Restaurant Association newsletter THE Thymes (February 2015 ) by Nicola Waldren

FEBRUARY 2015

P H O T O S : M IST ER S , A UCK LAN D

Make a start to 2015 by taking the time to celebrate your success

from the CEO’s desk trending now... As you set your business goals for the coming year, we look at some of the current international trends that may influence New Zealand dining habits in 2015.

Last year was a positive year for the hospitality industry as we saw a recovery and strong sales growth for the sector. Anecdotally, while there are always challenges in this industry, industry, business owners have been telling us that they are feeling positive. So make sure that as we get the new year underway, you take some time to stop and celebrate your business’ accomplishments.

are your employees entitled to work here? the power of team

SALE ST, AUCKLAND

The whole is greater than the sum of the parts. What makes an effective team and a great team leader? And how can you bring out the best in others?

new rules apply for ANZAC Day

or some of you this maybe simply stating the obvious, but for others it will be a task well overdue. In today’s high-speed world, we generally focus on moving from one goal to the next. Once we complete a project, we check it off our to-do list and quickly see what we need to do next. This is particularly the case in hospitality which is generally made up of small businesses with owner/ operators working 24/7 in the business; there is never time to stop. However, if you never savour those victories, however small, you never get to really reflect on what you have achieved and how far you (and your business) have come. Celebrating your wins also reminds you of the goal you set and why you set it in the first place and forces you to concentrate in the positive, rather than dwelling on the alternative. Let’s face it, your to-do list will never be complete. CONTINUED. ON FOLLOWING PAGE

Needless to say, sharing your success with your staff can also have a very positive effective and can inspire the team on to even greater success. It also reminds your workers that they are working for a winning operation. And everyone wants to work for winners! Take it a step further by acknowledging the part that individual employees play in the success of your business— employees who know their efforts have been noticed will be more willing and motivated as you start towards your next goal. Here at the Restaurant Association we have also been taking some time to reflect on the past year’s successes, as we plan for the coming 12 months. We have seen our membership continue to grow and we have continued to introduce new initiatives and resources to assist your businesses. So in the spirit of celebration, we’ve noted some of our highlights in 2014… O O

O O

We hosted over 40 events, webinars, professional development seminars and masterclasses. Our Restaurant Association gift vouchers and restaurant gift cards reached record sales in excess of $1,500,000 in 2014 to directly benefit participating Association members. If you are not yet a participant of these two programmes give us a call. We introduced some new events – the Barista Smackdown and our inaugural Hospitality Summit – and bought back the popular Feast by Famous Chefs dinner. We also introduced a new award to recognise operators “paying it forward” – the Good Neighbour Award. In 2015 the Summit will be held at the end of September with a two day programme of events planned. Larry Nadeau, the veteran Matire D’ from world renowned restaurant, The French Laundry, will be one of our international key note speakers, with further announcements to be made in the next few weeks. We re-negotiated two key member benefit programmes with Nova Energy and Spark. In the coming weeks we look forward to announcing many new initiatives for members, as we focus on more regional activity, awards and events that concentrate on the things you’ve told us you want us to focus on. Dates for our regional meetings will be set in advance to help you to plan your attendance and will take on a seasonal theme, addressing the issues and focuses of that time of year. Members can also attend a new financial literacy workshop, with more detail included in this newsletter. Our professional development programme and webinars will begin again in March and we are developing some new short course programmes which will roll out later in the year, exclusively for members.

There is much to look forward to in 2015!00 737 827.

THE THYMES FEBRUARY 2015

NEW FOCUS INTRODUCES CHANGES TO 2015 EVENTS T

he Restaurant Association of New Zealand has decided that it will be stepping away from running the New Zealand Culinary Fare - an event we have proudly staged for more than 20 years - to pursue a new member-focused strategy. CEO Marisa Bidois says that the Restaurant Association’s focus has changed. “We strongly believe in the future of the NZ Culinary Fare, and will continue to support it, but most of our effort and energy will now be devoted to supporting our members, who are business owners. “During 2014, we staged a number of new events. The success of these has given us the opportunity to look at the areas our members would like us to focus on. “With this in mind our efforts will be devoted to educating and supporting hospitality business owners to be successful and helping to encourage the overall growth of our sector, which currently generates annual revenue of $7.6 billion and employs around 107,000 people. “We believe we have found a new partner and champion to continue the NZ Culinary Fare. The New Zealand Chef’s Association (NZChef’s) will be running a new look event alongside the Food Show in August 2015. “The Restaurant Association looks forward to supporting and working closely with NZ Chef’s on the competitions both next year and beyond.” The Restaurant Association’s Education Trust also currently invests large resources in training the future leaders and stars of the industry through its Apprentice Programme that it runs in conjunction with Service IQ.

ceo update

November 2011

FROM THE CEO’s DESK HAPPY NEW YEAR! I HOPE HOPE THE SUMMER HAS BEEN A PROFITABLE ONE SO FAR. SALES GROWTH STATISTICS CONTINUE TO BE POSITIVE FOR OUR INDUSTRY AND ECONOMIC INDICATORS ARE POINTING TOWARDS A STABLE 2015 YEAR. HOPEFULLY THE POSITIVE IMPACT WILL REACH ALL MEMBER BUSINESSES.

his issue of The Thymes is in line with the reflection that often comes with the New Year. To assist you during this time, we have gathered insightful information for you to consider as you are setting new goals for your business. We have also included information on trends from different parts of the globe to help inspire those that are looking to tweak their offering. The New Year is a time for us here at the Restaurant Association to also continue to review what we are offering members – something we do regularly as we strive to ensure we provide members with the right tools and advice. One of our more important decisions for 2015 has been realigning our events calendar to reflect our member’s wants and requests. One of more significant changes is with the NZ Culinary Fare. The Association has decided that we will no longer organise the NZ Culinary Fare, however we will continue to support the Fare and work alongside the NZ Chefs Association. They have offered to continue to run the Fare – which we whole heartily support - and we will assist them through the transition. You will have seen more information about this change and our focus for 2015 on the front inside cover. With our focus repositioning on our newest event, the Hospitality Summit, we are working on a larger line-up of inspiring speakers for 2015. One of our confirmed international guest speakers is Larry Nadeau from the world-renowned restaurant, The French Laundry. Larry has presented for the Association in the past to sell-out crowds and is well respected by the industry here in New Zealand.

This exciting event will be taking place in September this year and we will be releasing more details about the Summit in the coming months. We are working on many other new, exciting, initiatives with a key initiative due for release in March. In this issue we have highlighted a couple of new member offers, so be sure to check these out. In other news, I would like to warmly welcome Vanessa Bainbridge to the team here at the Association. Vanessa is our new Helpline Advisor, with a background in law and a special interest in employment law. Coupled with hospitality experience, this makes her a great asset to the team. In her first weeks here Vanessa has already assisted many members on liquor licencing, employment relations, immigration, leasing agreements and much more – so please do call her if you have any legal questions that need answering (the Helpline number is 0800 737 827). Please enjoy this first issue for 2015 of The Thymes. I wish you all the very best for the coming year. Please do contact us if you have any suggestions or feedback – we always enjoy hearing from our members.

Marisa Bidois marisa@restaurantnz.co.nz

proudly brought to you by Outdoor Concepts ceo’s desk

THE THYMES FEBRUARY 2015

PRESIDENT’SVIEWPOINT I hope you all had a great lead up to Christmas with plenty of functions and group bookings boosting turnover. It is always a great time of year for our sector although we do get a bit of a hit with the statutory holiday wages. Some locations (like the inner city) also go quiet after Christmas but many holiday locations see a real increase in business ...BY MIKE EGAN

t was pleasing to see Statistics New Zealand’s recent figures reporting a general lift in sales in the restaurant and café category, throughout the country. This is great news and was supported by all of our regional branch presidents when we got together at the end of last year. They were very positive about the regions they represented.

When the economy picks up and companies want to celebrate a good year with their teams we are often the beneficiaries. However we have also had to cope with the new drink drive limits that were imposed late last year. It remains to be seen what sort of impact this will have but operators may need to be more creative about their beverage (especially non-alcoholic) offerings and promote alternative transport options more than they have. The introduction of Local Alcohol Plans around some regions have also impacted, with big fee increases, restricted hours of trade being encouraged and a delay with the processing of renewals in many locations. The ability to be granted a Special Licence has been highlighted, with the authorities seemingly wanting to restrict the granting of these for just about any occasion. It has been mentioned "off the record" that Wellington have a target of none ever being granted! Many members are also voicing frustrations at review websites whereby fictitious, false or exaggerated reviews are posted. It is almost impossible to challenge or have them modified. One member recently had scores of 1 for each category on TripAdvisor because the poster was annoyed that they would have to wait for a table as the restaurant was full. They told the Maitre d' they would

post such a review unless they were seated immediately, and when advised they could of course wait in the bar until a table became free they refused. Sure enough they posted the review and it was accepted even though in the review they wrote they never ate any food, received any service or experienced any of the ambience—and in fact did not even enter the restaurant from the reception! There have also been reports of frustrations by customers with the number of places now shut on public holidays. Also the fact that on New Year's Eve many restaurants made sure they were closed by midnight in order not to have any staff working through into the public holiday. Hotels often report of the struggle to find somewhere for their guests to go to celebrate the New Year. Not a good look for the tourists; the old regime whereby the paying of penal rates did not start until 3am made sense. On a positive note, all the indications for 2015 are looking good. With fuel prices dropping and food price increases slowing down we could see plenty of upside. With a positive outlook from the wider business community reported and increases in new immigrants and tourists it is looking good for the hospitality sector. Have a great 2015 and may your landlord take a pass on your rent review, may there be a plethora of experienced, motivated and professional staff and may our customers have full wallets and kind hearts . Mike Egan mike@monsoonpoon.co.nz

proudly brought to you by Starline

THE THYMES FEBRUARY 2015

president’s viewpoint

DUNEDIN CAFÉ

IS NZ’S BEST

For the second year in a row a South Island café has been judged the nation’s best. Dunedin’s Ironic Café has taken out the Café of the Year title for this year from 18 finalists throughout New Zealand.

PROUDLY SUPPORTED BY

ronic Café, a member of the Restaurant Association of NZ, is owned by Sue Moller and Steve Wilson, who opened it in 2007. For their win, in addition to the kudos of running the country’s best café, Sue and Steve drive home a sporty Renault Clio R.S. 200 worth more than $30,000. Their winning dish was a Spring Stack comprising sautéed fresh local asparagus, chorizo and fresh spinach served with roasted tomato, poached free-range eggs and vibrant avocado crème on Ironic’s freshly baked ciabatta. It was prepared using Wattie’s frozen avocado and Meadow Fresh sour cream. Head judge Kerry Tyack says Ironic is “a truly delightful and well managed café propelled in to the winners’ circle by its loyal customers.” “Ironic has it all; a busy, upbeat atmosphere, great staff ably led by the owner determined to make your visit enjoyable, an extensive selection of cabinet food to tempt you as well as superb coffee. You can just pop in and grab something to take away or you can sit and linger, inside or out, read the paper or a magazine while soaking up the ambience in an environment that epitomises New Zealand’s burgeoning café culture.”

eateries that entered – 454 more than in 2013. Entrants needed to create a dish to feature on their menus comprising at least one of a specified range of Wattie’s and Meadow Fresh products.

THE REGIONAL WINNERS FOR CAFÉ OF THE YEAR ARE: Auckland Local Café, Whangaparaoa Upper North Island Nourish, Tauranga

Our CEO, Marisa Bidois, says with record entries this year the competition has been tough. “The café culture is such an important part of our ethos here in New Zealand and it’s wonderful to see such a diverse representation in the finalists. A big congratulations to our winners.”

Lower North Island Springvale Café, Whanganui

The Dunedin café fought off challenges from regional winners in Auckland, the Upper North Island, Lower North Island, Wellington and Christchurch as well as cafés from the wider South Island.

Christchurch Terra Viva Café & Deli, Burnside

The competition is now in its third year and more than 39,000 café lovers across six regions voted for the 1,123

IRONIC CAFE OW SU UE E MOL WITH MARIE DU NERS S NBAR, OF CO- LER AND STEVE WILSON (R SPONSOR HE IGHT) PHOTO: OTAG INZ WATTIES. O DAILY TTIM IMES

THE THYMES FEBRUARY 2015

Wellington Elements, Lyall Bay

South Island Ironic Café, Dunedin Last year’s overall winner was The Jester House Café in Nelson.

TRENDING NOW As you set your business goals for the coming year, we look at some of the current international trends that may influence New Zealand dining habits in 2015...

member benefits

NEW YORK

CITY BAN POLYSTYRENE

FOAM In a rather bold move New York’s Mayor has announced a ban on businesses serving food and drinks in polystyrene foam containers. It is an initiative that is being hailed by environmentalists but was opposed by the food service industry, mainly due to the increase cost of other products – estimated to increase costs by 20 – 50 per cent. The ban will stop restaurants, cafés, coffee houses and food carts from using single-serve containers made of expanded polystyrene from 1 July this year, although they will transition to using new, more environmentally friendly, products for 6 months. The announcement came after a oneyear consultation period which gave opponents an opportunity to prove to the city's sanitation commissioner that an existing Brooklyn facility could effectively recycle the material. The city won't take expanded polystyrene as part of its regular recycling program because of difficulties in processing the material.

THE THYMES FEBRUARY 2015

employment employment matters matters

WHAT WE ATE IN 2014: DINING FORECAST

HITS & MISSES ‘Tis the season to make forecasts. But who ever follows up to see if those predictions came true?

or instance, every year the National Restaurant Association in the United States surveys restaurant chefs to forecast food trends for the coming year. How accurate are they? This year, restaurant-delivery portal GrubHub decided to compare the chef’s predictions with its own 2013 and 2014 data for actual takeout orders placed through the site. Turns out that — when it comes to GrubHub users, at least — some of the NRA predictions were right on. Others, not so much. The accuracy rate was only about 50-50. Of 14 predictions, half of the trends saw substantial growth, but the other half were flat or declined in popularity. First off, let’s take a look at the trends that took off. Here are the seven food trends that proved right on the money:

HYBRID DESSERTS +148% Step aside, Cronuts: The top hybrid dessert of 2014 was cake pops, GrubHub found, as orders of the easy-tonosh cake bites shot up 151% this year. Not all hybrids were a hit, though — one hit hybrid dessert of 2013, brownie waffles, dropped off the ordering radar completely.

A big hit in 2014 in the USA: new cuts of meat...

BITE SIZE DESSERTS +21% We like to have our cake and feel guilt-free too, so tiny desserts were a hit. Most popular? The mini-sundae, which saw demand spike nearly 150%. Mini-brownies doubled in popularity, and mini-cheesecake orders were up 45%.

GREEK YOGURT +21% With health gurus from Dr. Oz on down touting the benefits of protein-rich Greek yogurt, it’s no surprise orders were up for this now-staple yogurt variety.

PICKLED ITEMS +106% We were in a pickle in 2014, with demand for pickled food orders more than doubling. Cuisines using pickled items ranged from Indian and Chinese to pizzerias, American-diner fare, and chicken-wing bars. It wasn’t just the classic pickle, either — onions, carrots, and a range of other veggies were getting the pickling treatment in side dishes, sushi, and more. NEW CUTS OF MEAT +26% Continuing a trend that was also spotted in 2013, some diners tired of regular old ribeyes and ordered more beef cuts such as flatiron steaks, hanger steaks, and tri-tips, GrubHub reports.

WHEATLESS NOODLES +18% The gluten-free craze came to pasta in 2014 in a big way, particularly in Asian dishes, where orders of wheatfree ramen noodles shot up 363%. Wheatless rigatoni and gnocchi were twice as popular in 2014, too. But the craving for wheat-free noodles didn’t extend to all pasta types — apparently wheatless manicotti isn’t so tasty, as demand evaporated in a 100% drop. UNDERUNDER-USED CUTS OF MEAT +4% It didn’t exactly set the world on fire, but some lessused beef dishes made a modest comeback, especially brisket, which saw orders rise 46%. Bucking the trend were skirt steaks, which saw nearly one-third fewer orders. CONTINUED ON FOLLOWING PAGE

international update

THE THYMES FEBRUARY 2015

member benefits FROM PREVIOUS PAGE, Dining Forecast Hits and Misses

To sum up, we had meat on our mind, and some of us dug desserts while others avoided gluten. In all, we had a diet regimen that was part Paleo, part pig-out.

employment employment matters matters

WHAT’S HOT

COFFEE TRENDS

Will the 2015 restaurant-trend forecast be any more accurate? It’s anybody guess right now.

Here are a couple of coffee trends, hot in Australia at the moment. How do you think they would adapt to New Zealand?

Here’s a look at some of the National Restaurant Association’s top food trend predictions for 2015. It’s notable that some of these were also named trends for 2014, with mixed results:

Curated Coffee

O O O O

O O O O O

In Melbourne about 80 per cent of the coffees served are milky brews and about two-thirds to three-quarters of each of those coffees is milk. While this is certainly keeping the dairy farmers happy, some cafes are turning to small ‘artisan’ milk producers, some of whom are specialising in the café market. These businesses are creating a story that highlights the origins of the milk, as much as the coffee, in the brews that customers are drinking.

Vegetarian appetizers Non-wheat noodles Locally sourced meats, seafood, and produce Ethnic breakfast items such as Chorizo scrambled eggs and coconut pancakes House-made/artisan ice cream Healthy kids’ meals Asian mushrooms Ethnic ‘fusion’ cuisine Pickling

What was the biggest flop of all the 2014 predictions? Rather than taking off as forecast, searches for the words “local” or “locally” grown food declined by 10 percent.

Artisan Milk

Lewis Road Creamery anyone?

Stand-up Coffee Bars Everything is curated now, so why not coffee? Instead of relying on one supplier for a contract-load of beans every week, Melbourne's smartest young operators are picking from the best of our specialty roasters to serve a rotating range of ''guest'' single origins and blends.

Melbourne is really embracing the stand-up coffee bar – businesses that are not much more than a hole in the wall with an espresso machine – where coffee and a small range of pastries are served to the stand-up crowd.

They choose whatever is tasting good, which means they serve fresh-crop coffee when it's at its best, and remind us that coffee is seasonal agricultural produce, not just a line item on the futures exchange. So your local might be serving a Kenyan blend one week and a Brazilian brew the next. Some specialty businesses are going as far as stocking beans from up to 20 local specialty roasters.

SOURCE, www.forbes.com

THE THYMES FEBRUARY 2015

New Zealand cafes will usually have an affiliation with a single coffee supplier, so it is a concept fairly untested over here… until now. international update

WILD MEAT, POP-UPS

MAKING A MARK ACROSS THE TASMAN

Meanwhile, a little closer to home, Tourism Australia has identified Australia’s key food and wine trends for 2015. A few of these trends are featuring in our local market too…

Rockstar vegestations, meat highlights Australian fine dining has been leaning further and further away from meat-based tasting menus, favouring the creative use of grains, rare vegetables, curds, tofus and cheeses. “We’ll be seeing a lot more vegetarianbased cooking going on,” says Perth food writer Max Veenhuyzen, “dishes where the plant is the star and protein is used as a flavouring/contrasting texture."

Wild and feral meats are now prized commodities Kangaroo and wallaby, two meats that have been either dismissed as too cultural-cringeworthy or simply too lean to have a place on restaurant menus, are seeing a real push. “I believe we will continue to see an interest in native meats,” says star butcher Anthony Puharich, the man behind Vic’s Quality Meats, in Sydney.

The hit dessert in 2014 in the USA: cake pops

Smoking’s cool again Where there’s smoke, there’s meat. If there’s one trend that captures our dining landscape right now, it’s our passion for all things smoked, whether that’s a side of beef or a piece of fruit. Chefs have been getting increasingly nerdy about it, hoarding fruitwoods and hardwoods, obsessing over smokers and cuts of meat. They’re experimenting more with what eventually hits the plate, prizing deep flavour and smoky perfume.

Cult collaborations, poppop-up food and music festivals Whether it’s fuelled by social media, or chefs and restaurateurs simply becoming more available to their diners, music labels are joining forces with restaurants, creating mini-festivals. Whole suburbs are being taken over for street parties sponsored by craft beer companies, incorporating local restaurants and bands big and small.

Foraging’s dead, bring back bread “I think that we’re about to experience a massive emphasis on bread and butter. And not just sourdough people are looking for alternate breads,” says chef and environmental scientist, Mike Eggert.

Back to basics A big reaction to waste and the relaxed attitude to the way we eat has seen some places slow it down to the

international update

point they’re milling their own grain for breads and porridges. Chef Darren Robertson, from restaurant Three Blue Ducks, wants to see more transparency when it comes to fast food outlets and supermarkets and the products they sell. Sunny and Ross Lusted, the restaurateur and chef behind the Bridge Room, agree. “We want to see dishes continue to be served closer to their natural state, moving further away from being prepared with complex technique.”

Savoury cocktails and fortified wines The cocktails of 2015 are as much about what’s left out as what’s put in. Tim Phillips, an internationally renowned cocktail bartender based at Sydney’s Bulletin Place, thinks we should just get savoury. “Look beyond the boundaries of sweet, sour and bitter. Think about flavoured salts, spice, and even umami.” He also thinks we’re about to see a resurgence in fortified cocktails. THE THYMES FEBRUARY 2015

“Think you hatematters Madeira and vermouth? No, you don't. employment Fortified wines are about to hit your cocktails big-time.” Wine writer Mike Bennie is on the same page. “There’s an undercurrent of winemakers who are fermenting their wine with botanicals and herbs in efforts to chase down the delicious but not so lucrative vermouth market. In California, the trailblazing younger wine producers all seem to have a vermouth side-project, and Australia is quietly following suit.”

Small batch wines and vino with personality Bennie is also convinced that the other big new thing in vinous circles is “keg wines” - small-batch gear that may only get a small run in select restaurants. “NYC is rife with keg wine, but venues around the traps are increasingly playing with the format for young, fresh, vibrant wines, destined for by-the-glass or carafe.” Vasse Felix’s chief winemaker Virginia Willcock believes Australian producers are embracing the subtleties that make their wines unique. “One trend is the strength of boutique producers that are emerging. There are a lot of little wine labels coming up that are young and cool, with authentic principles behind them.” On a larger scale, Wine Australia reports that Pinot Gris, Moscato, Pinot Noir and Shiraz are moving the big units. Oh, and… Outrageous sweets Dessert chefs are, at times, getting more attention than their big name executives thanks to an active presence on Instagram or just for being utterly bonkers. Sydney diner Hartsyard now has a cult following for Andy Bowdy’s insane soft serve creations. Hobart’s Sweet Envy also has an ice-cream truck called Big Bessie which takes desserts like the Breaking Bad sundae to the streets. Yakitori Grilled things on sticks over white charcoal - what could be better? Great yakitori is picking up speed fast. Craft beer Australia has been a nation of home-brewers for centuries, but it’s taken this long to say “we want something better to drink in our pubs”. Cue the emergence of small batch breweries creating one-off specials, limited runs and flavour sensations. Tasmanian whisky Tasmania now boasts as many whisky distilleries as the famed Scots island of Islay. Fact. Fried chicken Australia has been home to some pretty impressive Korean fried chicken for some time, but bars and restaurants dedicating themselves to perfecting the art of a really good piece of deep-fried bird is still a trend that's on the up.

THE THYMES FEBRUARY 2015

international update

managing your business

November 2011

IMMIGRANTS BUY BUSINESSES! BY CLYTH MACLEOD

Lacking the old school, sports and social networks these buyers compensate with hard work (and their families too), enthusiasm and Over 50% of our sales in the hospitality independence. There is nothing new here. Successive waves of immigrants in section are now to immigrants. Not the last century â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Yugoslavs, South surprising with 40% of Aucklanders born overseas and our Asian population Africans, Scots and Poms (my parents), projected to exceed 50% within the next Dutch and now Asian â&#x20AC;&#x201C; have fostered 20 years. And we are now also finding business ownership, while enriching these immigrant New Zealanders ready New Zealand culturally and financially. to purchase opportunities in the The retail food business has been provinces and South Island. revolutionised in the last 40 Years. mmigrants really fuel the business sales market for Cafes, Restaurants, and Fast Food Outlets.

Think Korean, Malaysian, Thai, Indian, Yum Cha, Kebabs, Sushi to name just a few. With over 15,000 food outlets throughout New Zealand, hospitality is a vibrant sector with immigrant owners making a huge contribution. As we are specialist business brokers, they have changed the way we operate also. We have Chinese, Indian, Korean, South African salespeople on our team and market aggressively in ethnic newspapers and on ethnic websites. We welcome immigrant buyers!

BENEFITS Make the most of your membership by taking advantage of the benefits and offers available exclusively to members. Check out some of the latest offers on the pages ahead...

member

FEATUREDPRODUCT FEATURED

JOB DESCRIPTION HANDBOOK The Restaurant Association has developed a Model Job Descriptions handbook for members. This handbook provides a valuable resource for creating position descriptions to help businesses hire the most qualified applicants for their operation. Job descriptions are intended to help an employer determine whether a person is qualified to perform a job. This handbook includes job descriptions for 24 positions. This handbook provides generic position descriptions, which can be customised to reflect the specific tasks and responsibilities of your employees. We have identified the attributes, experience and competencies associated with the various positions.

ORDER NOW… The Restaurant Association’s Model Job Descriptions handbook is available for just $12.27 (incl of GST and P&P) - order online @ www.restaurantnz.co.nz or call 0800 737 827.

SIMPLE, EFFECTIVE

MARKETING OF YOUR BUSINESS One of the Restaurant Association’s key initiatives is to assist you with the marketing of your businesses and to drive customer traffic to your doors. As a result our Restaurant Gift Card programme was introduced in 2010 to sit alongside our existing gift voucher scheme.

hrough our partnership with Gift Station we promote the Restaurant Gift Cards in over 5,000 of NZ’s highest foot traffic outlets nationwide, with sales increasing year on year to reach $1.1 million in 2014. That’s over a million dollars every year that can only be redeemed at participating Restaurant Association member establishments. On average each participating member redeems over $1,500 in gift cards each year, adding direct value to your membership and giving you the opportunity to convert those new customers into regulars.

KEY FEATURES AND BENEFITS BENEFITS O

AN EXCLUSIVE CLUB ~ the Restaurant Gift Card can be used exclusively at Restaurant Association member outlets, drawing card holders to participating members businesses through the website, www.restaurantgiftcard.co.nz. NO COSTS ~ like our voucher programme it costs you nothing to join and you get 100% redemption on the value of the card. All costs of running the programme are absorbed by us. INCREASED PROFITS Most gift card holders spend more than the value available on their gift card. NO DISCOUNT REQUIRED Gift card holders treat the funds on their gift card as free money, so you don't need special offers to draw them in.

EASY RECONCILIATION Participants receive bi-weekly statements containing details of all cards redeemed. Redemptions are made on the 14th and 28th of each month. BREAK GEOGRAPHIC BOUNDARIES BOUNDARIES Due to their convenient size and shape, gift cards are frequently purchased for recipients whose gifts must be posted to them. That lets businesses benefit from sales made in other regions. QUICK, EASY SIGN UP

This is a simple and effective marketing programme where your business is the winner! If you are not already signed on, phone 0800737 827 or email info@restaurantnz.co.nz, or complete the form enclosed with this newsletter.

member benefits

THE THYMES FEBRUARY 2015

...don’t forget to support the businesses that support your Restaurant Association strategic partners...

DO YOU WANT TO INCREASE YOUR FINANCIAL LITERACY? While you may have a grasp of the basics regarding money matters for your business, this is an area that most of us have limited expertise in. Sure you have accountants and other experts to help you out, however if you are looking at ways to improve your knowledge of basic financial matters, the Money Smarts @ Work short course offered by Massey University (with the support of Westpac) is a good option.

he Money Smarts @ Work course is delivered online so that participants can complete the course at their convenience.

key partners...

The course makes learning about the basics of financial capability affordable and easily available to those people who do not otherwise have access to education about managing their finances. The course will help you with a basic understanding of the principles, tools and techniques necessary for personal and business financial management. O O O O O

Setting smart goals and realising dreams The how and why of budgeting Saving for the lifestyle I want Getting in and out of debt Protecting what’s mine

Participants may start the course at any time and, once enrolled, have eight weeks in which to complete the course.

associate+ partners...

Exclusively for Restaurant Association members, the course costs just $39.00+GST.

To register your interest in this course either contact the Restaurant Association on 0800 737 827 or contact Massey University directly – Kathleen Evans: k.r.evans@massey.ac.nz

THE THYMES FEBRUARY 2015

member benefits

international update

IS YOUR BUSINESS

D I S P L AY I T WITH PRIDE

PREPARED?

YOUR SYMBOL OF COMMITMENT TO THE INDUSTRY

New Zealanders need no reminder about how quickly and devastatingly an emergency can hit. That’s why it is important to have emergency supplies at work, and to make a plan for what to do in case of emergency.

rab&Go produce emergency kits for business and personal use and they are offering members a 15% discount on all kits. Just go to www.grabandgo.co.nz and use the discount code RANZ1 at checkout.

FAMILY DUFFEL 4 PERSON

2015

$145.00 each

Designed with extra capacity to store enough food for 3 days, clothing and medical requirements. Its function is to contain everything in one place so you can grab & go in the event of an emergency

$75.00 each

The one person kit is designed to help get you out of an emergency. Apart from its substantial contents it has enough spare capacity for extra personal items such as medication, food, jacket, flat shoes and copies of important documents. Sits compactly under your desk or in the boot of your car ready in the event of an emergency.

EMERGENCY TORCH

By displaying your decal you are identifying to potential customers that you are a member of the Restaurant Association and that you are committed to the standards that it represents.

$27.95 each

This torch is a multi function Dynamo that needs no batteries, just winding. It has alarm function, AM & FM radio, USB Adapter and 1 or 3 led flashlight.

ORDER TODAY! Simply go to www.grabandgo.co.nz member benefits

The Restaurant Association is continually promoting our members and encouraging the public to “look for this window sticker”, so it is essential that the current year‘s emblem is displayed.

“

the restaurant association logo is a symbol of your commitment to the quality and unity that makes our industry as strong as it is today

“

EMERGENCY KIT 1 PERSON

Please show your pride in the Restaurant Association and your industry by displaying your 2015 membership window decal (above) on the window or other prominent place of your operation.

If you have not received your sticker this year, please contact the Restaurant Association today on 0800 737 827 or email info@restaurantnz.co.nz. THE THYMES FEBRUARY 2015

17 03

managing your business

November 2011

DESIGN VS CONTENT WHAT IS MORE IMPORTANT?

Is your website deserted? The Eveve team see a lot of restaurant websites and we see the number of bookings that those websites take for restaurants. If your online marketing isn’t drawing 500 - 1000 visitors per month to your website, you could be losing diners to your competitors. Here are some tips on ensuring your website is working for you... BY MARK GREGORY, DIRECTOR EVEVE

he Eveve online and mobile restaurant booking system is the largest online booking system for restaurants in New Zealand delivering close to 750,000 diners into NZ restaurants in 2014 and over 1,000,000 in 2015. Having online, instantly confirmed, booking software will normally convert 1 in 5 of your website visitors into customers. Too many times we see restaurant owners spending a fortune on developing the best looking website, only to wonder why their traffic hasn’t gone up and why the restaurant is not busier. They look at their competitors and see ordinary websites, but what they don’t see is incredible content and great SEO, which is helping to bring in the customers behind the scenes. We have some customers with average looking websites who take 500 or a 1,000 seats per month in online bookings. These are restaurants that are full at 6.00pm on a Wednesday night!

It is then up to the website to sell them on your restaurant. What does the selling? A couple of things, the location, the menu, the prices, and the food. How do people experience food on a restaurant website? They will see it on the menu most often – often there are no photos on the website, which is a big opportunity lost, because great photos can make a huge difference to your conversion rates. Great photos do the selling – particularly great food photos. Your website has people looking at it every day (hopefully!), so you need something to make them stop and think “That is what I want to eat. I am going to make a booking today and I am going to eat there.” Getting great photos isn’t difficult. Here are some examples of food photos we’ve taken for customers recently :

Great photos by themselves will generate zero extra traffic. The danger of websites without any text is that it provides nothing for Google to index.

You don’t want to have the best website that no one has ever seen! Without the right content, the right text and the right SEO, that is what you will have, a website that no one will see.

ONLINE SALES AND ONLINE ONLINE MARKETING FOR RESTAURANTS

1 2 3

The content on your website does the marketing The menu and photos do the selling.

The text helps Google send you traffic from people who haven’t heard of your restaurant yet. The content on your site creates the Search Engine Optimization and that is what helps search engines to refer you new traffic.

Don’t have great photos? No problem, we can help. CONTINUED ON FOLLOWING PAGE

THE THYMES FEBRUARY 2015

www.dinefind.co.nz ~ the Association’s online dining guide

employment matters

FROM PREVIOUS PAGE, Design vs Content

The average website receives around 1,000 visits per month.

To check if your web site works correctly on mobile or table go to www.eveve.co.nz/screen-resize.html. Type in your web address and select the phone size/type. You will see in moments exactly how your website is viewed on a smartphone or tablet.

Check your analytics today and work out what you are getting. Many Eveve customers see a 50 – 100% increase in web traffic over 6 months and some that were previously particularly poorly designed websites can increase by a factor of 10.

Why is this important? Up to 40% of restaurants are now searched and viewed on mobile and hand held screens.

If you don’t have great SEO, your competitors with great SEO will be picking up your customers! There are lots of other ideas for content for your website. Don’t forget to subscribe to the Eveve blog for more ideas on how to find more customers and turn them into repeat customers (go to www.eveve.co.nz to subscribe).

In 2015 all websites should be “mobile responsive” Simply put this means online websites should reformat for mobile screens, which are much smaller, so customers won’t need a magnifying glass to read your opening hours.

SPECIAL MEMBER OFFER Eveve are offering all Restaurant Association members a new web and mobile site for just $899 +GST. +GST This offer includes: O Search Engine Optimization ( SEO ) O CMS Access – Update content or add menus or specials for public holidays whenever you want and for free O Eveve online table reservation software enables customers to book 24/7 and receive instant confirmations, automatically generating a marketing database for restaurant owners For more information phone Richard Small ph: 021 953539 or check out www.eveve.co.nz

We’ll Be Booking 1,000,000 Diners Into New Zealand

Restaurants In 2015

business insights ~ helping your business to succeed

EVENTS PROGRAMME

February-April FEBRUARY

Valentines Day

Marlborough Wine & Food Festival, Blenheim

Oamaru Wine and Food Festival, Oamaru

www.marlboroughwinefestival.co.nz

www.oamaruwineandfoodfest.co.nz

Restaurant Association Auckland Branch Golf Day, Muriwai Golf Course

-15 March, Melbourne Food and Wine Festival, Melbourne, Australia

Ocean & Orchard Wine and Food Festival, Kerikeri, Bay of Islands

www.melbournefoodandwine.com.au

www.oceanandorchardfestival.co.nz

www.restaurantnz.co.nz

01 MARCH

Bluff Oyster season opens

Wairarapa Wines Harvest Taranaki Anniversary Day Festival, Gladstone (regional public holiday)

www.wairarapawines.co.nz

Havelock Mussel Festival, Havelock

Wild Foods Festival, Hokitika

Feijoa season! (main supplies from now until June)

www.havelockmusselfesitval.co.nz

www.wildfoods.co.nz

St Patricks Day

Cheesefest, The Langham, Auckland

-22 March, Caffeination, Wellington

www.nzca.org.nz/cheesefest

www.caffeination.co.nz

Marchfest, Beer and Music Festival, Nelson

SKYCITY Queenstown Gibbston Wine and Food Festival, Queenstown Gardens

Otago Anniversary Day (regional public holiday)

The Great Kiwi Beer Festival, Hagley Park, Christchurch

www.marchfest.com

www.gibbstonwineandfood.co.nz

31 Scallop season ends

events ~ national & international

APRIL

www.greatkiwibeerfestival.co.nz

Good Friday (public holiday)

Easter Monday (public holiday)

Southland Anniversary Day (regional public holiday)

THE THYMES FEBRUARY 2015

EMPLOYMENT

M AT T E R S

We examine some of the latest employment news, including new rulings on 90 day trial periods, changes to ANZAC day trading and suspension...

managing your business

November 2011

THE POWER OF TEAM The whole is greater than the sum of the parts, says Jane Kennelly. She takes a look at what makes an effective team and a great team leader, and provides some pointers on how to bring out the best in others.

n today’s world of downsizing, doing more with less, and working smarter-not-harder, it’s clear that teamwork is more important than ever. No individual or group of people working separately can achieve as much as several key individuals working together as a team. To put it another way: “The whole is greater than the sum of the parts.” We regularly hear about ‘hot’ teams, high-performing teams, team focus, team results and team spirit. The word ‘team’ is tossed around in the workplace every day, but have we stopped to think about what ‘team’ actually means? Research shows there are three types of teams: The directed team is driven by management, a little like a team of horses pulling a wagon. Rather than providing opportunities for individuals to contribute or learn, not much is expected form them other than carrying out their set tasks. Team members are told to keep pulling and, if work doesn’t get done, the whip gets cracked! The managed team is like a cricket team where each member has a role to play. Whether they're top of the batting order, a fast bowler, silly mid-off or wicket keeper, each requires different skill levels. Often superstars shine within these teams. Managed teams typically have managers directing the daily work, making all major decisions and worrying most about making the numbers.

articulate and commit to. Effective teams have: O O O O O O

Informed leaders and managers who are committed to the team process; Resources to build skills and trust within the team; Commitment to the business and its customers; A focus on constant improvement; Measurement tools that drive desired behaviours and performance; and Reward and recognition programmes or address “What’s in it for me?”

And one last point – these teams understand that their jobs won’t be easy. It takes time to reap the rewards.

CONNECTING THE PERFORMANCE PERFORMANCE DOTS The self-directed team is considered the ideal in today’s business environment. Every member of the team understands the customer and the business, focuses on achieving business results by learning from others in the team, has ways to monitor how they are doing, improves quality, and improves personal and team productivity. By doing the work and taking on more responsibility, the team builds a culture and commitment to constantly improve. And everyone – management and the team members – is focused on making the numbers. The team is truly appreciated and rewarded for its efforts. A TEAM CHECKLIST A crucial element of efficient and effective teams is a clear shared vision that everyone on the team can www.dinefind.co.nz ~ the Association’s online dining guide

One of the reasons companies avoid team building is because of past experiences that may have left employees jaded and cynical. It can be a case of one too many fads. Change is hard. It never comes magically and any significant change in an organisation requires a fundamental shift in the way you think, act, and do business. It can’t be another ‘programme-of-the-month’. Think in terms of your real customer and what they want. And here’s the scoop – as a manager or owner, your real customers are your employees. Consider their needs first, and let them think of the needs of the external customers. CONTINUED ON FOLLOWING PAGE

THE THYMES FEBRUARY 2015

FROM PREVIOUS PAGE, Design vs Content employment matters

TAKE THE LEAD Making the leadership challenge easier to understand, industrial psychologists Warren Bennis and Burt Nanus tell us in Leaders: The strategies for taking charge that a leader only needs two characteristics: O Use your strengths (whatever they are) to bring out the best in others; O Focus only on your strengths and not on your weaknesses. As a practical, comfortable place to start, taking the lead does not need to be overly complicated. Having acknowledged strengths, the scene is set for the next layer of practice that is required to develop a strong team foundation. The four Cs below are still relevant: O O O

Commitment. Live the mission and expect the whole team to follow your example; Co-operaton. The whole must become greater then the sum of the parts; Communication. Provide all necessary information and let team members know it’s okay to ask for information and share data with each other, and sometimes even customers; Contribution. Participation is not optional in a teamwork situation. It is required and supported.

But there’s more than these four C’s to good leadership. Consider the following: MOTIVATE. MOTIVATE People do exactly what you reward them for doing. They don’t respond to promises, requests, threats or even kindness. They respond to action! Reward the individual members and the team for the results you really want, and only for the results you really want. MEANING. MEANING Everyone needs to feel that they are making a difference in the lives of others. A sense of purpose is a powerful thing. The efforts made are not just about business success – they are about a person having their work mean something to someone. Take time to articulate what the meaning is and magnify it. Let the team see clearly the value of what they are doing and why it matters. Let them feel the pride in their success. RESULTS. RESULTS Teams need to feel a sense of accomplishment; they need to see the end result of a project. Assign your team whole projects, not pieces. Assign results, not specific tasks. Let team members carry the project from start to finish. And make sure others know about the finished ingredient for team success.

THE THYMES FEBRUARY 2015

TRAIN. Training is a necessary ingredient for team success. Studies show a return of 10 to 30 times the initial financial investment in training and it doesn’t matter what a team or its individual members learn! So keep everyone engaged in learning. Any voluntary expansion of their abilities is a good thing for your organisation. Allow training on any topic. CHALLENGE. CHALLENGE We all have our limits, but how will team members ever know what their limits are if they are never given a project that is more difficult than they thought they could accomplish? We all need to learn and grow, to develop and improve. To challenge them is to believe in them. EMPOWER. EMPOWER Give full control to the team – responsibility, authority and accountability. This means full delegation. Resist the urge to look over people’s shoulders and don’t ask them to explain every decision and action. When you give them a project, outline their boundaries – budget, timetable, scope of responsibility, and authority. Then let them carry the ball. Meet with them at agreed times, and keep your door open in case they need to call on you. RESPECT. RESPECT When they rise to the challenge and accomplish something truly outstanding, show your appreciation for their efforts. And reward the team accordingly. Let them see the respect you have for their significant accomplishments and make certain others see it as well. Some people are naturally engaged in their work and consistently deliver passionate performance. Effective leaders learn how to bring these qualities out in everyone. They invest time, energy and resources to engage their people because engaged employees are more likely to: O Stay with the organisation; O Perform at higher levels; O Influence others to perform well; O Promote the organisation externally; O Deliver unparalleled customer service. The shame is that, even though our world may be changing, people are not. And in many organisations today, the basic needs still go unfulfilled. It’s up to you as a leader to get cracking. When you discover how to actively engage your people to deliver outstanding performance, you start a powerful and self reinforcing virtuous cycle that builds value for your organisation. JANE KENELLY, director of Frog Recruitment Ltd, is a recruitment professional with over 25 years’ industry knowledge. For more see www.frogrecruitment.co.nz

business insights ~ helping your business to succeed

EMPLOYER PENALISED

OVER LACK OF PROCESS A recent decision handed down from the Employment Relations Authority, in which owners of a Wellington restaurant were ordered to pay an exex-chef they dismissed nearly $10,000, emphasises the importance of conducting a complete and robust formal process when dealing with performance issues within the workplace. In this case the employee was dismissed without investigation and without his employers raising any of its concerns with his work performance formally with him.

he employee was originally employed as a demi chef at a restaurant owned by the employers, but they soon came to the conclusion that the employee did not have the necessary skill set for the role at that operation. However, they were soon to open another, more casual, operation and the employee began working there instead. The new operation was very busy after opening and in the three full weeks that the employee worked there before being dismissed, he averaged over 60 hours a week. The Employment Relations Authority considered that under the circumstances “one might expect some sympathy from an employer when, on two occasions, he slept through his alarm after working late the night before.” However, although not impressed by this, the employer did not undertake any formal action with the employee over these issues. He was never told that his job was in jeopardy, nor told of any period for improvement, apart from one occasion when he was told that if he did not improve his performance, his employers would ‘have to look at his employment situation’. In the background though they were becoming increasing frustrated with some work performance issues with the employee and when he missed a busy shift on New Year’s Eve because of a non-work accident he was told he was no longer required because ‘he could not do the job’. The employee was not paid any notice, which was also in breach of the terms of his employment agreement. The Employment Relations Authority determined that the employer was required to go through proper disciplinary procedures with the employee, which would have included warnings, the giving of timeframes, support and a real opportunity to improve. In reality, although the employer did provide training and support, it did not go

through any proper disciplinary procedures and did not formally warn him that his employment was at risk. The employee was dismissed without notice, without investigation, and without the employer raising any of its concerns, as required under the employment agreement and under s.103A of the Employment Relations Act. The Employment Relations Authority also found that under the employment agreement the employee was entitled to four weeks’ notice, which he was not paid, constituting another reason for his employment being terminated unjustifiably. The ex-employee was awarded $9820, which included 13 weeks’ lost remuneration. What can employers learn from this? This case highlights the need for employers to address employee performance issues before they are allowed to fester to a point where the employer takes inappropriate, impulsive, action out of frustration. CONTINUED ON FOLLOWING PAGE

employment matters

THE THYMES FEBRUARY 2015

member benefits FROM PREVIOUS PAGE, Employer penalised over lack of process

If there are some work performance issues an employer needs to provide support and guidance so that the employee knows what they need to do to improve their performance and if necessary you may need to provide additional training to assist them to improve. If an employee’s performance has not improved with coaching and regular performance discussions, you may need to implement a formal performance management process. A Performance Improvement Plan (PIP) is designed to be a constructive discussion between an employee and employer which will clarify the work performance to be improved. A Performance Improvement Plan should illustrate the performance issues clearly; the required performance improvement; and how performance will be measured; the support to be provided to assist improvement; and a clear timeframe for improvement, or review date. The employee should have input into the plan, comment on the issues raised and the performance standards or expectations set. And as it is a more formal process, it may potentially result in more severe consequences. For further advice on performance management systems, or to receive a free Performance Improvement Plan template, contact the Association on 0800 737 827.

employment employment matters matters

TRIAL PERIODS:

MORE DIFFCULTY TO

KEEP WITHIN LAW The 90 day trial period legislation, which was first introduced in 2009, has been received positively by New Zealand employers and by all accounts is working successfully. Over recent years, however, rulings from the Employment Relations Authority and the Employment Court in relation to 90 day trials have emphasized their strict interpretation of the law. It is the Courts view that the tradetrade-off for employers, who gain significant advantage through the removal of the employee’s right to challenge justification of the dismissal, is that the law will be interpreted strictly by them.

recent case which dealt with the right to pay out notice when dismissing under a 90 day trial continues to stress this exacting reading of the law. The Employment Relations Authority decision in Hutchison v Canon New Zealand Ltd [2014] found that to terminate an employee’s employment during a trial period, an employer must give a period of notice and cannot make a payment in lieu. Until there are further cases clarifying this point, paying in lieu of notice risks not being sufficient, even where that is expressly mentioned in the trial period clause in the employment agreement. While the Authority’s decision appears to be out of step with usual contractual principles it has followed an Employment Court decision, which appears to support the proposition that notice cannot be paid in lieu. Therefore the recommendation is to play it safe and give the required period of notice, rather than paying in lieu. A further issue that arose, but was dismissed by the Authority, was whether a trial period ‘up to 90 days’ is sufficiently specific. While that is the practical effect of any trial period, because an employee can be terminated at any time within it, the Employment Relations Act 2000 does say “a specified period”.

THE THYMES FEBRUARY 2015

It is recommended that if you have a trial period clause in your employment agreements that you remove any mention of paying in lieu of notice or making a payment in lieu of notice and check that it specifies a period no greater than 90 days rather than stating “up to” that period. We appreciate that these are matters of semantics, however very narrow interpretations have been taken of trial period clauses and the circumstances in which they may apply. It is recommended that you check and fix these now to comply with the current interpretation of the legislation. If the wording of your trial period is compliant and the circumstances of how it was entered and how you use it satisfy the current view of the Employment Relations Authority and Employment Court, a termination cannot be challenged as an unjustified dismissal. However, if the clause, or how it came about, or its use do not meet the test, a dismissal is likely to be unjustified.

NEW RULES APPLY FOR ANZAC DAY While ANZAC Day is still a couple of months away, many operations are already planning for bookings or events at the end of April, so it is timely to remind you of the new obligations for ANZAC Day this year.

he Holidays (Full Recognition of Waitangi Day and ANZAC Day) Amendment Act 2013 now provides for Waitangi Day and ANZAC Day to be “Monday-ised” when they fall on a weekend (as ANZAC Day does this year, falling on Saturday 25th April). This Monday-isation means ANZAC Day will follow the same rules as Christmas/New Year public holidays that fall over the weekend. ANZAC Day will be observed on Saturday, 25th April for employees that usually work on Saturday, and is treated as falling on Monday, 27th April for employees who do not usually work on Saturday. Working out whether an employee “usually” works on a particular day can be tricky for hospitality businesses, where employees often work different days and hours each week. Relevant factors to consider include: O the employment agreement; O the employee's work patterns; O whether the employee works only when work is available; O rosters or other similar systems; O the reasonable expectations of the employer and employee that the employee would work on the day concerned; and O whether, but for the day being a public holiday, the employee would have worked on the day concerned. To be clear, if an employee usually works Saturdays and Mondays they won’t end up observing the public holiday on both days. In that scenario the employee will observe ANZAC Day on the Saturday, so come Monday they will get paid like a normal Monday.

While it is important to consider the best practice for your business, it is our view that consumers will be less accepting of the surcharge being applied to both days. You may need to do some analysis as to which day has the most impact to your business with regards to wages being paid and operate the surcharge on that day. Trading hours on ANZAC Day ANZAC Day is a restricted trading day for some businesses, however these restrictions generally do not impact restaurant and café businesses. Under the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act businesses are not able to sell or supply alcohol on Anzac Day before 1.00 pm, with one of the exceptions to this being unless people are present on the premises to dine. The general rule here is that alcohol that is purchased must be consumed while dining, or finished shortly after dining is completed (within an hour according to the Act). While there is no strict definition on what constitutes “dining”, it would generally be considered that this would need to be a meal and not simply some snack food. The Shop Trading legislation also has some impact for businesses located in Malls, however in general foodservice businesses can trade as usual as the Act specifies that takeaways, bars, restaurants and cafes can trade when you ‘sell food that is already cooked or prepared, and is ready to be eaten’. The trading hour restrictions are not “Monday-ised”, but observed on the actual day, Saturday 25th April.

While Waitangi Day falls on a Friday in 2015, next year the same rules will apply for this public holiday. However 2016 is a leap year, meaning ANZAC Day jumps to Monday that year. For those businesses that apply a surcharge on public holidays, it is our advice that you choose either Saturday or Monday to apply the surcharge.

employment matters

THE THYMES FEBRUARY 2015

SUSPENSION

NOT AS STRAIGHTFORWARD AS YOU MAY THINK Suspending an employee is not as straightforward as many employers may think. In this article, we guide you through the legalities. What is a Suspension? We commonly think of a suspension as sending an employee home from work. Directing an employee to remain away from the workplace for a period of time is one type of suspension, but directing an employee to not perform some or all of their duties can be an alternative form of suspension. A Right and a Reason To suspend an employee, an employer needs to have a right and a reason to propose a suspension. The right to suspend an employee can be a contractual term in the employeeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s employment agreement or a statutory right to suspend, for example during a strike. Only in very limited circumstances can an employer lawfully suspend an employee without a contractual or statutory right to do so.

In addition to the right, an employer needs a reason to suspend an employee. Possible reasons include allegations of serious misconduct where the employeeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s presence in the workplace could compromise the investigation, or cause further problems (e.g. where the allegations involve violence or harassment) or for health and safety reasons. However, the mere fact that there are allegations of serious misconduct does not justify a suspension. The suspension requires its own reasons such as to avoid the employee compromising the investigation if there is a reasonable likelihood of that occurring. If the employment agreement or a company policy details situations in which a suspension can occur, the employer must comply with the contractual term or policy as well. The Process If an employer has the right and a reason to suspend, a procedurally fair process must also be followed. CONTINUED ON FOLLOWING PAGE

THE THYMES FEBRUARY 2015

employment matters

FROM PREVIOUS PAGE, Suspension—it’s not as straightforward as you employment matters think

A lawful decision to suspend cannot be predetermined and must follow consultation with the employee. Once again, if the employment agreement or a policy details a process, it should be followed to avoid a breach. The allegations or concerns (usually something that may amount to serious misconduct) should be put to the employee together with the employer’s proposal to suspend the employee and the reasons for that suspension. The employee should then be given a reasonable opportunity to respond to the employer's proposal of suspension. Discussion of the proposal should include whether or not the suspension should occur, alternatives to suspension, the proposed length, the possible implications and whether the suspension would be on pay. We note that the ability to suspend without pay is extremely limited. The employer must genuinely consider the employee's response (if any) before a decision is made on whether to suspend the employee or not, and if so, on what basis. As a suspension would have an impact on the employee’s employment, an employee should be advised of the employee’s right to take legal advice and have a legal representative or support person present at any meetings. Final Points The courts have held a suspension of an employee to be a drastic measure which almost always will have a devastating effect on the employee concerned, and some cases have noted that it is rare for an employee to return from a suspension. Therefore, as with any other action that may affect an employee’s employment, the legal test is whether the employer's actions, and how the employer acted, were what a fair and reasonable employer could have done in all the circumstances at the time the suspension occurred. If an employer breaches its legal obligations with regard to a suspension it could give rise to a breach of contract (or policy), breach of statute or the employee could raise a personal grievance for unjustified disadvantage. All these situations could result in a remedy being awarded to the employee.

When wrestling with a problem, have you ever wished you could seek the advice of an industry expert who has ‘been there and done that’? That’s where the Restaurant Association can assist you. Tony Adcock has owned and managed hospitality businesses for 40 years and is currently working with us to provide mentoring and business guidance for Restaurant Association members.

AVAILABLE TO HELP WITH

EVERYTHING BUSINESS O O O O

O O O

Food Costing Business Start up General Hospitality business advice Business Check-up – Tony talks you through his check list, to ensure that your business is running effectively and efficiently Selling your business Sales and Marketing Budgeting advice

If you are thinking of suspending an employee, call the Restaurant Association helpline, or the Hesketh Henry Employment Team are happy to assist.

Offering expert advice and guidance is one of the many ways the Restaurant Association supports our members.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR For more information contact Jodi Sharman, Senior Solicitor at Hesketh Henry on 09 375 7637 or email jodi.sharman@heskethhenry.co.nz

If you haven’t used the helpline (0800 737 827) before please feel free to call up for a business check -up to make sure you are on track and haven’t missed any valuable updates for your business.

employment matters

THE THYMES FEBRUARY 2015

member benefits

NEW EMPLOYMENT LAWS IN FORCE FROM MARCH

ignificant changes to employment law in New Zealand are taking place with the introduction of the Employment Relations Amendment Act. While we have previously reported on these new employment laws (see The Thymes November/December 2014, Tea Break Bill Becomes Law) and have a summary guideline available for members, the date when these law changes will take effect has now been set—for 6th March 2015.

In brief, some of the key changes that will have the most impact for members are: O Rest and meal breaks O Flexible work hours O Continuity of employment for vulnerable workers O Good faith As a result of the new law changes, and in addition to recent rulings around the 90 day trial period legislation, the Restaurant Association is taking the opportunity to review our permanent employment agreement template which many members are using in their businesses. The employment agreement has not had a full review since 2011, so the changes to legislation provide us with an opportune time to tweak some of the clauses. Rest assured, if you are using the existing agreement you can continue to do so, however we recommend introducing the new version as new employees come on board. The new agreement will be available at the beginning of March and will be made readily available to all members.

THE THYMES FEBRUARY 2015

employment employment matters matters

LOOKING UNDER THE TABLE? Undeclared wages were under serious scrutiny from IRD’s compliance focus during the 2011 Rugby World Cup, but years later the focus hasn’t disappeared. Why does Inland Revenue (IRD) still concentrate its attention on small hospitality businesses who are struggling to manage staffing costs? BY SERENA IRVING

here are two certainties in life – death and taxes. Whereas we may only face death once in our lives, taxes hit us over and over again. Even though we may loathe paying taxes and the politicians who determine how they are spent, our tax dollars become houses, hospitals, schools, roads , food and clothing for beneficiaries and the people who work in public service. IRD continues to target cafes and restaurants as part of the “hidden economy” of non-taxpayers and low-taxpayers.

Labour costs are frequently the top concern for restaurant owners, and the Restaurant Association Remuneration Survey 2013 showed that wages are on the rise. So it might be tempting for business owners to discreetly draw funds out of the cash register to pay casual staff without declaring them on the payroll. After all, it all works out the same for the business doesn’t it? Well, it doesn’t, according to IRD. Take an example where $2,000 cash is taken out of the cash drawer and paid to a temporary chef. If you had paid IRD PAYE at secondary tax rate of 19% including ACC earner levy, 12% student loan and Kiwi saver at 3% you would have paid $1,321 to the chef and $739 to IRD (the extra $60 is for Kiwisaver employer levies). If you were caught out paying undeclared wages, IRD would charge you PAYE at 46% of the grossed up wages because the employee has already received the $2,000. PAYE, student loan and Kiwisaver totes up to an extra $3,344. In addition the GST on undeclared sales at 15% is $261.

That’s already a tax shortfall of $3,605, excluding interest and penalties. Still feel like paying under the table? In 2010-2011 IRD completed 650 compliance visits and over 100 investigations in the café and restaurant sector. They made 55 prosecutions and received many voluntary disclosures including one for $2.2m in the hospitality industry. They continue to offer educational sessions for the hospitality industry and consistently compare wages against industry benchmarks. Make sure that you record all staff on your payroll, even if they only work a few hours for you. The extra cost of undeclared wages far exceeds the temporary savings you might gain. IRD is already lifting the tablecloth. Serena Irving is an associate at chartered accounting firm William Buck Christmas Gouwland Limited and an associate member of the Restaurant Association. Her passion for food service was developed at an early age, learning to bake scones and scoop ice-creams at St Thomas’s Dairy when she was six. Contact Serena on 09-366-5077 or 021-463-086 or email serena.irving@wbcg.co.nz or find her on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/serenairving employment matters

ENCORE ENTERTAINMENT AUCKLAND’S WORLD-CLASS CABARET WITH MUSIC AT THE HEART OF IT’S BUSINESS Music is pivotal to the success of Encore Entertainment, a show and dinner experience that plays a leading role in providing the character and energy of Auckland’s Karangahape Road.

ncore has been in business for two years and its popularity continues to grow as more customers enjoy this night-out-with-a-difference and spread the word. A night at Encore can involve a mix of entertainers ranging from live singers, Vegas-style show girls, drag artistes, aerial gymnastics, magicians and even a topless male waiter for Hen’s parties when the occasion calls for it - all topped off with a high-quality buffet or set menu dinner. Music is used throughout the Encore experience in a range of different ways. Ambience is created during the buffet dinner with carefully selected background music, individually selected tracks are programmed into the live performances and towards the end of the night, featured dance music is used to cap-off the evening on the dancefloor. “We have different people involved in choosing our music based on the type of show we are delivering to our audience. Our customers can range from corporate groups, through to hen’s parties, and everything in between. Because we cater to our individual audiences we often get feedback from our customers that they love the music we play” says company director Chris Mears.

“Our company directors, along with our DJ/Sound technician, select the music we play at each stage of the evening. It’s crucial to us that we get this right and create the very best experience we can for our customers. It’s not necessarily about what we would like to hear, but what works best for the show and the overall experience”. As performers themselves, it’s important to the Encore team that the creators of the music they play are paid for the use of their work. “We are artists in our own rights, so are aware of the value of the creative work we and others produce. We also recognise that music is crucial to our show, so holding a OneMusic licence is a straightforward way to be sure we are doing the right thing by the musicians whose work we use” says Chris Mears. While music is a particularly important part of the Encore Cabaret experience, the basic principles for making music work hard for a business apply to everyone. Know your customers, know your brand and the type of experience you want to deliver and then carefully select a style and music playlist that helps you deliver on this every day.

brings music and business together, offering quick and easy music licences providing the permission needed to play music in public. As well as making the licensing process straightforward, holding a OneMusic licence also ensures that those who make music are fairly compensated for the use of their work. APPLY FOR A LICENCE For more information on OneMusic and the appropriate licence for your business please visit www.onemusicnz.com, email info@onemusicnz.com or call a Licensing Representative on 0800 800 663. A PROMPT PAYMENT DISCOUNT DISCOUNT of 5% is available for accounts paid in full by the due date. QUARTERLY PAYMENT plans are available for invoices exceeding $1,000 (excluding GST). Please contact OneMusic on 0800 800 663 to discuss a payment plan.

employment matters

THE THYMES FEBRUARY 2015

UPCOMING EVENT A uc kl an d G ol f Da y, 1 7 th Fe b r u ar y, M ur i wa i G ol f C ou r se

AUCKLAND BRANCH President: Krishna

Botica

BAY OF PLENTY BRANCH President: Andrew

HAWKEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S BAY BRANCH President: Sean

Targett

ROTORUA BRANCH

Burns

President: Sharon

TARANAKI BRANCH President: Barbara

Olsen-Henderson

REGIONAL UPDATES NELSON BRANCH President: Harry

MANAWATU BRANCH

Morris

President: Sean

Kereama

WELLINGTON BRANCH Branch President & National President: Mike National Vice-President: Steve

SOUTHERN LAKES BRANCH President: Grant

Hattaway Mitchell

Vice President: Cam

CANTERBURY BRANCH Branch President : Sam

DUNEDIN BRANCH President: Olive

Tabor Wright

Vice President: Helen

Crofskey

Logan

Egan

Wallace

new members

November 2011

we would like to welcome the following new members of the restaurant association who have recently joined us:

congratulations... you have joined the only organisation that exclusively assists you to safeguard the viability of your café or restaurant. We will help guide you through the regulatory minefield that exists in today’s business environment. You have joined 1750 of New Zealand’s most dynamic and profitable hospitality businesses. Admyor Café, Whakatane

Oddfellows Café, Christchurch

At Ease Café, Napier Baobab Café, Wellington Brancott Estate, Marlborough Cafe Inc, Hamilton Cafe Lago, Wanaka

Old Post Bakery Café, Gore Pita Pit Lambton Quay, Wellington Pita Pit Victoria Wellington Portofino Howick, Auckland Portofino, Hamilton

Cepage, Auckland Chefs Kitchen, Auckland Cobb & Co Whakatane, Whakatane Columbus Coffee Mitre 10 Mega Glenfield,

Servo Café, Auckland Sierra Café, Tauranga

Auckland Columbus Coffee Shore City, Auckland Dixie Barbecue, Auckland Ela Cuisine, Auckland Everest Cuisine, Queenstown Field And Green Limited, Wellington Gatsby Tapas, Paraparaumu Greek Mammas, Auckland Hotties, Hot Water Beach I Scream For Ice. Cream, Feilding Jagz of Sovereign Palms, Christchurch Jaya Trading, Auckland Levant, Auckland Little Sister, Christchurch Lone Star Newmarket, Auckland Lone Star Pukekohe, Auckland Lone Star Takapuna, Auckland Mad Mex Albany, Auckland Mad Mex Botany, Auckland Mad Mex Fort Street, Auckland Mad Mex Ponsonby, Auckland Mad Mex The Base, Auckland Makikihi Hotel & Hospitality Services, Timaru/ Waimate Metropolis Caffe, Hamilton Mt Vic Chippery, Wellington

Sierra Hornby Dressmart, Christchurch Spice Paragon on Victoria Street, Christchurch Sprout Café, Auckland Taste Cornucopia, Hastings The Coffee Club Eastridge, Auckland The Coffee Club Greenlane, Auckland The ESPY Café, Whitianga The Jefferson, Auckland The Landing Café, Omapere The Salty Pigeon, Wellington The Sherwood, Queenstown Tokyo Bay, Auckland Tripoli, Masterton Twin Horse, Auckland Voila Café, Auckland Whitebait, Wellington AND these supplier members supporting the industry… (go to www.restaurantnz.co.nz and click on ‘partners’ & ‘industry guide’ for contact information on a range of industry suppliers of good and services)

Q Tableware, Auckland e: ivy@qtableware.com w: www.qtableware.com

hospitalityadvice.co.nz e: brad@hospitalityadvice.co.nz w: www.hospitalityadvice.co.nz

Massey University, Auckland e: t.e.zorn@massey.ac.nz w: www.massey.ac.nz

Nomad Restaurant, Auckland for membership tools and resources go to www.restaurantnz.co.nz

THE THYMES FEBRUARY 2015

ROTORUA

REGIONAL ROUNDUP…

kia ora from

rotorua

ia ora from Rotorua.

Happy New Year to you all! My house was like a hotel over Christmas but I would be complaining if it wasn’t. My family and I have had some really good days out on the lake. The weather has been perfect too.

Before Christmas the Rotorua Hospitality Awards committee and myself had dinner at Leonardo’s one of the award winning restaurants at the Rotorua Hospitality Awards in 2014. We all enjoyed the food, ambience, company—and the waitress was exceptional. A great night was had by all. If you are looking for a great Italian meal you must try Leonardo’s. You will find them at 1176 Pukaki Street, Rotorua. Phone 07 347 7084. Back in November I attended the opening of the Stratosfare Restaurant & Bar at Skyline Rotorua. After 2 years in the planning and with a 2 million dollar revamp, General Manager Bruce Thomasen set out to create a restaurant the city could

THE COFFEE CLUB

be proud of. I dined at the restaurant again recently and was well taken care of by the staff. The food was great and the sweeping views are to die for. At the Skyline there is also a Café, Volcanic Hills winery, Zipline and a Mountain bike track, with Crankworx happening here in March plus many more surprises. If you are in town be sure to visit Skyline Rotorua at 185 Fairy Springs Road, Rotorua. Phone 07 3477084. For a day of family activity, food and lots of fun, or a wind down at the end of a busy day, you won’t be disappointed. I also recently stopped in to have breakfast at The Coffee Club nestled in the Redwood Centre. We met Mike Kesseler, who along with his wife Lisa has recently purchased the business. Very brave as Mike said he was an electrician in Auckland for 10 years, prior to moving into hospitality. One of the attractions for them to move to Rotorua is the relaxed lifestyle here. The premises has a lovely atmosphere about it, with friendly staff and great coffee. The most popular menu item is

the club sandwich and if the Zucchini Cake is in the cabinet you must try it, as it has proved to be a winner with customers. The Coffee Club is on the way to the Blue Lake, Lake Tarawera and Lake Okareka as well as the popular Redwoods. This place is fast becoming one of my favourites after my power walks at the Redwoods. The opening hours are from 7.30am to 6pm Sunday through to Thursday and late on Fridays and Saturdays. If you are out at East Side it is well worth the visit. Hearty congratulations must go out to Urbano Bistro and Aorangi Peak Restaurant for winning the prestigious Beef and Lamb Excellence Awards. Well done! Planning time for the 2015 Rotorua Hospitality Awards in under way, with some of the key dates set. The Media Launch will be held at Volcanic Hills Winery on Tuesday 26th May. Judging for the 3 finalists in each of the categories, Outstanding Chef and Emerging Chef and Barista, will take place at Waiariki Institute of Technology on 6th June. Finalists for the Bartender Category will be judged in their establishments. The rest will be mystery shopped. The Awards will be held on Sunday 21st June at the Distinction Hotel & Conference Centre, Fenton Street, Rotorua. Naku Noa. Sharon Wallace Rotorua Branch President Waiariki Institute of Technology

STRATOSFARE RESTAURANT & BAR

sharon.wallace@waiariki.ac.nz m: (027) 233 4146

THE THYMES FEBRUARY 2015

regional update

REGIONAL ROUNDUP… … SOUTHERN LAKES & WELLINGTON

regional updates

From the CAPITAL

News from the

hot plate coming through

deep south

reetings from the South,

Not a lot to report at present as Central Otago is basking in 30 degree days and most operators are enjoying a full-on summer.

Changes The Salty Pigeon Restaurant has opened in Brooklyn.

HERE ARE A FEW EVENTS WHICH ARE COMING UP IN OUR REGION. 31ST JANUARY

Gibbston Winery Tour - 15,000 expected to attend, many from out of town

6TH—8TH FEBRUARY Inaugural NZ Rural

Games—gumboot and cow-pat throwing, wood chopping, and much more LATE FEBRUARY

Chinese New Year celebrations—this always brings a lot of trade into town

12TH—15TH MARCH NZ Golf Open at the

Hills

CITIZEN CAFÉ & BAR

OPENINGS: Citizen Café & Bar has opened in the old Solera Vino site in Beach Street, serving all day brunch and dinner.

5 Boroughs has opened on Majoribanks Street

No closures to report. IMMIGRATION NZ have “freed up” the regulations regarding work visas to help employers in peak season secure staff.

The Jimmy Café located on the ground floor of the St James Theatre on Courtenay Place has closed and the team that owns Mojo Coffee and the Poneke Café are to put in a new café on the site.

In my own business 2015 will be about refocusing on the fundamentals of good service and creating repeat custom.

The Tap Haus on Victoria Street has closed and a pizza restaurant is to open on the site.

Take care! Grant Hattaway Southern Lakes Branch President Pier 19 & Blue Kanu info@pier19.co.nz

Whitebait, a new up-market dining room, has opened next door to the Poneke Café on the Clyde Quay wharf. Kind regards Mike Egan, Restaurant Association National President e: monsoonpoon@actrix.co.nz m: 021 966 667

region update

THE THYMES FEBRUARY 2015

sale & supply of alcohol

THE THYMES MAY 2014

November 2011

MAINLY OF INTEREST TO

auckland members news.

Franc’s

On the North Shore, a new beachside development has opened in Takapuna (off The Strand), with two of the sites, Tokyo Bay, and the Barworks owned Franc’s, opening around Christmas-time. Franc’s is a casual restaurant, which takes maximum advantage of its location and uninterrupted views. The establishment includes a bar, walk-up booth to order takeaway fish and chips and burgers, beach-facing terrace seating, a raised open kitchen serving casual and bistro-style food. Franc’s is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Tokyo Bay takes over the middle space of the new complex, providing 'New-Style' Japanese cuisine. It is operated by the experienced team behind Ponsonby Central’s Tokyo Club, Mark Smith and Sarasa Shimura. They are joined by head chef Chikara Soto and consultant chef Hideharu Shimura.

Tokyo Bay

Also just opened is another Barworks venture, Regatta. Josh Emmett is also set to open the second Madam Woo (the first site is in Queenstown) nearby in Takapuna. Madam Woo has a modern Asian menu specializing in authentic Malaysian and Chinese Street food. Meanwhile, in heart of Mt Eden, Zool Zool is a new ramen noodle and izakaya bar which has recently opened from the team behind Kazuya up the road on Symonds Street. Toru Hirai and Kazuya Yamauchi are both awardwinning Japanese chefs who have a longstanding presence in Auckland's restaurant scene. At Zool Zool they have introduced a menu featuring their favourite Japanese tapas, desserts, wine and whiskey. They’ve teamed up with local flour company Champion to develop a special variety of flour used for their very own original noodle recipe, making everything from scratch and to the highest quality. In the central city, The Lunchroom has opened in one of the city’s high rise office towers, located above the luxury brands shops of Prada, Christian Dior and Swarovski. Chef/Owner JJ Holland is ex-Hip Group; he was at St Heliers Bay Bistro until mid last year. The height of the space is vast and features stunning floor to ceiling windows overlooking Queen Street. The menu focuses on sustainable products whereby they try to source local, organic and fair trade products.

Zool Zool

The Lunchroom

Meanwhile, in Britomart, the space that used to house The Crown (on the corner of Customs Street East and Gore Street), has now been reopened as The White Rabbit. This is a new venture from chef Sean Marshall and restaurateur Mark Keddell, who has recently separated ties with The Pack Group. The heritage space has been transformed into a modern bistro, with daytime dining downstairs and an upstairs space that opens in the evening.

auckland members The White Rabbit

MAINLY OF INTEREST TO

auckland members what’ what s on akl. akl

news. Apero is a small wine bar which opened recently on K Road. Owners Leslie Hottiaux (ex Sous Chef at The Grove and Baduzzi) and Ismo Koski (ex Maitre d’ at Sidart and Merediths), combine a French inspired food menu, where everything is made in house - from the sausage served by the 1/4 metre to the stuffed olives – and a sophisticated beverage selection.

-1 March Auckland Pride Festival

-28 March ICC Cricket World Cup, venues across New Zealand and Australia www.icc-cricket.com/cricketworld-cup

Onehunga also has a new local, all-day eatery Onehunga Café, which is Apero located on the corner of Onehunga Mall. General Manager Ben Harper and Chef Chris Allan are both ex-Hip Group.

17 Restaurant Association Auckland Branch Golf Day, Muriwai Golf Course

For more French-inspired fare, check out L’atelier du fromage. It’s the newly expanded offering located in Newmarket’s Maison Vauron – formerly known as C’Est Fromage. Ruben Maurice (formerly of Parnell's Ruben Cafe) has opened a hole-inthe-wall bagel business on Vulcan Lane called… Vulcan Lane Bagels. On offer are pastries, bagels and coffee, all for under $10.

-1 March Auckland Lantern Festival, Albert Park

Vulcan Lane Bagels

Restaurant Association professional development, Emerging and First Time Managers, presented by Krishna Botica

-22 Auckland Arts Festival, various venues

www.restaurantnz.co.nz

www.aucklandfestival.co.nz

Another small but perfectly formed establishment, Mi, has opened on Federal Street by mother, daughter and aunt trio, Amy Johnson, Leanne and Kay Chung. On offer are the traditional Vietnamese style baguettes, Banh mi, filled with ingredients of your choice. Mexico have also opened a little sandwich bar, Rica’s Tortas, which is around the corner from their Britomart site. Inspired by executive chef Javier Carmona's recent trip to Mexico, the new lunch venue focuses on street food favourites tortas, paletas (icecreams) and aguas frescas (fresh fruit drinks). The tortas, at $10 each, come in options that include dry rubbed ancho prawns and charred guajillo chicken, or for vegetarians, roast eggplant in xocolate mole with plantain. Rica’s Tortas

THE THYMES FEBRUARY 2015

Ports of Auckland Round the Bays

www.roundthebays.co.nz

-15 Pasifika Festival, Western Springs Park

Restaurant Association professional development, Using Facebook and LinkedIn as your next marketing campaign, presented by EvaEvaMaria

www.aucklandnz.com/pasifika

www.restaurantnz.co.nz

18 CheeseFest, The Langham

www.nzca.org.nz/cheesefest

The Restaurant Association was formed in 1975 with the aim of serving and representing owners and manger of foodservice operations. It represents 1,750 members throughout New Zealand who employ 13,000 full and part-time employees. This is an industry that has an annual turnover of almost $8 billion, that employs over 100,000 workers, that is each week visited by more than a million hospitality customers. This makes it a cornerstone of New Zealand’s economy. CHIEF EXECUTIVE: Marisa Bidois

NATIONAL PRESIDENT: Mike Egan (Monsoon Poon, Auckland & Wellington; Boulcott St Bistro, Osteria Del Toro, Wellington)

VICE PRESIDENTS: Bart Littlejohn (Sails Restaurant, Auckland) Steve Logan (Logan Brown, Wellington)

BRANCH PRESIDENTS: Auckland: Krishna Botica (Café Hanoi, XuXu, Auckland) Bay of Plenty: Andrew Targett (Elizabeth Café & Larder, Tauranga) Canterbury: Sam Crofskey (C1Espresso, Christchurch) Dunedin: Olive Tabor (Nova, Dunedin) Hawkes Bay: Sean Burns (Milk and Honey, Napier) Manawatu/Wanganui: Sean Kereama (Wharerata Function Centre, Palmerston North) Marlborough: Marcel Rood Nelson: Howard Morris (Harry’s Bar, Nelson) Rotorua: Sharon Wallace (Waiariki Institute of Technology, Rotorua) Southern Lakes: Grant Hattaway (Pier 19; Captains Table Restaurant, Blue Kanu, Queenstown) Taranaki: Barbara Olsen-Henderson (Bach on Breakwater, New Plymouth) Waikato: Adrian Hodgson (The District, Hamilton) Wellington: Michael Egan (Monsoon Poon, Auckland and Wellington; Boulcott St Bistro, Osteria Del Toro, Wellington)

RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION OF NEW ZEALAND KEY OBJECTIVES 1.

Protect, promote and advance the interests and rights of its members

Promote industry quality, reputation and excellence

Provide relevant value added services to members

As an organisation achieve best practice stewardship within the business association sector