NO.778 NOVEMBER 2021
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NO.778 NOVEMBER 2021
ANSARI INDIAN • GIMBAP • COSMOPOLITANS • EDUCATION AND TRAINING
CONTENTS // November
Contents NOVEMBER 2021
24
Regulars 8 // IN FOCUS A quick history of the spritz plus a smoky Paloma recipe. 10 // NEWS The latest openings, books, products and more. 12 // BEST PRACTICE Reopening tips for venues getting back to normal. 16 // PRODUCE The rambutan is a tropical delicacy with an intriguing exterior. 18 // DRINKS Cosmopolitans are making a return to the bar.
4 | Hospitality
28
24 // PROFILE Nabil Ansari on discovering his roots and cooking from the heart. 50 // EQUIPMENT A pour-over kettle is make or break for filter coffee. 52 // BEHIND THE SCENES The Gresham Bar’s four-rum cocktail. 54 // 5 MINUTES WITH … Anna Ugarte-Carral on leading the kitchen at The Old Fitzroy Hotel.
34
Features 28 // GIMBAP The rice and seaweed roll has soul-food status. 34 // DOUGHNUTS Discover a new wave of sourdough, mochi and Korean doughnuts. 40 // FISH SANDWICHES Two chefs are redefining a fast-food classic. 44 // EDUCATION AND TRAINING Industry professionals list the resources they’ve relied on to expand their skill sets.
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EDITOR’S NOTE // Hello
Social
Keep up with the Hospitality team
SIMPLY BUZZING Koko Black’s new collection heroes locally sourced honey. @hospitalitymagazine
Happy days THE FESTIVE SEASON is upon us and things
to Nabil Ansari, a Melbourne-based chef
are looking a lot more normal across the
who has been hitting his stride with an Indian
country for the first time in a long time. I
pop-up at The Hotel Windsor. I personally
know I’ve jumped right back into regular
cannot wait to get to Melbourne to try his
programming when it comes to dining out, and
naan sandwiches.
I’m looking forward to ending the year strong by trying as many new places as possible. The November/December issue is
We also chart the return of the cosmopolitan (finally!); talk all things gimbap with Kenny Yong-soo Son and Jung Eun Chae
traditionally the last of the year for
and find out how hospitality professionals
Hospitality, but I’m pleased to announce we
have kept their skill sets sharp after going in
will be publishing a standalone December
and out of lockdown.
magazine that will launch a new initiative
I hope you enjoy this issue.
championing the industry. I won’t reveal too much for now, but keep an eye out in the
Until next time,
coming weeks.
Annabelle Cloros
This issue, I had the pleasure of speaking
REUNITED AND IT FEELS GOOD Yum cha was my first order of business post-lockdown. @annabellecloros
DEEP-FRIED GOODNESS A big dose of southern comfort from Valentinas. @aristinedob
Editor
Follow us @hospitalitymagazine #hospitalitymagazine PUBLISHER Paul Wootton pwootton@intermedia.com.au EDITOR Annabelle Cloros T: 02 8586 6226 acloros@intermedia.com.au ARISTINE DOBSON Journalist adobson@intermedia.com.au
ADVERTISING NATIONAL Simon York T: 02 8586 6163 F: 02 9660 4419 syork@intermedia.com.au GROUP ART DIRECTOR – LIQUOR AND HOSPITALITY Kea Thorburn kthorburn@intermedia.com.au PRODUCTION MANAGER Jacqui Cooper jacqui@intermedia.com.au
CIRCULATIONS To subscribe please call 1800 651 422. hospitalitymag azine.com.au facebook.com/ HospitalityMagazine twitter.com/Hospitalityed instagram.com/ hospitalitymagazine
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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 © 2021 – The Intermedia Group Pty Ltd
6 | Hospitality
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IN FOCUS // Elevating classics
Smoky Paloma This darker, richer spin on the Paloma is the perfect way to explore the smoky depths of tequila’s smouldering cousin mezcal. We’ve chosen Vida Mezcal, as its aromatic, woody flavours mix particularly well with sharp lime and grapefruit additions. To top things off, agave syrup offers some subtle seasoning. Ingredients •
50ml Vida Mezcal
•
Fever-Tree Sparkling Pink Grapefruit or Lemon Tonic Water to top up
•
2 limes, halved, with a wedge reserved to garnish
Method 1.
Pour the mezcal into a highball glass full of ice cubes.
2.
Top up with the pink grapefruit or tonic water.
3.
With a twist One of 150-plus mixed drinks and cocktails in a newly released book.
THE SPRITZ STARTED life as the German ‘spritzen’
Squeeze over the lime halves and discard, then garnish with the reserved lime wedge.
With a twist •
35ml (two generous tablespoons) Vida Mezcal
•
3 teaspoons Cointreau
•
1 teaspoon agave syrup
•
1 pink grapefruit wedge, plus an
— a ‘splash’ or ‘spray’ of soda water added to wine
extra wedge to garnish
by Austrian troops, stationed in modern-day Italy,
•
2 limes
who longed for the lower-strength beers of home.
•
Fever-Tree Sparkling Pink
And the word could not better describe the drink’s
Grapefruit or Lemon Tonic Water
mood — a dash of ritzy sparkle and the bubbly hiss
to top up
of a freshly cracked soda. It is the sound of good times, with an accompanying backing track of
Method
laughter and fine conversation.
1.
Fill a highball glass with ice cubes.
2.
Pour over the mezcal, Cointreau
Today, the spritz most commonly appears as a combination of wine, soda and a more bitter and savoury aperitif — like Campari, Cynar or
and agave syrup. 3.
Squeeze in the juice from the
Aperol. The Italians, of course, are the undisputed
grapefruit wedge. Stir gently
masters of the art. Up and down the peninsula, the
to make sure the agave syrup is
spritzy aperitivo hour is as sacred a ritual as their sprezzatura dressing or their morning coffee. It is
mixed in. 4.
estimated that around 300,000 spritzes are served daily in Venice alone. As more and more of us make the move to longer, lighter and more refreshing drinks, the lower-calorie spritz serve has truly come into its own.
■
Top up with the pink grapefruit or tonic water.
5.
Halve the limes and squeeze in the juice. Garnish with a pink grapefruit wedge.
This is an edited extract from Fever-Tree Easy Mixing published by Hachette Australia; RRP $35. 8 | Hospitality
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NEWS // Entrée
Entrée
The latest openings, books, events and more. EDITED BY Annabelle Cloros
100 Real-Life Recipes That Sounds So Good Carla Lalli Music Hardie Grant; $45 Former Bon Appétit editor-at-large Carla Lalli Music has penned her second book That Sounds So Good around the notion that delicious food
Caviar dreams Yarra Valley Caviar has released holiday gift boxes to celebrate the festive season. The boxes start at $45 and come in four- and eight-tin options, with buyers selecting from First Harvest Atlantic salmon pearls; smoked salmon pearls; golden brook trout pearls; rainbow trout pearls; Bloody Shiraz gin pearls; Polanca Baerii Siberian Grand Cru caviar; Polanca Baerii Siberian Reserve caviar and Polanca Oscietra Grand Reserve caviar. Tasting notes are included along with a bespoke tin opener and mother of pearl spoons. yarravalleycaviar.com.au
is essential and attainable. The book is split into categories including quick meals, one-pot wonders, salads and grains, lazy lunches and all-day roasts. Dishes include fat noodles teamed with a crushed herb sauce and the book also has recipes for adding the final touches to a meal from a spicy creamy sauce to garlic crunch crumbs.
Scott Pickett opens Smith St Bistrot Chef and Restaurateur Scott Pickett has added another venue to his Melbourne portfolio. Smith St Bistrot will launch on the venue’s namesake street in Collingwood this summer, with Daniel Southern heading up the kitchen and Tash Sorensen managing the restaurant. The venue will open from 11am for coffee before offering lunch, snacks and dinner. Dishes begin with saucisson sec and pickled radicchio and crudités with sour cream before moving into salad Lyonnaise, whole flounder and southern rock lobster thermidor. The wine list is set to hero natural producers and there will be a snappy cocktail list, too. smithstbistrot.com.au Photography by Alex Squadrito 10 | Hospitality
NEWS // Entrée
Burst your bubble Champagne Bollinger has released B13 — an impressive limitededition bottle given its challenges. The Champagne region was faced with a raft of weather conditions in 2013 which resulted
Fsh Mkt hits Bondi
in Bollinger shaping the wine from the harvest into a vintage. B13 is a vintage
The Fishbowl Group have welcomed another venue into
Blanc de Noirs with fruity
its seafood fold. Fsh Mkt is a takeaway-only concept
aromas, notes of citrus
in Sydney’s Bondi spearheaded by Executive Chef Joel
and yellow fruits and
Bennetts. The store is selling seafood by the kilogram
flavours of fresh almond
and offering a menu that covers a list of fish burgers
and tarte tatin. The bottle
(prawn katsu; yellowfin tuna), grilled fish, salad, sides
comes in an eco-friendly
and veg. Customers can stock up on condiments such as
black and white case and
chilli jam and house smoked fish by the jar or by weight.
retails for $250 from fine
Fsh Mkt is open from 11:30am until 10:00pm all week.
wine retailers.
Four Pillars moves into RTD territory Victorian distillery Four Pillars has released a gin and tonic in a 250ml can. Four Pillars’ iteration sees Rare Dry gin infused with double the botanicals combined with a house-made tonic. “We set out to make a gin and tonic, not a tonic and gin, so the ratios were really important,” says Distiller Cam Mackenzie. The cans are sold in a four pack for $27.99 and are available at the distillery’s locations in Healesville, Victoria, and Sydney’s Surry Hills as well as good liquor stores. fourpillarsgin.com
Bay Nine Omakase joins Campbell’s Cove Sydney’s insatiable demand for omakase continues to grow, and thankfully, there’s a new player in the game. Bay Nine Omakase will open in The Rocks with young gun Tomohiro Marshall Oguro heading up the 10-seat counter. Dishes encompass cold-smoked king trout sushi; tuna nigiri topped with Iranian sturgeon and imperadore marinated in soy and citrus. The venue will also have table seating for 30 guests and offer a set menu. Bay Nine will open for lunch and dinner Wednesday to Sunday. thevenuescollection.com.au November 2021 | 11
BEST PRACTICE // The dining out rulebook
First things first
THE ADAGE “THE customer is always right” is engrained in the hospitality industry. Chefs and front-of-house
professionals are expected to grit their teeth and smile at the most trivial
customer qualms, but those days are
over. And the general public needs to get on board with an industry that’s been
closed down, pivoted and reopened as the country deals with COVID-19.
The hallmark of any good relationship
is communication, and this is a ripe opportunity for operators to start a new chapter.
Reiterate COVID-Safe practices
Venues are back in the swing of things, but the landscape has shifted for good. Here are the new rules when it comes to dining out.
Many states have mandated compulsory
WORDS Annabelle Cloros
employees. An individual’s decision to be
vaccinations as a condition of entry to businesses to protect customers and
vaccinated or not is personal, and it’s not
a venue’s role to ask any questions beyond requesting a customer show a ‘green tick’ to enter. “It is very important hospitality 12 | Hospitality
state health orders and laws, and customers
is key to maximising diner numbers while
situation for the industry.
on the experience you are providing.
need to understand it’s a make or break
Reshape customer expectations Most patrons are grateful to be able to sit down at a venue once again after a long hiatus. The general experience between
customers and staff will be a positive one,
but there will be the odd person expecting the world. It’s likely many venues will
be running with a lean team, meaning
and state the facts: you’re doing your best.
credit card details to lock in a booking, and
Wes Lambert, CEO of the Restaurant and
it’s a good time to review your procedures as we head into the busiest time of the
an evolving dining experience which is appealing to regulars and new diners.
past year and a half — great job — now
full pre-payment for the meal.
Pre-payment can easily be spun as a
experience, and the psychology of walking and only paying for the drinks and any extras never gets old.
Operators should also activate email and
final ‘we’re looking forward to seeing you’
Venues risk fines for not complying with
flexibility to change things up and offer
majority of your staff members for the
your community through a newsletter and if they choose to come into your business.
waste and labour. You’ll also have more
notice of cancellation isn’t provided or a
text reminders through booking platforms.
clearly outline a patron’s responsibilities
cutting down on ordering, prep time, food
If you’ve managed to hang on to the
on your website and social media pages. It is also a good opportunity to reach out to
offering customers a menu that’s snappy to
deposit that’s non-refundable if adequate
out of a venue having experienced a meal
requirement and relay the same message
every touchpoint of your business from
for your venue whether it’s requiring a
while the health order is in effect.”
Print signage to display at your venue
your offering — it’s only going to benefit
Support your workforce
customer footing the bill before the dining
communicating the tick is a state-mandated
trying to make up for lost time. Slim down
year. Tailor your platform to what works
year. Businesses [need to] ensure anyone entering their premises has a green tick
when they sign in.
the spice of life, it’s the opposite for venues
in relation to checking into venues,” says
premises using QR codes for [over] a
and it doesn’t hurt for staff to remind them
customer makes a fuss and requests a free
Many businesses require pre-payment or
country, patrons have been checking into
table by a certain time in the booking form
that is the question. While variety might be
that consumers follow public health orders
New South Wales and around the
sure a customer agrees they will vacate the
How many dishes is too many dishes —
Usher in iron-clad reservations
confrontation around reasoning. In
situation necessitating two hours. Make
made. Maybe a drink is forgotten, but if a
orders and it will also be very important
to check the tick rather than creating
enough time, with a fine-dining set-menu
Refine menus
review is dangled, you can simply reply
“We support messaging in relation
(depending on how busy you are) is
to anticipate a diner’s request before it’s
say no should you wish. And if a negative
Catering Industry Association Australia.
For cafés, an hour to an hour and a half
workers simply won’t have the capacity
cocktail for a minor mishap, it’s okay to
businesses adhere to the public health
capacity limits are in play. This will depend
A confirmation, reminder message and a
the day of will go a long way to minimising no-shows and empty tables.
Implementing time limits on reservations
cling on to them even tighter. While we can expect overseas workers to arrive
next year, the staff shortage will continue to impact the industry in a big way.
Skilled hospitality staff are in demand,
and if you’re not providing a secure and supportive workplace for an employee,
they’ll get it from the next place. Ensure workers are offered adequate time off, are aware of resources should they be
struggling, are provided with in-depth training to deal with any customer
obstacles and are given positive feedback and reinforcement. ■
November 2021 | 13
BEST PRACTICE // The dining out rulebook
Implementing time limits on reservations is key to maximising diner numbers while capacity limits are in play.
Serving suggestion
Intr trooducing New
THICKENED CREAM VERSATILE AND PERFECT FOR
COOKING
POURING
WHIPPING SAVE TIME
A quick whip time ensures you reach optimum quality in the kitchen faster. With great whipping & split time performance, this cream makes it ideal for the time pressed chef.
LONGER SPLIT TIME
Delivers a longer split time (vs gelatin based cream) so chefs can ensure cream mixes well in hot dishes, with minimal chance of curdling resulting in a creamier better tasting meal.
VEGETARIAN BASED RECIPE
A vegetarian based cream recipe to cater to a growing demand for vegetarian meals. Setting industry operators up for the long term in a space where consumers can trust meal ingredients are completely vegetarian.
CONVENIENCE
Convenient easy to pour 3L pack, helps minimise waste, easy storage. * Sources: POD research, n = 20 Chef interviews A1906 Aerosol usability report (July 2019). ^^ Restaurants in Australia IBIS report November 2020. ** NPD group CREST Market deep dive June 2021 . *** Rpy Morgan (April 12 2019, Wikepedia Includes pescetarians and vegans, unless otherwise stated.
PRODUCE // Rambutan A common addition
Grows in deep,
to desserts
sandy, welldrained soil
In Vietnam, the
Rich in
fruit is called chôm
vitamin C
chôm which means messy hair
Shaggy spikes are Available
soft to the touch
in a can
There can be 5-20 fruits per bunch
16 | Hospitality
PRODUCE // Rambutan
Rambutan The spiky relative of the lychee is a little sweeter with a hint of acidity. WORDS Aristine Dobson THE RAMBUTAN IS small in size and big on
Growth and harvest
sweetness. The tropical fruit is native to South
Rambutans thrive in tropical climates and are
East Asia and belongs to the Sapindaceae
unable to handle temperatures below 10 degrees
family, which also includes the lychee, longan
Celsius. The trees can grow up to 20 metres high
and pulasan. The name rambutan comes from the
and can take two to three years to start fruiting.
Malaysian and Indonesian word rambut meaning
Sandy, loam soil and hilly terrain is the ideal
hair due to the long, protruding spores that cover
environment for propagation due to drainage.
its red, leathery skin.
The trees are evergreen with pinnate-shaped leaves that vary in size from 10cm to 30cm long.
Origins
Blooming can occur any time of the year in
Rambutans are known by the scientific name
the right environment, but peaks in spring and
Nephelium lappaceum and were first cultivated
summer. Rambutan comes in various red, green
in Malaysia and Indonesia, which has the largest
and golden yellow hues depending on the stage
genetic variety. The fruit can also be found in
of growth. The fruit can be harvested by hand and
countries such as Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore,
removed by the bunch and does not continue to
Myanmar, Sri Lanka and the Philippines.
ripen after it has been picked.
There were many distribution channels that led to the introduction of rambutan to various parts
Flavour profile and culinary applications
of the world. During the Indian Oceanic trade,
Rambutans can be consumed fresh and last one to
the fruit was brought to Zanzibar and East Africa
two days post-harvest. Compared to its relative,
by Arab traders. Centuries later, Dutch colonies
the lychee, the fruit delivers a sweeter, tarter
throughout Asia brought the fruit to parts of South
flavour profile. The flesh is crisper in texture and
America and the Caribbean. It was eventually
contains a bright, refreshing juice. The skin can be
introduced to the Philippines from Indonesia
opened by hand or with the aid of a knife and is
during the 1920s.
typically discarded. While it is not recommended
Today, rambutan is plentiful and popular in Asia, but it is considered specialty produce in Australia. While importation of the fruit is
the pit be eaten fresh, it can be consumed when roasted or cooked and it is rich in fibre. Pitted and skinned rambutans are often used in
prohibited, it is grown in the Northern Territory
desserts such as ice creams, jellies and puddings
and Far North Queensland.
because of the almost creamy flavour profile. It can also be a tangy addition to salads and cocktails. ■ November 2021 | 17
DRINKS // Cosmopolitan
Tickled pink The cosmopolitan was a pioneering cocktail of its time. And now, it’s back. WORDS Aristine Dobson WHETHER YOU LIKE it or not, the cosmopolitan is a
modern classic. Its creation signalled a new chapter in the cocktail world, with bartenders using fresh citrus juice and interactive garnishes instead of artificial
flavourings and umbrellas. Although the cosmo was an ‘it’ drink in its heyday, the cocktail fell flat in the
face of spritzes and Negronis. But it’s remerged this year and there’s a revival on the cards.
Hospitality talks to Continental Deli’s Michael Nicolian
and Proof and Company’s Charlie Ainsbury about the
cosmo’s peak era, their recipes and techniques to getting it right and why it’s making a comeback.
The cosmopolitan was created in the mid ’80s by Miami Bartender Cheryl Cook who was asked by
Absolut Vodka to create a drink that would ‘appeal to women’. Cook’s take was based off a kamikaze and
a lemon drop, with the early version combining the
newly launched Absolut Citron with triple sec, Rose’s lime cordial and cranberry juice.
But the cocktail didn’t gain traction until the late
’90s when Rainbow Room Bartender Dale DeGroff
replaced the lime cordial with fresh lime juice and
added a flamed orange twist. It was a game-changer
for the drink, which quickly sprung up on menus and stayed on them well into the early aughts.
According to Continental Deli Co-Owner
Michael Nicolian, Dale DeGroff’s theatrical style of
bartending put the cosmopolitan on the map, and it
became the go-to drink for celebrities and the public alike. “It was in the papers and DeGroff made it fun and cool being the showman he is with the flamed
orange zest,” says Nicolian. “He had a lot of famous 18 | Hospitality
DRINKS // Cosmopolitan
“People who turned their nose up at drinks like mojitos, cosmos and dirty martinis 10 years ago would be ridiculed for doing so now.” — Michael Nicolian people like Madonna drinking it and Sex and
the City had a massive influence on the drink’s popularity and fame.”
shake until cold and strain into a cocktail glass,” says Ainsbury.
Traditionally, a cosmopolitan can be finished
The ’70s and ’80 are a mostly grim time
off with a wedge of lime, but Ainsbury prefers
the trajectory and prompted bartenders to
orange. “You take a little coin of pith from the
for cocktails, but the cosmopolitan changed experiment with real ingredients. “We consider
it the dark ages for cocktails because it was just absolutely terrible; no good drinks came out,”
says Proof and Company Senior Bar Consultant
Charlie Ainsbury. “But then came Dale DeGroff,
who used fresh lime juice and it kicked off what
the more elaborate option of a flamed piece of orange and you express the flammable oils of
the orange over a match and spray it onto the drink,” he says. “You’ve got yourself a really
interactive garnish that provides aroma and gets the bar talking.”
we call the second golden age of fine drinking.
At Continental Deli in Sydney, the Cosmopoli-tin is
fake syrups; there was no love and care put into
slight adjustment to accommodate the packaging.
Before that, it was all artificial ingredients and what bartenders were doing.”
The ingredients in a cosmopolitan include vodka, cranberry juice, triple sec and fresh lime juice.
While spirits are interchangeable when it comes to brands (Absolut Vodka and Cointreau are the
most reached for), harmony is critical, especially
part of the canned cocktail range. The recipe sees a “Because we’re canning them, we don’t use lime
juice as we don’t want perishables in the can,” says Nicolian. “With the dry element and sharpness, we infuse dried cranberries with pinot sherry and use
that to balance out the sweetness of the triple sec, which works pretty well.”
Continental Deli plans to tweak their current
when working with ingredients that aren’t the
canned cosmo by adding an orange element
some use plain,” says Nicolian. “What matters
flamed orange you get from a Dale DeGroff
norm. “Some people like to use citrus vodka and more is thinking about the balance.”
Achieving the desired colour is also make
or break, otherwise it’s not a cosmopolitan. “It
shouldn’t be red; if a cosmo is red, send it back,” says Ainsbury. “It just has to have a little dash of cranberry juice to give it a nice pink hue.”
When it comes to making the drink, it’s as
simple as it gets: “Throw it all in a shaker,
in a nod to DeGroff. “We’re incorporating the garnish,” says Nicolian. “We’re sticking cloves in a whole orange and infusing it to create depth of flavour.” But when he’s not making cosmos
for canning purposes, Nicolian always uses fresh citrus juice.
Cosmopolitans have been drowned out in a sea
of margaritas and gin-centric cocktails for some November 2021 | 19
DRINKS // Cosmopolitan
“A cosmopolitan falls into the category of a daisy, which is a formula or a family of cocktail with a spirit, a flavoured liqueur and a citrus element.” — Charlie Ainsbury Continental Deli’s Cosmopolitin retails for $18
time, but they’re poised to make a comeback.
gins instead of vodka. Bartenders take the base
Nicolian, who has nostalgic ties to the drink.
in order to introduce drinkers to the current
The cocktail has long been a favourite for
“My brother (who was my first boss in the bar
industry) taught me how to make a cosmo and he was like, ‘It’s pretty much the perfect drink; Flaming orange zest with a match caramelises the oils
it’s dry and boozy, fruitful and tangy’,” he says.
“It hits a lot of styles in one, and when it’s made well, it comes together beautifully.”
Despite the cosmopolitan’s dwindling
introducing Cointreau to the cosmopolitan
it in a can with a little pun they go, ‘I know that, I’ve seen it on TV before; I’ll get it’. And if it’s
made well, even better; they’ll get another one.” Ainsbury predicts the cosmopolitan of 2021
and beyond will utilise current bartending
families of cocktails, and if you know the foundations, you can riff off anything.”
it did during its peak, but it evokes a sense
cocktail generates comfort and an opportunity to modernise an iconic drink. “People who turned
their nose up at drinks like mojitos, cosmos and dirty martinis 10 years ago would be ridiculed
for doing so now,” says Nicolian. “These drinks
are making a comeback because people are more comfortable drinking them.”
If recent signs are anything to go by, the
to guests, bartenders use familiar cocktail
cosmo is stepping out from behind the bar and
method,” he says. “Whether that’s clarification,
drinking a cosmopolitan, whether it’s well made
names but serve the drinks using a different
20 | Hospitality
a citrus element. There are about six or seven
of nostalgia. For Nicolian and Ainsbury, the
recognisable to a modern market. “To appeal
to the 19th century
cocktails with a spirit, a flavoured liqueur and
familiarity,” says Nicolian. “Even if they’ve never
techniques and showcase ingredients that are
Daisy cocktails date back
of a daisy, which is a formula or a family of
The cosmopolitan may not have the same clout
had a cosmopolitan or a martini, when they see
Cecchini is credited for
climate. A cosmopolitan falls into the category
popularity in recent years, the cocktail is indisputably recognisable. “People love
Manhattan Bartender Toby
cosmo recipe and present it as a cosmopolitan
a fermented cosmo or using native red fruits to get the pink hue. Maybe they’re using native
back onto menus. “I’m sure someone right now is or not,” says Ainsbury. “It’s one of those drinks
you have to know. It’s a stayer; simple as that.” ■
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22 | Hospitality
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PROFILE // Ansari Indian
24 | Hospitality
PROFILE // Ansari Indian
Ansari Indian
Chef Nabil Ansari is switching up Melbourne’s Indian culinary landscape one ‘sandwich’ at a time. WORDS Annabelle Cloros IT’S A TALE as old as the pandemic. An out-of-
asked if I could be moved there and I’ve been
money to get through the coming months.
sous chef at the restaurant.
work chef is stuck at home and needs to make They decide to take matters into their own
at Sunda ever since,” says Ansari, who is a
hands by creating a brand and it skyrockets
When restaurants first closed last year,
trajectory of their culinary career for good.
the government’s JobKeeper or JobSeeker
in popularity — ultimately changing the
And that’s exactly what happened to Nabil
Ansari. The Melbourne-based chef took a leaf out of his mum’s book and began cooking for his apartment block which soon turned into Ansari Indian; an experience that launched
with takeaway, led to a pop-up and will likely culminate in something much bigger.
The chef talks to Hospitality about the
changing face of Indian cuisine in the local
market, discovering his roots and the virtue that comes with waiting until you’re ready. Nabil Ansari moved to Melbourne in 2015
to study commercial cookery at the William Angliss Institute. His first official gig was at
The Pancake Parlour, but another opportunity
many visa holders were not eligible for
payments. The very people who keep the industry running found themselves in an
incredibly difficult position with little to no
work available. Ansari was one of them, but
as they say, mum knows best. “Back at home
and out of boredom, mum told her friends she was going to cook Indian food,” he says. “So I
thought I could do the same thing. I put a menu in the mailboxes in my building and within the first week I had maybe 10 orders, which I was really happy about. People started posting on Instagram and then my friends were asking
what I was doing. Initially, I wanted to keep it in the building, but it grew, and by the fourth week, there were 136 orders.”
soon presented itself during an event at the
The letterbox drop snowballed into the
ended up with a job at The European,” says
allowed the chef to explore his Indian
college. “Some chefs came and cooked and I Ansari. “I was there for almost two years and it was where I learned all my training.”
But Ansari’s parents had a certain type of
venue they wanted their son to work in. “My
family don’t understand fine dining and they were like, ‘You need to work in a five-star
hotel’,” says the chef. “The Hotel Windsor is next to The European, so I applied for a job there and I got it.”
Ansari worked in the hotel’s kitchen for
around eight months, but missed the buzz
that comes with a fine dining environment.
Itchy feet coincided with The Windsor’s launch of Sunda spearheaded by Khanh Nguyen. “I
creation of Ansari Indian; a platform that heritage. While Ansari was born in India, his
family moved to the Middle East when he was young, which meant his experiences of the
cuisine largely came from his mother’s home cooking. “I didn’t know much about Indian
cooking because I grew up in the Middle East,” he says. “In 2017, I went travelling to India and that’s when I realised how diverse the
food is and how different it is to what we have here. I was inspired and motivated to cook Indian food.”
One of the first dishes Ansari released was
butter chicken; but his version was a departure from what you’d usually find. Tomatoes were
November 2021 | 25
PROFILE // Ansari Indian
“I still want to learn and I want to be ready before I start my own business.” – Nabil Ansari
braised in chicken stock for over 10 hours before
The chef returned to his role at Sunda once
fried fenugreek, salt and brown sugar.
another opportunity soon followed. Sunda
being combined with chicken tikka, butter, cream, Ansari’s
A late-night
naan is cold
Indian kebab
fermented for
concept is in
72 hours
the works
Kheema pav (spiced lamb mince with peas
served with ladi pav); chicken tikka skewers and palak paneer (spinach with cheese) followed and presented an opportunity for the chef to reinvent the food he experienced during his
travels. “Paneer is made by splitting the milk
and the whey,” says Ansari. “The way I learned The chef’s butter chicken
The kitchen
starts with
is using
slow-cooked
a charcoal
tomatoes
tandoor oven
launched a pop-up called Summer Exp by Sunda, and Nguyen asked Ansari if he wanted to take
on the head chef role. “I obviously said yes,” says
Ansari. “Khanh wanted to keep doing takeaway but in a dine-in manner and there was a free space at the hotel. He said you can run it if you want.”
Exp combined South-East Asian and Italian
from my mum was adding the vinegar, splitting
flavours together and also marked the first time
block of cheese. I do it more like how you make
I was the youngest,” he says. “There were times
it and draining it as soon as possible to get a firm ricotta; you just let the milk stay in the whey
and it naturally forms a big block of cheese. You
slowly drain it and press it with half the amount of whey. You get a nice crust on the outside and a soft centre.”
Ansari’s iteration also looks a little brighter
Ansari ran his own kitchen. “It was challenging; were I was undermined, but everyone was open to suggestions and I did have good support so there weren’t really any issues. It was a good
opportunity to learn; running Exp as head chef opened up other opportunities.”
During the final week of Exp, the venue served
colour-wise compared to your standard palak
an Ansari Indian menu. When it was announced
the cooking process. “If you slowly emulsify
added another day and that sold out as well,”
paneer, which usually turns dark green during butter, it stays bright green,” he says.
26 | Hospitality
restaurants were able to reopen last year and
on social media, it sold out in four hours. “We
says Ansari. “It was really good for me because it was the first time I was hosting.”
PROFILE // Ansari Indian
Ansari returned to Sunda after Exp closed,
but it wasn’t long before the city was faced with another lockdown. This time around, Ansari
knew exactly what he wanted to do. “I called up my bosses and I was like, ‘Let’s do something’. First, they said no, because they thought the
lockdown would end in a week. But as soon as it was extended, they said, ‘Let’s do it’.
The chef took over a spare kitchen in the
hotel and restarted takeaway for the first time in nine months. The demand was definitely
there. “The first week was amazing, we had
great revenue, but sales dropped in the second and third weeks. The market is so saturated now — everyone is doing takeaway.”
The solution was simple: sandwiches — but
not with sourdough or ciabatta. “I’ve always
fancied doing something with naan bread,” says Ansari. “We were able to get a tandoor oven
and that’s like a new toy for us to experiment
with. We’re doing Indian sandwiches, which are quite common back home.”
Ansari’s naan is made with a sourdough
starter and uses yoghurt to enrich the dough,
which is bulk fermented for four hours before it undergoes a 72-hour cold ferment. The
team, Ansari and two other chefs — including tandoor pro Parminder Singh — cook the
naan to order in the oven for just 50 seconds. The bread is brushed with smoked garlic
butter before it’s stuffed with fillings such as
shredded lamb with yoghurt or chicken tikka and coriander chutney.
It’s been a huge hit. So much so a late-night kebab concept is potentially in the works.
“Mumbai has a lot of barbecue shops on wheel carts that do amazing kebabs and sandwiches, so I would want to do something similar here,” says Ansari.
But the chef isn’t in a rush. He has since
returned to Sunda and is taking baby steps
towards his next venture. “The first lockdown, I was so hyped up and thought I could open my own business by myself. But now I have
really good support from The Hotel Windsor and Khanh in terms of mentoring and how
things are done,” says Ansari. “It gave me a
view of all the things you need to get in order
to start a new business. I’m just going to work my way at Sunda and there will be a time
where The Windsor decides to do something
with me, which I have been approached about. I still want to learn and I want to be ready before I start my own business.” ■
November 2021 | 27
FEATURE // Gimbap
28 | Hospitality
FEATURE // Gimbap
Rolling in the deep Gimbap is not Korean sushi. WORDS Annabelle Cloros
GIMBAP HAS SUFFERED somewhat of
describes the prominence of gimbap in
a key marker between the two. “Sushi rice
In Korean, gim translates to seaweed
familiar and popular dishes in Korea,”
whereas gimbap rice is seasoned with sesame
an identity crisis in the Western world. and bap cooked rice — but it is not an iteration of sushi. The two could be
likened to pasta and dumplings; while the foundational elements are the same, they are fundamentally different.
Hospitality speaks to Sáng by Mabasa’s
Kenny Yong-soo Son and Chae’s Jung Eun Chae about the core components that
make up gimbap, its soul-food status in
Korea as ever-present. “It’s one of the most she says. “It’s widely enjoyed at picnics or
outside because it’s convenient and easy to
Gimbap is a foundational dish in Korean
cuisine that has morphed into the form it’s consumed in today over 600-plus years. The term gimbap was first printed in a
newspaper in 1935, however the beginnings
of wrapping cooked rice in gim can be traced as far back as the beginning of the Joseon period in 1392, where gim was produced
oil, sesame seeds and salt,” says the chef. Sushi is typically dipped into soy
consume. It’s not difficult to find a gimbap
and served with wasabi and pickled
street; it’s commonplace to see students
accompaniments as the flavour is already
franchise on almost every corner of the from hagwon (private cram school) or
office workers pop in to a gimbap franchise to grab a quick bite to eat.”
Korea and why the compact roll is a meal in and of itself.
is usually seasoned with vinegar and mirin,
ginger, whereas gimbap mostly forgoes packed inside. “Every ingredient is
seasoned and cooked,” says Son. “You don’t need dipping sauce because it’s flavoured on its own.”
“Side dishes are not usually served as it
“If you are particular about seaweed, Wando, a county in the South Jeolla Province, is known to produce the best-quality gim.” – Jung Eun Chae
defeats the purpose; it’s a simple dish best served on the move,” adds Chae.
Gimbap might be a mostly standalone
foodstuff when it comes to condiments, but
there are some dishes it’s commonly enjoyed
with. Both Chae and Son tip tteokbokki (stirfried rice cakes) as one of the top pairings.
“A lot of restaurants in Korea sell them and
we order them together,” says Son. “We dip
the gimbap into the tteokbokki sauce and it
in the Gyeongsang and Jeolla Provinces. It’s
Simply put, there are many differences
lunch option and a labour of love for those
ingredients inside gimbap are cooked,
Gimbap isn’t on the core menu at Sáng, but
seafood. Confusion between the two is still
The restaurant recently ran a takeaway
long been a picnic essential, an on-the-go who make it.
Kenny Yong-soo Son from Sáng by
Mabasa in Sydney’s Surry Hills grew
up eating gimbap, and says it’s a dish that reflects a country and its people.
“Gimbap to Korean people is soul food,” he says. “We take it to picnics and eat it
for lunch. It’s like bibimbap — it strongly represents who we are. It represents the
personality of the people; it’s good, tasty soul food.”
Melbourne-based Chef Jung Eun Chae
between gimbap and sushi. For one, the whereas sushi is oft filled with raw
commonplace for someone who has yet to experience the dish and simply sees two
commonalities: rice and seaweed. “It does
look kind of similar approaching the two,” says Son. “But I think one of the biggest mistakes people make when describing
gimbap is the foundational stuff like nori, which is a Japanese word for seaweed —
we never use the word nori, we say gim.”
Chae points to the treatment of the rice as
works beautifully.”
it does make an appearance now and then. special; Chungmu gimbap (a thinner
version) with spicy poached squid and
pickled white radish. “We don’t usually do
gimbap on our regular menu; sometimes we
have it as a lunch special,” says Son. “During lockdown, it was all about the things we
grew up eating and dishes people weren’t
able to get from a typical Korean restaurant.”
But when they do make gimbap, the Sáng
kitchen — run by Son’s parents and Chefs
November 2021 | 29
FEATURE // Gimbap
Seung-kee Son and Jin-sun Son — starts with the rice. “It’s best to use rice that’s made overnight
because it hardens up a bit,” says Son. “The rice is
slightly undercooked so it doesn’t become mushy.” The rice is sourced from Korea, with Son
comparing it to sushi rice. “It’s firmer and quite rounded in shape,” he says. “It’s not as hard as
basmati; it’s in between soft and firm and it has some stickiness, so it holds together well.”
After the rice has been cooked, the seasoning
process commences with Korean sesame oil, salt and sometimes a bit of sugar. Restraint must be exercised as the interior ingredients have
individual flavour profiles that combine in the roll. While white rice is the most common, other
types can be swapped in. “Brown rice and black
rice can also be used for a healthier option,” says Chae, who also warns against overcooking. “It’s
important to cook your rice so it’s not too watery or sticky as it makes it difficult to spread evenly on the gim.”
On the seaweed front, gimbap requires dried,
thin sheets, which hold all the components inside. Korea is the third-largest producer of seaweed in
the world and has an annual harvest of 1,761,526t, so gim is not hard to come by. “You can almost
always find gimbap seaweed at local grocery stores and there are many brands to choose from,” says
Chae. “If you are particular about seaweed, Wando, a county in the South Jeolla Province, is known to produce the best-quality gim.”
“There’s a generic ideology of what gimbap is, how much it costs and where it should be sold.” – Kenny Son Sáng also sources seaweed from Korea. “We use fresh seaweed
that’s been dried out and cut into a square; the thickness is about 1mm,” says Son.
When it comes to gimbap fillings, there are countless and arguably limitless options. But they almost always include danmuji; yellow pickled radish. Fishcake, braised burdock root, carrot, spinach, egg and bulgogi-style beef are also commonplace. “You want
each ingredient to accompany the other and the textures to work together,” says Son. “When the gimbap goes into your mouth all the flavours combine and it works when it’s a single bite; hence why it’s cut into a mouthful.”
Preparing the ingredients is the most time-consuming aspect
of the process, especially when you consider how quickly people consume gimbap. “For such a simple end product visually
speaking, you go through it quite fast because you just pick it up and eat it,” says Son.
Makers also need to consider the uniformity of the produce. “All
the ingredients are sliced length-wise because the entire length
of the gimbap needs to be covered,” says Son. “For example, you don’t want a thick carrot; it’s julienned and then spread from beginning to end.”
The construction starts with laying out a gimbal; a bamboo
30 | Hospitality
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FEATURE // Gimbap Gimbap typically
Jung Eun Chae
mat, which “helps roll gimbap easily, neatly
and value of products such as gimbap often
of dried seaweed on top of the mat, add the
produce such things into consideration.
and tightly”, says Chae. “You place a sheet ingredients and roll your gim while gently
fail to take the labour and skill required to
A quick consumer education can go a long
pushing on the gimbal.”
way to understanding why gimbap costs $6 in
can lead to gimbap that falls apart. “You
like bánh mì; it’s quite cheap, but it shouldn’t
Overfilling is another pressure point, which
never want to overpack it with rice; it ends up bursting,” says Son.
Chae also warns against going heavy on the
fillings. “It’s important not to overstuff as it
can cause the gimbap to burst at the seams,”
says the chef. “There is an old saying in Korea, ‘sounds like a gimbap bursting at the side seams’, which means talking gibberish and nonsense.”
Gimbap rolls are found across Australia in
homes as well as Korean grocery stores and
venues. But preconceived notions of the price 32 | Hospitality
Korea and $15 here. “It’s the same for things
be,” says Son. “It’s so hard for a restaurant to
price up gimbap and make people understand
that it takes a lot of effort; there’s five or more
ingredients going into a single thing and it has the potential to be pricey depending on what
you’re using. There’s a generic ideology of what gimbap is, how much it costs and where it should be sold.”
So next time you sit down at a Korean
restaurant or spot gimbap at a store, consider it as a small window into Korean cuisine and
an opportunity to experience a realm of flavour profiles, textures and history in one bite. ■
Chae’s
contains
favourite
cooked
gimbap is
ingredients
tuna mayo
Gimbap is
Sáng
made with
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dried sheets
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of seaweed
for takeaway
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FEATURE // Doughnuts
34 | Hospitality
FEATURE // Doughnuts
Doughnut world Three Sydney concepts are expanding consumer perceptions of what a doughnut is. WORDS Aristine Dobson
WHEN YOU MENTION the word
While the concept is in the embryonic
doughnut, most people imagine a round
stages in Australia, mochi doughnuts
and topped with sprinkles. Or perhaps
country. “It’s actually a very old trend in
piece of cooked dough drenched in glaze they think of a golden ball stuffed with jam and dusted with icing sugar. But there’s a whole world of doughnuts beyond the ring we know and love.
In Japan, mochi doughnuts blend two
dessert concepts together, while Korean
iterations showcase savoury flavours. In a more local setting, chefs are creating sourdough variations that cater to a realm of dietary requirements.
Hospitality talks to Demochi Donut’s
Dennis Chan, Soul Deli’s Daero Lee and Comeco Foods’ Yu Orzone about their
doughnut offerings and cover everything from sourcing specialty ingredients to catering to a broader market.
Mochi Dennis Chan became acquainted with
mochi doughnuts during a trip to Japan.
His fascination with the concept inspired him to return to Sydney and open
Demochi Donut in Banksia in 2019. “We
visited a very famous Japanese franchise
have a long history in their home Japan,” says Chan.
Chan describes mochi doughnuts as
having “the perfect chew with a light
crisp”. He has been mastering the recipe over the past six years and it all starts
with the dough. “It’s about the ratios,”
is not as gummy or gooey, it provides
a satisfying bite and chew. Part of the
appeal of the doughnuts also comes by way of its beaded appearance, which
sees eight small balls of dough linked
together. “It has that shape to increase surface area,” says Chan. “It’s also
interactive; you can split the balls into individual circles and some people eat them one at a time.”
says Chan. “Our secret would be how
Demochi switch up their offering every
you put in to create the product.”
by the dozen and in packs of four. “We’ve
much flour and how much wet mixture
“The point of difference is your glutinous rice; it gives it that slight mochi chew.” – Dennis Chan The dry flour mixture is where mochi
week, with Chan delivering the doughnuts been producing more and more flavours,” he says. “We started off with our original honey glaze and then we went into traditional classic cinnamon.”
While the glazed and cinnamon-sugared
doughnuts are crowd pleasers, Demochi also heroes ingredients found in Asian
desserts. “We started experimenting with a lot of Asian flavours because our brand is Asian-based,” says Chan. “We pay
homage to black sesame, milk tea, pandan and yuzu.”
Goroke and kkwabaegi
bakery which specialises in mochi
and dough intersect and sees regular
If you were to order doughnuts in Korea,
Donut and it’s been around for maybe 15
“The point of difference is your glutinous
stall. At Soul Deli in Sydney’s Surry
doughnuts,” says Chan. “It’s called Mister years. They’re a huge corporation [and] the Japanese version of Donut King or Krispy Kreme. It kind of triggered my
curiosity to figure out what it is and what makes it different.”
flour combined with glutinous rice flour. rice; it gives it that slight mochi chew,”
says Chan. “But you still need flour in the dough to help with the process.”
Glutinous rice is a key ingredient in
mochi, and while a mochi doughnut
it would probably be from a market Hills, Executive Chef Daero Lee set
out to recreate this exact experience. Lee started with a sweet doughnut
named after its braided appearance.
“Kkwabaegi means twisted,” he says.
November 2021 | 35
FEATURE // Doughnuts The chef makes two types of kkwabaegi; one
with sugar and sesame seeds and another that's glazed in a rice syrup called ssal-jocheong. “I
mix it with some corn syrup at the same time
because if I only use rice syrup, it’s too sticky; I want it to be a little bit lighter,” says Lee.
Soul Deli have also created a deep-fried croquettestyle doughnut called goroke. “The croquette was introduced by the Portuguese and the French to
Japan and it became goroke,” says Lee. “They used
When it comes to the dough, Lee keeps it simple with flour, water, milk for kkwabaegi, sugar
and salt. The chef opts for plain, all-purpose flour with less gluten, but baker’s flour is
recommended for optimum results. In the end, the dough’s elasticity has got to be right. “It’s
quite a long process to make the dough,” says
Lee. “It has to be soft and have stretch because
you put a lot of stuffing inside. If it’s not stretchy enough, you can’t make the shape.”
Lee mixes the dough for at least 15 minutes
potato mash and covered it with panko crumbs.
to achieve a stretchy consistency before proving.
but we make it in a dumpling shape.”
degrees Celsius and it doubles in size,” he says.
Then it [came] to Korea and it has the same name, Lee has dabbled in two kinds of savoury
croquettes that cover traditional and
contemporary fillings. “I make the potato mash with cooked onions, carrots, corn and ham,”
he says. “We add curry powder because curry
gives extra flavour when people open it up. The
“I use my combi oven to steam the dough at 35 “I take 50g portions, leave them for 15 to 18
minutes, put the stuffing inside and prove them again at the same temperature. Then I deep
fry the doughnuts at 170 degrees Celsius until they’re the right colour.”
Korean doughnuts echo similarities of
second one we make with house-made kimchi
typical American-style options, but there are
a little bit of mashed potato and we fold it all
different at the same time,” says Lee. “[For
and pork mince. I add mozzarella cheese and together; it’s kind of like a spicy version with kimchi cheese.”
A sweet goroke sees soboro and white sweet
potato mash mixed with Australian honey. In this
key distinctions. “It’s similar, but it’s quite
regular doughnuts], it’s about the glaze and the toppings, but for Korean doughnuts, it’s what’s on the inside.”
instance, Lee trades out panko for a homemade
Sourdough
says. “I make a sandy kind of cookie dough and
Yu Orzone created a sourdough doughnut to
cookie crumble. “Its specialty is the crust,” he
At Comeco Foods in Sydney’s Newtown, Owner
then I stuff and deep fry the doughnut. It has
cater to customers with dietary requirements.
a nice crust on the outside with a supple sweet potato paste inside.” 36 | Hospitality
“The reason why we started developing
sourdough doughnuts was because our friend’s
“For Korean doughnuts, it’s what’s on the inside.” – Daero Lee
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FEATURE // Doughnuts
Demochi have made
Soul Deli
a durian doughnut
make a goroke
with Textbook
using house-made
Patisserie
kimchi
The mochi donut Comeco use
is called pon de
biodynamic
ring in Japan and is
brown rice
based off a Brazilian
from NSW
tapioca snack
son has a few allergies,” says Orzone. “He has gluten, dairy, egg, nut and
seed allergies, so I thought, ‘Let’s make something he can eat with everyone’.”
Rice flour is the key ingredient used
in Comeco’s gluten-free doughnuts,
with the team making the flour in-house
using an imported grinder from Japan. A combination of white and brown rice is
used. Organic brown rice is also the base
of the venue’s four-year-old starter. “If the starter is too young, the flavours are too strong,” says Orzone. “At this stage, the
starter is working in its best condition.”
The ‘sourdoughnuts’ are made differently
to your standard yeast option. Instead of
undergoing a proving process, the dough is fermented for 72 hours before it’s fried in
rice bran oil. “We use it because it has a high smoke point,” says Orzone. “We fry them
at 180 degrees Celsius until they’re golden
“The reason why we started developing sourdough doughnuts was because our friend’s son has a few allergies.” – Yu Orzone
brown and crispy on the outside.”
Creations that forgo dairy and gluten
have gained a bad rap in the past, but ingredient innovations have gone a
long way to ensuring chefs can produce end products that are inclusive to those with allergies or intolerances and taste just as good as the norm. “People are
surprised when they have our doughnuts because the texture is similar to normal fried doughnuts,” says Orzone. “We
have customers that don’t have any food
restrictions who enjoy the unique flavour of sourdough doughnuts.” ■ 38 | Hospitality
www.anchorfppromotion.com
FEATURE // Fish sandwiches
Reel nice Fish sandwiches are a dime a dozen in the US, but here, they’re a little more niche and a whole lot more hyped. WORDS Annabelle Cloros
THE FILET-O-FISH IS a polarising
Peasnell about what goes into creating fish
snapped up in no time. “It sold more than
it conjures a childhood memory of being
flavour profiles and why they will never go
with it (I’m never happy with anything); I
sandwich. For some (author included),
denied the supreme McDonald’s foodstuff — nuggets. Other are devotees. But most
sandwiches with fan clubs, accelerating full-time on their menus.
the kofta,” he says. “But I wasn’t so happy really wanted to make it a square because
otherwise it’s not really a Filet-o-Fish. So we
can agree itʼs an exercise in simplicity —
Jean-Paul El Tom is a lifelong fish sandwich
American cheese — and a blank canvas
his dad making his version of samke harra
of people hours. The entire kitchen team
harra translates to spicy fish and goes heavy
which quickly garnered a legion of buyers
soft bread, white fish, tangy tartar and that can be amplified or dialled down.
Fish sandwiches largely live under the
radar in Australia, but they have staple status in the US where variations are
found at cafés, diners, seafood-driven restaurants, bars and everything in
between. While a little harder to come by here (sans the Golden Arches), the fish
sandwich presents an opportunity for chefs to take the bones of a classic and create their own iteration.
Hospitality talks to Baba’s Place Director
of Flavour Jean-Paul El Tom and Nico’s
Sandwich Deli Co-Owner and Chef Tom 40 | Hospitality
fan. It was his favourite burger as a kid, with for the future director of flavour. Samke on the coriander. It can be served on a
plate or eaten in sandwich form, which has been the case at Baba’s Place in Sydney’s
Marrickville. “Samke harra varies slightly up and down the coast of Lebanon and Syria
started working on making it a square.”
The shapeshifting mission required a lot
was tasked with making the fish sandwich, when it launched in August. “It’s 35 hours
of us cutting and layering fish like lasagna
— it’s very arduous,” says El Tom. “It’s like
a two-day job to get it ready for the week.”
has a version, but I grew up on the Tripoli
Over in Melbourne, Nico’s rotate their fish
the memories lived through these dishes.”
covers three categories of fish sandwiches:
style,” says El Tom. “We’re trying to recreate El Tom’s version of a fish sandwich can be
viewed as a Filet-o-Fish meets samke harra. The tastemaker debuted the burger for a
fundraiser at Bush in Redfern where it was
sandwiches every couple of weeks. The deli melts, fried and grilled. “We do that because fish has a market price, so we see what we can do and mix it up,” says Tom Peasnell.
“We don’t put them on the menu in order
The chimichurri’s flavour profile sings
what’s at the market and is cheap essentially,
the high note in the burger, but it’s
is tough because no one wants to buy a
tartar. “It’s pretty much mayo, but it’s built
but still looking good. The sandwich game
sandwich over $20; a lot of people are used to things being a certain price.
“The other reason we rock them as
specials is because they’re not everyone’s
go-to in Australia. If we put a fish sandwich on the menu, it will sell equally with a
chicken schnitzel on the day it’s available, but if it was permanently on the menu, it would probably be half of the sales.”
While Nico’s has a market approach to
their fish sandwiches, recent examples include fried rockling with tartar salad
cream-drenched cos and American cheese
on country loaf; a blue swimmer, poached
mellowed out with the addition of a tahini into a tartar,” says El Tom.
American cheese and pickles are the
final ingredients inside the potato bun,
ensuring the burger sticks to the original influence’s straightforward composition:
it’s all about the fish. “It’s a thick piece of fish — you really taste it and that’s what
we’re showcasing: fresh, Aussie fish,” says El Tom. “Fish has been treated like, ‘Let’s
turn this into something that doesn’t look or taste like fish and people will like it’,
which is fish’s clout. But if you get good fish and treat it nicely, it’s super tasty.”
rockling and tofu sourdough melt with fior di
Nico’s fish sandwiches all require different
with rocket and lemon caper vinaigrette.
‘steadier’ cuts including rockling are
latte and a pan-fried swordfish Turkish panini The fish of choice largely depends on
FEATURE // Fish sandwiches
to keep the price where we need it. We see
techniques. For fried fish options,
“I really wanted to make it a square because otherwise it’s not really a Filet-o-Fish.” – Jean-Paul El Tom
the vessel (the bread). “If we’re doing a
sandwich on fresh bread, we look for a hard
fish like swordfish or rockling,” says Peasnell. “But if we’re doing a toasted option, we’re using soft, flaky fish like barramundi,
whiting or crab meat because toasted bread or a hard roll can wear the moisture and keep it in without turning into a mess.”
Pink ling is Baba’s fish du jour. “It’s a local, sustainable fish that’s underutilised,” says
El Tom. “It’s oily and has heaps of moisture; it’s a heavy fish, so it cops the heat. The square gets really cooked in the fryer.”
Baba’s brigade takes fresh fillets of pink
ling and slices them in a way that could be likened to how you cut sashimi. “We
cut long strips lengthways with the muscle
fibre,” says El Tom. The fish is then layered in line with a gratin “but with fish” before it heads into the freezer. “After you freeze
it, it’s shaped into a square and then frozen again. We crumb it the next day in panko and it’s fried in cottonseed oil.”
If hand-forming pink ling patties wasn’t
labour-intensive enough, the chimichurri element is the cherry on top. “One batch
of the chimi got us through half a day and
it was made from 14 bunches of coriander, eight bunches of parsley and eschallots,” says El Tom. “It’s hard because you have
to pull heaps of moisture out of the herbs. Everything about it is intense.”
November 2021 | 41
FEATURE // Fish sandwiches
coated in a gluten-free soda water/honey/vodka batter with
potato starch, tapioca or rice flour. Or, they’re given the egg wash and panko treatment for a schnitzel-esque product. “There are certain fish that work really well for frying because they hold themselves in for a nice-looking sandwich, so swordfish and rockling are the ones we tend to use,” says Peasnell.
The fish is fried to order in a blend of sunflower and canola oils
selected for their high smoke point. “We can hold the fryer really
high around 200 degrees Celsius and the oil won’t turn,” says the chef. “You want a crisp exterior while not drying out the fish, so
we fry for around two and a half minutes and let the residual heat of the batter finish cooking it.”
To create the blue swimmer crab melt, the meat is combined
with rockling and silken tofu to set the proteins. The combination
lends itself to a toasted application, with the kitchen slathering the bread with the bones of the sandwich (fish, butter, cheese) before refrigerating. “We put the same butter on every sandwich which
is a koji chimichurri through a house-made butter,” says Peasnell.
“It’s there for brightness and to protect the bread, so when we add a fat element, none of the moisture gets soaked into it.”
“There are certain fish that work really well for frying because they hold themselves in for a nice-looking sandwich.” – Tom Peasnell
Once the melt has been set overnight, it’s toasted from cold
before fresh ingredients like salads are added in. “You just warm
it through the middle so it gets that gooeyness, but it’s not spilling out everywhere or is too soft,” says Peasnell.
A grilled option is a more straightforward affair, with the fish
going straight into bread from the grill before it’s topped with salad. Fish sandwiches have been a smash hit at Baba’s Place, with some customers choosing to leave empty-handed when they realised it
was sold out for the day. It was nice while it lasted, but the kitchen made the call to take it off the menu. “It was occupying too much time; we weren’t able to test and develop other dishes,” says El
Tom. “We had so much time to do other stuff when we took it off. But I think it will come back at some point.”
Nico’s will continue to offer a fish sandwich every couple of
weeks, with the warmer weather bringing in buyers who just
might swap a schnitty for an option that won’t be sticking around. “People know they can only get it for a short time,” says Peasnell. “So they will order it and it makes it a bit special.” And who doesn’t love that special feeling? ■ 42 | Hospitality
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FEATURE // Education and training
Staying in the
loop Hospitality professionals share their go-to resources for inspiration and expanding their skill sets during ups and downs. EDITED BY Aristine Dobson
Analiese Gregory, chef and writer What resources have you relied on in the past year?
THE INDUSTRY HAS pivoted, pirouetted and
I’ve found some of the hospitality-based podcasts truly helpful, especially
last 19 or so months has thrown at it. There’s no
different cities helps with feeling [like] you’re not alone in this and showcases
adapted to the ever-changing circumstances the
doubt it’s been tough, but hospitality professionals are creative people who haven’t let any obstacles
Anthony Huckstep’s Deep in the Weeds. Hearing other people’s stories from
different perspectives, pivots and coping mechanisms.
stop them from propelling ahead.
Have you invested in any resources to further your skills recently?
they have navigated recent times with the help of
licence, expanded my charcuterie and cheese-making and done mushroom-
Here, Hospitality talks to six figures about how
everything from books and podcasts to websites, apps, public forums and community support.
This has definitely been the year of upskilling! I’ve gotten a boat and firearms growing courses. I’ve also purchased more technical equipment for home such as meat slicers, cheese moulds, ice-cream machines, mincers and sausage stuffers to further my little projects.
How have you been finding inspiration lately?
“Hearing other people’s stories from different cities helps with feeling [like] you’re not alone in this and showcases different perspectives, pivots and coping mechanisms.” – Analiese Gregory 44 | Hospitality
Social media can be a good tool, seeing dishes from all over the world and then making them. I generally try to isolate an in-season ingredient I want to work with or a skill I want to hone, do as much reading as I can on the subject and then just go for it.
What are some new skills you want to tackle in the New Year? I’m keen to learn wooden spoon carving, how to distil spirits, brew beer,
weave kelp baskets and generally just improve on a lot of other things such as beekeeping and gardening.
How have you been keeping in the loop? I’ve tried to keep myself from going stir crazy by visiting producers and going to farmers markets to find new products or ingredients. One of the activities that has kept me sane has been a weekly dinner with three close friends where we test out recipes, trial new products, taste new wines and then discuss them.
FEATURE // Education and training
Louella Mathews, Bibo Wine Bar What resources have you relied on in the past year? Number one is GuildSomm; it’s a great
reference guide to appellation laws, iconic producer portfolios and changes to the
wine industry. Sommeliers Australia hosted some fantastic online events including the
Discover Varietal series. It keeps the palate up to date, encourages benchmarking,
tasting the difference in regions and how
they influence grape varietal characteristics.
What are some skills you’re looking to work on? I have been looking into graphic, brand and
Kristian Klein, Mr Miyagi
that being a head sommelier or a beverage
How has the team been getting through the past months?
many facets to this job. It’s why I find it so
accounts department has been such an important resource to be constantly running
website design. I think sommeliers think director is the end goal, but there are so
We have worked so well as a team to come up with ideas to help us survive. Our
interesting and challenging.
through different cost scenarios to work out what is viable.
What resources do you use to stay inspired and productive?
How did you spend time in lockdown?
I love Instagram. I have my own personal
work in new areas of the business.
account which I use to post information
We used the time to upskill team members; it’s been a great opportunity for them to
on wines I’ve been drinking, regions I’ve
Have you picked up any new skills this year?
about life in lockdown or sommelier life. I
time making sure every single thing is perfect. Now we can concept a new menu,
been studying or just a funny reel or two
Pre-pandemic, we would take weeks to implement changes and spend so much
think it’s a great tool to connect with other
have it costed, tested, photographed and online in 24 hours. The end product
sommeliers as well as suppliers, winemakers and customers.
Have you invested in any resources to further your skills? I’ve been purchasing more wine apps to help me study like Somm Ninja, Wine
is still just as good; we just cut out the fluff in
the middle. This change is going to help us stay
nimble moving forward.
Maps and True Wine. I am also studying for the Court of Master Sommeliers
How did you maintain links with staff and your customers?
Advanced for March 2022 and looking at the Association de la Sommellerie
It was important to us to
International Diploma, too.
keep up our regular weekly management meetings so
Have you been buying new wines? Buying has been a bit slow, but the industry as a whole has been so supportive by
sending out different tasting packs to
keep us entertained during lockdowns.
The wines I am really excited about at the
moment are coming from a new generation of winemakers in New South Wales.
we could stay across how
everything was going. We
would post regular updates in our rostering system to
keep all of our team across decisions being made. For our customers, we relied
heavily on social media and our website.
November 2021 | 45
FEATURE // Education and training
Claire Van Vuuren, Bloodwood What did you get up to during lockdown? Does perfecting a martini count? At work, we have ourselves
busy by making sure we changed the menu weekly at Bloodwood and stayed in close contact with suppliers who had their own challenges every week.
Have you picked up any new skills? I had never run a takeaway business before! During the first
lockdown, it was a steep learning curve. This time around, we
refined our systems and menus and really honed how to provide a
‘Bloodwood at home’ experience. Hoping not to have to use this skill
again, but it was amazing to see how quickly every business adapted.
How have you stayed productive and inspired? Podcasts are an amazing way to feel inspired and focused and
are a great way to distract yourself and destress. There have been some excellent podcasts released and I particularly love what
Anthony Huckstep produces and how he connects the industry.
What resources have you relied on recently?
Topher Boehm, Wildflower Have you invested in any classes to further your skills? I have taken multiple online courses in koji making from the
Trying to navigate state and federal websites for information about COVID relief, rules and restrictions is tough. My best resource
has been the community of restaurant owners around me. We
communicate regularly and make sure no one has missed anything.
fantastic Malica Ferments. I really love the process of making
Have you invested in any resources to further your skills?
soaking up any drip of knowledge.
doing and set new goals and business plans. My lockdown project
koji and I’m basically a fermentation junkie, so I always love
What resources have kept you going this past year? Fellow producers. I have leaned on peers in my industry;
We used the long pause in our usual trading to refine what we are was building a meat curing box with my dad, so expect some Bloodwood menu additions.
swapping ideas, sharing our experiences and collecting motivation from them. [This also includes] chefs and
hospitality operators in Sydney and Melbourne, winemakers
scattered across Australia and brewery owners back in the US.
Are there any new skills you’re looking to tackle soon? Next year, I am hoping to pick up the skill of truly relaxing.
Lockdown has been exceptionally busy for me at home and at
work. I really need to work on switching off and letting go again.
What keeps you inspired and productive? I would probably cite my family as a source of inspiration. Our
kids have become so resilient and give me the energy and desire to come back to work and achieve what I know I’m capable of.
How have you kept your customer base up to date with brewery news? Always social media. I use Instagram to convey how I am
feeling and [post] about our new releases. Ours is probably a
funny account to follow, it’s part-brand focused with a healthy chunk of input from my personal life.
46 | Hospitality
“Podcasts are an amazing way to feel inspired and focused and are a great way to distract yourself and destress.” – Claire Van Vuuren
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FEATURE // Education and training
Julian Cincotta, Butter Have you invested in any resources to further your skills recently? Books! I have been on Booktopia so much they
should sponsor me. I have never been very good with learning in a traditional course environment. I like to see what someone else has created in a book or on a
show and then try to make it myself in my own way.
What resources do you use to stay inspired and productive? My business partner Manoli pushes me to no end; every day he has a new idea for something he has dreamed up, which can be both exhausting and
invigorating! We are definitely going through one of the invigorating periods right now.
Have you picked up any new skills recently? I have been baking a lot from sourdoughs to cakes
and everything in between. It was a nice way to stay connected to my neighbours during lockdown —
who doesn’t love getting a cake delivery from their chef neighbour?
What resources have you relied on in the past year? The rules were changing so often with very little
advance or notice. We got our information from a
range of places to help work out our responsibilities
such as nsw.gov.au, Restaurant and Catering Industry Association, industry talks and forums from Deputy and other websites such as Good Food and Hospo magazine of course.
Have you been experimenting with any new recipes? I have found both lockdowns to be very creative
experiences. Both with left-of-field ideas that have been
bouncing around in my mind to some more mainstream ones we have been able to release at Butter. ■
48 | Hospitality
“I have found both lockdowns to be very creative experiences.” – Julian Cincotta
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EQUIPMENT // Pour-over kettle
Pour-over kettle A critical tool for mastering pour-over coffee.
Look for models made from
Clean exterior with a damp
rust-free materials such as
cloth and use a cleaning
high-quality stainless steel
solution to prevent lime scale build up inside
Handle designed Allows baristas to
for comfort and full
control water flow
grip to slowly and evenly pour water
Design of the neck
in a circular motion
regulates speed and prevents over pouring
Some models have built-in
Plug into the wall
thermometers
to power or heat on stovetop Ideal capacity between 500ml and 1L
50 | Hospitality
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BEHIND THE SCENES // The Gresham Bar
The Gresham Bar’s
Caribbean Terroirs The rum-based drink is a take on a Tiki classic.
BARTENDER DANIEL GREGORY from The Gresham Bar in Brisbane has created the Caribbean Terroirs based on the iconic Pearl Diver cocktail. The Gresham is known for its collection of high-quality spirits, which are showcased in the drink’s unique four-rum base. Gregory begins by pouring four rums from different parts of the Caribbean into a metal milkshake-esque vessel before moving on to the Gardenia mix. “It dates back to the 1920s when the Tiki era became fashionable,” says the bartender. “You whisk butter then add honey; it’s similar to making a cake where you get a fluffy, pale white batter.” A combination of vanilla, nutmeg, cinnamon and all spice are included in the mixture along with a splash of Pedro Ximénez sherry. A stick blender is then used to combine all the ingredients, which results in the separation of the whey from the fat in the butter. The mixture is strained into a tall glass with crushed ice and the drink is stirred. Gregory garnishes with a wedge of pineapple, citrus, mint and a sprinkle of nutmeg, making it the go-to session-able cocktail. ■
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5 MINUTES WITH ... // Anna Ugarte-Carral
Anna UgarteCarral
The award-winning chef on working in fine dining and stepping into the lead role at The Old Fitzroy Hotel.
THE THING I learned working in highlevel restaurants is how to be very
rigorous and maintain high standards
under pressure. Particularly at Momofuku
Seiobo where I spent the most time; it was probably the ‘fanciest’ place I worked at.
There was a lot of pressure to make sure
everything was perfect but also making it
manageable because it’s really easy to get whipped up into a stress frenzy.
[Winning the Josephine Pignolet Young
Chef Award] is the highlight of my career.
It was something I had been subconsciously
Any recognition that you’re doing a good job in a competitive industry really pushes you forward; it gives you a lot of motivation and comfort.
working towards because I started cooking
around for suggestions. My name was
I needed some validation. Any recognition
thought I wouldn’t be interested, but we
later than a lot of other people and I felt like that you’re doing a good job in a competitive industry really pushes you forward; it gives you a lot of motivation and comfort.
A good friend of mine’s parents were
friends with the new owners of the pub [The Old Fitz] and they were looking 54 | Hospitality
uncertainty happening in the world. It was
a great opportunity, and it was a big step for me because I had been a sous chef before, but not in charge of running a restaurant. We have a very small team and we’re
really close, especially me and my sous chef; we have to be because we are open seven
days a week. I can’t work seven days a week, no one can work seven days a week, so we
all have to be on exactly the same page. I’ve
worked hard on implementing systems so we can still execute things the same no matter who is in the kitchen.
You have to work collaboratively because
put on the table, and I think Odd Culture
otherwise the product is different. It also
ended up having a meeting anyway. I was
value and they feel like they’re really
supposed to go overseas for work last year
and then couldn’t because of the pandemic. But talking about the work here, and also the fact that I love this venue anyway, I
had to go for it because there was so much
gives your staff a sense of ownership and contributing as opposed to just executing what someone else says. They can see their ideas on the menu; they can test
something and present it to me and that’s so validating. ■
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