QSR News

The Vitasoy Espress Yourself Latte Art Competition has returned for another year.

Vitasoy Espress Yourself is a fantastic opportunity for baristas nationwide to showcase their skills in front of a live audience and renowned judges. The winner will take home $5000 cash, with second and third place receiving $1000 and $750 respectively. Each entry submitted is first entitled to be considered for the monthly prize of $250. Simply upload your latte art to Instagram with the hashtag #espressyourselfnz and tag @ restaurantandcafe to get in the draw. At the end of

STARBUCKS BACK OPEN Starbucks has announced that 85 percent of its China stores are open after closing more than half of them amid the coronavirus outbreak. “With the number of new cases in China slowing, we are seeing the early signs of a recovery in the region,” Starbucks CEO Kevin Johnson wrote in a letter to employees. “As a result, the situation is improving throughout major parts of China. We now have 85 percent of stores open across China and continue to assess the ongoing impact,” he added.

The company is still assessing the financial impact of store closures in China. The coffee giant operates 4,100 stores in China, its second largest and fastest-growing market. The company said it’s using its learning from China to prepare other markets for a potential outbreak. “We are staying close to the situation in every single market through connections

with local health officials and are prepared to take whatever actions necessary, market by market, to ensure the health and well-being of our partners and customers,” Johnson wrote.

each month we’ll collect all the entries and share them on our Facebook page so you can show off to your family and friends! We’ll be awarding one prize a month for the next twelve months, so get your entry in now!

The winner of the monthly prize will be decided through a combination of social media votes and the scores given by our judging panel. All entries into the monthly prize will automatically be entered in consideration for the live competition to be held later this year.

Kiwi’s Favourite Catch More and more New Zealanders are making discernible choices when it comes to what they eat and how this interacts with sustainability and healthy living.

Flexitarian is the word du jour to describe someone who is actively reducing the amount of meat they eat, typically cutting out beef, chicken and pork. Seafood fits perfectly into a Flexitarian diet as an alternative to some less sustainable meat products, and with seafood still a firm Kiwi favourite it makes sense to keep kaimoana on the menu. Here are the five catches Kiwis love most.

Salmon New Zealand accounts for over half of the world’s production of king salmon with New Zealand King Salmon recognised as one of the world’s most sustainable fish.

Of all salmon species, the king salmon offers the highest natural oil content of Omega-3s which benefit both heart and joint health. Salmon is a very versatile fish, glistening, rich, yet delicately flavoured salmon is fantastic cooked, smoked or as sashimi.

In fact, salmon lovers agree that the true test of great salmon is to eat it fresh and raw, thinly sliced which hides nothing.

In Tekapo, Mt Cook Alpine Salmon, at 677m above sea level, is the highest salmon farm in the world and is served

in many fine-dining restaurants around New Zealand.

Green-lipped Mussels Green-lipped (or Greenshelled) mussels are easily distinguished from other mussels by the dark green shell with a bright green lip that it is named for. Green-lipped mussels have a sweet and delicate flavour with a tender texture, and an excellent nutrient value. A single serving of mussels possesses around four grams of unsaturated fat, a type of fat that is heart healthy. Mussels also contain vitamins; specifically, they are rich in vitamin B-12.

Mussels continue to be a Kiwi favourite whether they’re eating them steamed at the pub or adding a few deep-fried delicacies to their order at the local Chippy.

Crayfish While crayfish may be considered more of a treat by most Kiwis, having this indulgence on the menu is always alluring.

We have two species of crayfish

here in New Zealand, the spiny red rock lobster and the packhorse crayfish. The spiny red rock lobsters, or simply “reds” as they’re usually referred to, are far more common and can be found throughout New Zealand waters and parts of Australia. There are many ways to prepare crayfish, but simple is always best. Savour the taste and texture and don’t mess around with it too much. It combines well with citrus, pasta, avocado, chilli, aioli, garlic and anise flavours.

Scallops Scallops have long held a special place on Kiwi menus; they even have their own festival in the Coromandel in September.

Scallops are tender and juicy when cooked quickly on a high heat with a light touch. Grilled or seared scallops are very popular; however, this little shellfish is highly versatile and can be enjoyed sautéed, baked, barbequed and, of course, deep fried.

Scallops are a tasty addition to paella, pasta or risotto and are a good source of magnesium, potassium and vitamin B.

Snapper Still the most popular fish to eat in New Zealand. Snapper has tender white-to-pinkish flesh, rich in a naturally occurring amino acid called glycine, which results in its characteristic sweet, mild flavour.

From fine dining to the fish & chip shop Snapper is a highly versatile fish that can be poached, baked, smoked and fried, whole baked, it is a taste experience that is hard to match. Also wonderful raw as sushi or sashimi with the uncooked flesh having an iridescent appearance.

You don’t have to feel guilty about choosing Snapper either with most of the Snapper stocks in New Zealand are at either stable or increasing levels. This fish has no sign of being knocked off the top spot any time soon.