Hospitality March 2022 by The Intermedia Group

NO.781 MARCH 2022

Serving suggestion

NEW

www.nestleprofessional.com.au/harves t-gourmet

NO.781 MARCH 2022

AMARO • WESLEY COOPER JONES • SAMBOLS • SOBA

CONTENTS // March

Contents MARCH 2022

Regulars 8 // IN FOCUS Sydney’s Tempura Kuon demonstrates the art of omakase. 10 // NEWS The latest openings, books, events and more. 14 // PRODUCE The persimmon is an orange fruit that’s lauded the world over. 16 // BEST PRACTICE Advice on navigating supplier price rises. 18 // DRINKS CART Thirst quenchers, slow sippers and all things beverage related.

4 | Hospitality

20 // DRINKS Amaro is fast making a comeback to the bar. 26 // PROFILE Wesley Cooper Jones has traded pizza for fine dining. 56 // EQUIPMENT Gestura’s hand-crafted spoon is a chef’s go-to. 58 // 5 MINUTES WITH … Samantha Levett and her Instagram bakery Cream.

Features 32 // SOBA Chef Masahiko Tojo on making the buckwheat noodles from scratch. 36 // SMASH BURGERS The American creation is on the rise in Australia. 44 // OLIVE OIL A chef and a producer on the foundational ingredient. 50 // SAMBOL The condiment has staple status in Sri Lankan cuisine.

READY IN MINUTES PAR-BAKED ARTISAN RANGE

FROZEN PAR-BAKED

www .gffo

Scan the code rvice to discover our .com .au/b par-baked read / r ti sanartisanarange brea d of breads.

odse

READY IN MINUTES

STONE BAKED

www. gffoodservice.com.au/bread/artisan-bread gffoodservice.com.au/bread/artisan-bread https://www .fac

ebook.com/gff oodserviceau /gffoodserviceau

fssocial@goodmanfielder.com.au

Sales & Customer Service 1300 366 533

MINIMISE WASTE

EDITOR’S NOTE // Hello

Social

Keep up with the Hospitality team

SWEET TREAT The loukoumades from Ploos restaurant comes with a delightful fig surprise. @aristinedob

Get amongst it THE BORDERS HAVE opened and things are

he’s creating a food offering that links in with

feeling a little more normal as restrictions

a revolving beverage list.

have eased across the country. I know I have

This issue, there are features on sambol

noticed a huge difference in the number of

(not to be confused with sambal), the art of

people who are out and about — and most

handcrafted soba noodles and an overview of

importantly, enjoying hospitality venues again.

an incredible omakase experience.

It’s a welcome change after a slow holiday

TASTE OF THE SEA Cutler & Co made the most of summer with a crustacea bar. @hospitalitymagazine

I’m also pleased to announce the Hospitality

period, but the dining public is fast making

Leaders Summit has a new date of Monday 23

up for lost time. I am running through my list

May at the Australian National Maritime Museum

of restaurants and bars to check out, and

in Sydney. Tickets are on sale now (hospleaders.

P&V’s Paddington courtyard is up next. Chef

com.au). I hope to see you there.

Wesley Cooper Jones started his career in the kitchen slinging pizzas before heading to New York to work in one of the city’s most

Until next time,

coveted restaurants. I speak to him about his

Annabelle Cloros

journey to becoming head chef at P&V where

Editor

THE TRIFECTA Dry egg noodles with prawn wonton and char siu at the always on-point Amah. @annabellecloros

Follow us @hospitalitymagazine #hospitalitymagazine PUBLISHER Paul Wootton pwootton@intermedia.com.au EDITOR Annabelle Cloros T: 02 8586 6226 acloros@intermedia.com.au JOURNALIST Aristine Dobson adobson@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

CIRCULATIONS To subscribe please call 1800 651 422. hospitalitymag azine.com.au facebook.com/ HospitalityMagazine twitter.com/Hospitalityed instagram.com/hospitalitymag

SUBSCRIPTION RATES Australia: 1 year (10 issues) = $99.00 (inc GST) 2 years (20 issues) = $158.40 (inc GST) – Save 20% 3 years (30 issues) = $207.90 (inc GST) – Save 30% SUBSCRIPTION RATES New Zealand: 1 year (10 issues) = $109.00 Asia/Pacific 1 year (10 issues) = $119.00 Rest of World: 1 year (10 issues) = $129.00

DISCLAIMER This publication is published by Food and Beverage Media, a division of The Intermedia Group Pty Ltd (the “Publisher”). Materials in this publication have been created by a variety of different entities and, to the extent permitted by law, the Publisher accepts no liability for materials created by others. All materials should be considered protected by Australian and international intellectual property laws. Unless you are authorised by law or the copyright owner to do so, you may not copy any of the materials. The mention of a product or service, person or company in this publication does not indicate the Publisher’s endorsement. The views expressed in this publication do not necessarily represent the opinion of the Publisher, its agents, company officers or employees. Any use of the information contained in this publication is at the sole risk of the person using that information. The user should make independent enquiries as to the accuracy of the information before relying on that information. All express or implied terms, conditions, warranties, statements, assurances and representations in relation to the Publisher, its publications and its services are expressly excluded save for those conditions and warranties which must be implied under the laws of any State of Australia or the provisions of Division 2 of Part V of the Trade Practices Act 1974 and any statutory modification or re-enactment thereof. To the extent permitted by law, the Publisher will not be liable for any damages including special, exemplary, punitive or consequential damages (including but not limited to economic loss or loss of profit or revenue or loss of opportunity) or indirect loss or damage of any kind arising in contract, tort or otherwise, even if advised of the possibility of such loss of profits or damages. While we use our best endeavours to ensure accuracy of the materials we create, to the extent permitted by law, the Publisher excludes all liability for loss resulting from any inaccuracies or false or misleading statements that may appear in this publication. Copyright © 2022– The Intermedia Group Pty Ltd

6 | Hospitality

41 Bridge Road Glebe NSW 2037 Australia Tel: 02 9660 2113 Fax: 02 9660 4419

Average Net Distribution Period ending September 2019 – 11,506

www.stuartalexander.com.au monin@stalex.com.au

IN FOCUS // Kuon

Piece by piece The art of omakase is on display at Tempura Kuon. WORDS Annabelle Cloros THE JAPANESE WORD omakase means ‘I leave it up to you’. When you step into most restaurants, you’re given plenty of

choice, but oftentimes, it’s best to leave the decision-making to the professionals for a dining experience that’s crafted with care from start to finish.

Japanese-born Chef Hideaki Fukada is behind Sydney’s Kuon

concept, which will soon encompass three restaurants: Kuon

omakase, Tempura Kuon and Irori, a wood-fired, yakitori-ish venue that will launch later this year. “At first, it was just sushi, and then we opened tempura because I love it,” says Fukada. “I wanted to

eat tempura, but there was nothing in Australia. Tempura is really hard; it takes a long time [to learn].”

Kuon’s footprints are found throughout the Darling Square

precinct, and each venue is pocket-sized, with around 10 seats

allocated per service. And there’s a very good reason for that: “I

only have two hands,” says Fukada. “I want to serve high-quality food, so I decided on very small restaurants. Quality control is really hard, particularly for the Japanese.”

Tempura Kuon is the middle sibling in the Kuon portfolio and is

the first tempura-centric restaurant the city has seen. Chefs work behind a wooden counter while diners watch the majority of Fukada’s multi-course menu come to life.

The omakase begins with sunomono, a cucumber salad that sees

abalone and ark shell combined with sugar snap peas, sea grapes

and wakame. It’s a light, refreshing start to the multi-course meal

before chawanmushi is served. Fukada’s version of the classic egg custard includes scallop, snow crab and lily flower root, resulting in a silky, savoury dish.

Two copper-clad vats are front and (almost) centre behind the bar

and are filled with cold-pressed sesame oil imported from Japan. It’s changed before every service and is a costly purchase, with the oil retailing as high as $420, but the result is well worth it.

Tempura courses naturally comprise the bulk of the dining

experience and each is given a salt recommendation (curry, green tea, regular). Potato mochi with crème fraiche and Osetra caviar set the

bar for what’s to come. Paradise prawn head from New Caledonia is

followed by the rest of the prawn before the first block is rounded out 8 | Hospitality

with cuttlefish and shiso and miso-marinated toothfish.

IN FOCUS // Kuon

Kuon releases Sea eel is

bookings in

sourced

three-month

from Japan

batches

The same

There are

number of

10 seats

courses

at Tempura

is always

Kuon

served

House pickles of cucumber and cabbage are snacked on in between bites, with the second tempura round commencing with zucchini flower stuffed with crab and cauliflower before a juicy Abrolhos

Islands scallop. Scampi, urchin and semi-dried persimmon are up

next before sea eel appears, a sure treat for diners. “The sea eel is from Japan,” says Fukada. “You can’t get some items in Australia, but we must have sea eel for tempura. Sometimes we get it from Australia, but it’s small and can be muddy.”

Akadashi miso is made from a blend of Hacho miso paste, which

combines soybeans with rice. Local tan oyster mushrooms are

displayed to diners before they’re cut and served in the soup. The kakiage tempura don is testament to the lightness of the tempura courses. While fried food is associated with feeling overwhelmed or full, it’s certainly not the case here. Guests can opt in for a

half-boiled tempura egg or enjoy the rice bowl with prawn, broad beans and baby potato as is.

Tempura sweet potato served with house vanilla ice cream is the

final piece of the Tempura Kuon puzzle, and it’s the perfect end to an experiential restaurant that sits in a league of its own. ■

Fukada’s version of the classic egg custard includes scallop, snow crab and lily flower root, resulting in a silky, savoury dish.

March 2022 | 9

NEWS // Entrée

Entrée

Catalan-inspired restaurant opens in Sydney Restaurateur Andrew Becher is expanding his local footprint with the launch of Catalan-inspired Parlar in Potts Point. The 55-seat venue

The latest openings, books, events and more.

will offer guests a taste of Catalan and Mediterranean cookery from

EDITED BY Annabelle Cloros

to share, with the menu covering a range of tapas and larger plates

Executive Chef Jose Saulog. Dishes have been designed for tables to seafood platters. The wine list will lean towards Spanish varietals while 10 bespoke cocktails will showcase fortified wines, spices and herbs from north-eastern Spain. Parlar will open in mid-March. parlar.com.au

Grill’d does the Impossible Local burger chain Grill’d has taken plant-based dining to a new level by rebranding two stores in Sydney and Melbourne. The Darlinghurst and Collingwood locations are now Impossibly Grill’d restaurants and have a completely plant-based menu. Visitors can choose from 23 burgers including a crispy facon and cheese option or a vegan cheeseburger. There’s also a selection of sides on offer from chick’n bites to Grill’d’s signature fries. grill’d.com.au

The Star Sydney’s new fine dining destination Many wondered what would take the place of Momofuku Seiobo when it closed its doors last year, and now we know the answer. Sydney chefs Federico Zanellato and Karl Firla have teamed up to launch Ele by Federico & Karl, an immersive dining experience that’s a first for the city. The restaurant encompasses three spaces (bar, dining room and a chef’s table) that seat up to 20 diners, with each guest buckling in for an interactive and progressive moving feast. “Ele introduces a completely new and exciting way for us to showcase our food,” says Zanellato. “Having the projections, sounds and images around the restaurant is just another way for us to connect deeper with diners so they can immerse themselves further.” star.com.au 10 | Hospitality

NEWS // Entrée

Anna Polyviou launches cookie dough range Pastry Chef Anna Polyviou has ventured into the retail game with three cookie dough products. The range includes triple choc, choc brownie and peanut butter fudge, with cookie fans able to whip up a batch in a matter of minutes. Each 450g tub is topped with extra choc chips and other sweet elements for post-baking decorating. “I wanted to use the very best ingredients available in my cookie dough,” says Polyviou.

Ishizuka takes the bake sale online

“This includes couverture chocolate and real fudge pieces. It makes a world of difference and results in a superior cookie for customers at home.” Available at Harris Farm Markets.

Melbourne’s Ishizuka restaurant has decided to make things permanent with its baked goods spin-off. Ishizuka Bakeshop is offering some of the most popular options from its takeaway/lockdown offering with both sweet and savoury bases covered. Choose from an A5 Wagyu pie with foie gras and black truffle, a matcha tarte tatin, kasutera (cheesecake meets sponge cake) or a picnic bento which will evolve according to seasonal produce. Available for pick up or delivery, just order two days in advance. isizuka.com.au

Take a trip Portugal: The Cookbook Leandro Carreira Phaidon; $79.95 For those looking to delve into the world of traditional Portuguese cooking, this is the book for

Straight To The Source hits airwaves

you. Author Leandro Carreira

Tawnya Bahr and Lucy Allon of Straight To The Source

has compiled more than 450

are known for their produce-centric chef tours, but

recipes that cover breads, soups,

now the pair have launched a podcast called Food,

vegetables, proteins, rice dishes,

Views and Big Ideas. Guests include chefs, farmers

desserts and more in Portugal: The

and food experts, with Singing Magpie’s Sue Heward

Cookbook. Each recipe notes the

and Outback Lamb’s Fiona Aveyard featuring on early

region the dish is from and includes

episodes. “Our guests have been chosen because of

an introduction to its history along

the significant role they are playing in the evolution of

with advice on all-important

Australia’s food identity and culture … who think outside

cooking techniques. Released on

the box and are making a difference,” says Allon. New

29 March. phaidon.com

episodes are released fortnightly and are available to stream or download via most podcast platforms. March 2022 | 11

The industry’s leading annual conference for: • Restaurant, café and hotel operators • Chefs

Take your hospo business and career to the next level

• Front of house staff

Hear from our key speakers and industry experts including:

Julian Cincotta Executive Chef Butter Sydney

Elliot Solomon Chief Executive Officer Solotel

Hospitality Leaders Summit 2022 Sponsors P I Z Z A A U S T R A L I A

ESSENZA

Dianne McGrath Sustainability Expert

Monday 23 May 2022 Australian National Maritime Museum

GET YOUR TICKETS NOW

www.hospleaders.com.au Brought to you by

Scan here for more information and to register

Persimmon

PRODUCE // Persimmon

In Australia, persimmons are grown in Queensland

Kaki or Fuyu persimmons can be eaten ripe or unripe

Persimmons are berries

Diospyros in Greek translates to ‘ divine fruit’

There are more than 100 varieties of the orange fruit found across the globe.

China is the largest producer of persimmons

WORDS Aristine Dobson

Origins

The trees can grow from 4.5m up to 18m

texture and for the most part, are non-

Persimmons come from the Diospyros genus

in height and have a rounded top shape

astringent. Persimmons have a sweet, mild

which encompasses more than 700 species

comprising oblong leaves between 7cm to

and rich flavour profile that is comparable to

of trees and shrubs. There are two commonly

15cm. Each leaf has brown hairy petioles that

honey. The flesh is red-orange in colour and

cultivated varieties of persimmon. Diospyros

are approximately 2cm in length and change

surrounds black seeds in the centre.

kaki is found in Japan, China and Korea

colour according to the season. Trees take

while Diospyros virginiana is the American

between eight to 10 years to bear fruit after

Culinary applications and storage

persimmon and is grown in states including

being planted. American persimmon trees

It is recommended persimmons are generally

Texas, Florida and parts of California.

have two to three fruits in a bunch while Asian

only eaten when they are ripe except

persimmons have one or two.

for varieties such as Fuyu, which can be

There is much debate around the fruit’s exact origins as it grows in many parts of the

Fruit must be cut from the tree using a

consumed ripe or unripe, but the black seeds

world, but it is believed to have originated

hand pruner, scissors or a knife, ensuring the

should always be avoided. Ripe persimmons

from the mountains of Southern China where it

stem remains attached. Persimmons tend to

are commonly used in desserts and are often

is an important crop. Today, different varieties

bruise easily, so it is recommended they are

steamed in puddings. In the US, persimmon

can also be found in Brazil, Spain, Turkey, Italy

placed on a tray in a single layer.

beer is a popular application and is a mildly

and Israel.

alcoholic beverage that sees the fruit

Flavour profile and appearance

undergo a fermentation process.

Growth and harvest

Persimmons have a tomato or pumpkin-like

Persimmons are relatively easy to grow as long

appearance and change from yellow-orange

hearty meat dishes featuring pork chops or

as there is sufficient drainage and compost-

in colour to deep red-orange as they ripen.

chicken. When unripe, the fruit has a crunchy

rich, loamy soil. A variety of persimmon should

American persimmons are extremely astringent

texture and can be diced or sliced and added

be selected according to its suitability to the

until they reach peak ripeness.

to salads, salsas and smorgasbords. ■

growing region. While kaki persimmons prefer

Asian persimmons tend to be larger than

mild winter weather, American persimmons

the American variety, with the fruit reaching

can withstand cold temperatures.

up to 9cm in diameter. They have a smooth

14 | Hospitality

Persimmons are known to pair well with

There's no better time than now to fill in your workforce gap FAST. With our Visa Grants coming in less than a week upon lodgement, you can finally say GOODBYE to workforce shortages. Our talent database of over 5,000 global cooks, chefs, and food & beverage professionals are skilled, focused, and committed--- the type of talents you need to drive your business forward.

Scan to get an exclusive access to our talent database. You can also visit bit.ly/AusphinPartnership

0488 854 486 | 0485 865 816

hospitality.ausphin.com.au www.hospitality.ausphin.com.au

weareausphin

BEST PRACTICE // Negotiating with suppliers

Negotiate and thrive Tips to handle supplier price rises. WORDS Ken Burgin

YOU’VE GOT PROBLEMS, they’ve got

deals to be struck, your supplier is also running

with items that have had a cost increase.

problems — that’s the first thing suppliers will

a business, and when they say no to your offer,

Have strawberries gone through the roof?

tell you. Delays from overseas, commodity

it usually means no. Like you, they have limits on

Just turn off that cocktail or dessert on your

price increases and many standard products

how far they can push their cashflow.

menu control panel and it will no longer

are not available. It’s all over the news

appear. Using a modern recipe management

and consumers see it in the supermarket,

Upgrade ordering processes

system gives you an immediate red flag if

so there’s no harm in occasionally sharing

Instant electronic pricing and ordering is

a price goes up, so this can happen on the

some of the price hits you’re facing. Chicken

now widely available and services such

same day — no need for an expensive delay

breast is up 22 per cent, burger mince has

as Foodbomb have multiple suppliers for

before action.

increased by 28 per cent and cooking oil

comparison. Is there still value in loyalty to

prices have doubled. This is transparency, not

one supplier where they get your business for

Consider labour and food costs together

being a victim.

12 months in return for better prices? Maybe

The move to outsourcing products has grown

— pricing can now be much more transparent

much more urgent. Consider the total cost on

increases and labour shortages together,

It’s also helpful to consider supply price

and substitutions are agreed to in advance.

the plate from a supplier even for traditional

taking a radical look at the menu and

They can also advise on the alternatives

items such as poached eggs, hollandaise,

everything that creates it. Here are some tips

other operators use for products with rising

cooked meats, chicken and salads. Many

to help your business get ahead.

prices such as oils, vegetables and proteins.

more high-quality items are available for

It’s always great to call in a favour, but how

heat and serve and specialised equipment

often have you done that?

including speed ovens can have them ready

Understand the supply journey The negotiations on your produce or

in minutes with minimum skill.

supplies don’t begin and end with the

Help suppliers reduce friction

prices. Consider other touchpoints along

and finance costs

Trade-offs still work

the way: how much is delivery? What are

Their savings can be passed on to you.

They may not be ready to give a further

after-hours costs? What happens with

Could some deliveries come in the afternoon

discount on coffee and throw in a pallet of

returns or refunds? What kind of training or

instead of the morning for a lower delivery

mineral water that you can sell, but suppliers

after-delivery care can they provide? You

cost? Eliminate broken packs and order

might support your charity promotion with

should be negotiating more than just price

larger quantities less often and with more

free products in exchange for a mention in

with your suppliers, you should consider all

notice. Agree in advance on substitutions if

your email marketing or on social media.

aspects of your working relationship.

needed and pay accounts weekly.

Being organised and prepared with your menu is the best way to save money and

Be respectful

Use dynamic menu changes

negotiate with suppliers. Work with them,

Negotiating a price does not equal haggling.

With instant adjustments available through

not against them, and you will achieve great

While there are considerable discounts and

digital menus, there’s no need to feel ‘stuck’

results. ■

16 | Hospitality

Abacus. Smart, easy to use POS

No matter the size of your business, you need a POS System that’s going to maximise your profits. Abacus POS can help you reduce costs, streamline your operations, improve your customers’ experience and, most importantly, increase your sales. With Tyro EFTPOS integration, whether you run a bricks and mortar business or an online store, our fully integrated software will allow you to manage your business better from a laptop or smart device. From rostering to stock management, monitoring sales through to running comprehensive reports, and everything in between. And our cloud based systems - which work even when you’re offline – mean you’ll no longer have to worry about backing up your data.

wwabacus.co w.abacus.cto Call 1300 552 535 or visit o find out how we can customise a solution that works for your business.

Tyro Payments Limited ACN 103 575 042 AFSL 471951 is the issuer of its own financial products. Please consider whether the products are suitable for you. Tyro may pay financial benefits and/or referral fees to our partners

NEWS // Drinks

Drinks cart Thirst quenchers, slow sippers and all things beverage related. EDITED BY Annabelle Cloros

Tickled pink Third time’s a charm for Four Pillars and Arbory Afloat. The Melbourne bar has teamed up with the Victorian distillery once again to create a pink gin inspired by the Turkish coast. The gin features a citrus hit thanks to orange and finger lime. “The palate is a little different; pine forest juniper, light spice with a lingering Turkish delight character from the rose water,” says Distiller Cameron

Boxed in

Mackenzie. “The light pink comes from the addition of carmine, the natural colour used in many liqueurs such as

Mandatory Spirit Co. is behind a new range of RTD cocktails packaged up in

Campari.” $85; fourpillarsgin.com

a yet-to-be-seen option in the drinks realm. The single-serve range covers an orange and pineapple Mai Tai, strawberry daiquiri and a passionfruit martini. “Boxtails started flying off the shelves when we launched,” says Co-Founder Mark Collins. “We couldn’t be happier with our new single-serve tetra packs and are so excited for our customers to enjoy them.” $24.95 for a six-pack; amazon.com.au

A world of class 2018 World Class Bartender Orlando Marzo has launched Loro, an ‘untraditional’ range of bottled cocktails. Marzo has worked in the industry for more than 12 years and his experience has culminated in a debut range that includes a bergamot Negroni, a cherry and cacao Manhattan and an olive martini. “I wanted to take people beyond the traditional, to be able to enjoy complex layers of flavour

Eye of the tiger Peddlers Gin Company has released a Spirit of the Tiger

easily and consistently,” says the

pack to celebrate Lunar New Year. The gin is crafted using

bartender. drinksbyloro.com

organic botanicals sourced from across China including Buddha’s hand, lotus flower and Yunnan mint. The limited Tiger pack incudes a bottle of gin and a fire red enamel cocktail cup, with the colour a traditional symbol of luck. Available for $88 from Dan Murphy’s and select retailers. peddlersgin.com

18 | Hospitality

Professional Solution for Food Storage To meet exacting standards demanded in the F&B industry, our professional fridges and freezers are engineered to ensure reliable storage conditions. Designed for integration in a HACCP concept, Liebherr‘s energy efficient appliances are easy to clean, allowing for optimum food hygenie. home.liebherr.com.au

Hotels, Restaurants & Catering

Distributed by: http

s://ho me.lie bher r.com /en

/aus/

apac/ c

omm e

rcial/ hoteland

-cate

ring/

hoteland

-cate

ring.h tml

DRINKS // Amaro

That’s amaro

The bittersweet herbal liqueur is hard to define, but has few bounds when it comes to cocktail applications. WORDS Aristine Dobson PHOTOGRAPHY Dominic Xavier; Christopher Pearce

20 | Hospitality

“For aperitifs, I look at products that have a

the ritual dating as far back as the 19th century.

Spanton. “Amaro has the night-time colours;

of amaro to signify the end of an evening, with Most associate amaro with its bracingly bitter taste, but bartenders say it’s an unparalleled spirit within the liquor world.

There are numerous styles and brands of

amaro found in each region in Italy along with iterations in the US and here in Australia.

Although amaro is typically enjoyed neat, it

has become a welcome addition to cocktails, with venues tapping into the potential of both applications.

Hospitality speaks to Piccolo Bar’s David

Spanton and Bar Liberty’s Nick Tesar about

categorising amaro, go-to brands and tips on

sunset colour such as Campari and Aperol,” says we’re talking Braulio and Averna that are dark and syrupy-looking.”

Since there are no strict rules with classifying

amaro, there’s plenty of room when it comes to making cocktails. Building the perfect amaro-

level of bitterness,” says Tesar. “This allows for

broader use, especially when mixing drinks, as

opposed to just drinking amaros by themselves.”

At Bar Liberty, Tesar stocks the bar with locally

fan of finding interesting, small producer-made

as a remedy to cure ailments. Fast forward to the 1800s and it was marketed as a health tonic. But thanks to the invention of column distillation,

the product improved and people began to drink amaro in a leisurely fashion.

Families across Italy made their own amaro

which led to the development of big brands

including Montenegro, Cynar, Dell’Etna and Amaro Ramazzotti.

Unlike other booze categories, amaro can be

difficult to define. But the translation of its name helps; amaro means ‘bitter’ in Italian. “There has

to be an element of bitterness,” says Bar Liberty’s Nick Tesar. “It can be light and fresh, palate-

Marionette

citrus rinds

uses seasonal

and caramel

fruit

The Hanky

Amaro is made

Panky cocktail

in different

in base spirit, diversity in alcohol volume and

Amaro was used for medicinal purposes long

when monks brewed the dark spirit in monasteries

flavoured with

brand. “Internationally, we see more diversity

made amaros from Okar and Never Never to

cocktail. It started its journey in medieval Europe

Tesar’s spirit brand

based drink begins with choosing the right

utilising the spirit’s nuanced flavour.

before anyone thought about putting it in a

Averna is a Sicilian amaro

is $19 at

regions

Piccolo Bar.

throughout Italy

his own liqueur brand Marionette. “I’m a big goods to provide a different experience for

customers,” says the bartender. “Okar amaro

from Applewood has really lit the way for the Australian industry. A bunch of other aperitif styles (slightly biased because I make one of

these, which is the Marionette bitter) are also coming into the market.”

Newer versions of amaro tend to have more

sweetness compared to the Italian classics.

“Fernet is the most bracing subcategory of amaro and what that means is top-end bitterness, but you’ve also got a lower sugar [content],” says

Spanton. “It is what a lot of the amaros used to

be like when they started out in the 19th century because sugar was hard to find and expensive.”

Each brand has varying levels of bitterness and

“The 3:2:1 is probably one of the key success stories for amaro” – David Spanton

stripping-ly intense and everything in between.” Bittering agents including gentian root,

angelica (wild celery), coriander seed and

rhubarb root are used to make amaro. “If you look at Italian categories, there’s things like

artichoke thistle, but amaro can also have more

of an alpine, menthol edge,” says Tesar. “It goes back to where it’s from originally and what

grows in the area. Amaro from the south of Italy [for example] has a lot more citrus character.” Bittersweetness may be one of the defining

features of amaro, but it can further broaden the scope in terms of liqueur. “Anything can be an

amaro if it’s bittersweet, so there are some issues

there with understanding how to categorise it,” says David Spanton, owner of Piccolo Bar in Sydney.

Spanton suggests trying to understand amaro

within the context of aperitifs and digestifs, using colour to break down the categories.

March 2022 | 21

DRINKS // Amaro

IN ITALY, IT is customary to pour guests a glass

DRINKS // Amaro

The drink consists of equal parts whiskey, Aperol, lemon juice

and Amaro Nonino — an alpine aged amaro from Fruili, Italy.

“The Paper Plane is very much for me an aperitif,” says Tesar. “It’s bright, citrusy and still has bitterness. But the bitterness balances with the citrus, so it’s a modern sell. Using amaro in moderation means it can be in any style of drink and it’s not heavy handed when it comes to alcohol.”

The menu at Piccolo Bar is made up of classic cocktails that go

hand in hand with traditional spirits such as amaro. The HankyPanky is one example that sees Fernet-Branca paired with gin

and vermouth. “Just 5ml of Fernet-Branca adds a beautiful little

bitterness to it and rounds out the vanilla you’re getting from the vermouth,” says Spanton. “It also marries really well with the juniper from the gin.”

Other amaro-centric cocktails at Piccolo include the amaro sour

which uses a reverse shake method to achieve a fluffy-headed sweetness, but tweaks can be made to leverage the flavour profile.

“You can build drinks and make sure different styles help bring out the flavours you want, whether it is herbs or citrus,” says Spanton. For most people, amaro is an acquired taste, which is why it is

important to think about balance when using it in cocktails. “Many

cocktail. “We do 45ml of Averna amaro, 15ml Maker’s Mark

bourbon, 15ml lemon juice and 10ml sugar syrup,” says Spanton.

“We shake that and add three drops of Angostura bitters and then reverse shake. We put all the ice in, shake and then we strain it

back into the cocktail strainer on one side before adding 30ml egg white and dry shaking.”

bartenders experience these flavours so often and are desensitised to

Amaro has more versatility than most people give it credit for.

often drier and more bitter, whereas a general consumer doesn’t want

refresher, the liqueur will always have a place on bar menus. The

the intensity of bitterness,” says Tesar. “When we make a drink, it’s

something that’s so in your face. It’s about showing restraint and using amaro to build flavour as opposed to intensity.”

Tesar uses amaro’s complex bitterness as a tool to add depth to a

drink. “I really like to use it as a flavour adjuster,” he says. “Thinking of an amaro like you would Angostura bitters and using the sugar component in that instead. I make an adjusted Old Fashioned by

adding 10ml of amaro and a dash of orange bitters instead of regular bitters. You’ve got the different bitter characteristic, but also a more interesting sugar than just adding sugar syrup.

Less is more when it comes to amaro, and as Spanton says,

“Once you put it in, you can’t take it out”. The bartender

recommends experimenting with smaller amounts first and looks to presentation when introducing amaro to first-time drinkers. “Presentation is really important when you’re using these

products, whether it is in a cocktail or neat,” he says. “We present

amaro neat on ice in a whiskey glass with an orange. But for a lot of the traditional sticklers, it should be room temperature.”

Sticking to a ratio is a sure-fire way to achieve a well-balanced

amaro cocktail. With the boom of bitter liqueurs such as Aperol

and Campari, the 3:2:1 spritz ratio has been a hit. “The 3:2:1 is

probably one of the key success stories for amaro because whether you’re a bartender or a consumer, it makes it easy to understand and mix right,” says Spanton.

Amaro is often boxed in as a digestif or an after-dinner drink,

but the liqueur can also play a role in lighter cocktails. The Paper

Plane, created by award-winning New York-based Bartender Sam Ross is considered one for the books by Tesar and Spanton.

22 | Hospitality

Whether it’s used in a booze-forward cocktail or a spritz-like

world of amaro has become more diverse, with local producers

paying close attention to the growing market. “Craft distillery in America is about 10 to 15 years ahead of Australia,” says Tesar. “We saw interesting takes on amaro going around America and

we’re starting to see that in Australia now. The definition between

aperitifs, digestifs and everything else has been blurred. What was considered amaro is now much broader.” ■

STATUS Preparing

Order #06

Order #05

Order #07

Order #10

Order #09

Order #06

ADVERTORIAL // Lyre’s

Italian Orange spritz Justin Lane’s summer quencher heroes Lyre’s Italian Orange. JUSTIN LANE IS located in Burleigh Heads and has been a part of the Gold Coast’s cocktail culture for more than 10 years. Johnny Hall is the general manager of the venue, which encompasses a rooftop bar, arcade, pasta bar and balcony area for patrons to enjoy. The venue’s cocktail selection caters to those who are choosing to forgo alcohol, with one of the signature drinks showcasing Lyre’s Italian Orange. The non-alcoholic spirit features blood orange and red citrus notes with a hit of maraschino, which adds balance. “This is an installation for people to enjoy all the art [of cocktails] without the intoxication,” says Hall. Hall combines the Italian Orange with lemon juice and house tinctures in a shaker with ice and chills down the mixture. The drink is poured into a glass and topped with Fever-Tree Italian blood orange soda before being garnished with an orange wedge. “Cocktails are about experience and having something to say,” says Hall, “and that shouldn’t be segregated to people looking to drink.” ■ Scan the QR code to watch the cocktail masterclass

24 | Hospitality

Lyre’s award-winning range of non-alcoholic spirits are quietly changing the way the world drinks. How? By giving drinkers and non-drinkers alike the freedom to drink their drink, their way. Is your venue missing out on the growth from Lyre’s premium non-alcoholic options? Why not test the waters and unlock the consumer opportunity with an alcohol free Tommy’s Margarita made possible by Lyre’s Non-Alcoholic Agave Reserva.

STAY SPIRITED. make it a lyre’s

PROFILE // Wesley Cooper Jones

26 | Hospitality

PROFILE // Wesley Cooper Jones

Wesley Cooper Jones The chef has gone from rolling dough to using a hybrid bottle shop as his pantry. WORDS Annabelle Cloros

THE WAY THE dining public eats and

I grew up in,” he says. “I got a job at

past five years. The rise of a more laidback,

a second family. I worked there in stints

drinks has changed considerably over the casual experience has ushered in a new

wave of venues and chefs firmly focused

on the here and now. Wesley Cooper Jones

Dimitri’s Pizzeria and the team became like

Roberta’s sister restaurant Blanca; a

over four years; it was like my home to go

runs less than a handful of services per

back to after I went somewhere else.”

is part of this shift in Sydney, and is fast

making a name for himself and the venue he works at — it’s P&V Wine + Liquor

Merchants in Paddington, for the record. The newly minted head chef speaks to

Hospitality about how a body board got

him into the kitchen, trading pizzas for fine dining and why snacks and drinks should always go hand in hand.

At 14 years old, Wesley Cooper Jones had his eye on the prize — a body board, in

this case. His dad told him he could have

one, all he had to do was get to work and

start saving. “I got a job at a local pizzeria and saved the money up, but my old man

had already bought it for me,” says Jones.

kitchens. It was hard, but the rewards

“When you have a space with that much freedom, it pushes your skills and creativity to make different things and learn new techniques.” – Wesley Cooper Jones Jones’ pizza obsession ended up being the

catalyst for a move to an even bigger smoke

er was on to his second venue, The

hone my skills in making pizza, but while I

Butter Factory Restaurant in Pyree. Jones stayed at the European bistro on and off

throughout the rest of his schooling before he headed to the big smoke, aka Sydney.

“It was a lot bigger than the coastal town

week. “It opened me up to the world of

fine dining, which I wanted to do more of,”

After a year and a half, Jones returned to his second home of Sydney and worked

at various venues around the city until an

opportunity presented itself. “I was in and out of kitchens and wasn’t really finding my feet,” he says, “but then the space

at Freda’s came up; it was a fun venue

with a bunch of craft beer and wine.” It would go on to become the launchpad

for Cheesy Grin; a toastie-centric pop-up. “The kitchen was small — there was no grill or flat top, it just had an induction

oven, but we had a toastie press,” says the chef. “The idea was to make fun food for people who wanted to have a fun night.

It was good to get by for those six months

were worth it.”

It wasn’t long before the South Coast-

Michelin star eatery with just 12 seats that

says the chef.

It turned out to be a lifechanging lesson. “It kind of got me hooked on working in

The chef headed into the kitchen of

— New York City. “I worked at Roberta’s to

and make a bit of money. But going into a venue, understanding what they need

food-wise and creating something that fits the environment became an obsession.”

Cheesy Grin made a brief stop at Bart Jr.

was there, I moved into the back kitchen,”

in Redfern before finding more permanent

was really encapsulating and it made me

“John Javier was moving to London and

he says. “The variety of food being cooked want to explore other facets of cooking, not just pizza.”

digs at the Lord Wolseley Hotel in Ultimo. we [Luka Coyne, chef] took over the Lord Wolseley; we did à la carte and a tasting

March 2022 | 27

PROFILE // Wesley Cooper Jones menu on Friday and Saturday nights,” says

to learn from one of the industry’s most

we tried to keep the food that way — it

working fast and clean,” says Jones. “The

Jones. “The pub is small and eclectic, so was pub classics, but instead of just a

salad, we would do a tomato salad cooked with seaweed. The owners were super

lovely and the kitchen had all the bells and

way he pushed staff to better themselves

every service and his refined cookery has always stuck with me.”

Jones went on to spend time at The

whistles. We did what we wanted to and

Old Fitz during Nik Hill’s tenure and was

It was a glimpse into the future for

however the pandemic halted those plans

what would suit the venue.”

Jones and Coyne, who had spoken about

eventually opening their own restaurant. It was a huge learning curve for the then 24-year-old Jones. “The whole thing

was a challenge,” he says. “It was hard working out how to do ordering, food

costs and all that stuff. Even managing that amount of food and trying to be

creative at the same time. There were

lessons that were pivotal, not so much in terms of cooking, but honing my skills in managing a restaurant.”

After Cheesy Grin’s stint at the Lord

Wolseley came to an end, Jones joined the

planning on a stint at Hartsyard as well, when both restaurants closed. “It was

weird not cooking for so many months,”

he says. But he did whip something up — Hex ‘adult’ pickles; a single-run product.

“We did gin-spiked pickles and you could use the brine for dirty martinis or a gin and tonic,” says the chef. “It filled the

space during lockdown and then I was

offered a position at Fish Shop where I

worked for a brief period. It was pretty crazy doing takeaway in a restaurant

where you’re pushing really hard, but you just have a computer screen with orders from people you can’t see.”

team at the lauded Berowra Waters Inn

Jones’ current role is what he hopes he

and Head Chef Brian Geraghty. It marked

Wine + Liquor Merchants expanded to

for five months, working alongside Owner a return to fine dining and an opportunity 28 | Hospitality

forward-thinking chefs. “Brian has a way of

will become known for. Newtown’s P&V Paddington last year and was looking for

Finally a value solution to rising oil prices and inconsistent supply.

Sunbeam is the trusted solidified deep frying oil with a long fry life that is excellent value for money. In a time of uncertain supply and rising ingredient costs you can rely on Sunbeam 12.5kg solid vegetable frying oil. Locally refined in Braybrook, Victoria, Sunbeam vegetable frying oil has been reliably delivered to Australia’s foodservice industry for over 15 years.

Longer deep frying High smoke point and neutral odour allows you to deep fry for longer

A healthier solid oil Made from a cholesterol free plant based vegetable oil

Environmentally friendly The OH&S friendly cardboard carton is recyclable and takes up less room

HALAL

FIND OUT MORE: pe

sfo les er

rv /su

.au

m .co ice nb m ea r&

/?q ut m _s Co

R% =Q

ed _m

tm &u

CG QR

ou -b

de g&

cM ut m -b

ain om

rtd ho =s t= ten on

_c g&

cM ut m _c 20

R% =Q

ign pa am Co de

Making it happen

se od

Trusted & local

Contact your local distributor to order Sunbeam, or talk to your local Peerless Foods account manager to discuss your requirements on: 1800 986 499. Also visit us at: www. peerlessfoodservice.com.au peerlessfoodservice.comor .auat: / peerlessfoodservice

PROFILE // Wesley Cooper Jones

a head chef to lead the food offering in

mentor chef I’ve always looked up to. If I

P&V; it’s an introduction to natural wine,”

profile isn’t getting hit the way I want it,

the venue’s courtyard. “I’ve always loved he says. “After the position opened up, I

thought of the bottle shop as an extended pantry. I have all these wines, beers and

spirits I can use in my food offering. The whole idea is bringing the products into the food — it’s symbiotic.”

Snacks and small plates are the name

of the game at P&V — there’s no specific cuisine or boundaries to stay within,

just whatever happens to work with the revolving beverage offering. “It doesn’t fly any flags; it’s fun and about snacks

that complement the drinks,” says Jones.

“The food I’m cooking comes down to the

produce whether it’s using techniques that are French, Japanese or Italian — it’s just

have trouble with something or a flavour it’s good to have someone there with a

wealth of knowledge to point me in the right direction.”

Jones is forging ahead and creating a

culinary experience for P&V while making a name for himself in the process. “I think I will stay here for a while and create

their identity, and this is what I will be

remembered for,” he says. “The guys at

P&V are super supportive and have given me free reign, so there will be more

collaborative projects coming up whether it’s beer sauce or something else. P&V is the oyster.”

A return to fine dining is certainly still

making things as tasty as possible.”

on the cards for the chef, who has hopes to

venue, which makes things a lot more

to work and travel overseas to Europe or

There’s no definitive menu at the

fluid for Jones, but there are some

dishes diners will always find. “We have Olasagasti anchovies marinated in fig leaf oil and nasturtium vinegar; it’s a

balance of fat and acidity,” says the chef.

“There’s also a raw scallop dish with peas, broad beans and a vinaigrette made from buttermilk, bonito and chives. But all the other snacks change regularly. When you have a space with that much freedom, it pushes your skills and creativity to make different things and learn new

techniques. The best thing about it is

pushing forward; I can make something I’ve seen in a book or on Instagram —

there’s no end to what we can do in our little kitchen, which is great.”

One such creation is a puffed beef

tendon with fermented chilli sauce. The

tendons are cooked down to remove any moisture before they are set overnight in a similar manner to a terrine. “The pressed tendons are shaved and then we freeze, dehydrate and fry them,”

says Jones. “It’s kind of like the same technique as a prawn cracker.”

But there’s no “we” at the moment.

With the slow pace of the summer season

and the surge of Omicron cases, Jones has been rolling solo — but he’s not totally

alone. “I share a kitchen with Porcine and I have a little section,” he says. “It’s been

inspiring working with Nik [Hill] who’s a 30 | Hospitality

travel in the not-so-distant future. “I’d like

New Zealand,” says Jones. “I’d like to work at Amisfield, which I think is the most

progressive restaurant in New Zealand. If I don’t go full throttle, I don’t feel like it’s

adequate enough — the reward is always better when you do.” ■

“The whole idea is bringing the products into the food – it’s symbiotic.” – Wesley Cooper Jones

Bulla Business B oost

WIN $1K A DAY! us plM A

JOR PRIZE

$10,000

FEATURE // Soba

Handcrafted

Chef Masahiko Tojo is perfecting the art of making soba noodles through honouring tradition. WORDS Annabelle Cloros SOBA HAS BEEN consumed in Japan since

Masahiko Tojo first began making soba

for around 30 years,” says Tojo. “He has a

are one of the original delivery foods, with

restaurants run by noodle master Yoshi

grouts to mill on-site at the restaurant. We

the Edo period. The buckwheat noodles soba couriers cycling piles of noodles to

wealthy residents in the 1700s. Now, they

are readily available dried or fresh, served hold or cold, with a dipping broth or in a soup — the choice is yours.

A serving of soba offers instant

gratification to diners, which blurs the

intense labour process required to make

them. It’s a practice that’s hard to come by in Australia, but Chef Masahiko Tojo from

in 2000 at one of the original Shimbashi Shibazaki, whose apprentices have gone on to open venues across Australia and

abroad. “Yoshi has worked really hard to

special class of buckwheat, and we get the mill every day before making the noodles, so we have the freshest-possible flour.” The buckwheat is combined with

make soba well known here,” says Tojo.

Australian wheat flour according to an

right. It’s labour intensive and each batch

use 100 per cent buckwheat flour, but it’s

“But it requires a lot of patience to get it

takes around 30 minutes to make, so it’s a

lot of work for a small number of noodles, but it’s worth the effort.”

At Jugemu and Shimbashi in Neutral

85:15 ratio. “There are other methods that a more fragile noodle,” says the chef. The final ingredient is water, but the amount

added varies according to the weather and

level of humidity at the time. “You come to

Jugemu and Shimbashi in Sydney hasn’t

Bay, soba is a key part of the menu, with

scratch for more than 20 years.

and dinner service. The three-step process

is its toughness and the fact it doesn’t need

front of the restaurant that has a stone

rolling and cutting. “Mixing the dough

wavered on making batches of soba from The chef talks to Hospitality about

sourcing buckwheat from Tasmania, the

three stages of soba-making and why it’s a technique he’s still mastering.

32 | Hospitality

Tojo making the noodles before each lunch begins in the men-uchiba, a room at the grinder. “We source all our buckwheat

from a Tasmanian producer who has been growing it for Japanese soba restaurants

learn when the dough is right,” says Tojo.

One of the unique aspects of soba dough

to be rested before chefs can move on to takes about 10 minutes,” says Tojo. “It’s not left to rest like a bread dough. You

can leave it if you need to, but you don’t

length of a wooden handle, which has

complicated process.”

takes about five minutes,” says Tojo. “You

to get straight onto rolling, which is a

Three wooden rolling pins (noshibo) are needed for the next step: one is used for

a space directly underneath it. “Cutting

move the knife along gently and keep the noodles nice and evenly spaced.”

Once the noodles have been cut, they’re

stretching and the others for manoeuvring

stored in air-tight containers in the fridge

lump of dough which is laid out on a

expose them to air as they are delicate and

the dough. “You start out with a round special soba board and end up with a

symmetrical rectangle,” says Tojo. “The

dough ends up being much longer than the board, so you use the two pins to roll over

and used for the next service. “You can’t

don’t have any preservatives,” says Tojo.

“We only use noodles that are made on the day, so they are always fresh.”

The production of soba is the most

the dough on one end and then you un-

time-consuming aspect of making a noodle

the other end until you end up with a long

in less than 30 seconds. Jugemu’s kitchen

roll, flatten, roll it up again and then go to rectangle shape.”

The flat dough is folded over for the

cutting process, which necessitates a

special knife — a soba-kiri bocho. This is no ordinary kitchen knife, though — it’s specifically crafted for cutting noodles. A long oblong-shaped blade spans the

FEATURE // Soba

want to expose it much to air — you want

dish, with the cooking process taking place is equipped with vats of water that are

always on a rolling boil. “You’re looking for them to be on the firm side of al dente,”

says Tojo. “After 30 seconds, the noodles are taken out and rinsed under cold

running water until the starch is removed.”

“We source all our buckwheat from a Tasmanian producer who has been growing it for Japanese soba restaurants for around 30 years.” – Masahiko Tojo

March 2022 | 33

FEATURE // Soba

The noodles

Soba is

are placed

commonly

on a bamboo

served

mat for

with

eating

tempura

Tasmanian

Jugemu

buckwheat

offer soba

is a key

specials

ingredient in

including

the dough

green tea

There are two main culinary applications for soba noodles: one is in a hot soup and the other sees

the noodles served on a zaru (bamboo plate) with

tsuyu; a dipping sauce made with dashi, mirin and

soy. “The real soba purists love to have it plain,” says Tojo. “You really get the flavour of the buckwheat

and the nutty, sweet aroma of the noodles with the plain broth or soup. The broth has more intensity

than the soup, which you can drink to the bottom.

But once you have finished the noodles, you can add the sobayu, which is the starchy water the noodles

have been cooked in, to the broth and dilute it until it reaches a soup consistency.”

Jugemu’s soba menu covers everything from

duck and mushroom broth to tempura options,

but there’s also a bespoke offering for diners to

try. “We have a walnut and sesame broth, which is quite unique,” says Tojo. “In Japan, duck is

the most popular, but duck and mushroom is a combination I recommend.”

The chef also makes noodle specials from time

to time, with green tea, earl grey or yuzu zest incorporated into the dough. “It just depends

on how much time is available to do something extra,” he says.

In terms of accompaniments, soba is always

served with spring onions, but tororo (puréed

Japanese yam), grated daikon, natto (fermented

soybeans) shredded nori and sliced okra are also popular additions to their respective dishes.

Tojo is perhaps the only chef in Sydney who specialises in making soba noodles, and he

continues to hone his craft even after so much time has passed. “It looks easy, but it’s really

difficult,” he says. “I am still perfecting it every day even after 20 years.” ■ 34 | Hospitality

“It requires a lot of patience to get it right. It’s labour intensive and each batch takes around 30 minutes to make.” – Masahiko Tojo

Print magazine and website serving senior management in the massive clubs sector From the same stable as Hospitality magazine comes Club Management, a new business magazine, website and newsletter aimed at the huge clubs sector in Australia. Club Management will bring you the latest news, plus advice and information on trends, products, best business practice and revenue-generating opportunities across all categories in clubland.

To sign up for the Club Management newsletter

For information around advertising in Club Management, please contact Simon York on 02 8586 6163 or email syork@intermedia.com.au

FEATURE // Smash burgers

Smash

hits They’re on every corner in Los Angeles, but smash burgers are just getting started on home soil. WORDS Annabelle Cloros

Jed, Dan and Kyne Soto

36 | Hospitality

three pop-ups. The first sold out in 11 hours

on the same lands. The smash burger gets its

sold out in 11 minutes and the third sold out

so it makes perfect sense its kin was created

name from the technique used to create it, with the first iteration incepted in Kentucky some 60 years ago. A restaurant worker crushed a meat patty on the grill with a bean can to maximise

in two minutes. We opened the Broken Hearts Burger Club shop [in Morningside] and it’s been go, go, go ever since.”

It’s a story echoed by Dan Soto, whose trip

the flavour of the meat. Now, there are burger

to the US went on to become a life-changing

revolve around the smash burger, which has

was on a burger hunt for something on the same

chains, pop-up vendors and food trucks that

enjoyed an evergreen status since its creation.

In Australia, smash burgers have yet to crack

the mainstream, with most diners unaccustomed to its signature thin patty and small stature. But word has started to spread, and early adopters have set a high bar for what’s to come.

Hospitality speaks to Broken Hearts Burger

Club’s Jay Gordon and St. Burgs’ Dan Soto

about why they decided to launch smash burger businesses, the defining characteristics of the creation and how they’ve helped start a new chapter for the local burger scene.

experience. “When I got back to Melbourne, I

level,” he says. “I found a few places, but they

would change their menus, so I thought I’d try and make smash burgers at home.”

After a number of attempts, Soto put his

smash burger in front of some tough critics

— his family and friends. “The feedback was

really positive, so I started doing pop-ups at my

friends’ businesses,” he says. “Then I approached my brothers to be a part of it and they jumped on board.” A backyard idea resulted in the

launch of St. Burgs, which now has locations in Maribyrnong and Caroline Springs in Victoria.

A trip to Los Angeles isn’t complete without a

So what exactly is a smash burger? The defining

known for simple-but-done-well burgers, and the

the burger originates as a ball of meat that goes

stop at In-N-Out Burger. The fast-food chain is

same notion can generally be applied to burgers in the United States — no matter where you go, it’s hard to get a bad one.

Jay Gordon made the most of the LA

“Smash patties have a long way to go in terms of becoming renowned here; it’s still early days.” – Dan Soto

and we pre-sold all the burgers. The second

burger scene during his time living in the city, immersing himself in the best the area had to offer. “I was deep into the street scene; guys

set up on the side of the road at Venice Beach

characteristic is of course, the patty. “Put simply, onto a hot griddle and it gets smashed,” says

Gordon. For Soto, it’s all about the crust. “When I went to the US, I didn’t know what a smash

burger was,” he says. “I was like, ‘What’s different about it?’ There’s a crust on the patty and it’s

crispy, but when you bite into it, it’s juicy inside. It’s an ‘if you know, you know’ type thing.”

A typical smash burger patty comprises a mix

and cook the burgers in front of you,” he says.

of beef cuts, often chuck, sirloin or brisket. While

recommend six other places for you to try. It’s a

fat and meat involves plenty of trial and error.

“They all use different meat blends and then really cool burger culture.”

Gordon returned to Brisbane at the start of

2020 and found there was a serious lack of

smash burgers around, so he took matters into

his own hands. “When I came back, I didn’t have a job here and I had nothing to do,” he says. “I

was missing the burgers in the States, so I began

making them and trying to perfect the technique. Tripp Burgers [Mark Tripp] helped me out with the blend and whatnot.”

Peer Review Burgers (soon to be Broken

Hearts Burger Club) got its start by bringing a little joy to life in lockdown, with Gordon

delivering burgers to people who were stuck in quarantine. But things fast snowballed beyond that framework. “The Instagram account went from 50 to 1,000 followers,” says Gordon. “A friend of mine got involved and then we did

it seems simple, getting the right balance of

“It took around eight months to develop,” says Gordon. “When we started, we were making burgers every day and people would give us

feedback. We tried different meat blends and

finally got to the one we settled on. Our blend

has sirloin which makes it moreish and a little bit of bacon, which changes the way it responds to

heat on the griddle. You see the way it emulsifies versus straight beef.”

Broken Hearts Burger Club has taken the

grinding process into their own hands after

teaming up with a butcher, who worked with their existing supplier, to launch High Stakes

Grinding Company. “When he would grind the meat himself, it was absolutely perfect,” says

Gordon. “We are pedantic on consistency — our entire brand is basically one burger — and our first store was going ballistic, so we set up a

March 2022 | 37

FEATURE // Smash burgers

THE AMERICANS INVENTED the hamburger,

FEATURE // Smash burgers commercial butcher. We are also supplying meat

to competitors, but all the blends are protected.” St. Burgs’ meat blend took around a year to

the cheese on, which melts rapidly, and then we take it off.”

Over at St. Burgs, the grill is set to a medium–

develop, with Soto testing out both grain- and

high heat to ensure the patties don’t stew.

right,” says Soto. “It’s very important to get the

stick to the grill and have a Maillard reaction to

grass-fed beef. “It took me a while to get it perfect blend and fat ratio; we do 70:30.”

While the recipe is kept under wraps, Soto

confirms chuck is involved. “The typical beef blend is chuck/brisket 80:20. But you need

to get the grind right; you don’t want it to be

too chunky or too fine. If it’s too fine, it has a

sausage texture and if it’s too chunky, it becomes chewy when you smash it.”

One of the best parts about cooking smash

burgers is that they can be made in a matter of

“There’s a certain technique — the patty has to

form a crust,” says Soto. “You can have the meat rolled into balls or pressed into a patty shape. I smash it quickly with a steel 2kg burger mallet instead of the original technique, which uses a steel spatula to push it down. Once you smash it, I flip it within a minute and put the cheese

on, taking it off once it’s slightly melted. I like to have crisp edges and keep it pink in the middle.

Basically, you treat it like a quality piece of steak — you don’t want to overcook it.”

minutes. The main pressure point is monitoring

A bun can make or break a burger — it doesn’t

to experience and how many orders are coming

doesn’t hold together, it’s a bust. “To be a smash

the temperature of the griddle, which comes down in. Gordon and the team tried to use timers at one point, but “the cool spots, rebound rate and heat of the griddle made it a bit of a fool’s errand”,

he says. “The griddle can get hot when it’s not

matter how great your meat blend is, if it

burger, it’s the meat and how you smash it, but

we spent an insane amount of time on the bun,” says Gordon.

Broken Hearts Burger Club developed a

constantly hit with meat and cools down when

bespoke bun with a local baker that takes cues

Instead, the team follows this process: “We

potato bun that’s a bit bigger than the Martin’s

we’re throwing down 25 patties at a time.”

smash the patties super thin and watch them until there are a few bubbles on top like a

pancake,” says Gordon. “We flip and there’s a

great crust — but you don’t want a crust on both sides, otherwise you’ll burn it to a crisp. We put 38 | Hospitality

from the iconic Martin’s potato roll. “We use a

roll,” says Gordon. “The size is a concession we made for the Australian market.”

The top bun is slathered in butter and wet

toasted during the assembly process. “It rides on top of the stack of beef and soaks up the

“We are pedantic on consistency – our entire brand is basically one burger.” – Jay Gordon

www.anchorfp.com.au csaustralia@fonterra.co

FEATURE // Smash burgers steam — grease is the condiment,” says Gordon.

gherkin relish, burger mayo and smoky sauce.

salads, and in our process, the toppings go under

a really well-balanced burger in terms of

“The bottom half gets ‘doped’ with sauce and the beef and cheese. These aren’t things we

invented; it’s what I learned in LA from Mark Tripp and is the genealogy of burgers.”

A milk bun is the vessel of choice at St. Burgs,

and was selected for its favourable traits. “Milk buns stay soft for a while and they’re not so

heavy,” says Soto. “They’re slightly sweet so they balance out the saltiness of the burger. Plus, you can max out on four patties.”

When it comes to toppings, both venues keep

things simple, which is in line with how a smash

burger should be enjoyed. “We have two burgers, and they’re really the same; but the Fancy has

lettuce and tomato,” says Gordon. “The classic

sweetness and savouriness,” says Soto. “A person can comfortably eat it and not feel too guilty.”

It’s safe to say the days of monster burgers are

well and truly behind us, and a new chapter has been ushered in — one built on simplicity and growing a community. “The thing we’re trying

to promote in Australia is a burger scene,” says Gordon. “Everyone does better when you’re promoting the scene rather than competing

with each other. I want there to be a place a few corners away that’s open 24 hours where I can

get a simple burger. If we go bust and that’s all I achieve, then I have succeeded.”

While the presence of smash burgers has

is just a cheeseburger with American cheese,

increased in recent years, they still have that

of our menu besides fries.”

to go in terms of becoming renowned here; it’s

pickles and special sauce, and that’s the entirety The Double D is St. Burgs’ best-seller on the

original menu, which sees Gippsland grassfed beef patties combined with two slices

of American cheese, bacon, lettuce, tomato, 40 | Hospitality

“It’s not too big or too small, and I think it’s

new-car smell. “Smash patties have a long way still early days,” says Soto. “Some customers are like, ‘The patties look weird, why do they look like that?’ And I’m like, ‘Trust me, have a bite and you won’t regret it’.” ■

It’s time you cashed in on one of Australia’s favourite meats

Crispy Pork Burger

Fun facts (profitable ones) about Australian pork: It’s such excellent value and not just on price.

cost

Meaning you can offer greater value while making greater margins. Boom. Pork is now Australia’s most popular meat (besides chicken) from ribs to tacos to burgers to bacon.* Make pork your menu hero!

Get some Pork on your menu for an outstanding bottom line *ABARES 2021, Agricultural commodities: March quarter 2021.

www.gffoodservice.com.au

https://www .fac

ebook.com/gff oodserviceau

FEATURE // Olive oil

44 | Hospitality

FEATURE // Olive oil

Beyond the grove For chefs and producers, olive oil will always have pride of place in the kitchen. WORDS Aristine Dobson PHOTOGRAPHY Nikki To for The Apollo WHETHER IT’S A drizzle or a generous pour, olive

we found the olive trees were one crop we could

foodstuff can be found in almost every kitchen and

year on year, we could work on repairing the farm

oil is a staple ingredient in many cuisines. The liquid demand continues to grow. While olive oils are often imported, Australian-made options are booming and

put in, and because we didn’t have to dig up the soil from the ground up.”

Tasmania’s notoriously cold winters mean the

are raising the bar when it comes to quality. Local

harvest volume is far less than that of warmer

Australia, New South Wales and Tasmania, with a

higher levels of antioxidants and polyphenols,

olive farmers are growing across Victoria, South

whopping 3,131,000 tonnes of olive oil produced from 2018–2019.

From extra virgin, pure and refined olive oil to

first harvest products and flavoured blends, the

variety on offer is nothing short of inspirational

for chefs and producers alike. Hospitality speaks

to Anne Ashbolt of Ashbolt Farm and The Apollo’s Marcello Arru on all things olive oil.

The producer Anne Ashbolt and life partner Robert Ashbolt

launched their namesake farm in Tasmania 42

years ago. Before the Ashbolts took over, the family estate was run by outside managers and the land

was described as “rundown”. For the first 20 years, the pair experimented with different crops until

eventually deciding on olives. “We looked at what we could do that would hold the land together

which are key for premium olive oil. “I did a lot of research before we started,” says Ashbolt. “I went

for olives that would be stronger in a cool climate and that would be resistant to some of the colder temperatures we get here.”

olive oil producer

including Tuscan varieties such as Frantoio, Paragon and Leccino along with Mission, Arbequina,

Mammoth and Manzanillo. Different olives are used for different oil grades. “We make three grades;

they’re all extra virgin,” says Ashbolt. “We pick the best of the best and we sell what we call our First Harvest [about $120 per litre], which is the top

Ashbolt makes an Agrumato olive oil with lemons grown on the farm

oil we can make in any year. It sells to our online

customer base and it usually is sold out after a few months because it has a solid following.”

First Harvest is an award-winning oil, but Ashbolt

Ashbolt. “We had high frost areas in winter and

Red Label, which also wins medals every year, and

olives in the world. But with careful management,

Spain is the biggest

The Ashbolts grow 11 types of olives on the farm

makes other types of olive oils that are of equal

were just on the margins of where you can grow

Frantoio olives in Sicily

climate olives. However, the environment provides

because it was old, fragile soil; it was very sandy and didn’t have a lot of organic matter,” says

Crutera is made from

quality and at a lower price point. “We have our

that’s a really similar cool-climate oil, but it’s not as soft as the First Harvest,” she says. “The Red Label

The Apollo uses olive oil as a base for Greek dips including taramasalata

March 2022 | 45

FEATURE // Olive oil

incorporates olives that are riper, so the yields

the whole olive into the press machine at one end

varieties which [vary] according to the season.”

says Ashbolt. “The machine will chop up the pits

are a bit higher. It’s also made with different

Among the product line-up is a high-grade

commercial oil, Plenty Road, that the farm

sells to chefs. “Plenty Road is predominantly

Frantoio,” says Ashbolt. “It’s a nice, robust oil and of a very high grade with great flavours.

and it comes out as a beautiful oil at the other,” and then takes them through to the malaxer. In

our case, we take all the pits out and then we put the fruit into the malaxer which gently swishes the olive oil around.”

The olives are kept in the malaxer for around

It’s usually what chefs choose as a cooking oil,

half an hour at approximately -24 degrees

dressing due to the cost.”

released to the top of the pulp, which is made

whereas the others might be used more for

Cold-pressed is a term found on many olive oil

bottles and alludes to the method of production. For Ashbolt, modern processes are far more

nuanced than two words. “Cold-pressed is a term that consumers have really hung on to and it’s

Celsius. As the oil comes to room temp, it is

up of the flesh, skins and olive water. “It’s like wine-making; a marriage of art and science

where each batch is different,” says Ashbolt.

“You don’t want to press it in the malaxer for too long because it will start to oxidise.”

not really the technical term,” she says. “In the

Making olive oil is an artform, and every press

would compress down and the oil would come

“With olive oil, it might be the olives are wetter

old days, people used to press with mats they

out. [It was] delightful fresh off the press, but it takes a long time and the oil can oxidise.

“The industry needed to do it in a bigger

way. The speedier you get the olive from the

tree to the bottle (or to the vat), the higher the polyphenols and antioxidants.”

Modern olive oil-making techniques have

changed over the years, with the Ashbolts using machinery for the production process. “You put

46 | Hospitality

brings on new challenges for Ashbolt Farm.

one season than another or maybe we choose to take olives that have a bigger flesh to pit

ratio,” says the producer. “Some olives have very low flesh but really high oil content and some olives have big fleshy fruit and quite a lot of

water content. It’s like being a chef in the press

operating room; you’re listening to the oil, you’re smelling the oil, you’re hearing the press and it’s a living thing each time you make it.”

“It’s like being a chef in the press operating room; you’re listening to the oil, you’re smelling the oil, you’re hearing the press and it’s a living thing each time you make it.” – Anne Ashbolt

TASTE BUDS

YOU WON’T BELIEVE

IT’S NOT MEAT 100% PLANT-BASED PLEASURE

BUDS 125G BURGER PATTIES 20G PROTEIN PER SERVE + NON GMO + GOOD SOURCE OF FIBRE

Vegan + 9.5cm Diameter + 12 Months Frozen Shelf Life + Kosher Certified + Halal Certified

MADE

ARE YOU READY FOR SOME SAMPLES? Get a free sample now via www.welovebuds.com/requestasample Or contact salesenquiries@allgfoods.com @welovebuds

FEATURE // Olive oil

The chef Head Chef Marcello Arru uses olive oil liberally at The Apollo in Sydney’s Potts Point, with the Italian native describing olive oil as an intrinsic part of Mediterranean cooking. “I think olive oil

and extra virgin olive oil is the backbone of Greek cuisine; it’s like lemon, honey and oregano,” he says. “There are so many olive

trees in Greece and it’s really easy to find an olive press in a village to make your own oil. My family does this in Sardinia; it is kind of like wine where different regions grow different varieties.”

The restaurant specialises in Greek cuisine and olive oil is

naturally a foundational component. “Olive oil and extra virgin olive oil are key ingredients at The Apollo; we use olive oil all

the way through from cooking to finishing,” says Arru. “We also use the oil like a seasoning when we finish a dish.”

When it comes to picking the right olive oil for the job, Arru

preferences varieties that aren’t too fruity or peppery. “It’s a bit difficult for me using the standard olive oils we’ve tried in the

past, but we find the best solution is always Greek oils,” he says. “They’re not too strong or fruity as we don’t use super fruity oil.

Some olive oils are too peppery and strong and you can feel them in your throat.”

Arru opts for a Greek olive oil called Minos or Cutrera from

Sicily, selecting them for their reliability and consistency when it comes to flavour. “I find Greek or Italian olive oils have the right balance and are always the same,” says the chef. “They’ve been producing olive oil for many years.”

Storing olive oil is just as important as knowing when and how to use it. Too much exposure to the light and air can hinder an

oil’s longevity, which is why standard methods of storage see the use of ceramic vessels or dark containers. “It’s best to store olive oil in a cool, dark place and try not to let the light penetrate the

bottle by leaving it out,” says Arru. “It’s always best to keep it in

an aluminium or stainless-steel tank if you have bigger volumes, otherwise you can just keep it in a dark bottle.”

The Apollo goes through olive oil quite quickly, but the kitchen

still has a rule of thumb when it comes to shelf life. “We tend to

use olive oil for no more than one year and we change them out for the new harvest anually,” says Arru. “It can go off after eight or nine months and the flavour and colour changes. The best is always the freshest olive oil you can find.”

Different oils also have different smoke points and while olive

“I think olive oil and extra virgin olive oil is the backbone of Greek cuisine; it’s like lemon, honey and oregano.” – Marcello Arru

oil can be used at high temperatures and even for deep frying,

Arru prefers to use it for low-heat applications. “My first rule is

don’t burn it and don’t heat the olive oil too much,” says the chef. “It’s better for finishing a dish or warming up.”

The offering at The Apollo demonstrates the versatility of olive

oil and Arru uses the ingredient to add an extra “burst of flavour” or to level out a dish. One example sees barbecued fish dressed

in an infused olive oil blend. “We finish the fish with warm olive oil and infuse it with fresh herbs,” says Arru. “The warm olive

oil extracts all the essential oils from the herbs to make a perfect dressing on top of the fish.” ■

48 | Hospitality

www.cookers.com.au

FEATURE // Sambol

Spicing things up Sambol is integral to Sri Lankan cuisine and is guaranteed to bring variety to the table. WORDS Aristine Dobson PHOTOGRAPHY Nikki To for Lankan Filling Station; Gully 9 and Kitti Gould SWEET, SPICY AND tangy are just a few words

within his family. “My mum describes these

condiment hails from Sri Lanka and comes in

extend dishes,” he says. “Sri Lankan cuisine is

that can be used to describe sambol. The

multiple forms, often found in large family style spreads and everyday cooking.

For Sri Lankan people, no meal is complete

without sambols and no sambol is the same. It’s a reflection of the vibrant cuisine it spawned

from and is the culmination of different flavours

so unique; it has many different flavour profiles and balances for cooking. You have sweetness, sharpness, fire and a whole heap of different elements that go into it, which is what the sambols provide in little bursts.”

and textures.

Pol, katta and seeni are the three traditional

pickle to a fruity mixture or a hot chilli paste,

and Lankan Filling Station. “Seeni sambol has

A sambol can be anything from an acidic

and there are plenty more iterations coming to the fore as chefs carry on tradition and forge

ahead with new creations. Hospitality speaks

to Lankan Filling Station’s O Tama Carey and

Shaun Christie-David from Colombo Social about sambol variations and the importance of sambols in Sri Lankan cuisine.

Sambol is serious business in Sri Lanka.

Although it bears some similarities to sambal, the

sambols and are on the menu at Colombo Social more sugar; it’s a sweet and sour, caramelised

onion sambol [with] sweet spices and Maldive fish,” says Carey. “It has a lot of tamarind and

jaggery, but is still quite spicy — it’s not a chilli-

based relish like a lot of other sambols you find.

Katta sambol is more like what you would expect a sambol to be like, and that’s just chillies and

onion. Sometimes it’s made with Maldive fish, but it’s fiery and fresh.”

Pol is perhaps the most popular sambol and

Malaysian or Indonesian version, they are not to

means coconut. It’s made from shredded coconut

Chef O Tama Carey outlines the key differences

Maldive fish. At Lankan Filling Station in Sydney,

be confused. Lankan Filling Station Owner and

between the two: “One of the interesting things about sambol is that Sri Lankans are the only ones who spell it with an ‘o’ not an ‘a’,” she

says. “It’s also interesting the way they use the

word sambol and the type of dishes sambol can cover. It’s very different to the more traditional

Malaysian, Vietnamese and Indonesian versions. The Sri Lankan version covers a whole heap of

which is traditionally mixed with spices and dried there are two kinds of pol sambol on offer. “We’ve got a big sambol selection and that’s probably

the biggest section on the menu,” says Carey. “Pol

sambol is one you would get with most meals. It’s

a staple go-to for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The green pol sambol we do is more South Indian in style with lime and coriander.”

Colombo Social in Sydney’s Enmore also has

other dishes you wouldn’t necessarily expect.”

an extensive sambol offering, which covers an

comparable to a dip or a relish in the sense that

versions. Christie-David refers to a papaya salsa

In the same way as sambal, sambol is

it can be used to add more to a meal. Owner of Colombo Social Shaun Christie-David grew up eating sambols and describes the significance 50 | Hospitality

side elements as a ‘rice pause’ and a way to

array of traditional sambols and more modern

that plays a key role in a main dish. “The papaya salsa is one of our new sambols we’ve created

which goes into our softshell crab taco,” he says.

FEATURE // Sambol

March 2022 | 51

FEATURE // Sambol

“To be able to have a degustation on your plate when you’re having lunch is something quite unique and special to Sri Lankan food.” – Shaun Christie-David but there are a lot of people who like pol sambol without it. But

I am succumbing to the ghosts of ancestors past and doing them justice by putting it back in. We tried to play around with some

vegan alternatives, but they just didn’t have the flavour you need, “The freshness embodies both Australia and Sri Lanka.”

Other variations are childhood recipes that have been made

and adapted at the restaurant. “We go back to my mum’s sambols I’ve grown up with,” says Christie-David. “She’s always given us a carrot sambol which is carrot, onion, chilli and sugar to give it a little bit of sweetness.”

Although each sambol uses different elements, there are a few

ingredients that are almost always involved, one of them being

Maldive fish. “Maldive fish is used quite a lot in Sri Lanka, it’s a dried fish from the Maldivian islands (hence the name),” says

Carey. “It’s usually bonito, tuna, skipjack or any kind of oily fish

that is dried and smoked. Usually, you buy it in flake form and it’s used as a seasoning more often than not. [It’s comparable to] fish sauce in Thai cooking, which is both a flavouring and a source of protein.”

so now we do it the right way.”

But the restaurant’s revamped menu has two versions: one

made with and one made without Maldive fish to cater to all customers.

Sourcing the right ingredients is crucial when building sambols with balance, and Carey says access to Sri Lankan produce in

Australia isn’t a problem. “In this day and age, it’s pretty easy to get Asian ingredients in Australia,” says the chef, who uses a specialist supplier. “Harris Farm sells curry leaves; I think

Woolworths even has them. The only tricky ingredient is the

Maldive fish, which you do need to get from a specialty grocer.

Fresh coconuts for coconut sambols can always be found at Indian, Sri Lankan and Thai grocers. They usually have a frozen product,

which is pretty good or you can grate it yourself, but it’s a little bit time consuming.”

While Maldive fish may be prominent in pol sambol, it is also

Making and serving sambol involves maintaining an equilibrium

seeni. “You have some dishes that use Maldive fish, which have

is a constant. “Even with the really hot sambols, it’s nice to have

used to enhance the flavour profile of other variations including a strong fish flavour to them,” says Carey. “Pol sambol can often taste quite strongly of it, whereas seeni sambol has more of a

of flavours. Each sambol is different in technique, but harmony balance whether it’s with sweetness or citrus,” says Carey.

The process of making pol sambol is a prime representation

background note.”

of this balance. “The word sambol in Sri Lankan cooking covers

sambol without Maldive fish. The decision was also partly due to

methods, but the elements are usually pounded together for pol

To cater to vegan diners, Colombo Social attempted making pol

Christie-David’s own personal preference. “It was the one thing I

did not like growing up, so my mum used to make one without the dry fish and I’m like, ‘This is so much better’,” says Christie-David. “The traditional Sri Lankans would persecute me for saying this, 52 | Hospitality

such a wide range of dishes, so there’s no standard ingredients or sambol,” says Carey.

The dish starts with Maldive fish, chilli, salt, onion, black pepper

and the optional choice of curry leaves. “You pound the coconut and it releases some of the coconut oil, so it becomes almost sticky,” says

Hospo news straight to your inbox For the latest hospitality news, subscribe to the weekly newsletter. And get yourself a free digital marketing guide!

FEATURE // Sambol

Sambol recipes can

A mixed sambol plate

be found in Carey’s

is $12 at Colombo

cookbook Lanka Food

Social

Seeni sambol is made

The sambol range at

up of caramelised

Lankan Filling Station

onion

includes lime pickle

Carey. “The heat depends on who makes it, but you also get a really nice balance of heat from

the chilli and pepper. You get two different types of heat and the lime juice cuts through it for

freshness and the Maldive fish gives it a smoky, earthy flavour.”

A sambol is never alone and is generally

served with everything from curries and rice

to roti and hoppers; a Sri Lankan rice pancake. Christie-David describes the ritual of eating

these meals and the way the elements interact with one another. “When you’re eating in Sri Lanka, we eat with our hands and we grab a

little bit of each thing,” he says. “We put it all together, roll it into a ball and put that in our

mouth so you’ve got a very balanced spoonful (if you want to call it that).”

Hoppers are a staple at Lankan Filling Station

and pair perfectly with sambols. “Hoppers are one of the things we specialise in and

traditionally at street stalls, that’s what you’d eat sambols with,” says Carey. “You wouldn’t

necessarily have a big curry meal, it’s more often about having a hopper and a sambol.”

The vast assortment of sambols in Sri Lankan cookery all add something unique to a meal. “Sri Lankan food is the ultimate fusion food — we have touches of British, Malaysian,

Chinese, Portuguese, Dutch and Indian,” says Christie-David. “I love that sambols create a

balanced meal and add so much variety. To be

able to have a degustation on your plate when you’re having lunch is something quite unique and special to Sri Lankan food.” ■ 54 | Hospitality

“The word sambol in Sri Lankan cooking covers such a wide range of dishes, so there’s no standard ingredients or methods.” – O Tama Carey

Life is already

Business insurance doesn’t have to be Compare multiple quotes online in minutes Instant online cover – no paperwork required Save yourself time and money

Earn Qantas Points for every dollar spent on a new small business insurance policy*

wwbizcover.com.au w.bizcover.com.au

1300 805 821

*Must be a Qantas Business Rewards member. Maximum of 10,000 Qantas Points earned per policy. Available to new BizCover policy purchase only and not available with any other offer. See Terms & Conditions at bizcover.com.au/qbr. The information provided is general only and should not be relied upon as advice. BizCover Pty Ltd (ABN 68 127 707 975; AFSL 501769) © 2022 BizCover. BC2138

EQUIPMENT // Spoon

Kitchen spoon Gestura’s hand-crafted spoon is highly coveted by chefs.

Pointed tip for control Design inspired by American and European silhouettes

Ideal for applications that require precision Stamped and finished by hand in an antique style

Long handle for optimum reach

Made from 18/10 stainless stonewashed steel Dishwasher safe

Retails for $25.50 .5oz volume Available from gesturautensils.com

56 | Hospitality

Stoddart has built on the existing partnership with Giorik to utilise research & development to produce the unique, one of a kind, European styled modular 700 & 900 Modular series cooking equipment to Australian Standards, delivering, efficiency, safety and reliability. Giorik’s class leading, European design and engineering have been operating in the professional food service equipment industry since 1963. Meeting the various needs of the global market, Giorik Modular offer sleek and modern solutions, packed with unique features and technology. Configure the perfect line-up by selecting and matching units that fit seamlessly together, creating a custom solution to suit any kitchen.

www.stoddart.com.au info@stoddart.com.au

5 MINUTES WITH ... // Samantha Levett

Samantha Levett The ex-Momofuku Seiobo pastry chef on exiting fine dining and launching her Instagram bakery Cream.

CREAM STARTED DURING lockdown

Momofuku Seiobo or Sokyo. But a large

my partner and I had originally planned

have found me through some degree of

last year. Momofuku Seiobo closed, and

to go away for a few weeks, but obviously

that got cancelled. I didn’t do anything for two or three weeks and I was like, ‘Ok,

I’m kind of done being on holidays, I need something to do’.

I put up a post on Instagram saying, ‘I’ve

been baking a lot at home if anybody would like a box of stuff to eat, you’re more than

welcome to donate whatever you think it’s worth’. I had another friend who was also bored during lockdown, and she asked,

we have vanilla, raspberry, lemon curd,

separation on Instagram or through media.

(that one’s really good). At the beginning,

My style is a little bit abstract; I’m mostly inspired by art and fashion. It’s become a cool creative outlet for me

‘What’s the name of your bakery? We should

because people have allowed me to design

Cream and she created the stickers. It kind

My style is a little bit abstract; I’m mostly

make stickers’. We came up with the name of exploded from there. People started messaging me and I just kept going.

Twenty per cent of my clientele are my

friends and people who know me from 58 | Hospitality

The flavours I’m working with are stable;

majority of them are random people who

the exterior of their cake however I want.

lemon myrtle and Davidson plum curd

I had a large selection, but what I’ve found is that it’s easier to choose from a very

small list. There are 10 different types of cakes and 10 fillings.

In terms of making people’s celebration

cakes, inconsistency is something that can

be really disappointing. If someone takes a cake to somebody’s house and that person wants to order a cake and it isn’t as good,

it’s disappointing. When your customer has

an expectation, you really want to meet that and make their whole experience good.

The thing I’ve taken away from working

inspired by art and fashion. I went to see

in fine dining is the importance of

opened, and three days later I made a cake

once, but it’s challenging to do it a hundred

the [Henri] Matisse exhibition when it first

that was heavily inspired by the exhibition.

consistency. It’s really easy to do something times and be exactly the same. ■

w.h o

stpl us.c om .au

THAT’S A PLUS Hostplus Indexed Balanced

HOSTPLUS INDEXED BALANCED OPTION AWARDED BEST OF THE BEST 2022. More Hostplus members are choosing our Indexed Balanced option for its investment fee of just 0.06%, a low admin fee and consistent 7-year return of 8.49% p.a.* *SuperRatings Fund Crediting Rate Survey – Balanced (60-76), 30 June 2021. Money magazine has awarded Hostplus Best Value Balanced Super Product as judged based on the lowest priced balanced superannuation products where fees are those that apply to balances of $10,000 and $50,000. Money magazine does not issue, sell, guarantee, or underwrite this product. Go to www.moneymag.com.au for details of this criteria. Awards and ratings are only one factor to be taken into account when choosing a super fund. Host-Plus Pty Limited ABN 79 008 634 704, AFSL 244392 as trustee for the Hostplus Superannuation Fund (the Fund) ABN 68 657 495 890, MySuper No 68 657 495 890 198. This information is general advice only and does not take into account your personal objectives, financial situation or needs. You should consider if this information is appropriate for you in light of your circumstances before acting on it. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance and should never be the sole factor considered when selecting a superannuation fund. Please read the relevant Hostplus Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) and Target Market Determination (TMD), available at hostplus.com.au before making a decision about Hostplus. HP1964

Join Best of the Best 2022! 07 Mar 2022 – 31 Jan 2023 Register for the Best of the Best Foodservice Rewards Program now and start earning points for every Best of the Best product you purchase from your NAFDA Foodservice Distributor.

It’s as easy as: ww w are afd w.n

EARN

BOOST

ENJOY

Set up your free online account at nafdarewards.com.au.

Collect 1.5 points for every $1 you spend on participating products. That’s 50% more compared to other foodservice rewards programs.

Fast track your points with special promotions throughout the year.

Redeem your points at any time during the program. There’s no longer a minimum redemption threshold, so that you can claim your favourite rewards quicker.

. om s.c ard

wwTo w.nfind visit afdaout rewmore a rds.com.a nafdarewards.com.au u

Hospitality March 2022

Articles inside

5 MINUTES WITH...Samantha Levett

FEATURE: Sambol

FEATURE: Olive Oil

FEATURE: Smash Burgers

FEATURE: Soba

PROFILE: Wesley Cooper Jones

DRINKS: Amaro

NEWS: Drinks

IN FOCUS: Kuon