NO.759 NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019
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NO.759 NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019
CHEFS ON COOKBOOKS • EDUCATION OUT OF THE KITCHEN • 2020 TRENDS
CONTENTS // November/December
Contents NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019
12
22
28 Regulars 6 // IN FOCUS The most popular plant milks in Australia revealed.
20 // BEST PRACTICE Tips to capitalise on the festive season. 22 // PROFILE Jo Barrett on her rise to the top.
8 // NEWS The latest openings, books, products and more.
26 // DRINKS Wild fermented beverages are here to stay.
10 // GREEN ANTS Guaranteed citrus burst.
48 // BEHIND THE SCENES Long Chim Sydney’s Tropic Thunder cocktail.
12 // SEAFOOD The beauty of produce from native waters.
49 // EQUIPMENT A blowtorch always brings the heat.
18 // COLUMN Nancy Singleton-Hachisu on Japan’s sea greens.
50 // 5 MINUTES WITH … Jarrod Walsh and Dorothy Lee from Hartsyard.
4 | Hospitality
Features 28 // COOKBOOKS Three hospitality professionals share their experiences writing books. 34 // 2020 TRENDS What you’ll be seeing next year. 40 // EDUCATION Why off-the-job training could be the most effective form of education.
EDITOR’S NOTE // Hello
Social
Keep up with the Hospitality team
A NEW ERA The judges for MasterChef Australia 2020 have been announced and we couldn’t be happier to see Andy Allen, Melissa Leong and Jock Zonfrillo at the helm. @hospitalitymagazine
PIECES OF HISTORY Filindeu with lamb consommé at Pilu. The Sardinian pasta is made by pulling and folding semolina until very thin before it’s left to dry. @annabellecloros
2020 vision WELL, THIS IS IT — the final issue of
Journalist Madeline Woolway looks at
Hospitality magazine for 2019. While most of
the importance of education and training
you will be gearing up to make the most of
and came to the conclusion that the best
the festive season, we’ll be researching and
learning experiences are often held outside
mapping out 2020; including the return of
the kitchen and on the land. Plus, the trends
the Hospitality Leaders Summit to Melbourne.
you’ll be seeing in 2020 and the arduous but
This issue, the environment plays a key role.
TACO TIME Tacos de chorizo con queso from Super Tacos Chupacabras in Roma Norte, Mexico City. @madeline.woolway
rewarding experience of writing a book as
We cover the rise of plant-based milks, wild
told by chefs Lennox Hastie and Nino Zoccali
fermentation and harsh climates. Speaking
and sommelier Jane Lopes.
of environments, Jo Barrett from Oakridge Wines is the subject of our business profile.
Until next time,
The young chef chronicles her career from
Annabelle Cloros
apprentice to head chef and details her
Editor
minimal-waste ethos on p22.
Follow us @hospitalitymagazine #hospitalitymagazine PUBLISHER Paul Wootton pwootton@intermedia.com.au EDITOR Annabelle Cloros T: 02 8586 6226 acloros@intermedia.com.au JOURNALIST Madeline Woolway T: 02 8586 6194 mwoolway@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
ACTING CIRCULATIONS MANAGER Troy Brookes subscriptions@intermedia.com.au To subscribe please call 1800 651 422. hospitalitymagazine.com.au facebook.com/ HospitalityMagazine twitter.com/Hospitalityed instagram.com/hospitalitymag
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41 Bridge Road Glebe NSW 2037 Australia Tel: 02 9660 2113 Fax: 02 9660 4419
Average Net Distribution Period ending 31 March 2018 – 11,337
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 © 2019 – The Intermedia Group Pty Ltd
November/December 2019 | 5
IN FOCUS // Plant-based milks
Homegrown There’s no denying plant-based milks are on the rise in Australia — and the research proves it.
IF YOU RUN a café, chances
So what’s behind the rise?
On the flip side, the research
are you have a plethora of milk
A combination of a health-
predicted there would be a lack
options on offer. Whether you sell
conscious population, retail prices,
of new entries into the soy market
more full-fat flat whites or lattes
reputation and brand recognition.
due to market saturation.
teamed with almond, coconut
Soy is still the most popular
Foodservice venues make up a
or oat milk, providing non-dairy
non-dairy beverage sitting at
relatively small part of the soy and
alternatives can help attract
47.6 per cent, which is most
almond milk market at just 7 per
more customers.
likely due to its long-standing
cent, but the figure is most likely
market presence, but almond
under-stated as many operators
and Almond Milk Production in
milk is quickly edging closer at
purchase products through
Australia has shed new light on
44.2 per cent.
wholesalers, which represent 28.7
Research in IBISWorld’s Soy
soy and almond milk production
Rice milk (3.6 per cent), coconut
The Australian almond and
almonds are
soy industry is
grown in
worth $237.1
California
million
Soy milk
Foodservice
per cent of the market.
on home soil, confirming the
milk (3.3 per cent) and other milks
industry is currently worth
such as hemp and oat (1.3 per
industry is in the growth stage
a staggering $237.1 million,
cent) form smaller parts of the
of its lifecycle, so now is the
with revenue increasing at an
market, but are expected to grow
perfect time to think about
annualised 8.3 per cent through
in the next five years due to the
introducing a range of non-
2019-20.
introduction of new suppliers.
dairy options to your venue. ■
6 | Hospitality
80 per cent of the world’s
There’s no denying the
accounts for
venues
47.6 per cent of
comprise
the non-dairy
7 per cent of
sector
the market
For more information or to place an order please contact Paul Kahler: 03 5441 4440 or 0418 769 044
Eagle Foods Australia
NEWS // Entrée
Entrée
The latest openings, books, events and more. EDITED BY Annabelle Cloros
BYO Moët Moët & Chandon have released a 150th anniversary share pack of six mini bottles of Moët. Ideal for the festive season, the box also includes six golden sippers to drink out of. The best part is the box can be turned into an ice bucket, ensuring the Champagne is always on ice. RRP $165. Available at Vintage Cellars. chandon.com.au
Cream of the crop Cult dishes can make or break a restaurant, and Phaidon’s latest release is chock-full of them. Signature Dishes That Matter is curated by Susan Jung, Howie Kahn, Christine Muhlke, Pat Nourse, Andrea Petrini, Diego Salazar and Richard Vines and accompanied by illustrations from Adriano Rampazzo. Described as a recipe book/travel guide/encyclopaedia of gastronomy, the book features 200 dishes from 180 chefs across 30 countries. phaidon.com
Yoko Dining opens at Howard Smith Wharves Jonathan Barthelmess’ latest venture is now open in Brisbane. The Japanese izakaya-style restaurant, located next door to Barthelmess’ Greca at Howard Smith Wharves, features a menu spearheaded by chef Kitak Lee. The two-level restaurant offers a charcoal-leaning menu that revolves around seafood and Wagyu plus snacks such as tempura, noodles and gyoza. Yoko also has a 100-plus wine list, cocktails and yuzu slushies. yokodining.com.au
8 | Hospitality
NEWS // Entrée
Frank Camorra’s Sydney pop-up Movida chef Frank Camorra will head to Nour restaurant in Sydney’s Surry Hills for one night only. Camorra is teaming up with Nour head chef Ben Williamson to create a six-course shared banquet on Wednesday 27 November that explores the connection between Spanish and Middle Eastern cuisine. Tickets on sale now for $85 per person. noursydney.com
Serax launches new ceramics line Serax has collaborated with Ann
Young Henrys relaunch IPA
Demeulemeester to release a line
Sydney brewers Young Henrys have revamped
of foodservice ceramics. Covering
their IPA by introducing a new hop regime.
a range of plates, cups, jugs and
With passionfruit and citrus zest on the nose
bowls, each model is available in
and grassiness on the palate, the revised
a range of colours and sizes. Our
beverage also comes in a freshly designed can.
picks are the Dé plates which feature
younghenrys.com
hand-painted shadow paintings on porcelain. studiowilliam.com
Dress with a conscience Chef Simone Watts from Daintree Ecolodge has organic cotton chef shirt. Named after Simone, the
That’s the whey
shirt is available in white or black and features a
Sydney cultured butter-makers Pepe Saya have launched a new whey butter sheet.
’50s-inspired neckline, apron tab and a tie which can
The sheets have been in development for a number of years and are now available
be joined at the front or back. An Australian native
in two sizes (200 x 280mm and 280 x 280mm). Featuring a nutty, creamy flavour,
tree will be planted with every shirt purchased.
the sheets are ideal for baking and crafted from 100 per cent Australian cream.
creamcollection.com.au
pepesaya.net.au
teamed up with Cream Collection to design an
November/December 2019 | 9
Ants use silk from larvae to
PRODUCE // Green ants
glue nest leaves together
Worker ants are created in 28 days Ants sell for
The whole ant can
$650 a kilogram
be eaten, but some choose to eat the
There can be up
green abdomen
to 500,000 ants Described
per colony
as tasting of citrus, mint and coriander
Green ants Also known as weaver ants, these little guys pack a serious citrus punch. ILLUSTRATIONS Elena Fombertaux Origins
day 15, worker ants use silk
of water, drowning the ants.
Uses
Green ants, known by the
from the larvae to glue leaves
Others poke holes in the nest
Weaver ants are both practical
scientific name Oecophylla
together to create a sealed
using a long pole and shake until
and delicious. They have been
smaragdina, are found in the
nest. The nests are oblong in
the ants and pupae fall down.
used to control pests in fruit
Northern Territory and Far North
shape and are built high up in
Something Wild in the Northern
trees and cocoa plantations and
Queensland in Australia. They are
the trees. The larvae remain
Territory have a special permit
are said to improve the quality
also prevalent in Sri Lanka, India,
in the nest until they turn into
which allows them to harvest
of fruit. Traditionally, green
Indochina and southern China. In
pupae. Within 28 days, a worker
ants. The Larrakia people pull
ants were used by Indigenous
China, green ants were used as
is created. After a few days, the
down the nest and remove the
Australians for medicinal
a pest control agent as early as
nest is reopened and workers
worker ants, leaving infant ants
purposes and as a source of
304 AD. Indigenous Australians
source food and protect the
and the queen behind, before
protein. In South East Asia, the
refer to green ants as gulguk and
nest. Colonies typically grow the
putting it back.
larvae and pupae of the ants
have consumed larvae and ants
fastest during the wet season in
for hundreds of years.
Far North Queensland due to the
Production
are sold for high prices. The Australian industry’s interest in
high humidity and temperature
Appearance and flavour profile
along with access to food.
The ants have an orange/brown
and chefs such as Jock Zonfrillo
Colonies are formed with one
native foods continues to rise
body and are identified by their
are using them to create dishes
queen and between 100,000–
Harvest
green abdomens. The queen
including Orana’s Moreton
500,000 workers and as many
Green ants are aggressive and
ants have wings, which they shed
Bay bug with green ants and
as 150 nests. A mated queen
don’t hesitate to bite potential
before laying eggs. The pupae
Geraldton wax. Producers are
lays approximately 35 eggs in
predators; they can also emit
can be eaten and are described
also using the ants in everything
the leaves of a tree or shrub,
acid when threatened. There
as protein rich with a lemony
from gin to cheese. ■
which are then distributed to
are a number of ways to harvest
taste. The worker ants also taste
other nests in the colony. Larvae
ants. Some cut down the nest
of lemon, but can exude notes of
appear after eight days. Around
before placing it in a bucket
mint, coriander and kaffir lime.
10 | Hospitality
Discover our
native bush flavours Lemon Myrtle Dressing 1L and Ironbark Dressing Sauce 1L
The Food Company’s Ironbark Dressing Sauce use as an alternative to tomato sauce.
The Food Company’s Lemon Myrtle Dressing drizzled sparingly over freshly shucked oysters.
thefoodcompany.com.au
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SEAFOOD // Native waters Glacier 51 toothfish
No competition The idea of local, reduced food miles and sustainability are important ideals in food, but we should be championing native waters when it comes to high-end seafood. WORDS John Susman I GREW UP in a family who spent half
their lives in or on the water. Leading our rabble was my dad Dave Susman — part-
both play a role in anyone’s — indeed, anything’s — development.
When it comes to food and wine, the
Indiana Jones, part-Keith Floyd, 100 per
environment — soil, water and climate
school holidays, we’d pack the bags and
unique characteristics of a product.
cent mad fisherman. Every September
head up the Murray River to Lock Nine
— plays an important role in creating the In winemaking, the terroir is vital in
and camp at my Uncle Sam’s cabin on Lake
a crop’s phenotype, and coupled with
Murray cod.
place for a varietal.
Cullulleraine to try and catch the infamous In December, we’d go hand lining off
farming practices, help define a sense of In seafood, merroir (environment and
tropical environment, it is often subject to a naturally occurring blood virus
which causes soft flesh when cooked.
Conversely barramundi, fished and farmed in Northern Australia, falls asleep in water that drops below 20 degrees Celsius while the Glacier 51 toothfish — a species that
swims in waters colder than a polar bears’ toenails — simply wouldn’t survive in waters near the equator.
The highly seasonal and extraordinary
Carrickalinga Beach for King George whiting.
climate) plays the same role. The salinity
scarlet prawn harvested in Cape Moreton
the Ardrossan, we raked for blue swimmer
freshwater flows, oceanic upwellings,
from deep oceanic trenches of the South
In January, on the inter-tidal sand banks off
crabs, at Easter we went greenback flounder spearing in Coffin Bay and trapped crayfish on Kangaroo Island in June.
There is little doubt my formative years
on the water played a role in the wet,
slimy, smelly and scaly seafood career
I’ve been hooked on my whole life. I’m surprised I don’t have a dorsal fin.
The nature versus nurture debate
in many senses is a bet each way, as 12 | Hospitality
of water, the nutrients found within it,
temperature and habitat. It is the merroir that provides the perfect conditions for
certain species, when given another set of circumstances, may not prosper or indeed survive.
A Spencer Gulf Hiramasa kingfish, at
home and indigenous to the Spencer
Gulf and Great Southern Ocean, would be a fish out of water in much warmer waters. When it comes from a more
is caught at depths of up to 2000 metres
Coral Sea; a unique environment that the
prawn relies on for its stunning colour and culinary texture, characteristics it would not possess if living in other waters.
Seasonality and sustainability bear huge
importance for seafood, but perhaps fish in native waters is more important.
The notion of local and seasonal is
crucial. They help to deliver a sense of
place, of ‘fresh from the ground’, of ‘ripe
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O
UDY B
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IL
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SEAFOOD // Native waters
Native waters have unique climates and seasonal patterns, which is why fisheries risk fortune, life and limb exploring and harvesting some of the most remote parts of our planet. notion of merroir, but seafood extracted from
its indigenous homeland has special flavour and texture characteristics.
Native waters have unique climates and
seasonal patterns, which is why fisheries risk
fortune, life and limb exploring and harvesting some of the most remote parts of our planet. Aquaculture farmlands are dangerous and
vast. Sailing the high seas and 15-metre swells to score Glacier 51 toothfish is a far more
dangerous proposition than feeding chickens. The fish lives 4109km south of the
Australian mainland beneath arguably the most inhospitable islands in the world — Heard
Island and McDonald Islands. At its southern tip is Glacier 51 where the toothfish patrols
underwater volcanic crevices two kilometres below, dieting on fish, crustaceans and right now’, as if the chef plucked it from the soil
moments before adding an exclamation and you
deliciously rich, tasty flesh.
Unlike other deep-water fish, it doesn’t have a
raise it to your lips.
swim bladder to maintain its buoyancy; it uses oil,
of chefs — the only problem is most chefs
of the fish. Austral Fisheries, the world’s only
It’s been the catch cry of a new generation
in Australia have restaurants in capital cities
nowhere near the sites where produce is grown. Being ‘local’ isn’t as easy as one presumes and doesn’t necessarily mean best in class.
Seafood, perhaps more than any other
produce, relies on its native environment to live healthy, sustainable lives. Best-in-class
seafood is a reflection of provenance and the 14 | Hospitality
Antarctic bay shrimp, resulting in the toothfish’s
which adds to the unique moisture and flavour carbon-neutral fishery, risks gale-force winds,
horizontal snow, 15-metre swells and as little as four hours daylight per day to bring one of the most luxurious eating experiences to diners. It’s a fish that could never be considered
‘local’, but whose native waters are key to its character.
If you want to talk native, sustainable and
mccainfoodservice www.mccainfoodservice.com.au
SEAFOOD // Native waters abalone, sardines, crayfish and King George whiting, too.
It is here in the cold, clean and pristine waters
of the Great Southern Ocean that Clean Seas produce the world-renowned Spencer Gulf Hiramasa kingfish.
Their brood stock are indigenous, and the
kingfish are grown in pens in the waters of their Hiramasa kingfish
best-in-class Australian seafood for a multitude of species, look to South Australia’s Eyre
Peninsula, home to Spencer Gulf, Boston Bay and Coffin Bay.
The Eyre Peninsula is about half way between
Sydney and Perth and is located at the bottom of a barren expanse of wheat farming and wilderness. The Spencer Gulf is home to Australia’s largest
commercial tuna fishing fleet and a hub of both wild harvest and aquaculture fisheries.
It is one of the most special fishing grounds
on the planet. The attraction for fishermen and
aquaculture companies is the cold, nutrient-rich
Dan Fisk, Clean Seas’ general manager for
aquaculture explains that farming this fish in its native waters is like nurturing your own child;
you have to put a lot of time and care in to make sure they flourish.
“What makes the water here so special is its
proximity to the ocean,” says Fisk. “There’s a
constant movement of oceanic water coming into the Spencer Gulf — and it’s huge, around 300km across. Coupled with the fact we don’t have a
lot of rainfall here in South Australia — which
means all the organic materials, herbicides and
pesticides that can come from land farming are not here — you really are in a special place.”
The Spencer Gulf and its various bays, such as
waters of the Great Southern Ocean. Fed by the
Boston and Arno, provide an unmatched merroir
Australian mainland by the infamous “roaring
in a flavour and texture that just wouldn’t
upwellings from Antarctica and carried up to the forties”, the waters have long held a worldwide
reputation for the quality seafood indigenous to
for the Spencer Gulf Hiramasa kingfish, resulting happen in another region.
So when you’re menu-ing seafood, don’t just
the native waters.
think local, seasonal and sustainable. If you want
staggering to comprehend. Dinko southern
regions of Australia’s waterways where the native
When you list the seafood of the region, it’s
blue fin tuna, Spencer Gulf Hiramasa kingfish,
Kinkawooka mussels, Coffin Bay oysters, Spencer Gulf and prawns. Not to mention the amazing 16 | Hospitality
ancestors — South Australia’s Spencer Gulf.
to hero best in class, explore some of the unique
waters, and the world’s best fishermen, are sticking
true to the origin of the species that simply must be celebrated. You know it makes sense. ■
ADVERTORIAL // Quandoo
Quandoo leads the way Quandoo is one of the largest global online booking sites in the world with more than 60,000 venues live on the website across 12 countries. QUANDOO AUSTRALIA LAUNCHED in 2015 and
has partnered with more than 4,000 restaurants to
date, seating a quarter of a million diners per week and counting.
The company is leading the competitive sector and
has spearheaded a number of industry firsts including
an AI-driven Facebook messenger chatbot and the ability to book restaurants directly through Instagram without leaving the app.
Quandoo also offers live integrations with Google Maps,
Apple Maps and Microsoft, ensuring users have a seamless booking experience no matter the platform they’re using.
The platform enables restaurants to boost efficiency and
increase revenue through a real-time guest management system that’s personalised to the venue.
One hospitality group recently experiencing success with
Quandoo’s state-of-the-art management system is Criniti
Group. Since joining the platform, their restaurants have seen a 17 per cent year-on-year increase in online covers and an 8.41 per cent increase in overall covers.
The group exclusively uses Quandoo’s intelligent voice
recognition software for all reservations.
Not just a booking platform, Quandoo can offer venues
tailored booking solutions, marketing support and a
variety of technology options to help restaurants attract more customers. ■
For more information about Quandoo, visit
b2b.quandoo.com/au
November/December 2019 | 17
COLUMN // Food Artisans Of Japan
Fishermen’s wives and sea greens Nancy Singleton-Hachisu on the seasonality of food foraged from the sea. THE SEASONALITY OF fruits, vegetables,
mahogany brown seaweed is shocked into a
are enough for a 90-person dinner. And given
nuts and fungi growing in the fields and
jade green and becomes meltingly soft when
the attractive packaging, the fishermen’s
mountains around Japan is fairly obvious to
swished through boiling water. In seaside
wives’ dried sea greens make a light and
most Japanese residents, but the seasonality
areas, strands of freshly harvested wakame
affordable gift from Japan.
of the sea still eludes even the food-savvy.
can be seen draped over bamboo poles,
Having spent over three decades
Sea greens, commonly called seaweed,
drying under the mild spring sun. And semi-
are perhaps the most overlooked treasure
cooking in Japan, and the most recent one
dried wakame is often tossed in salt and
of Japanese food culture. When dried, they
writing Japanese cookbooks, my education
packed in plastic bags to preserve.
literally keep forever, and they take up little
regarding the bounty of the sea is yet a work
In years past, an insistent countrywoman
space in the larder. Full of nutrients, fibre and
in progress. The fishmongers at my local
hailing from some remote village on the Sea of
flavour, sea greens can be added at the last
fish market are my patient yet enthusiastic
Japan came door-to-door to hawk her wares
minute to dishes — western or Japanese —
teachers, and under their tutelage my
in our neighbourhood. I bought a 1-kilogram
almost as a garnish.
knowledge has grown exponentially.
bag of wakame from her whenever she turned
Once the purview of my Japanese
When travelling in far-flung areas of
up, whether I needed it or not. But now she
Japan, I recommend visiting the local JA
husband, buying fish has become an exciting
comes no more, and once the season passes
(Japan Agriculture) or JFA (Japan Fisheries
endeavour to which I look forward with great
for fresh sea greens at our local fish market,
Association) stands, because these spots are
anticipation. No longer lacking in confidence,
I rely on the dried wakame and other sea
where the locals shop. You won’t find much
I relish the opportunity to cut down a squid
greens processed by the fishermen’s wives of
fresh fish at a JFA stand, but there will be all
and toss it with its corally intestines (shiokara)
Tanohata-mura in Iwate prefecture.
sorts of dried sea-related products, including
or gut a fish before hanging it outside for
Tanohata-mura, on the northeast
sea greens. Bring your discoveries home and
drying (himono). But even more than the
corner of Iwate, is a plucky village of 3500
experiment. The one sure thing is that there
creatures of the sea, the greens enthrall me
inhabitants. Washed over by the devastating
is nothing offensive about sea greens, unless
for their myriad shapes, flavours and textures.
tsunami following the Tohoku Earthquake in
you object to their slightly rubbery texture
Spring is the season for fresh sea greens,
2011, the line of devastation is immediately
or natural slipperiness. Sea greens are
and local Japanese fish markets will have
discernible by the hastily slapped together
immensely friendly to any country’s cuisine,
a wide variety of fascinating types for sale.
small structures that dot the town several
and add a note of gorgeousness to a hastily
Fluffy, almost spongy semi-dried fresh
metres above sea level. Although tiny, the
thrown together meal. What is there not to
nori (aosa-nori) can be tossed in flour and
town is resourceful, and that quality inspired
like about that? ■
deep-fried for a tasty snack. Viscous konbu
me to visit multiple times recently — although
buds (mekabu), julienned and chartreuse
never in the spring. The fishermen’s wives’
by Nancy Singleton Hachisu published by
green from a lashing of boiling water, are
association dry, pack and dispatch the
Hardie Grant Books. RRP $55
wonderfully slurpable and delightful as a
sea greens they gather, working out of an
simple cold salad.
inauspicious post-earthquake building near
Jagged small fern-like strands (matsumo)
the docks. And, unusually for such a local
and burnished red seaweed (akamoku) need
product, the packaging is adorned with an
only a quick dip in and out of boiling water
extremely cool label designed by Takahashi
before eating with ponzu. Red tangled tendrils
Design in Morioka city.
(funori) are lovely in udon or soba soups, and
I travel to the United States periodically
tiny jet-black pieces of hijiki are often folded
to do collaboration dinners at like-minded
into smashed tofu dishes to enhance the mild
restaurants on both coasts, and always bring
flavour of the bean curd. But wakame, the
the crucial artisanal Japanese ingredients
humblest of all sea greens, is arguably the
needed. Shoyu, mirin, rice vinegar and miso
most versatile and most appealing.
weigh a ton, but dried sea greens such as
Wakame adds colour and texture to
wakame are light as a feather. Reconstituted
vinegar treatments (sunomono) and miso
wakame swells up an impressive five to six
soups. Gently reminiscent of the sea, this
times its dried volume, so two 20-gram packs
18 | Hospitality
Edited extract from Food Artisans of Japan
BEST PRACTICE // Holiday preparation
Tips for a profitable Christmas Make the holiday season the busiest and most profitable time of the year for your venue. WORDS Ken Burgin Tie down all the staff you need
of key Fridays and Saturdays
decide on a present. Offer a
such as water, clothing and food
in December. Set a minimum
complimentary voucher to bring
to help others. You may like to
Organise your regulars and
spend for rooms or private dining
it to the attention of diners — a
organise a group donation from
standby casuals through services
spaces, stay firm and insist on
$20 card will become part of a
your business with an optional
such as Sidekicker. What about
deposits. On low-traffic days,
larger sale when it’s redeemed.
customer contribution.
a special bonus for people
create special deals such as
Do you have a gift certificate
who work hard all December?
zero room hire fees or a free
option on your website?
Everyone knows you’re making
round of drinks. An empty room
Consider your nonChristian customers
more money — a thoughtful
provides zero revenue!
Sell merchandise
A portion of your customer base
A run of T-shirts or cups with
may not celebrate Christmas
Make this the season of list building
your brand name is an effective
but still want to enjoy time
way to market your brand for a
with friends during the end of
Upgrade your booking system
Request names, emails, mobile
relatively low cost. They not only
the year. Be conscious of the
numbers and basic preferences
make great gifts, but can help
language you use.
There are excellent reservation
from all new guests — do they
spread the word far and wide.
systems available that are
want to hear about new menus
Display merchandise close to the
typically linked to your POS.
or special deals? Taking care
counter and direct customers to
Run a social media campaign
At a minimum, have click and
with how you gather data at
products when they’re paying.
12 days of Christmas is a great
pay invoices to collect booking
the beginning ensures your list
House-made pickles, jams and
opportunity to attract new diners.
payments. People expect to pay
is more responsive. Prizes are
relishes are popular gifts for
Create one-day drink or food
online and get annoyed if the
a great motivator for people to
customers and are easy for the
specials that will draw customers
option isn’t available.
share their details.
kitchen to make.
in. Two for one drinks or a free
Think ‘revenue management’, just like hotels
Promote vouchers Restaurant vouchers are
Promote community spirit with a charity donation
Maximise revenue on the most
an ideal gift for corporate
Organisations such as World
popular dates and be mindful
customers or those who can’t
Vision and Oxfam promote gifts
bonus will create goodwill for the coming months.
side dish with a main course can
20 | Hospitality
make all the difference to an empty venue. ■
ADVERTORIAL // Deliveroo
Deliveroo launches Restaurant Revival Team The delivery company is aiming to help give struggling restaurants a second chance.
THERE’S NO DENYING delivery is on the rise, with Australians spending $2.6 billion per year on food. Deliveroo works with 11,000 food operations across Australia and has recently launched a Restaurant Revival Team to give
consumer landscape,” he says. Brands such as Madam Kwong have revived their businesses by joining Deliveroo Editions,
of my brand while revitalising my business to thrive in the new world.” The Editions site currently houses 35 other
a delivery-only facility located in Melbourne’s
brands such as Kyle Okamoto’s concepts
Collingwood which launched last year.
Okamoto Fusion Sushi and Mr O’s Sushi Tacos.
Madam Kwong closed its doors in 2018 due
“Starting a kitchen at Deliveroo Editions
struggling operators a new lease of life.
to reported high rents and the increasing
has helped my business grow,” says Okamoto.
The program endeavors to work with
costs of operating a foodservice business.
“Since launching my brand on Editions, my
restaurants that have closed or are currently experiencing financial difficulty. Head of Deliveroo Editions Tim Talbot says Deliveroo has launched the Revival concept
“When I was forced to close my restaurant
business has grown by 30 per cent and my
down in Box Hill, it was very hard for me,” says
weekly orders on delivery have tripled over
Rose Chong, owner of Madam Kwong.
the course of just two months.”
“Being able to run a kitchen again without
Deliveroo reports restaurant partners see
because the company is invested in the
the steep set-up costs and re-launch my
an average incremental sales increase of 30
growth of the restaurant sector.
brand in a new market has been a huge boon
per cent by offering customers home delivery.
“Restaurants are at the heart of our business, we will always do whatever we can to help them thrive in the ever-changing
for my business. “Thanks to the Restaurant Revival Team at Deliveroo, I have managed to keep the core
Get in touch with Deliveroo to speak about how food delivery can help grow and modernise your business. ■ deliveroo.com.au November/December 2019 | 21
PROFILE // Jo Barrett 22 | Hospitality
Jo Barrett
Oakridge Wines’ co-executive chef Jo Barrett is exactly where she’s always wanted to be.
PROFILE // Jo Barrett
The Nature of Cooking Caraway pastry, smoked trout, caviar and cultured cream. Photography Jason Loucas
WORDS Madeline Woolway IF JO BARRETT wasn’t a chef, she might be a florist. Although her list of interests is long, cooking was always going to be her career. She’s been in commercial
kitchens since the age of 14 where she
started as a dish hand before becoming an apprentice. Now 31, Barrett is one of the industry’s most watched talents, leading
the kitchen as co-executive chef at one of
the most recognisable venues in Australia, Oakridge Wines.
“All I ever wanted to do was be a chef,”
says Barrett, explaining the decision to
start her apprenticeship while completing her final year of high school in 2006.
“I’d lined up my apprenticeship, but they
wouldn’t take me unless I finished school.” So, Barrett juggled TAFE with year 12.
The dedication paid off one year later
when her apprenticeship was fast-tracked thanks to her previous experience.
Barrett went straight into second year at
“I wish we didn’t have to sleep. I mean, it’s exciting. Every day I look forward to going to work.” – Jo Barrett recounts. “They had proper sections and
four months working the pans at Joost
At culinary school, students undertook
Merchants before returning to Melbourne
you actually moved through the kitchen.” buffet training and tableside carvery.
“There was a duck press — stuff that’s not around in Australia,” says Barrett.
The chef thrived in the classical
Melbourne’s De Lacy.
environment: it matched the world of
diner had been a fixture in the CBD for
books and suited her learning style. It also
The modern Australian bistro-cum-fine
more than 20 years at that stage. At the
time, however, her placement was made off the back of a recommendation. “I wasn’t
really in the food scene at that point,” says Barrett. “I didn’t know who the hottest
chefs were; it wasn’t a thing back then.”
When De Lacy closed in 2007, Barrett
found herself in Canada thanks to a TAFE
scholarship. After five months of full-time study, she stayed on and joined French bistro, The Tribune. With big hats, ice
restaurant kitchens she’d read about in
helped her see a future in the industry. “If you have a good foundation, you can see where it could take you,” says Barrett. Back in Melbourne, Barrett’s studious
nature surfaced again during a stint at
Frank Camorra’s MoVida. Despite an initial
where Barrett worked concurrently at Tivoli Road and Bakker’s Brothl.
When Brothl shuttered in February
2015, Barrett and Stone started planning their own venue. “We didn’t have much cash, so we were just going to open a
wholesale bakery until we had enough money to open the restaurant we
wanted,” says Barrett. A site was found, but extensive delays ensued, and so did serendipity. Just as Barrett and Stone
found out about the hold-ups, they were approached by Oakridge Wines.
Accepting the offer to run a restaurant
aversion to the dessert section, it was here
in the countryside surrounded by local
her hand to pastry.
hard choice — and it was a no-brainer
the now ambidextrous chef decided to turn She went to pastry school and started
carving and a brigade system, Barrett’s time
working at MoVida Bakery (later to become
in Australia. “It was really classical,” she
Stone. The duo flew to Sydney and spent
in Canada was nothing like her experiences
Bakker’s 2014 pop-up Stanley Street
Tivoli Road Bakery), before meeting Matt
produce and native ingredients wasn’t a when the owners said they could have a
kitchen garden. You see, Barrett grew up in the suburbs of Melbourne and spent plenty of time outdoors growing fruit and veg.“I
November 2019 | 23
PROFILE // Jo Barrett
Barrett’s interests outside of cooking
As a child, Barrett was gifted old French
include botany
cookbooks by
and history
her neighbours
For the Pastry World
Barrett’s
Championship 2019,
grandmother
Barrett sculpted a two-
was a chef and
metre-tall emu using
her nan was
pastillage
a talented baker
really enjoyed cooking and the connection
luck — it’s the result of leadership that’s
it’s unlikely Barrett has regrets about
produce, and seeing how it changed when
is interested in fermenting, we’ll start
originally planned. On the first day of her
with nature,” she says. “I loved growing you applied different techniques.”
In July the same year, the move was
confirmed and the pair took the reins at Oakridge.
Walking into an established, successful restaurant meant putting aside some
ambitions while Stone and Barrett learned the ropes. The Oakridge of 2015 was
also a seven-day operation with multiple menus and a seasonal flux of tourists.
“It probably took one year just to get an
focused on development. “If someone getting some fermenting tanks in,”
says Barrett. “We want to harbour that interest in everybody.”
From day one, the mindset has been
ingrained in Barrett’s approach to cooking and she’s surrounded herself with like-
minded chefs such as Stone. “From the start, we always milled our grains and
made our own bread,” she says. “Even
when it’s crazy busy or we’re understaffed, they’re just things we do.”
Even with shorter service hours than a city
understanding of what Oakridge was,” says
restaurant, juggling the number of projects
à la carte menu, a tasting menu, this kind
and Barrett is upfront about the cost. “When
Barrett. “There was a function menu, an of menu after that kind of menu. It was
overdone, complex and disjointed from the Yarra Valley. The ingredients weren’t local and were out of season. It’s in a tourist
zone where restaurants get smashed with people. It’s hard to control quality.”
Four years on, Barrett and Stone have
settled into a rhythm of sorts, overseeing a
underway at Oakridge can be a challenge,
you’re teaching yourself, it usually [means] you stay back after work or you come in
early,” she says. “As you get through it quicker you’ll introduce it to the prep list, [until
then] everyone picks up the slack to allow that person to go through the process [of
learning]. But they then teach the rest of us.”
kitchen team of seven across five services a
Barrett and Stone are now ready to move
it comes to skills. Everything from milling
so many projects we’d like to do,” says
week. The small team packs a punch when grains and baking bread to making cheese and charcuterie is done in-house. “We all believe cooking is making everything,”
says Barrett. “I guess that’s the beauty of Oakridge. The team is really passionate and love cooking.”
The setup is not by accident or sheer
24 | Hospitality
the team to the next level. “We have
not opening the venue she and Stone
apprenticeship, the head chef posed a
question: “Do you want to own your own
restaurant?” Barrett hesitated. “I said, ‘I’m not sure, I do know I want to be a head chef. I want to be cooking indigenous
ingredients and local food from the region I’m in’. To be connected with our region, using only local food and a vast amount
of indigenous ingredients is exactly what I wanted to be doing.”
Ultimately, Barrett’s ambitions are about
what she can learn and what can be better
— not accolades or awards. Her frustrations with the latter are perhaps Barrett’s only
gripe with an industry she otherwise loves. Social media and the rise of food festivals and events have made it easier to meet
peers and share ideas. But opening up is
a double-edged sword. “There’s always a
bit of pressure,” says Barrett. “We had the Good Food Awards and hearing people’s
reactions to what they got and what they
didn’t get … it’s dangerous. People can live their lives by that stuff.”
Working in hospitality means sacrifice,
Barrett. “There are still things we’d love to
especially if your values mean doing
started building our aquaponics system.
evolving — it’s vital to maintain
do with the restaurant space and we’ve just “I wish we didn’t have to sleep. I mean,
it’s exciting. Every day I look forward to going to work.”
With so much on the go at Oakridge,
everything from scratch and constantly perspective. “I really love what I do, so missing out on things is not a
massive issue for me because I feel like I’m still winning.”
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DRINKS // Wild fermentation
Art vs science You could say wild fermentation is having a renaissance, but it would be gauche to call the millennia-old process a trend. WORDS Madeline Woolway
THE ACT OF fermenting is as ancient as
why are producers such as Wildflower
collecting sources of sugar which are
the development of agricultural practices
opposite direction?
course of about a year, I took cuttings of
civilisation itself. The invention is tied to in the Neolithic age and its use has been
and Cloudburst seemingly moving in the
documented around the globe since.
“When you have something that’s so
that scientists began to understand the
is bred out of it,” says Berliner. “As
However, it wasn’t until the 19th century mechanisms behind the process. Perhaps
the most famous figure is Louis Pasteur, the French biologist responsible for proving
different types of fermentation could be elicited from different microorganisms. Pasteur’s work is what made beer a
commercial product, one that could be
reproduced consistently, according Topher Boehm, co-owner and head brewer of Wildflower in Sydney’s Inner West.
The progress made by Pasteur and
his peers led to the development of
commercial yeasts that, when used in
highly controlled environments, allow
brewers and winemakers to manipulate the characteristics of the end product.
“Commercial yeasts are a later addition,”
predictable, sometimes the eloquence
covered in microscopic yeast. “Over the
flowers, generally around the south coast
of New South Wales, and would put them into wort,” says Boehm.
If Boehm liked the flavour profiles
winemaking proceeds and people
after a few months of fermentation, he’d
fermentation, it’s allowing something more
keep it alive. “It’s exactly like sourdough,”
experiment with variations of wild spontaneous to arrive.”
“The actual flavour at the end is dramatically different. The way biting into a loaf of sourdough is different to biting
continue fermenting with the culture to
he explains. “I’ve never been a professional baker, but I make a lot of sourdough at
home and I transfer a lot of those things over into the beer.”
When Boehm started Wildflower in
2017, he threw the wild yeast he’d been working with into the wort alongside a
single strain of commercial saison yeast and fermented the first batch of the
into Wonder White.”
brewery’s beer. “Since then, we collect it
– Topher Boehm
subsequent one exactly as you do with a
In their search for beauty, modern drink
off the bottom of the fermentation for the leaven,” says Boehm.
says Will Berliner, the winemaker behind
artisans aren’t rebelling against science —
Berliner’s approach to wine-making is as
is stocked in restaurants from Eleven
means they’re taking a fluid approach. “If
grapes are left to ferment in the yeasts that
Margaret River label Cloudburst, which Madison Park to Quay. “The layman
probably doesn’t realise how manipulated wine is. It’s not just yeast: it’s yeast to
bring out the flavour of pineapple; it’s
yeast to make a fast ferment; it’s yeast to convert more fructose to glucose and so
forth. Specific things can be added for very specific reasons.”
With all these possibilities on the table,
26 | Hospitality
they’re recoiling from uniformity, which
you ask 10 different producers [for their definition of wild fermentation], you’ll
get 10 different answers,” says Boehm.
“For me, it has to do with fermentation
via indigenous yeasts; yeasts that aren’t cultivated in a lab.”
There are multiple methods for initiating
a wild ferment. Boehm’s approach started with some time spent out in nature,
hands off as possible. At Cloudburst, the
occur ‘naturally’ in the vineyard and on the
skins of the fruit. “I try to keep it as pure as I can,” says Berliner. “I monitor as it goes, using both my senses and [formal] tests.
You know the fermentation is proceeding because the odors change and there’s
bubbling. But I also check what the sugar content is. I’m watching the pH level and the amount of acidity.”
Saccharomyces cerevisiae — to prevail. “It
wins in a way that’s really pleasing,” says Berliner. “Whereas some of the ones that
win aren’t right; they taste like nail polish. That’s why people have used industrially produced yeast to be sure.”
Berliner thinks the potential rewards
are worth the risk. As part of a broader minimal interventionist approach, wild fermentation is why Cloudburst wines
taste distinctly like Cloudburst and why each vintage is distinguishable.
“I can’t speak for everyone, but I would
say most winemakers want to [produce]
the best wines they can and want to make the most expressive wines possible,” says Berliner. “The difference I see is not only that it’s not uniform, but it allows for
something subtle to emerge. I think you can actually taste when something has wildness in it.”
It’s an attitude Olivia Evans, restaurant
manager and sommelier at Fleet restaurant
in Brunswick Heads, New South Wales, can appreciate.
“You could say wild fermented
products are difficult to replicate or make consistent, which is what makes them
more unique,” she says. “To me, wine, beer, cheese, tea — anything that undergoes a
fermentation process — should be specific
more interested and accepting of unique
DRINKS // Wild fermentation
The approach is risky. Berliner is relying
on the ‘good’ yeasts — varieties like
flavours,” says Evans. “I am legitimately
filled with joy when a guest is ‘happy to try something different and weird’. Weird is good, individual, thought-provoking.” Given how industrialised food
production has become, it’s perhaps
unsurprising consumers are now looking for a reprieve just as producers are. “At a certain level, we want to get beyond just white bread,” says Berliner. “The move
towards wildness might have some of that [behind it]. People are sophisticated in
the way they’re demanding something of depth and interest.”
So, the question is, will more
winemakers and brewers follow Boehm and Berliner into the wild? ■
“As winemaking proceeds and people experiment with variations of wild fermentation, it’s allowing something more spontaneous to arrive.” – Will Berliner
to the place in which it comes from.” While the change in processes and
Cloudburst’s vineyard
methods is important, the way wild yeasts alter the final result, even when they’re used in conjunction with lab-bought
strains, is the most significant difference to Boehm. “The flavour at the end is
dramatically different,” he says. “The way
biting into a loaf of sourdough is different to biting into Wonder White. Our beer
develops a natural acidity because of those wild yeasts, which wouldn’t happen in a monoculture beer. Then there’s all these complex fermentation characteristics I
can’t really describe … those are things yeast can’t give or replicate.”
The variations appeal to drinkers, too. In her role as a sommelier, Evans is tasked with pleasing a multitude of diverse
palates every day. “Diners are becoming November/December 2019 | 27
Braised lamb shoulder
Sweet pea risotto
FEATURE // Cookbooks
A recipe for writing For three hospitality professionals, writing about their craft was about much more than recipes and advice. WORDS Madeline Woolway PHOTOGRAPHY Alan Benson for Venetian Republic; Nikki To for Finding Fire 28 | Hospitality
Dalmatian wood-grilled Calamari
FEATURE // Cookbooks
MODERN COOKBOOKS ARE more than a
first brush with publishing came by way
for hospitality professionals to examine their
who was working on food history book
catalogue of recipes. They’ve become vessels industry, explore the history and processes behind different cuisines and illuminate
the way we eat and drink. Two chefs and a sommelier share their experiences putting pen to paper with Hospitality.
The desire to write a cookbook is natural
for many chefs, says Nino Zoccali. The
chef/owner of Sydney’s Pendolino and La
Rosa The Strand comes from an academic background, and his double degree in
economics and Italian is evident in his
of a meeting with author Michael Pollan, Cooked. Years later, Hastie contributed
Jane Wilson. “She felt I had a compelling
what I would want the book to be and came
story,” says Hastie. “Not only because of
my experiences and the information I’ve
book,” says Zoccali. “For most chefs, food has a lot of historical context — dishes
don’t exist in a vacuum — so most enjoy
the research process and a lot of us really enjoy writing.”
Lennox Hastie of Fink’s Firedoor is a
chef through and through, but the recently crowned Good Food Chef of the Year
never saw himself writing a book. His
It took roughly four years for Vignette
to make its debut. On 1 September this
fire — learning to play with it was such a
was released.
background as a chef and how I found dramatic turning point in my life.” Now wine director at Melbourne
write a book about the wine industry came
deep research that’s required to write a
up with the concept for Vignette.”
accrued over the years, but because of my
piece deal with Murdoch Books. “It’s a
on a concept or an idea and then do the
to record them for posterity.” – Lennox Hastie
met Hardie Grant publishing director
restaurant Attica, Jane Lopes was living
nice thing to do; to document and focus
memories‚ it’s great to be able
to Maeve O’Meara’s Food Safari Fire and
latest book Venetian Republic. It’s book
number two for Zoccali, who has a three-
“It brings back lots of food
in New York when the first opportunity to knocking. She’d just done an interview
year, the Hardie Grant-published book
All three authors began with strong
concepts and worked with publishers that would provide guidance while allowing them to stay true to their vision.
Zoccali set out to produce a manuscript
with the University of Chicago’s alumni
that was both a cookbook and an
to reach out over Twitter. Intrigued, Lopes,
recipes. The book encompasses a journey
magazine which prompted a literary agent who has a degree in literature, decided to
see what they had to say. The proposal was a Kitchen Confidential-style insider’s guide
to the wine industry — not an angle Lopes was keen on pursuing. Still, it put the idea
in her head. “It was definitely the spark that made me think I should write a book,” says Lopes. “I went away and thought about
examination of the history behind the
that reflects the influence of the Venetian
Republic from the empire’s seat in Venice
to Adriatic Croatia and the Greek Islands. It was inspired by Zoccali’s personal
connections to the regions through his industry peers and family. “I’ve been
passively doing the research for 20 years now,” he says.
November/December 2019 | 29
FEATURE // Cookbooks Jane Lopes
Lennox Hastie
When it came to putting the book
together, Zoccali worked closely with Pendolino and La Rosa The Strand’s Hastie worked
Lopes sat on
on Finding
the idea for
Fire for
Vignette for
two years
four years
marketing coordinator Danielle Bowling.
Zoccali says his publishers were supportive of their editorial choices. “They knew
we’d done a lot of research and that any
decisions we made were thought through.” Requests from magazines, other chefs
and the public for advice on cooking with Zoccali travelled to Venice three times over a seven-month period to research Venetian Republic
Hastie recommends organising photography across the year to ensure seasonal ingredients can be captured
fire had reached fever pitch after Firedoor
opened in Sydney’s Surry Hills. Combined with the level of interest generated by
Food Safari Fire, the questions got Hastie
and informational text — put many on guard. Lopes stuck with it, shopping
around until she discovered Hardie Grant through the restaurant manager at Igni
who relayed chef Aaron Turner’s positive experience writing Igni: A Restaurant’s
First Year. “I had a few meetings with them and they wanted to publish it,” she says. “When I had that relationship with the
publisher, I was open to their feedback and their expertise, but I think they were also respectful of my vision overall.”
From that point, Lopes produced the
started looking at barbecue books, and they
completing the gruelling top-level exams
lack of digestible information available. “I
go into great depth; the majority were
about meat. There wasn’t a lot about wood, which is what I’m passionate about.”
Hastie had help from Fink’s marketing
and brand manager when it was time to
30 | Hospitality
averse and the format — a blend of memoir
thinking about his knowledge and the
were limited,” he says. “I found they didn’t
“For most chefs, food has a lot of historical context … most enjoy the research process and a lot of us really enjoy writing.” – Nino Zoccali
Nino Zoccali
organise the content. “I worked closely
with Elizabeth Hewson,” he says. “She’s
passionate about cookbooks and she wrote one herself [Moving out... Eating in: A
Cookbook For Home Leavers]. She was so helpful in terms of how to divide it up.”
The collaboration led to incorporating
elements of memoir to communicate
Hastie’s personal connection to fire teamed with recipes and technical sections about
book in roughly eight months alongside
for the Court of Master Sommeliers (CMS) that resulted in all but one of the 2018
Master Sommeliers being stripped of their titles. “I got the book deal in April or May 2018 and was on course to take the CMS
exam in July,” she recounts. “They wanted the manuscript in mid-November. I had
almost finished the narrative part of the
book right before the scandal broke. We
knew it had to be addressed, so there’s an epilogue that speaks to [the situation].
What I’d already written was very much
about how meaningful the exam had been
to me and I still absolutely stand by that ... so I kept it all in there.”
When it comes to developing recipes
wood and equipment. “Certain parts took
— still a crucial element despite the slant
gigantic table of wood [types] still haunts
error. There are some things to bear in
longer than others,” says Hastie. “The me to this day.”
Lopes was initially met with resistance.
Publishing houses are historically risk
towards narrative content — it’s trial and mind, though. “I didn’t want to make an historical document; I wanted to make
a book that was useable, that people felt
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FEATURE // Cookbooks
“Writing Vignette really … changed my outlook on my own trajectory.” – Jane Lopes they could go to and use any time,” says
of the dynamic behind Mediterranean
education is matter of fact. “I didn’t feel
at home, so we tested them all to make
you hear that they were ruled by the
“I feel there’s no reason to write
Zoccali. “Most of the recipes I would cook sure they were going to work.”
Venetian Republic has been published
in the US, the UK, Australia and New Zealand, so Zoccali had to take an
dining. “Every time I go to Greece,
Venetians,” he says. “It’s probably the least obvious connection … but they really
changed the way Mediterranean people
like I had anything to say,” she says.
unless I have something to contribute to the conversation.”
If it’s important to start out with
live and dine.”
something to say, it’s equally as important
It’s a challenge Hastie is all too familiar
personal. “I looked at a lot of my previous
have a vision of what you want to say, stick
in multiple countries such as Italy and
my health as being obstacles to my success,
international approach to ingredients.
with. Finding Fire has now been published Spain. “I wrote the book in Australia, so it
features a lot of Australian ingredients and woods,” says Hastie. “But there are also
suggestions for different things you can do in other parts of the world.”
Venetian Republic, Finding Fire and Vignette
Sometimes, the revelations were
struggles in the industry and struggles with my accomplishments and my growth,” says Lopes. “Writing Vignette really made me
“I can easily understand how people
he was writing Finding Fire, Firedoor was a six-day-a-week operation. “My one day off
was dedicated to doing the book. It was 18 months to two years in the making.” Zoccali walked away from Venetian
Republic with a deeper understanding 32 | Hospitality
Hastie compares the process to opening
things that don’t happen overnight. Like
own trajectory.”
Hastie says he learned a huge amount
stores of information you forget about
start and don’t finish,” says Hastie. When
hard to get to the finish line.”
of them. It changed my outlook on my
things; I’m actually successful because
delivering a book is a mighty commitment limited for many hospitality professionals.
to fulfil someone else’s idea, I think it’ll be
a restaurant. “Typically, you have a long
about his own relationship with cooking
that drains personal time, which is already
to it,” says Lopes. “If you’re just doing it
feel like I wasn’t successful in spite of those
were all constructive projects. However, it’s still advisable to proceed with caution —
not to yield to outside pressure. “Once you
gestation period,” he says. “Both are
working with fire, you have to be patient with the process.”
Writing a book is a long and at times
through the act of writing. “You have
arduous task according to Zoccali, Hastie
until someone asks you a question and it
resounding ‘yes’.
reminds you of a story,” he says. “It brings
and Lopes. Is it worth it? The answer is a “There’s a hell of a lot of work,” says
back lots of food memories‚ it’s great to
Zoccali. “Be prepared for that — it’s a lot
about consolidation of knowledge. To then
you get the opportunity, it’s a great thing
be able to record them for posterity … it’s put that into language that people can
read and understand and maybe even find out how I see fire.”
The reason Lopes hadn’t carved out a niche writing despite a university
of your own time you’ll put into it. But if to do.” ■
Venetian Republic by Nino Zoccali,
Murdoch Books, RRP $49.99. Finding Fire
by Lennox Hastie, Hardie Grant, RRP $60. Vignette by Jane Lopes, Hardie Grant, RRP $40
■
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FEATURE // 2020 trends
Forward thinking What the professionals tip as the biggest trends you’ll be seeing in 2020.
34 | Hospitality
FEATURE // 2020 trends
THE HONG KONG SOMMELIER Ambrose Chiang, L’imperatrice, Hong Kong Many domains and estates in the old and new world are in a transitional period from the previous generation to the next. New masters Alexandre Chartogne (Champagne) and Charles Lachaux (Burgundy) have spent around a decade refining and understanding their own styles and the wines are truly starting
THE FOOD WRITER Melissa Leong
to show their work, pioneering terroir-reflective Champagne and revitalising the traditions of Burgundy. Similarly in Australia, rising stars have become the new benchmark of their regions. Producers such as Owen Latta (Ballarat), Michael Downer (Adelaide Hills), Melanie Chester (Sutton Grange) and
I love the Coco Chanel-ism
Angus Vinden (Hunter Valley) are setting real examples for properly made minimalistic wines with
about looking in the mirror
serious longevity.
before you leave the house
In the past five years, Australian consumers have dedicated themselves to diversifying tastes — amber
and removing one thing.
wines, oxidative styles, pet-nats and indigenous varieties from across the wine world. I see 2020 as the
This isn’t tantamount to
starting point of exploring the depth of some of these wines. I think there will be a higher interest in the
anything lacking, rather, a
ageing potential of natural wines. Pioneering importers, restaurants and bars hopefully kept some to
more focused and concise
allow the public to drink some back vintages of these hyped wines.
approach to how you present yourself. The same can be said
“I don’t want f**king borage flowers and 15 other elements
for food, and a number of
on my breakfast plate, I want delicious food that has enough
chefs who have the chops
confidence to be sparing when it calls for it.” – Melissa Leong
to know when to stop when it comes to conception and execution. I don’t want f**king borage flowers and 15 other elements on my breakfast plate, I want
THE REGIONAL CHEF Simon Arkless, Terrace Restaurant, All Saints Estate
delicious food that has enough confidence to be
Regional, sustainable produce is
sparing when it calls for
becoming critical from a diner’s
it. Chefs like David Moyle
perspective; I believe this will grow in
and Aaron Turner have
the future. We raise lamb and pork on
led the charge for some
the property at All Saints Estate, and it’s
years, but we’re seeing new
fantastic to be able to showcase this
blood do the hard yards
on the menu. I believe food will become
and understanding how
simpler with more emphasis on flavour
powerful simplicity is.
than on intricate plating. After speaking
THE NEW KID ON THE BLOCK
to many other chefs, sadly, I think a lot
Keat Lee, Lagoon Dining
I have huge admiration for Alanna Sapwell at Arc
of ingredients will not appear on menus
Dining, Analiese Gregory
anymore due to the risk. Many chefs will
I think we will see flavours from different cuisines
at Franklin and Charley
stop using ingredients that people are
coming together in a more cohesive way. For
Snadden-Wilson at Etta
intolerant to eg. gluten, nuts, etc.
example, strange flavour dressing is made from
Dining for their effortless
sesame seeds that are toasted and made into a
approach to cuisine and
paste. The sauce also features garlic, black vinegar,
knowing what to do to let
soy, chilli oil, sugar and Sichuan pepper resulting in
produce sing. This is not
a sour, salty, sweet, nutty, hot and numbing flavour
a style you can imitate,
profile. It can be served with everything from
but one that must be hard
cold-poached chicken to tofu, fish, chicken, pork,
earned and therefore
steamed vegetables, noodles, grilled meats, as a
worthy of celebration.
salad dressing, or to anything that needs a little kick or something extra!
November/December 2019 | 35
FEATURE // 2020 trends
THE CHEF/CONSULTANT Justin North, Concept Hospitality In the next 12–24 months, we will continue to see more lifestyle brand hotels enter the Australian market with a strong emphasis on dynamic food and beverage concepts, focusing on a more unique offering highlighting a greater connection to the local community. A fresh approach and greater focus on the local drink and dine environment is key to realising greater potential of unlocking more
THE GLOBETROTTING CHEF
revenue and providing a much more engaging and relevant offer for forward-thinking hotels. Who knows, we may even be able to get a decent coffee in a hotel one day soon ...
“It’s not easy for restaurants and bars to accommodate everyone whenever they choose (and it’s expensive), but many are embracing the ‘drink and a snack’ entry point or offering reduced menus in between service times.” – Jeanine Bribosia
Meena Throngkumpola, Long Chim Sydney In 2020, I believe there’s going to be a reduction in calories for sweets, with healthier alternatives that have been sweetened from
THE FIRE CONNOISSEUR Lennox Hastie, Firedoor
natural sources such as monk fruit. This leads to another trend I see — the snack! I think consumers have become more health-
THE PR BOSS Jeanine Bribosia, The Cru
With the increased cost of proteins, I
conscious and less people
think we will continue to see a move
are following a three-meal-
to more vegetable-based dishes.
a-day routine. We will see an
There will also be growth in the
increased interest in snacks
number of restaurants buying fish,
that have ingredients that
meat and vegetables pre-prepared
keep people fuller for longer
to venue specifications, leading to
and fit around dietary needs
efficiencies in regards to labour.
such as intermittent fasting
There will be an increased
and intolerances.
reliance on aquaculture due to the
We will see a rise in using
The restaurants we represent are really trying to work
unsustainable nature of using a lot
offcuts and scraps to ferment
with how and when their customers want to drink and
of wild-caught fish. In regards to
and create different flavours
dine; restaurants and bars are becoming more flexible
meat, there will be a move towards
in stocks and marinades. I
with their usage, less draconian and uptight about how,
utilising more abundant sources of
previously worked for Nobu
where and when customers come and go. It’s not easy
protein such as kangaroo and deer
Fifty Seven in New York and
for restaurants and bars to accommodate everyone
as opposed to the traditional beef
they did this. With the food
whenever they choose (and it’s expensive), but many are
and lamb which are less drought-
scrap programs in place
embracing the ‘drink and a snack’ entry point or offering
tolerant and more detrimental to
across Sydney, I think we will
reduced menus in between service times.
the environment.
start to see even more things
While some designers are still creating spaces specifically for Instagram, and some chefs are
being reused and recycled in the restaurant.
still plating up beautifully for social media, many
Finally, we will see a
are focusing on comfort and experience. Chefs
trend towards foods that
are embracing ‘ugly delicious’ dishes that are still
are strongly guided by
’grammable, but aren’t designed to be picture perfect.
culture and tradition that
Sustainability has evolved from being just about
will encourage family-style
what’s on the plate and in the glass to restaurateurs and
eating around the dinner
small business owners thinking about their team and the
table with people more
sustainability of their work culture.
engaged in the meal.
36 | Hospitality
FEATURE // 2020 trends
THE GM Jeremy Courmadias, Fink
Annabelle Cloros, Editor, Hospitality magazine HR software such
HARD SELTZER
as Deputy and Employment Hero
The US is in the midst of a hard seltzer craze where brands such as White Claw
will be a focus
and Truly are dominating. But the category hasn’t hit our shores just yet, so
while many
what exactly is hard seltzer? Put simply, it’s a combination of carbonated water,
businesses get
flavouring and alcohol from fermented sugar or malted barley, depending on the
their house in
brand. They have minimal carbohydrates, are low in calories, come in a rainbow
order. Integrated
of flavours and are low ABV; typically between the 4-6 per cent mark. Sales
IT operating systems
have skyrocketed by 193 per cent in the past year, with the sector projected to hit
increase efficiencies
$2.5 billion by 2021. Hard seltzer might be steering the low-ABV ship for now, but
in reporting to reduce
there’s a host of new beverages hitting the market from alcohol-spiked cold brew
manpower and increase profitability. I also think we
to tea. Long live canned beverages!
will see smaller tables in restaurants to squeeze in
MERCHANDISE Hospitality covered the rise of restaurant merch in 2017 and it’s still going strong two years later. Operators should think of merchandise as multipronged — not only does it provide free advertising, but it’s relatively low-cost and can open up a new revenue stream that can turn profitable. I can’t tell you how many Continental Deli totes I’ve seen on the streets or the number of times I’ve spotted Yardbird’s
more covers like Alberto’s Lounge in Sydney.
“As people move away from sugar and look to healthier options for their bar call, the
signature chicken on T-shirts and caps. The Hong Kong-based yakitori restaurant
highball is a trend that will
reposts photos on their Instagram of people wearing their merchandise and ship
dominate 2020.” – James Hird
worldwide, meaning their reach is global.
MEATLESS MEATS To be completely honest, I’m on the fence about this one. On one hand, I fully support innovation in the industry and alternative proteins that (allegedly) lessen
THE SYDNEY SOMMELIER
the blow on the environment, but I do question the purpose of food products that
James Hird, Icebergs group
are made from 20-plus ingredients, most of which are unrecognisable to the general population. Regardless of your position, the Australian alternative meat
Highballs, lager and
industry is set to be worth $6 billion by 2030. Shannon Martinez is continuing to
chilled reds are all
pave the way with her house-made vegan meat products at the newly opened
on the horizon for
Smith & Deli with salami, brisket and roast beef all on offer.
2020. We will see
STAFF WELLNESS
more wine lists turning to the
The days of wearing staff down are on the way out, and operators are seeing the
fridge for their next
benefits that come with fostering a positive workplace environment. Agrarian
glass of wine. It’s
Kitchen Eatery in New Norfolk, Tasmania, has recently introduced Monday staff
great to see a trickle
yoga classes run by a local teacher and Wollongong’s Good Times Only Group
of places around town
host weekly initiatives with employees from catch-ups in alcohol-free venues to
already on this, but expect this
walking rescue dogs and beach clean-ups.
trend to snowball next year.
CHANGING YOUR INSTAGRAM APPROACH
whiskey and soda, etc are firming up as crowd
The social media platform has made a number of changes in the past few
favourites. As people move away from sugar and
years from taking feed out of chronological order to removing follower activity
look to healthier options for their bar call, the
and displaying likes. It appears these changes are here to stay, which means
highball is a trend that will dominate 2020.
hospitality businesses should reconsider their approach. Users won’t just double
Highballs are coming back again. Tequila, gin
Craft brewers, Lion and CUB, will release more
tap any old photo and will only engage with top-quality content. Instead of
lager-style beers in 2020. The more heavily hopped
posting photos or videos you think will go viral, focus on showcasing what your
and flavoured brews will be around, but expect to
venue is all about and what makes it unique. Video should also become a core
see crisp, clean lagers take centre stage once more
part of your social offering, so it’s well worth hiring a professional who can shoot
at your local pub.
mini masterclasses to entice followers to book a table. 38 | Hospitality
ADVERTORIAL // TripAdvisor
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How TripAdvisor tackles fraud TripAdvisor’s Senior Director of Trust and Safety, Becky Foley, explains how the platform deals with fake reviews.
MILLIONS OF PEOPLE visit TripAdvisor
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Creating a platform for people to
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Ensuring the content on TripAdvisor is
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Over the past 20 years, TripAdvisor has
review submission by an employee. intentionally damaging review submission by a competitor.
• Paid reviews — a positive review that a business has purchased in an attempt to increase their ranking.
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not biased by having a connection with the business), but what their review
describes is disputed by the business.
Using a sophisticated and multi-layered
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We have posting guidelines that all
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When discussing unfair reviews, there are two scenarios:
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it goes through hundreds of automatic checks. This tracking system allows a review to be posted, blocks a review
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to a moderation team for human analysis if the system suspects the review may be fake.
In instances where a fake review is
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Only 1 per cent of reviews on our site
are contested once posted, however, if
you are concerned a review is an unfair portrayal of your business, report it via the TripAdvisor Management Centre. If our moderation team concludes
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■
To find out more about our
content moderation process and contesting reviews, visit tripadvisor.com.au/ TripAdvisorInsights/w3680
November/December 2019 | 39
FEATURE // Education Kingdom of Tonga
Field Trip Restaurants have a role to play in changing the way we eat — but first, they need to know what they’re selling. WORDS Madeline Woolway ‘FARM TO FORK’ has become a
quality markers to look for and how much
talking the chefs through each step
easily replace the people and processes
they knew this specific vanilla (V.planifolia)
Jennifer Ross Boggiss. Chefs handled and
convenient catchcry, but three words can behind them. While it’s increasingly
common for producers to hand their
bounty directly to chefs, in many cases, it simply isn’t possible.
When it comes to local produce, there’s
more than meets the eye — and for
those who want to know exactly what’s
they would need to pay for it. Moreover, and how it differs from vanilla grown in Madagascar or Tahiti. They knew how
they would use it. Yet, despite intimate
vanilla from seed to sweet treat.
farm was an enlightening experience.
Over the next four days, the group was
see production practices for themselves.
it’s used by the world’s best restaurants
kitchen and on the land benefit in more ways than one. Visiting producers on-
site leads to a better understanding of
production methods and the people behind them, as Hospitality magazine recently discovered on three tours.
When 19 pastry chefs from Australia
gathered around a young vanilla plant
Heilala Vanilla’s products: vanilla so good including Eleven Madison Park. The chefs heard Albert Guttenbeil, who operates
farms in partnership with Heilala, explain
how workers prepare the land for planting. Better yet, they were able to watch as he
prior knowledge, but was fascinated to
discover a new way of looking at a product he works with every day. “I knew about the process they follow in Tahiti, so my
impression was that all vanilla was grown
like that,” he says. “It was very educational for me to learn the other way.”
It was an assumption also shared by
hand pollination and the labour-intensive
curing and drying process, the amount of
picking methods.
The beans then travelled to the original
— with nuance — the flavour, aroma and
and drying taking roughly six weeks. Sela
40 | Hospitality
The Belgian-born chocolatier came with
Shortstop Coffee & Donut’s Sydney head
vines. At a third farm, Guttenbeil explained
Heilala farm to be processed. Here, the
feel of premium vanilla. They knew what
manager, Remco Brigou, visiting the vanilla
demonstrated how to loop mature vanilla
on the island of Vava‘u in the Kingdom of Tonga, each person was able to describe
previous season which were held behind. For Koko Black product innovation
plenty to learn — it takes a lot to get
let in on the intricate processes behind
Those who can afford time out of the
inspected bundles of vanilla from the
knowledge of the end product, most had
happening in between paddock and plate, heading to the source is the only way to
alongside Heilala co-founder and CEO
steps are equally as intense, with curing Latu is in charge of the precise process,
chef Natalie Waugh. “I didn’t know the
time it takes to grow, the fact it’s on vines and [the level of] tending it needs,” she
says. “I assumed you picked a black bean off the tree.”
So why not just read about it on the
internet or in a book? The power of
Connect, learn & inspire Be a PorkStar, know your Aussie Pig Farmer.
This image was taken at Redleaf Farm, NSW as part of the WoHo PorkStar field excursion.
FEATURE // Education Claire Van Vuuren, Bel West and Indy Hocking examining an apple blossom on the Pork and Apples tour
Better insight into the pig farming
industry was behind Tara Mulligan’s
decision to join the tour, too. The commis
chef at Nick & Nora’s in Parramatta wanted to know more about the lifecycle. “Being a chef whose venue uses a lot of smallgoods as well as pork belly, it was informative
to understand ... what [the pigs] are fed
and why and how it can change the final product served.”
In just a couple of hours, Sparke was
able to explain the behaviours of the
pigs while the tour group watched the experiential learning can’t be overlooked.
of it, so now I try to make time for it,” she
learn through them. “I’m a hands-on
and get a better understanding of where
Chefs cook with their senses and similarly person,” says Mikayla Brightling, head
pastry chef at Shangri-La Hotel in Sydney.
“If I read it, at the time I’d think, ‘Oh that’s
says. “You get to see firsthand how it works the products are coming from; it changes the way you think about produce.”
Take Van Vuuren’s learnings from a trip
interesting’, but now I’ve actually seen it,
to the Southern Highlands with Women
it’s more memorable.”
The Pigs and Apples tour gave the chef a
[and the producers] have explained it ... The experience is why Brightling and
her cohort were able to recount precise
details days later while waiting to board a flight home at 5:00am.
The chance to learn on location exists closer to home, too. In recent years,
there have been more opportunities to
visit producers, according to Claire Van
Vuuren, chef and owner of Bloodwood in Newtown, Sydney. “You get so much out 42 | Hospitality
animals interact in (and with) their
natural environment. The pigs at Redleaf are as wild as reared livestock can get,
and it’s a system their customers can only truly understand once they’ve seen it for
themselves. The same can be said for wildharvested game.
in Hospitality and PorkStar, for example.
Straight To The Source’s Wild for Game
greater understanding of the practices used
Sydney was dual-purpose: not only did
by Redleaf Farm owner and pork producer Katrina Sparke compared to her own
research. “I’ve read up on Redleaf a lot and I’ve eaten their pork,” says Van Vuuren. “I
tour to a venison farm southwest of
the chefs need to learn about the methods of production — they had to familiarise themselves with the end product.
The tour was designed to explore the
know they’re sustainable and organic, but
differences between farmed and wild-
see how wild it is. You can see how the
cooking methods. “It was about education,
[it’s interesting] to go there and actually
muscles [of those pigs] really develop, so
their fat levels will be different to pigs that just stand all day and eat.”
harvest animals as well as a range of
but also inspiration and demystification,” says Tawnya Bahr, co-founder of Straight To The Source.
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FEATURE // Education John Ross and Heilala Vanilla guests
After a tour of the venison farm and
Jennifer Ross Boggiss and Sela Latu
roundhouse facilities, chefs watched on
as butcher Shannon Walker broke down
a deer carcass with game meat harvester
Robert Gallina who explained the anatomy of the beasts and core differences between wild and farmed venison. Questions
flowed: “What cuts will win the dining public over?” “It depends on the cut,”
explained Gallina, before detailing a range
of applications for restaurants. “If you slow
cook, will it become gelatinous?” “It’s great for ragu and pies,” suggested Gallina.
Kangaroo meat is touted for its leanness,
but the minimal fat content is clear when one is flayed on a table in front of you.
While ‘fat is flavour’ is a common refrain, Gallina took the opportunity to clarify
that, despite fat percentages close to zero,
cuts suited specific applications. Not long
important they’re passionate about
comes to flavour.
suggestions. A kangaroo carpaccio showed
now provides confidence in origin, the
kangaroo protein holds its own when it
As Gallina began sectioning the tail into
individual joints, more questions arose:
“Why are you only breaking down the hind quarter?” “That’s where you get 90 per
after, the chefs had a chance to try their chefs — who hailed from catering and
hotel kitchens to cafés — the potential of the national emblem beyond burgers.
ethics and traceability. While technology tour aimed to showcase the positive
effect vanilla production has had on the communities of Vavaʻu.
It was a chance for them to “meet our
cent of the meat,” he replied. “Can you eat
As much as producer tours are designed
farmers, see the intricate curing and drying
particular species that produces the best
production methods, they’re about
in the South Pacific,” says Ruby Grant,
the offal?” “Yes, it’s beautiful.” “Is there a meat?” Lots of people say the red tastes better than an eastern grey, but Gallina
to teach hospitality professionals about highlighting the people behind them. Heilala’s team and their Australian
doesn’t think there’s much difference.
distributor F Mayer Imports partner
carcasses, they told the room why different
of Heilala’s vanilla, but it’s equally
As Walker and Gallina broke down both
44 | Hospitality
with chefs who appreciate the flavour
process and connect with what’s growing
general manager of sales and marketing at Heilala Vanilla.
The story of how Heilala came to be
can be read, in part, online. But standing on a vanilla farm, while founder John
PASSION DRIVES INNOVATION It is passion and the sense of innovation that focused Stoddart to partner with American Range to develop the heavy duty modular cooking range exclusively designed for the Australian market. The American Range lineup, specifically designed from the ground up, is a heavy duty, commercial range of cooking equipment, built for the Australian Commercial Kitchen environment. The sleek, modular design allows for customisation for both front of house or back of house production applications.
FEATURE // Education
Ross explained his personal connection to the island of Vavaʻu and the devastation
wrought by category four Cyclone Waka in 2001, left an impression. For chefs to
hear the product they purchase by the litre and kilo started as a 45-kilogram harvest a little over 15 years ago was astounding.
Brigou has a new perspective that he’ll
keep in mind back in the kitchen. When
he uses vanilla, the chef says he will now think about the “whole process behind
Straight To The Source Tour
think about all the people it’s supporting
Cider tasting on Pigs and Apples tour
it, the whole community behind it.” He’ll back in Tonga. “Everyone knows it’s
an expensive product,” he says. “When you actually know why, it makes you
appreciate every single bean even more.” There are parallels between the
production of vanilla and the work of a
pastry chef. “We know our work is labourintensive,” says Melanie Day, head pastry
chef at Pullman Cairns International. “We can appreciate that their work is, too. It
was really good to put a face to the brand.” For Day and her fellow chefs, meeting
people like Albert Guttenbeil and Sela Latu was as beneficial as knowing the technical aspects of vanilla production.
Beyond the logistics of getting produce from farm to restaurants, producers are able
to explain challenges around biosecurity, drought and the cost of organic farming. Although the latter are a concern for
game farmers, the primary barrier is red
tape. Lucy Allon, who co-founded Straight To The Source with Tawnya Bahr, hopes
evident. “Hearing farmers speak is really beneficial,” says Van Vuuren. “When you
actually see the effects of drought, you know prices are going to increase indefinitely because the farmers can’t catch up.”
Those prices were put in perspective
the Wild for Game tour helped the day’s
when it was revealed Sparke and her family
game harvesters face in processing their
the farm due to falling production levels on
attendees understand the challenges
products and getting them to market. “One of the key messages we were trying to
bear the sole responsibility for maintaining the back of drought conditions.
get across is that there’s not really a clear
It’s becoming increasingly apparent
game, why people aren’t using it as much
customers consume food, and in turn, the
understanding where the market is for
and what the barriers are for consumers,” says Allon. “The [hospitality] industry
understanding that better is really helpful
in trying to develop ways to make it easier to source the protein.”
In the Southern Highlands, where recent
restaurants influence the way we
industry can support more sustainable
production methods. However, successfully transitioning to more ethical practices
requires more than incidental conversations
with producers. The answer is to experience provenance, not just talk about it. ■
rain had encouraged the regeneration of
The author was a guest of Heilala Vanilla,
feet, the long-term impact of drought was
Hospitality.
grass and left pools of water and mud under
46 | Hospitality
Straight To The Source and Women in
From one top performer to another.
You pride yourself on performing at your very best. And with an impressive long-term investment history, Hostplus knows a thing or two about performance, too. According to SuperRatings, our default Balanced investment option ranked highest, or second highest over 20, 15, 10,7, 5 and 3 years to 30 June 2019.* Looking for a super fund that works as hard as you do? Visit hostplus.com.au
Hostplus. We go with you. *Number one Fund over 7 years (11.13% p.a.) (48 funds), 5 years (9.65% p.a.) (48 funds) and 3 years (10.80% p.a.) (48 funds), and number two Fund over 20 years (8.10% p.a.) (21 funds), 15 years (8.16% p.a.) (29 funds) and 10 years (9.67% p.a.) (45 funds) – SuperRatings Fund Crediting Rate Survey, June 2019. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance. Consider the Host-Plus PDS and your objectives, financial situation and needs, which are not accounted for in this information before making an investment decision. Host-Plus Pty Ltd ABN 79 008 634 704, AFSL 244392, as trustee for the Hostplus Superannuation Fund ABN 68 657 495 890 (the Fund) INH1127 0919
VIDEO // Behind the scenes
Long Chim Sydney’s
Tropic Thunder An in-depth look at Hospitality’s masterclass series.
LONG CHIM SYDNEY’S
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Tropic Thunder is inspired by tiki cocktails, with bartender Maurizio Ascolani describing it as “big, bold and fruity with a punch”. The zesty beverage combines citrus juices with dark rum and Carta Blanca, pairing perfectly with chef David Thompson’s fiery and aromatic menu.
Ingredients 15ml fresh lime juice 15ml pineapple juice Dash of passionfruit syrup 15ml vanilla burnt orange syrup 15ml Gosling’s Black Seal rum 45ml Bacardi Carta Blanca Fresh mint Lime peel
Method In a shaker, pour lime juice, pineapple juice, vanilla burnt orange syrup, rum, Bacardi and a dash of passionfruit syrup. Add ice and shake hard for eight seconds. Strain into a highball glass and top with fresh mint and lime peel. Watch the full video at hospitalitymagazine.com.au
48 | Hospitality
be controlled,
Twist dial to turn on
depending on
flame. Other models
purpose.
have a button and automatic ignition.
Add instant char to vegetables
Blow torch
or proteins.
Typically lasts for one hour before the cylinder needs to be refilled.
Heat range varies from 500 degrees Celsius to 1300 degrees Celsius according to model.
Ideal for caramelising crème brûlées and meringues.
The hot tool is essential for crème brûlées and instant crackling.
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November/December 2019 | 49
EQUIPMENT // Blow torch
Size of flame can
5 MINUTES WITH ... // Hartsyard
Jarrod Walsh and Dorothy Lee The young guns on taking over an established business and how they’re paving a new direction for Hartsyard. GREGORY LLEWELLYN AND Naomi Hart
the perception of customers who have visited
classics. We are also focusing on vegetarian/
[founders of Hartsyard] knew we wanted
over the past six years. We are still trying to
vegan dishes, which is quite different from
to have our own place. We both worked for
find our own voice and break away from the
the previous meat-dominant menu.
them previously and are quite good friends
old cuisine and are working towards being
with them. They came to us and asked if
recognised for doing something completely
so it reflects what is best in season. We also
we would consider purchasing Hartsyard
different to the previous version of Hartsyard.
tend to utilise whole ingredients and work
from them. At the time, we were in the
Some customers still come in wanting fried
towards creating a no-waste menu. We
early stages of mapping ideas for starting
chicken, but we politely send them to other
believe in maintaining good relationships
our own venue from scratch, but being so
restaurants. Most of the time they end up
with all our suppliers because they will
young — and with the high costs of starting
staying and love it!
always look after us and supply us with top-
a restaurant in Sydney — it was out of
The menu is now modern Australian but
We change the menu almost every week,
quality produce.
the question. So we decided to purchase
there are also influences from Hong Kong,
Hartsyard and make it a place for us to learn
which is where Dorothy is from. She’s in
other as we both have chef backgrounds.
and grow.
charge of the wine selection, which is 100 per
The wine and dishes work together as well
cent Australian and ranges from cult labels to
as we do! ■
The key challenges are trying to change 50 | Hospitality
We find it easy to work alongside each
delivering Christmas since 1910
for more information visit www.bullafoodservice.com.au For sales enquiries please contact your state representative VIC & SA - 0432 404 843 | NSW - 0439 111 442 | QLD - 0438 786 140 | WA - 0430 468 820