Hospitality July 2012 by mediaweb

VOL. 48 July 2012

Do it for the planet

IN CO

Cut costs and feel good too

RPO

R AT

IN G

page 37

See inside Josh Emett's new restaurant page 24

Changing whisky's ways

Are you legendary?

page 54

EDITOR – HOSPITALITY Veronica Johnston Ph 021 756 582 editor@hospitalitymag.co.nz ASSISTANT EDITOR – HOSPITALITY Jesma Magill Jesma.magill@xtra.co.nz EDITOR – THIRST Don Kavanagh Ph 021 262 3990 donk@mediaweb.co.nz ADVERTISING SALES MANAGER – HOSPITALITY Wendy Steele Ph 021 300 473 Email wendy.steele@mediaweb.co.nz ADVERTISING SALES MANAGER – THIRST Trish Day Ph 0275 616 556 Email trishd@mediaweb.co.nz DESIGNER Amber Renée Hobbs amberh@mediaweb.co.nz CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Linda Bennett (Christchurch) Email: lindabennett@clear.net.nz Sue Fea (Queenstown) Email dave@queenstownproperty.com Kathy Ombler (Wellington) Email: kathy@ombler.co.nz INDUSTRY CONTRIBUTORS Marisa Bidois, Thomas Chin, Pip Duncan, Ken Harris, Bruce Robertson, Vic Williams. GROUP SALES MANAGER Lisa Morris ADVERTISING CO-ORDINATOR Pip Maclean Ph 09 529 3000 Email ads@mediaweb.co.nz ACCOUNTANT Pam King Ph 09 300 2670 Email pamk@mediaweb.co.nz

From the editor. More accolades Fine Food New Zealand has been and gone, and what another action-packed show it was. The live cooking competitions, colourful stands and dynamic displays wowed thousands who came for the latest food, beverage and technological advances. For many, the show will have signalled a new beginning for them. Some will be hanging their certificates and awards up, while others are installing their new dishwashers or ovens or trialling an exciting new food product. Whatever the case, we hope you’ll enjoy this issue, which is also all about new beginnings. In the spirit of what makes this country such a great place to start a food business, we take a closer look behind Josh Emett’s new Rata restaurant in Queenstown. There is a distinctly New Zealand theme to this restaurant that will make you proud. Think rivers, native bush and stones and you’re on the right track. We were also curious to see who will be in charge of the kitchen while Emett is away fulfilling his MasterChef commitments and were so impressed with his head chef Helen Turnbull that we delved into her background and profiled her on page 22. But first, find out about the winners at this year's Fine Food New Zealand starting on page six. Enjoy, and have a great month everyone,

CREDIT CONTROL Gladys Hooker Ph 09 300 2672 Email gladys@mediaweb.co.nz CIRCULATION/SUBSCRIPTIONS Sue McDiarmid Rates: $80 for 12 issues plus Directory incl GST and post. Overseas rates available on request. Address to: Subscriptions Dept, Mediaweb, PO Box 5544, Wellesley St, Auckland 1141 Email subs@mediaweb.co.nz www2.mediaweb.co.nz/shopping

Veronica Johnston, Editor

PREPRESS & PRINT BY PMP Print ISSN 1172 4285

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Contents July 2012 Appetizers 6

See whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new from Fine Food New Zealand.

Get set for the Culinary Fare.

18 Northern Nibbles: Mojo Garage, Tango Pizza, Barretta and Victoria Quarter.

19 Capital Comment: Wellington on a Plate, CQ Hotels one of top nine in the world.

20 Southern Snippets: Bluff Oyster and Food Festival, Flying Trestles, Tatler Restaurant and Bar.

22 Chef profile: HelenTurnbull joins Josh Emett at Rata restaurant, Queenstown.

Mains 24 Josh Emett opens his first restaurant

24 22

Emett, with long-time restaurateur Fleur Caulton, opens Rata restaurant in Queenstown.

32 A dollop of this, a dash of that Leading chefs share sauce and condiment secrets to ensure a memorable meal.

38 Do it for the planet Find out how small restaurant owners and international hotel chains feel about and address environmental sustainability in their working day.

49 Whiskey seeks legend Beam is on the lookout for a legendary bartender with a massive prize in the offing for the first Beam Bar Legend.

50 A taxing topic Thomas Chin from the Sistilled Spirits Association looks at how spirits are taxed and says enough is enough.

Food for Thought 42 Ken Harris on workplace learning. 43 Marisa Bidois on every day deals. 43 Cameron Douglas talks about service â&#x20AC;&#x201C; here and overseas.

46 Books to Savour.

51 Winter warmers Our cocktail guru Tomaas Vikario mixes up something to warm the cockles of the heart in this cold weather.

54 Changing whisky's ways The Panel sits down to a flight of malts and suggests new uses for these old spirits.

58 Pinot of plenty The Panel tries to find a single style of pinot gris among all the different ones on the market.

Snapshots.

Appetizers. Restaurants eager to put more bums on seats over winter are turning to daily deal websites. Auckland’s Euro restaurant recently promoted its eight-course degustation menu on GrabOne with a $199-for-two deal (valued at $320) that sold out in 90 minutes. 250 vouchers were bought. Toto’s, also in Auckland, sold 846 vouchers for its $120-for-two deal for a six-course degustation meal (valued at $240). Tiffany’s in Christchurch, The Old Church in Hawke’s Bay and Victoria Street Bistro in Hamilton have also run successful daily deals recently.

Crippling rents topple restaurants Clashes between landlords and hospitality operators over high rents are forcing many to close. BY JESMA MAGILL Phil Houston, the former manager of the iconic Iguacu restaurant in Parnell says the closure of the business in April this year is a prime example of what happens when landlords aren’t negotiable. “We were paying $453,000 including GST and outgoings,” says Houston. “That’s around 14 per cent of turnover. In our worst month we were paying 24 per cent. We’ve been told by industry experts that rent should be six to eight per cent of turnover per year and all I can say is I endorse six to eight per cent as a realistic level.” Prior to the business closing, Houston suggested to the building owners, City Construction, that rent be set at a percentage of the turnover. “But the landlord didn’t want a bar of that, especially in a downturn,” he says. Bruce Robertson, chief executive of Hospitality NZ, says hospitality operators nationwide are walking away from

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French restaurant Mon Histoire claims to be the first of its kind to introduce a menu free of major allergens. Located in Lyon, the eatery runs a menu focused on organically grown and reared produce that doesn’t contain any gluten, eggs, lactose, peanuts, tree nuts, soy, mustard, shellfish, celery, sesame and lupine. Each dish has an ingredient list to ensure transparency and the staff members are well-trained in nutrition and allergies. The average dish is NZ $22.

Bre akfa st TV’s Rawdon Chr istie was pict ured with che f Sea n Co nno lly at this yea r’s Sela ks New Zea land Roa st Day . Two of the food and win e mat che s dish ed up to food ies and cele brit ies were slow roas t lam b and bee troo t sala d with she ep’s milk yog hurt , pom egra nate and torn min t matche d with Sela ks Res erve Cen tral Ota go Pino t Noi r and Yor ksh ire pud ding with duc k live r par fait and onio n grav y paired with Sela ks Res erve Haw ke’s Bay Cha rdo nnay.

Fancy a pot that stirs itself? Kuru-Kuru Nabe (roughly translated as ‘round and round pot’) is a new saucepan design with spirally moulded sides that enable the pan to ‘stir’ itself. The diagonal grooves on its inside surface cause a vortex convection when liquid is heated. This vortex helps stir and prevent the contents from sticking to the pot. To see the pot in action, visit www.kurukurunabe.jp.

4 . HOSPITALITY/THIRST . JULY 2012

Japanese chef Mamoru Kataoka visited the Marlborough Sounds recently to learn more about NZ King Salmon. Kataoka-san runs Italian restaurant Alporto in Japan and often appears in Japanese television cooking shows.

High rent forced Auckland’s Iguacu restaurant to close recently.

their businesses because landlords won’t compromise. “The economic environment has been particularly tough for two to three years and operators have to cut costs where they can,” says Robertson. “It’s challenging to increase prices when consumers are increasingly looking for deals and spending habits have changed with people saving more. That means there’s less disposable income and margins are already squeezed.”

Robertson says while everyone needs to tighten their belts, it irks the sector that there appears to be little belt tightening from landlords, with many not appearing to have taken on board that market conditions have changed. “We need more landlords to compromise and surely it’s better to get some rent than none at all? “They’re used to someone lining up to take over when a business vacates. Three years ago that would have been the case, but not now, because fewer operators are coming into the market. If landlords want hospitality operators as tenants, they need a more realistic view of yield outcome,” says Robertson. Iguacu – which this year won a 2012 Beef and Lamb Hallmark of Excellence Award – is soon to be demolished with a new development planned to go up in its place costing $6.5 million.

The Hub has landed

A new one-stop shop for healthy food enthusiasts is now up-and-running. A website with free resources and tools designed to help hospitality operators develop healthy food has just been launched. The Hospitality Hub is an ideal first step for those who want to know how to produce safe, healthy food with tips on how to deal with allergies, develop healthy menus and meet food safety requirements.

Asher Regan, who developed the Hub, is an experienced chef who returned to university to gain a master’s degree in human nutrition. So he understands both the needs of the hospitality industry and the information needed to produce healthy food. Take a look inside the Hospitality Hub today: www.heartfoundation.org.nz/hospitality.

JULY 2012 . HOSPITALITY/THIRST . 5

Appetizers.

TEMPERATURE

Measurement Technology HACCP Compliance

Are YOU prepared for compliance with the new NZFSA regulations?

In today’s hygiene conscious world it is critical food products reach the consumer in prime condition. For those exporting food products, meeting the strict HACCP/ ISO9000 standards requires close monitoring at all stages of production and transportation.

A fine food show The visitor numbers were up five per cent at this year’s Fine Food New Zealand. Fine Food New Zealand, the international trade exhibition for the foodservice, hospitality and retail industries, held last month in Auckland, proved another great success. Show co-organiser Dona White says visitor numbers for 2012 were up and the result bodes well for the future. “We’re thrilled with the five per cent increase in trade visitors we had to this year’s show, and the calibre of those attendees was high so it meant good business.” “Both visitors and exhibitors are feeding back to us positively about the show and that’s how we mark our success,” says White. “It confirms that even in the current climate, the food and hospitality industries continue to be powerful sectors that contribute hugely to New Zealand’s economic success.” One of the show highlights was the Weston Milling Trainee of the 6 . HOSPITALITY/THIRST . JULY 2012

Year live baking competition, won by Jenna Mangin of Masterton’s 10 O’Clock Cookie Bakery Cafe while the Te Awamutu-based team at Viands Bakery was again named Bakery of the Year. The Best New Product Awards, which celebrate industry excellence and innovation, was another event highlight. Entries in the four award categories ranged from coffee machines to peanut-free peanut butter. The judges were particularly impressed by the standard of equipment entered for the Best New Hospitality Equipment award with Rational’s Self Cooking Centre White Efficiency combi oven taking the top prize. One of the judges, Mediaweb’s John Clarke said though it was tough narrowing the entries down, the combi oven was a clear winner: “This latest version of combi oven technology from long time leader Rational (which has 54 per cent of the global market) was just such a giant step up in innovation, practicality and effectiveness that it just had to win.”

For temperature measurement at these critical stages Testo measuring instruments will ensure your products measure up from “Farm to Fork”.

Its step-by-step programmable and multi-function touch screen, which also incorporates equipment safety and self-clean systems, ensures consistency throughout the cooking process. In a competition dominated by imported products, a New Zealand company, Sealord, won the FMCG Magazine-sponsored Best New Food and Beverage Product Award for its Seasonal Catch, Bluenose with linseed, sunflower and pumpkin seeds. Mediaweb’s James Ellis, also a judge, said it was great to see a real fish product in this space in the market. “This product is good value for money, cooks up well and is easy to handle. The cooked samples were moist, flavoursome and gave a true, quality eating experience”.. The award for Best New Foodservice Product was won by Ginelli’s for its chocolate revenge ice cream dessert and Best Retail Innovation was won by Extenzo for its stretch ceilings. Each winner received $5,000 worth of advertising in the title that sponsored the award. Congratulations to all the winners, finalists and entrants from Fine Food New Zealand and the team at Mediaweb. We look forward to the next Fine Food New Zealand in June, 2014.

For further information on how the Testo range of measurement technology products can assist your business, contact TESTO’s sole New Zealand Agent:

EUROTEC HEAD OFFICE : AUCKLAND Tel : (09) 579 1990 WELLINGTON : Tel : (04) 499 3591 CHRISTCHURCH : Tel : (03) 366 0017 Email : sales@eurotec.co.nz WEBSITE : www.eurotec.co.nz

JULY 2012 . HOSPITALITY/THIRST . 7

Appetizers. TM

The Kiwis win, again

Both New Zealand Culinary Teams cooked up a storm at the 2012 Gourmet Pacific Challenge.

The New Zealanders scooped both the junior and senior Gourmet Pacific Challenge cups at the recent New Zealand Chefs Association trans-Tasman competition. The challenge saw the best New Zealand and Australian junior (25 and under) and senior (over 25) chefs sharpen their knives in an effort to come out on top in the biennial challenge at the Fine Food New Zealand exhibition in Auckland last month. The teams were required to cook their very best entree, main and dessert in an effort to impress WACS-endorsed judges Neil MacInnes (NZ), Pip Duncan (NZ), Kurt von Buren (Australia) and Martin Carlin (Australia). They also cooked for the public who were able to purchase a three-course lunch ticket to taste the dishes first-hand during the three-day competition. The winning senior national team’s entree dish comprised of prawn terrine, soused prawns in vinegar jelly, seared scallop on papaya and pineapple salsa. For the mains

The NZ Culinary Team from left: Stephen Hogan, Francky Godinho, Mark Sycamore, Claire Nickel, Darren Wright, Stephen LeCorre and Dona White (CEO Northport Events).

it was roasted lamb rack with mushroom herb butter, lamb and mushroom croquette, potato and thyme gratin, red wine glazed shallots, caponata, braised lamb sweetbreads and red wine jus. For the dessert course, the Kiwis presented pistachio and chocolate tart, white chocolate and vanilla mousse, jellied pear puree, raspberry glazed vanilla marshmallow with honey and lemon poached pear. The senior Kiwi team included Stephen LeCorre, Darren Wright, Francky Godinho,

Stephen Hogan, Mark Sycamore and Claire Nickel while Carlita Campbell, Zane Neustroski, Troy Waters and Alasdair Bennett made up the junior New Zealand team. New Zealand senior culinary team leader Stephen LeCorre was delighted with the win: “It was a good day at work, our Australian friends put up really tough competition and I’m really proud of the guys for the way they worked together to produce an exceptional result.”

JULY 2012 . HOSPITALITY/THIRST . 9

real high tea challenge 2012

Chefs compete for several prestigious and industry recognised titles at the NZ Culinary Fare.

Appetizers.

take the Dilmah

PROFESSIONAL EDITION | NEW ZEALAND

Dilmah pioneered the concept of a Real High Tea Competition in 2007 to challenge chefs to understand tea, its variety and the limitless possibilities in tea gastronomy and tea mixology

Classes set to challenge at Culinary Fare Prizes include experiences that money can’t buy.

The winning team will ﬂy to Sri Lanka where they will be treated to a 3 night stay at the luxury Ceylon Tea Trails Resort. Learn about tea production, tea tasting and tea-inspired cuisine, and present your winning Real High Tea to the Dilmah family and VIP guests. The prize also includes a 2 night stay in Colombo where you will serve your winning Real High Tea at the Hilton Colombo Dilmah t-Bar. For full competition details and to register visit www.realhightea.co.nz. Registrations close 17 August 2012

Competitors at the 2012 NZ Culinary Fare are set to be challenged and rewarded in new and revamped competitions. Aside from the marquee event for new hospitality businesses, the Up and Coming Business Team, three other new classes are on the menu for 2012, reflecting new trends in restaurant and café dining and a new challenge for students:

Café Sandwich Open The sandwich must have a filling and be served cold with any form of bread. The prize is valued at $500 and is sponsored by Clyth MacLeod.

Vegetarian Main Dish Open

Contestants must prepare and present a seasonal vegetarian main course. The prize is a night for two at the Heritage Hotel Auckland (the sponsors of this award), plus a day in the hotel kitchen with executive chef Jinu Abraham.

Mystery Box, Training Contestants must prepare and present one of three possible dishes (lamb, duck or hapuku). The ingredients and recipe will be provided in the mystery box. The winner will receive $200 worth of culinary text books sponsored by the Auckland University of Technology. Restaurant Association CEO Marisa Bidois says the new competitions are set to challenge and encourage entrants: “These new classes will showcase the kind of dishes being prepared and served in restaurants and cafés across the country. The mystery box event will give students a taste of the competition cooking under pressure. Also returning for 2012 are two hotly contested classes: The New Zealand Training Food and Beverage Person of the Year sponsored by Restaurant and Catering News and Training Team of the Year, sponsored by City and Guilds, which has a $7,000 prize package including $4,000 cash. “Food and Beverage Person of the Year

offers a fabulous mentoring package as a prize including a day working with front-of-house maven Geeling Ching, a two-day winery experience with Villa Maria, a night at the SkyCity Grand hotel and a mixed case of wine from Negociants,” says Bidois. “It’s a chance to learn from the best in the business, and is a great incentive for those working front-of-house. They’ll get the inside track and hopefully learn a few tricks of the trade that might otherwise take years to learn.” Two other competitions have also had a makeover. The NZ Pastry Chef of the Year competition, sponsored by Equagold, is now an individual event and the NZ Chef of the Year award, sponsored by Moffat and Southern Hospitality, now has a theory component. Scheduled for August 19-21, 2012 at the ASB Showgrounds in Auckland, the NZ Culinary Fare is held in conjunction with the Restaurant and Bar Show. See www. restaurantnz.co.nz for more information. JULY 2012 . HOSPITALITY/THIRST . 11

Appetizers.

A double shot

A new coffee competition will be a major feature at this year’s Restaurant and Bar Show. Coffee baristas will be battling it out during a new competition at the 2012 Restaurant and Bar Show. The Latte Art Championship challenges baristas to come up with their most creative art in a cup. The winner will

represent New Zealand at the World Latte Art Championship in Korea in November. The Restaurant and Bar Show, which runs alongside the NZ Culinary Fare, attracts professionals from restaurants, hotels, bars, catering companies, clubs and cafés with competitions such as the hotly contested Bar Masters, sponsored by Monin, where New Zealand’s finest cocktail bartenders

BE INSPIRED Ba rte nd er Ha nn ah Wa ter s wo n the Ba r Ma ste rs co mp eti tio n in 20 11.

wow the crowds with their creative cocktails. The event will double as the inaugural Monin Cup and the winner will fly to Kuala Lumpur to compete in the international semi-finals. The final stage of the competition will take place on top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris. Another show highlight is the Stella Artois Draught Masters final. Fifth generation brew master and beer tasting judge George F Reisch is one of the guest judges at this popular event. Visitors to the show can also take part in the Stella Artois Nine Step Pouring Ritual. One of the UK’s leading sommeliers David Galetti and sous chef extraordinaire Monica Galetti of Le Gavroche in London (two Michelin stars) are both delivering seminars while award-winning chef Michael Meredith will discuss the importance of provenance. The Restaurant and Bar Show will take place August 19 and 20 at the ASB Showgrounds. See www.randbshow.co.nz for more details.

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JULY 2012 . HOSPITALITY/THIRST . 13

Appetizers.

simply scrumptious...

snacks

Bringing burgers

down to size

Sliders slide in as the most popular menu item at Auckland’s Depot restaurant. It was a perfect assignment for the creative baker. When chef Al Brown asked friend and baker Sean Armstrong from Loaf Handcrafted Breads to create the ultimate little ‘slider’ for his Auckland restaurant Depot, Armstrong fired up the ovens. The result: “An absolutely perfect little burger bun,” says Brown. Sliders are small burger buns that rose to fame in America in the 1920s at the famous White Castle burger chain. In New Zealand they have made their name at Depot – they’re the most popular menu item with more than 66,000 individual servings sold since the popular Federal St restaurant opened in August last year. And that adds up to around three

sliders eaten every 10 minutes. Sliders are bringing burgers down to size. While burger bars are obsessed with big; sliders deliver on flavour and texture. And they’re fun too. Some of Brown’s signature sliders are: The Depot: Sliders + snapper, preserved lemon mayonnaise, watercress and fresh lemon juice Sister Maria: Sliders + eggplant, pickled pepperdews, fresh mozzarella, mayonnaise and basil The Swine: Sliders + slow-cooked and shredded pork shoulder, barbeque sauce and hot mustard W hite Trash: Sliders + sweetened whipped cream and raspberry jam.

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Exceptionally versatile and easy to prepare they deliver a refreshing addition to any casual dining experience... add these scrummy snacks to your menu today.

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New digital menu app

An outdoor interactive menu for iPad is now available. Designed specifically for the restaurant and catering industries, the new Dineworks Touch application uses the iPad to replace a traditional paper-based menu on an outdoor kiosk. The digital and hands-on nature of the iPad app provides potential customers with a visual experience designed to entice them from the street and into the restaurant. Customers are able to browse the menu,

Tin soldier New Auckland restaurant salutes great local cuisine.

Small plates are the plat du jour in the nation’s eateries. Now, new Auckland restaurant Tin Soldier takes the concept of simple, small dishes to delicious new heights. The Ponsonby Road restaurant is officially open and serving superbly crafted plates of great locally-sourced and inspired cuisine. Co-owner Amanda Williams says the new restaurant has “life and energy”. “It’s a spot for social dining and we’ve tried to give it a homely feel, as if you’re in your friend’s dining room rather than a restaurant. “The staff are all passionate and knowledgeable about what we’re serving. The service is friendly and efficient and the menu is too – you can march in for a snack or a full meal and come away with change in your pocket. “Chef Steve Smith and his team have created a menu we think will appeal to a wide range of diners.” The menu includes small and large plates ranging in price from $9 to $30 as well as oysters, charcuterie, desserts and cheeses. Small plates include dishes such as sardines, soy-glazed pig’s cheek, spanner crab, fish pie, crispy school prawns and smoked market fish wings. Williams and co-owner Mike Marshall have extensive experience in hospitality and say there’s a definite shift towards a more informal approach to dining. “Casual dining is becoming more popular in Auckland as people seek options for every night of the week,” says Marshall. An architect by trade, Marshall has designed more than 175 bars and restaurants around the world in the past 10 years. Tin Soldier, he says, combines the best of what he loves in an eatery with tables for two through to communal tables for groups. The décor is simple with a Kiwi flavour, exposed wood, touches of steel and wide windows to capture the sun. Visit www.thetinsoldier.co.nz for more.

view photos and watch videos of the dining experience. The app is also a great way to showcase ‘specials’ or let customers know additional information about the restaurant or the food. Unlike the traditional paper menu, the Dineworks Touch menu can be continuously updated. The menu can also be linked to a variety of digital platforms and can be updated simultaneously. Email Dan@ dineworks.co.nz for more details. JULY 2012 . HOSPITALITY/THIRST . 15

Appetizers.

Great kitchens start with a

great cooking range Every restaurant owner knows that a great dining experience starts in a great kitchen. And now, kitchens across New Zealand, Australia and the Pacific Islands are discovering the way to create that great culinary experience. From April this year, Safco Ltd was appointed as the manufacturer’s approved distributor for the Imperial Range of Cooking Equipment for Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands. The Safco Group of companies – operating in New Zealand for the past 20 years – are leading importers and distributors for many international brands of commercial catering equipment. “Safco are 100 per cent New Zealand owned and operated and we have offices in Auckland, Brisbane, Perth and Shanghai.

The Imperial range complements and adds value to Safco’s already strong portfolio of brands and our goal is to expand the range of Imperial products offered in this region,” says Kevin Gallagher, Safco Ltd’s General Manager. “Imperial offers an excellent range of quality equipment and we intend to add to Imperial’s already well established reputation through efficient supply and service,” Gallagher says. “We’re also looking forward to marketing

this exciting range of equipment to chefs and hospitality specialists throughout New Zealand.” Call Safco today on 0800 723 265 or email sales@safco.co.nz to enquire about their commercial equipment on offer.

JULY 2012 . HOSPITALITY/THIRST . 17

Appetizers.

Auckland City Council might not appear too keen on preserving Auckland’s heritage buildings but many hospitality operators are. Wellington coffee roasters, Mojo Coffee, has set up its fourth Auckland outlet, Mojo Garage, just off Broadway at 110 Carlton Gore Rd, Newmarket. Located in a couple of historic garages that have been turned into one space, Mojo Garage has been very simply restored. Five-metre roller doors go up every morning at 7am and the bustling place entices people inside for a coffee tune-up or something from the full breakfast menu or cabinet. Jamie Johnston is the head chef and eye-catching dishes include Shakshuka, an Israeli dish with eggs poached in tomato, accompanied with cumin, chili and feta. There’s a great lunch menu too with a couple of culinary notables – Kedgeree for nostalgic comfort and the Knuckle sandwich for something bone-sticking and hearty.

Appetizers.

Would you like tango with that or fusion pizza? Tango Pizza and Pasta Bar, just opened in Surrey Crescent, Grey Lynn, shows what happens when you blend a little taste of Italy with an Argentinean vibe, and owner Alex Escalante is promising “food that makes you dance”. Enjoy Tango Pizza’s crafted breads, antipasto, pasta, pizzas, chicken mains plus dessert; then sit back and see what happens.

Fresh from success at the Auckland Lewisham Awards where Coco’s Cantina won Best Auckland Establishment; Coco’s sister-owners, Renee and Damaris Coulter have recently made some changes to their immediate hospo-landscape. It’s a nice problem to have. With Coco’s so popular, the Coulter’s have opened up Barretta – a wine bar and trattoria just next door, to take the overflow of eager patrons waiting to dine. Formerly the site of Mister Morning café, he’s obviously turned night owl, gained a liquor licence and now caters to clients at the other end of the day and is faithful to the Italian vibe next door.

Northern Nibbles

18 . HOSPITALITY/THIRST . JULY 2012

Victoria Quarter is the historic warehouse and industrial area of Auckland’s central business district bounded by Victoria Park, Hobson, Fanshawe and Union Streets. Auckland City Council and the developers are looking to create a destination expressing the new heart and soul of the city, and Victoria Quarter is becoming a distinct neighbourhood – edgy and sophisticated. As part of the revamp, the historic Victoria Park Market is undergoing a $20 million renovation with 20 new shops and restaurants opening soon.

A group of culinary stars, breaking down a cattle beast, Kai Hakari, Titanic’s last dinner and a whisky breakfast – well okay, there’s really no way Visa Wellington on a Plate 2012 can be summed up in this space. The Capital city’s annual foodie festival is back for the fourth, biggest and from the look of the programme, most innovative year yet. Established to promote regional foods and wines, and to give the industry a boost in a normally quiet August, the 2012 festival will encompass specially-priced Dine Wellington menus in 109 restaurants throughout Wellington and the Wairarapa, 64 Burger Wellington entries and 111 Festival events (many events were quickly sold out last year). New this year is the Visa Wellington on a Plate Award, judged by a panel of ‘experts’ from 44 entries to discover the ‘ultimate’ Wellington menu. The focus on local flavours is what sets this festival apart from other food festivals, says co-director Sarah Meikle.

Congratulations to Ben Schmidt, director of rooms for the InterContinental Wellington, for picking up the New Zealand hotel industry’s Outstanding Young Hotel Executive 2012 Award. Schmidt began his hotel career working part-time at the InterContinental in 2002 while completing a double degree in law and accounting. However after a brief taste of the corporate world he opted to return to hospitality.

CQ Hotels Wellington ‘Quality Hotel’ on Cuba Street has been recognised as one of the top nine Choice Hotels in the world – and that’s out of 6100 hotels. At the 2012 International Choice Hotel Convention in Las Vegas in May, this local hotel was up against hotels from France, Scotland, Mexico, Brazil, Sweden, El Salvador, Italy and Canada. CQ Hotels general manager, Olivier Lacoua said it was a real privilege to be chosen as one of the top nine Quality hotels in the world – and a major coup for Wellington.

Capital Comment

The new Six Barrel Soda Co has taken over the city café location once well-known as the original Eva Dixon café, on the corner of Eva and Dixon Streets. Partners Joseph Slater and Mike Stewart (Monterey Diner and Bar and the former Kreuzberg Summer Café) have also set up production of their eponymous organic soda syrup in the sharply refitted space. As well as sodas the café offers both filter coffee (bottomless cups) and espresso (all from Peoples Coffee), “scramble” (eggs or tofu), sliders, mini burgers and very interesting sweet treats.

Kudos to the staff at the Southern Cross for hosting a Child Cancer Foundation fundraiser in June: More than $27,000 was raised by up to 50 men and women who “shaved their head for a brave kid”. Leading by example was head barman, Andrew Watson – but will his boss Gary Clark follow suit in October, when the bar hosts the “Shave your bosses head” campaign for the same cause?

JULY 2012 . HOSPITALITY/THIRST . 19

Appetizers.

Gibbston Valley Winery is celebrating its 25th anniversary of the first commercial harvest of grapes in Central Otago this year with more accolades and a harvest of 300 tons of intensely flavoured fruit. The winery, founded by pioneering Queenstown winemaker Alan Brady, has won more than 300 national and international awards, helping put the Central Otago wine region on the map. The Gibbston Valley Central Otago Pinot Noir 2010 was recently recognised with a Pure Elite Gold at the 2011 Air New Zealand Wine Awards and a Blue Gold at the Sydney International Wine Competition.

Queenstown catering company Flying Trestles has dished up a new business partner. Flying Trestles has been owned and operated by Wanaka’s Colin Sutherland (pictured) for the past 23 years but Sutherland has now welcomed new business partner David Arnold with plans for the business to expand further into the local community. Flying Trestles is known as the ‘Hollywood caterers’ and the ‘go to’ guys for film industry catering. The company has dished up food for some of the world’s biggest movie stars including Tom Cruise, Angelina Jolie and Sam Neill. Sutherland and head chefs Mike Pugh and Carwyn Powell will continue to manage the food side of the business while Arnold will act as sales, marketing and business development director.

Southern Snippets Queenstown restaurateur Mark Jessop is vowing to fight for the name of his Tatler Restaurant and Bar, after an alleged legal challenge from the publishers of Britain’s Tatler magazine. “They’ve successfully registered Tatler under restaurants as a New Zealand trademark name and we have now received a letter,” says Jessop. “It’s a real warning to other bar and restaurant owners around the country to register their trademark names with Intellectual Property NZ (IPNZ). Go spend the $60 to $90 and get your name trademarked.” Tatler, in Queenstown Mall, has been named for 13 years and was already operating as Tatler Bar and Restaurant when Jessop bought the business in 2004. Jessop says its official registered company name is Tatler Restaurant Ltd. He says Tatler magazine’s publishers are not only asking him to change his business name and website address, but to remove his magazine-style menu, entitled ‘Tatler Restaurant and Bar’.

20 . HOSPITALITY/THIRST . JULY 2012

Goodbye Blue Monday’s Johnny Moore has made alfresco drinking hip and appealing – even in a Christchurch winter. He’s opened Smash Palace on the corner of Bealey Ave and Victoria Street – a bus that’s a bar, in a formerly vacant lot. There’s also a motorbike workshop, a Greasy Spoon menu and a cafe caravan onsite. After losing Goodbye Blue Monday in the February 2011 quake, Moore has battled through his fair share of consenting challenges to get up and running again, so there’s a lot of passion behind this quirky new venue. Hospitality New Zealand and the Police are joining forces with agencies and licensees to promote better working relationships in the hospitality industry. More than 90 people signed up for the HNZ Police Breakfast at Queenstown’s Crowne Plaza last month where they heard from ALAC’s Cathy Bruce, former Liquor Licensing Authority Judge Bill Unwin and HNZ president Adam Cunningham. HNZ regional manager Fiona Morton says the idea was to develop closer working relationships between police and licensees. The breakfast also served as an educational forum and Morton says it proved to be a great opportunity to share constructive dialogue and develop a goal around the police vision of Safer Communities Together. Judge Unwin was available to answer questions and offer advice to local licensees on the new Alcohol Reform Bill before Parliament.

The Colombo in Sydenham, Christchurch is fast becoming a gourmet hotspot. Coopers & Co has recently opened a speciality foods shop with a focus on artisan Canterbury produce and ingredients, along with a café. Coopers & Co sits alongside Pulp Juice, The Serious Sandwich shop, much sought after sushi from Mr. Sushi and J’aime Les Macarons.

The Canterbury Club has reopened in Christchurch, after $4 million of restoration and earthquake strengthening work, marking the first complete restoration and reopening of a major heritage listed building in the city. Built in 1873, the building on the corner of Cambridge Terrace and Worcester Street houses a restaurant, accommodation and a fitness centre.

After a long wait, Darren Wright is finally going to be back in the kitchen of his own restaurant. Cantabrians will be able to find him at the new Chillingworth Road, opening at 478 Cranford Street in Christchurch towards the end of the year. Earthquakes put paid to Wright’s plans to open Carlton Butchery in Victoria Street, and the hunt for another site has been frustrating to say the least. Chillingworth Road promises a menu that will take you from breakfast to formal evening dining, a bar, a kitchen store and a school.

More than 4400 oyster lovers recently descended on Bluff for the increasingly popular Bluff Oyster and Food Festival. Champion oyster openers displayed their stuff as hungry festival goers drooled at the mouth awaiting their turn to taste. Festival chairman John Edminstin says people flock to the festival, which started 17 or 18 years ago, to eat oysters fresh “off the shell”. The fishing town’s champion oyster opener Keith Lovett pulled it off again, taking his ninth or 10th title as the fastest oyster opener in the south, clocking in at two minutes and 52 seconds. Women’s champion Vic Pearsey clocked in at three minutes and 25 seconds. There were 16 food stalls and seafood lovers also tucked into battered blue cod, chilli macadamia scallops, squid, butterfish and muttonbird heart stew. Chefs around the country will be delighted to know that Bluff oystermen will be able to harvest two million more juicy oysters this season, after the industry’s quota was formally increased. The self-regulated limit of 9.53 million oysters is being upped to 11.5 million for the 2012 season.

JULY 2012 . HOSPITALITY/THIRST . 21

Chef Profile.

Digging into a meaty sandwich at Katz Deli in New York, Turnbull’s love of food is clear to see.

Emett and Turnbull at work at Rata.

Landing the top job She once spent three months trimming lettuces in one of Gordon Ramsay’s restaurants, but this talented young head chef says she’s learnt by watching the world’s best. BY SUE FEA

At just 28, Wellington-raised Helen Turnbull has cooked in some of the world’s top restaurant kitchens and boasts a CV more impressive than most executive chefs 20 years her senior. But this talented and confident young Kiwi, who has just taken over as head chef at MasterChef New Zealand judge Josh Emett’s new Queenstown restaurant, Rata, says she’s “got an awful lot to learn yet”. Both have worked for notorious British TV celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay. It’s the Ramsay connection that’s landed Turnbull the top job in Emett’s first restaurant, launched in May. The granddaughter of organic mushroom farmers from Levin, Turnbull’s family has always loved cooking, gardening and 22 . HOSPITALITY/THIRST . JULY 2012

produce. “Dad would grow a ridiculous, enormously large beetroot and be all excited about what he was going to do with it. It wouldn’t always work out but his passions for produce really affected me.” Turnbull’s mum was quite alternative in her diet and as a youngster she was regularly introduced to vegetarian food and specialty diets. “I don’t know of anybody else who was eating tofu at six,” she laughs. Her grandparents taught her respect for the land and produce. “I would go see them in the school holidays and pick peas... there’s nothing like something just dug out of the ground.” A bright student, Turnbull scored an ‘A’ bursary at high school and took a gap year to decide which university course to pursue.

But a job at Wellington’s One Red Dog led to an apprenticeship which took her on to Te Papa’s fine dining restaurant, Icon, under the guidance of celebrity chef Peter Thornley. At 20, Tokyo beckoned for Turnbull and her husband, Joseph, whose band was pursuing a recording contract there. “Everyone said, ‘you can’t go – you’re 20 years old, you’re a woman and you don’t speak Japanese.’ So I said, ‘right, let’s do it’. “I wanted something completely different. I liked the attention to detail the Japanese have in their cooking. It’s such simple cuisine, like Italian, but it’s so easy to get it wrong.” She worked for three months without pay at Japanese restaurant Kuon. “I had to learn new knife skills, because I was taught to cut French-style – it’s very different. I didn’t

know the language so I had to memorise everything.” She also worked two 12-hour days on her days off at an Australian-run cafe to earn some money. “I was the only foreigner. It was all open – I had to get all my dishes out super-fast, to prove myself.” Her visa ran out prompting a stint in England where at 21 she single-handedly ran the kitchen at The Dart, a seaside pub in Devon. “We had five starters, mains and desserts and me in the kitchen – that was it.” It was here she learned to network with the fishermen down at the wharf to make the most of the local produce. “I’d score fresh sole the size of a large plate. They weren’t export grade so they’d give them to me for free.” She moved on to the award-winning English House, where she won Young South West Chef of the Year in 2005 for creating a menu sourced entirely from the local region – a region of some five million people. “That was quite a buzz.” In 2006 prospects were looking up for her husband’s band in Tokyo and Turnbull’s Japanese visa was renewed. “I wanted to work for that Ramsay guy I’d seen on TV in England. I liked his way. He was straightforward – there was one way only and you just followed instructions.”

She turned up at Gordon Ramsay’s Tokyo restaurant, The Conrad: “I was a nervous wreck, but I had a good CV and a visa and was lucky enough to get a job. “I picked lettuce for almost three months, trimming the frills off, but the faster I got, the better I got and that gave me the opportunity to do more.” Ramsay lived up to his wild reputation in the kitchen “if it was necessary” but Turnbull had no problem with that – “it kept me on my toes”. A year later she scored her dream job at Tokyo’s exclusive two-Michelin-starred Hyatt Regency Hotel with the legendry Michel Troisgros. The Troisgros family is regarded as French royalty and has run a three-Michelin-star restaurant in France since 1968. “My executive head chef, Lionel Baccat, was absolutely amazing. He changed my life. “I was working on my section and everything was going well, when he suddenly said, ‘I want you to cook me dinner every night’.” This happened just before they were about to set up the service for that evening. She had to manage three commis as well as prepare Baccat a different dish daily. She passed the test and two of her dishes ended up on the menu. When she and her husband set off on an

overland trip through 20 countries in Asia and Europe, it was Baccat who gave her a diary and told her to record and photograph everything she ate. “India was amazing. I’d done spices, but I couldn’t eat a curry and name the 20 spices in it until then.” They stayed in home-stays wherever possible, visiting the markets and cooking with the families. A super yacht in the Mediterranean beckoned next. Turnbull was at the beck and call of her wealthy British boss – who owned his own private jet and a chain of hotels in England – from 6am until 1am. It was a “boat swap” between her boss and Queenstown jewellery entrepreneur Sir Michael Hill that impressed Sir Michael and wooed her back home as head chef at his private golf course, The Hills, in 2010. The Ramsay connection has now landed Turnbull the top job at Rata. “Josh is an amazing teacher and support person – he’s teaching me how to best manage and bring out the best in a team.” Turnbull is looking forward to infusing what she’s learned from the Japanese about “celebrating every part of the produce” into her role at Rata. “The Japanese taught me about respect and a love for the people who put time into making an ingredient great.” JULY 2012 . HOSPITALITY/THIRST . 23

Rata.

One with nature Rimu wood, concrete slabs, moss green tiles and a wall of native bush all combine to bring the look and feel of Queenstown into Rata restaurant, just as its co-owner Josh Emett wanted, writes SUE FEA .

24 . HOSPITALITY/THIRST . JULY 2012

JULY 2012 . HOSPITALITY/THIRST . 25

Rata.

Josh Emett

He’s tantalised taste buds the world over but Kiwi celebrity chef Josh Emett’s first restaurant is uniquely New Zealand. The Kiwi boy from Hamilton spent 11 years working with Gordon Ramsay before recently opening his first restaurant – the 80-seater Rata in Queenstown. For Emett and business partner, long-time

26 . HOSPITALITY/THIRST . JULY 2012

Queenstown restaurateur Fleur Caulton, it’s been a two-year labour of love. They have poured over river banks looking for stones, trekked into native bush and scoured secondhand dealers around the region. Large holes have since been drilled in the stones which now act as flaky salt pots on the tables. Rata’s mobile food trolleys are

“pre-loved morgue trolleys” polished up by Fleur’s photographer husband, Daz Caulton, who also trekked up Mount Aspiring National Park to find the perfect native New Zealand bush shot, now adorning an entire end wall. “It’s so realistic you feel like you want to climb into it,” says Fleur. This was part of their design brief from the very beginning after Fleur spotted a similar photographic wall while she and Emett were hunting for ideas in restaurants in New York. “We had a theme and what we wanted we stuck to,” she says. “We wanted it to be very New Zealand. This [Queenstown] is New Zealand’s international tourist resort. We wanted international visitors as well as New Zealanders to feel this was something unique.” The quite-secluded, but central Queenstown site was also ideal for their distinctly New Zealand theme. Nestled in a cluster of schistclad buildings, Ngai Tahu is the landlord and the building is named Te Nuki. Rata’s decor cleverly incorporates some practical international designs with a strong overall New Zealand theme of native Rimu, schist and steely grey concrete.

Rata.

Rata. A huge schist slab bordered by black mesh netting greets guests at the maître d’ station, while smaller slabs hold up the hand basins and moss green tiles continue the theme in the bathroom. The dining chairs and bar stools are simple wooden Italian chairs, but Fleur says the wood and colour palette work well with what they’re trying to achieve. “We’ve tried to bring the environment into the restaurant. “It’s an eclectic mix of raw product put together well for the environment and space. You have to take the space on its own merits and make it work.” The huge concrete slab open plan bar is designed to entice diners, as well as drinkers, and works well for lunches. For Emett and Caulton it’s those “small details” that count. Emett bought the rust-red tin water jugs and the cutlery from the UK, and the unusual shaped plates from Japan. Emett may have chosen a “fairly typical European layout” for the Rata kitchen, but the wood theme has been continued and of course there’s a strong Kiwi presence in his team. He and Caulton have every confidence in Rata’s head chef, Helen Turnbull, who is at the helm while Emett is away travelling and fulfilling his MasterChef commitments. Turnbull also worked for Ramsay at the Conrad in Japan, but there’s no Ramsay behaviour in this calm, organised, smooth

Fleur Caulton

running kitchen. “Everything is very close and laid out for easy communication and the sections that work most often together are next to each other,” says Emett. He’s also aimed to “keep everything low” so there are no barriers between busy staff. And yes, he may be a celebrity chef, but he’s obviously steering clear of the new trend for theatre-style cooking that TV shows like MasterChef have created. “We have an open area that allows people a glimpse of what is going on behind the scenes, but I like a little privacy in the kitchen.” Emett’s favourite tools of the trade include a Korean coal-fired barbeque imported from America: “It’s a lot of fun.” He finds the plancha also works well and he always uses solid tops for cooking: “I find them much easier to control what you are doing.” Moffat came to the party supplying specially-made black finished stoves for a “cleaner and sleeker” look. “I like to keep the kitchen pretty simple in design with not too much clutter and open shelving but with a place for everything to make it very clean and efficient,” says Emett. As with any efficient kitchen there are distinct sections – fish, meat, pastry and cold larder, with the dishwashing area tucked out of sight around a corner.

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JULY 2012 . HOSPITALITY/THIRST . 29

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The Waldorf 800 Series continues a tradition of bulletproof performance and dependability with a range of European inspired equipment that not only redefines how the ultimate kitchen should be, but also how individual it can look. It’s taken “two years of constant communication” to get his dream restaurant to this stage. “We [Fleur and I] spent time in New York looking, eating, drinking and clarifying our likes and dislikes. We wanted to pinpoint exactly what our place should look like.” They also spent time in the heart of rustic Central Otago in the wide open spaces of the Maniototo, “to get the feel of Rata”. “The whole idea is to keep it pretty simple – it’s all about New Zealand and the south of New Zealand, hence the name, Rata.” Bites are available all day and have been really popular. They range in price from $6.50 for a Rata bread tin with sea salt and rosemary to charred squid, chorizo and aubergine ($10)

or Nugget Point clams with seaweed butter ($12). Head chef Turnbull’s favourite is the smoked eel starter, served with marinated potato, leek and crispy Jerusalem artichoke ($18). A lunch favourite is the venison pie with beetroot and tamarillo chutney ($18). Poached pears, chocolate fondant, cardamom caramel and salted almond ice-cream and quince trifle grace the dessert menu. Come spring and summer the menu has been configured to mix and match with plenty of board food to share at the sunny outdoor tables. But there have already been plenty of curious diners keen to sample the craft of the MasterChef and his team at its best.

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Sauces & Condiments.

A dollop of this, a dash of that

A dollop of cherry or a dash of vinegar can easily enhance a meaty jus and finish the dish. But what kinds of condiments do chefs use and what do they like to pair them with? JESMA MAGILL finds out. 32 . HOSPITALITY/THIRST . JULY 2012

Colombian-born co-owner of Atico Cocina in Auckland’s historic Victoria Quarter, Omar Barragan, has a background in architecture and urban design and when living in London in 2001, he added “chef ” to his CV. He fell into his sideline profession because of his passion for food with flavours from the Caribbean, South America and Spain always inspiring what he cooks. When Barragan arrived in New Zealand in 2009, entering the hospitality industry felt like a natural progression and with business partner David Tasman, the pair set up Atico

Cocina in November last year. Although now firmly positioned frontof-house, Barragan certainly influences the flavours that come out of the kitchen. They’re invariably spicy and full-bodied, and they blend well with the mood of the venue that combines laidback dining with salsa dancing when the mood takes. Atico’s Caribbean cuisine is a blend of European, African and South American influences but Barragan says the challenge is to retain authentic flavours. Importing Colombian flour and plantains goes some way to ensuring that for Barragan, and everything else is sourced

fresh from within New Zealand. Head chef at Atico Cocina, Peter Becker (formerly of Cin Cin, Euro and Iguacu), has embraced the chance to work with a cuisine style that was relatively new to him and says there aren’t many chili sauces around now that he hasn’t tried. “Caribbean food is traditionally rich in flavour but the foundation for every dish is always fresh and simple. You don’t want competing flavours and ensuring the flavours are right comes down to working with degrees of heat,” Becker says. JULY 2012 . HOSPITALITY/THIRST . 33

Sauces & Condiments.

New Zealanders love sweet sauces and condiments with savoury dishes, such as burgers and meat dishes.

Jamaican Chicken Jerk – which is big on chilies – is a Caribbean favourite and a signature dish at Atico. There’s a Kiwi twist to this classic on the menu now – Jerk Duckling with feijoa relish and mango salsita, or salsa. Another favourite is char-grilled eye fillet marinated with freshly ground coffee and pepper, served with a blue cheese and brandy sauce. Becker enjoys working with Caribbean marinades: “Probably African-inspired, they were originally made to preserve meat and I like adding smoky, charcoal flavours.” Citrus is a dominant flavour in Caribbean food, ensuring dishes are refreshing and vibrant. Fresh green herb mixtures are essential too and chimichurri is a classic sauce originally used for grilled meat. It’s made from finely chopped parsley, basil, coriander, capers, thyme, garlic, olive oil, oregano, lemon and white or red vinegar. Nutmeg, bay leaf, paprika and cumin can also be added. Salsitas are integral to Caribbean cuisine too. Spicy, usually tomato-based, with chili peppers, coriander, onions and garlic, they’re a versatile condiment. In Barragan’s home kitchen, there’s always saffron for his Spanish dishes, plus cumin and parsley. “I use a lot of dried parsley. It has a stronger flavour so you can use less of it and I always use Spanish olive oil. It’s thicker, richer and better for cooking because the better the oil, the better the flavour.” 34 . HOSPITALITY/THIRST . JULY 2012

Auckland chef Ben Bayly says everything is so much better made-from-scratch. Atico Cocina is a taste of the Caribbean in the heart of the city with food designed to share.

In Becker’s Waiheke Island kitchen, he usually leans toward the more classical, simple style sauces, but his all time favourite is “olive oil with a great balsamic vinegar".

Mediterranean memories Bulgarian-born Anastas Markov, manager of Meditrade, says today consumers are looking for products that are different and that preferably offer healthy alternatives too. As a young boy, Markov remembers coming home from school each day and his mother would have afternoon tea ready. It was usually toasted bread topped with a vegetable spread, a centuries old recipe made preserve-style,

and it’s virtually the same product that Meditrade imports into New Zealand today. Made from roasted vegetables in varying combinations including capsicums, tomatoes, red peppers, eggplant and carrot; Markov says these healthy spreads are used a lot on fresh breads, as a sauce for panini, on pizza bases and as a pasta sauce. Bulgarian jams made with 60 per cent fruit and glucose instead of sugar, are another popular line imported by Meditrade and two new flavours have just been released – White Cherry and Wild Cherry – which Markov says are extremely popular for enhancing sweet and savoury dishes.

Award-winning and sustainable Auckland chef Ben Bayly from The Grove says New Zealanders love sweet sauces and condiments with savoury dishes, such as burgers and meat dishes. It’s a preference Bayly believes comes from our familiarity with English chutneys, relishes and conserves. Bayly doesn’t like to use much sugar in his cooking but he does use a gastric sweet and sour mixture made with a sugar and vinegar base. “I tend to use sweet and sour to enhance something fatty or gamey. The vinegar cuts straight through and the best way to enhance a venison jus or gamey sauce is to finish the dish with a dollop of cherry or quince jelly. "There’s nothing like picking redcurrants from the vine for a venison jus and adding

a small dollop of redcurrant jelly. Jellies are crystal clear – unlike a paste; they’re lightly gelatinous and easily added to sauces.” Bayly believes sauce-making is a dying art and notes a lot of places often don’t serve sauce with meat dishes. His advice for sauceshy chefs is: “Decide on the protein you’re going to use and develop a flavoursome stock using the bones of the lamb or venison or whatever you’re serving. Everything is so much better made-from-scratch. “We steer away from bagged meat products and try to buy everything in whole; duck, lamb, whole saddles of venison – nothing is wasted. We chop up venison bones with a cleaver and make stock, brown the meat trim until it is caramelised, then sieve, deglaze

with maderia and add something like a Bonne Maman quince jelly. “Then we add the venison stock made the day before and simmer gently until the meat is well cooked. We skim and remove impurities, add a little veal jus and maybe some chopped pear in with the meat for a fruity sweetness.” In Bayly’s home kitchen, there’s always chicken stock in the freezer, kept from the roast chicken; Piccalilli chutney, wholegrain mustard, cabernet sauvignon and sherry vinegars plus baked beans for the kids. There’s Tui and Delmaine tomato sauce too for the Baylys’ homemade fish and chips. “I love homemade tomato chutney sauce as well,” says Bayly. “There’s a great recipe in the Edmond’s Cookbook.” JULY 2012 . HOSPITALITY/THIRST . 35

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Mike Tamati - Rational Manager michael.tamati@rationalnz.co.nz - ph: 021 970 336 www.rational-online.com/en_nz/home

A tour through Logan Brown spells out the specifics, like dealing with waste for example. Behind the bar, six separate bins sort the organics, papers, glassware, plastics, coffee grounds and bottle caps. (The latter go to a local kindergarten fundraising venture, where they get money for the zinc.) The waste separation continues throughout the kitchen, staff room and offices. Poly bins, crates and fats are stored for

recycling while Logan Brown’s juice supplier reuses the bins the fish comes in. Old glassware goes to the Salvation Army. All fresh produce is delivered in crates that are taken away for reuse. The restaurant now bakes its own daily bread. “Previously we bought it from a supplier in Marlborough so that cuts out transport costs, storage and re-baking. We buy organic, local, seasonal produce where we can, that’s a big part of it.” Logan Brown used to send four wheelie bins of waste to the landfill every day, now they send one. A big help has been Wellington City Council’s Kai to Compost scheme; in which organic waste is collected six days a week, mixed with green waste at the landfill and converted to compost. The Council’s Meagan Millar says up to 80 foodie outlets contribute to the council subsidised scheme. Waste recycling comes down to detail at the Novotel Auckland Airport, to the point that guests are invited to take home bags of coffee grinds for their garden. However there’s much more going on at the new airport hotel; winner of the 2012 New Zealand Hotel Industry Environment Initiative Award. Environmental sustainability has been a major focus for Accor hotels worldwide since 1994 and this year the hotel chain launched Planet 21, a programme aimed to put sustainable hospitality at the core of the group’s strategy. Accor regional general manager, Zayne Boon, says sustainable management helps with costs, the environment and bottom line reporting.

Whether or not the patrons care – and reportedly an increasing number do – dishing up the right fish is all part of environmental responsibility. And that means not only fish caught in a sustainable way (long-liners thank you; no ‘strip-mining’ trawlers and dredgers – check with your supplier) but also not overexploiting vulnerable species. Accor Hotels’ regional general manager, Zayne Boon, went fishing for the right fish to serve in Accors’ restaurants. In the end he opted to follow Forest and Bird’s Best Fish Guide, which ranks the ecological sustainability of seafood from our commercial fisheries. The guide takes into account the state of fish stocks, seabird, marine mammal and non-target fish by-catch, damage to marine habitats and other ecological effects caused by the fishing. “Having an independent body to verify that these are the fish we need to protect is really important. It does limit the fish we can put on the menu but I feel confident we are doing the right thing,” says Boon. Also supporting the guide is Logan Brown, who hosted Forest and Bird for the launch of its updated Best Fish Guide 2012. On hand to help chef Shaun Clouston cook up the kingfish curry and paua ravioli was Conrad Smith, better known for his rugby talents midfield.

PH OTO: Billie W

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Energy.

Smith and ouston , Conrad Chef Shaun Cl Fish Guide. st l suppor t the Be Steve Logan al

JULY 2012 | HOSPITALITY/THIRST | 39

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Energy. Technology is key Technology is always improving, so use it, says Boon. “For example Rexel, who supply our lighting globes, has developed new LED lighting which reduces our 50 watt bulbs to a 5.5 watt bulb for the same amount of shine. We have a relationship with Rexel and they provide an annual audit and recommendations for further savings,” he adds. Still on technology; a new load sharer soon to be installed to manage electricity and avoid overloading is expected to reduce energy consumption. Improvements made to a garbage crusher at one hotel, which had already reduced the amount of rubbish going to the landfill from 12 litres per guest to eight litres, further reduced that amount to 1.2 litres per guest. This is regarded as the best practice in the industry, claims Boon. Guest comfort was the main driver when Christchurch hotel The George installed the Inncom guest control and energy management system, however resulting energy savings are a huge bonus, says general manager Bruce Garret. “When we installed Inncom it was part of a refurbishment that added several electrical features the rooms did not have previously; for example heated floors, mirrors, towel rails, and sensor lighting. Despite all of these additions, and the fact that half our

energy consumption is in public and food and beverage areas not managed by Inncom, our total consumption was maintained at similar levels.” “Over the past year, despite significant increases in occupancy, our electricity consumption has only increased slightly and I would have to put this mostly down to the Inncom system managing the accommodation usage. (The George was one of the few hotels to remain open since the February 2012 earthquake, except for a brief closure for further refurbishment in May.) “One of the best things about Inncom is that it works pretty much unnoticed by the guests, yet the power consumption is being managed much more efficiently.” Technology is a great help at Logan Brown, says Steve Logan. Micro f ibre chemical-free cleaning technology has been great for New Zealand owned Scenic Hotel Group, says Greg Hewland, general manager of Scenic Hotel Dunedin City. The roll out of chemical-free cleaning across all Heartland and Scenic hotels has reduced waste and chemical use and drastically increased bacterial removal. “Key to this is the use of new micro fibre cloths, supplied by Hygiene Technologies. They get all the marks and dust off all surfaces, the bathrooms, vanities, showers and walls. Absolutely no chemicals are used

in the rooms except for cleaning the toilets. The cloths have made a major difference to the whole company in helping the environment."

Supplier’s credential important The Scenic Group insists on working with New Zealand-owned, environmentally aware suppliers wherever possible and requires all suppliers to provide a copy of their environmental practices. Zayne Boon agrees that checking the credentials of supplier companies is important. “For example, Accor has a global partnership with Ecolab for reducing chemicals used in cleaning products and we know they are constantly reviewing their practices to lessen their carbon footprint. Our waste paper goes to printing company Wellington Business Forms who we know are working through environmental certification with Enviromark.” Environmental consideration comes down to basic good practices, adds Dan Mikkelsen, executive chef at Restaurant Associates, the caterer for Positively Wellington Venues. Mikkelson is often seen pedalling a big black bike to markets around town. “So much of what we do goes on behind the scenes; the recycling, composting, biodegradable packaging and energy efficiency measures. The bike is a way to show that we do care for the environment, besides, it keeps us fit.

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In Christchurch hotel The George, an Inncom energy management system is installed in all guest rooms.

JULY 2012 . HOSPITALITY/THIRST . 41

Food for Thought.

Why learning at work works

In recent months HSI, in common with other Industry Training Organisations has been engaged in a Ministry of Education Review on the role of industry training and a targeted review of qualifications. What has become very clear to us in these discussions is the low level of understanding that many government organisations and educationalists have with regard to the valuable contribution that on-job training makes to everyone involved in skill development, achieving competence and qualifications. So let’s talk about recognising and promoting the important role of on-job training, and its real contribution to NZ Inc. In our view, the workplace is the best classroom for people in our industry. On-job training provides a combination of supervision, tuition and mentoring for apprentices and trainees. This allows our trainees to learn practical skills and competence in the real workplace and how to perform at the level and to the standards our business owners and customers demand. HSI can support this learning process with training resources, assessment guides and the opportunity to bring all of these strands together to achieve a national qualification based on industry relevant standards. Off-job training by providers also makes an important contribution to our industry, particularly for entry level learners, and in recent years hospitality skills training has become a popular choice with school students. Business owners, managers and skilled staff play a great part in our business by developing young people and contribute significant amounts of expertise, time, money and resources to achieve this and it is important that we recognise and value their contribution.

Who benefits from effective workplace training? • Employees/learners get the opportunity to earn while they learn (without student loans) and gain a set of skills specific to our industry. These skills will provide them with lifelong career opportunities as well as skills such as customer relations and teamwork that are valued by many other occupations; • Employers in the industry get people with the skills the industry needs and the opportunity to tailor these skills to their particular place of business while being able to accredit these to a national industry standard and qualification; • The industry as a whole benefits from the development and supply of a skilled workforce; • The Government achieves its education and employment outcomes with learners gaining national qualifications, and a flexible workforce with world-class skills and competence. Overall, skill development is a good deal for everyone, so let’s hear it for the workplace trainers and our learners in the hospitality industry. This year, we look forward to celebrating the training achievements of employers, assessors, providers and schools at the HSI Excellence in Training Awards on October 28, 2012 – see our website for details, and join us to pat them on the back.

Ken Harris is chief executive of HSI. 42 . HOSPITALITY/THIRST . JULY 2012

Have we got a deal for you? The results from a daily deal survey.

Every day consumers are inundated with offers to their inbox outlining the latest daily deal. A Nielsen online retail report last year indicated that two thirds of online New Zealanders have received email alerts from daily deal websites. And in the difficult economic conditions that we are (still) experiencing, many are tempted by the heavily discounted products and services available – the Nielsen survey also reported that a further 40 per cent had made a purchase from such sites in the past three months. But as one café owner from Auckland puts it: “They may work for mass appeal places but not for the upmarket or ‘special’ business, because they attract bargain hunters who I think are looking for a deal, and won’t result in most cases, as a return patron. My strategy has been to decide where I position

my business in the market and what type of clientele I wish to attract and ‘daily deals’ do not fit that.” We know that consumers love them, but how have businesses gauged the success of their involvement? Overall fairly positively: 36 per cent indicated that for them the deal was moderately successful, another 31 per cent reported that it was overall very successful and 10 per cent were extremely happy with the results. Says one Auckland restaurateur: “We regard it as a great form of advertising. We have got so many new customers who came as a result of the deals that have continued to come back and some have become great regulars. Unlike newspaper and magazine advertising you know that these people actually make it to your restaurant as they have spent money.

You then have your one chance to impress them. It is also very quantifiable as GrabOne reporting is great.” “As long as it is structured so you break even on it, and do not lose money should the people not spend any more than the value of the voucher (and in our case it is less than five per cent who only spend the value on the voucher) you have nothing to lose. Even if you get 20 new regular customers, this is far better than any traditional form of printed advertising we have ever experienced,” says another Auckland restaurateur. Launching a new product? Opening a new business? This could be a good way of generating some profile as the reach of these sites is huge.

Top tips for daily deals: Read the fine print and be absolutely clear of the actual cost to your business. Cap the number of vouchers that can be sold. Consider it as a marketing expense – rather than advertising in other forms of media.

Educate staff to encourage add-on purchases. It is important for you that these customers spend over the voucher limit. Monitor the return business – offer a reason for those punters to return.

Marisa Bidois is CEO of the Restaurant Association of New Zealand.

At home and abroad

New Zealanders returning from overseas often comment favourably about the service they have received in hospitality venues. Wine and beverage service especially seems to get top billing, with commentators impressed with the knowledge and skill levels they have encountered. Multiplicities of services exist within the hospitality sector, and there are overlaps in cuisine and service styles world-wide. This is especially true for places where melting pots of cultures also exist. In New York, for example – a restaurant with the finest of French cuisine and formal service will co-exist on a corner with a family-style Vietnamese café and a busy wine bar. The expectation of quality service is generally high (and acknowledged through the tipping custom). Outside the main cities there is little recognisable change. One of the key components of the service arsenal is the sommelier and their ability to connect customers with the appropriate beverages.

A sommelier position is a recognised career – perhaps a logical difference between what New Zealanders experience and comment on overseas and at home. In New Zealand, outside the main centres, and sometimes within, service may be designated casual (‘relaxed’) to the point of frustration: ‘Both the chardys are from Marlborough so I guess the difference is the price’ or ‘I don’t drink wine anyway’. From both business and philosophical perspectives, providing training and setting achievable outcomes can set the scene for a memorable hospitality experience. The prices on the wine list should not be an indicator of the level of knowledgeable service you will be receiving from a wine waiter or sommelier. Internationally, the competition for sommelier positions is significant – and it is understood that a personal investment in up-skilling is the way out of a third-tier position. As the profile of the role grows here, aspiring New Zealand sommeliers are increasingly looking for ways to improve their knowledge and abilities, and

reaching out to others in the community. In some New Zealand businesses there may be a lack of understanding of the requirements (and importance) of the role – sometimes they just simply do not know how important the sommelier may be to the success of their establishment. The avenues for professional development are generally narrow, and are often not well supported, like their international counterparts they must create and complete their own training programmes.

Cameron Douglas is New Zealand’s first and only Master Sommelier. JULY 2012 . HOSPITALITY/THIRST . 43

Food for Thought.

What will excite future customers?

How will future customers decide on where to eat, drink or stay? In the over-supplied hospitality market what are the key things that will make customers choose your business over the business next door. In today’s tough climate most businesses are making the assumption that it’s price. However if everybody is competing on price then the hospitality industry is simply selling a commodity and is not successfully differentiating itself. Successful hospitality businesses are not selling a commodity – they are selling an experience. Hospitality businesses try and differentiate themselves on service, quality, location and the experience they provide. These are all common sense and most operators, along with price, are trying to use those points of difference to optimise their market share. But what about the future? What are the future trends that new customers are going to look for as they choose where to spend their leisure dollar? These are some of the questions we’ll be trying to answer at this year’s Hospitality Showcase on September 25 and 26 in Wellington. The theme of this year’s conference is “Being relevant to tomorrow’s customers. This is a question that every hospitality business should be asking; indeed some need to also ask if they are being relevant to today’s customers?” The keynote address is from Michael McQueen, who spends a lot of time looking at trends to help businesses answer that question of relevancy, both now and in the future. The hospitality sector cannot expect any miracles like a strong economy to turn their businesses around. They must instead ensure they are relevant to their customers’ needs, which will not be the same today as they were yesterday, or will be tomorrow. For more information on the Hospitality New Zealand annual conference programme and registrations, see www.hospitalitynz.org. nz/events.

Bruce Robertson is chief executive of the Hospitality Association of New Zealand.

Working together Restaurant, cafe and bar staff are a friendly lot. Each year, six or seven hundred managers, chefs, waiters, sommeliers, baristas and others involved with the hospitality industry get together to award some of their number with trophies and other accolades. This is the Lewisham Foundation Awards evening, named after pioneering restaurateur, the late Richard Lewisham. What differentiates the ceremony from others of its kind is that the winners in each category are decided by the votes of their peers. But there is another difference. At other awards ceremonies, winners from competing companies are often congratulated only reluctantly by their competitors. Listen carefully, and you will hear mutterings of “I don’t know how he/she/they got the award. We were much more deserving” and so on. That doesn’t happen in the hospitality industry. At the Lewisham Foundation ceremony every winner is cheered with loud and genuine enthusiasm. It doesn’t matter if the person leaping onto the stage is a serious competitor to one or more groups in the room. His or her success is sincerely celebrated, and the post-presentation congratulations are genuine. Which got me thinking. Given that people in this wonderful industry obviously get on so well together, it could well be worth launching a few joint promotions. Attracting people to a specific area would be one obvious ploy. Rather than advertising individually, why not advertise the whole strip – Auckland’s Ponsonby Road, Wellington’s Cuba Street and Hamilton’s riverside for example? It has happened in a haphazard way, but there is plenty of scope for expansion. And there are other ideas. In Melbourne and Hong Kong, entrepreneurial wine consultant Roy Moorfield runs

an annual ‘Duck and Pinot Crawl’ that is oversubscribed every year. Roy works with half-a-dozen or so restaurants and wine companies to guide a group of food enthusiasts through a duck-based degustation dinner, with each course matched to a specific Pinot Noir. What makes it different is that each course is served in a different establishment, usually Asian. It is a fun way to enjoy an evening, and it has been a huge success. I’m not suggesting that anyone should pinch Roy’s idea (he might be persuaded to bring the concept to our side of the ditch), but the principle could be adopted by keen restaurateurs. How about choosing a region rather than an ingredient? A Hawke’s Bay dinner, for example, could serve a vegetable-based entrée in one restaurant, followed by a lamb main course in a second, cheese in a third and a fruit-based dessert in a fourth. The wines and ingredients would, of course, all come from the Bay. If Marlborough is the designated spot, mussels and salmon could feature, along with local honey. You get the idea. The plan would work best where the restaurants are within easy walking distance of each other, otherwise the idea could be adapted to include the cost of a mini bus in the set fee. Worth a try?

Vic Williams is cellar director for the New Zealand Wine Society. JULY 2012 . HOSPITALITY/THIRST . 45

THE TUSCAN SUN COOKBOOK Frances Mayes and Edward Mayes Published by Harper Collins, 2012 RRP: $40 Hospitality special: $35 Prize-winning author Frances is joined by her poetry award-winning husband Edward in her first ever cookbook. They have lived at their home ‘Bramsole’ in Tuscany for the past 20 years. The Tuscan Sun Cookbook is a collection of favourite recipes using seasonal and local produce. It’s further enhanced with the superb photography of both food and Tuscan scenes and people by Steven Rothfield. Chapters include antipasto, primi, secondi, contorni and dolci – something for everyone. This is a great book which celebrates a super lifestyle.

JAX COOKS Jax Hamilton Published by David Bateman, 2012 RRP: $60 Hospitality special: $55 Anyone who watched MasterChef 2011 will remember Jax and her wonderful personality. This same personality comes alive in the pages of this book. From a childhood in East London to a television star, Jax acknowledges her mother Dulcie, her wonderful nurturing and her influence on Jax’s love of food. Dulcie was a single mother to Jax and her five siblings and taught her kids to “always respect the food and it will respect you right back.” What magnificent teaching, she would be so proud of Jax today. This book is filled with great recipes with the “try me now” factor. Jax’s personality and generosity is aptly shown with her recipe for the Royal NZ Foundation of the Blind “you ain’t nuffin, till you’ve tried a juffin” Jaffa Muffins. Go Jax, go!

46 . HOSPITALITY/THIRST . JULY 2012

Thanks to Virtue Books, we have a copy each of Jax Cooks and The Tuscan Sun Cookbook to give away. To enter call 09 486 0908 or email admin@virtue books.co.nz Congratulations to last month's winners. Kai with Soul was won by Janine Steinmann of Temuka and The Revive Cafe Cookbook was won by Sue Cates of Whangarei. Books can be purchased from Virtue Books. Call 09 486 0908 to secure your copy.

More than just a shot

Dear future Beam Bar Legend, Here at Beam, we have been working on a pretty amazing opportunity. Over the next three months, we’re running a bartender competition like never seen before here in little old New Zealand – and we want YOU to be a part of it. Do you live and breathe working in bars - the greatest job ever? Do you make all your non-bartending mates jealous with your ‘better work stories’? Are you the funniest person you know? Probably. Are you keen to take your career to the next level by becoming a champion for the sweet Beam portfolio? If you answered yes to all of the above, have we got a deal for you. We are not looking for a technical mixologist, bottle-thrower, or dedicated cocktail historian. We’re after the ultimate bartender with charisma, personality and dedication to the cause. You love your job, and always bring your A-game to every shift. Oh, and of course you will need to make awesome drinks too. This is a quest to find New Zealand’s first ever Beam Bar Legend. Every bartender in the country is eligible, and even if you’re not sure you’ve got what it takes, trust us, you have. Along with the awesome kudos that goes with being a Beam Bar Legend, our 2012 winner will take home: - An expense card to the value of $200 per week for 12 months (total value of $10,000) to spend on whatever you like, and the chance to be a brand champion for Beam, all while keeping your night job. - A trip to a Beam distillery of your choice, all expenses paid. Just so you know, we have famous distillery operations in Kentucky, France, Mexico, The Caribbean, Scotland, Ireland and Canada. - Plus, just to keep the boss happy, your bar will also win stock and a staff or customer party – to the value of $5,000! What are all these great prizes worth? Only a cool $25,000. Cash, international travel and a great party, plus we’ll also give you the opportunity for loads of publicity, and help you develop your career even further. Entries are open now – all the dates and stuff you need to know are on the official entry page – www.beambarlegend.co.nz. So get online and get amongst it - what are you waiting for?!

Rene Bros Marketing Director

Calem Chadwick National Brand Ambassador

Search for

a legend

Jim Beam is looking for a legend. The global premium spirits company has announced a new competition to find New Zealand’s first Beam Bar Legend. The Beam Bar Legend search will see bartenders across the country being given the opportunity to show off their skills with the overall winner walking away with a prize pack valued at more than $25,000. The prize pack includes an all-expenses paid trip to a distillery of their choice (including a choice of Kentucky, Canada, Caribbean, France, Scotland), an expense card valued at up to $10,000 ($200 per week) and a $5000 staff party for their bar. “This competition is the first of its kind in New Zealand,” marketing director Rene Bros said.

“We’re not looking for a flashy bartender who can spin bottles and balance glasses, we’re looking for someone with flair, who can do the basics right, engage with their customers on a personal level and show us that they have a clear understanding of the Beam portfolio. These are the skills that set apart the good bartenders from the great.” From July 1 bartenders will have six weeks to enter the Beam Bar Legend competition at www. beambarlegend.co.nz. The semi-finalists will be contacted on August 30, and semi-finals will be held in September in three different regions across the country. The selected eight finalists will then be invited to participate in the grand finals in Auckland in early October.

Sharp dressed liqueur Rappers may have cornered the market in singing about expensive Cognac, but they aren’t the only ones singing the praises of France’s great spirits. Grizzled Texan bluesmen ZZ Top are back with their first new studio recordings in nine years. And the lead song is an ode to the powers of Chartreuse, one of France’s most famous exports after liberty, fraternity and garlic snails. The track, off the group’s upcoming four-track

teaser Texicali, offers more gruff, rambling riffage from the three-piece and it’s a welcome return to the classic ZZ Top sound, forgoing sequencers, drum machines and synthesisers in favour of a bit of heads-down boogie reminiscent of early classic Tush. It’s likely to be a big hit among the band’s large fanbase here in New Zealand, so best to stock up on the famous green (or yellow) liqueur. For a sample of the song, check out Youtube.

on ice with juice as a cocktail as a shot

How do you drink yours? Available in Green and Yellow For enquiries Ian McAteer & Associates Phone 09 476 1360 Mobile 027 542 0496 michellemcateer@xtra.co.nz

Cocktails.

Spirits taxed enough already You may know that the Government charges GST on the retail price on alcohol beverages, but how about excise tax, import duty, and the Alcohol Advisory Council (ALAC) levy?

Autumn-winter cocktail creations

Next time you’re looking for a good bar bet, challenge your friends to name a famous fall or autumn cocktail. It’s nearly impossible. While there are plenty of well-known summer drinks and many holiday concoctions (craving for a glass of eggnog?), there isn’t really much in between apart from tasty hot toddiess and mulled wine. What’s a thirsty drinker to do? I’ve taken it upon myself to give you some ideas to create a true autumn-winter classic. BY TOMAS VIKARIO, BEVERAGE INNOVATION MANAGER; MONIN, PERRIER, TABASCO, ILLY

BY THOMAS CHIN. CEO DISTILLED SPIRITS ASSOCIATION

The levies and taxes loaded on to alcohol beverages such as spirits, liqueurs and RTDs in New Zealand can be a bit complicated for the trade to understand and for that matter the general public, not least because there is tax on tax and tax details are not plainly disclosed by the Government. Regardless, the overall tax equation has got tougher. From July 1 the Government hiked alcohol excise taxes by 1.5 per cent across the board. This month’s column breaks down the main Government imposed taxes, duties and levies on spirits that consumers are required to carry.

EXCISE TAX The biggest individual tax component levied on Spirits is excise tax. It will be $50.284 per litre of alcohol. In comparison, other beverages will be taxed at $27.609 – that’s an 82 per cent variation. On a litre bottle of 40 per cent abv spirits, the excise tax component is $20.11 (GST exclusive).

IMPORT DUTY In some cases Spirits may be also be subject to import duty. Presently, a 5 per cent tariff

is imposed on the customs value of gin, vodka and liqueurs containing less than 23 per cent alcohol by volume and only if they are imported from a certain range countries such as the United States and in Europe. To keep our example simple, we’ll assume import duty is not payable.

ALAC LEVY Another form of tax charged is the Alcohol Advisory Council (ALAC) levy. The levy is charged on all alcohol beverages imported into or manufactured in New Zealand for sale. The levy is used to fund an agency to “encourage responsible use and minimise misuse of alcohol”. There are five different rates according to the alcohol band that the product may sit in. In regards to spirits the ALAC levy is 15 cents per litre (GST exclusive).

GST A Goods and Services Tax (GST) of 15 per cent is levied on the retail price of all alcohol beverages.

TOTAL TAX The total tax components on a typical bottle

of spirits with a recommended retail price of $35.95 now looks like the following: Excise tax $20.11 A LAC levy $0.15 GST $4.69 More than $24 in every bottle of spirit is banked by the Government as tax. The public health rationale offered by the Government for the taxes is that they are a means of persuading people to stop drinking to excess. For our money, irresponsible individuals who don’t care about the risks of excessive consumption do not change their behaviour because of a tax. None of this really matters as the taxes are all about revenue for the Government. Each year alone, the Government takes in more than $285m (excluding GST) from excise tax and duty from spirits drinkers. Clearly none of these taxes are the doing of producers or suppliers. Tax hikes will be tough on the majority of the trade, who are small owner-operator businesses and our customers. It’s unbelievable that the Government doesn’t recognise tax increases are unlikely to get the economy moving again and rather than creating jobs, are likely to create more difficulties for the trade.

When it comes to creating autumn cocktails, as strange as it sounds, I often start by first picturing the warm colors of the season. The flaming reds, burnt oranges and deep yellows of New Zealand’s changing leaves suggest apples, pears, cranberries, rhubarb, honey, maple and spices to me. Those ingredients come together to make what I like to call “cosy cocktails” that will see you through to the whole winter. As the weather gets colder, I like to add layers and complexity to my drinks. The easiest way to do this is to start with a mature spirit, like spiced rum or whiskey, that already has plenty of rich flavour. Gin can work too,

MAPLE SPICED FALL PUNCH • • • • •

50 ml Stolen Golden Rum 30 ml apple juice 15 ml Fresh lemon juice 10 ml Monin Vanilla syrup 20 ml Monin Maple Spice syrup • 2 dashes Angostura Bitters Garnish: Pomegranate seeds and a vanilla bean Glass: Cocktail Preparation; Add all the ingredients to a mixing glass or punch bowl. Stir. The punch can be warmed up or served on the rocks. Garnish each drink with pomegranate seeds and a vanilla bean. For a longer version of the drink serve it in a long drink glass and top it off with chilled Perrier water.

50 . HOSPITALITY/THIRST . JULY 2012

but you have to bring up its spicy side. You can also take an un-aged spirit and pair it with a taste of autumn, like real cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, vanilla, ginger or a whole range of Monin syrups like Maple Spice, Ginger, Toffee Nut, Cinnamon, Vanilla or Butterscotch. And if you have some time, you can even infuse the liquor with these spices, or with fresh seasonal fruit. But just because there’s a nip in the air doesn’t

APPLE CIDERTINI • 30 ml cinnamon infused vodka • 20 ml fresh apple cider • 10 ml Monin Green Apple syrup • 15 ml apple cider reduction* • 10 ml lemon juice • 1 dash Bitter Truth Orange Bitters Garnish: Granny Smith apple slice Glass: Large cocktail Preparation: Add all the ingredients to a cocktail shaker and fill with ice. Shake vigorously and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Decorate glass rim with cinnamon powder. Garnish with an apple slice. *Apple Cider Reduction Add 200 ml of fresh apple cider and 50 ml of Monin Green Apple syrup to a small saucepan over low heat. Cook until reduced to about 60-80 ml. Chill before using.

mean you can’t use citrus fruits or fresh juices in your creations. I find that lemon, orange and tangerine work really well this time of year. If you can not find fresh blood orange or pink grapefruit now is the chance to try the Monin range of citrus syrups like; Blood Orange, Pink Grapefruit, Tangerine and Lime. POM Pomegranate juice or Monin Pomegranate syrup is another fall favourite, and the fruit’s seeds are a great garnish that can make a clear or white drink immediately festive. With the arrival of autumn comes a huge selection of apples - from crisp Gala and tart Granny Smith to tender McIntosh. Fortunately, the many apple varieties only add to this delicious fruit’s allure and versatility, allowing it to be juiced, sauced, puréed, pressed, grilled, baked, fermented and otherwise transformed into ingredients for the mixing glass. So, no matter how you slice them, it’s the season to be drinking apples. If you do not have time to play around your garden apples make sure to stock delicious Monin Green Apple syrup to boost your autumn apple cider cocktails. For the end of my first Thirst article I was thinking to give you few cocktails which truly reflect the season. You won’t be stumped again. Remember to collect your winnings before you make these drinks for your friends. Happy mixing.

JULY 2012 . HOSPITALITY/THIRST . 51

Beer awards open the field The Brewers Guild of New Zealand has launched a new website and announced the opening of entries for the Brewers Guild of New Zealand Awards. The awards are the climax of an international beer competition in August featuring world leaders in the beer judging arena. Local and international beers will be judged over a three-day period by a panel of experts led by head judge Brian Watson. Last year, a record 465 entries from New Zealand and overseas breweries were received, following on from more than 445 beers entered in 2010, which itself was up 31 per cent from the previous year. Growth is expected to continue, with increasing interest from international entries from locations as diverse as Australia, United States, Pacific Islands and Russia. The 2012 Awards will be announced at a black tie dinner on Thursday, August 16 in Wellington. This evening is open to both public and industry, and will be presented by Te Radar. As well as being a well known TV figure, Te Radar is a home brewer and will bring his apparent humour and public appeal to the event. Always a highlight, this year’s Festive Brew category is “Let’s Go Fruit’n’Vege”, challenging brewers to put a creative spin on a standard beer style with the addition of either ingredient. These Festive Brews will be available for the first time at Beervana, which takes place on August 17 and 18 at Westpac Stadium across four sessions. Last year saw 8 Wired Brewing taking out the supreme award, Champion New Zealand Brewery. The Guild wish the brewers of New Zealand the best of luck as they contest the biggest prize in New Zealand beer. The humble public will also get a chance to get in on the brewing act with the announcement of a new award. The inaugural Black Rock Home Brew Competition beingheld at Beervana 2012 is a chance for aspiring brewers to have their brews judged by Black Rock Master Brewer Kirsten Taylor, Taranaki brewing guru Joseph Wood from Liberty Brewing, and beer aficionados and home-brew advocates Simon 52 . HOSPITALITY/THIRST . JULY 2012

Morton and Richard Scott from Radio New Zealand’s ‘This Way Up’ programme. “We constantly get emails from passionate home brewers wanting to show off their wares at Beervana,” festival director David Cryer said. “This year, with Black Rock’s help, we can offer home brewers a chance to demonstrate their skill at the event.” Kirsten Taylor said supporting homebrewers is critical to grow a vibrant beer industry. “Home brewers are experimental by nature. Their quest for knowledge, to understand what makes good beer, often leads to brilliant results as they manipulate hops, malt and technique. For producers like us, what home brewers do with our products is really inspiring. I’m expecting to see lots of innovation in the competition entries.” She also believes that brewing for competition is often the catalyst for home brewers to become professional. “Competitions encourage home brewers to look at what’s currently available and

what styles or brands they might aspire to be able to brew like. It makes them focus on the consumer. Competition also often helps brewers break through barriers in the standard of their brews, as they pay more attention to sanitation and other aspects of the brewing process. And, of course, the feedback gained from competition is invaluable too.” Ten finalists will be chosen, including two runners-up and an overall winner. The finalists and winners will be announced on Friday, August 17 at Beervana Session 2. Every entrant will have an opportunity to talk to the judges after the winners are announced. The winner will take home, amongst other things, a GA double-pass to Beervana 2013, three six-pack cases of malt extract of their choice from Black Rock and a $200 voucher for Martin Bosley’s restaurant. The runners-up will win a GA double-pass to Beervana 2013 and one six-pack case of malt extract of their choice from Black Rock.

Old Mout folds into DB Redwood Cellars, the makers of Old Mout cider, has been taken over by brewing giant DB. DB Breweries acquired a majority shareholding in Redwoods for the production and distribution of cider products in New Zealand and Australia. The new Nelson-based joint venture will operate as a stand-alone business to be named Redwood Cider Company. It will incorporate Redwood’s existing brands and the DB cider brands providing the biggest portfolio of cider brands in the New Zealand market. Brands include Redwood Cellars Old Mout Cider and DB Breweries’ cider brands Monteith’s Crushed Apple and Pear Cider, Johnny Arrow and imported Swedish brand Rekorderlig. Redwood Cellars’ managing director Justin Hall will be a shareholder in the new company and will become managing director of the newly formed Redwood Cider Company. There will be a five person board of directors headed by Brian Blake, managing director of DB Breweries, as chairman. The cider category has seen, and is forecast for, significant growth within the New Zealand and Australian alcohol markets in the coming years, so a decision to enter into the joint venture was a natural conclusion by both companies who already have a business partnership to produce Monteith’s cider. The new venture will effectively ‘free up’ DB

Breweries of its cider production, marketing and sales and will capitalise on the brewery’s core business strength and assets to focus on beer. “The Redwood Cellars team is extremely proud of what has been achieved with the Old Mout Cider brand, and personally being a cider lover and advocate, I’m thrilled to be leading us into this new proactive cider venture with DB,” Justin Hall said. Brian Blake said: “DB has taken a majority

position in Redwoods as part of its growth strategy and sees this as not just a joint venture in terms of investment, but also most importantly as a shared belief that cider is a mainstay. Beer may enjoy ‘mature’ market status but cider is still emerging and represents an exciting opportunity for further growth and innovation.” There will be a short integration period before Redwood Cider Company becomes fully operational on October 1.

The road to Paris starts here The search is on for the nation’s next cocktail star. Get your blenders and shakers at the ready and start preparing for a world class experience. Entries for Bar Masters 2012 are now open. The competition, sponsored by Monin, is back for the second year and will be staged at the Restaurant & Bar Show 2012. It is part of a global competition that will see the world’s best cocktail makers competing for the ultimate title of Bar Master 2012. This is also the New Zealand leg of the Monin Cup where 12 finalists will take the stage for the competition with the winner flying to Kuala Lumpur to compete in the semi-final against others from around the globe. From there, the top bartenders get a chance to shake and stir it on top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris. In 2011, New Zealand’s most exciting talent wowed the judges with their creativity and

flair but ultimately it was Hannah Walters (ex-Mea Culpa) who won them over with her clever cocktail titled ‘Je Ne C’est Quoi’ – French for ‘I Don’t Know What’. Head judge, Croatian-born Tomas Vikario, an international cocktail connoisseur and Thirst columnist, will be looking for the most perfectly made and presented cocktail and will make the final decision along with a panel of respected local judges including Frankie Walker of Lion Nathan and Ben Stuart of Beam. Nominating the bartender of your choice is easy. Simply enter their details on Facebook by following http://www.facebook.com/ barmasters and follow the voting process to ensure that they are in the top five chosen to compete. Nominations are now open (June 22) and everyone who votes goes into win a $100 bar tab. Cocktail making has evolved in recent

years to become an art form. Bartenders are using science to prepare and perfect drinks including the use of foam, liquid, gels, mists and heat in their creations. It is known as molecular mixology and has taken the world by storm. Regional events will take place in Queenstown and Wellington this month. Winners from each of these events will be flown to Auckland for the final. Everyone in the hospitality industry is invited to come and watch the Bar Masters competition at the Restaurant & Bar Show on Sunday August 19 (3pm) with the finals on Monday August 20 (3pm) at ASB Showgrounds. Registration is free and is open now via the show website www.randbshow.co.nz. Also join us on Facebook http://www.facebook. com/randbshow or follow us on twitter @ BEFestivals with the trend #R&BShow. JULY 2012 . HOSPITALITY/THIRST . 53

The Panel. Single Malt Whisky.

Changing

whisky’s ways

Single malt whiskies carry some baggage. Sure, they are the aristocrats of the spirit world, each individual and bringing its own history and back story to the table, but there are also some traditions that come with them The most important of these is that, traditionally, malts have been taken either neat or with a few drops of water added. There are sound reasons for this. Firstly, each whisky carries the unique flavours that can only come from a single distillery. The soil, the barley, the water and the size and shape of the stills all have an effect on what the whisky will taste like. Add to that the effects of ageing: Sherry or Bourbon casks, upstairs or downstairs in the barrel hall, even whether the barrels are stored near the sea. All these factors combine to give single malts a unique heritage, a different DNA from its competitors, so it makes sense to pour them straight and taste the land they came from. Water, of course, dissipates the volatile aromas and flavours in the spirit and broaden and soften the palate. This is how whisky has traditionally been drunk and it’s fair to say that there are a lot of whisky drinkers out there who agree entirely with that and wouldn’t be seen dead using a malt with a mixer. I’ve been there myself, talking people out of

topping up their Cragganmore with Coke or their Glenmorangie with ginger ale. After all, if you are going to drown your whisky, use a blend; after all, that’s why they were invented. But cocktails offer a new way to enjoy malts and for the very same reasons that people love them straight up – they are all individual drinks and carry specific flavours beneath the seal, so why not use them to get those exact elements into a cocktail? After all, how else are you going to get a splash of iodine into a cocktail? And on second thoughts, don’t answer that last question, because the thoughts of a bar carrying medical supplies alongside the splits is too much for me. I’ve had malt-based cocktails and they are fantastic. A well-made drink doesn’t have to mean the end of civilisation for malt aficionados and, indeed, the use of single malts in cocktails opens up a new world of flavours to whisky drinkers, so where’s the downside? Those were the weighty issues we tackled at this month’s Panel tasting, so we decided to split it into two halves. First, we tasted

– blind – the malts on offer and then we tried them in cocktails. It was a triumph, with some really clever cocktails put together by our regular cocktail guru Tomas Vikario. Tomas and I were joined by regular panellist Dave Batten, Katey Rudlin from the Whisky Shop, Ben Stuart from Beam, Matt Thomson from Thomson Whisky and Adam Neal from Agents & Merchants. We were hosted by Adam and the crew from Racket Bar in Britomart and we’d like to thank them for the hospitality, the service and the laughs. Also this month, we’re introducing a new feature to our tastings. Some time ago, we awarded star ratings for products we tasted, but that was curtailed after complaints from some suppliers. However, we felt it was still important to recognise any products that stood out in the tasting, so we have introduced our Star of the Show award, which will go to the wine, beer, spirit or liqueur that stands out as being the best tasted that day by our Panel. This ensures that exceptional drinks do not go unrewarded.

Fruity Flirty Cocktails

ARDMORE A peated Highland whisky and an intriguing one. Soft, sweet on the nose, with touches of marshmallow and candyfloss, underpinned by a lovely turf smoke note. It starts sweet on the palate before a waft of peat smoke comes in and it finishes with a lovely fruit character.

Enjoy berries and fruits all year round with MONIN Purees. Create distinctive fruit cocktails and bring some colour back into winter.

MONIN Red Berries Puree The perfect mix of red berries and a balanced blend of strawberry, raspberry and blueberry. This powerful and trendy flavour will bring an incredibly mild sweet to tart taste and texture to please the taste buds of your customers. A natural sensation reinforced with seeds and a deep dark red colour to create stunning cocktails!

PDP $55.00 - $60.00 Beam New Zealand Phone 09 915 8444 info@beamglobal.com www.beamglobal.com

ARRAN 12 YEAR OLD A nice colour and a lovely nose, with hints of bale, straw, vanilla and caramel. That caramel part comes out more on the palate, with a butterscotch hit at the front, followed by some citric notes. Gentle on the finish and lasts long enough to be memorable without outstaying its welcome. PDP $64.45 Malts of Distinction Phone 09 298 4808 malts-of-distinction@xtra.co.nz www.maltsofdistinction.co.nz

RED BERRIES BUBBLE DAIQUIRI BRUICHLADDICH THE LADDIE 10 STAR OF THE SHOW✮ An award winning whisky and it’s plain to see why. Lifted smoke on the nose, with touches of dark chocolate, condensed milk and fudge. On the palate it is by turns creamy, smoky, salty and peppery, with all the flavours perfectly integrated. The finish is one of astonishing elegance; a really classy malt.

• • • •

15 ml MONIN Red Berries Fruit puree 50 ml Stolen white rum 20 ml lime juice 20ml Perrier Lime

Method • Combine ingredients in a Boston shaker. • Add ice & Shake. • Pour into a chilled cocktail glass. • Finish with a dash of chilled Perrier Lime. • Decorate with mixed berries.

PDP $110.50 Hancocks Wine, Spirit & Beer Merchants Phone 0800 699 463 sales@hancocks.co.nz www.hancocks.co.nz

Contact your Stuart Alexander sales representative for more information or call Consumer Services, phone 0800 188 484 Discover ultimate recipes on www.monin.com

54 . HOSPITALITY/THIRST . JULY 2012

The Panel. Single Malt Whisky.

DALMORE CIGAR MALT RESERVE

LAPHROAIG 10 YEAR OLD

Made from malts between 10 and 15 years old, this was crafted to go with a nice cigar, and you can tell by the flavour. Chocolate and caramel dominate the nose, while the palate unfolds in layers of oak, sweet caramel, tobacco leaf and spice. Bone dry on the finish, a gentlemanly, almost polite whisky, as one taster noted.

The whisky that tends to sort the wheat from the chaff, this is an undeniably great whisky. It smells like an autumn bonfire and the palate is packed with turf smoke, sweet sherry notes and just a hint of the iodine character so typical of Islay malts. Fine and elegant on the finish, it will always be a classic.

Cocktails.

The Panel. Single Malt Whisky.

BY TOMAS VIKARIO

PDP $72.00 - $78.00 PDP $210.50 Hancocks Wine, Spirit & Beer Merchants Phone 0800 699 463 sales@hancocks.co.nz www.hancocks.co.nz

Beam New Zealand Phone 09 915 8444 info@beamglobal.com www.beamglobal.com

GLENGRANT - THE MAJOR'S RESERVE

THE MACALLAN 12 YEAR OLD

A staple of the whisky world for many years and a huge seller, this has a curious nose of Wertherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Originals coupled with an almost Tequila-like vegetal note. Quite fiery on the palate, it has green barley and vegetal notes, followed by a medium-length spicy, peppery finish.

Lighter in style than the classic sherry-cask Macallan, this is forging a reputation of its own. It has a floral smell, with an underlying wave of vanilla and is quite sweet on the palate, with a little bit of liquorice and pepper on the finish.

CHERRY GODFATHER (SCOTTISH CHERRY GARDEN)

20 ml MONIN Cherry syrup 45 ml malt whisky 15 ml Galliano Amaretto liqueur M ix ingredients well (Boston glass with ice). Strain over the fresh ice cubes in an old fashioned glass. Decorate with fresh/cocktail cherry.

PDP $62.00 - $72.00

VANILLA CANâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;DU COCKTAIL

20 ml MONIN Vanilla syrup 45 ml malt whisky 4 slices lime 1 dash The Bitter Truth Lemon bitter I n an old fashioned glass muddle lime, Monin syrup and bitter. Add crushed ice. Pour whisky over the ice. Stir until ingredients combine. Finish with more crushed ice. Garnish with vanilla pod. Spray Vanilla mist over the cocktail before you serve it.

PDP $37.00 - $40.00 Beam New Zealand Phone 09 915 8444 info@beamglobal.com www.beamglobal.com

Beam New Zealand Phone 09 915 8444 info@beamglobal.com www.beamglobal.com

HIGHLAND PARK 12 YEAR OLD

THOMSON 18 YEAR OLD

Quite an austere malt, packing some real power beneath the sleek exterior. Pine resin, polish and leather all crop up on the nose, while it starts sweet in the mouth before crashing waves of peppery power come in. A lovely finish, echoing everything on the nose and palate and lasting a perfect length.

A Kiwi whisky and one that tastes really rather good. Big whiffs of marshmallow, coconut and French vanilla on the nose, with a touch of smoke added on the palate. Gets quite lively with a drop of water and has a lovely weight and length. Top class whisky with a real presence and character.

PDP $57.00 - $63.00

PDP $104.05

Beam New Zealand Phone 09 915 8444 info@beamglobal.com www.beamglobal.com

Thomson Whisky New Zealand Ltd Phone 09 828 7271 contact@thomsonwhisky.com www.thomsonwhisky.com

56 . HOSPITALITY/THIRST . JULY 2012

SPICED RE-FASHIONED

20 ml MONIN Maple Spice syrup 45 ml malt whisky 1 slice chilli pepper 2 dashes Bitter Truth Orange bitter 1 slice orange peel I n an old fashioned glass muddle chilli slice, Monin Maple Spice syrup and orange peel. Add ice. Pour whisky over the ice. Stir until ingredients combine and dilute ice. Garnish with an orange twist and chilli slice.

LOWLAND (CARAMELISED) NIGHTCAPPER

50 ml malt whisky 30 ml Perrier water Chilli slice Ginger slice Sugar cube The Bitter Truth Xocolatl Mole Bitter P lace sugar cube in an absinthe spoon above the mixing glass. Soak the cube with few drops of Xocolatl bitter. Use the torcher and melt the sugar cube untill melted. Pour malt whisky and Perrier over the spoon. Add ice cubes and stir to chill the mix. Strain the malt mix into the balloon glass and add ginger and chilli slice. Place balloon glass on top of the old fashioned glass filled with crushed ice. Serve it with a dark chocolate on the side.

SKY'S LONG STAR

20 ml MONIN Sugar Cane syrup 10 ml MONIN Ginger syrup 50 ml malt whisky 10 ml Lemon juice 2 drops Bitter Truth Lemon bitters 50 ml Perrier Lemon water S hake first 5 ingredients well with ice. Strain in a tumbler glass over fresh ice. Top up with chilled Perrier water. Garnish wth lemon zest and a ginger slice.

APPLE SMOKED MALT WHISPER

45 ml malt whisky 30 ml Perrier water P our malt in an old fashioned glass. Top it with dash of chilled Perrier water. Place the glass below the glass bell and infuse it with cold smoke technique using apple wood chips.

JULY 2012 . HOSPITALITY/THIRST . 57

Wine. Pinot Gris.

A pinot of plenty Pinot gris came from nowhere really. One minute it was a little-known grape variety most commonly seen in imported Italian pinot grigio and the next it was covering a vast swathe of the national vineyard. In fact, between 2006 and 2009, vineyard plantings more than doubled and it’s now the third most popular grape grown here, after sauvignon blanc and chardonnay. It’s harder to think of a winery that doesn’t make pinot gris now, which is a tribute to how readily the punters took to drinking it.

Stylistically, pinot gris varies from the more lightweight bone-dry, Italian style with a lively acidity to the rich, full, almost glutinous style more usually associated with Alsace. This has posed some problems for the varietal, as it has resulted in the situation where there are almost as many styles of pinot gris as there are wineries producing them. It’s hard not to think that winemakers sometimes aren’t even sure what style of wine they are aiming at, such is the variance in styles. But whatever the style, pinot gris sells like hot cakes and it occupies a comfortable niche now between sauvignon and chardonnay. This makes it an ideal wine for the licensed trade. Whether as a food wine or simply

as a chilled after-work drink, pinot gris delivers in spades. Its essential character – and basically most can be covered by the Wine Institute’s descriptor of it having a “rich, flinty, fruit-laden character” – means that it can accompany a range of foods, from Malaysian and Thai dishes to lighter meats, pasta, fish and salads. And by the glass it unites wine drinkers in a way that sauvignon and chardonnay never could – by delivering an honest, simple burst of flavour in a glass, without trying too hard about it. This month’s tasting featured 16 different wines in different styles and from regions covering Gisborne to Central Otago. Joining me this month were regular Panellist Dave Batten and Rockburn general manager Paul

Donaghy, whose comments on his own wine were, naturally, discounted entirely. For this tasting we were hosted by Dida’s in Victoria Park and we’d like to thank them for their generosity in letting use such a perfect space. Also this month, we’re introducing a new feature to our tastings. Some time ago, we awarded star ratings for products we tasted, but that was curtailed after complaints from some suppliers. However, we felt it was still important to recognise any products that stood out in the tasting, so we have introduced our Star of the Show award, which will go to the wine, beer, spirit or liqueur that stands out as being the best tasted that day by our Panel. This ensures that exceptional drinks do not go unrewarded.

CHARD FARM CENTRAL OTAGO PINOT GRIS 2011 Another wine that shows elements of lemon and smoke rather than the usual pear notes on the nose. Complex and well-structured wine, with good weight and a lovely lemon curd note on the palate, backed by a crisp acidity. Elegant and stylish wine. PDP $16.00

You tend to expect a lot from Cloudy Bay and this delivers. Delicate pear and spice on the nose, with a lovely floral note underneath. Rich, stylish and spicy on the palate, with a seamless mix of pears, cinnamon and zingy acid for balance. Very elegant and sophisticated wine.

Chard Farm Direct Phone 03 442 6110 jan@chardfarm.co.nz www.chardfarm.co.nz

PDP $23.00

CORBANS HOMESTEAD GISBORNE PINOT GRIS 2011

CROSSROADS HAWKE’S BAY PINOT GRIS 2011 STAR OF THE SHOW✮

A lovely golden colour and nice aromas of pear and apple on the nose. Almost a stewed apple flavour coming through on the palate with a nice balancing acidity. A great quaffer and a nice example of a commercial style of pinot gris. PDP $12.91 Lion Phone 0800 10 72 72 orders@lionco.com www.lionco.com

58 . HOSPITALITY/THIRST . JULY 2012

CLOUDY BAY MARLBOROUGH PINOT GRIS 2011

Moet Hennessy Phone 09 308 9640 www.cloudybay.co.nz

This is different, a pinot gris that’s almost chardonnay-like. Straw, lemon and nuts on the nose are followed up by a ripe, well-rounded palate of fat pear and zingy acid. Big, but not over the top, it works equally well as a food partner or as a glass on its own. PDP $19.50 Yealands Wine Group Phone 09 920 2880 www.yealands.co.nz

JULY 2012 . HOSPITALITY/THIRST . 59

Wine. Pinot Gris.

GREYSTONE WAIPARA PINOT GRIS 2011

GREYSTONE SAND DOLLAR WAIPARA PINOT GRIS 2011

Plenty of concentration here, with rich, sweet pear coming across strongly on the nose. The palate reveals a big, medium-sweet style of pinot gris, with stewed apple, clove and brown sugar notes. Not necessarily a by-the-glass option, but a great food wine.

A very different beast to its stablemate, this is a drier wine, with a big, smoky nose and plenty of alcohol apparent on the palate. Plenty of acid in there to balance the sweet pear-skin flavours and a persistent finish. Most definitely a food wine and ideal for strongly flavoured Asian dishes.

SACRED HILL HALO MARLBOROUGH PINOT GRIS 2011

THE CROSSINGS MARLBOROUGH PINOT GRIS 2011

This wine is about intensity, with excellent concentration of fruit on the nose, sweet pear and a hint of brown sugar. There’s a lovely riverstone minerality on the palate that works well with the fruit and acidity; a seamless and elegant wine ideal by the glass.

A different style of pinot gris, with a hint of grassiness on the nose and a lean, green apple acidity on the palate. It’s not so much a by-theglass drink as a food wine, offering a nice way to cut through fattier fish dishes and light meats.

PDP $19.66 Kahurangi Estate Limited Phone 03 543 2980 assistant@kahurangi.com www.greystonewines.co.nz

HUNTAWAY RESERVE GISBORNE PINOT GRIS 2011 Typical pinot gris up to a point; apple and pear are underpinned by an interesting smoky character. It fades a little on the mid-palate, but it has good weight and acid balance and an interesting finish that sees the smoky character make a comeback. PDP $18.24

PDP $14.50 PDP $19.66

PDP $15.80

Kahurangi Estate Limited Phone 03 543 2980 assistant@kahurangi.com www.greystonewines.co.nz

Hancocks Wine, Spirits and Beer Merchants Phone 0800 699 463 sales@hancocks.co.nz www.hancocks.co.nz

THE KING’S THORN MARLBOROUGH PINOT GRIS 2011

TI POINT MARLBOROUGH PINOT GRIS 2011

THE NED MARLBOROUGH PINOT GRIS 2011

A quite lush style, partially barrelfermented, which gives it a lovely richness. Some pear on the nose, but also a touch of apricot and spice. On the palate, it feels weighty, but the acid stops it becoming oversweet and it finishes with a nice ripe citrus tone. A lovely expression of pinot gris.

A lovely blush colour and carrying a nice, clean pear nose, this is a classy drop to serve by the glass. Pear, apple, spice and acid define the palate, with nice balance and a good weight. It starts quite sweet, drying out as it goes, leaving an excellent finish, full of echoes of autumn.

PDP $15.16

PDP $14.50

Very aristocratic pinot gris, with an almost austere nose that avoids obvious fruit notes in favour of a restrained blend of fruit, minerality and spice. On the palate, it has good weight and a sweet richness, like a ripe apple. The acid comes in on the finish to balance the sweetness and offer great length. Very stylish wine.

Yealands Wine Group Phone 09 920 2880 www.yealands.co.nz

Lion Phone 0800 10 72 72 orders@lionco.com www.lionco.com

PDP $17.61 Lion Phone 0800 10 72 72 michael.taylor@lionco.com www.lionco.com

Hancocks Wine, Spirits and Beer Merchants Phone 0800 699 463 sales@hancocks.co.nz www.hancocks.co.nz

Lion Phone 0800 10 72 72 michael.taylor@lionco.com www.lionco.com

ROCKBURN CENTRAL OTAGO PINOT GRIS 2011

SACRED HILL MARLBOROUGH PINOT GRIS 2011

WILD SOUTH MARLBOROUGH PINOT GRIS 2011

YEALANDS MARLBOROUGH PINOT GRIS 2010

Sumptuous nose of ripe pear and a hint of lemon and smoke on the nose. Across the palate it’s a weighty, mouthfilling wine, showing elements of minerality, soft fruit and a nice balancing acid. Lovely finish for a quite lovely wine.

Sacred Hill’s wines tend to accentuate the fruit element and this is no exception. Concentrated sweet pear on the nose and a lovely, mineral touch on the palate to balance the fruit and acid. Medium length on the finish with a nice green apple touch. Very stylish pinot gris.

Delicate pear flesh on the nose, with a touch of floral aromas as well. More lifted pear on the palate, with a glycerol fatness, good balance and a nice, long acid finish. Well-suited to lighter food styles or as a by-the-glass option across the bar after work.

This pinot adds a hint of spice to the mix, with hints of pepper beefing up the poached pear aromas. On the palate it manages to be rich without being fat and the finish offers a spicy, peppery acidity. Good with lightly spiced Asian dishes.

PDP $13.18

PDP $23.95

Hancocks Wine, Spirits and Beer Merchants Phone 0800 699 463 sales@hancocks.co.nz www.hancocks.co.nz

Yealands Wine Group Phone 09 920 2880 www.yealands.co.nz

PDP $15.00 Hancocks Wine, Spirits and Beer Merchants Phone 0800 699 463 sales@hancocks.co.nz www.hancocks.co.nz

60 . HOSPITALITY/THIRST . JULY 2012

PDP $14.95 Hancocks Wine, Spirits and Beer Merchants Phone 0800 699 463 sales@hancocks.co.nz www.hancocks.co.nz

JULY 2012 . HOSPITALITY/THIRST . 61

Wine. Peter's Picks.

Peter’s Picks are independently selected by wine writer Peter Saunders. This feature is designed with bars in mind and reflects a mix of factors including, price, availability and overall drinkability.

WHITEHAVEN MARLBOROUGH PINOT NOIR 2010

MT DIFFICULTY PACKSPUR VINEYARD PINOT NOIR 2010

CLOUDY BAY MARLBOROUGH PINOT NOIR 2010

DOG POINT MARLBOROUGH PINOT NOIR 2010

A very flavoursome pinot noir after two years, with elegance and yet with strength and some fulfilled flavours starting to open out. Watch it evolve over an hour in the wine glass, a sign of its freshness and fine texture.

Single vineyard wine from Lowburn, north of Cromwell. Elegant style, showing lightly spicy berry-fruit characters which will continue to evolve well. A finely tuned classy wine, clearly carefully handled and opening up steadily - and very well. Three fine years’ drinking ahead.

Delicious wine at its two year birthday, tasting ripe as it usually does, deliciously appealing in the texture as well as the fruit. A lovely medium bodied style and another icon in this winery’s growing pinot noir heritage.

A boomer this year, tastes of sweetripe fruit and with plenty of spine, of course ideal for the long haul but a little air-time makes a big difference already. Open, pour, wait. Careful vineyard selection and gutsy yet trueto-sit pinot characters carry this wine into the excellence class.

Whitehaven Distribution Ltd Phone: 021 738 315 danny@whitehaven.co.nz www.whitehaven.co.nz

PDP $43.00

Moet Hennessy Phone: 09 308 9640 www.cloudybay.co.nz

BABICH IRONGATE GIMBLETT GRAVELS HAWKE’S BAY CHARDONNAY 2011

FOLDING HILL BENDIGO CENTRAL OTAGO PINOT NOIR 2009

PDP $21.50

Ex Winery Direct Phone: 021 481 196 sales@mtdifficulty.co.nz

Finely tuned wine, not with the oak of the past yet there are still some lovely oak effects. Clearly youthful yet already showing the Irongate elegance and some very classy fruit tones. The vines in the Irongate block on Gimblett Road have plenty of age and the results of this are clear also in the mouth-feel and finesse of this wine. No hurry.

Classic Central Otago style from their home vineyard on the northern terraces of Bendigo Creek. Helped nicely by three years of age after hand-plunging and a mix of wild and inoculated yeast. Minimal fining (small deposit may evolve) and Diam cork. Good body without being heavy and so very nice drinking now, without rush for three more years,

PDP $24.18

PDP $24.15

Eurovintage Phone: 0800 338 766 info@eurovintage.co.nz www.eurovintage.co.nz

Bespoke Wine Company fiona@bespokewines.co.nz www.bespokewines.co.nz

62 . HOSPITALITY/THIRST . JULY 2012

PDP $33.00

PDP $30.95 red + white cellar Phone: 03 572 8294 info@dogpoint.co.nz www.dogpoint.co.nz

JULY 2012 . HOSPITALITY/THIRST . 63

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