Food for Thought Issue 97

CHAOS IN THE KITCHEN

Across the board, venues are struggling to find staff, let alone those with the experience and skill to work independently. How can we work smarter to maximise our success in the kitchen with a young and inexperienced staffing group?

Since emerging from the worst months of the pandemic, food venues have endured a constant struggle for staff. Much of this can be sheeted home to reduced rates of immigration and fewer international students, but recent data reveals a deeper level of complexity.

It includes a greater number of sick days and annual leave being taken, as well as hours lost to extreme weather events. According to labour force data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics, these factors resulted in a seasonally adjusted loss of 8.5m working hours in November 2022 compared with the previous month.

author GLENN CARTLEDGE

Combined with near-full employment, it’s a perfect storm of adverse labour conditions for food businesses at a time when they can expect demand for tables to grow.

So, what does the situation look like on the ground? For Kol Gemmell, head chef at Sandringham Yacht Club on Melbourne’s Port Phillip Bay, staffing the two busy rooms at his venue is a constant challenge.

“There is a lot of pressure on us because of staffing,” he says. “They’re all babies. Out of a total staff group of 50, I’ve got 42 who are under the age of 22.”

Gemmell says it means more time spent overseeing staff who are still earning their stripes, but for other chefs it can result in putting in extra hours to fill gaps in shifts.

“I haven’t had a day off in two weeks,” said Clay Wilkinson of the popular Ambassador of Redcliffe hotel in the Morton Bay region of Queensland, when I spoke to him in early November. “Labour is so hard to find, and it won’t change anytime soon.”

Wilkinson says it’s hard to get staff and even harder to get skilled people.

“There is a chronic shortage of chefs and, when you do get them, it’s hard to hang onto them.”

Elsewhere, the lack of experienced staff has greatly impacted the ability of venues to consistently execute dishes, which can lead to an inefficient kitchen, customer complaints and cost overruns when excess ingredients are used.

“Getting a consistent dish out the kitchen is a huge problem,” says Sherie Jones of the Gem Hotel in Alberton, Queensland. “Some chefs are heavier handed with, say, a spaghetti bolognaise; some will pile it full while others will be light with the sauce.”

As always, it’s vital that venues remain agile and find ways to adapt to changing conditions. Let’s look at how we can adjust the way we do things to successfully make our way through this challenging period.

1. SIMPLIFY THE MENU

It may seem like an obvious idea to embrace, but menu simplification can bring its own challenges. For example, dishes that take time to produce, such as burgers, can often be the most profitable.

Equally, you might have some meals that generate poor margins, but you know your diner base would be furious if you simplified them or removed them from the menu.

So, try these ideas instead:

• Make the commitment to shift to allergen-free ingredients wherever possible. That way, diner requests for menu alterations are minimised and the strain on your kitchen is instantly reduced

• Aim to use fewer ingredients in more innovative ways. By reducing your inventory, you will decrease kitchen waste and fast-track familiarity with ingredients among the inexperienced members of your kitchen

• Consider whether your venue could move to a set menu, even if it’s only for certain sittings. A set menu is possibly the ultimate in menu simplification.

One last thing: when reducing or simplifying your menu, a great tip is to use your specials board for interesting and trending dishes. This will make sure your menu remains dynamic and exciting.

2. RELY ON RECIPE CARDS

One of the biggest issues with a transient, young and inexperienced crew is generating consistent dishes. Taking the time to create recipe cards, especially ones with photography, takes out a lot of the guesswork over how to produce house dishes.

If you don’t have time to make your own, use an independent resource such as CTB And Co., whose scalable recipe cards give venues the confidence that meals will be made to the same standard every time, while also providing valuable information on dish cost and profitability. cont’d

CHAOS IN THE KITCHEN

3. EMBRACE CONVENIENCE PRODUCTS

Savvy kitchens are ones that focus their labour on the activities that set their venue apart and allow convenience products to do the heavy lifting behind the scenes.

4. TRAIN AND UP-SKILL STAFF

There are many benefits to your kitchen if staff are trained in-house, with perhaps the best being you can teach them according to the values you hold as a chef. A commitment to up-skilling has benefits for your venue and the individual.

When staff hold wide-ranging skills, venues can more confidently run themed sittings, such as curry or schnitzel night. Teaching staff how to plate, tend the grill and manage inventory ensures their job satisfaction is high because they’re learning new skills.

author GLENN CARTLEDGE

Increasingly, venues are switching their attention away from the kinds of intensive jobs that are difficult and time consuming for inexperienced kitchen hands to execute.

Since emerging from the worst months of the pandemic, food venues have endured a constant struggle for staff. Much of this can be sheeted home to reduced rates of immigration and fewer international students, but recent data reveals a deeper level of complexity.

This strategy works particularly well for high volume dishes. A good example is the parmigiana, which can be cut and crumbed by a local butcher, giving your kitchen a flying start and allowing it to focus its efforts on creating great sides, toppers and sauces instead.

To make the experience of your staff even better, you can extend their learning into related areas that also benefit your venue. The sorts of additional skills that may be useful to you and your staff include responsible service of alcohol, barista and front-of-house training.

Combined with near-full employment, it’s a perfect storm of adverse labour conditions for food businesses at a time when they can expect demand for tables to grow.

So, what does the situation look like on the ground? For Kol Gemmell, head chef at Sandringham Yacht Club on Melbourne’s Port Phillip Bay, staffing the two busy rooms at his venue is a constant challenge.

Additional benefits of frozen and other convenience products include predictability of supply and price stability.

It includes a greater number of sick days and annual leave being taken, as well as hours lost to extreme weather events. According to labour force data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics, these factors resulted in a seasonally adjusted loss of 8.5m working hours in November 2022 compared with the previous month.

“There is a lot of pressure on the kitchen because of staffing,” he says. “They’re all babies. Out of a total staff group of 50, I’ve got 42 who are under the age of 22.”

Across the board, venues are struggling to find staff, let alone those with the experience and skill to work independently. How can we work smarter to maximise our success in the kitchen with a young and inexperienced staffing group?

AINSLIE CLUB GROUP

GUNGAHLIN LAKES GOLF CLUB

AINSLIE FOOTBALL & SOCIAL CLUB

GROUP EXECUTIVE CHEF CHRIS SIMMS

How did you get started in the industry?

My parents were in the industry, so I’ve grown up around hospitality and naturally followed in their footsteps.

Where have you worked previously?

I started work at 16 years of age in a 5-star privately run hotel/ shooting lodge in the middle of the North Yorkshire moors in England. As a family, we owned pubs and restaurants in the UK for 15 years before I moved to Australia.

Who’ve been your most famous customers?

Rowan Atkinson (Mr Bean), John Major (former UK PM) and Danni Minogue.

What is your funniest work story?

Working for years with different people from all over the world

I’ve heard and seen lots of things that have made me laugh. Also, when running pubs, you get to meet some interesting bar flies!

What was your best dining experience and why?

I’ve eaten all over the world and had some great dining experiences. I couldn’t name the best to be honest, but I’m one for not just good food but also for the overall experience. I like to be surprised and feel like I’m getting the full culinary experience.

What has been your biggest professional achievement?

Getting to where I am currently as Group Executive Chef when I am pretty much a self-taught chef who only gained formal qualifications later in my career. I have a great passion for this industry, it’s a very rewarding industry to be in, but you must work hard and sacrifice a lot to get to the top. It’s worth it when you get there. Also, I have mentored and taught a lot of apprentices over the years and it’s great to see them achieve their goals.

What has been your biggest professional blunder?

I don’t make any (lol!). My wife always says I think I’m perfect but, to be honest, we all make mistakes and that’s how we learn. I tell the apprentice chefs never be afraid to make a mistake—it happens to the best of us.

What do you enjoy outside the kitchen?

I like spending time with my family and watching football (sorry I can’t call it soccer). It’s the one thing I miss about living in the UK. I like to go out for meals and love visiting places in this amazing country I now call home.

What is your favourite recipe at the moment and why?

Being a proud Yorkshire man and living on the coast most of my life in England I still like good fish and chips. We do our own battered flathead at the clubs and it’s great to see the chefs taking pride in making a batter. We use Edgell Supa Crunch chips at both clubs as they are easily the best chip available on the market.

The Raw Truth

100% hand-picked Hass avocado

Saves time and labour

Gluten, dairy and preservative free

18 months’ frozen shelf life

Consistent year-round pricing

Find

Carton Configuration: 8 x 454g

Simplot Code: 12475

What is the most important piece of kitchen equipment and why?

Combi ovens, definitely. We have Rational ovens, and they are just superb machines, which helps when you churn out the covers we do.

What’s your secret to success?

Work hard, be honest and listen to the customer’s wants and needs. None of us likes criticism but use it to make your products better.

What are your thoughts on the industry at the moment?

That’s a difficult one as this industry has been going through a tough period. I’m hoping the skill shortage improves and that we get more people who want to be chefs coming through.

Do you have any advice for up-and-coming chefs?

Simple: work hard, as you will only get out of life what you put in. This, I believe, is the best industry and it allows you to work anywhere in the world with some very interesting people, so make the most of it.

What type of food trends are you seeing?

Meat-free alternatives and a lot of vegetable-based dishes.

Do you have any advice for your peer group regarding the next 6-12 months?

We have gone through a pretty big recruitment process in the last 12 months, as I’m sure a lot of other hospitality places have, so I would like to see these people settle down in their jobs. Let’s see what we can achieve in the next 12 months; I’m sure we are in for an exciting time.

If you use social media for work inspiration, what things do you like to read or do you search for, and do you have any examples of how it’s helped you?

Instagram is something I like to look at to see what’s trendy with food and follow other chefs and restaurants. It’s good to see what other people are doing not just in Australia but all over the world.

SOURDOUGH GARLIC BREAD LOAF

SOURDOUGH GARLIC BREAD LOAF

Australian Garlic Bread Co. expands its range to include a ‘next level’ version of an everyday favourite, with DOUBLE the garlic.*

Australian Garlic Bread Co. expands its range to include a ‘next level’ version of an everyday favourite, with DOUBLE the garlic.*

Tip Top Foodservice has expanded its Australian Garlic Bread Co. (AGB) range to include a Sourdough Garlic Bread with even more garlic, developed specifically for the foodservice market.

*The new 8” Sourdough Garlic Bread Loaf has double the garlic when compared to the AGB 9” garlic sub per 100g and delivers a more complex garlic flavour.

“Garlic bread is an Australian staple and one of our most popular products. The new sourdough garlic loaves take garlic bread to the next level with a stronger garlic flavour and that sourdough taste that is so popular.”

The new Sourdough Garlic Bread Loaf is a step up from average garlic bread, perfect for venues that want something more premium or those that usually make their own but are facing staff shortages and the need for more cost-efficient solutions.

“The AGB Sourdough Garlic Bread has a rustic look, with a generous spread of garlic right to the edges, so it will fast become a diner favourite. It’s a ‘next level’ version of everyday garlic bread so caters well to those that want the look and feel of homemade without the time and effort involved.”

The loaves have a mild sourdough tang and a more open crumb structure to enable even more garlic to sink into the dough. Frozen soon after baking to lock in the freshness, the new sourdough loaf caters for demand for more premium offerings in pubs, restaurants and cafes.

The new AGB Sourdough Garlic Bread loaves are delivered frozen, in cartons of 40 pieces. They also have a 6-month frozen shelf life, come in convenient inner twin packs and defrost quickly so you can thaw as needed, without the risk of wasting any stock.

Available nationally from foodservice distributors, you can find more information about the AGB 8” Sourdough Garlic Bread loaves at tiptop-foodservice.com.au

MILD SOURDOUGH TASTE 2x MORE GARLIC *

– Darren O’Brien, Bakery Innovation Manager at Tip Top Foodservice.

ITALIAN PEACH BURATTA ON SOURDOUGH GARLIC BREAD

INGREDIENTS

1 AGB 8” Sourdough Garlic Bread Loaf

½ cup cherry tomatoes, halved

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 peach, cut into segments

100g burrata cheese, at room temperature

½ avocado, chopped

Micro greens

METHOD

Heat a large pan over medium heat. Add the olive oil, tomatoes and a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook until the tomatoes just begin to burst, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly, then stir in the vinegar.

Preheat your grill to high heat or preheat your oven to 170°C.

Place the bread on a baking sheet and heat in oven until lightly toasted. Meanwhile, grill each peach slice until golden and beginning to caramelise. To assemble, top garlic bread with grilled peaches, break the burrata over the top, top with a layer of tomato mixture and avocado. Add Micro greens and serve immediately.

A new year, a new beginning:

Happy new year to all my readers.

2023

I trust you had a successful 2022 and are looking forward to an even bigger 2023.

As usual I would love to hear from more of you. If you have any comment, question or topic you need help on, please let me know. I will be giving away spots at the short courses and subscriptions to the software for the most interesting questions/suggestions.

Many chefs forget how important the start of the year is. They are usually trying to recover from the Christmas and New Year shenanigans.

Planning for success in the early months of the year is so important. Here are some of my thoughts:

STAFF ARE YOUR NUMBER ONE ASSET

• Get to know them and ask for their opinions

• Show respect to all staff and say thank you often

• Look at a training and succession plan

- Staff may be looking for a change

- You don’t want the good ones to leave

• Get a holiday calendar in place

- Plan now to help spread them out

• Sit down with each staff member and give feedback on the last year

• Reward your staff and have fun at your staff meetings

• Always follow up on problems

YOUR BEST MARKETING TOOL IS THE MENU

• Fully cost it!

• With recipe cards everyone can produce the same meals with consistency

• Smaller is often better

• Be flexible and make your menu easy to change if things go wrong

• Your menu is like a fashion trend, so keep it up to date

• Have a social media plan

• Provide healthy meal options

• Is your menu kid friendly?

- Parents stay longer if kids are happy

• Always follow up on problems

• Has the menu been written for the time of year?

- Seasonal produce is often cheaper and tastes better

• Every single dish that leaves the kitchen must make money

- This will likely require the business to simplify the menu offering

GOODS RECEIVED: ARE YOU GETTING WHAT YOU’RE PAYING FOR?

• Go over training to ensure your staff can properly receive goods

• Are you checking each product? What about temperatures?

• Is your goods-received system digital? Can you check temperatures, weights and what is invoiced against what is ordered? Can you see price changes and substitutions at the time of inspection?

“Where do I start in 2023?”

DOES THE KITCHEN TEAM KNOW WHAT YOU ARE TRYING TO ACHIEVE?

• Is portion control being adhered to?

• Are you monitoring the weekly spend on food?

• Do you have wastage/skill issues? Is wastage being recorded?

• Are all specials costed properly prior to being offered to customers?

• What is going on with GST: is it being allocated correctly?

• Have you got standard recipes for all dishes? Are they being used?

• Have the recipes been costed correctly?

• Do the staff have digital scales?

PRODUCT PRICES ARE CRAZY RIGHT NOW

• Constantly look at all stock prices

• Start a calendar for suppliers to tender or bid for supply

• Can you use a cheaper product? Is the product the correct one for purpose?

• Reach out to your suppliers around substitute products to get consistency

HAVE A CLEANING PLAN

• Get organised: fridges, freezers, dry store, equipment

• Do an equipment stocktake

• Look at a training program for chemical usage

• Check usage of chemicals and start a monitoring program

GET HOLIDAYS OUT OF THE WAY AS SOON AS POSSIBLE

• Look at all public holidays

• Check when apprentices start trade school and their holidays

• Set up a request book

DO RANDOM CHECKS OF FOOD COUNTS FOR THEFT

• Check POS system food sales

MAKE SURE FRONT-OF-HOUSE UNDERSTANDS HOW TO HELP LOWER THE FOOD COST

• Train front-of-house sales staff to upsell the menu items with the highest margins, therefore minimising overall food cost percentage

Over my years in the kitchen, I have found that the more organised the kitchen, the easier it is and the more profitable it will be. Looking forward to a fantastic 2023.

Need help? Let us know: info@ctbandco.com

Looking to streamline your kitchen management? See all our products at www.ctbandco.com, the home of:

Cooking the Books Drinking the Profits

Keeping it Cool Sticky Dates

Invoice Ripper

NEW NORDIC THRIVES IN AN UNCERTAIN WORLD

Are the principles of New Nordic cuisine, which include simplicity, sustainability and traditional cooking methods, the perfect response to our current culinary landscape?

author GLENN CARTLEDGE

The Nordic countries of Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Norway, Iceland and nearby islands are home to around 27million people. And yet, this relatively small and isolated region has exported a cuisine that has seemingly captured the 21st century’s culinary zeitgeist.

The roots of the New Nordic movement are anchored in the famous 3-star Michelin restaurant Noma, located in Copenhagen and consistently ranked the world’s best restaurant. Along with other Nordic chefs, the owners of Noma compiled a manifesto of ten goals in 2004 that would become the foundations of a new approach to sourcing, preparing, cooking and serving food.

The manifesto is visionary because it embraces values that, increasingly, are considered central to creating authentic and sustainable meals. They include collaborating with suppliers, reflecting seasonality in ingredient sourcing, promoting

animal welfare, expressing simplicity and emphasising health and wellbeing.

COMFORT AMONGST THE CHAOS

The popularity of New Nordic plays right into the current shift towards comfort foods, a trend that’s been rising in response to the uncertainties of recent years. Here, simplicity and flavour are the focus, not complex recipes or funky superfood ingredients.

It’s an approach that is closely related to the Danish concept of ‘hygge’ or cosiness, wellness and contentment; feelings that especially resonate in this post-pandemic climate.

Dishes featuring familiar ingredients and traditional cooking methods remind us of days when the kitchen at home was filled with the aroma of cooking. New Nordic chefs

NEW NORDIC THRIVES IN AN UNCERTAIN WORLD

finding ways to bring these dependable favourites back to the table with Scandinavian twists that amplify the crucial characteristics of simplicity, familiarity and flavour.

The enduring appeal of comfort food reminds us that diners will always return to dependable classics and no-fuss meals that evoke warm memories of simpler times. It’s no surprise our social media feeds are currently dominated by baked goods, curries, sandwiches, casseroles and gravy-based dishes.

THE RETURN OF SIMPLICITY

New Nordic is notable for its use of humble ingredients, such as potatoes, carrots, pickled vegetables, chicken and fish, to create dishes that exude warmth and contentment. Dishes across the menu are generally based on easily sourced, seasonal and organic foods.

NEW NORDIC #2

Fika Swedish Kitchen, a Scandinavian café with venues in Manly, Bondi and the central Perth suburb of Claremont, encourages its diners to ‘feel at home’ in its cosy interiors. Again, the focus is on simple, informal fare, such as Swedish meatballs with mash, gravy, lingonberry jam and pickled cucumber, and a creamy cabbage slaw with radish, apple, carrot, avocado, halloumi, currants, poached free-range egg and a kale crumble.

At Denmark House in Melbourne’s CBD, lunch meals come in the form of smørrebrød, or open sandwiches. Low-fuss options include roast potato with red onion and mayonnaise, bacon jam with cheddar cheese sauce, and pan seared prawns with pickled asparagus and garlic butter sauce. At the bar, simple meals of meatballs with cabbage and cod croquettes can be matched with a variety of cocktails based in akvavit, a spicy Scandinavian distilled spirit.

Another hallmark of New Nordic cuisine is the minimal menu. Degustation is a common approach, but a simple and focused menu is a typical characteristic of New Nordic eateries.

Again, this plays into another trend sweeping the culinary world: doing more with less and checking the curse of the ever-growing menu.

NEW NORDIC #3

American food and beverage research firm Datassential has been monitoring menu sizes for the past 15 years. In 2021, it found six out of ten eateries reduced the number of dishes on offer.

It begs the question: Is the rest of the culinary world finally catching up with the Nordics?

FOR THE LOVE OF LOCAL PRODUCE

The latest addition to the New Nordic dining landscape is Freyja in Melbourne’s central business district. Beginning life in mid-2022, Freyja is described as bringing the New Nordic approach to Australian dining and produce.

It is this blending of the philosophies and techniques that has won over diners. What it really demonstrates is the universality of the New Nordic cuisine and how easily it is transplanted into a country far removed from its origin, simply by applying its cornerstone ideas to locally available ingredients.

Owner Soren Trampedach promised as much at its opening, saying Freyja would deliver the attention to seasonality and produce that defines contemporary Nordic cooking.

“It’s about honesty in food and ingredients. It’s not mass market; it’s about local producers who we know,” he said.

Freyja’s menu underscores this point by listing, in full, the suppliers with whom the restaurant works, while the presence of iconic Indigenous ingredients such as Murray cod, finger lime and Tasmanian mountain pepper in the venue’s dishes is proof of the New Nordic philosophy at work in Australia.

FREYJA, MELBOURNE

arcare

How did you get started in the aged care industry and what attracted you to it?

Having been a chef for more than 15 years, it was always difficult to maintain a work-life balance with split shifts and weekend work. I was browsing chef availabilities and when I read the description, I realised this was an opportunity to stay in the career I loved but with a work-life balance, so I applied for the role and have never looked back.

Where have you worked previously?

Glass Dining and Lounge, Costa Cruise Lines, Yachts of Seaborne and Hotel Alpine.

What meals do the residents keep asking you to cook?

The three main ones are parmigiana, fish and chips, and braised steak and vegetables.

What is your funniest work story?

We discovered how to change the sounds on the combi oven. One day while I was busy the combi started to alert that it was finished and instead of going and opening the combi the other person was looking for a mobile phone. Now we all regularly change the sound. For example, we recently had the finishing time alert as a Christmas carol.

What was your best resident experience and why?

I always try to do daily rounds with the residents. At one point I had some time off and when I returned the residents were all so excited to see me back, approaching me to tell me how they are all so appreciative of my cooking. It is very rewarding to feel so valued.

What has been your biggest professional achievement in this role?

I have won several awards including the Arcare National Chef of the Year 2021.

Have you seen the industry change in your time?

Yes, around the quality, variety and consistency of food. Aged care has moved away from production kitchens. Now, experienced chefs are being hired at each venue to create not only nutritious food, but also great tasting, quality meals for their residents.

What do you enjoy outside the kitchen?

Travelling and spending time with friends and family.

PARKWOOD

HEAD CHEF RUDY MANU

What is your favourite recipe or product at the moment and why?

Edgell Bite-Sized Vegetables. Not only is this a nutritious product, but it is also very versatile. I can use the Edgell Bite-Sized mixes for a variety of dishes such as stir-fries, fried rice and soups, and I can also blitz them for minced and moist dishes.

What is the most important piece of kitchen equipment and why?

The dishwasher saves times and wages. If an oven is not working, I can work around it with another piece of equipment. However, should the dishwasher break, we would need to access the dishwashers in other areas of the facility, meaning a loss of time and money. Should a venue not have an additional dishwasher, it would need two extra staff members; one for washing and one more for sanitation.

What’s your secret to success?

Enjoy what you do and have fun doing it!

What products are you excited about currently and would also like to see in this space?

Edgell Bite-Sized coming out as individual vegetables rather than a mix. The mixes are fantastic, however, once the individual vegetables are available this would mean even more versatility, such as side-of-plate and more wet dishes.

Do you have any advice for chefs looking at aged care? Do it! You will not regret having a work-life balance. Not only do you get to enjoy your passion of cooking, but you also get a life outside of work.

What type of food trends are you seeing coming through now in residential facilities?

It varies on the site; my residents enjoy Asian influenced foods.

If you had any advice for your peer group for the next 6-12 months, what would that be?

Get to know your manufacturer sales representatives. Not only do you have a better understanding of supply constraints, which will allow you to have time to look at other alternatives, but you are also on the front foot for new products and promotions.

If you use social media for work inspiration, what things do you like to read or do you search for, and do you have any examples of how it’s helped you?

I don’t usually go online for work inspiration, as I prefer to experiment in-house. Experimenting in-house gives me the opportunity to work with the textures and flavours and get a better feeling for the product and its suitability.

When we have our resident food focus meeting, I like to make the dish per the Arcare recipe, but also do my own version of the recipe based on resident feedback, so I can offer the residents a variation suited to their taste. When I recreate a recipe, I share and retweet my variation of those recipes as this could be beneficial to other chefs.

ARCARE, PARKWOOD

Why frozen veggies just make sense

The past few years have yielded significant challenges around price stability and supply continuity for the food service industry. With the outlook for 2023 hinting at similar levels of uncertainty, the benefits of frozen produce have never been clearer

Frozen vegetables receive unfair criticism for being a compromise on quality and nutrition. This is not the case, with frozen veggies fully justifying their place as a worthy staple in every commercial kitchen. Let’s explore why.

Quality and nutrition

Frozen vegetables are blanched and snap-frozen soon after harvest. Blanching destroys microorganisms and inactivates enzymes that cause deterioration to freshness, colour and texture. Meanwhile, freezing puts the brakes on nutrition losses, giving frozen vegetables great nutrition across their shelf life. The Australian Dietary Guidelines recognise frozen and fresh produce as suitable and nutritious sources of vegetables.

Convenience and time

Using frozen vegetables removes the preparation time involved in washing, peeling and cutting vegetables manually. In a busy kitchen facing labour shortages and rising costs, this is a gamechanger. Frozen vegetables also have a relatively long shelf life, providing chefs with access to quality produce at all times of the year, directly from the freezer.

Yield and waste

Frozen vegetables help tackle kitchen food waste because chefs can use only what’s needed while the remainder is

stored in the freezer for its next use. For every kilogram purchased there is 100% yield. This contrasts with fresh vegetables, where a portion of produce purchased is inevitably lost to peeling, trimming, removing inedible parts and spoilage.

The value of Edgell Bite-Sized Vegetables

Edgell has created a range of small-cut vegetable mixes that are the perfect answer to the challenges facing kitchens in 2023.

Every 1.5kg pack of Edgell Bite-Sized Vegetables saves around 22 minutes in preparation time, allowing staff to focus on the jobs that really make a difference around the kitchen. Featuring 10–15cm cuts, these delicious veggies can be cooked straight from the freezer whenever they are needed.

Edgell’s expertise ensures that only select quality vegetables are included, which are then snap-frozen to lock in goodness and flavour.

Using Edgell Bite-Sized Vegetable Mixes can give you the edge, saving time and labour, while optimising yield and minimising waste. Use them in stir-fries, pasties, soups, counter meals, curries and more.

Speak to your Simplot Foodservice representative today and find out how Edgell Bite-Sized Vegetables can make your life easier in 2023.

Recently I was lucky enough to be the “and guest” to my UK journalist friend Rhonda’s VIP press visit to Melbourne. A weekend of culinary adventure was curated for us by Visit Victoria, taking in some of the city’s best new restaurants. I jumped at the opportunity to be a tourist in my hometown. Here’s a taste of our itinerary.

DAY 1 13:30 LUNCH@ Big Esso Mabu Mabu

DAY 1 19:00 DINNER@ Farmer’s Daughters

Big Esso (biggest thank you) is the newest venture of chef-owner Nornie Bero, showcasing the food of her childhood growing up on Mer Island in the Torres Strait. The Federation Square restaurant (on the land of the Wurundjeri people) is bright and buzzing, cacophonous with the sound of punters enjoying themselves. A pink neon sign with Big Esso flashes above the blue tiled bar and graphic black artworks by indigenous artists are painted on white walls. Jars of native ingredients line the open shelves, caps with “DEADLY” in gold font are for sale and it feels like a super hip and contemporary celebration of culture.

DAY 15:30

Melbourne Drinking History Tour

Source: goodfood.com.au

Nornie insists on sourcing from environmentally conscious and/or First Nations, queer-led and women-led producers wherever possible.

We kick off lunch by ordering a pepperberry bloody mary each. It is deliciously punchy and savoury and garnished with succulent sea fig. Unfortunately for Rhonda, who is an adventurous gastronome, I can be squeamish, so the emu and crocodile are not on our table today. We instead order spicy, charred chilli brussels sprouts with macadamia cream, rock baked yams topped with piquant sea parsley, saltbush and warrigal greens, chimichurri and a wattleseed crumbed spatchcock on rich, sweet and purple Congo pomme purée.

It is great to be eating the native produce of this land with a visitor from the UK and feels like the most appropriate way to be introduced to Australia’s culinary scene.

1 13:30 LUNCH@ Esso Mabu

DAY 1 19:00 DINNER@ Farmer’s Daughters

DAY 2 15:30 Melbourne Drinking History Tour

The menu at Farmer’s Daughters is a celebration of the Gippsland region, with provenance its guiding principle. What a perfect place to go as a visitor to Victoria!

The lighting is intimate, and the restaurant exudes a sense of restrained elegance. We are seated at the bar, with a view to the open kitchen, mesmerised by the meditative and perhaps misleading calm of the chefs at work.

DAY 2 19:30 DINNER@ BKK Thai at HER Bar

butter. It is heavenly and is quickly joined by a plate of thinly sliced ethical ham, green olives, mustard leaf and radish.

Every dish that follows—organic broccolini with a jammy egg and aioli, crumbed monkfish with hollandaise and herbs, flank steak with red cabbage and fried Jerusalem artichokes, caper-berry salad and skin-on fries—is a swoon-worthy example of produce-led, unfussy food. The final course of a honey panna cotta with toasted hazelnuts and golden raisins is sublime.

The first plate of our Deli Chef’s Selection Menu is a fat wodge of malty, warm soda bread and a generous pat of cultured

We leave feeling wonderfully spoiled and, while Rhonda is falling in love with Melbourne for the first time, I realise that after two years of being locked in isolation from the city’s embrace, I am happily succumbing back into its arms.

Rock baked yams, Big Esso cont’d

Nornie Bero of Big Esso

cont’d 1 19:00 DINNER@ Farmer’s Daughters

DAY 2 15:30 Melbourne Drinking History Tour

DAY 2 19:30 DINNER@ BKK Thai at HER Bar

We are back in Fed Square, meeting our moustachioed host, Daniel. He is as irreverent and knowledgeable as you would hope of a drinking history tour guide, bringing to life the gold rush days when Melbourne’s population exploded and the newfound wealth funded booze and flooze in equal measure.

We see the urban art of Melbourne’s famous laneways and Daniel takes us to some hidden gems, including the city’s only gin producer, Little Lon Distilling Co, where drinks are named after the characters that once inhabited the surrounding redlight district. We drink cocktails until night falls and our dinner booking awaits.

DAY 2 15:30 Melbourne Drinking History Tour

DAY 2 19:30 DINNER@ BKK Thai at HER Bar

HER is described on its website as “an entire building dedicated to the things Melbourne loves—modern classic food, sophisticated drinks, art, design and music”. It might be the three cocktails speaking but we instantly love HER.

Housed in a heritage-fronted former cigarette factory, HER is a multi-level venue housing a basement bar, an all-day bistro, a Bangkok street-food restaurant and a rooftop bar.

At BKK (HER’s Thai restaurant), we have a fantastic banquet meal of small courses, including oysters bathed in coconut and kaffir, light-as-air fried curry puffs, grilled sausage sliced with green papaya salad, powerfully hot larb and sweet creamy jackfruit green curry. We are advised by our charming host Rudolf to pair the food with a lightly spritzed soft red.

As if in a dream by now, we descend the custom-lit stairwell by French designer Herve Descottes to the Music Room, a soundproof space boasting an entire wall lined with records. The room fills steadily with people and before we know it, we are dancing with strangers and letting time dissolve. My time as a tourist in my own town has ended, and I can’t wait to visit again.

Little Lon Distilling Co.

HER Music Room

Source: littlelondistillingco.com

Photography: Parker Blain

Burgers: 12686

Mince: 12969

Schnitzel: 12687

Chicken Strips: 12693

Meatballs: 12970

Lamb Strips: 13183

As cooler nights and shorter days roll in, hearty and soulful food beckons. Curries of all styles meet the call for simplicity, delicious flavours and textural contrasts, offering the perfect complement to Autumnal menus.

fragrant nights

thai green fish curry

vegetarian korma

katsu curry

vietnamese curry

plant based chicken bulgogi

moroccan style tagine

fragrant nights

All recipes serve 10

thai green fish curry ingredients

1kg frozen I&J Skinless Hake Fillet, thawed

180ml Pura Tuscan Blend Oil

300g Knorr Thai Green Curry Paste

225g Knorr Coconut Milk Powder

700g frozen Edgell Panache Vegetable Mix

4 kaffir lime leaves, julienned, plus extra for serving

35g finely grated palm sugar

30ml fish sauce

Jasmine rice, coriander, Thai basil and lime wedges, for serving

method

1. Cut I&J hake fillets into large cubes.

2. Heat Pura oil and cook out Knorr Thai Green Curry Paste.

3. Combine Knorr Coconut Milk Powder with 1.3L of water and add to curry paste.

4. Add the hake, frozen Edgell vegetables and lime leaves. Heat until vegetables are cooked. Season with palm sugar and fish sauce.

5. Serve with jasmine rice, herbs and lime wedges.

vegetarian korma

ingredients

100g Knorr Coconut Powder

500g frozen Edgell Sliced Onion

100ml Pura Tuscan Blend Oil

1kg Knorr Patak’s Korma Sauce

1kg frozen Edgell Cauliflower Florets

500g frozen Edgell Whole Baby Beans

500g frozen The PastryHouse Puff Pastry Roll, thawed

Basmati rice, coriander leaves, Knorr Patak’s Mango

Chutney and natural yoghurt, for serving

method

1. Combine Knorr Coconut Powder and 300ml water.

2. Sauté frozen Edgell onion in Pura oil. Add coconut milk, Knorr Patak’s Korma Sauce and frozen Edgell Cauliflower Florets, simmer until thickened. Add frozen Edgell beans and stir until cooked.

3. Cut The PastryHouse pastry into 100mm squares. Pan fry pastry over low heat on both sides until flaky and golden.

4. Serve korma with rice, pastry, Knorr Patak’s Mango Chutney and yoghurt. Garnish with coriander.

katsu curry ingredients

100g Girgar Unsalted Butter

100g plain flour, plus extra for crumbing

35g curry powder

10g garam masala

2g cayenne pepper

800g frozen Edgell Sliced Onion

600g potato, diced

450g frozen Edgell Bias Cut Carrots

100ml Pura Tuscan Blend Oil

220g Tip Top Coarse Breadcrumbs

10 pork loin steaks

3 eggs, lightly beaten

Short grain rice and shredded spring onion, for serving

method

1. Make a roux with Girgar butter and flour. Cook until golden brown.

2. Stir through curry powder, garam masala and cayenne pepper for 30 seconds, remove from heat.

3. Sauté frozen Edgell onion, potato and frozen Edgell carrots in Pura oil.

4. Add the roux and 1.6L water and simmer. Stir continuously until potatoes are cooked and the sauce has thickened.

5. Using extra flour, eggs and Tip Top breadcrumbs, crumb pork and deep fry until cooked.

6. Serve curry over rice, top with sliced pork and shredded spring onion.

moroccan style tagine ingredients

1kg frozen Edgell Plant Based Meatballs,thawed

500g frozen Edgell Chopped Onion

60g crushed garlic

60g grated ginger

100ml Pura Tuscan Blend Oil

1kg Knorr Moroccan Sauce

100g honey

600g drained Edgell Chick Peas

50g chopped fresh flat parsley

50g chopped fresh mint

40ml lemon juice

5g lemon zest

500g pearl couscous

10 frozen Speedibake Kaiser Roll

10 Western Star Salted Butter Portions

Toasted slivered almonds, pomegranate seeds, extra herbs and lemon wedges, for serving

method

1. Sauté Edgell Plant Based Meatballs, frozen Edgell onion, garlic and ginger in Pura oil. Add Knorr Moroccan Sauce, honey, Edgell Chick Peas and simmer. Remove from heat and stir through herbs, lemon juice and zest.

2. Cook pearl couscous and Speedibake Kaiser rolls following packet directions.

3. Serve plant-based meatballs over couscous topped with almonds, pomegranate, herbs, lemon wedges, Kaiser roll and Western Star butter.

plant based chicken bulgogi

ingredients

1kg frozen Edgell Plant Based Chicken-Style Strips, thawed

700g bulgogi sauce

20g Knorr Vegetable Booster

60g grated ginger

60g crushed garlic

120ml Pura Tuscan Blend Oil

1kg frozen Edgell Chinoise Vegetable Mix

Lettuce cups, jasmine rice, spring onion and toasted sesame seeds, for serving method

1. Marinate Edgell plant-based chicken in bulgogi sauce, Knorr Vegetable Booster, ginger, garlic and Pura oil.

2. Drain and reserve excess marinade. Stir fry plant-based chicken, add in reserved marinade.

3. Cook frozen Edgell vegetable mix following packet directions. Toss though plant-based chicken.

4. Serve in lettuce cups with jasmine rice. Garnish with spring onion and sesame seeds.

vietnamese curry ingredients

1.2kg chicken thigh fillets

40g curry powder

40ml fish sauce

60ml Knorr Chicken Booster Powder

10g sugar

1 stalk lemongrass, finely chopped

40g crushed garlic

150g Knorr Thai Coconut Milk Powder

100ml Pura Tuscan Blend Oil

300g frozen Edgell Chopped Onion

1.5kg frozen Edgell Bite-Sized Carrot, Potato, Sweet Potato & Parsnip 10-15mm

2 Speedibake French Stick White

250g rice vermicelli noodles

Micro herbs and lime wedges method

1. Marinate chicken in curry powder, fish sauce, Knorr Chicken Booster Powder, sugar, lemongrass and garlic.

2. Combine Knorr Coconut Milk Powder with 300ml water.

3. Sauté chicken in Pura oil. Add frozen Edgell Onion, frozen Edgell Bite-Sized vegetables, 750ml water and simmer. Once the vegetables are cooked pour in coconut milk.

4. Cook Speedibake French Stick White and noodles following packet directions.

5. Serve curry with vermicelli noodles, bread. Garnish with herbs and lime wedges.

Strawberry, white chocolate & fairy floss pizza

INGREDIENTS

100 mLs Anchor Culinary Cream

100 g white chocolate

150 g pizza dough

30 mLs vegetable oil

6 strawberries, halved 100 mLs Anchor whipping cream, pre-whipped

METHOD

1. Heat Anchor Culinary Cream in heavy base saucepan on medium heat to a simmer. Remove pan from the heat, add white chocolate. Stir well until smooth and melted, refrigerate.

2. Place stretched pizza dough onto tray, dock dough thoroughly with fork or pastry docker. Brush with vegetable oil.

3. Cook pizza base in conveyor oven for 5 min at 270°C.

20 g persian fairy floss

2 g meringue, crumbled

2 g icing sugar

4. Remove pizza from the oven, cut and smear the cold white chocolate sauce over the base.

5. Scatter on strawberries, crumbled meringue, then add small dollops of the whipped cream and garnish with the strawberries and fairy floss. Dust over icing sugar.

ONE PRODUCT SIX WAYS

Freezer space is always a challenge… you never seem to have enough. Clever menu planning can allow you to use one product for multiple dishes to save space in the freezer and ensure you are maximising the turnover of your stock.

IN FOOD VENUES

Around two-thirds of Australian households are home to pets, which means our furry friends are a central part of our communities. Despite that, not every diner wants to share an eating space with pets. How can venues make sure everyone feels welcome?

According to a 2019 survey by Newgate Research for Animal Medicines Australia, there are 29million pets in Australia. It is estimated 5.9million—or 61%—of Australian households are home to a pet. Confirming our status as a nation of pet lovers, these numbers comfortably outshine the United States and the United Kingdom, where 57% and 40% of households respectively own pets.

When the survey’s numbers are extrapolated across the country, it is estimated there are 5.1million dogs living in the roughly 40% of Australian homes that own at least one pooch, making them the nation’s favourite pet. With most owners considering their pet a member of the family, it’s no surprise many dog owners enjoy having their pups with them when eating at a favourite café or pub.

But this can create tension if a venue is not set up to meet the needs of dogs or if other patrons object to having a pet in their area when enjoying a meal.

Far from the dilemma it may appear to be, there is actually a huge opportunity for venues according to Lara Shannon, the founder of the Network Ten television show Pooches At Play and an ambassador to Companion Animal Network Australia, Second Chance Animal Rescue and the Rescue Awards.

“I think there is massive demand for most human cafés, pubs, clubs and restaurants to have a place where people can sit with their dog,” she says. “Pretty much all of our TV viewers and social media followers actively seek out places where dogs are welcomed with open arms.

PRO TIPS FOR A PET FRIENDLY VENUE

Provide water bowls and even beds to welcome pets

Rearrange or reduce furniture to provide plenty of space for the safe separation of pets

Familiarise yourself with your local health and safety laws, paying regard to keeping pets and your food handling area well apart

Consider covering slippery floors or surfaces that a dog’s nails might mark with carpets

Insist all dogs remain on their leash while in your venue to prevent the possibility of any unruly behaviour (if possible, section off an outdoor area where dogs can run free)

Consider limiting access to your venue for large or aggressive breeds

Ensure that customers with pet allergies have access to dining areas away from pets

Create an extra revenue stream by offering a dog treat menu

Consider asking pet-owning patrons to ring ahead so you’re not overrun with furry friends!

Pet owner Caroline Zambrero knows first-hand the value of pet-friendly food venues. She has recently moved from the Sydney suburb of Baulkham Hills to nearby Schofields with her family’s 8-year-old Anatolian shepherd dog, Cruz. Being able to take Cruz to food venues has helped her family settle into its new environs.

“It’s been an emotional time moving into a new area, getting to know neighbours and local businesses,” says Zambrero. “Cruz is part of the family and it’s a great way to meet people as they stop by to pat him and ask questions about his breed, which the kids love answering.”

Being the owner of a large dog, Zambrero is mindful of the effect Cruz can have on fellow diners and is careful to make sure her pet is comfortable and not interfering with the needs of others.

Her advice for food venues is as simple as it is practical.

“Having more space between tables helps, even if you don’t have a giant dog. A leash holder is helpful—maybe a hook on the edge of the table or attached to a wall. A doggy menu is nice.”

IN FOOD VENUES

Zambrero adds that it’s vital to understand how dogs behave around food in order to make the environment safe and welcoming for all.

“It’s a rule at home that Cruz stays away from the dinner table when we’re eating. You never know with dogs; they could grab food out of little hands and accidentally bite them.

“When I eat in venues with dogs around me, I watch out for dogs that are sitting too close and remind the kids to watch out if they drop something on the floor.”

Shannon agrees and also emphasises the importance of education for dog owners.

“Education of owners on what is correct etiquette when bringing a dog as well can help with any other customers who may not be open to it,” she says.

“Some anxious dogs can be prone to barking or having a go if another dog gets to close, so I don’t think having just one area is necessary the right approach either. Spacing out dogs is often better.

“Plenty of water bowls, shade and cover, and provision of doggy bags and waste disposal bins can help, too.”

“If you can manage to provide great service, food and treats for both the humans and dogs, you will find yourself extremely busy if you market yourself for dog events and gatherings.”