consultant): The dishes prepared on the evening included: •Double Chicken Consomme •Foie Gras Cream •Braised Oxtails •Celeriac Puree •Chargrilled Swordfish with Braised White Beans, Artichoke and Tomato Confit This Master Class provided a unique overview of red meat cuts and the effective use of Krio Krush Herbs and Spices while allowing Apprentices, Trainees and Host Trainers the opportunity to interact with Jeff throughout the evening.
online QUARTERLY www.htn.com.au mail@htn.com.au 1300 139 108
Give us some feedback – what do you think of our new e-zine? Advertising enquiries. Content submission. Sponsorship. email: jonathan@htn.com.au