Hospitality September 2013

VOL. 49 SEPTEMBER 2013

Barworks founder famous

Hellebrekers honoured page 6

Bosley goes inside Prisoners plate up

page 40

Here comes the Sun

and the beers to match page 66

IN CO

Introducing the new Knorr Professional Pureed Spices page 14

RPO

R AT

IN G

Volume 49, Issue 09 EDITOR – HOSPITALITY/THIRST Jes Magill Ph 027 537 4017 Email editor@hospitalitymag.co.nz ADVERTISING SALES MANAGER – HOSPITALITY Wendy Steele Ph 021 300 473 Email wendy.steele@mediaweb.co.nz ADVERTISING SALES MANAGER – THIRST Chris Turner Ph 021 256 9029 Email beverages@mediaweb.co.nz DESIGNER Amber Renée Hobbs CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Linda Bennett, Christchurch Sue Fea, Queenstown Kathy Ombler, Wellington Don Kavanagh Keith Stuart Geoff Griggs Chris Turner INDUSTRY CONTRIBUTORS Marisa Bidois, Bruce Robertson, SPANZ, Cameron Doughlas, Vic Williams and Dean Minchington GROUP SALES MANAGER Morris Ph 09 529 3000 ADVERTISING CO–ORDINATOR Pip Maclean Ph 09 529 3000 Email ads@mediaweb.co.nz ACCOUNTANT John Clarke Ph 09 372 4445 johnc@mediaweb.co.nz 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 PREPRESS & PRINT BY MHP Publications Ltd ISSN 1172 4285 PUBLISHED BY

It sure is show time Hospitality might be a challenging industry, but it sure knows how to party.

That’s because those blessed with the hospitality gene know that celebrations are the fuel of life.

Just about every story in this issue has celebration at its heart and that makes for inspiring reading. John Hellebrekers’ story on page 6 certainly is that. MD of one of the country’s more successful hospitality operations, John has just been inducted into the Restaurant Association’s Hall of Fame. Bet that was a great get-together.

Jeanette Brough has been celebrating too. She entered the NZ Vegetarian Dish Challenge and created the winning breakfast entry, and that has been great news for her luxury Bed &Breakfast business in Arrowtown. See that story on page 9.

And the crowds are still celebrating at Miss Clawdy’s; Dennis Wiley’s new venture at North Wharf. The great location, fit out, venue design and cuisine has proved a heady combination – see what all the fuss is about on page 18.

Hospitality magazine’s regional pages always have a festive feel to them.

Because they focus on new ventures opening up around the country, they’re stories full of hope, anticipation and excitement. And we hope someone baked a really big cake for winning pastry chef Jie Min Aw: she and her team carried out a stellar effort in the Asian Pastry Cup competitions recently. Read this dynamo’s story on page 28.

Even the Culinary Fare had a party last month. It turned 21 – that’s 21 years providing the stage where the dreams and desires of the nation’s most passionate hospitality talent can be revealed; find out who excelled in this year’s competitions on page 34. And what joy for the mainland when the South Island Hospitality Show opened its doors again for trade. It sounds like all smiles were as wide as Annabelle White’s – have a look on page 35.

Martin Bosley’s Prison Gate to Plate story on page 40 is a poignant one but there’s some joy there too. Part of Visa Wellington on a Plate, this event was all about giving people a second chance. For nine months Bosley went to prison every Tuesday to teach inmates skills in the kitchen – skills that will hopefully secure them employment when they’re released. One lucky “graduate” is working at Martin Bosley’s restaurant right now. Being involved with the inmates’ training has been an emotional journey for Bosley, but the tears shed by him and his ‘boys’ at one of the stand-out events of the capital’s culinary celebration, where they catered for a crowd, were tears of joy. And that’s testament to the goodness of humanity and the power of preparing and sharing food. You know what to do.

PUBLISHER Toni Myers MEDIAWEB 115 Newton Road, Eden Terrace, Auckland 1010 PO Box 5544, Wellesley St, Auckland 1141 Phone +64 9 529 3000 Fax +64 9 529 3001 Email enquiries@mediaweb.co.nz www.mediaweb.co.nz Original material published in this magazine is copyright, but may be reproduced providing permission is obtained from the editor and acknowledgment given to Hospitality magazine. Opinions expressed are those of the authors and may not necessarily be those of Mediaweb. We welcome material from commercial sources for publication but cannot guarantee that it will be used as submitted.

Jes Magill, Editor

Contents

16

September 2013

18

News 6

John Hellebrekers enters the Hall of Fame

9

Five-star champion vegetarian cuisine

13

WACS’ global culinary certification scheme

16

Warming up Winter with Restaurant Month

18 22

23

Miss Clawdy – the new gal in town Northern Lights – North Wharf, VPM and little bird unbakery, Ponsonby Capital Comment – Winning first impressions, Visa Wellington on a Plate debrief and North’s Muse on Allen wins award

24

28

Southern Starters – Novotel and Lone Star reopen in Christchurch, Broken Heart Spirits wins again and Brennan Wines’ Pinot scoops award.

Chef profile - pastry chef Jie Min Aw

30 Taste of Auckland set to tempt again

Features 34

Loving all the talent at the Culinary Fare

35

Welcome back South Island Hospitality Show

40 Prison Gate to Plate – Martin Bosley spends time inside

Industry views 44 In Q Theatre with Helen Sales, and Vic Williams ponders fire throughout the culinary ages

45 Pinot pointers from the master, and young people drink more sensibly

46 Remuneration update from Restaurant Association, and ServiceIQ brandishing gold.

Relaxation 48

Books to savour – and books to win

Contents

66

9

28

50 New and News 52

Events - This year’s Beervana was the biggest and best yet. Thirst brew columnist Geoff Griggs checked out the scene.

54 Q & A - Chris Turner asks Culinary Fare Bartender of the Year, Sai Hamsala, a few pertinent questions.

55

The Panel – Follow up the Winter Warm Up. We take a look at some of the wines on show at the inaugural Auckland Restaurant Month ‘Winter Warm Up’ wine show and how these wines can add value to an establishments wine offering.

60 New Zealand Whisky – Then and now 61

The Panel – Single malt whiskies - what is good and what is great

VOL. 49 SEPTEMBER 2013

HOSPITALITY | THIRST

65 Asian whisky – The rise and rise of the whiskies Barworks founder famous

Hellebrekers honoured page 6

WWW.HOSPITALITYMAG.CO.NZ

Bosley goes inside Prisoners plate up

On the cover

from Asia.

66 The Panel – Summer beers - These days, New Zealand’s brewing scene is the envy of many around the world. The panel finds out why

page 40

Here comes the Sun

and the beers to match page 66

INCO

VOLUME 49 • SEPTEMBER 2013

Introducing the new Knorr Professional Pureed Spices

RPOR

ATING

Introducing the new Knorr Professional Pureed Spices.

page 14

See page 14.

72

Pressing Matters – Opinion: Wine by the glass. Keith Stewart asks the question - is this just a rip off?

Snapshots

Here’s an app put together by an impressive array of boffins.

Nara was created by a team of neuroscientists, computer scientists, astrophysicists, artists and entrepreneurs. It features a Pandora–like neural network of users’ tastes and offers accurate recommendations for eating out. Nara first asks users questions about the kind of eateries they like based on food types, atmosphere and demographics. Suggestions are either then up–voted or down– voted depending on the user’s opinion, logged either before or after they’ve tried it out. Foursquare check–ins keep track of where users have been before, and which restaurants they like to visit regularly. By checking this against the decisions made by every other Nara user, the system quickly begins to intuit the kinds of decisions made by those with similar tastes. Available free from the App Store and Google Play.

Website: www.nara.me

Cookbook specialist Virtue Books has been bought by Tech Books Ltd in Newmarket, owned by Colin Greenwood. Tech Books has created a new entity at its Nuffield St premises called Epicurean Books and the specialist store will cater for a wide spectrum of customers from foodies through to executive chefs, carrying up–to–the minute local and international titles.

Instant aperitif, anyone? Just about, with L’appero, an on–demand apéritif delivery service in Paris, which promises customers a wait of no more than 45 minutes. Users can download the L’appero app for free, enabling them to select the items they want delivered. A choice of two boxes are currently offered: La Box suitable for two to four people including cured ham, Ossau–Iraty cheese, tapenades, olives, bread and a bottle of wine or water for ¤30; and La Box Moustache for one to two people including a bottle of beer, chips and Mimolette cheese for ¤15.

The customer’s location is tracked via GPS, payments are made through their smartphone and delivered by bicycle couriers. Website: www.lappero.com

4 . HOSPITALITY/THIRST . SEPTEMBER 2013

Hong Kong’s home carrier Cathay Pacific and The Langham, Hong Kong have just launched a new inflight menu promotion, featuring dishes inspired by T’ang Court, the Michelin–starred Chinese restaurant at The Langham, Hong Kong. The menu is served to passengers in first class, business class and premium economy onboard selected flights departing from Hong Kong. Since 2000, the airline has been promoting quality Chinese cuisine in collaboration with renowned restaurants in Hong Kong. A total of 16 new dishes will feature until the end of October, emphasising authentic Cantonese cuisine and healthy ingredients. Signature dishes include Australian abalone with jelly fish and Wok– fried prawns with black truffle paste.

Cathay Pacific and

The Langham

News

Industry’s top accolade John Hellebrekers is the 2013 inductee into the Restaurant Association’s Hall of Fame – an accolade reserved for those who’ve made an extensive and on-going commitment to New Zealand’s hospitality industry.

The Hall of Fame award, sponsored by Crombie Lockwood, has previously been conferred on industry greats such as Simon Gault, Michael Van de Elzen, Judith Tabron and Ruth Pretty. The award is voted on by members of the Association’s Education Trust.

Restaurant Association chairman, Tony Adcock – a former recipient of the Hall of Fame award – says Hellebrekers and his Barworks Hospitality Group has enabled many young bar operators to open their own establishments.

“We’re delighted to welcome John into the Restaurant Association Hall of Fame and celebrate his career achievements to date. He’s a real leader and innovator in our industry and passionate about hospitality.

“The Hall of Fame award is for those who’ve made an outstanding contribution to our sector and John’s a deserving recipient. He’s helped many make the transition to business owner, and that’s great for our sector.

Famously hospitable John Hellebrekers receives Hall of Fame honours.

“Barworks has a unique model that encourages and supports people to enter the industry as venue owners and operators.

John’s the driving force in the

business and his willingness to take a chance on people, recognising their character and potential, sees him held in the highest regard by his industry peers,” says Adcock.

Hellebrekers has had a lifelong involvement in hospitality starting with his parents’ hotel.

He slowly worked his way up the industry ladder, and opened his first bar in Auckland, the Degree Gastrobar in 1999 – a venue that’s still a success 14 years on.

Along the way, he grew the number of outlets to seven, before joining forces with DB Breweries in 2008 to form Barworks, a collaboration which owes its genesis to an idea spawned during a late night Las Vegas casino meeting. That idea eventually became Barworks Hospitality Group, which has since grown to 20 venues.

Barworks is a joint venture between DB Breweries, Hellebrekers and his partners Gavin Cowell and Andy Roberts.

Chicken turns blue Waitoa free range chicken products now carry the SPCA Blue Tick.

Ingham’s national sales manager Jonathan Gray says the SPCA Blue Tick recognises and certifies the highest supply chain and farm welfare in New Zealand. Gray says; “This demonstrates our continued focus to deliver quality care in poultry management, and meeting market needs.

“Waitoa free range chicken, grown in the green sunny valleys of the Waikato region, is now

farmed and audited against the high SPCA Blue Tick standards – a mark you and your customers can trust.

“We have a committed focus to grow our farm capacity and our foodservice product range, now offering foodservice packs throughout New Zealand via key Waitoa distributors,” Gray adds.

Waitoa offers various cuts and pack options to support

6 . HOSPITALITY/THIRST . SEPTEMBER 2013

foodservice needs. New Waitoa Fresh 6kg packs are available in four different pack options – two breast cut options (skin-on or skin-off), drums or tenderloins.

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News

Five-star

vegan vege winner

If anyone can turn the humble vegetable into a delicious culinary work of art and breakfast into a nutritional four-course gastronomic delight, it’s Arrowtown’s five-star boutique operator Jeanette Brough.

The award-winning Arrowtown House Boutique Hotel co-owner recently scooped the top prize for the country’s best vegetarian breakfast in the NZ Vegetarian Dish Challenge.

Brough’s immaculately presented, totally vegan trio brought high-class fame to the humble Southland swede, which featured in her Cheese and Spring Onion Waffle topped with Southland Bubble and Squeak, and her Carrot and Swede Muffins with Quince Tutti and Frutti.

A beautifully decorated glass of Gazpacho Sunrise, consisting of celery, cucumber, ground linseed, sunflower and almond and spicy tomato juice, provided the perfect health-lover’s accompaniment.

She was up against 200 entries from the country’s best chefs, who were only allowed to use vegetables seasonally available between March and June.

Brough likes a challenge and in choosing to enter the vegan category of the competition, says sourcing purely vegan ingredients, such as egg replacer, soya cream cheese and vegetable Parmesan cheese took the most time and effort. Eventually she located much of what she needed online from the Cruelty Free Shop in Auckland.

She and husband Steve are old hands at hospitality.

They’ve scooped numerous awards over the years, including a New Zealand Tourism Award and Travel &

k in Jeanette Brough gets to wor . hen kitc se Hou her Arrowtown

Leisure Magazine’s ‘World’s Best’ title for their former business, Remarkables Lodge near Queenstown. And Arrowtown House was voted number three this year for NZ romance in the Trip Advisor Travellers’ Choice Awards.

Taking part in this year’s challenge, Brough was pleasantly surprised to win the Best Vegetarian Breakfast/Brunch in the country with her picturesque trio of vegetarian delights. Her Vegetable Strata lunch entry was superb too – a vegan bread and butter pudding made from cornmeal loaf and layered with

SEPTEMBER 2013 . HOSPITALITY/THIRST . 9

News

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Jeanette Brough with a new vegan breakfast menu.

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vegetables served with honeyed Moroccan eggplant, red slaw and tofu.

In the dinner category, she entered an Asian-influenced rice noodle pancake filled with broccolini and bok choy; ‘‘It’s very easy to use what’s available without thinking about the food science and what holds it together and what you can produce without using animal products,’’ she says.

Brough does all her own sprouting and grows her own vegetables and herbs on the property, set in historic Arrowtown’s residential area.

And with changing attitudes towards eating and food, Brough says she can’t ignore the increasing demand for strict vegetarian options in her hotel breakfasts and hors d’oeuvres.

“People are changing their diets and I’ve definitely noticed a change in the way they’re eating. Sometimes they turn up and say ‘by the way, I’m vegetarian’, so I have to be prepared.

But while our guests are always looking at healthier options, they still want a bit of indulgence.”

The newly-crowned vege queen rises well before 6am every morning to prepare her healthy breakfast banquets for hotel guests, banquets which usually start with freshly-made vegetable and fruit juices.

Juices are then followed by a hot or cold ‘fruit course’. In winter this would usually feature ‘Power Porridge’ or ‘Old-Style Semolina’ complemented with blood plums and other locally-sourced stone-fruit preserves or berries, and in summer; poached peaches with berries.

Guests are offered three ‘main course’ breakfast options as well, which can include the likes of Chilli Eggs or Burritos Filled with Scrambled Eggs, Chorizo, Avocado and Salsa, followed by home-made pastries and muffins.

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CHANGE YOUR KITCHEN CHANGE YOUR LIFE

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G506 Gas Range / GT45 Gas Fryer / G91 Gas Salamander Entering is easy. Go on www.hospitalitymag.co.nz and tell us why you want to win this amazing prize.

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Advertorial

In their own words

Two food and beverage managers from two new and very exciting café concepts in New Zealand, attracting high numbers of discerning local and international visitors, share their experiences of working with D.E Coffee and Tea Ltd and Piazza DÓro to enhance their customers’ experiences within their venues. D.E is a company that has become a trusted partner in assisting with the creation of innovative, successful hospitality operations throughout the country by providing a variety of solutions with exceptional service and knowledge of all things coffee and tea.

Name John Watson Position Food & Beverage Manager Name of Café concept Market Kitchen, Skyline Rotorua Has Piazza Doro – D.E Coffee and Tea Ltd – been easy to work with? Yes, during our transition phase they have helped us develop cohesive solutions that have benefited our market kitchen and coffee service to our guests. And we’re excited about growing this relationship further.

What added Value have they brought to your new Café concept? Skyline Rotorua’s mountain–top café has had a major make–over. It has been transformed into a trendy modern establishment, serving freshly prepared food and great coffee with an international theme. Market Kitchen is now a popular place for our local and international guests to sit back and enjoy Kiwiana cuisine with the best views over the city. D. E. has helped drive incremental coffee revenue, and there’s no doubt that our local and international guests enjoy the finest shots of espresso. We’ve taken great strides to ensure that every guest receives a drink that exceeds their expectations, every time. This has been achieved through the D. E. product and by providing our baristas with the best training and tools they have to offer.

What has the feedback been since changing to the new machine and blends? We’ve had comments such as “A great example of presentation and taste!” to “Love your coffee, we’re hooked for life.”

Piazza D’Oro – A masterpiece in every espresso For all enquiries regarding Piazza D’Oro or how D. E. Coffee and Tea can assist you, please give us a call on; 0800 277 927

12 . HOSPITALITY/THIRST . SEPTEMBER 2013

Name Pierre Poyet Position Food & Beverage Manager Name of Café concept Market Kitchen, Skyline Queenstown Has Piazza Doro – D.E Coffee and Tea Ltd – been easy to work with? We have a long– standing relationship with the D. E. Team.

They’re very customer–centric and always focus on achieving the desired outcome.

What added–value have they brought to Market Kitchen, Queenstown? D. E. really tried to understand what we were trying to achieve by asking the right questions. They assisted in multiple aspects of our renovation, from the design of our coffee space, to supplying one– of–a–kind equipment, right through to front–line training. It was great knowing we could count on Daniel and the team as close partners.

How has the feedback been since changing to the new machine and different blends?

The machines are awesome. Don’t get me wrong – our coffees were pretty good before, but the consistency of our coffee now is just phenomenal. It’s always satisfying and humbling when your customers approach you and compliment you.

News

Industry knowledge

recognised The World Association of Chefs Societies (WACS), recently launched one of the most exciting developments in the culinary industry this year – the WACS global culinary certification scheme.

Developed in partnership with City & Guilds, the scheme is the first global culinary certification scheme in the world. It has nine different levels which are aimed at cooks, chefs and culinary educators who wish to gain recognition for the skills, experience and knowledge they’ve gained while working in the industry.

“It has been a lifelong ambition for WACS to give something back to the culinary community,” says Gissur Gudmundsson, president of WACS. “There’s hardly anything available for chefs and cooks who may not have had the opportunity to obtain a qualification or were just too busy building their careers and didn’t manage to find time to go back to formal education.”

WACS is a global network of 93 national chefs associations founded in 1928, representing over 10 million professional chefs and dedicates its activities to maintaining and improving the culinary standards of cuisines around the world.

“We want to celebrate success,” says Gudmundsson.

“We want to encourage cooks, chefs and culinary educators to continue learning as this is the only way in which we can help to raise standards within the industry.”

As well as targeting cooks and chefs, the scheme also recognises the role culinary educators play in the training and education of the next generation of chefs.

WACS joined forces with City & Guilds, one of the world’s leading certification bodies, to develop the scheme. City & Guilds has led the work around setting the standards and defining a suitable quality assurance mechanism which will provide sufficient flexibility to operate the scheme at a global level without compromising on quality.

One of the key features of the scheme is the use of technology to reach as many individuals as possible around the world. The application and assessment processes are done electronically, making the scheme affordable and accessible. Applicants can take the time they need to prepare their evidence which will then be submitted to WACS using an electronic portal called Learning Assistant.

“The scheme complements qualifications and certification schemes available around the world”, notes Gudmundsson. ‘It’s all about recognising industry experience and re-engaging professionals in learning in a way which is not always possible through formal qualifications and we’ve incorporated

WACS global certification scheme encourages cooks, chefs and educators to continue learning.

existing certification schemes and competitions into the requirements where appropriate. For example, we’ll accept Master Chef and Master Pastry Chef certificates from around the world as part of the entry requirements for applications at the WACS Certified Master Chef and Master Pastry Chef levels.”

The scheme has been designed to bring value to employers as part of their recruitment, training and staff retention programmes. WACS has undertaken extensive consultation with the industry and found the most important qualities employers are looking for include attitude, passion and motivation as well as having the right skills. The scheme allows chefs and cooks to demonstrate to an existing or potential employer as well as their own customers that they’re willing to go the extra mile and have met an international benchmark while doing so.

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News

Winter warmed up

More than 120 restaurants participated in Restaurant Month in the Big Little City this year and there were more than 20 foodie-inspired events on offer. The boutique wine showcase – The Winter Warm Up – was a new two-day concept within the month-long annual celebration, and was held in the revamped Victoria Park Market precinct. The event was designed to give people a chance to discover interesting wines from around the country, and meet some of the people who make them.

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Rob Eliott from Lemongrass Productions, organisers for Restaurant Month and Taste of Auckland, says Winter Warm Up was the first significant wine event held as part of Restaurant Month and the positive response it received has definitely given the company something to build on for next year.

“We’re certainly keen to hold more wine events in edgy, exciting spaces such as Victoria Park Market, and the wine talks, the Wine Secret seminars, were definitely one of the highlights,” says Elliot.

“Wine Secrets was jam-packed. It was standing room only and the last sessions of each day, being interactive, were a big hit. Everyone, from knowledgeable wine enthusiasts through to those keen to learn everything they could, came along.” Led by industry experts, topics covered the Battle of the Reds: Otago vs Waiheke; the secrets to blind tasting; and up and coming lesser-known grape varieties.

Satellite events held within the market precinct attracted keen crowds too. There was a Villa Maria degustation tasting with Villa Maria at iVillage, Nautilus’ Clive Jones spoke at Libertine, and the Made to Match Beer Masterclass at La Zeppa was a stand-out success.

Eliott says plans are already in place for next year’s wine events to encourage more trade presence as well as public involvement. “It’s a great opportunity for sommeliers and restaurateurs to stay in touch with boutique wine producers.”

Restaurant Month in The Big Little City is sponsored by American Express. Wine sponsors were Negociants and Villa Maria, with Silver Fern Farms and San Pellegrino also generously sponsoring the events.

Advertorial

Student says –

“I

love it!”

Dishing up hospitality to a nation of rugby lovers makes for a busy winter. That’s why a partnership between Eden Park Catering and hospitality training provider NZMA has proven to be a winning recipe. This month NZMA Careers team leader Gareth Brown has been organising students for work experience at New Zealand’s largest stadium. He takes a quick break to tell Hospitality magazine how it’s going…

Eden Park Catering is our biggest employer for casual hospitality opportunities. We’ve been working with them since before the Rugby World Cup and enjoy a very successful relationship. Since 2011 they’ve employed more than 600 NZMA students in a variety of roles, from retail units to corporate suites.

Students are employed on a casual basis, which gives them a valuable opportunity to apply the knowledge they learn in the classroom to a real–life situation.

Eden Park also has a very well– established senior team which passes on additional real–life knowledge and skills in the workplace.

Staffing manager for Eden Park Catering Josh Coll says NZMA students bring a real

sense of passion and drive to the workplace.

“They are an asset to our service. Our continued relationship with NZMA stands testament to the quality of hospitality students engaged each year. This replicates into the directive of all the trainers, tutors and employment relations team that keep their finger on the pulse of industry trends and demands. Eden Park Catering proudly count NZMA as part of the greater team and attribute much of our success as a leading catering and hospitality provider to their influence on the business.”

As host to almost half a million sports fans and patrons each year, Eden Park recruits regularly, so new opportunities are constantly arising for NZMA students. Recruitment days are

held specifically for NZMA, which include group tours, inductions and individual interviews.

Level 3 Hospitality student Paigan Rust recently completed this process and is now working as a casual food & beverage attendant in the corporate suites at Eden Park.

“This is my first proper hospitality job and I love it!” says Paigan. “I am meeting so many new people and learning lots of great catering skills. Everything I’ve learnt at NZMA is proving really useful on the job, such as rules around serving alcohol and customer service skills. It’s great to have opportunities outside the classroom to practice things like carrying plates out to the customer and clearing their plates after the meal.”

SEPTEMBER 2013 . HOSPITALITY/THIRST . 17

Miss Clawdy

Lawdy, what a southern belle Auckland’s North Wharf has gained another foodie attraction with the opening of Miss Clawdy, the latest venture from a mainstay of the Auckland dining scene. DON KAVANAGH called in for a little much–anticipated Southern hospitality on opening night.

18 . HOSPITALITY/THIRST . SEPTEMBER 2013

Miss Clawdy

Loosely themed around New Orleans’ Cajun– influenced cuisine with some down–home Southern favourites and Central/South American dishes too, Miss Clawdy owner Dennis Wiley says the aim of the restaurant was to offer quality food at affordable prices and great service.

“We’ve kept the pricing low,” Wiley says.

“Other restaurants are doing that too and it’s become quite a trend now to offer value.

We only have one dish above the $20 mark, because we looked at what the market would bear and charged accordingly. I’ve always taken that approach to menus. They have to be market–driven; you can’t just offer a cost–plus menu anymore.”

With successful restaurants like Squid Row, Sausalito and Mink behind him, the only surprise about Miss Clawdy is that it took Wiley so long to set up in the North

Wharf. “I was involved in early consultations but missed out on the seafront sites. Then I looked everywhere but had another think about down here. This place is really going to take off in the next few years, especially if we get the America’s Cup back again. I was keen to be part of this, so when the opportunity came up, we took it.”

And they took it on the run, too, with a ridiculously short lead–in time of seven weeks to complete the fit–out of the 210sqm, 130–cover restaurant and open to the public.

With architect Nat Cheshire, shop fitters Dimension and kitchen design specialists Wildfire all rising to the challenge, the marathon effort paid off and the restaurant opened its doors on schedule in August.

“It was a real collaboration. Nat and I told them what we needed and Nils [Danielsen from Wildf ire] came up with the rest.

Dimension came in and did their part and boy oh boy did they go for it.”

Nils Danielsen is emphatic about the challenge of getting Miss Clawdy up and running; “It was an extremely tight timeline.

The actual fit–out from an empty shell to a finished restaurant was basically four to five weeks.”

Because Wildfire pre–fabricate much of their materials, the tight schedule added an extra layer of pressure; “Normally we would want a three or four week lead–in period to

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Created by the ‘Wiley Boys’, Dennis Wiley and his sons commissioned Wildfire to design and fit-out their vibrant new show kitchen and bar for Miss Clawdy. With an impressive Waldorf Bold Black enamelled cook-line and satin finish stainless steel against the striking green tiles, the open kitchen is a perfect blend of colour, style and efficiency.

Wildfire’s reputation is built on dynamic design and attention to detail, which we believe makes the difference between a good result and an outstanding result. We source, stock and supply a large range of specialised local and international products suitable for any commercial kitchen, from display kitchens to heavy duty production kitchens.

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WIL22 130x177 HOSP_SEPT.indd 1

23/08/13 1:21 PM

SEPTEMBER 2013 . HOSPITALITY/THIRST . 19

Miss Clawdy

it was probably unrealistic but we felt we could achieve it. Without everyone having the common goal of achieving the result, I don’t think it would have happened.”

The work of Dimension was essential to the success of the project too, since Wildfire’s installers were dependent on the rest of the fit–out running to schedule and to plan.

“The one thing that was apparent was the enormous psychology apparent to get the

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job done. It’s one of the few jobs we’ve done that had a frankly unrealistic timeline, but everyone got together and said ‘How do we do this?’ rather than saying ‘We can’t do this.”

From a specialist equipment point of view, Wildfire brought in a slow cooker from America that had the advantage of not needing a vent and also being exactly the sort of oven required to cook those lovely, slow, rich dishes of the Mississippi Delta.

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Miss Clawdy Restaurant, Auckland

manufacture all our stainless steel, given that it was all custom–built,” says Nils. “We had effectively a six–to–seven–day build time, so our fabricators, Stainless Kitchens, had to work really hard to get everything made.”

A few of the inevitable delays with any major project meant times were even tighter, but everyone involved pulled together to rise to the occasion; “We were left with a really tight window at the end and, if I’m honest,

Miss Clawdy

WizBang meets Miss Clawdy

Amazingly, for a restaurant that so beautifully channels the New Orleans vibe, Wiley had never been to the Louisiana city himself, relying instead on other sources of inspiration.

“I read a lot of Tennessee Williams,” he says with a grin. “I felt we didn’t really need to go over there and we did a lot of Internet research.

Nat Cheshire had recently been in New York and said what was happening in New Zealand and Australia was streets ahead of what the US is doing design–wise.”

The Cajun influence came about by degrees, with the original idea being to open a burger bar of all things. “The thing was though, there are so many burger joints. Then we thought of doing sliders instead, then that idea evolved into doing po’ boys. But in the end we decided to go the whole hog and come up with a New Orleans, South American– themed place instead.”

Supplier support has been important, too, quite apart from the massive effort of the fit–out itself. Neat Meats came up with an Andouille sausage, and Loaf designed the po’boys especially for Miss Clawdy.

The interior is certainly authentic–looking, with hand–made patterns and vibrant colours.

Jambalaya with shrimp, andouille saus age, chicken an d a cray fish bour bon butter

The staff wear headscarves and have certainly got the southern hospitality off to a tee, as well as the work ethic required to keep up with demand in a labour–intensive restaurant.

“The menu requires a lot of prep, so our chefs work really hard. For our tacos, for instance, we roll them out fresh twice a day before each shift, so our customers are getting the freshest food they can get.”

And the reaction has been excellent, with packed sittings for both lunch and dinner, all overseen by Wiley’s sons, Tom and Jeff. “ We’ve had great feedback from our customers, which is always a relief. We did get caught out one day but we learned from that, as you do,” says Wiley. “We’re here for the long term and this restaurant will be run by the boys, so it’s like passing it on to the next generation. That’ll leave me more time to relax, look around, and concentrate on something else.”

“We were delighted when the decision was made to go with Onetap,” says Mikah Pettersson–Fox from WizBang Technology; “And Miss Clawdy joins our growing list of WizBang clients down at Wynyard Quarter.”

“It’s really important for us being part of a new culinary haven here in Auckland.

Restaurants, cafés and bars choose us because they see the benefit of using an effective and straightforward POS system. It does the job it’s supposed to and allows them to concentrate on what they do best – provide excellent food, wine and fantastic service.”

“We realized early on that our clients don’t want to get stuck with technology they can’t understand or POS systems that simply don’t work”, says Mikah. “Our developers work hard making sure our system continues to be intuitive, easy to use, and more importantly, gets the job done.”

“Not only that; Onetap also gives them access to real–time sales data and reports that can help their business grow.

It improves accuracy, tightens security and helps control stock.”

WizBang Technologies has grown and developed each year since its launch back in the late 90s. Designed specifically for the hospitality industry, there are currently more than 1400 sites worldwide using Onetap POS.

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Call: 0800 WIZBANG (0800 949 226) Email: sales@wizbang.co.nz SEPTEMBER 2013 . HOSPITALITY/THIRST . 21

News

There have been new hospitality developments at Victoria Park Market as well. Tom Tom Bar & Eatery is the work of seasoned hospitality operators Andrew Clapham and Dayna Siarkiewicz (Herne Bay Local plus many other venues here and overseas), and head chef is Frasier Shenton. The cuisine’s loosely Asian-inspired with a focus on seafood. Distinct spaces embrace different moods from fine dining to casual with dishes to suit and a spacious north-facing deck cantilevers over the market space. Tom Tom joins other established market hospitality tenants La Zeppa, The Oak Room, Libertine, Buttermilk Café, iVillage and Atico Cocina.

There’s another as-yet unnamed food premise lined up for the Western Courtyard. Flavour Pita has just opened too and Salash Delicatessen is due to open any day. It’s a family-run Serbian natural cured meats company, owned

by Pedja Mirkov. There’s a Vietnamese restaurant and a juice bar opening any day as well.

Andrew Clapham opens Tom Tom Bar & Eatery at the Victoria Park Market.

Northern Lights

Miss Clawdy

Auckland’s newest waterfront precinct, North Wharf, is really taking shape beneath the new ASB Building on Jellicoe St. Pita Pit, Sals Pizza, Tank Juice and Auckland Fish Market have been open for a while and there has been a lot of buzz around the much-anticipated arrival of Miss Clawdy – Dennis Wiley’s latest offering. Cuisine is a heady mix of New Orleans’ Cajun-style, Southern favourites plus Central/South American dishes as well. (Turn to page 18 for our special feature welcoming this Southern Belle to town.) Baduzzi, a couple of doors down, opened to the public a few weeks ago.

Restaurateur Michael Dearth from the Grove is behind this nostalgic tip to his American-Italian heritage. Italian for rissoles, Baduzzi celebrates the humble meatball plus other rustic, simple, dishes that are a part of Dearth’s DNA. This new Italian eatery benefits from input from Grove chef Ben Bayly – he has designed the menu. Just around the corner in Halsey St, Portside Lobby Café opened on the same day.

22 . HOSPITALITY/THIRST . SEPTEMBER 2013

Due to the runaway success of their first café in Kingsland, another little bird unbakery café has opened in Ponsonby.

Unbakery Summer St is open seven days, serving uber-healthy salads and savoury dishes made from organic raw foods, plus smoothies, teas, Teeccino herbal and Kokako cold brew coffee, cakes, tarts, slices, cheesecakes and cookies – all unbaked.

With the Kingsland café too popular for its size, expansion was the next obvious step for owners Megan May and Jeremy Bennett. May’s the chef behind the little bird organics store and unbakery cafe concept and Bennett, a former architect, takes care of branding and design. From the get-go, the couple has been committed to sharing the potential and benefits of high-quality, organic raw foods, and believe food should always taste amazing, and be healthy too.

Sweet treats, all unbaked, at little bird unbakery, Ponsonby.

News

GM Olivier on his bike

As if completing ironmans and marathons and managing two hotels isn’t enough Olivier Lacoua, general manager of Wellington’s CQ Comfort and Quality Hotels, went exercising at Wellington Airport at 4.30am recently.

Lacoua and others worked out on a treadmill at the airport in support of the Society of the Members of the Legion of Honour and National Order of Merit of France in New Zealand, in a fundraising venture for the National Burns Centre. More than $5000 was raised in what Lacoua describes as “a great day out of the office”.

The burgers have been eaten, craft beer supped, oysters shucked, degustations and ‘venistations’ and master classes done, prison plates polished and Dine Wellington meals filled and thrilled the gourmet guests; Visa Wellington on a Plate is over for another year. Since the inaugural event in 2009, the Festival Events programme has grown by more than 270%. Winner of this year’s Garage Project Battle of the Burger was Ti Kouka Café, with its “All About Longbush Pork Burger”, featuring Wairarapa large black pig bacon, roasted pork belly and pulled pork shoulder, with pickled cucumber, hoisin mayonnaise and iceberg on a steamed bun.

And a surprise winner in the 2013 MiNDFOOD Wellington On a Plate Award – for the Dine Wellington menu that best reflects the culinary capital’s flavour – was new restaurant Muse on Allen.

Head chef and owner, 22–year– old Samuel North, wowed judges with his Wairarapa lamb shank croquette, green pea soup, goat cheese and crème fraîche mousse, and pork in puff pastry with baby watercress and candy apple Chef and owner, Mu sauce. se on Allen , Samuel North

Capital Comment

Representing Museum Arts Hotel – receptionists Marissa Walmsley (left), first runner up; with winner Greer Birkinshaw

You can rely on a good reception at the Museum Arts Hotel; two of the hotel’s receptionists, Greer Birkinshaw and Marissa Walmsley, were placed first and second respectively at the Wellington Receptionist of the Year 2013 competition. The pair will represent Wellington at the national competition in Christchurch at the end of the month. Meanwhile, this month marks 20 years since the hotel was famously moved 120 metres across the road, on railway tracks, to make way for the building of Te Papa Tongarewa, Museum of New Zealand.

The anniversary was celebrated appropriately.

SEPTEMBER 2013 . HOSPITALITY/THIRST . 23

News

Hospitality operators are being sought for a landmark heritage location in the Garden City. Sitting adjacent to the Arts Centre market square, the 1908 building on the corner of Worcester and Montreal St was home to an arts cinema before it was badly damaged in the 2011 earthquake.

Now the Christchurch Arts Centre Trust has extensively strengthened, restored and protected the building on the 394sqm site, and they’re calling for expressions of interest from the hospitality sector for someone to operate a high–quality restaurant and hospitality business there. The successful tenant chosen at the end of the application process would be responsible for the interior fit-out. Pete Harris of Bayleys Real Estate Canterbury says the fit-out, as a reflection of the target clientele, is aimed at being at the top end of the market: “The market conditions in Christchurch are perfect now for some of the country’s bigger hospitality groups to look at expanding into the city as the rebuild gathers pace.” A final decision on the successful tenant is expected toward the end of the year, with fit-out work beginning in 2014.

Southern Starters After a long wait, the Novotel in Cathedral Square opened its doors in mid–August. The central city hotel has been totally refurbished, with an entire floor devoted to dining. The food and beverage level includes an à la carte restaurant, a grill and a bar boasting nearly 900 wines. German chef Phillip Knoedler heads up the kitchen, backed by experience in Michelin–starred restaurants in Europe.

24 . HOSPITALITY/THIRST . SEPTEMBER 2013

Iconic Christchurch eatery the Lone Star has reopened, completely rebuilt on its original Manchester St site, after earthquake damage in the original September 2010 earthquake forced its demolition. The original Manchester St restaurant was known as the franchise ‘Mothership’ where it all began, and the model for 23 more Lone Stars that opened around New Zealand.

It had seen more than 1.5 million guests before its forced closure. The new 750sqm building includes bricks from the original structure and is one of the first central–city restaurants to re–open on the same site.

Internal fit–out came in at $1.5 million, with property owner Richard Peebles investing around $3 million in the land and building.

News

A seasoned hospo operator, Aiden Kelly is the newly– appointed general manager of Queenstown’s Sasso Restaurant. Kelly hails from a family of restaurateurs and has been working in the hospitality and tourism industry for more than 10 years, in New Zealand and Europe. Returning to New Zealand fresh from a three– year stint in the French/ Austrian Alps, he took up his new Queenstown role this winter. Kelly says he’s committed to building on the already high service and standards set by his predecessor Candice Chow, who left Sasso in May to become a mum.

New Sasso general manager Aiden Kelly.

Broken Heart’s Annie Robertson and Joerg Henkenhaf.

A rising Queenstown spirits producer, Broken Heart Spirits, has picked up a silver award at the International Wine and Spirit Competition (IWSC) for Broken Heart Gin. Almost 200 award–winning spirits from all over the world were showcased at the event, including products from Scotland, Taiwan, Sweden, Germany, South Africa and the Caribbean.

The awards are among some of the highest accolades in the industry.

Co–founders Joerg Henkenhaf and Annie Robertson say they’re extremely honoured to receive the medal, which now sits proudly beside the silver they won earlier in the year at the International Distilla in Austria.

Queenstown’s five–star Eichardt’s Private Hotel has appointed an experienced Canadian–born sommelier, Kimberly Flear to its front–of–house team. Flear joined the luxury hotel last month after many years working in the wine and hospitality industries in Queenstown, Australia and Canada.

She studied for three years to gain her Diploma in Hotel Resort Management in Canada and has completed her Level Two Wine, Spirit and Education Trust (WSET) qualification. Flear’s résumé includes the Fairmont Château Whistler, the Glass Dining and Lounge Bar on the Gold Coast and more recently a stint as restaurant manager at Queenstown restaurant Pier 19. Flear will be working alongside experienced Eichardt’s chef Will Eaglesfield, organising the hotel’s monthly winemaker dinners.

An elated Sean Brennan, of Gibbston’s Brennan Wines, has picked up the highly sought-after London International Wine Challenge champion red wine trophy for best in show for Brennan Wines’ B2 Pinot Noir 2011. New York–born Brennan flew to London from an American family holiday to collect the prize with his father, New York surgeon Murray Brennan. He also picked up the International Pinot Noir Trophy, the New Zealand Red Trophy and New Zealand Pinot Noir Trophy for the B2, as well as the Central Otago and Gibbston sub–region trophies.

Colourful Arrowtown Indian restaurateur Shammi Sandhu has carved a niche for herself in the burgeoning Indian tourist market. After 20 years as a successful Queenstown, Arrowtown and Christchurch restaurateur, the Indian native is pouring her passion and enthusiasm for her beloved homeland into her self–designed, boutique small group tours of India. The owner of Arrowtown’s Mantra Restaurant, Sandhu is in India this month with her first group in three years. She spent many months designing the ‘Shammi’s India’ tour, which delves into hidden gems of India’s art, culture, food and heritage and off the beaten tourist trails.

Hunting out the best food is a huge priority, and ensuring nobody succumbs to the infamous Delhi belly. In the state of Kerala, a personal chef will board the group’s houseboat – a kettuvalam – to cook the region’s traditional cuisine.

Shammi Sandhu (far left) and her guests on a desert camp safari in Manwar, Rajasthan.

SEPTEMBER 2013 . HOSPITALITY/THIRST . 25

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Young apprentice

wins gold

Tamara Johnson of St Helier’s Bay Café & Bistro in Auckland outshone competitors in this year’s ServiceIQ Modern Apprentice Chef of the Year competition, winning the gold medal. Beating seven other future stars, Tamara excelled across the board at menu creation, flavour matching, technical skills in preparing and cooking both her dishes, and in presentation.

Organised by ServiceIQ and held annually under the watchful gaze of experienced chef judges from the New Zealand Chefs Association – and the hundreds of industry professionals visiting the 21st National Culinary Fare in Auckland – eight top apprentice chefs compete for the coveted title. Just as sought after is the trip to the annual Melbourne Food and Wine Festival and the opportunity for associated master classes with international chefs. Working at one of the busiest bistros in the country, Tamara talks of her passion and industry dreams with Hospitality magazine.

What inspired you to choose hospitality as a career? I’ve always been passionate about food. I remember rummaging through my father’s pantry, and creating biscuits and cakes with any ingredients I could find. The results weren’t always great, but the imagination was there.

I took hospitality, home economics and food technology subjects at school and excelled in each of them but it wasn’t until I met my Food Tech and Hospitality teacher, Vicky Tarr that I realised my passion to work as a chef.

Vicky was a top chef in London and she’s cooked for the Queen. That took me by surprise and opened my eyes to the opportunities hospitality can give you.

How has your training equipped you for the workplace? The Modern Apprenticeship programme equipped me for the workplace because it teaches you various skills and techniques that you use every day, such as creating stocks, sauces and soups. You’re taught the basics through your training books, and you can expand on these with your Chef and practice until you’re competent.

Describe your proudest moment in your current role. My proudest moment as a Chef de Partie at St Helier’s Bay Café & Bistro would have to be Mother’s

Day 2013. Our team pushed out more than 600 meals for a breakfast and lunch service. It was one of the hardest things I’ve done but to get that out of one kitchen felt amazing. We all helped each other and communication was at its best. I was so proud of our team, we were so organised and knew what to expect. It was perfect.

What are your future goals? A lot of travelling and working in various hospitality establishments around the world. I’d love to learn to make noodles in China, experience cheese making in Italy and slice cured meats such as Iberico Bellota in Spain; and develop key skills so I can design menus with a clear understanding of produce and gain the knowledge to run my own kitchen.

What do you love most about the industry? Working alongside very talented chefs and picking their brains; seeing how each chef works in and runs their kitchen, watching them work with food, seeing their passion and how they use that to create the food that’s seen on the menu. I love that I’ll never stop learning, progressing and perfecting various culinary techniques; some are faster and give a more precise result. And being in an environment with diverse people from various backgrounds, you’re sure to learn plenty.

ServiceIQ is the industry training organisation (ITO) for the aviation, museums, tourism, travel, cafés, bars, restaurants, accommodation, food services, quick service restaurants, clubs, retail and wholesale industries.

Service Industry Qualifications

www.ServiceIQ.org.nz SEPTEMBER 2013 . HOSPITALITY/THIRST . 27

Chef Profile

Passion for pastry

and paying–it–forward

On meeting pastry chef Jie Min Aw, it’s immediately apparent she puts gusto into everything she does.

And the industry is all the better for the verve of this bubbly 26–year–old. She has an unfaltering drive to further herself, others, and the profession. She shares this determination with Linda Bennett.

Singaporean Aw came to New Zealand fresh out of school to study cookery at AUT. Inspired by an aunt who delighted her as a child with her beautiful baking, when it came time for the pastry module of her cookery course, she knew for sure she wanted to specialise in it: “Everything clicked, and I was just drawn into it,” Aw says.

She went on to study pastry at AUT for two years, then straight into the pastry crew at SKYCITY, under executive pastry chef Robert Bok, and Björn Svensson – two men who have become a very big part of her life.

“They’re great mentors – they teach you about work, pastry, life and competitions.

We were encouraged to be creative, and do as many competitions as possible,” says Aw. Bok would also teach her a pay–it–forward teaching philosophy that has guided her ever since. “Robert’s vision of being an executive chef is to bring in as many ‘young bloods’ and teach us everything he knows. Then what he

expects of us when we leave him and work somewhere else is that we do the same for someone else and that way the industry will slowly improve over time.”

Bok and Svensson would also ignite in her a burning passion for competing: “We all sat around talking about how to further pastry chef as a profession. We reckoned international competitions were the way to go. Ever since I started on pastry, I wanted to enter the Asian Pastry Cup in Singapore, where the top four go on to the ultimate pastry competition – the World Pastry Cup in France, Coupe du Monde de la Pâtisserie.”

When brainstorming how they could make Singapore a reality, they started forming the basis of a national pastry team. They linked up with The New Zealand Chefs Association, and the New Zealand Pastry Team was born the following year, in 2011, with the aim of advancing the profession here. “It was a super–exciting time,” she says.

28 . HOSPITALITY/THIRST . SEPTEMBER 2013

Jie Min Aw

And while many in the industry have witnessed the pressure of competition, few would appreciate the commitment from competitors, coach and supporters that it takes to get there. Aw and SKYCITY counterpart teammate Bryan Bae started training for the Asian Pastry Cup (APC) a year out from competition, with Svensson as coach. As a former member of the Swedish Culinary Team, he was well–qualified for the job.

In eight hours of live competition, the team had to create a sugar showpiece and a chocolate showpiece no taller than 125cm, two gâteaux and 18 portions of a dessert.

AUT lent the team its kitchen to train in out of class time. Three months out from competition Aw and Bae went down to four days work, to allow them three days training each week. This would become four days training each week. Then a month before competition, they stopped work completely to dedicate themselves to training.

Chef Profile

Bjorn Svensson (left), Bryan Bae and Jie Min Aw

They’d start at AUT around 8pm, then complete the eight hour competition practice run in the wee small hours, then frantically clean the kitchen in time for a 7am class start. They received phenomenal support from industry folk, including AUT lecturers Arno Sturny and Renny Aprea, who would often pick up a mop and help clean.

“Some nights when your runs don’t go well, you wonder how you got yourself into it.

But bad runs do prepare you for plan B for competition,” she says.

With a very limited competition budget – one tenth of that of the Australian team – they also had to be incredibly resourceful with logistics in getting to Singapore. Teams must bring all their own equipment and ingredients. A whopping 175kg of equipment was carted to Asia in the check–in luggage allowance for the team, family members and two MIT lecturers there on business. After the competition, the team washed all that

equipment in a tiny hotel bathroom, ready to be meticulously repacked.

“From a very tight budget, we came in fourth – the only country to qualify for the first time competing, aside from the very first competition. We’re so proud of what we achieved with the budget we had.”

Then it came down to some tough questions for the team, such as what would it take to get to the competition in France? “We wanted to go properly funded and prepared, and we just couldn’t do that. So we gave up our right to compete in Lyon. We definitely want to do APC again, but with enough money and resources to go on to the next stage in France.

I want to start pushing for APC 2016. We’ve definitely got unfinished business there.”

In the meantime, she’s signed up for Global Pastry Chef, winning the semi–finals in Perth in April, and heading to the finals in Norway next year. She’s also thoroughly enjoying her role at Christchurch’s Chillingworth

Road, working alongside owner Darren Wright, who she first met through the New Zealand Culinary Team. “It’s hard to come by a restaurant that will hire a specialised pastry chef, so I am really lucky that Darren sees the benefits to his business.”

Aw says the formation of the New Zealand Pastry Team has been great for the profession.

“When we trained at AUT, the students there were like the paparazzi. If I was a student, seeing that, it would be really good motivation to work hard and you know there’s something to look forward to. Hopefully in the future, the Pastry Team will become as well established as The Culinary Team.”

Aw says when she doesn’t want to compete anymore – and you sense she’s a long way from that point – she wants to start coaching.

“I think I’m really lucky to have met Robert and Björn and to have come this fara and hopefully I’ll get to pass on what they’ve done for me one day.”

SEPTEMBER 2013 . HOSPITALITY/THIRST . 29

News

Taste of Auckland

tempt the taste buds

Taste of Auckland knocks over the milestone of its fifth anniversary this year and the organisers are expecting the verdant fields of Victoria Park to be filled to the brim with happy foodies from 14 – 17 November.

With only 10 weeks until the big event, the organisers are saying to the food industry, “Book now or you’ll miss out on your place in the best food event of Auckland!”

Rob Eliott of events company Lemongrass Productions, which organises Taste of Auckland Festival, says Taste is now well established and has a “happy place in the hearts of Aucklanders.”

“Each year our audience is building and the concept continues to evolve with the changing palates of foodie consumers, and this year we know that the flavours, sounds and smells of Taste will be irresistible to Taste visitors old and new,” says Eliott.

“With an expected audience of over 25,000, the festival is an annual favourite for food and wine exhibitors but if they want a spot they’ll have to be quick, as places are filling fast with liquor licensing final call date of September 6,” he says.

Taste of Auckland has the concept of the ultimate food festival down to a fine art. Capable of including up to 15 restaurant kitchens, a huge corporate dining marquee, the F&P Chefs Kitchen, hosted by Nadia Lim, and up to 120 other providores, it comes together like a well olive-oiled machine.

Already on the menu for Taste of Auckland 2013 are top names Fish, Depot, The Grove and The Commons, plus new additions to the Auckland dining scene Everybody’s Izakaya and Baduzzi.

Food celebrities Nadia Lim and Josh Emett will also be playing

lead roles, with most of our nation’s greatest chefs appearing in the restaurants, at corporate events and associated functions.

The popular BMW Food Theatre will also return this year, along with a new feature, the Plumm Wine Theatre Masterclass with Plumm Ambassador, award winning wine writer and educator, Matt Skinner.

All that, plus top notch entertainment on the Peroni Bandstand with talent curated by Peter Urlich, cocktail making and more, is expected to bring more than 25,000 visitors to the festival.

“This is the food industry’s first and best opportunity to show their new menus and food offerings for the upcoming summer and Christmas period,” says Eliott.

“We’re keen to start promoting the participating exhibitors this month, so my advice is to get in quick,” he says.

The great chef line up from Taste of Auckland, 2012 30 . HOSPITALITY/THIRST . SEPTEMBER 2013

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Culinary Fare

Happy Birthday to you!

The NZ Culinary Fare celebrated its 21st birthday this year, with an event full of excitement, action, noise and sensation over three days at the end of August.

Cementing itself as one of the longestrunning and the most prestigious culinary events on the annual hospitality calendar, the Fare this year incorporated 57 competitions and over 7,000 competitors, judges, trade, family, friends and public supporters. The competitions cover all aspects of hospitality, from kitchen, front of house, cocktails and barista.

For the competitors, it is a high pressure decision to compete at these events but the hospitality industry reaps untold benefits when the individuals who work in it challenge themselves to push their own skill levels and passion to greater heights. The NZ Culinary Fare has been a launching pad for many future hospitality stars and winning a class in this competition is an impressive addition to anybody’s CV. Te Anau chef, Ken O’Connell won the prestigious title of NZ Chef of the Year at this year’s event, the second time he has achieved this award, and Queenstown chef Vivian Clarke from Blanket Bay Lodge was awarded Pastry Chef of the Year. Other major award winners included Anja Sunnus from Jet Park Airport Hotel & Conference Centre, who won NZ Commis Chef of the Year, and Sasa Li from AUT University was awarded the New Zealand Training Food & Beverage Person of the Year 2013.

Auckland’s North Shore International Academy was also overjoyed to again win the sought after Training Excellence Award

and Manurewa High School took out the Secondary School Excellence Award for the second consecutive year.

The Restaurant Association looks forward to continuing to develop this event and introduce new innovations in 2014 to ensure its continued support by the industry.

Congratulations to the following major award winners for 2013 New Zealand Chef of the Year 2013 (Sponsored by Moffat Ltd and Southern Hospitality Ltd) Ken O’Connell – Distinction Te Anau

New Zealand Pastry Chef of the Year 2013 (Sponsored by SKYCITY) Vivian Clarke – Blanket Bay Lodge

New Zealand Commis Chef of the Year 2013 (Sponsored

by The NZ Chefs Association) Anja Sunnus – Jet Park Airport Hotel & Conference Centre

Training Excellence Award 2013 (Sponsored by Gilmours) North Shore International Academy, Auckland

Secondary Schools Excellence Award 2013 (Sponsored by Service IQ) Manurewa High School

Toque d’Or 2013 (Organised

by Nestlé Professional in association with Vegetables. co.nz, NZ Chefs Association, Beef & Lamb NZ, Akaroa Salmon and The House of Knives) Christchurch Polytechnic Institute of Technology

Training Team of the Year 2013 (Sponsored by City & Guilds) NZ Defence Force Defence Catering School, Fielding

New Zealand Bartender of the Year 2013 (Sponsored by Hancocks) Sai Charan Hamsala – Hilton, Auckland

New Zealand Training Food & Beverage Person of the Year 2013 (Sponsored by

The Service IQ Cookery Modern Apprentice of the Year 2013

Restaurant & Catering News) Sasa Li – Auckland University of Technology

(Organised by Service IQ) Tamara Johnson – St Heliers Bay Café & Bistro, Auckland

34 . HOSPITALITY/THIRST . SEPTEMBER 2013

News

Southern strength

The South Island Hospitality Show was a feast for all the senses.

Over 100 exhibitors showcased the latest products, services, food and beverages from all over New Zealand at the CBS Canterbury Arena in Christchurch.

The Restaurant Association of New Zealand’s workshops were very successful with many attendees returning to visit the second day. Another popular workshop was Jason Clarke, Shott Beverages company ambassador and title holder of the prestigious cocktail crown, the Diageo World Class NZ Nationals. Jason entertained his guests with the latest international style cocktails and beverages.

Due to the recovering hospitality industry in Canterbury the organisers decided to do extensive visitor research from independent marketing to find out where the industry is heading.

Visitors came from all over New

Zealand to attend. Seventy-six per cent of visitors were from Christchurch, 58.7 per cent of visitors were from the foodservice and beverage industry (cafés, restaurants, bars and hotels) with the next largest group from the accommodation industry (12 per cent). Fifty-five per cent of visitors were either owners/ directors or senior managers who were in charge of purchasing goods or services. Ninety-two per cent will be attending the 2015 show and over 47.2 per cent will be purchasing from exhibitors within the next three months with another 33 per cent indicating they will be purchasing from exhibiting companies within the next 12 months. Eighty per cent of visitors saw products or services of commercial interest.

Exhibitor Amanda Pike from Goodman Fielder says; “It was fantastic to meet so many visitors who are developing

or redeveloping cafés and restaurants in Christchurch and we look forward to working with them.”

Organiser Rachel Hobbs-Price from HAYLEYMEDIA says; “We were pleased at the quality and quantity of visitors attending the show. People came from all over New Zealand to attend and it was amazing how many new businesses are being developed in Christchurch”.

The South Island Hospitality Show was supported by The Restaurant Association of NZ, HANZ, Sky Business, Genesis Energy, Honar, Southern Hospitality, Starline, Ultimate Broadband, Kitchen Productions and Hospitality magazine through official publications.

The next South Island Hospitality Show is to be held in 2015 at the CBS Canterbury Arena. www.sihs.co.nz

All the fun of the show: Goodman Fielder ambassador Annabelle White, centre, with her Goodman Fielder colleagues.

SEPTEMBER 2013 . HOSPITALITY/THIRST . 35

Photo (left to right): Hannah Grieve, Daniel Hoare and Gina Johns.

CPIT WINS

TOP CULINARY COMPETITION CPIT students Hannah Grieve, Daniel Hoare and Gina Johns emerged victorious from the kitchen to take out the top spot at the prestigious 2013 NestlÊ Toque d’Or competition.

Hannah and Daniel battled it out for over three hours against 20 other culinary students to create their winning three course menu during the live kitchen cook off. Under the ever watchful gaze of the judges, the team’s restaurant service competitor Gina served up the dishes to VIP guests attending the event.

The panel of 19 judges led by Chief Judge Darren Wright scrutinised the team’s every move throughout before tallying up the results and declaring CPIT the overall winner at a special Awards function held at the Villa Maria Estate in Auckland.

This is the 14th time that CPIT has taken out top honours and received the coveted ‘golden hat’ award.

Hannah said the team was elated to have won the competition after they had put so much time and effort into planning and preparing for the event. “Our team had to forge a partnership that worked like clockwork. We were totally committed to winning and ZKHQ ZH VWHSSHG RQWR WKH FRPSHWLWLRQ Ă RRU PRQWKV of hard work and practise came into play driving us onto success.â€?

The team praised their tutors who had mentored them along the way and helped them to their goal of winning the competition.

CPIT Manager of Culinary Programmes Ryan Marshall said he was thrilled that the team had won.

³6WXGHQWV PXVW EH LQ WRS IRUP RQ WKH GD\ EHFDXVH DQ\ PLVWDNHV WKH\ PDNH ZLOO FRXQW DJDLQVW WKHP ´

“Achieving top ranking at NestlĂŠ Toque d’Or is a huge milestone not only for the competing students but also for the training institute. There were 10 other teams from all around the country all of whom were hungry for success.

To have helped our students to achieve victory at this prestigious event is immensely rewarding.�

Teams were marked against World Association of Chefs Societies (WACS) International Judging Standards which included food preparation, presentation, taste and service.

Ryan said success in a live cook off is all about timing, maintaining composure when the pressure is on and working cohesively as a team. “If just one of those things is out, then a team is ultimately destined to fail. Fortunately, on the day, all those key elements came together for us and the team managed to H[HFXWH WKHLU PHQX Ă€DZOHVVO\ ZLWK WLPH WR VSDUH ´ Ryan said the win would help to further cement CPIT’s position within the hospitality industry as being a top education destination for those people wanting to pursue a culinary or restaurant service career.

Event organiser and President of the New Zealand Chefs Association (NZCA) Anita Sarginson, said NestlÊ Toque d’Or is an exciting and fast-paced event to be involved in. ³,W FKDOOHQJHV FRPSHWLWRUV WR DFKLHYH JUHDW WKLQJV XQGHU WKH LQWHQVH VFUXWLQ\ RI WKH MXGJHV DQG ZLWK WLJKW WLPH FRQVWUDLQWV LQ SODFH ´ Anita said.

´2YHUDOO WKH MXGJHV ZHUH LPSUHVVHG ZLWK WKH level of professionalism and creativity shown by the competing students.�

CPIT’s winning meal comprised a starter of Akaroa salmon followed by a main of prime New Zealand Beef.

The menu concluded with a lime mousse dessert which incorporated NestlĂŠ Professional products.

A special innovation award sponsored by Moffat which aims to recognise recipe innovation was presented to AUT. Anita said the event provides a great opportunity for young up-and-coming students to showcase their abilities and demonstrate their skills in front of some of the country’s most highly-regarded culinary professionals.

This year was the 23rd anniversary of NestlÊ Toque d’Or which is New Zealand’s longest running and most prestigious student cookery and food service event. It is also held in 17 other countries around the world and has launched the careers of world-famous chefs including Jamie Oliver. The event is designed to simulate the pressure of a real working team environment.

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Christmas?

Already?

Well, nearly, and celebrated executive chef at Hilton Auckland’s FISH restaurant, Shane Yardley, says he has learnt over the years that catering for Christmas lunch isn’t the time to try out fancy pants recipes on guests who are usually anticipating generous helpings of traditional touches.

“In the past, I have gone the whole nine yards and been really creative but I quickly realised you don’t get the reception you think you would,” says Yardley. “It isn’t really appreciated at a Christmas lunch. New Year’s Eve though, that’s the time to pull out the nitro.”

So, the cuisine on offer at FISH restaurant on Christmas Day will certainly have tradition drizzled all over it, and the dishes will be served from the buffet created on the restaurant’s popular long table.

“We’ll have a carvery station and amongst other favourites, there’ll be the traditional roast turkey. The dessert station will also offer the all-time favourites, such as pavlova and steamed pudding. That’s what people want to see on Christmas Day.” While tradition is important, so is honouring the way New Zealanders have adapted traditional Christmas menus that suit a Northern Hemisphere winter Christmas, into a menu that’s ideal for the barbecue and picnic lunches in the Southern Hemisphere.

At FISH, the barbecue will be stoked up and seafood dishes another important and popular option for diners.

Tradition might guide the Christmas Day menu, but Yardley will certainly make subtle changes to his recipes – just enough to intrigue and impress though, not too much to spoil diners’ enjoyment because their seasonal favourites have been tampered with.

For example, instead of salmon dishes smoked with manuka wood, apple wood will be used; and instead of brandy used for the sauce on the steamed pudding, apple brandy has been selected.

Tradition also influences Shane’s choice for a Christmas drink.

Champagne. One of his favourites would be Pol Roger, but his stand-out choice if budget’s no issue – vintage Winston Churchill.

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Prison Gate to Plate

Prisoners plate up

When 140 dinner tickets sell out in 14 minutes, when young prisoners serve canapés with more panache and professionalism than seen in many a swanky city eatery, and when staunch–looking, long–term inmates and their mentor stand with tears streaming in front of applauding guests, you know something special has been going on. Wellington chef Martin Bosley worked for nine months, training prisoner/cooks to the point they could serve a dinner for the prestigious Visa Wellington on a Plate Festival. KATHY OMBLER followed the story.

40 . HOSPITALITY/THIRST . SEPTEMBER 2013

Prison Gate to Plate

“Martin has taught us about taste, how different flavours come together and don’t overpower the plate. We have learned about presentation, how first you eat with your eyes,” says Freddy. Just another Martin Bosley masterclass? Well, yes, but with a difference.

In the massive commercial kitchen of Rimutaka Men’s Prison, I chat with six prisoners selected to work with Martin, to produce the “Prison Gate to Plate” festival dinner. They wear white overalls. Several more white–clad guys work the ovens, cart supplies from big chillers and stack hundreds of meal trays, preparing the daily fare for 900 inmates.

It’s sausages, mash and silver beet tonight; tomorrow’s meat loaf is cooking. It smells good but looks nothing like the grass–fed eye of fillet of beef that inmate Freddy’s trimming, or the Béarnaise sauce inmate Robert’s stirring, and tasting, both heeding Martin’s quietly–spoken guidance.

For nine months, every Tuesday, Martin drove to the prison, 40 minutes from Wellington, went ‘inside the wire’ and gave his time free to work with ‘the guys’ – starting with the basics of filleting fish, trimming beef fillet, braising, searing, smoking, then learning the finer points – reducing, tasting and plating.

This as well as the copious other things he does for the industry: the weekly City Market in partnership with Rachel Taulelei, Le Cordon Bleu and V WOAP advisory boards, Beervana culinary director, annual Ronald McDonald House Charity Supper – and other charities. “I think we all have a duty to put something back, be part of the community,” he shrugs.

He was pilloried by the local paper last year, with a front page piece about his famous but (then) financially struggling, eponymous restaurant. In fact, months before this ‘breaking news’ Martin had personally discussed arrangements with every single one of his debtors to see them through. He says there’s more stability in his business now. Lessons learned? “Yes. You can never pay too much attention to detail.”

Respecting Martin's quiet guidance.

SEPTEMBER 2013 . HOSPITALITY/THIRST . 41

Prison Gate to Plate

"You don't always have to make coleslaw for 900 men," says Martin Bosley.

Somehow he’s also found time for the prisoners, although he wasn’t going to.

“Corrections approached me. They wanted to showcase what these prisoners can do. They wanted to upskill them, give them a sense of achievement, and they wanted a celebrity chef for the exposure.

“I thought, no way. My view was, they should lock them up and throw away the key.

Those guys should be breaking rocks in the hot sun. So they asked me just to come and take a look. I followed the meal delivery to the pods [maximum security blocks]. By 3.30 every man is locked in his cell and dinner is passed on a tray through the door. They eat alone! The doors aren’t opened again until 6.30am. I thought they might be glad to be breaking rocks, they’d welcome the distraction.

“In New Zealand every meal in every prison is the same, at a cost of $4.50 per prisoner per day. Essentially it’s mince five ways, sausages, occasional chicken or fish. Lunch is a sandwich, breakfast is cereal and toast.

One guy told me for the first two years he didn’t see the sun. He felt the soul being sucked out of him.”

Martin was coming round; “Essentially this is about reducing reoffending. If a man can get a job, earn money, support his family, he’s less likely to reoffend. Everyone gets out. They live next to us in the community.

They’ve got to have skills.”

Prison employment schemes include various trades training. Prisoners working in the prison kitchen do basic NZQA unit standards, and it takes time for them get into such a trusted job. This was Martin’s next surprise.

“I thought I’d be working with petty criminals – ones trusted to be in the kitchen with knives. Turns out they all start as high security and work their way to medium–low security, when they can be trusted in the kitchen. So these guys are serious, long term offenders.”

Bob, prisoner head cook and one of the selected six, chuckles when he recalls Martin’s first visit to the kitchen. “I was chopping up chickens, he looked a bit worried.”

Martin doesn’t deny it. “They call each other by nicknames; it felt like a Tarantino movie. The first day I brought food in, they didn’t know what half of it was – I told them they don’t always have to be making coleslaw for 900 men.

“Along the way we’ve tackled different skills. One week each guy was given a whole snapper and learned to fillet it down. From one fish we made five different dishes to show what can be done – roasted fish head, fillets and fish cakes, for example.

“The guys were nervous at first, then they started talking – about what they’ve done, how long they’ve been in and how long before they get out. I realised we hear all the bad stories about prison. We don’t hear the success stories and that’s what this is about, changing perceptions. There was a big moment one day when I was leaving and, instead of the usual handshake, they gave me the ‘man bump’. That meant respect.”

Martin’s “guys” are keen to talk about that respect; “What we’ve learned here is a hell of a lot different from producing the prison meals, and I’m a better cook now. We’ve learned different techniques, and the presentation has to be immaculate. Martin explains about everything he uses from beginning to end. For every ingredient he tells us the full story, where it came from.”

“For me I’ve learned about style, different cooking techniques. To see how he cooks the salmon in such a natural, simple way, with salt and brown sugar, smoked over a flame, it’s not complicated and it has that amazing flavour.” (Martin’s signature cedar–planked Ora King salmon canapé was a hit with dinner guests.)

And another accolade; “This whole experience gives us confidence to do anything.

42 . HOSPITALITY/THIRST . SEPTEMBER 2013

This is the real deal. He’s shown us anything is possible.”

So, where to next? “My interest is getting prisoners to take responsibility for their lives and I think I’ve given them some positivity,” says Martin. He talks about the Release to Work programme, where long–termers get work placements for three months before their release, and he’s put his own hand up.

After 15 years inside, one ‘pre–release’ prisoner now works at Martin Bosley’s. “My team was pretty nervous at first, being in a kitchen with a prisoner around knives. Now he’s just part of the crew. He works hard and shows real potential as a larder chef.”

Martin urges colleagues to help out: “As a community we have to be part of the solution and give these people a chance. These guys are all terrified about getting out, about using eftpos, taking trains, buying clothes – it’s scary for them.

“At some point as a society we have to accept these people are going to be released and we have to take responsibility and give Corrections the support they need. If they can work in a kitchen, if they can get a skill, they don’t end up hanging around with the wrong crowd with no self–esteem.”

Ref lecting now about his “time” at Rimutaka, Martin recalls the constant dichotomy of leaving prison each week.

“One day I f lew to Auckland to chef for a $200,000 charity fundraiser, another drove to town to do a dinner for heads of state, serving Louis Roederer. Some days I’d just sit in my car and cry.

“It’s probably the single most rewarding thing I’ve done, certainly the most confronting – emotionally, spiritually, with shifting perceptions about the nature of offending.

The struggle has been to remind myself that there are also victims of these people.”

[Note: prisoner ‘names’ are not their real names.]

Food for Thought

Front-of-House Helen Sales has been working in Hospitality since arriving in New Zealand 12 months ago and she enjoys the buzzy, fast-paced environment at Q Theatre Restaurant and Bar. Helen always goes the extra mile. She’s even offered to put money in a customer’s parking meter so they didn’t miss the start of a show. Now that’s service! Helen spoke with NICOLA RICHARDS recently, chairman of SPANZ recently – the Service Professionals Association of New Zealand.

How did you get into Hospitality?

I was a teacher in the UK and this helped me get a job with NZMA here in Auckland.

I wanted an extra job so that I could meet some new people and I love the theatre so Q Theatre was a perfect fit

What kind of training have you had? A teacher’s degree and in-house wine, cocktail and service training in restaurants and bars.

What do you love about Hospitality? I love that it keeps you on your toes, it’s energetic and fun.

There’s never a dull moment whether good or bad. The Theatre is super busy

at condensed periods of time which can be very challenging; we only have a small window to serve everyone and no one wants to be late to a show.

What have been some of the unexpected perks of the job? I have

made some great friends and it’s a very social job which has been perfect for someone new to New Zealand. I have received free theatre tickets along with great meals and drinks.

I’ve also been able to try many products that I might not have been able to afford normally.

I’ve met some famous and interesting people at Q as well. Working with students during the day and seeing them improve is also something I really enjoy.

Helen Sales loves wo rking in the live theatre envir onment.

Where do you see this role taking you? I would love to be in a role which

combines all of my interests – teaching and training with a hospitality angle – so I am open to anything.

Nicola Richards also runs Monsoon Poon in Auckland.

Chefs – be proud.

Figuring out how our species reached the top of the evolutionary scale has exercised the minds of anthropologists for years. The development of language played a major part but I like to think another factor played a major part; that of fire.

Our ancestors learned first to control fire, then to create it. Fire gave them the ability to light up their nights, stay warm and frighten away hungry predators. But fire also showed them that cooking their food could take meal enjoyment to an exciting new level.

And that’s where you, my kitchen friends, come in. You work with fire or its equivalent every day. You take raw ingredients and through culinary invention and wizardry turn them into dishes that excite the palates of your diners; maintaining and refining a tradition that goes back millions of years.

The most visually dramatic use of culinary fire can be found in the kitchens of Cantonese restaurants. Watching a line-up of chefs tossing finely chopped ingredients around in a wok balanced over something that resembles a 747 jet engine at full throttle is an unforgettable experience.

Cantonese chefs developed the stir-frying technique because of a scarcity of firewood. Dishes that could be cooked in a flash over a blazing but short-lived fire of twigs were ideal, and the thinness of the wok’s metal ensured that the sudden rush of heat was transferred instantly to the food.

But fire in some form plays a part in every cuisine. When Tonci Farac established the Argentinian-influenced Wildfire in Sydney many years ago following the success of his Auckland operation, one of his 44 . HOSPITALITY/THIRST . SEPTEMBER 2013

chefs was David Griffiths – formerly of Vinnies, Huka Lodge and now cooking up a storm at Napier’s Mister D. David told me when he first worked at the vertical braziers he thought he was having a heart attack.

“I had these sharp pains in my chest,” he said. “I started to panic and then looked down and saw that a couple of the buttons on my chef ’s jacket were melting!” Restaurant kitchens are invariably hot, but few chefs can have experienced that degree of discomfort!

Another fiery memory: using a hand-held burner to caramelise the topping on a Créme Brulée was once a popular table-side practice. My dining companion suffered from a lung disorder and could breathe only with the help of discreet nasal tubes attached to a hand-held oxygen cylinder, and she’d ordered Brulée. Our waitress arrived with an arrangement resembling an oxy-acetylene welding tank and was about to light up when my companion gently reminded her that she was rather inflammable. I’ve never seen anybody leap backwards so rapidly!

Vic Williams is cellar director for the New Zealand Wine Society and the recent recipient of a Sir George Fistonich medal.

Food for Thought

Updating Pinot Noir

The Pinot Noir story dates back to 1819, yet it wasn’t until the very early 1970’s that the variety became established in New Zealand.

Pinot Noir has grown to become our most widely planted red wine variety – 9.4 per cent (31,775 tonnes) in 2013 – an increase of 36 per cent on the 2012 vintage. (Sauvignon Blanc still leads plantings solidly with 68 per cent.)

Forty years of careful nurturing demonstrates that Pinot Noir is well–suited to the cool climate of New Zealand and is beginning to show regional, and in some cases sub–regional, characteristics. Central Otago is now noted for its Pinot Noir, with examples gaining world recognition and accolades. Grown on soils of schist dotted with quartz, the wines generally demonstrate a bouquet of undergrowth and wild thyme, along with black cherry flavours and fresh herbs, firm tannins and acidity. This style is both recognisable and well–regarded.

In North Otago, the Waitaki Valley Pinots are grown on either stony, alluvial soils near the river or limestone–rich deposits towards the hills. The wines will show dark plum and black cherry fruits with savoury undertones,

plenty of tannins and medium++ acidity. The soils of Waipara in North Canterbury have pockets of ‘Glasnevin’ gravel, stone and pebble–rich soils, with fractures of limestone and clays. The Pinots show light red fruit aromas and flavours, some plum notes, hints of pepper and spice and a savoury minerality with firm tannins and acidity.

Marlborough pinots have both elegance and robustness. The soils where the grapes grow are the same as for Sauvignon Blanc, with stony, gravelly free–draining qualities and soft clays with limestone notes further into the hills. The wines often show bright red raspberry, cherry and plum flavours with linear structure, fine acidity and balanced tannins.

Nelson soils comprise silty loams; sandy and even gravelly in parts on the valley floor with more clay deposits in the Moutere Hills.

Pinots here have softer textures with bright red cherry and plum flavours, sometimes strawberry and savory notes with moderate+ tannins and acidity.

The Wairarapa soils are a mix of silt over gravels, shallow top soils and clays. With

some of the oldest Pinot vines established here the wines are already world renowned: they can have depth and complexity, with savoury light red fruit flavours, and some fuller, supple styles showing plum, chocolate and ‘meat’ with fine tannins and moderate+ acidity. Pinots Noir from Gisborne are not common, but good examples can be wonderfully dense and rich in flavour with moderate+ tannins and medium acidity.

Our Pinots have already achieved world recognition and understanding their regional qualities is the next step in the growth of respect for these exciting wines.

Cameron Douglas is New Zealand’s first and only Master Sommelier.

Big improvement in young people’s drinking habits

The media, led by the health lobby and the police, have continued to paint a sorry picture of New Zealanders’ drinking habits and particularly of our youth, based on anecdotal emotive arguments. This resulted in Parliament’s much more restrictive approach to the sale and supply of alcohol with the passing late last year of the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act. It would appear that the scaremongering is not supported by the facts. Auckland University has just published the 2012 results of the latest in a series of surveys where 10,000 secondary students were interviewed in 2000, 2007 and 2012.

The 2000 and 2007 studies showed a significant decline in youth drinking during that period. The 2012 study has recently been published and the data is very interesting: the results overwhelmingly show that there have been significant drops in the number of school students who drink and who drink regularly or binge since 2000.

The results are very significant and suggest that the recent legislative reforms aimed at changing the drinking culture of our youth were a massive overreaction. Our young people’s attitude to alcohol has been changing in a positive way and at a rapid rate. The changes are massive and cannot be glossed over.

The proportion of students who have drunk alcohol has dropped 25 per cent, or around a third from 2000.

The proportion of students who are current drinkers has dropped 25 per cent, just over a third from 2000.

The proportion of students who drink regularly (weekly) has dropped 9 per cent, just over one half from 2000.

The proportion of students who binge drink (five or more in a session) in the last month has dropped 18 per cent, or just under half from 2000.

The proportion of students who have driven

after drinking has fallen from 7.8 per cent to 3.9 per cent – a drop of a half.

The proportion of students who have been in a car with a driver who has been drinking has fallen from 27.8 per cent to 18.4 per cent – a drop of one third.

Councils considering restrictive local alcohol policies would do well to have a second look based on the data. I also wonder how much coverage in the media this research will receive. Not a lot I suspect.

Bruce Robertson is the chief executive of Hospitality New Zealand.

SEPTEMBER 2013 . HOSPITALITY/THIRST . 45

Food for Thought

Remuneration increases

are an encouraging sign

The Restaurant Association has recently conducted its annual Remuneration Survey and the results indicate there has been a marked improvement over the year previous.

Overall wage and salary rates increased by 4 per cent between 2012 and 2013. This increase is positive as it outweighs the inflation rate over the same period, which was around 0.7 per cent.

Of 43 positions surveyed, 31 saw increased hourly rates in 2013 (vs 2012), however only 9 positions had an increase of more than 5 per cent over that period. Hourly wage rate increases ranged from 1 per cent (across several positions, including breakfast chef and restaurant manager) up to a 25 per cent increase for a sales manager. The head chef and sous chef positions increased 5 per cent this year (hourly wage), waiters saw a 3 per cent wage increase and wine waiters increased their hourly rate by 16 per cent.

The positions which had a decline in hourly

rates included Executive Chef and Food and Beverage Manager.

Head chefs also saw a sound increase in salary – up 6 per cent over 2012 – while sous chefs received a salary on average 14 per cent higher in 2013 over the year previous.

However, bar staff suffered from notable drops in salary, down 16 per cent for bar managers and down 24 per cent for a bar person over the past year.

Hospitality operators are still remaining relatively cautious, though. The majority have indicated that they intend to keep remuneration rates for existing employees at the same level over the next 12 months, an indication that we are unlikely to see any dramatic increases in 2014. In addition 35 per cent intend to increase their staff numbers over the next 12 months – up from 21 per cent last year – which is a positive sign.

And to end on a bright note, the industry’s sales growth seems to have furthered a

more optimistic outlook and as a result the Association forecasts more positive wage and salary increases in the coming years, particularly in the essential senior skilled positions.

The Restaurant Association can assist with advice on remuneration rates and employee policies and members can order a copy of the 2013 Remuneration Survey by emailing info@ restaurantnz.co.nz or phoning 0800 737 827.

By Marisa Bidois, CEO of the Restaurant Association of New Zealand.

Going for Gold

Presenting the gold medal to Tamara Johnson, the winner of the ServiceIQ Apprentice Chef of the Year competition, and seeing the many chefs in their whites and blacks at the recent 21st Culinary Fare, reminded me of the importance of colours like gold and black in our lives.

Colours have strong meaning to many people. Some cultural, others personal or just preference, and some are used to describe our feelings. We might say we are green with envy, or that we are feeling a bit blue, or worse, in a black mood. There are colour psychologists, who study colour as a determinant of human behaviour. Interior designers know that certain colours can help increase productivity – blue – and stimulate appetites, such as oranges and reds in a restaurant.

When ServiceIQ was formed, the question of what the new industry training organisation’s brand and colours should be was one of the first for debate. As you’d expect, with colour being important as well as personal, there was a good deal of robust discussion.

We chose black and gold with white because, quite simply, these are strong colours that

represent what we’re all about. They are also colours that have meaning. To most New Zealanders, black is our colour. We have All Blacks, Black Caps, Tall Blacks, Black Sox, Diamondblacks, Black Sticks and Ice Blacks, as well as black yachts, race cars and uniforms in many sports. The national colours of Maori are black, white and red. The traditional black singlet and gumboots was for decades a symbol of our agricultural heritage. Gold is the colour of success and signifies achievement; for ServiceIQ , for the businesses and organisations who are our customers, and for the trainees working towards their qualifications. We’re proud when New Zealand wins a gold medal, and there’s always something good about golden summer weather, golden sunsets and autumn’s gold leaves. Gold metal is valuable and desired. It doesn’t tarnish and survives intact in most conditions.

Together, black and gold represent everything that ServiceIQ is and strives to be.

We’re a Kiwi organisation helping Kiwis to succeed. We strive to be the best, to be inclusive of all cultures and people; to understand and embrace everything that

46 . HOSPITALITY/THIRST . SEPTEMBER 2013

makes New Zealand great. We will work hard to be valued and stay ahead.

White is our other colour. It’s used for the best contrast against the black, especially for text. But it too represents something of us. White is professional, bright, straightforward and sincere.

Black and gold are the ServiceIQ colours.

They represent us to others, and remind each of us what we’re all about. It’s good to see achievers in the hospitality industry win gold medals, and many others deserve a medal for the work they do mentoring up-and-coming talent in our industry.

By Dean Minchington, Chief Executive ServiceIQ

Marketplace

S

Glass Bottle Crusher

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SEPTEMBER 2013 . HOSPITALITY/THIRST . 47

falling off the bone Jean Anderson Published by John Wiley & Sons, New Jersey 2012 RRP: $45 Hospitality special: $40 Jean Anderson is a multi–award winning food writer and the author of more than 20 books. She’s the recipient of two International Association of Culinary Professional [IACP] awards and two James Beard Foundation awards for some of her previous books. In falling off the bone she takes the less tender cuts of beef, lamb, veal and pork and with slow, low–temperature cooking methods turns them into tender, juicy and succulent meals. Jean’s culinary knowledge and skills are amazing and her recipes – original, innovative and practical – cover a variety of cuisines. Written for the home cook; this book also provides the professional chef with great ideas on using more economical cuts of meat. It’s an American book, so you’ll need to translate some of the measurements to metric; a small challenge for some great recipes.

Love Good Food Sophie Michael Published by Duncan Baird Publishers, London 2012 RRP: $55 Hospitality special: $50 For the past 10 years Sophie has been a personal chef to the A list, judged on Iron Chef and written a best–seller ‘Eat yourself thin’. Her extensive travelling has given her a great background to the local foods of many countries.

She and her family lived in Bali and Australia for 8 months when she was 11 and she started working in kitchens when she was 15. Sophie’s recipes are trendy and tasty and as the cover by–line says – they’re easy to cook, stylish recipes inspired by modern flavours.

There are more than 100 recipes providing great ideas for fresh, healthy light meals, main meals, desserts and baking and great photography enhances the recipes.

Recommended for all, and especially the young chef.

Thanks to Epicurean Books we have a copy of falling off the bone and Love Good Food to give away. To be in to win, call 09 520 2512 or email philip@epicureanbooks.co.nz Congratulations to last month’s winners: Fiona Martin of Invercargill won a copy of Whatever Happened to Sunday Dinner? and Out of the Shell was won by Ruby Romanos of Auckland.

These books can be purchased from Epicurean Books – call 09 520 2515 to secure your copy now.

48 . HOSPITALITY/THIRST . SEPTEMBER 2013

Photo: JM David

PIONEER’S NAME MISSING FROM MARLBOROUGH WINE’S 40TH BIRTHDAY

CENTRAL OTAGO PINOT NOIR TAKES TOP HONOURS AT THIS YEAR’S ROMEO BRAGATO AWARDS

A Central Otago Pinot Noir has been awarded Champion Wine of Show at this year’s Romeo Bragato Wine Awards.

Grown by Mark Naismith, the Akarua Pinot Noir 2011 won the coveted Bragato Trophy, the Mike Wolter Memorial Trophy Champion Pinot Noir, and the Sustainability Trophy.

The Bragato Wine Awards, held each year as part of the Romeo Bragato conference, are awarded to the grower for Viticultural excellence.

The competition recognises that growing excellent grapes is the foundation of making wines of true quality. Trophies are awarded to the top wine from each varietal class judged.

Of the 2013 competition Olly Masters chairman of judges said “This year was one of the strongest trophy lineups across all categories the judges have ever seen”.

The competition had 495 entries with 51 gold medals, 107 silver and 181 bronze medals being awarded. The Trophies were presented at the Bragato Dinner one of the highlights of the Romeo Bragato Conference.

Forty years ago this week Montana began the modern transformation of the Marlborough region into the country’s largest wine resource by planting its first vineyard on the Wairau Plain, north of Blenheim. From mixed orchards, horticulture and sheep farming, the region now holds 23.5 thousand hectares of vineyard and contributes NZ$900,000 of wine sales to the nation’s export returns.

But Montana is absent from the celebrations, as the once national wine entity is mostly missing from domestic wine shelves and no longer exports.

Sold to french liquor corporation, Pernod Ricard, the Montana brand has been demoted in favour of Brancott Estate, and the company that once had a strong presence in most winegrowing regions is now focussed on Marlborough.

FRENCH 2013 VINTAGE LOOKING MEAGRE

France’s vineyards are on the verge of being harvested, but the 2013 vintage is set to become the worst in forty years according to insiders.

Cold, wet spring conditions as well as storm and hail damage across the country have conspired to reduce the crop below the 10-year-average of 45.4 million hectolitres, according to France’s official met service, France AgriMer. Hopes that volume may give way to quality have also been dashed by the latest readings of sugar level in the grapes, which are lower for August than for over 12 years. Late hail in parts of Bordeaux and Burgundy have also reduced quality expectations as the damage came so late in the season the vines had little chance

RED UNDER GUINNESS’ BED. Guinness is breaking its black tradition by launched a red stout in Britain and North America next month. The beer, Red Harvest Stout is made using lightly roast malts instead of the usual heavy roast the gives Guinness its famous black colour.

The beer, which is slightly sweeter and lighter than Guinness, while maintaining its rich palate, is made in honour of Samain, or Samhain to the Irish Celts, which is the original spirit festival that prompted Halloween. Originally this harvest festival celebrated the end of harvest and the beginning of the winter season.

50 . HOSPITALITY/THIRST . SEPTEMBER 2013

NEW ZEALANDER NOMINATED FOR US WINE ADVOCATE STAR AWARD New Zealand’s cocktail “Doctor”, Jacob Briars has been nominated for one of the most prestigious annual awards in the global hospo community. Briars, Head of Bacardi’s Training and Education program based in New Zealand, is one of the nominations for Mixologist of the Year Star Awards hosted by us based Wine Enthusiast Magazine.

Briars recently won the “Golden Spirit” award at Tales of the Cocktail event held in New Orleans for his approach to expanding the brand, and can now add this nomination to his already impressive CV.

GOODBYE A&M, HALLO ORLEANS Agents and Merchants is no more but the highly anticipated bar, restaurant and live music venue Orleans opened on the same site on Roukai Lane on Thursday 5 September. The venue also takes up most of the space that was District Dining.

From the same team that opened A&M and also the guys behind Mexico, IKTO, Britomart Country Club and1885 Britomart, Orleans promises great music, great liquor and fantastic food to the precinct, all inspired by the venue’s vibrant namesake city.

Orleans’ foundations are a relaxed atmosphere and extraordinary value. The concept is inspired by the ‘diversity, culture and history of New Orleans’, drawing on the city’s character, individuality and incredible sense of fun.

Music wise it is a mixture of big band, blues, soul, funk and a little jazz. Much like its sister eatery Mexico, Orleans’ food promises to be both delicious and extraordinarily good value, with a focus on simple, fresh ‘bowl food’.

The menu comprises big bowls, little bowls, side bowls, sweet bowls and salads, with savoury dishes of ‘cornmeal fried okra with Cajun aioli’ and ‘pulled venison braised in beer and BBQ sauce’ and sweets such as ‘pecan pie with bourbon ice cream’.

Orleans also serves up a selection beer, wine and some rather legendary cocktails, with New Orleans classics like the Ramos Gin Fizz, Creole Red Snapper and Sazerac making for an interesting list.

Knowing this firms pedigree this new bar will be one for the trade to watch.

SCOTS GET STROPPY OVER NEW ZEALAND WHISKY BRAND

William Grant & Sons have hired Auckland based law firm, Simpson Grierson to put pressure on the New Zealand Whisky Company to change the name of its Dunedin DoubleWood brand claiming it copies that of Balvenie Double Wood. William Grant & Sons own the Balvenie distillery and brand.

The Scots company, the third largest whisky producer in the United Kingdom, asserts that Dunedin DoubleWood is in breach of the 1986 Fair Trading Act because it works to confuse consumers into believing that Dunedin DoubleWood was somehow linked to the Scottish single malt producer.

William Grant & Sons only registered the DoubleWood brand in 2012, after Dunedin DoubleWood had been in the New Zealand market for 5 years.

Dunedin DoubleWood is clearly labelled as a New Zealand whisky, and is sold primarily on the basis of its New Zealand identity.

SEPTEMBER 2013 . HOSPITALITY/THIRST . 51

EVENTS. Beervanna

Ian Gillespie and Jos Ruffell - Garage Project

Reuben Moore and Sharon Bond at Samuel Adams

BEERVANA This year’s Beervana was the biggest and best yet. Held for the third time at Wellington’s Westpac Stadium, this year’s festival attracted over 10,000 people, the highest attendance in its 12-year history. Let’s just be grateful it wasn’t a week later when earthquakes jolted the city and threatened the stadium’s closure prior to the All Blacks’ Bledisloe Cup encounter with the Wallabies.

BY GEOFF GRIGGS IMAGES - SARAH HABERSHON

This year’s Beervana saw more than 200 beers showcased from 71 breweries and cider makers. 36 brewers had their own ‘feature’ stands, each dispensing up to six beers, while a further nine Kiwi brewers rubbed shoulders on the ‘Brewers Bar’. Other bars included an Australian bar and a Media & Festive beers bar.

A few paces down from Hamilton’s Good George brewery, who were dispensing their beers from the back of an old Volkswagen van, Pete Gillespie and Jos Ruffell of Wellington’s Garage Project spent most of the four Beervana sessions under the glare of floodlights on their industrial-looking elevated stand, flash-heating a barrel-aged porter with a red-hot poker, while assistant Hannah Wait served up beer jelly shots and nitro beer slushies.

Festival director David Cryer reckoned Garage Project’s was the most impressive of the brewery stands. “They’ve really set the bar high for others in future years,” he said.

“I’ve always sort of visualised this festival as being more like a car show in terms of the displays and I think Garage Project are going to make everyone else rise up to that level.”

To complement the drinks, Beervana also featured a selection of food from Wellington’s top restaurants. Logan Brown offered wine barrel smoked venison burgers with beetroot relish, and tuatua sliders with habanero aioli, while Boulcott St Bistro had cider glazed pork belly and slaw rolls, smoked fish and mussel pies, and apple and stout turnovers on its menu. Meanwhile Martin Bosley’s served freshly shucked oysters, croque monsieur, steamed hoisin pork buns, and fruit cake with cheddar.

Other eateries included Monsoon Poon, Dumpling House, Tommy Millions, Wakelin House, The General Practitioner, Epicure, Wooden Spoon Freezery and Emporio Coffee.

“By bringing Wellington’s finest restaurants together to present the food at Beervana we

52 . HOSPITALITY/THIRST . SEPTEMBER 2013

are offering the opportunity for attendees to enjoy both complementary and contrasting food and craft beer pairing experiences,” said Martin Bosley. “This year’s line-up showcases just how much craft beers have been embraced by the capital’s finest eateries.”

Other important elements of Beervana are the tutored tastings and seminars. Those investing in an “ultimate experience” ticket enjoyed behind the scenes tours and one-hour tastings led by teams of well-known brewers, while samples of the Brew NZ Awards trophy winners and festive beers were offered at special tutored tasting sessions.

Seminars delved into themes such as; beer education, malt, hops, sensory evaluation, science 101 and a look to the future called ‘Where to from beer?’ And at each session Regional Wines & Spirits’ beer specialist and former cheesemonger Kieran Haslett-Moore was in his element pairing beers with cheeses.

While the Brewers Guild of New Zealand announced the results of its annual awards

EVENTS. BeerVanna

Mitchell Sarney at Tuatara

Paul Ansell (Sous Chef) and Kelly Robertson (Events Manager) from Martin Bosley's

Merijn Thornton and Imker Swanepoel, Mangrove Jack's

at a gala dinner the previous night, two additional brewing competitions were judged at Beervana. The first was the Media Brew competition, where eight media and brewers partnered to create collaborative brews to be tasted and judged at Beervana. A requirement of the media brew was that it had to include a unique New Zealand ingredient.

With Marlborough brewers Renaissance taking the trophy for the country’s champion brewer at the Brewers Guild awards I was disappointed that my personal contribution to the week’s competition - a collaboration brew made with Soren Eriksen of 8 Wired – failed to add to the province’s medal haul.

I’d come up with the idea of putting Oddfellows mints into a stout, to create an “after dinner mint beer” and Soren had suggested using a sweet milk stout as the base for the beer. As we’d hoped, the style’s caramelised and chocolaty malt flavours combined really well with the subtle hint of peppermint and I thought it was a good

Queueing for Garage Project

Pete Gillespie, co-founder of Garage Project

effort. Unfortunately the Beervana judges didn’t see things the same way and the beer was unplaced.

The winning media brew was a beer called 66 Jet Planes, a so-called “India plane ale” made by Sarah Harvey, of the Sunday Star Times, in collaboration with Luke Nicholas of Epic Brewery. When making the beer the mash was sparged (rinsed) with Steinlager Classic lager and jet plane lollies were added.

It was an excellent brew, both in conception and execution; the fruity flavours of the lollies melding delightfully well with the hops.

In equal second place was Just Desserts, a pavlova-esque kiwifruit and meringueflavoured New Zealand dessert ale - complete with a topping of whipped cream and flaked chocolate - and Jafa Stout, a chocolate orange stout.

Beervana’s other contest was the Black Rock Home Brew Competition, with a record 146 entries. Brendan Bransgrove took top honours with a Belgian style saison and

Michael Blair came second with a Simcoehopped stout, while Matt Barnett came third with a strong Belgian Ale. Head Beer Judge Kirsten Taylor said that the top seven or eight entries were easily of commercial quality, being well balanced, interesting and faultless.

Elsewhere two of the country’s most innovative craft brewers, Paul Croucher of The Croucher Brewing Co and Jo Wood of Liberty Brewing, presented home brewing masterclasses during the festival.

Meanwhile suppliers Farra, WilliamsWarn and Braumeister were also on site with a range of brewing equipment.

And finally, hosting this year’s Beervana at the Westpac Stadium may have a positive spin-off for those attending future events there. The stadium’s new boss, Shane Harmon, was so impressed with the Wellington craft beer industry he’d like to see it represented in the stadium’s offerings.

Now that’s something I’d really love to see.

Cheers!

SEPTEMBER 2013 . HOSPITALITY/THIRST . 53

Q & A. Sai Hamsala

Sai Hamsala

of The Hilton bartending fame

BY CHRIS TURNER Originally from India, Hamsala made the move to New Zealand after a non eventful stint pursuing a mechanical engineering degree to follow an education in hospitality.

Whilst he was a student at NZMA, (New Zealand Management Academies) he started to barback at the Hilton Hotel on Auckland’s Princes Wharf where he caught his first glimpse of New Zealand’s nightlife industry.

Falling quickly in love with the theatre of drinks, Hamsala swiftly gained an interest in cocktails, “I really wanted to mix drinks, be behind the bar and look cool” said Sai who worked his way up the ladder from barback to bar manager in a few short years.

Sai Hamsala is the current New Zealand Culinary Fare Bartender of the Year and has been involved in the Culinary Fare a number of times in the past. Hamsala also does a regular spot on the ‘small’ screen on the morning show and TV One showcasing the “magic” of molecular mixology.

Hamsala has been involved with The Hilton for over six years but has just recently tendered his resignation and is about to take up a position at the revamped Harbourside in the old ferry building.

So what does it take to be in the industry?

I lent on the bar and asked him a few questions.

How long have you been in the industry? “Eight Years” When did you decide you wanted to be behind the bar as a career?

“Since I started noticing girls hitting on me” What is your favourite drink to make at the moment? “Rum Sour”

What particular spirit are you playing with at the moment?

“Glenmorangie 18yo” Where is your favourite place to enjoy a drink when you are not at work or afterwards?

“Britomart Country Club” What is your biggest “pet peeve” behind the bar?

“Leaving empty bottles in the speed rack!”

And your least favourite? “Decafe soy flat white, extra hot no foam”

Who is your favourite local bartender and why? “James Goggin, The guy knows his stuff!”

What has been your strangest beverage request? “Baileys and tomato juice”

If you were not a bartender what would you be doing?

“Mechanical Engineering”

What is your favourite after work beverage? “Ice cold Corona”

What is your favourite type of customer? “One that has a genuine interest in drinks”

54 . HOSPITALITY/THIRST . SEPTEMBER 2013

If you could pull a cameo shift at any bar in the world which would it be? “Cannon Seattle, to work along side with Jaime Bordreau” If you could make a drink for anyone in the world (dead or alive) who would it be? “Nicole Scherzinger from the Pussycat Dolls” Your absolute favourite thing about bartending? “Meeting new people everyday” Give us one “protip” for the up and coming bartenders.

“Remember where you started, have passion for what you do, hold your head in the sky but have your feet on the ground and respect all around you, follow these rules and the world is your pearl” Cheers Sai.

THE PANEL. Winter Warm-up

Post-tasting tasting a glass act Restaurant Month – Winter Warm Up - a tasting

BY DON KAVANAGH

I’ve always said that we don’t get nearly enough wine events in Auckland.

True, other parts of the country fare even worse when it comes to large-scale tastings, but with the sheer number of hospitality operations in the Big Little City formally the City of Sales, you’d think wineries would be chomping at the bit to show off their wares.

So the Winter Warm up, a pop-up cellar door event in Victoria Park as part of Auckland restaurant month, was tailor-made for the city-dwelling wine lover.

With more than 30 wineries from around the country taking part, it was a great opportunity for people to get to meet the faces behind the labels, especially for the smaller, more boutique wineries.

There were some incredible wines on offer and, while the weather was heinous on the Saturday, the Sunday was a perfectly sunny affair, making it ideal for the wine-writerabout-town to stroll from stand to stand,

sampling some of the best wines from around the country.

It’s great to catch up old friends and also to be able to finally put a face to people who produce wines I’ve been admiring from afar for years, of which there were many at the event.

Brands like Ceres, Kina Beach and Spade Oak were pretty much strangers to me before the event and they are firmly on my radar now, as are the more familiar wineries.

From a professional tasting point of view, it wasn’t the easiest event to negotiate, so when we later got the chance to sit down and taste a selection of the wines from the day in a more formal tasting, I for one jumped at the chance.

The criteria for inclusion in the tasting were pretty broad, but basically it was a chance for wineries to put their most trade-friendly wines before our readers. Most of these are fantastic by-the-glass options.

Dave Batten, Mediaweb publisher John

Clarke and I joined Good Group’s group sommelier Piers Haszard at Botswana Butchery on a glorious late winter afternoon to try a pretty broad selection of wines from the event. It’s amazing the things we do for our readers, really isn’t it?

On a serious note, thanks to Piers and the crew at Botswana Butchery for their hospitality and helpfulness in making this tasting happen.

And on an even more important note thanks to Auckland’s Restaurant Month and Lemongrass Productions it looks we will have a decent chance to see what our great little wineries can offer the Hospitality trade on an annual basis. Make next year be even bigger and better.

Thirst Magazine would like to thank Lemograss Productions for its support in making it possible to bring this post event tasting to you our industry

SEPTEMBER 2013 . HOSPITALITY/THIRST . 55

THE PANEL. Winter Warm-up SPADE OAK SANGRIA 8.5% An interesting and refreshing option for warmer weather, this blend of red wine and orange juice conjures up images of Spain. Bright strawberry notes dominate the nose and the palate is full of sweet strawberry notes. A lovely chilled drink with ice and soda. $ Spade Oak Ph. 06 8670198/ 027 281 6349 www.spadeoak.co.nz

GIESEN THE AUGUST 1888 SAUVIGNON BLANC 2011 14.5% A super-sauvignon from Marlborough and one that packs a real punch. Very complex nose, with touches of peach, apple, spice, lemon and herbs. On the palate it is even more impressive, with the oak fermentation and lees ageing adding great texture and weight to the continually evolving tropical fruit flavours. Outstanding wine. $$$$ Giesen Wines Ph: 03 334 6270 info@giesen.co.nz www.giesen.co.nz

CASITA MIRO MADAME ROUGE APERITIF 18.5%

CERES FULL CIRCLE CENTRAL OTAGO PINOT GRIS 2011 14.5%

Another very different wine, this time a fortified, pre-dinner drink. Almost port-like on the nose, with rich blackberry and spice aromas, it opens up on the palate, with broad, rich fruit flavours backed up by a nutty sweetness. It would also serve as a nice port alternative after a meal.

A bit shy on the nose at first, but it opens up to show a delightful rosewater, musk and pear bouquet.

On the palate, the acid is more apparent, giving a nice balance to the ripe fruit and floral notes, before giving way to a pleasant, lingering finish.

$$$$$ $$ Miro Vineyard Ph: 021 270 5236 tilley@mirovineyard.co.nz www.mirovineyard.co.nz

Bespoke Wine Company Ph: 027 645 2240 fiona@bespokewines.co.nz www.bespokewines.co.nz

NO 1 FAMILY ESTATE NO 1 CUVEE 12%

MAN O'WAR EXILED PONUI ISLAND PINOT GRIS 2012 13.5%

A blanc de blancs style, meaning it’s all chardonnay, and offering rich straw and lemon notes on the nose, with a nice yeast autolysis element. Persistently frothy on the palate, the sweetish, lemon notes are backed up by a bready note from the yeast. Another classy wine from a classy producer.

A Waiheke winery, but the fruit comes from just south on Ponui, where pinot gris certainly seems to shine. Lovely fruit aromas dominate, backed up by a slightly smoky, flinty character.

On the palate, it’s full and ripe, packed with rich pear and fat mango flavours, balanced by an unobtrusive acidity. The finish is lush and lovely.

$$ No.1 Family Estate Ph: 03 572 9876 no1wine@xtra.co.nz www.no1familyestate.co.nz

56 . HOSPITALITY/THIRST . SEPTEMBER 2013

$$$ EuroVintage Ltd Ph: 09 588 4262 info@eurovintage.co.nz www.eurovintage.co.nz

THE PANEL. Winter Warm-up CERES FULL CIRCLE CENTRAL OTAGO RIESLING 2012 12.5%

SPADE OAK GISBORNE CHARDONNAY 2012 12.5%

Central rieslings just seem to get better and better and this little cracker is at the head of the pack.

Tropical fruit, limes, apples and roses dominate the nose, while the palate adds extra touches of green apple, zingy acid and a light, lemony sweetness. Plenty of flavours seamlessly integrate to give an ethereal wine.

True to variety, the nose on this little charmer opens up with great wafts of white peach, before an intriguing funky, yeasty note comes through. On the palate there is a slightly oxidative character underneath the rich peach, lemon and cream notes, which adds an extra layer of complexity. $

$ Bespoke Wine Company Ph: 027 645 2240 fiona@bespokewines.co.nz www.bespokewines.co.nz

Spade Oak Ph: 06 867 0198 / 027 281 6349 www.spadeoak.co.nz

CHARCOAL GULLY SALLY’S PINCH CENTRAL OTAGO GEWURZTRAMINER 2011 13.5%

KINA BEACH VINEYARD RESERVE NELSON CHARDONNAY 2011 14.5%

Typical gewurz nose of lychee, ginger, rosewater and Turkish delight, with an added dash of ripe apricot. There’s a nice mineral character on the palate underpinning lush lychee and ripe apple flavours. Fat and generous, it’s very much a food wine.

Lovely nose on this wine, packed with toasty, nutty and peachy aromas. On the palate it’s a more restrained wine, with green apple and nectarine dominating and a steely acidity showing through.

It finished with a nicely generous blast of pure peach flavour.

$

$$$

Bespoke Wine Company Ph: 027 645 2240 fiona@bespokewines.co.nz www.bespokewines.co.nz

Kina Beach Enterprises Ph: 03 526 6252 welcome@kinabeach.co.nz www.kinabeach.co.nz

CHARCOAL GULLY SALLY’S PINCH CENTRAL OTAGO GEWURZTRAMINER 2012 14.5%

PALLISER ESTATE MARTINBOROUGH CHARDONNAY 2012 13%

A much livelier wine than its older sibling, as you’d expect for a younger version. More spice on the nose, with a touch of sandalwood to counterpoint the ripe fruit notes.

On the palate, it’s fatter and spicier, with more appreciable acid and a longer finish.

Effortlessly good wine, yet again from this reliable producer. The nose is classically attractive, with a melange of buttery oak, peach and lemon, while the palate is even better, offering lovely fruit, nutty oak and a zingy acidity that prevents it becoming flabby. Great length and great depth; it’s a wee stunner.

$ Bespoke Wine Company Ph: 027 645 2240 fiona@bespokewines.co.nz www.bespokewines.co.nz

$$$ Negociants New Zealand Ltd Ph: 09 531 5282 trutherford@negociants.com www.negociantsnz.com

TRADE PRICE GUIDE excl GST per 700/750 bottle $$$$$ 31 - 40 • $$$$ 25- 30 • $$$ 20 -24 • $$ 15 - 19 • $ 10 -14 SEPTEMBER 2013 . HOSPITALITY/THIRST . 57

THE PANEL. Winter Warm-up GIESEN THE BROTHERS MARLBOROUGH PINOT NOIR 2011 14%

FOLDING HILL CENTRAL OTAGO PINOT NOIR 2010

Funky and inky on the nose, with a rustic element backed up with a strong strawberry note. On the palate a black cherry flavour emerges among the spicy notes and there is also a touch of red apple in the mix. Dry and deep, it’s a complex, impressive pinot.

More typically central than its stablemate, this has an almost sweet fruit nose, with blackberries and cherries to the fore. The fruit component broadens on the palate to include plummy notes, balanced by a crisp acidity and a pronounced cherry note on the finish.

$$$

$$$

Giesen Wines Ph: 03 334 6270 info@giesen.co.nz www.giesen.co.nz

Bespoke Wine Company Ph: 027 645 2240 fiona@bespokewines.co.nz www.bespokewines.co.nz

SPADE OAK GISBORNE ST LAURENT 2011 13%

CERES COMPOSITION CENTRAL OTAGO PINOT NOIR 2009 13.8%

Fascinating wine, made from the parent grape of pinot noir. Savoury and almost meaty on the nose, with layers of earthy notes, beetroot and even beef tea. The palate is equally intriguing, with a hint of salt added to dusty dark fruit and spicy notes. Impressive wine and well worth seeking out.

A simply gorgeous wine, packed with everything you’d expect from Central, especially from a vintage like this one. Bright and clear in the glass, the nose is jam-packed with gentle cherry notes and a lovely spicy oak character. On the palate, it offers a complex mix of black cherry, plum and leathery notes, underpinned by a lively ★STAR of the SHOW spice element and a dusting of dried herbs.

The finish is memorable, as is the whole package; a beautifully elegant wine.

$$ Spade Oak Ph.06 867 0198 / 027 281 6349 www.spadeoak.co.nz

$$$

FOLDING HILL ORCHARD BLOCK CENTRAL OTAGO PINOT NOIR 2010 14%

Bespoke Wine Company Ph: 027 645 2240 fiona@bespokewines.co.nz www.bespokewines.co.nz

Lovely, rich, rustic nose on this one, with cherry notes and a touch of spice. It’s a big wine on the palate, with plenty of dark fruit notes, pepper, mocha and just a touch of decadence. The finish is persistent and rewarding, with warmth and generosity. $$$$$ Bespoke Wine Company Ph: 027 645 2240 fiona@bespokewines.co.nz www.bespokewines.co.nz

58 . HOSPITALITY/THIRST . SEPTEMBER 2013

GO ON OUR FACEBOOK PAGE AND ‘LIKE’ THE PANEL TASTING AND BE IN TO WIN SOME OF THE STAR OF THE SHOW FROM EACH TASTING. SIMPLY LIKE OUR PAGE AND YOU CAN WIN SAMPLES OF THE STAR OF THE SHOW FOR THE OUTLET YOU WORK FOR (ENTRANTS MUST BE 18 OR OLDER TO ENTER).

PRODUCT WILL BE DELIVERED

BY THE SUPPLIER TO THE OUTLET SPECIFIED.

THE PANEL. Winter Warm-up PODERI CRISCI WAIHEKE ISLAND MERLOT 2011

CABLE BAY WAIHEKE ISLAND SYRAH 2012 13%

Straight Waiheke merlot is something of a rarity, so this is an interesting wine. Quite meaty on the nose, with plenty of plum and loganberry aromas over an inky oak element. The fruit is even broader on the palate, with generous additions of blackberry notes.

Nice touches of spicy blackberry and violets on the nose of this Waiheke stalwart. The palate is deceptively soft and gentle at first, with lightly spiced fruit and savoury oak notes gradually building in intensity to a stirring crescendo.

$$$$

Manifesto Wine Co Ph: 021 207 2101 paul@manifestowinecompany.co.nz www.manifestowinecompany.co.nz

Poderi Crisci Vineyard/Resturant Ph: 09 372 2148 info@podericrisci.co.nz www.podericrisci.co.nz

$$$$$

PEACOCK SKY WAIHEKE ISLAND MERLOT MALBEC 2011 12.4%

MAN O'WAR DREADNOUGHT WAIHEKE ISLAND SYRAH 2010 14.5%

Warm fruit and an almost caramel note dominate the nose of this lively Waiheke red. On the palate, it’s crisp, almost savoury, at first, before opening out to show blackberry, plum and cedar flavours. The finish is long and persistent, with inky malbec notes abounding.

An absolute ripper of a wine and a reminder of how Waiheke can produce memorable wines of stature and longevity. The nose is full of black pepper, brambly fruit, leather and cigar box notes, with an almost seaweed tang in the mix as well. It bursts on the palate like a fruit bomb, with supercharged flavours of plum, blackberry and spice.

An outstanding wine.

$$ $$$$$ Peacock Sky vineyard Ph: 09 950 4386 info@peacocksky.co.nz www.peacocksky.co.nz

PEACOCK SKY WAIHEKE ISLAND CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2011 A little shy on the nose at first, this wine opens out to show creamy oak and a touch of cassis. On the palate, it’s more generous, with blackcurrant, mint, thyme and spicy oak all obvious, backed up by firm tannins and a fruit acidity, which gives a lovely length to the finish.

EuroVintage Ltd Ph: 09 588 4262 info@eurovintage.co.nz www.eurovintage.co.nz

ISABEL MARLBOROUGH NOBLE SAUVAGE 2008 11.5% 375 ML A typically attractive stickie made from botrytis-affected sauvignon blanc. Nice honey and apricot aromas lead onto a rich, satisfying palate redolent of manuka honey, figs, lemon tart and cream.

Luscious and generous and a lovely way to finish off a meal. $$$$$

$$ Peacock Sky vineyard Ph: 09 950 4386 info@peacocksky.co.nz www.peacocksky.co.nz

Hancocks Wine, Spirits & Beer Ph: 0800 699 463 sales@hancocks.co.nz www.hancocks.co.nz

SEPTEMBER 2013 . HOSPITALITY/THIRST . 59

WHISKY

Whisky in

New Zealand

New Zealand has enjoyed periods of industrious whisky production, with at least three commercial distilleries in operation in the last 150 years, including Willowbank. Prior to Willowbank, Dunedin’s New Zealand Distillery was licensed in 1869, with the Auckland based Crown Distillery licensed in 1870. The latter officially produced 150,000 gallons per annum.

The history of whisky distillation and distribution is one of the most highly coloured chapters in the history of New Zealand. Many people think that this was all part of the past—but the New Zealand whisky industry still has its interesting and unusual aspects.

In the early 1970s, Dunedin-based Wilson Neil Limited received the first licence to distil whisky issued for over 100 years. The company engaged staff from Scotland and in a former distillery at Willowbank on the city’s northern boundary, produced and marketed two brands of blended whisky -- Wilson’s and 45 South.

In the early 1980s Wilson Neil Limited sold the business to Seagram International and soon this company ceased production of 45 South to distil a single malt whisky, Lammerlaw, for the top end of the market.

In 1997, Seagram found the Dunedin operation was overstocked and ceased distilling.

There was a stock of Wilson’s whisky in bond and the last of this will is still being sold.

However, the maturing casks of single malt whisky remained in bond because the Lammerlaw brand was no longer being marketed. There the matter stood until 2000, when Warren Preston of Preston Associates, discovered the bonded whisky and bought it from Fosters of Australia. That company seemed to be unaware that it owned these casks of maturing whisky it had acquired in the Seagram deal.

Preston and his wife Debbie, formed the New Zealand Whisky Company Limited and an aged single malt whisky is being bottled and marketed both here and overseas under the Milford brand. While Debbie Preston still works of the New Zealand Whisky company, the company itself is now owned by Hobartbased Greg Ramsay who has widened the varieties of whisky available to the purchaser.

New Zealand Malt Whisky Company Limited set up a maturation, bottling and

labelling store in Oamaru’s historic precinct, in the listed limestone Loan and Mercantile building on Harbour Street. Currently the company is leasing the three-storey building from the Oamaru Whitestone Civic Trust, The precinct is attracting worldwide interest in its buildings and activities .because they are recognised as being authentic and not just “dressing up.”

New Zealand Malt Whisky Limited is using the historic building for cask storage, whisky ageing and a whisky tearoom. This is the only one of its kind in the southern hemisphere and is proving to be popular with both locals and tourists. There is also a Scottish-themed functions centre.

However, being a small player in a highly competitive and exclusive industry brings problems of its own. In 1998 the New Zealand Whisky Company Limited, launched a highly successful blended whisky marketed as “Dunedin Doublewood” This was named as the “worlds’ best” at the Mid-West Whisky Olympics in Michigan this year. However the announcement of this ‘award’ created contention in some circles with a number of bloggers and aficionados querying its validity).

This brought interest and publicity, not all of it pleasant. William Grant and Sons, the third largest producers of whisky in the world, engaged a leading New Zealand law firm to demand that the New Zealand Whisky Company change the name of the awardwinning brand.

Grants claimed Dunedin Doublewood breaches the New Zealand 1986 Fair Trading Act and that the trademark could mislead purchasers into believing there was a connection with William Grant’s “Balvenie Doublewood.”

Greg Ramsay rejects this allegation and points out that the name reference is to a trade cask-ageing process. He also points

60 . HOSPITALITY/THIRST . SEPTEMBER 2013

to the fact that while 126-year-old Balvenie launched its Doublewood brand in 1993, it did not register it as a trademark in New Zealand until 2012. This was five years after Dunedin Doublewood was being marketed. Ramsay believes there is no case to answer and that the matter will be dropped.

There is also another little company supplying true New Zealand whisky, Thomson Whisky New Zealand Limited, and this one is wholly Kiwi owned. Thomson Whisky are independent bottlers, soon to be distillers and recently won an award at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition for their Two Tone release.

It all started some years ago when Mathew & Rachael Thomson began the search for a whisky fit to bottle. Many casks were sourced and auditioned – some with only a few telling sips, and others nosed and discarded.

Resurrecting in New Zealand the old world title of ‘independent bottlers’ the Thomson’s whisky collecting has now given way to a passionate pursuit to make special whisky stocks, some dusty and forgotten, available again.

This year Thomson Whisky will begin to distil its own unique whiskies. These will be produced and matured in New Zealand and will utilise New Zealand’s pure water, barley, and the beautiful fresh air of the South Pacific. The first batch of barrels will be fresh American white oak bourbon barrels, which typically imparts sweet vanilla, caramel and light fruit notes – similar in profile to current antique bottlings.

The current trio of Thomson Whisky bottlings are from the Willowbank Distillery, Dunedin since dismantled, reputedly the world’s southern-most distillery. Willowbank closed its doors in the late 1990s, but the whisky remained, quietly gaining in flavour and body.

THE PANEL. Single Malts

Single malt whiskies

BY KEITH STEWART

Scottish malt whisky is the standard by which all other whiskies in the world are judged.

Whether this is fair to Irish, American and Japanese whiskies, a matter of historical chance, or a by-product of the British Empire is irrelevant, it is simply one of the truths in the world of drink and hospitality.

By what exactly is meant by Scottish malt?

There are, after all, Highland, Lowland, Western and Northern Island Malts of varying descriptions, as well as clearly marked segments of the Highlands into which various malt styles fall. Then, of course, there are all those other than Scotch whiskies presenting as single malts, and there are the Scotch ones that are malt blends.

All this can be confusing, let alone considering barrel variation and vintage characters that change with the seasonal

responses of barley and even water. So unless you run a whisky bar with a full range of available (and unavailable) single and blends malts as well as a representative selection of challengers from Tasmania, New Zealand, Japan, Taiwan and India, your choice of what to stock is especially fraught and in need of a good sense of balance as well as commerce.

So here at Thirst we put together regular tastings of a group of malts on offer so that you can get some sense of what is available and what is best suited to your particular needs. We also gather a group of more than reasonable whisky palates whose understanding of the dram is extensive, colourful and measured by not inconsiderable experience. These palates taste and argue over the relative merits of the whiskies being sampled, but in spite of the volume of debate,

they invariably come to a tense consensus over what is good and what is great, and what the leading features of each is.

The following notes are their conclusions, for your edification. In no way are the opinions expressed here those of the writer or any other individual taster in attendance, but the contribution of each may, on occasion, be identified by those who were there. After the enthusiasm with which some continued further exploration of the better whiskies, there may be some whose memory may not recall what they said earlier in the day.

The whiskies all listed here are available for on trade sales in New Zealand from the agents named. All are double pot distilled from single water sources and individual distilleries, except in those cases where they are identified as blends.

SEPTEMBER 2013 . HOSPITALITY/THIRST . 61

THE PANEL. Single Malts GLEN MORAY 12 YO

TOMATIN 12 YO

Speyside (Lossie) • 40% abv Soft, floral nose with some grassy notes and hints of powderiness.

Very soft bodied whisky, light, with a distinct woodiness on the palate that is almost too much for the rest of the dram. Very dry, clean finishing whisky with some peppery notes and sweetness on the finish. An aperitif style with plenty of charm and easy going character.

Speyside (Findhorn) • 40% abv Creamy, nutmeg and toffee nose with a whiff of corruption. Sweet and light with more of the corrupt nature on the palate, quite fragrant and smooth at heart but with a brittle character. A middle-weight whisky, idiosyncratic but not unpleasant. Not as fine as expected from this distillery, robust and tinged with sweetness. $$

$$ Federal Merchants & Co Phone: 0800 846 824 info@federalmerchants.co.nz http://federalmerchants.co.nz

CLYNELISH 15 YO MASTER OF MALT BOTTLING Northern Highlands • 56.1% abv Spirity nose with floral aspects and more than a hint of salt, with plenty of sweet, sherry wood character. Medium bodied, slick feeling in spite of the high alcohol, it has an almost creamy texture, a dash of butter and nuttiness at the finish but it is copper-dry. Fine, if a little short, with some nice touches of spice throughout. One commented that it was atypical of Clynelish. $$$$$

Federal Merchants & Co Phone: 0800 846 824 info@federalmerchants.co.nz http://federalmerchants.co.nz

NORVALS 5 YO No provenance • 40% abv Excellent barley malt nose with a distinct Jersey caramel character.

Suave and sweet, although very youthful and showing some abrasive notes. A pretty charmer, no less, young and appealing, a lively shot. $$ The Whiskey Boutique Phone: 021 958 089 tony@thewhiskeyboutique.co.nz www.thewhiskeyboutique.co.nz

The Whiskey Boutique Phone: 021 958 089 tony@thewhiskeyboutique.co.nz www.thewhiskeyboutique.co.nz

THE PANEL PALATES Don Kavanagh, Keith Stewart, Ben Stuart, Bart Burgers, Tony and Kane McHugh, Adam Neil and Mathew Thomson Once again Thirst Magazine would like to thank the good people at Racket Bar Britomart Auckland for making their facility available for this tasting.

TRADE PRICE GUIDE excl GST Per 700/750 bottle $ - up to $60.00 • $$ - 60.00 to $100.00 • $$$ - $100.00 to $200.00 $$$$ - $200.00 to $300.00 • $$$$$ - $300.00 and up

62 . HOSPITALITY/THIRST . SEPTEMBER 2013

THE PANEL. Single Malts NZ 1992 SINGLE CASK - THE NEW ZEALAND WHISKY COLLECTION New Zealand • Cask strength Clean, clear bouquet is bright, intense and tightly focused, as is the palate, fresh and clean, with a musty heart, complexity and a dash of sweetness on the finish.

Warm oak adds to its soft nature, without detracting from its fresh manner and sense of clarity. Good stuff.

THE MACALLAN FINE OAK 12 YO TRIPLE CASK MATURED Speyside • 40% Mellow, sweet nose is honeyed and touched with a fruity note and some strong wood character. Medium bodied, warm and mellow with old oak and some fine details, it is impressive but is not the Highland diva its reputation proclaims.

Some hints of grass at the finish, with a measure of subtle peat and some floral touches. Lighter than expected. $$

$$$ Malts of Distinction Phone: 09 298 4808 info@maltsofdistinction.co.nz www.maltsofdistinction.co.nz

THOMSON SINGLE MALT 21 YO New Zealand • 46% abv Sophisticated nose has complex oak characters and a fine bearing.

Big, warm palate is toasty, generous with its oak aspects and complex, containing details of flavour and aroma that is very impressive. Fine and well aged, with some aldehydic character adding to its character, with a long finish that enhances its finesse. Top class stuff, this.

Beam Ltd Phone: 09 915 8465 brad.kirner@beamglobal.com www.beamglobal.com

ABERLOUR 20 YO MASTER OF MALT SELECTION Speyside • 43% abv Rich bodied whisky has a ripely nutty nose with grainy malt features and a fat viscosity. Notes of American oak and a lick of fire about its spirit. Lively with aspects of home baking and one taster identified a dash of camphor. Certainly have hay and straw notes that linger at the finish. Big whisky, assertive and complex. A good late night companion. $$$$

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

The Whiskey Boutique Phone: 021 958 089 tony@thewhiskeyboutique.co.nz www.thewhiskeyboutique.co.nz

THE GLENLIVET 12 YO

AMRUT FUSION

Spey side (Livet) • 40% abv Beautiful nose has fine grain and a deliciously flowery fragrance, with hints of ripe fruit and minerals. Clean and perfectly balance; this is a lighter style of whisky, with a distinct floral character and gentle, persuasive malt character. Smooth, and poised between dryness and sweetness, with a lovely, lingering finish. It is the consummate professional whisky, fine tuned and full of the characters that have made Speyside famous, never overdoing the testosterone.

Bangalore, India • 46% abv A very rum-like whisky, light and soft with nice grain amongst the sweetness. Hints of smoke and charcoal add to its warmth, and its clean finish is well controlled. Good stuff, quite different in character from the Scotch and New Zealand whiskies, but not without merit.

$

$ Tickety-Boo Liquor Phone: 09 377 7597 sales@tickety-boo.co.nz

Pernod Ricard New Zealand Phone: 0800 655 550 customer.services@pernod-ricard-nz.co www.pernod-ricard-nz.com m

SEPTEMBER 2013 . HOSPITALITY/THIRST . 63

THE PANEL. Single Malts ARRAN 10 YO Arran Isle, Western Islands • 46% abv This suave whisky has iodine, flowers and sweet oak in its delightful bouquet.

Strong barley characters on the suave, mid weight palate add to its impressive character and there is a distinctive clarity about it that lasts right through to the end of a well sustained finish. Crisp, feels light but has more substance than at first appear. Good weight of flavours on the palate, with excellent balance. $ Malts of Distinction Phone: 09 298 4808 info@maltsofdistinction.co.nz www.maltsofdistinction.co.nz

ARDMORE TRADITIONAL CASK (NO AGE SPECIFIED) Speyside (Bogie) • 46% abv This is the malt that made Teachers whisky world famous, but it is rarely found as a single these days. Starts with a wonderfully liquorice-like creaminess on the nose and palate, with a very grainy malt presence, a hint of maritime character and dashes of peat. Beautifully integrated with detail and a fine balance between dry characters and sweet. All class and honest venture finishing with a malt lilt. $

★STAR of the SHOW

Beam Ltd Phone: 09 915 8465 brad.kirner@beamglobal.com www.beamglobal.com

ARRAN 12 YO Arran Isle, Western Island • 53.6% abv Amazing softness considering the extra alcohol. Same family characteristics of iodine and flowers on the nose, and clarity across the palate, but on the whole deeper, richer with greater depth and persistence at the finish. Clean, spicy notes throughout and nicely measured sweetness at the finish.

A very classy dram indeed, worth seeking out if you are not familiar with this rare distillery.

GO ON OUR FACEBOOK PAGE AND ‘LIKE’ THE PANEL TASTING AND BE IN TO WIN SOME OF THE STAR OF THE SHOW FROM EACH TASTING. SIMPLY LIKE OUR PAGE AND YOU CAN WIN SAMPLES OF THE STAR OF THE SHOW FOR THE OUTLET YOU WORK FOR (ENTRANTS MUST BE 18 OR OLDER TO ENTER).

PRODUCT WILL BE DELIVERED

BY THE SUPPLIER TO THE OUTLET SPECIFIED.

$$ Malts of Distinction Phone: 09 298 4808 info@maltsofdistinction.co.nz www.maltsofdistinction.co.nz

HIGHLAND PARK 12 YO

LAPHROAIG 10 YO

Orkney • 40% Immediate smoky warmth is a classic Highland Park characteristic, warm and generous, with plenty of flowers and sweet malty grain to complete its complexity. Some thought it too obvious after the previous subtleties of Arran, but it also had its fans.

Surprisingly not as smooth as this label usually is, but most satisfying with a hearty swathe of flavours and warm after notes.

Islay (South Shore) • 40% abv Big, loud and full of peat character with a wash of salty, iodine and ozone across its nose. Briny in the mouth, too, a big brash, rich flavoured malt, slightly creamy in texture, hinting at sweetness and boasting a hint of oiliness. Love it or loath it style of whisky, there is no question that it is unequivocal and classy, whatever your opinion. $$

$$ Beam Ltd Phone: 09 915 8465 brad.kirner@beamglobal.com www.beamglobal.com

64 . HOSPITALITY/THIRST . SEPTEMBER 2013

Beam Ltd Phone: 09 915 8465 brad.kirner@beamglobal.com www.beamglobal.com

WHISKY

The rising challenge of asian whisky

BY KEITH STEWART

Global change is not restricted to climate and rising sea levels, as the East increases pressure on Scotland’s claim to be the dominant force in world whisky production.

Much recent news has focused on the rise and rise of American Whiskey, as well as a burgeoning global demand for the original, Irish whiskey, but more dramatic by far is the gathering success of Asian whisky at international competitions, highlighted by the recent success of Taiwan in this most important of distilled beverages.

At the 2012 International Spirits Challenge the Taiwanese distiller, Kavalan, that country’s only whisky producer was named Asian Distiller of the Year, and this year has followed that up with two more gold medals at the 2013 Challenge, considered one of the most prestigious anywhere. This consistency is putting the tiny Asian nation sharply in focus with the world’s whisky connoisseurs, and with Japan has East Asia as the coming

power in whisky.

In competitions Japan has risen to prominence in recent years with some stunning victories in competitions, not least when Yoichi burst onto the scene in 2001 with the highest scoring in Whisky magazine’s Global Whisky Tasting ahead of the best Scotland and Kentucky had to offer. In the latest Spirits Challenge recently concluded in London, Japanese and Taiwanese whiskies won 17 gold medals, which compares more than favourably with Scotland’s haul of 87 golds.

This is an impressive performance considering Scotland dominates global whisky production like no other, while Japan is a mere 5% of the world whisky trade.

Taiwan’s Kavalan is just the latest Asian whisky missile that has given the Scots a shock. Produced by the industrial conglomerate, King Car, it released its first commercial whisky only in 2008 and now has

10 versions, including the trophy winning Single Malts.

Japan has been at the whisky distilling game much, much longer, starting in the nineteenth century and developing an unmanning ability to reproduce Scotchlike characters of remarkably high quality.

Any whisky enthusiast will now admit that choosing Japanese is a reasonable option, especially if the Scots selection at the bar you are in is all the usual big brand culprits with none of the exciting individual whiskies the Highlands and Islands are capable of.

Yamazaki, Taketsuru and Yoichi are considered the finest expressions of Japanese whisky, and are available as blends and single malts. Yamazaki 18-Year-Old Single Malt has the best track record of any whisky at the notable San Francisco Spirits Competition, while the 13-Year-Old is the current holder of the Best Whisky in the World title from the 2013 World Whisky Awards.

SEPTEMBER 2013 . HOSPITALITY/THIRST . 65

THE PANEL. Summer Beers

Here comes

the summer

BY DON KAVANAGH

What’s not to love?

“How are you fixed to do a beer tasting?” they asked.

Beer? My ears pricked up. Yes, beer and not just any old beer, but a selection of fine ales, lagers, porters and stouts to look forward to once the winter ends and summer is here again.

I was very interested by this stage. Then they said it was to be at Deep Creek, the Brew Bar in Auckland’s Brown’s Bay and I was already halfway out the door before I’d put the phone down.

You see, there are few things in life as rewarding as sitting down and trying some beers you might not have tried before. So when you get to sit down with a few brewers and try some beers it’s even better. And when you get to do it in the cosy environs of a beachfront bar on a glorious late-winter day, you’d have to be insane to pass it up.

Which is how we ended up in Brown’s Bay, surrounded by plates of ribs, wraps and beer bottles; it’s a tough life this journalism lark, I can tell you.

Seriously, though, this was an eye-opener for me. I’ve drunk a lot of beer down the years; good, bad and indifferent, it rarely mattered to a growing – and thirsty – lad.

But the sheer quality of the beers we tried was so encouraging. The craft brewers of this country deserve medals for their contribution

to the improvement of beer quality and the big guys deserve at least a pat on the back for taking it on board and upping their game.

To be honest, it used to be a bit embarrassing whenever visitors would arrive here and the choice of beer was limited to say the least: lager or draught in many places, with the odd boutique bar offering a stout as well.

These days, New Zealand’s brewing scene is the envy of many around the world. When I was at a major beer festival in Melbourne this year, every Aussie I spoke wanted to know which of the Kiwi beers they should try.

Even the Aussie brewers were in awe of what their Kiwi counterparts had achieved, both in widening the scope of beer styles available and getting them to the grateful drinker.

And we can’t forget the major brewers either. Let’s be honest, they’ve copped a fair bit down the years – often deservedly, especially when they insist on sole supply – but their efforts on the brewing front as a result of the challenge thrown down by the crafties should be recognised.

I’ll give you a case in point – when we came to awarding the Star of the Show (of which more in a minute) Steinlager Classic was well up in the discussions. And the reason was that stylistically it did exactly what it should do – it delivered an incredibly fresh, crisp, hoppy beer and it delivers that millions

66 . HOSPITALITY/THIRST . SEPTEMBER 2013

of times each week.

The level of quality is excellent and the level of consistency is beyond belief. So we’ve decided it should be awarded at least an honourable mention. If we had a podium it would have been on there and congratulations to everyone involved. I know many will poopoo such words, but when three craft brewers and a jaded hack are unanimously positive about a beer that many dismiss out of hand, maybe it’s time for a re-think.

As to this month’s Star of the Show, it’s a toughie. So tough, in fact, that we’ve had to split the award between two beers. Deep Creek’s Lotus Pale Ale and Liberty Brewing’s Yakima Monster were so close that it would have been unfair to split them. An added complication was that we tried the Yakima from the bottle and the Lotus from the barrel, so it wasn’t an entirely level playing field.

Joining Dave Batten and myself this month for the tasting were Scott Taylor and Jarred MacLachlan from Deep Creek and Joseph wood from Liberty Brewing. As ever, when it came to their own products, their opinions were disregarded.

Thanks to everyone at Deep Creek not just for the use of their excellent bar for our tasting, but for the outstanding lunch they provided as well. You’ve raised the bar pretty high there guys, if you’ll pardon the pun.

THE PANEL. Summer Beers STEINLAGER CLASSIC

MOA METHODE

5% 330ml Love it or hate it, there is no denying the character of this beer.

Fresh, green, grassy nose with a hint of flint, it shows lovely hop bitterness on the palate and a mineral finish. As one judge said: “Why drink imported beer when you can drink this?”

5% 330ml Almost a witbier style, with a hazy finish and a definite coriander element on the nose. It then turns sweeter in the mouth with hints of bubblegum and a pocket of spice in the mid-palate. The finish emphasises the hop content and cuts the residual sweetness.

$

$$

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

Treasury Wine Estate Phone: 0800 651 650 info@moabeer.com www.moabeer.com

★Honourable Mention STEINLAGER PURE

MOA PALE ALE

5% 330ml The Steingrenade’s younger brother, this retains some of the original’s hoppiness on the nose, but with a fatter malt content.

Plenty of sweet malt on the palate, with an almost corn-like character and the hops make a comeback towards the finish.

5% 330ml Intriguing nose on this one; it starts out lemony and then shows a distinct berryfruit character.

Spicy and yeasty on the palate, with earthy notes added to the mix before a firm, hop-driven finish winds the whole package up.

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

Treasury Wine Estate Phone: 0800 651 650 info@moabeer.com www.moabeer.com

PACIFICO

MOA BREAKFAST

4.4% 330ml Typical cerveza-style, with a fattish nose showing some fruit and malt notes. On the palate, it is quite malty, with some apple notes and even a touch of saltiness. True to type and a refreshing drop on a hot day.

5.3% 375ml This breakfast beer was designed to be enjoyed early and it certainly has a welcoming nose, packed with jellybean and jube notes.

Some spice emerges on the palate, but it’s dominated by the candy flavours, which ensure an easy trip across the tongue.

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

Treasury Wine Estate Phone: 0800 651 650 info@moabeer.com www.moabeer.com

SEPTEMBER 2013 . HOSPITALITY/THIRST . 67

THE PANEL. Summer Beers LIBERTY BREWING YAKIMA MONSTER STRONG APA

HAWKES BAY INDEPENDENT BREWERY PILSNER

6% 500ml Our other standout beer, a complex monster that handles its strength of character beautifully. The nose moves from bittersweet orange oil notes through floral hops to a rich malty sweetness, while the palate is an explosive mix of sweet malt, fruit, warm bread and that ever-present hop bitterness that balances the palate perfectly. Complex, rich and intriguing, it’s the sort of beer that makes you stop talking and start paying attention to the beer.

5% 330ml A lovely pilsner with a typically floral hop nose underpinned by sweetish malt. It’s more maltfocused on the palate, with a dry barley character and an agreeably bitter hop finish. Very easy to drink and distinctly more-ish.

Hawkes Bay Independent Brewery Phone: 0800 696 2837 sales@hbib.co.nz www.hbib.co.nz

$$$$ Hashigo Zake Phone: 04 384 7300 sales@hashigozake.co.nz www.cultbeerstore.co.nz

$$

★STAR of the SHOW

LIBERTY BREWING C!TRA IMPERIAL IPA 9% 500ml Wow, what a monster of a beer.

Despite the strength, it achieves balance on both nose and palate, with a definite citric tang across both, but also with a smooth, creamy butterscotch note. The glory of this beer is that the high strength and high bitterness are apparent without being too obvious. A very smart beer.

HAWKES BAY INDEPENDENT BREWERY GINGER FUSION 4% 330ml A ginger beer that has been blended with oranges and it certainly shows on the nose, with great wafts of mandarin coming across over the ginger. In the mouth, the orange flavours come through across the front of the palate, before the ginger notes take over on the finish.

$$$$$

$$

Hashigo Zake Phone: 04 384 7300 sales@hashigozake.co.nz www.cultbeerstore.co.nz

Hawkes Bay Independent Brewery Phone: 0800 696 2837 sales@hbib.co.nz www.hbib.co.nz

LIBERTY BREWING SAUVIGNON BOMB NZ PALE ALE

HAWKES BAY INDEPENDENT BREWERY BLACK DUCK PORTER

7% 500ml Liberty doesn’t do shy, retiring beers and this is further evidence of that. Gently sweet on the nose, the sauvin hops race across the palate offering a racy bitterness that wakes you up like a cup of cold water to the face. Invigorating and exhilarating beer.

4% 330ml A reliable porter that weighs in at a very sessionable strength, this displays the typical characters of porter. Smoky and flinty on the nose, with a lovely sweetish malt flavour on the palate leading to a clean, crisp, lightly hoppy finish.

Smart beer.

$$$$

$$

Hashigo Zake Phone: 04 384 7300 sales@hashigozake.co.nz www.cultbeerstore.co.nz

Hawkes Bay Independent Brewery Phone: 0800 696 2837 sales@hbib.co.nz www.hbib.co.nz

68 . HOSPITALITY/THIRST . SEPTEMBER 2013

THE PANEL. Summer Beers SINGHA LAGERBEER 5% 330ml A classic summer beer, with a light, toasty aroma and a short, sharp flavour profile that offers light crisped rice notes and a little lemony hop. It’s not a big, complex beer, but it doesn’t need to be – it’s dry, refreshing and goes perfectly well with food or simply as an afternoon improver.

EPICURE COFFEE & FIG OATMEAL STOUT 8% 750ml A stout to charm even non-beer drinkers with its heady aromas of vanilla, coffee oil and a hint of sweet fig. The palate is all about the coffee, but with a sturdy stout background, chock-full of roasty malt and bitter hops. The vague hint of fig sweetness just adds to the elegance of this very stylish beer.

$$ $$$$$$ Negociants New Zealand Phone: 0800 634 624 ordersnz@negociants.com www.negociantsnz.com

EPIC HOP ZOMBIE DOUBLE IPA 8.5% 500ml A genuine monster, not scary, but definitely worthy of respect. The nose is almost savoury, with hints of onion skin and that kind of nettly greenness you get with the better sauvignon blancs and the palate broadens out to offer a rich, almost toffeeish malt character.

Epic Brewing Company Ltd Phone: 0800 212 337 epic@epicbeer.com www.epicbeer.com

HALLERTAU NO.1 LUXE KOLSCH BEER 4.5% 330ml Not a lager as such, but more of a yellow ale, this Kolsch-style ale is deservedly popular. A tangy, tropical punch nose leads onto a lifted fruity palate that uses a crisp dryness to keep the sweetness in check. Balanced and elegant, it’s a very smart beer.

$$$$ $$ Epic Brewing Company Ltd Phone: 0800 212 337 epic@epicbeer.com www.epicbeer.com

EPIC COMET IPA 6.2% 500ml An incredibly herbaceous beer, with a nose that covers everything from mint to grass and on to nettle and tomato leaf. The palate is broad and generous with toffee notes layered over the greener characters and finishing with a lovely, dry hop bite.

Hallertau Brewbar Phone: 09 412 5555 hoppy@hallertau.co.nz www.hallertau.co.nz

HALLERTAU NO.2 STATESMAN PALE ALE 5.3% 330ml This reminds me of marmalade for some reason. I think it’s the zesty orange peel notes and the slightly honeyed malt sweetness on the nose that does it. It’s a little flavour bomb of a beer, with plenty going on and it handles the extra strength very easily.

$$$ $$ Epic Brewing Company Ltd Phone: 0800 212 337 epic@epicbeer.com www.epicbeer.com

Hallertau Brewbar Phone: 09 412 5555 hoppy@hallertau.co.nz www.hallertau.co.nz

SEPTEMBER 2013 . HOSPITALITY/THIRST . 69

THE PANEL. Summer Beers HALLERTAU PORTER NOIR

RANGA GINGERBEER

6.6% 750ml A rich porter aged in pinot noir barrels, so what’s not to love?

Deep reddish brown in the glass, it exudes heady aromas of black cherry, pepper and charred malt.

On the palate, the plummy fruit is everywhere and it adds another dimension to what was clearly a fine beer before the barrels were employed.

4.5% 330ml An interesting ginger beer, that’s almost more like a soft drink than a beer. The nose has a lovely ginger perfume, with touches of citrus underneath and the palate is almost exactly like a straight ginger beer. Very, very easy to drink.

$$$$$

Federal Merchants & Co Phone: 0800 846 824 info@federalmerchants.co.nz www.federalmerchants.co.nz

Hallertau Brewbar Phone: 09 412 5555 hoppy@hallertau.co.nz www.hallertau.co.nz

GLABRAITHS MUNICH BAVARIAN STYLE LAGER 5% 330ml A cleverly made lager made from European ingredients right here in New Zealand. Golden in the glass with a lifted fruit character on the nose. Mouthfilling and persistently frothy, it’s a classically styled lager that masters the hop-malt balancing act perfectly.

$$

CHANG BEER 5% 330ml This Thai champion is a well-known beer around the world and in the right condition it’s a very refreshing beer. A little dusty on the nose, with some malt sweetness coming through, it opens out a bit on the palate with fruity notes and a slightly oxidative character.

$$ $$$ Negociants New Zealand Phone: 0800 634 624 ordersnz@negociants.com www.negociantsnz.com

Federal Merchants & Co Phone: 0800 846 824 info@federalmerchants.co.nz www.federalmerchants.co.nz

GALBRAITHS NZ PALE ALE 5% 330ml Lovely copper-coloured ale with a steely hop note on the nose, backed up by a gently sweet, almost nutty malt element. Nice malt sweetness on the front palate, with a greenish hop tang emerging on the finish. The nuttiness on the middle palate is a lovely touch.

EMERSON'S PILSNER 4.4% 500ml A cracking pilsner, with a lovely balance between the almost honeyed malt and bright, crisp citrus hops. On the palate, a tropical fruit element emerges, adding even more character and depth. Refreshing and very clean, it also has one of the most consistent levels of fizz we’ve seen.

$$$ Negociants New Zealand Phone: 0800 634 624 ordersnz@negociants.com www.negociantsnz.com

70 . HOSPITALITY/THIRST . SEPTEMBER 2013

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

THE PANEL. Summer Beers MAC’S HOP ROCKER PILSNER 5% 330ml Quite pale in the glass, but the nose is anything but – rich citrus notes, fresh-cut grass, spice and a nice mealy maltiness. On the palate it stays consistent, with the malt coming up first, before giving way to fruit notes and a citric hop bite on the finish.

DEEP CREEK UNDERCURRENT PILSNER 5% 330ml This has a lovely sweet nose, almost like toffee apples, with a creamy malt note and fruity undercurrents. The palate is malt-driven, with lovely depth and weight, before giving way to a mineral-like hop bitterness on the finish.

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

Deep Creek Brewing Co Phone: 09 215 6030 dispatch@dcbrewing.co.nz www.dcbrewing.co.nz

DEEP CREEK 309 NEW ZEALAND PALE ALE

DEEP CREEK DOMINATRIX DOUBLE IPA

5% 330ml Another Deep Creek beer with a lot of class; the nose is malt-driven and there is a definite alcohol note there too. On the palate it’s like a traditional English ale, with warm malt sweetness backed by mineralhop bitterness and a lovely almost coppery finish. $$ Deep Creek Brewing Co Phone: 09 215 6030 dispatch@dcbrewing.co.nz www.dcbrewing.co.nz

7.3% 50L keg Supercharged IPA that is brilliant on tap. The nose starts off with heavy malt notes before giving way to chalky, minerally hop aromas. The palate is creamy and weighty, with a lovely balance between the dark toffee and rich fruit notes and the minerally hop finish.

POA keg only Deep Creek Brewing Co Phone: 09 215 6030 dispatch@dcbrewing.co.nz www.dcbrewing.co.nz

TRADE PRICE GUIDE excl GST per bottle • Less than $2.50 $ • $2.50 - $4.00 $$ • $4.00 - $5.50 $$$ • $5.50 - $7.50 $$$$ • $7.50 - 10.00$$$$$ • over $10.00 $$$$$$

DEEP CREEK LOTUS PALE ALE 4.5% 330ml One of two stars of the show this month and for the reasons explained above. This is a stunning beer, with a lovely nose that starts off piney and then opens out through floral hop to honeyed malt. On tap, the mouthfeel is excellent, with body, weight and a perfect creamy level of froth. The malt flavours come out on the palate, leaving echoes of honey and brioche before finishing with a classic hop tang. Superior beer by any measure. $$ Deep Creek Brewing Co Phone: 09 215 6030 dispatch@dcbrewing.co.nz www.dcbrewing.co.nz

★STAR of the SHOW

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SEPTEMBER 2013 . HOSPITALITY/THIRST . 71

PRESSING MATTERS. Opinion

IS BY THE GLASS

a rip off?

Selling wine by the glass or the jug is as old as bars, older than restaurants, and is as fraught with challenges for both customers and operators as it was when the wine they purchased was as likely to be vinegar as it was slops from who knew where. Now we have a new wave of verre du vin that presents as more sophisticated than plonk, but so much of it arrives in a glass with less appeal than a second-hand hamburger and we need to ask ourselves if we are doing our establishments, the reputation of our wines or our consumers any favours. Is wine by the glass the ultimate hospo rip off?

BY KEITH STEWART

The modern fashion for wine by the glass was promoted by two things. In the first case a new age of technology, from simple rubber wine closures and hand air pumps to fully gassed up, glass lined, refrigerated dispensers that made it possible to serve wine as if from a freshly opened bottle. The popularity of such equipment was further enhanced by the wine boom of the past 50 years, which reached a point in the nineties where the volume of wine types available reached epic proportions.

Both of these phenomena flew in the face of the well established practice of offering only wine that was in a sealed bottle, and presenting it to the customer so sealed top make the point. Which was; we only serve wine that is in the condition the winemaker intended.

Now we have the technology to deliver, by the glass, wine in full possession of its natural charms. But the technology is expensive, or, in the case of the cheap versions, ineffective.

So while fully gassed up systems may offer a solution in theory, they rarely do. Who in reality can keep up with those well endowed establishments with all the gear when every customer now wants the hottest Central Pinot by the bloody glass?

In effect, you don’t. That is not to say every establishment is selling wine by the glass that is not from a bottle of the stuff it claims to be. That would be blatant fraud of the oldest kind and suitable for prosecution by the appropriate public watchdog. But less blatant, and no less professional, is the very common practice of serving a glass of wine from a bottle that has been open hours, days, to the point where it has little in common with the wine from the once freshly opened bottle.

While the bottle may still proclaim it is the World’s Best Ever Medal Winning Central

Pinot Noir, by the time most of it is served it would fail to win a well done certificate at the Atchison, Missouri County Fair. Oxygen is the enemy of wine, as any trainee winemaker can tell you, and most of the wine served by the glass in New Zealand restaurants is from the war zone. It is as likely to be on the way to vinegar as a flagon in a back street Marseille bar, without the redeeming feature of being cheap.

The only winners out of this debacle of poor service and dumb waiting are the craft brewers who sell their beer by the bottle, in drink sized volumes. Winemakers who bend their profits to make their favoured brands into “house pours” are kidding themselves if they think their reputation is getting

72 . HOSPITALITY/THIRST . SEPTEMBER 2013

anything from this commerce other than a good battering.

As for establishments that grin at the profits they are making by selling every last drop of oxidized, infected wine to unwitting customers, don’t kid yourselves. All you need is for the competition to start taking its wine service seriously and your rip off will be exposed. With luck you will learn some hard lessons about service.

Or you will go bust.

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