NO.773 JUNE 2021
FRENCH BISTRONOMY • XIAOLONGBAO • PASI PETANEN
CONTENTS // Month
Contents JUNE 2021
30
20 Regulars 6 // IN FOCUS The baker behind Fizzy’s Bread. 8 // NEWS The latest openings, books, products and more. 10 // PRODUCE Discover the myriad uses behind chicory. 12 // BEST PRACTICE How to attract new customers.
2 | Hospitality
44 14 // DRINKS An Australian agave spirit is in the works in Queensland. 20 // PROFILE Pasi Petanen from Cafe Paci. 50 // BEHIND THE SCENES Flying Fish’s smoked appletini. 52 // EQUIPMENT Kakugama makes a comeback. 54 // 5 MINUTES WITH … Juicy Banana’s Sam Young.
Features 26 // SNACKS Chefs reveal the fuel that keeps them going through service. 30 // GLUTEN-FREE PASTRIES There’s no excuse for sub-par options anymore. 38 // XIAOLONGBAO The intricacies behind the pleated steamed bun. 44 // BISTROS Neighbourhood bistros are proving to be a hit with diners.
www.granapadano.it
EDITOR’S NOTE // Hello
Social
Keep up with the Hospitality team
IS THAT FISH? The answer is no! Pinchy’s has launched a new vegan menu that’s sure to please. @hospitalitymagazine
To snack or not to snack — that is the question I HAVE TO admit, I am partial to a snack or
her hands stuck into sourdough-making,
two throughout the day, and my job is far,
which has now become a core part of her
far less demanding than running a kitchen. It
skill set — just don’t call her a baker.
got me thinking about how chefs keep their
LUNCH FOR ONE It’s hard to find a juicy schnitzel, but this one from Maggio’s delivers. @annabellecloros
Our features cover the rise of European
energy levels up during service — are they
bistros as well as gluten-free pastries and
after an instant kick or a slow-burn option?
a look at one of my favourite dumplings —
The answers were incredibly varied, with
xiaolongbao. We also chat with Sam Young
everything from lollies and meat offcuts to
about launching a very fancy pop-up called
anchovies on bread and even water making
Juicy Banana.
the cut. This issue, we profile Pasi Petanen, who
I hope you enjoy this issue.
opened Cafe Paci in Sydney’s Newtown just
Annabelle Cloros
over a year ago to much fanfare. The venue
Editor
was also the first place Chef Katie Choi got
FOOD MEETS ART Ishizuka’s Zensai creation is as pretty as a picture. @hospitalitymagazine
Follow us @hospitalitymagazine #hospitalitymagazine PUBLISHER Paul Wootton pwootton@intermedia.com.au EDITOR Annabelle Cloros T: 02 8586 6226 acloros@intermedia.com.au JOURNALIST Kirsty Sier T: 02 8586 6194 ksier@intermedia.com.au
ADVERTISING NATIONAL Simon York T: 02 8586 6163 F: 02 9660 4419 syork@intermedia.com.au GROUP ART DIRECTOR – LIQUOR AND HOSPITALITY Kea Thorburn kthorburn@intermedia.com.au PRODUCTION MANAGER Jacqui Cooper jacqui@intermedia.com.au
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4 | Hospitality
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IN FOCUS // Fizzy’s Bread
Flour power Chef Katie Choi isn’t a baker, but her creations say otherwise. WORDS Annabelle Cloros KYULMYEONGJA AND ROASTED corn tea;
at Cafe Paci, and the chef was faced
purple carrot; rye, malt and honey; black
with a new set of challenges. “It was
sesame tangzhong milk bread — these are
stressful because sourdough is inconsistent
just some of the loaves Katie Choi has been
and there are so many variables like the
baking from her Sydney home. The chef
weather and the temperature of the water,”
turned to bread-making last year when
she says. “It was so busy at the beginning
she was faced with lockdowns and an
[when Paci opened]; I never had time to
unexpected surgery, and the hobby led to the
think or appreciate what I was doing — the
creation of some of the most-coveted buns
bread was something that had to be done
in the city.
every day.”
Choi talks to Hospitality about expanding
The chef soon got into the swing of things,
her culinary skill set, balancing baking with
making the restaurant’s bread according
cooking and what’s next for Fizzy’s Bread.
to Chef Pasi Petanen's methods. However,
Katie Choi trained as a chef in New York
an unexpected surgery meant Choi had to
City where she completed culinary school
stop working at the Newtown restaurant just
before joining the Merivale group in Sydney.
before the 2021 lockdown commenced. But
Choi worked alongside Dan Hong and Jowett
the hiccup marked the beginning of Choi’s
Yu at Ms.G’s before moving to Mitch Orr’s
bread journey, which led to the chef delving
Acme and Bar Brosé. “After that, I took some
into all things bread. “I was at home by
time off and was working here and there
myself during COVID most of the time, and
for friends and filling in at Don Peppino’s,
that’s when I had the time to really get into
but my last full-time job was at Cafe Paci in
sourdough and experiment,” she says.
Newtown,” she says. Choi made her first loaf of sourdough 6 | Hospitality
Choi scoured Instagram, tapping into the wealth of knowledge available on the
cross buns led to a four-week blitz at Potts
bakers alike. But it’s a rabbit hole: “The
Point eateries Room Ten and Pina. “I’m friends
more you know, the more you realise you
with Andrew and Yuvi [Room Ten and Pina
don’t know,” she says. The chef also began
owners] and I brought them some buns I had
buying small quantities of flour on Amazon.
just baked,” she says. “Yuvi said they should
“Wholegrain Milling sells ancient grain
add them to the pastry cabinet and it started
flours including emmer and kamut and they
off with 24 buns.”
change the flavour so much,” says Choi.
Sydneysiders soon caught wind of the
“It’s a bit geeky, but I get really excited
inaugural buns, which Choi describes as
about flour.”
“light and fluffy — not too heavy on the
Access to heritage flours has led to
fruit”, and the following four weeks were
plenty of experimentation, with Choi baking
an absolute blur, with the chef balancing
everything from five-grain porridge to
part-time work with bun-making. “I did it
khorosan loaves all made with a starter
Thursday to Sunday and made 400 buns a
named Seri. Choi says her ‘give it a
day in the last week,” she says. A pandemic
go’ attitude towards utilising different
purchase originally made to support her
ingredients stems from the beginnings of
sourdough “hobby” turned out to be the
her hospitality career. “I don’t know if it’s
key to churning out thousands of hot cross
my cooking background, but it’s influenced
buns. “The only reason I could do it was
by where I’ve work,” she says. “Mitch
because I ordered Rofco B40 ovens from
[Orr] always puts a spin on things or uses
Belgium,” says Choi.
ingredients that wouldn’t typically be used
So what’s next post-bun-blitz? It’s a
in pasta, so I think it stems from having
question Choi is still figuring out, but bread
a play. Cooking is my background, not
is definitely involved. “When I bake, it goes to
baking, and everything else [besides Pasi's
friends and family and that’s keeping me busy
sourdough] has been my own experiments
enough at the moment,” she says. “It’s a bit
and learning myself. I still get surprised
scary to ask people to pay for my bread. But I
every time I open the oven; it’s always this
would love to do something where I deliver a
little thrill, a rush.”
few times a week.”
Choi definitely found herself in a whirlwind during Easter this year, when a few gifted hot
Here’s hoping Fizzy’s Bread hits tables soon — until then, there’s always Instagram. ■
“It’s a bit geeky, but I get really excited about flour.” – Katie Choi
June 2021 | 7
IN FOCUS // Fizzy’s Bread
platform from professional and novice
NEWS // Entrée
Entrée
The latest openings, books, events and more. EDITED BY Annabelle Cloros
Strong Zero arrives in Australia Japanese RTD Strong Zero has made its way to Australia for the first time thanks to Beam Suntory. -196 Double Lemon has an ABV of 6 per cent, with the beverage made using Freeze Crush Infusion Technology™. A whole lemon is frozen in liquid nitrogen before being crushed and soaked in vodka and shochu. The beverage is finished with soda and contains 0.3g of sugar per can. Available at leading liquor stores from August, with a four-pack retailing for $22. minus196.com.au
Today’s Special 20 Leading Chefs Choose 100 Emerging Chefs As the name suggests, 20 chefs from across the
Saint Felix’s first brandy
globe have each selected five up-and-comers in
Saint Felix distillery’s Xavier Natly teamed up with acclaimed bartender
Today’s Special. Palisa Anderson was chosen to
Orlando Marzo to launch a limited cherry and cacao husk brandy. There
shine a light on emerging talent, with the Chat Thai
are only 800 bottles available, with notes of cherry, chocolate and red wine
operator highlighting Ben Devlin (Pipit), Mat Lindsay
coming through. The brandy was made using ingredients sourced on the
(Ester), Natalie Paull (Beatrix) and Jason Saxby
Mornington Peninsula and distilled in an 18-century copper still pot. The
(Raes on Wategos). Danielle Alvarez (Fred’s), Paul
process commenced with the maceration of raspberries and whole cherries
Carmichael (Momofuku Seiobo) and Thi Le (Anchovy)
before they were removed and distilled in the kettle. The distillate was then
also make an appearance. 100 chefs are profiled in
used to macerate the cacao husk, with the product blended and finished in
the book, with each page detailing recipes, menus,
Barossa red wine casks. The brandy is priced at $85 and is available from
original essays and photographs. phaidon.com
saintfelix.com.au
Phaidon; $79.95
8 | Hospitality
NEWS // Entrée
Sweet and spicy Chilli honey has hit the local market courtesy of Quinby’s. The brand is the brainchild of two brothers who had their first experience of the sweet yet spicy foodstuff in a New York deli. Quinby’s is made using wildflower honey from Sydney that’s infused with habanero chillies at a low temperature. It’s best enjoyed on pizza, gelato, fruit, ice cream,
Jerry Mai headlines Hogfest
cheese or anything else you might
Hogfest is set to return for the fifth year, with Jerry Mai bringing her
please. Stockists at quinbys.co
Melbourne eatery Bia Hoi to Southern New South Wales. The event will run from 12-13 June at the Bundarra Berkshires free-range pork farm near Barham. Mai will create a menu that utilises the farm’s pork along with local beef cooked over fire and in smokers. Guests will enjoy a multi-course feast with everything from charcuterie on offer alongside sausages, asado, vegetables and more. Tickets are on sale now via Eventbrite, with other activities such as wine tastings and tours held across the weekend.
Anita Gelato opens in Brisbane’s West Village Brisbane’s West Village is set to welcome Anita Gelato in the former site of the Peters ice-cream factory. Anita’s has locations across the globe and is known for its 150-option menu, with all products made using natural ingredients. Gelato flavours cover everything from chocolate, almond and caramel to Oreo cream along with vegan passionfruit sorbet. anita-gelato.com
Pasta boutique launches in Melbourne A bespoke pasta store has opened its doors in Fairfield, Melbourne, with a raft of handmade shapes on offer. The concept of Pasta Poetry was inspired by laneways and techniques found in Bologna, Italy, with Executive Chef Elena Kavallaris — who spent time in the capital city — heading up the kitchen alongside Head Chef Robin Turner. Visitors can choose from pastas including gnocchi, tagliatelle, ravioli and more, with the store also stocking breads, wines, desserts, sauces and other staples. pastapoetry.com.au
June 2021 | 9
PRODUCE // Chicory
Grows up to 1 metre tall
Chicory flowers range from light to dark violet-blue
The root is used medicinally to treat digestive issues
Roots can be roasted and ground for a coffee substitute 10 | Hospitality
PRODUCE // Chicory
Chicory Chicory is a plant with a long history and an even longer list of uses. WORDS Kirsty Sier Origins
the ground until it flowers — a process that
to coffee, and can be described as having
Chicory — or Cichorium intybus is — believed
typically happens around 120 days after the
warm, nutty, earthy and bitter notes. The
to have first been cultivated in ancient
seeds are planted.
leaves also have a bitter taste, but are milder
Egypt. The plant was a favourite among
Cultivated leaf chicory falls into two main
the earlier they are harvested.
philosophers such as Horace, Virgil, Pliny and
categories: witlof and radicchio. The type
Ovid who documented their fondness for it in
of chicory will affect when it is harvested.
their writings. Centuries later, chicory gained
Radicchio should be harvested young before
Culinary applications and storage
prominence in Northern Europe, when it
the leaves turn bitter. Witlof should be
With its long list of potential uses, chicory is
was discovered the root could be used as a
harvested around four months after sowing
a no-waste plant. The leaves, buds and roots
substitute for coffee.
and is best harvested in the cooler months.
of the plant can all be consumed, each with
The plant was eventually introduced to
different culinary applications.
the United States in the 19th century, where
Flavour profile and appearance
it continues to be used to add body and
Over the centuries that humans have been
and grind it into a powder to create a coffee
bitterness to coffee — a practice prominent in
growing and harvesting chicory, the plant has
substitute. However, chicory root can also be
New Orleans.
evolved to encompass a number of varieties
boiled and eaten whole as a vegetable. Once
including Belgian endive, curly endive and
roasted, chicory roots can be stored in powder
sugarloaf.
form in the fridge for up to one year or for a
Growth and harvest The deep-rooted, short-term perennial plant
However, the original species plant,
The most common use of the root is to roast
few weeks in a cool, dark place.
can be grown from cuttings or from seeds.
Chicorium intybus, is a flowering herb. The
In Australia, chicory grows during late spring
flowers are the best way of identifying the
and added to salads. They can also be
and summer and is considered naturalised. It
chicory plant. Depending on the age and
cooked on the stove or roasted in the oven
is adapted to a wide variety of soil types and
level of sun exposure, the violet-blue flowers
for a less-bitter flavour. Much like any other
climates and will even thrive in low-rainfall
range from light to dark and sit on top of stiff,
lettuce-type plant, chicory leaves will last
conditions thanks to its taproot system. To
hairy stems that can grow up to 1 metre tall.
a couple of days, and can be stored in the
utilise the roots, the plant should be left in
Ground chicory root tastes quite similar
fridge loosely wrapped in a damp towel. ■
Popular in the
Witlof and radicchio can be eaten raw
Radicchio leaves
Netherlands
are mostly eaten raw Witlof is a cultivated leaf chicory Bitter and spicy profile
Commonly known
Grows in an
as Belgian endive
elongated shape Leaves have a bitter flavour Red-wine-coloured leaves have white veins
June 2021 | 11
BEST PRACTICE // Adapting for future growth
Catering to different markets Attracting new customers and adapting to change is the key to getting ahead. WORDS Rami Ykmour
ATTRACTING DIFFERENT CUSTOMERS
You can turn slow times into some of your
bespoke menu and adding an 'all you can
to your restaurant can be challenging.
busiest hours by offering specific discounts
eat’ buffet at selected restaurants. By
Restaurants with the best food and the
and specials. Many restaurants find that
hosting celebratory events, you will draw the
cheapest prices can still struggle to fill
Mondays and Tuesdays are slower than other
local public to your business.
tables, even at peak periods.
days. If that is the case for your business,
When considering the type of customer you
consider offering daily specials.
want to attract, restaurants need to consider their brand positioning and highlight key values. Operators should also consider how their marketing strategy is executed so they can attract a variety of customers and receive the best-possible return on investment.
option and a plan B if your restaurant runs
Understanding macro
into any potential problems. COVID-19
trends in your customers’
restrictions have taken a substantial toll
patterns can help you maximise profits.
Restaurants must be able to cater to different markets and attract a variety of
Another way to appeal to a variety of customers is to have a takeaway or delivery
on the Australian hospitality industry. We adapted during this time and needed to create strategies to cater to our loyal customers. So we added delivery and
For example, you could offer half-price
takeaway options to our existing business
customers, especially during the peak hours
desserts on Monday. Tuesday could be a day
model, which was traditionally focused on
such as lunch and dinner. You can’t just
where you offer happy hour in the afternoon.
customers dining in. We also added clear
disregard customers because you don’t have
At Rashays, we offer half-price pizza and
screens between tables at our restaurants.
the necessities to cater to them. Review what
pasta on Monday and Tuesday, and have
you are offering your current market and take
been doing this from day one. Specials help
listen to customers, whether the feedback is
note of what you are not offering them.
incentivise people to visit your venue during
good or bad. Create different avenues and
times that are historically slow.
options for your customers to do this and
If you don’t already do so, track your orders and determine when you make the most
Events are also a great way to get people
Above everything else, restaurants need to
utilise your social media platforms. Don’t
sales. Understanding macro trends in your
into your restaurant. It’s also one of the
be afraid to use Facebook, Instagram and
customers’ patterns can help you maximise
easiest ways to help the public create fond
LinkedIn to receive feedback from the public
profits. Most restaurants will find they are
memories of your restaurant. For example, we
while stimulating growth and exposure of
slower during certain times, days and periods
recently executed a Mother’s Day promotion
your restaurant brand at the same time. ■
of the year.
by offering breakfast boxes, creating a
12 | Hospitality
Ramy Ykmour is the Founder of Rashays
sales@euroquip.com.au
www.euroquip.com.au
DRINKS // Agave in Australia
One of a kind An Australian company has an ambitious plan to release a spirit crafted from local agave. WORDS Annabelle Cloros
QUEENSLAND’S AIRLIE BEACH is home
business that’s predominantly export.
sugarcane and mangos galore. But it’s also
market (ETA August/September this year),
which has an ambitious goal to grow 1
with resident agronomist Chris Monsour to
to white sand, crystal-clear waters, fields of the location of choice for an agave farm,
million plants for one purpose — creating an Australian agave spirit.
The project is located 45 minutes
north of Airlie Beach in Bowen and is
Before the bottles are released to the
Hospitality visited the farm to check in
discuss the growing process of agave, the
conditions needed for optimum plants and what the harvest process will look like.
spearheaded by Top Shelf International
TSI purchased a property in Ayr,
Grainshaker vodka and a soon-to-be
2,000 blue agave plants on it that were
(TSI); the company behind Ned whisky, released and yet-to-be-named agave spirit, loosely ‘inspired’ by tequila and mezcal.
Tequila and mezcal are only able to be
made in Mexico, with producers following strict guidelines from appellation and
regulatory bodies that outline everything from the type of agave used (Agave
tequilana for tequila) to fermentation and labelling procedures.
The products are incomparable, in the
Queensland, in 2019 which had around originally sourced from Mexico. The agave were an experimental crop and were
essentially uncared for, growing freely
for more than 10 years. The agave were harvested along with the pups (agave
offshoots) and bulbils (new plants grown from a bud at the flower’s base), which
went on to form the foundational plantings at TSI’s Bowen farm called Eden Lassie.
Eden Lassie’s land hadn’t been worked
same vein as Champagne and sparkling
in many years. Chris Monsour, an
spirit, which the company believes has
of Prospect Agriculture, says the soil
wine. But TSI is taking a chance on the
the potential to be a $100-million-a-year 14 | Hospitality
award-winning agronomist and Director condition varied across the property. “The
haven’t seen a significant difference
soil,” he says. “All of the soil on the farm is
they need a little bit of moisture to get
depleted soil whereas others had fertile
suitable even though there’s variability in the quality. Agave likes soil that’s well-
drained, but it can handle marginal soils.” Monsour and his team have just hit
the 200,000-plant mark and are officially one-fifth of the way through their agaveplanting quest. The plants comprise
different varieties of blue agave that were
initially grown in a gene garden in Mexico.
between the two,” he says. “It’s more
established; we’ve also had good weather since they went in the ground. We can push them a little harder because we
can irrigate and provide some nutrients. It’s all based on measuring the rate of
growth, how much biomass there is and
ultimately how much sugar accumulates until harvest.”
“The idea was to see which selections
Monitoring tools and various forms of
them thrived really well,” says Monsour.
the farm since the beginning including
handled the conditions in Ayr, and all of The most depleted areas of the farm
were selected for the first plantings in order to gauge adaptability. Agave is
known to grow out of rock crevices and
survive the most challenging conditions,
and the less-than-optimum soil condition did not pose a problem for the plants. While agave is incredibly hardy,
Monsour says the plants respond to the right amount of irrigation. “We did an early trial where we grew plants with irrigation and some without, and we
DRINKS // Agave in Australia
weeds were out of hand; some parts had
technology have been deployed across drones and soil probes. A drone fitted with a multispectral camera captures
infrared lights and provides an in-depth look at a plant’s current status. “The
cameras pick up wavelengths of light and you can convert it into an image
that provides a guide of the health of the plant,” says Monsour. “Flying the
drone and recording images is part of
our R&D program; we can see how the
plant is responding to certain treatments including compost and irrigation.”
“Flying the drone and recording images is part of our R&D program; we can see how the plant is responding to certain treatments including compost and irrigation.” – Chris Monsour
June 2021 | 15
DRINKS // Agave in Australia Australians
“The plant material we have at Eden Lassie comes from a range of different blue agave sources.” – Chris Monsour
The same images are also used to
create a 3D point cloud. “It has all sorts
of points which correspond to the edges
of the leaves, around the stem and it can
measure how much biomass is above the ground,” says Monsour. “It’s an accurate
way of measuring the growth of the plant and benchmarking the best nutrition and irrigation practices.”
estimated to
third-largest
become the third-
consumers
largest spirits
of tequila
category in the
per capita
US by 2024
TSI’s plants
The first release
are from the
of TSI’s agave
cultivar of Agave
spirit is made with
tequilana called
10-year-old
Weber Azul
plants from Ayr
a sugar-cane-growing region, and a lot of engineering people here have been
involved in designing equipment over the years, so we can design equipment with them for our purpose. Like anyone who starts out trying to mechanise fruit and vegetable harvesting, there are a lot of tricky things to develop.”
Harvesting machinery will be linked
Soil moisture monitoring tools are found
with technology such as drones, with the
10cm along the probes. “You can watch the
drones to single out individual plants and
across the farm, with sensors located every plant extract water out of the soil during
the day and it stops at night,” says Monsour.
“It helps us know when to provide irrigation and ensure the plant is kept in a non-stress mode. We’re not wasting water and it’s targeted to the root system.”
The harvesting process will look very
two working hand in hand. “We will use
guide the equipment to harvest them first
followed by the next level and then what’s left,” says Monsour.
With that said, the harvest of the first
Eden Lassie agave is still a few years away, with the first plantings estimated to be ready in the next three to four years.
In that time, the farm will also undergo
different to techniques utilised in Mexico,
a development which will see the creation
will be investing in bespoke machinery
hydrogen and solar technology, along with
which are largely completed by hand. TSI and technology that will see around 800
plants harvested a day. Monsour predicts
of an on-site distillery, powered by
a production facility and a visitor centre. Tequila and mezcal have both
the harvest process will be entirely
experienced a sharp surge in growth
automated and it will basically replace
launch of a localised product taking a shot
mechanised. “Some machinery will be all physical labour,” he says. “We’re in 16 | Hospitality
Agave spirit is
are the world’s
among Australian drinkers, with the at the booming category. ■
g Serving sug
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PROFILE // Pasi Petanen
20 | Hospitality
PROFILE // Pasi Petanen
Pasi Petanen After decades in the kitchen, the chef is letting go of expectations. WORDS Kirsty Sier
PASI PETANEN HAS a style that is hard
roots, he insisted his influences were not
customers to sample the full scope of his
the early parts of his career racking up
Vietnamese and unlike anything anybody
topped with rice porridge and a jammy
to pin down. The Finnish-born chef spent experience in some of the world’s best kitchens — two Michelin stars, three
Finnish. They were European, Mexican, else was doing at the time.
The route was potentially risky, but a two-
Michelin stars — before moving to
year lease gave Petanen a greater willingness
to follow a fine-dining trajectory. On a
The restaurant was self-funded without any
Australia in 1999, where he continued national scale, Petanen would become hot
property, building his name as head chef at Mark Best’s fine diner Marque in Sydney.
These days, Petanen is best known for his
break-out restaurant Cafe Paci, where he has been pioneering one of the most creative,
oddball menus in Sydney. Hospitality talks to
Petanen about going solo, breaking free from the pursuit of awards and toying with diners’ expectations.
In 2013, Pasi Petanen opened the first
iteration of his solo venture Cafe Paci, a twoyear pop-up at the old Cafe Pacifico site on
Riley Street, Darlinghurst. From the get-go,
to unleash his own unique style of cooking.
backers, and a ticking clock meant there was less to lose by going all out.
First, Petanen engaged Interior Architect
George Livissianis to create an atmosphere on a dime. “It’s super important to have a designer; you really need someone with a clear vision of what you’re trying to
achieve,” says the chef. “George Livissianis
creativity: a Finnish-Mexican rye taco
egg; a potato mousse tartlet with crisped chicken skin and a single sardine coated in raspberry powder and liquorice dust.
The dishes were among the unexpected
combinations to have emerged from this laboratory of imagination.
News of Cafe Paci quickly spread via
word of mouth, with Petanen accumulating an impressive mailing list that would set
him up for later successes. In 2015, he was awarded the prestigious Chef of the Year award and one hat.
did the first place and there was like, no
After the two-year lease was up, it
was the paint. The curtains would have
permanent home for the continuation
budget. The most expensive thing there
cost $3,000, but I said, ‘No, I’m not paying that much for fabrics’, so I went to Ikea
and got all the curtains there. They were a
took three years for Petanen to find a
of Cafe Paci. But once he had found his
groove, he was determined to continue it.
Cafe Paci 2.0 sits on a strip of Newtown’s
bit short, but that was part of the charm.”
King Street that was in the process of
defied expectations or any type of singular
himself more freedom to experiment on
Petanen signed the lease.
associated the food with Petanen’s Finnish
a five-course set menu, which allowed
the concept began to churn out dishes that influence. Although the media commonly
By limiting design spend, Petanen gave
the plate. The original Cafe Paci offered
undergoing a culinary Renaissance when “I was quite particular when we started
looking for places because it was all my
June 2021 | 21
PROFILE // Pasi Petanen
The menu reflects a more personable,
community-minded approach. Paci offers à la
carte only, unless a large group booking requests
otherwise. “The idea of the menu being large, it’s almost overwhelming,” he says. “You can’t have
everything, so you have to come back. That was the idea. We just do eight preps of everything every night, and when that runs out, it just
becomes unavailable. If you do miss out, you have to [return],” he says.
“We are European-style, but our influence
comes from all over Europe, but also a lot
broader. We also have some Asian and Mexican influences. You have to try to be creative as money,” says the chef. “This place ticked all the boxes. We worked with the bare minimum fit-
out, working with George Livissianis again. The
strip was just coming up; Bella Brutta and Mapo
between decades, continents and seasons. At
its Darlinghurst predecessor, but was exactly what
Petanen wanted. “It was almost impossible to create According
influenced
hats
by Finnish,
carry less
Mexican and
weight than
Vietnamese
they did
cooking
in the
traditions
late 2000s
Interior
Petanen
Architect
draws
George
on his
Livissianis
fine-dining
designed
roots
both
but
iterations of
prioritises
Cafe Paci
playfulness
22 | Hospitality
That’s what stands out.”
trap, exhaust, liquor licence, perfect size — it
The Newtown site is significantly smaller than
to Petanen,
there’s the creative interpretation of the food.
The only real through line on the menu at Cafe
was everything we were looking for.”
menu is
the same ingredients, the same style, but then
had opened and this [venue] came up in the
middle out of nowhere. It came with a grease
Cafe Paci’s
well to have a point of difference. There can be
atmosphere in Darlinghurst,” he says. “It was too
big, and unless the restaurant was completely full, it didn’t matter how loud you played the music, it
felt quiet. You’re never going to find the dream size, unless you’ve got loads of money. You’ve really got
to adapt your business model or ideas to the space
Paci is playfulness. Otherwise, dishes jump
the time of publication, the offering includes
sourdough pasta with pear and pecorino; potato
blini with sour cream and anchovies; steak frites with Diane sauce; devilled egg with trout roe
and desserts such as house-made carrot sorbet with yoghurt and liquorice. There are also
Petanen’s signatures — potato dumpling with XO sauce and his now-iconic potato and molasses bread — that are long-time stayers.
While Petanen exacts techniques and flair
that comes close to the things you need. This place
that are reflective of his fine-dining background,
intimate for the customers.”
provided an opportunity to rally his own brigade.
is only 60 seats, so it’s much easier to make it feel
the attainment of his own permanent space has
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PROFILE // Pasi Petanen
“There can be the same ingredients, the same style, but then there’s the creative interpretation of the food. That’s what stands out.” – Pasi Petanen Cafe Paci’s entire staff are all under the age of 30, and Petanen is teaching the
joys of individual culinary expression to the next generation.
“I’ve been cooking for so long; it’s a lot
of stuff from way back,” he says. “That’s why I say, ‘Write stuff down’ to young
chefs. You think, ‘Oh, I’ll remember that’, but in three years, you have no idea
what you did. If you write it down, you can go back to your notes and find so many little treasures.”
Instead of accolades, Petanen is now
chasing his own freedom. “I’m not
focused on hats and awards; it’s too
much pressure,” he says. “I’m too old for
that. Once you start getting those things, it makes people’s expectations so high.
It’s so much easier to over-deliver when they don’t expect much. If it’s super casual and relaxed and you provide
good food, good service and good wine, it’s much easier to get blown away than having two hats, two stars.
“When I was with Mark Best in the
late 2000s, we were driven to keep
three hats and you were so focused on that. I think hats lost their importance with social media as well. Younger
generations don’t even know what it
means. They have no idea what three
hats 10 years ago was. I’m much happier to be more relaxed and more creative. There’s freedom to do what you want
when there’s not so much pressure. It’s much more chill.” ■ 24 | Hospitality
www.simplotfoodservice.com.au
FEATURE // Snacks
The snack pack Chefs reveal the fuel that keeps them fired up during service. WORDS Annabelle Cloros CHEFS BURN THOUSANDS of calories during
VAL BARRERE, ESTELLE What is your go-to snack during service? My favourite snack is a puff beef cracker with faux bacon powder — you can’t beat it. I usually stick with the same option because there isn’t much around.
a typical service, with one hour of cooking
What properties are you looking for in a snack?
kitchen is a high-pressure environment, but
How often do you eat during service?
limitless snack options.
What about after service?
Hospitality, covering the essential bites that
meat drippings.
burning up an average of 300 calories. The
it’s also one that’s filled with temptations and Seven chefs dish on their snacking habits to
get them through service. From anchovies
on focaccia to beef crackers with faux bacon powder and marinated Wagyu trimmings —
the snack life of a chef is as gourmet as it gets.
I’d rather a snack with a low GI and a vegetable base such as crudités. I’m pretty busy during service and would rather a good long black. Strong yes. Scott [Pickett] and I are particularly fond of leftover bread dipped in
Has your choice of snack evolved during your career? As my position has evolved, my choice of snack is unlimited.
What’s your ideal snack when you go out to eat? I love a good old croque monsieur.
SCOTT LORD, NEW QUARTER Go-to service snacks?
Are you an after-service eater?
Chicken congee with confit shallot and
I’m definitely a late eater and will
chicken, satay prawns and condiments)
the night.
pickles; banh xeo and leftovers (grilled or egg noodles with double chicken stock and a handful of herbs.
Has your snack choice evolved during your career?
Do you change it up or stick with the same options?
This has happened a couple of
I mix it up on the daily, but generally
Tina, I’d eat the short rib trim.
it’s what’s easy and in front of me.
Are you after a high-enery snack or something with a longer burn?
times, but when I was at Tokyo I would marinate it in smoked
gochujang and dip the meat in
excess pickle juice. It developed
My metabolism is very high, so I tend
into a Wagyu intercostals marinade
carbs and always have a high-sugar
mustard seeds.
to snack throughout the day. I like green juice on section.
How often do you typically snack during service? One to six snacks per service
is realistic between mumbling
dockets.
26 | Hospitality
always raid the fridge at the end of
with smoked gochujang and pickled
What’s your ideal snack outside your venue? The potato bread and stracciatella with spring onion oil at Carlton Wine Room.
Are you a snacker during service? We have a snack and fruit station set up, and I’ll have a quick
coffee and biscuit if I have the time. In the past, chips and garlic yoghurt were a go-to.
What’s your usual snack of choice? I change it up, but will opt for something a bit healthier like
carrots with lemon and salt. I also make sure I drink lots of water and have a double-shot coffee for a longer burn.
Do you eat after work? I’m an ‘after service relax with a drink’ person — my drink of choice is Japanese whiskey.
How have your habits changed over the years? When I was living in Bologna, I had time to explore
the markets and laneways. The antipasto platters with
local bread (tigelle) were a go-to after work. Even though I always go back to traditional flavours, I’m open to trying new things. I’ve been enjoying crispy chicken skin with wasabi mayo.
JOSHUA BEDELL, NOBU MELBOURNE What are your go-to snacks during service? I work best when I am a little hungry, so while I try to stay away from snacking (aside from a morning banana and
coffee) I taste a lot of dishes throughout the day. It’s really
important to me to check the quality of our food before it’s
shared with guests. Drinking a lot of water throughout service keeps me going.
Do you change up your snack options? I keep it minimal, but I do try and mix up the dishes and
ANGUS CADDEN, PARK STREET PASTA & WINE
dishes we’re plating up on the pass, so these small bites tend
What are your go-to service snacks?
How do you get a quick energy burst?
Do you mix up your snack choices?
sauces I’m tasting every day. I like to be across the variety of to keep me going.
A variation of anchovy on off-cut focaccia or lavosh crackers.
I don’t eat a lot of sweets, but I have a secret stash of lollies
It’s always anchovies on focaccia, but sometimes I’ll
Has your choice of snack evolved during your career?
caramelised onion for something a little more indulgent.
Definitely, as your career evolves, so do your habits and
Are you a fan of eating after service?
eat. These days, I try and opt for healthier choices. I work
unless I finish early enough then I might have dinner. I snack in
for when I need a little sugar hit!
add stracciatella and olive oil or maybe ’nduja paste and
lifestyle choices — you become more conscious of what you
Not particularly, I always snack during service and rarely after
long days and long nights, so the food I’m consuming has a
between sittings; I typically clean up, restock and make a bite to eat.
real impact on my mood and energy levels.
What do you eat after service? I usually have a light, healthy snack like pistachio nuts or carrot sticks with a few beers.
Has your choice of snack evolved over the years? Absolutely. Earlier in my career, I would often eat some bread
from wastage or nuts. Now I’m the boss, I can snack on what I like (says jokingly).
June 2021 | 27
FEATURE // Snacks
ELENA KAVALLARIS, PASTA POETRY
FEATURE // Snacks
GUILLAUME BRAHIMI, BISTRO GUILLAUME Do you usually snack during service? I don’t typically snack during
service given a pace of the night.
Although I will occasionally have a cheeky slice of lemon tart —
someone has to have a taste test ahead of our customers, right?
How would you describe a typical service? I’m a bit of a perfectionist when it comes to the food we plate up at Bistro Guillaume, so I do a lot of tasting throughout service. It means I don’t really feel the need to snack! I prefer to focus on
staying hydrated by drinking plenty of water while we’re in action.
How do you stay fuelled? We always have a staff meal ahead of dinner service. The team
and I opt for a high-carb option that will sustain us throughout
the night, typically a bowl of pasta with a fresh tomato sauce with chilli and peppers.
How do you finish service? After a long day in the kitchen, I like to sit and unwind with my team over a Pinot Noir and charcuterie board of French classics
— all that feature heavily on the Bistro Guillaume menu. Once we have debriefed on the night, I tend to head straight home to bed.
HEAVEN LEIGH, BODHI RESTAURANT BAR What are your go-to snacks during service?
How has your choice of snack changed during your career?
I’m usually too busy to snack, however when I do find time,
As my responsibilities, priorities and physical workload has shifted,
If I’m low on sugar, I will eat vegan candy (The Natural
so have my snack choices. When I was younger, I would often
finish dinner service and then head to Chinatown to chill out and refuel on dumplings. Now I like to have a little slice of cheese on bread with a Pinot Noir.
What’s your ideal snack when you go out to eat? I’ll always order oysters when they are on the menu — freshly shucked and simple. We are so lucky with the seasonal produce we have access
to in Australia. As we head into the cooler months, I’m looking forward to eating and cooking with winter vegetables.
my go-to snacks are nuts, seeds, dried and fresh fruits.
Confectionery Co. recently came out with a bag of delicious vegan jellies). I also have a mild obsession with the Asian
snacks my grandmother used to give me like salted plums and haw flakes.
How would you describe a typical service? I have a sweet tooth, so I tend to go with a high-energy
option, but I do try to choose the longer-lasting nutritious stuff wherever possible.
Are you an after-service snack person? It’s no secret working in the hospitality industry can create some bad habits, and late-night eating is one of them.
It’s something I have had to learn not to do and I now actively avoid.
Has your choice of snack changed in recent years? The longer I am in the industry, the healthier my choices
become. Now it’s all about finding sustainable energy and creating healthy habits.
What’s your ideal snack when you go out to eat? When I’m out, my ideal snack is
edamame. Edamame to an Asian is like bread to an Italian!
28 | Hospitality
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FEATURE // Gluten-free pastries
Break the rules
Whether it’s sourdough bread or flaky pastry, gluten-free products are rivalling their counterparts. WORDS Kirsty Sier
GLUTEN-FREE OPTIONS WERE once
chefs have come to discover gluten-free
offering, The Windsor Hotel engaged Felix
sandwiches, or at best, a mealy cookie.
experimentation and a bit of cost-benefit
experience at Melbourne restaurants
limited to a small selection of dry But chefs have tapped into the
growing customer base, which has
high expectations when it comes to
products have come a long way. With some analysis, it’s possible to create products that appeal to a mainstream audience.
Most people are partial to a sweet treat,
expansive options.
and gluten-free pastries have burgeoned
by the Medical Journal of Australia, 11
talks to The Windsor Hotel’s Pastry Chef
According to a 2019 report published
per cent of Australians were following a gluten-free diet. Further to that, a study
conducted by Mordor Intelligence found
the gluten-free food and beverages market
in popularity in recent years. Hospitality Felix Goodwin and Dom Marzano from
Eat Cannoli about how they are creating products that tick all the boxes.
in Australia is predicted to register 7.8 per
The Windsor Hotel in Melbourne sits at
period of 2020 to 2025.
area that attracts a certain standard of
cent annual growth between the forecast The numbers are hard to ignore, and
30 | Hospitality
the upper end of Collins Street; it’s an
hospitality options. For their latest venue
Goodwin, a pastry chef with extensive including Donovans, Saigon Sally and
Sunda. The yet-to-be-named bakery will soon open on the street-facing corner of
the hotel and will specialise in high-quality pastries, cakes and coffees. It will also be entirely gluten-free.
“I know we’re calling it a gluten-
free bakery, but from an outside point of view, I don’t want it to be known
for that,” says Goodwin. “We want to create a product and an experience
that’s highlighting the quality and the provenance of the ingredients. It’s a gluten-free bakery second.
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FEATURE // Gluten-free pastries
“As long as you understand the process behind the recipe and the different steps, you can work out if there are better ways to do it or experiment with different flours.” — Felix Goodwin
“The gluten-free element is a highlight
for a lot of people, but you don’t have
to be gluten-free to enjoy it. You’re not
going there for a product that has been
compromised to be gluten-free. There are products that are gluten-free, dairy-free
and nut-free, and they miss out on what they could be; I just want to focus on
the one dietary. I’d prefer to have a great product that’s gluten-free than a sub-
standard one that is gluten-, dairy- and nut-free.”
The approach to gluten-free-second baking is indicative of a new wave of bakeries
that want to be known for products that
aren’t purely rated on how many dietary requirements they meet.
Eat Cannoli in the Melbourne suburb
of Preston is owned and operated
by husband-and-wife duo Dom and
free and sit on my hands saying, ‘It is how
out, and then breaking them. Although the
you can buy, and we work really hard at
results have paid off.
it is’. I still want it to be the best product keeping it that way.”
Kate Marzano. Similarly to Goodwin, the
It goes without saying that creating
comparable to anything else on the market
time-consuming and labour-intensive than
pair wants to provide a product that is and caters to a gluten-free customer
base. “I don’t think it’s okay anymore to
say, ‘It’s like that because it’s gluten-free’. Sometimes people have a preconception
that it’s going to be a certain way because
high-quality gluten-free pastries is more
following the standard baking rulebook, which goes a way towards explaining
why gluten-free bread has developed a
reputation for having a dry mouthfeel and
results have taken a while to perfect, the
“You’ll often start with what’s out there,”
says Goodwin. “I’ll look at the gluten
recipe and the gluten-free recipe and see
what’s different. As long as you understand the process behind the recipe and the
different steps, you can work out if there
are better ways to do it or experiment with different flours.
“Baking is often just about creating the
a lack of flavour.
right balance of flours for specific recipes.
products, they can’t believe how nice they
results can equal — if not surpass —
different elements of the recipe and
“It takes time to develop, but I didn’t
and Goodwin, it’s been a process of
it’s gluten-free, but then when they eat our are,” says Dom Marzano.
want to create products that were gluten32 | Hospitality
But with a bit of experimenting, the
traditional counterparts. For both Marzano learning the regular rules of pastry inside-
The gluten recipes often use gluten in
sometimes not at all. You’ll often be working on a protein level, on a fibre level and on a starch level — those are the elements
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FEATURE // Gluten-free pastries
“I don’t think it’s okay anymore to say, ‘It’s like that because it’s gluten-free’.” – Dom Marzano you’re playing with. After that, you’ve got taste. For example, if you’re using a pea
protein, the product is going to have a really strong flavour, so it’s about balancing out
the flavours you’re putting in so they don’t hinder the outcome of the product.” To offset the labour costs of the
experimentation process, Marzano and
Goodwin have focused on making a few products well, rather than trying to do
everything at once. While the core offering of Goodwin’s gluten-free bakery will be
canelé, babka, cookies, madeleines, cakes and sourdough, Marzano is focusing on
creating cannoli, piadina and brioche. As a
result, the customers have been flowing in. There’s an appreciation for the gluten-free element, but there’s also an appreciation for artisans specialising in a handful of products and doing them better than their competitors.
“Before we opened our permanent
shopfront, we put our names up for a few market events and people loved what we
were doing; they loved that it was glutenfree and we were selling a lot because
the quality was so good,” says Marzano. “It was pretty much decided then and
there that it was going to stay gluten-free. We thought we may as well get Coeliac
Australia accreditation, and we did. After the certification, we ended up finding it
was our strength. It drew a lot of people to our shop because they were interested in what we were doing.” 34 | Hospitality
www.wellandgoodfoodservice.com.au
FEATURE // Gluten-free pastries For anyone thinking of pivoting their
considerably higher with some items, but
free customer base, another obvious
a canelé or a donut, which have more
approach to capture the growing glutenconsideration is cost. While customers
generally expect to absorb some of the cost of alternative products — whether it’s a
gluten-free babka or an oat milk coffee —
there’s a balance that needs to be struck if you want to retain a regular client base. “The cost of ingredients is definitely
The gluten-free 11 per cent
market in Australia
of Australians
is predicted to
were following
grow 7.8 per cent
a gluten-free
annually between
diet as of 2019
2020 and 2025
more expensive; it’s sometimes eight times
gluten-free recipe
of gluten-free
is often about
ingredients
finding the
can be offset
right balance
by balancing
of flours
margins
36 | Hospitality
can balance our sales, we hope to be able to balance out those margins as well. So with something like the sourdough, we
won’t have to sell it at a ridiculous markup just to make profit because there are other items that even it out for us.”
As with any other sector within the
industry, it comes down to quality. Just as
to regular flour on a commercial scale
dining restaurant than they do at a casual
of a kilo of gluten-free flour compared is sometimes six or seven dollars. And
sometimes you have to factor that into the cost of the goods. We try not to as much
customers expect to spend more at a fine-
establishment, they are also willing to fork
out extra dollars for artisanal products that require an added amount of labour.
“I know that sometimes people just look
with some products. You just need to work
at the costing then try to produce a low-cost
it’s still affordable.”
that,” says Marzano. “People do expect to
within your price point and keep it so that The extra cost
accommodating margins,” he says. “If we
more expensive,” says Marzano. “The cost
as we can, but it can be really difficult
Creating a good
we hope to offset that with things like
For Goodwin, the balance has been
struck by creating equilibrium between
products with low and high margins. While some products necessitate a mark-up,
others can be passed onto the customer
without too much of a sting. “The cost is
item, but you can’t expect people to pay for pay a bit more if they’re buying a gluten-
free product, but that’s why it’s important you give them the best quality you can. Not only are they paying a bit more for
something because it’s gluten-free, but also because of how much better it is.” ■
www.foodbomb.com.au/hospo
FEATURE // Xiaolongbao
38 | Hospitality
FEATURE // Xiaolongbao
Tiny
but mighty Precision and attention to detail are xiaolongbao fundamentals. WORDS Annabelle Cloros
XIAOLONGBAO ARE SYNONYMOUS with
1904. Liu first tried her hand at making
Lane in Melbourne, and the restaurant
have originated in the late 19th century. The
the skill as a rite of passage. “My great
baskets of xiaolongbao a day. Feng learned
Shanghainese cuisine and are believed to
name xiaolongbao translates to ‘little basket
bun’, with one story attributing its invention to restaurant owner Huang Mingxian who was motivated to create a bun that stood
out from the rest. Mingxian succeeded, with xiaolongbao containing a core with a point of difference — one that includes aspic; a jelly that liquefies when steamed.
Fast-forward a couple of centuries, and
xiaolongbao is available across the globe,
partly thanks to Taiwanese restaurant Din Tai
Fung. It’s the star dumpling for the restaurant
chain; to the tune of receiving a Michelin star. Hospitality speaks to New Shanghai’s
xiaolongbao at the age of eight, describing grandfather taught me how to make his prized xiaolongbao,” she says. “He had
been preparing and selling his dumplings and buns since 1908 in Wenzhou in China’s Zhejiang province.”
Liu’s great grandfather later moved to
Nanjing, which is the capital of the Jiangsu province in eastern China and roughly
with her husband Yong in late 2020. The
eatery uses a recipe with deep roots, and is one that has been passed down since
most important points are the filling and
the dough,” says the chef. “The stretching
technique is also important; if you don’t do it properly, the juice will flow out.”
bun-making, and say the difficulty of
generation to generation in our family and we continue to make them today.”
The Yulongfu co-owner has spent much
“I’ve had plenty of practice,” she says. “At
Emily Liu opened Yulongfu in Melbourne
skilled hands in just a few days. “The
“His recipe was then passed down from
they learned to make the buns, stretching (it’s not chilli oil).
and says the basics can be taken on by
Feng and Liu are both incredibly
make and sell xiaolongbao there,” says Liu.
of her life making xiaolongbao, mastering
techniques and the ideal accompaniments
how to make the ‘soup dumpling’ in China,
300km from Shanghai. “He started to
Jason Feng and Yulongfu’s Emily Liu about the intricacies of xiaolongbao, where
has already been churning out up to 150
each of the pleats needed to form the bun. Yulongfu, my husband is the xiaolongbao and dumpling-folding master. We work
together to ensure each morsel is folded
perfectly with 16 pleats that gather tightly at the top with a tiny pinprick.”
Jason Feng is heading up the newly
opened New Shanghai restaurant in Collins
experienced in the art of dumpling- and producing xiaolongbao is in the detail. “They can be quite fiddly if you’re
unfamiliar with the motions,” says Liu. “It certainly does take a level of skill
and patience to master it. We roll the
xiaolongbao dough out fresh [for each
individual dumpling] and we want to ensure it’s thin, but not so thin it rips. You also don’t want it to be too thick so it’s undercooked
or chewy once steamed. The main difficulty points are ensuring you don’t rip the skin,
seasoning the meat filling and keeping each dumpling consistent in shape and size.”
June 2021 | 39
FEATURE // Xiaolongbao Consistency is also key at New Shanghai, which has outlets in
Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Shanghai and Dubai. Feng can make one xiaolongbao in just 10 seconds, with the kitchen team only
needing to weigh the buns if they feel a little heavy. “Professionals usually know from sight,” he says.
While the dough follows the same formula (water, salt, flour)
as other dumplings, the intricate pleats are where xiaolongbao
differs, with the dough necessitating stretching to form the buns correctly. “Chefs need the skill to stretch because the dumpling
has extra dough at the top, and that can only be achieved with a specific stretching technique,” says Feng.
One of the great pleasures of eating xiaolongbao is the aspic that spills out when the bun’s skin is pierced. Xiaolongbao aspic is
made with water, pork skin, bones, Shaoxing wine and aromats such as ginger and spring onions. The ingredients are boiled in a pot for a number of hours before being strained and left to refrigerate, where the soup turns into jelly form.
The jelly provides a burst of pork flavour to the bun, but it’s all
about balance, and the meat filling is equally important. Underseasoned meat can result in some soup dumplings missing the
“The stretching technique is also important; if you don’t do it properly, the juice will flow out.” – Jason Feng 40 | Hospitality
mark, and is often the difference between good and great. “The filling is really important,” says Feng. “Besides the juice, some
places don’t have a flavourful filling, and the perfect xiaolongbao needs enough flavour throughout.”
Yulongfu make their filling using pork mince, egg white, Shaoxing
wine, sesame oil, salt, sugar, light soy sauce and white pepper — and the recipe won’t be changing any time soon. “Who else can say their
dumplings come from a 100-year-plus-old family recipe?” says Liu “We
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FEATURE // Xiaolongbao
“Xiaolongbao is to Shanghai what meat pies are to Australia.” – Emily Liu
take pride in the entire cooking process, from
recommended — eating them as soon as
cooking [the buns so they] remain tender and
inside, so they are best enjoyed from the
ensuring our meat filling is well seasoned to juicy … each and every time.”
Yulongfu make up to 1000
Pork skin
xiaolongbao
is a crucial
a day
ingredient
It takes just a few minutes to cook
xiaolongbao in steamer baskets. New Shanghai’s commercial steamers are
Black vinegar
cooked in
and ginger are
steamers for
the traditional
5-9 minutes
accompaniments
flavoured experience,” says Liu. “However,
we welcome our guests to enjoy as much soy sauce, chilli oil and vinegar as they please.”
Local diners certainly enjoy xiaolongbao,
done. Yulongfu pack six xiaolongbao into
as they are consumed in China, where
dim sum baskets before they’re steamed. “It takes about nine minutes over a medium heat,” says Liu.
The buns are best savoured after leaving
the steamer — but diners beware — the
soup that dwells inside is molten hot. Feng suggests biting a small hole in the top of
but perhaps not in the same manner
xiaolongbao transcends lunch or dinner status. “It’s a very traditional item for
Shanghai people,” says Feng. “It can be a snack; it doesn’t have to be a main dish. All households in Shanghai eat xiaolongbao frequently.”
Liu is on the same page, and sums up
the dumpling to let it cool down a little
the cultural importance of xiaolongbao
“Vinegar and ginger goes on top,” he says.
everyday food you can enjoy for breakfast,
before adding traditional condiments. “Chilli oil is a personal preference.” It’s a choose-your-own adventure
at Yulongfu, but one thing is strongly 42 | Hospitality
steam basket straight to your mouth for a full-
constantly on the go, with each basket
taking around five minutes to get the job Xiaolongbao are
possible. “Our xiaolongbao are super soupy
in Shanghainese cuisine: “It remains an
lunch, afternoon tea or dinner,” she says. “Xiaolongbao is to Shanghai what meat pies are to Australia.” ■
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FEATURE // Bistros Scott Pickett and Rob Kabboord
44 | Hospitality
bistros
A new wave of French-style bistros is reinventing the traditional playbook — and not taking things too seriously. WORDS Kirsty Sier PHOTOGRAPHY Tania Bahr-Vollrath and Alex Squadrito for Chancery Lane
IF YOU ASKED someone what they would
personalise French pillars that are high
the answer would read like a template:
us? We quickly found that going hardcore
expect of a French restaurant 10 years ago, stiff white tablecloths, long wax candles,
snails in garlic butter, a bread basket and
in our esteem and make them work for
French was perhaps not the way to go.”
The result is an ability to riff old ideas
an inflated price list.
and create dishes in different forms that
the Aussie-fication of many cuisines.
to available produce, the weather and even
Of course, the same can be said of
Whether it’s Thai or Italian, the mode of
representation is generally condensed into
appear on a menu that changes according the mood of the chef.
An example at Chancery Lane is the
a handful of dishes that are usually not
œufs en gelée, a snack menu fixture.
diversities within a particular cuisine.
egg aspic takes local smoked eel, meat jelly
an accurate representation of the regional However, the tides are turning, with French
bistronomy an example of a cuisine that’s being revisited and remoulded by chefs.
Scott Pickett’s latest Melbourne venture,
Kabboord’s take on the classic ham and
made from offcuts and a soft-boiled quail egg. The dish is served with chips and
sliced baguette, encouraging diners to sop up the juices on the plate.
“It’s an incredible amount of freedom to
Chancery Lane, is a high-profile example.
play with,” says Kabboord. “I’ve always liked
(Quay, Merricote, Estelle) to jointly create
most other outlets. You can lean on the pillars
Pickett brought in Head Chef Rob Kabboord a menu that draws on the pillars of French bistronomy while eschewing the stiffness and unoriginality previously associated
with the French restaurant scene. “Our first
bistronomy; I’ve always liked it better than
of old-school cooking and make it yours with simple touches and twists. You can have fun with those principles.”
conversation was, ‘Let’s go hard, hardcore
In Sydney, a similar trend is evident. Pistou
structure around the idea of how hardcore
and hospitality of the French-style bistro
French’,” says Kabboord. “We built a menu French we could go. Do we go so French that
even a French person is like, ‘Ohh la la, this is very French?’ or do we build from the pillars of the gastronomy Scott and I really love? “Merricote [now closed] and Estelle
in Newtown is channelling the conviviality with the aim of embedding itself in the
local community. Although it’s only been
open a few months, it already feels like it’s been there for years.
“I had this project in my head for a
were built on the idea that we’d use classic
long time,” says Jules Bouillon, owner
modern techniques. But from our point
of the south of France and show a bit of
techniques and preparations with some of view, we started thinking about how
we could make it Melbourne. How do we
and chef. “I just wanted to bring a slice the countryside. People can come here for a drink and have a bit of cheese or
June 2021 | 45
FEATURE // Bistros
Neighbourhood
FEATURE // Bistros
“I just wanted to bring a slice of the south of France and show a bit of the countryside.” – Jules Bouillon charcuterie or they can stay here for four hours and have a long lunch or dinner.”
Although the menu at Pistou is intentionally
rustic, all dishes are rotated regularly and there’s
a focus on seasonal ingredients, with the intention of giving customers something new to try. “We
don’t want to be fine dining at all; we just want to be a good, casual venue,” says Bouillon.
The venue is split into a deli section, from
which customers can choose cheese, charcuterie and breads to take away, or they can eat in and
enjoy an ever-changing menu of small, seasonal dishes in the restaurant.
All of the dishes draw from the cooking
traditions of the south of France — where you’ll find olive oil used instead of butter, for example
— while catering to the eating style of locals. “In France, it’s very hard to find a place with share
plates; people don’t like to share,” says Bouillon. “We don’t order much. What you see here is
what we have. We’re keeping the French style, but accommodating it to Australians.”
Bouillon lends the same approach to the
wine list, with the venue collaborating with a
small number of importers. “We work with four
importers and four winemakers, and we just ask them what they have coming up next,” he says.
“We also have tastings every week, which is a bit tricky sometimes, but it’s super fun as well. The tastings are so important for staff training; they
need to know what they’re selling. You can’t sell anything if you haven’t tried it.”
Pickett and Kabboord are both well-known figures in the Australian hospitality scene.
Although the food is of the quality you’d expect from such figures, Chancery Lane is intended
to be a venue that’s accessible for customers for multiple purposes. “We’re not shooting for that
fine-dining echelon where we see people come in once every year or less,” says Kabboord. “I would like to think I see my regulars every month
or more. It’s very much a price point position 46 | Hospitality
www.peerlessfoodservice.com.au www.facebook.com/PeerlessFoodservice
FEATURE // Bistros
“We’re not in the running for hats, accolades or winning things; we just want to be that corner restaurant that lifts your spirits every time you come in.” — Rob Kabboord
and also a decision about how we operate the business, but I’d rather be that than draw the fine diner,” says Kabboord.
“Our menu is also pretty big, which is part
choice and part wanting to create a feeling of
generosity. We want you to come back and try the whole menu at least twice. And that’s something
you only really see in a brasserie or bistro setting where you have a menu that’s actually way too
big for what they’re doing. I think the guys who are taking that risk are seeing the dividends of that now because people are coming back and
going, ‘I had a lovely French meal here last week, I’m coming back next week because I want to try the other side of the menu’.”
When asked about the appeal of these types of venues for diners and the reasons behind the new wave of French-style bistros, both chefs
point to the less-tangible elements of the dining experience: the timelessness of a comforting
menu, the warmth of the bistro atmosphere and
the voyeurism that many are seeking off the back of pandemic-induced lockdowns.
At Pistou, it’s about providing customers with
an experience that extends beyond the wine
glass or plate. “In Sydney, you can find lots of good food everywhere, good service is a bit
harder,” says Bouillon. “You just need to really
focus on training, get the right team, make them interested in what they do and make sure they
enjoy the work … and then it just goes by itself.” With diners remaining in local seats until at
least 2022, there’s an opportunity for resturants
to transport customers to another place through food. “Conviviality is the main feeling,” says
Kabboord. “If I can make a table forget where they are by serving them food and drink and creating an atmosphere so they have a good time, my job’s done. The other thing I think is really predominant at the moment is that people can’t travel, so they’re going to seek
their experiences elsewhere. If we give them
the experience of being in France for the two to
three hours they’re in my restaurant, offer them a nice bottle of Pinot and a roasted duck and
make them escape for that moment in time, I’ve given them a mini holiday.
“I think most bistros abide by the belief that
our prime directive is to feed and water people. The rest is just part and parcel. We’re not in the running for hats, accolades or winning things; we just want to be that corner restaurant that lifts your spirits every time you come in.” ■
48 | Hospitality
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VIDEO // Behind the scenes
ACCLAIMED BARTENDER BEHZAD Nvaziri shows us how to make Flying Fish’s smoked appletini, which is part of the Indulgence program. The drink is made at the table and finished off with a showstopping bubble guests are encouraged to pop using a garnish of citrus and rosemary.
Ingredients 30ml green apple shrub (green apple, caster sugar, apple cider vinegar) 15-20ml citric and malic acid solution 15ml green apple liqueur 45ml Belvedere Heritage malted rye spirit
Method Apple shrub 1. To make the apple shrub, cut green apple into thin slices and cover with caster sugar. 2. Place in the fridge for a few days until sugar has dissolved. Add 10 per cent organic apple cider vinegar. 3. Strain the solution using a coffee filter and chill. Cocktail 1. In a mixing glass, combine green apple shrub, citric and malic acid solution, green apple liqueur and Belvedere. 2. M ix well and strain into icecold glass. 3. Garnish with a smoke bubble filled with rosemary aroma and a lemon peel speared with rosemary. Scan the QR code to watch the full video brought to you by Cookers.
50 | Hospitality
Flying Fish’s
smoked appletini An in-depth look at Hospitality’s masterclass series.
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52 | Hospitality
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5 MINUTES WITH ... // Sam Young
Sam Young The ex-Merivale chef on pop-ups and private dining experiences.
GROWING UP IN my Chinese family, food was always the
of the dishes. For example, the main course for the event with
when I was 13, and there wasn’t much Chinese food around so I
from someone who worked at Monopole and Rockpool, but it’s
centrepiece of every occasion. I went to boarding school in Canada had to cook. [When I] cooked for people, they really enjoyed it, and [I discovered] that food gives people joy.
I was at Merivale for a long time, but during COVID-19, we all
got stood down, so I launched a takeaway meal business. I started doing lasagna with Chargrill Charlie’s, dumplings and many
different things. I launched my private dining experience in May
last year and it just took off. I thought if I did one dinner a week, I would be alright, but [my partner Grace Chen and I] have been
Toby Stansfield was a lemon chicken. It’s pretty crazy coming something I really wanted.
Graeme Hunt [ex-Chin Chin Sydney] has a lot of dishes that
work really well, so it’s like he’s creating his signature menu.
It’s all about fun, delicious food. Sometimes when you work in a restaurant, you’re framed to the cuisine or you’re framed to the style of cooking of that restaurant, whereas there are no
boundaries here. Just make sure the food is f**king delicious.
I want to take advantage of this time because my opinion is
doing 19 dinners a month recently.
that the dynamic of the industry will change when you can start
a once-in-a-lifetime experience for guests. I think it’s a good time
now, people have extra cash that they used to spend on holidays,
Pop-ups are something I have always wanted to do. You create
for me and for helping other chefs and venues, too. It’s a way of
giving back to them and they get a cut of the profit. I try not to do two of the same pop-ups, so every time is [unique]. It’s good from a business point of view as well because you get all the revenue before you even open.
I let the guest chefs have most of the control of the menu
because they can come out of their comfort zone and really cook
to travel again — it will definitely affect how people spend. Right and now it’s all in our economy. Some of my clients go to Europe every year and drop [up to] $60,000. But now they’re dropping
the same money in restaurants or on special occasions. My private dining experience is through the roof because no one can go
anywhere, so I’m going to their homes and making an experience for them.
COVID-19 changed a lot of things. If it never hit, I wouldn’t
whatever they want. I think that’s the reason behind Juicy Banana.
have my own business. But Merivale and I are still on good terms.
the floor runs smoothly, the bar runs smoothly. I’m just kind of
for Grace and I to have a restaurant together, and that has never
I just fill in the gaps and make sure everything runs smoothly;
pulling everything together, while also putting my spin on some 54 | Hospitality
I’m really grateful for what they have done for me. The dream is changed. I want to give it a crack and see what we can do. ■
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