NO.767 OCTOBER 2020
LENNOX HASTIE ON CHEF’S TABLE • HYBRID VENUES • JAPANESE MIXOLOGY
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CONTENTS // October
Contents OCTOBER 2020
16
Regulars 6 // IN FOCUS How a regional kitchen made the most of at-home dining. 10 // NEWS The latest openings, books, products and more. 12 // PRODUCE All about Kakadu plum. 14 // BEST PRACTICE It’s still possible to boost profits this Christmas. 16 // COLUMN An excerpt from Aaron Turner’s latest book The Hot Chicken Project.
4 | Hospitality
26
20 // DRINKS The art of Japanese mixology explained. 26 // PROFILE Alanna Sapwell on learning, teaching and creating an inclusive workplace. 58 // BEHIND THE SCENES Boque by Tapavino’s razor clam omelette. 60 // EQUIPMENT Check staff and guest temperatures with a digital thermometer. 62 // 5 MINUTES WITH … Free to Feed’s Loretta Bolotin.
34
Features 34 // CHEF’S TABLE: BBQ Firedoor’s Lennox Hastie takes us behind the scenes of Netflix’s hit show. 40 // REGIONAL VENUES First bushfires, then COVID — how regional kitchens are getting by. 46 // SPIN-OFFS Operators are launching hybrid venues that are as evergreen as they come. 50 // ITALIAN DESSERTS There’s more to authentic gelato than meets the eye.
EDITOR’S NOTE // Hello
Social
Keep up with the Hospitality team
UPSCALE DINING Three Williams has snagged finedining chef Fabian Mucke, who has curated a new menu. Our pick is the soft shell crab roll with slaw. @hospitalitymagazine
Home soil
RAMP IT UP The addition of beetroot hummus takes avocado toast to the next level. This one is from Cucinetta. @annabellecloros
WHEN I THINK of memorable dishes, the
shift, which calls for gelato. But the process
some of the world’s finest ingredients, and I
is far more gruelling than you may think.
feel dishes rarely miss the mark when chefs
Alessandro Pavoni and Sandra Foti talk
choose to hero, not conceal, the produce
about why they refuse to cut corners when
they’re working with. The notion is a common
it comes to the Italian dessert.
theme woven throughout this issue.
TARTED UP Marble BBQ's ankimo tart is a textural flavour bomb. @madeline.woolway
The warmer weather signals a seasonal
simplest often come to mind. Australia grows
This issue, we also look at how regional
Firedoor’s Lennox Hastie shares the story
venues are weathering numerous
behind his episode in Netflix’s latest iteration
challenges, explore a new style of
of Chef’s Table. The barbecue-centric season
venue that’s opening up and profile
has given the chef an opportunity to turn the
Alanna Sapwell.
word barbecue on its head, but his proclivity
I hope you enjoy this issue.
to share the spotlight with producers is an important lesson to everyone who works
Annabelle Cloros
in the industry — without growers, there
Editor
simply wouldn’t be one.
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 GRAPHIC DESIGNER Ryan Vizcarra ryanv@intermedia.com.au PRODUCTION MANAGER Jacqui Cooper jacqui@intermedia.com.au
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October 2020 | 5
IN FOCUS // Rare Hare At Home
Regional matters When one of Victoria’s premier hotels had to close its doors, resident restaurant Rare Hare decided to push on. WORDS Annabelle Cloros JACKALOPE HOTEL IS a destination
The At Home program has seen the
per person and included everything from
in its own right. The location is situated
culinary team create revolving menus
potato bread and truffle mac and cheese
on a vineyard in Victoria’s Mornington
each week for pick up or delivery. Rare
to 12-hour braised beef cheek plus add-
Peninsula and is known for its high-end
Hare sold over 500 meals for their Father’s
ons (salumi, olives, desserts, etc). The
accommodation and equally on-par food
Day offering which was priced at $45
venue’s signature wood-fired choc-chip
offering. But it’s been a sticky year for operators, especially those in Victoria. Jackalope Hotel closed in response to COVID-19 restrictions, but one of its restaurants, Rare Hare, jumped at the chance to curate a takeaway and delivery offering. Executive Chef Guy Stanaway is one of the brains behind Rare Hare At Home; a triple-threat program that allowed the restaurant to continue working with producers, employing staff and feeding diners. “Rare Hare at Home was something we gave serious consideration to during Victoria’s first lockdown,” says Stanaway. “When we entered lockdown 2.0 and Jackalope had to close again, we knew it was the time to try something new as a way of staying connected.” 6 | Hospitality
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IN FOCUS // Rare Hare At Home cookie has been one of the hottest tickets, with the kitchen team “literally [making] thousands of them”, says Stanaway. The uptake has been humbling, with regulars continuing to support the restaurant. “Both Jackalope and Rare Hare have incredibly loyal customers, people who under normal
“Creating restaurant moments in people’s homes and helping them celebrate is really rewarding.” – Guy Stanaway
circumstances would enjoy time with us monthly and in many cases weekly,” says Stanaway. “[We’re] amazed at how many regulars ordered it every single week.
Rare Hare At Home has been making
accelerated turnaround from conception
Creating restaurant moments in people’s
strides since its inception, but the whole
to execution.”
homes and helping them celebrate is
process has been a little strange for chefs
really rewarding.”
used to plating up on ceramics, not in
able to eyeball customer reactions to their
takeaway boxes. Working out which dishes
meals, but social media has provided an
from visiting the location in person,
are takeaway-and delivery-appropriate
alternate view. “I find it really interesting
word has spread fast about the venue’s
is another hurdle, but one Stanaway has
to observe customer interpretations of
takeaway offering. “Increasingly, we’re
relished. “I have had a few late nights in
each dish on social media; specifically the
making multiple deliveries on the same
the kitchen working out how we are going
plating and presentation,” says Stanaway.
streets, and with both Peninsula- and
to make these dishes suitable for travel
“This situation has certainly opened a new
Melbourne-wide delivery available, we’re
without compromising the flavour,” he says.
avenue of interaction with Melbourne’s
accessible to customers who might not
“With six new menu items each week, it’s
diners, and I’m glad that despite being a
normally road trip down our way,” says
certainly a test, but I’m enjoying this new
regional restaurant, we are able to be part
the chef.
way of thinking and the challenge of an
of it.” ■
While travellers have been prevented
8 | Hospitality
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NEWS // Entrée
Entrée
The latest openings, books, events and more. EDITED BY Annabelle Cloros
Koko Black launches Australian Classics Collection Artisan chocolatier Koko Black has curated a new collection inspired by some of Australia’s most-loved flavour combinations. The new line includes bars, packets and slabs and covers flavours including Honey Joys, Koko Crackles, Lamington Slice, Jam Wagons, Koko Vovo and Gaytime Goldies. “Every single person has memories they can look back to as the ‘good old days’ where milk bars were on every corner and summers were filled with memories … ” says Head Chocolatier Remco Brigou. The collection is available online and in-store for a limited time. kokoblack.com
Underground Spirits gin celebrates Floriade Ibby Moubadder, Paul Farag and Jorge Farah
Paul Farag joins Nour
Canberra distillery Underground Spirits has created a limited gin inspired by spring celebration, Floriade. The pink gin is crafted from raspberries and
Former Fish Butchery chef Paul Farag has joined Sydney’s Nour
finger limes alongside the brand’s core
restaurant as executive chef. Farag is currently working on a new
botanicals. Tasting notes describe the
menu, which will go live in 2021, and says he’s happy to be back
gin as having a lush aroma of raspberry,
in the restaurant game. “The group has presented a chance for
a zesty character and a subtle sweet
me to get back into real kitchens and let my creativity run wild
floral finish. The gin sits at 40 per cent
flaunting with different mediums,” Farag tells Hospitality. “Nour
ABV for 700ml. Available for a limited
now gives me the opportunity to cook Middle Eastern food, which
time from selected retailers for $95.
I steered away from for some time for the avoidance of being
undergroundspirits.com.au
typecast. I believe there is so much more to do with the group and I’m so excited for the coming months.” noursydney.com
Naga opens in Brisbane Andrew and Jaimee Baturo are set to launch their latest Brisbane venue in early October. Four years in the making, modern Thai restaurant and bar, Naga, will open in the Eagle Street Pier precinct. The venue will plate up Thai dishes featuring Australian produce such as Moreton Bay bug pad Thai, Seafood dumpling green curry and Thai street food including grilled pork neck salad and massaman beef milk buns. The drinks list covers fresh and fruity drinks, a concise and accessible wine list and house specials such as lychee wine, Naga Laga and the signature Nagaroni. Naga will operate Tuesday to Sunday for lunch and dinner.
Sydney Opera House venues return The Sydney Opera House has announced Opera Bar and Opera Kitchen are back in business. The venues have been closed since March, and are now welcoming back patrons according to COVID guidelines. Solotel’s Opera Bar has debuted a pop-up Japanese temaki and sake bar and there’s a heavy focus on Australian seafood and producers. “We’ve made some big changes including putting local producers front and centre across our menus along with making it easier to get a table,” says Chef and Owner Matt Moran. sydneyoperahouse.com Photography by Steven Woodburn 10 | Hospitality
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PRODUCE // Kakadu plum
Trees can grow
Production is estimated
up to 10m high
to average 15—17 tonnes per annum
Found in open woodland
Fruit is harvested by hand
Has a sour and astringent flavour profile
Needs to be frozen within 24
Has the highest level
hours of harvest
of natural vitamin C of any plant
Kakadu plum Kakadu plum has been an important bush food for people in northern Australia for millennia.
Origins
1990s. Most production is from wild harvest,
Flavour profile and appearance
Kakadu plum is known by the scientific
but there are some small orchards. Wild
The plums are olive green in colour and ovoid
name Terminalia ferdinandiana, but is
harvest requires government permits and
in shape. The flesh of the fruit is fibrous with
also known as gubinge, bush plum and
availability varies due to weather conditions
a wooden stone. The flavour profile has
salty plum. The fruit is considered a gift
such as bushfires, drought and cyclones.
been likened to stewed apple and pear with
of the Dreamtime by Aboriginal culture
The fruit is generally harvested by hand and
cooked citrus, floral musk and pickled notes.
and is found in open woodland across the
the Kimberley Training Institute has provided
The fruit has a tart and bitter taste with
Kimberley region of Western Australia, the
training on cultivation with the involvement
some astringency.
Northern Territory and Queensland.
of Aboriginal communities. “Enrichment planting” has also been
Preparation and culinary applications
consumed raw, with the sap roasted and
carried out recently, with trees planted in
Due to its sour taste, Kakadu plum is generally
bark boiled to use for medical purposes.
bush areas with minimal clearing, ultimately
used in jams, sauces and juices, although it can
The fruit and seed are traditionally both
reducing the impact on biodiversity and soil.
also be eaten raw. Due to increasing demand,
Growth and harvest
It takes less than five years for trees to bear
it is also available in fresh, powdered or frozen
While the plum has been an important food
fruit, with the trees growing between 4 and
pureé form and is used in health products. ■
source for millennia, commercial harvest
10 metres high. Kakadu plum grows best in
of the fruit did not commence until the late
hot and coastal environments.
12 | Hospitality
Information courtesy of the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation.
the vegetarian cream, great for whipping
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
BEST PRACTICE // Christmas trading
How to create a more profitable Christmas It’s been a difficult year, but the festive season still holds the promise of profits. WORDS Ken Burgin THIS YEAR, PEOPLE will still
• 40 per cent of purchasers have
• Promote gift vouchers so
world, with many upgrading
want to celebrate Christmas, but
not eaten at the restaurants
recipients can make their own
ordering systems. Take it further
they’ve become used to hosting
they order from — use the
choice — the money still comes
with new menus and a better
events at home. Work out how
opportunity to turn them
to you, and they’re likely to
website experience. Menu
to help them and you will scoop
into diners when normal
spend even more.
‘modifiers’ and add-on items
up opportunities.
trading resumes.
• Catering can be disruptive —
can make a big difference to the
Magenta Burgin, head
• Test and modify — if dishes don’t
how will you pack and store
of marketing and brand for
work, try something different. It’s
200 boxes to go out in the
Melbourne online restaurant
not comparable to the twice-
week of Christmas? It’s a good
off-peak times: these could be
portal Providoor, shares what
yearly menu change and needs
problem to solve, but plan well
Sunday to Wednesday or late
they’re planning for Christmas
to be much more dynamic.
in advance.
November. Add extras such as
deliveries. The portal features
•D esign packages for corporate
value of each sale. Create special deals for
party favours, wine or canapés as a bonus rather than discounting.
to send Christmas packs to
Tips to ensure great Christmas sales
boxes and the service has been
50 staff or canapé boxes
Track down previous bookings.
as Christmas gifts. T-shirts,
an immediate success. For most
for everyone to enjoy with a
2020 needs a more aggressive
caps, jams and gift vouchers
of the restaurants, delivery is
Zoom party.
approach — if you haven’t heard
can be easy add-ons with food
from customers, give them a call
orders and solve the perennial
more than 30 upscale restaurants
gifting — the boss who wants
selling dinner and celebration
new, and Providoor has shown
• Special touches make an
Promote your merchandise
them a new and profitable niche.
impact — add a candle, a link
or send an email. If you don’t
problem of what to give friends
Father’s Day was a test run for
to your Spotify playlist, branded
have someone on staff who is
and family.
Christmas, and there are other
napkins, chopsticks, a special
confident on the phone, ask a
celebrations in between such as
platter or Christmas crackers.
wine rep to help — they know
stop posting on Instagram and
spring racing and grand finals.
Whatever you choose, go way
how to do this.
Facebook; post twice a day
beyond the Aussie takeaway
Magenta’s recommendations
bag with leaky boxes.
The pandemic has dragged most operators into the digital
media several times a week, but the best results flow to
using new images or photos from last year’s festivities with a message overlay. Avoid stock
• Work your list hard — Providoor pushes out email and social
Prepare 60 photos for non-
photo cliches. The standard
Menu ‘modifiers’ and add-on items can make a big difference to the value of each sale.
of food photography has risen dramatically — you can still do it with your phone, but it
businesses that communicate
needs much more care and
regularly to their database.
better lighting. ■
14 | Hospitality
#TakeawayTuesday is a fantastic industry initiative created to help the hospitality industry supplement their reduced dine-in business and grow demand for takeaway and delivery. Evolving #EatAloneTogether into the #TakeawayTuesday movement, we’re encouraging all Australians to place an order every Tuesday in support of local restaurants and casual dining. Saputo Foodservice is proud to support this joint industry Initiative and help make a difference. For more information visit takeawaytuesday.com.au
COLUMN // The Hot Chicken Project
16 | Hospitality
An excerpt from chef Aaron Turner’s book The Hot Chicken Project. WORDS Aaron Turner PHOTOGRAPHY Julian Kingma
I’VE ALWAYS LOVED the booths
me, well, right after the wing,
here — high-backed church
of course. I’ll get it hot — no
pews, discoloured white and
one needs to be dealing with
worn from years of use, torn vinyl
that triple-X burn first thing.
tablecloths, stained with years of
It’s been a while since I’ve been
chicken grease. I never feel more
here and this is our first stop,
at home than I do in places like
so I’m dipping my toe in. I know
this. They just feel good — words
what Thornton’s chicken can do
fail to do them justice. They seem
to a man — I’ve got the nervous
wholesome and real. The room is
sweats just thinking about it.
filled with families gathering for
I’ll also get a breast quarter
an early dinner, the kids tearing
— the white meat with wing
and chewing on wings, forgoing
attached. And a ranch and blue
the plastic cutlery and preferring
cheese. I’ll take that piece plain,
to eat with their hands (as
so I can taste all the spices that
one should). Digging into slaw
go into the flour mix before the
and beans.
whole thing gets drenched in
Couples sit smiling, quietly
those glorious fatty spices.
discussing what to order and
My mouth is watering already.
what to share. Folks on their
“Sides, Sir?”
way home wait patiently for
I’ll get fries, of course —
their favourite cuts to cook and
those who know me know it’s
get the Prince’s treatment to
impossible for me to say no to
go, happy to wait as long as it
fries — and let me get a potato
takes. They are all here for that
salad. And baked beans. And
perfect piece of fried chicken —
a cup of pickles. Oh, and an
that brown paper bag filled with
unsweetened tea should do it.
salvation after a long day. F**k the million-dollar fit-
It’s been a while now since I fell in love with
outs. No money can create
this chicken, bathed and baptised in spices
places like this. And you can’t
and fats, a dish that changed my course as
replicate the feeling you get
both a cook and a person.
from eating in places like this. This place — Prince’s
Wait, it’s Wednesday, I know it’s one of only three days that you serve wings, so let me get a double serve. “How hot, Sir?” F**k it, I know I’ll regret it but let’s go XXXHot.
Hot Chicken Shack — has
First his brother Will ran the
dish that changed my course as
been a part of Nashville
show until it was time to pass
both a cook and a person.
again, watching the happy
for generations. The family
it on to his son, Bruce, whose
That’s the power it has,
faces eating and laughing,
Prince has been nourishing a
wife, Maude, took over after he
community for longer than most
passed away — she steered the
of the restaurants that now
ship until it was time for their
I remember my order from the
mess on the green checker-
fill the neighbourhoods and
daughter, André, Thornton’s
last time I was here. It’s been
topped tables. Makes me think
growing city skyline.
great-niece, to take the reins.
a few years now but, walking
it must have been something
This place has been passed
this chicken.
It feels so good being here
hands stained red, sharing plates of food and making a
André, the reigning queen of
through these doors, it feels just
else when Thornton first opened
down through the family:
Nashville Hot Chicken. It’s been
like yesterday.
Prince’s in that shack downtown,
generation after generation
a while now since I fell in love
gatekeepers of the family secret
with this chicken, bathed and
meat, leg and thigh, the best
music, the Ryman Auditorium,
after Thornton, the founder.
baptised in spices and fats, a
cut from the chicken if you ask
home of the Grand Ole Opry.
Give me two pieces of dark
by the mother church of country
October 2020 | 17
COLUMN // The Hot Chicken Project
Prince’s Hot Chicken
COLUMN // The Hot Chicken Project
Thornton and his brothers slingin’ their chicken for the Nashville community. I’m gonna tackle this dark meat now. It’s been sitting here a good twenty minutes, yet when I stick it, steam still comes out — meaning it’s still hot. That’s a sure indication of a cook who knows what he’s doing out back with the skillets and fryers, getting that perfect crust and seal of flour around the meat, locking the heat in tight. I’ll tell you true: this chicken is straight-up hot and not to be trifled with. If I didn’t know better, I’d swear it was blistering my lips. My eyes are looking a little bloodshot and my face is starting to get a little sweaty. Now I’m panting like a rabid dog, desperate to cool my mouth. The water and iced tea offer no relief, the pickles useless in calming the burn. Maybe I should have eased in? But now I’ve started, I’m hooked, and no matter the damage being done — no matter the moments of regret I’ll have at 2 am when my stomach is cramped and churning — I won’t stop. I can’t stop. It’s just that damned good. And it’s not all fire and brimstone here. There’s good cooking at play too. The chicken is nurtured from start to finish and I’ve never had a bad joint here. It’s always spot-on, no matter the time it takes to do it. Prince’s is a church of fried chicken sandwiched between a nail salon and a discount smokes store. A strip mall community of drug dealers and pimps, musicians and workadays line the kerb, all coming together for a sermon at Prince’s, with Thornton’s great-niece André, the queen, holding preachment over the hot chicken addicts, first-timers and regulars. The chicken holds a power all of its own here at Prince’s — its spiritual home. ■ The Hot Chicken Project by Aaron Turner is published by Hardie Grant Books. 18 | Hospitality
Thornton's great-neice André Prince
DRINKS // Japanese mixology
The art of omotenashi In Japanese mixology, omotenashi brings new meaning to bartending.
art form driven by ethos as much as it is
by ingredients and technique. The ethos is
called omotenashi, which translates loosely to hospitality.
Fumiaki Michishita, head bartender at Kuro Bar & Dining in Sydney, explains the concept of omotenashi like this:
“After serving the cocktail, no matter how busy I am, it’s important to observe the customer’s facial expression, especially after they take the first sip. Then we
think of the next cocktail based on the
WORDS Madeline Woolway
customer’s reaction.”
Bartenders will change their style
IT WAS 1860 when the first bar in Japan
it paved the way for many others. Then,
city of Yokohama, it served beer, wine
earthquake destroyed much of the
opened its doors. Situated in the port and straight spirits to foreigners who
had begun to arrive when the country
ended its isolationist foreign policy and opened its borders to trade. Decades
later, the Grand Hotel bar was followed by venues that catered to locals. When
Cafe Pronto opened in the city in 1911, 20 | Hospitality
in September 1923, the Great Kanto
commercial hub, including its night spots,
leading to an exodus of bartenders looking
according to how guests feel, also asking questions to discover what they like to drink in addition to eying expressions,
before making minor alterations to suit different preferences.
The style of mixology itself is as
for work. They took their skills to other
important as this rapport with guests.
the country.
it’s about subtracting,” says Michishita.
locations, resulting in bars opening across In the almost hundred years since,
Japanese bartending has evolved into an
“Japanese mixology is not about adding, “So, we like to get rid of things that are not needed to make it simple and [to create]
DRINKS // Japanese mixology
a divine taste. [It is about] diminishing waste [created] through unnecessary
movement, too many garnishes and so on.” In recent years, ice has risen in status
throughout the global bartending world. It’s now widely considered as important
as ingredients such as spirits and bitters.
Japanese bartenders are largely to thank for the evolution. “We think about how much ice will melt into the mix and
dilute the drink,” says Michishita. “It’s all calculated. For example, when stirring, we think about how much ice to put in
the mixing glass and how many times to stir it.”
One of Kuro’s signature cocktails, the
Green Hour, features ice carved into the
shape of an apple. The Green Hour, which combines G’vine, absinthe, dry vermouth, Granny Smith, dill, Champagne cordial
and egg white, perfectly encompasses the
spirit of omotenashi by visually honouring ice while minimising garnishes.
While Michishita has had to adapt his
style a touch to suit the Australian market,
“Japanese mixology is not about adding, it’s about subtracting.” — Fumiaki Michishita
Lava Flow of Mt Fuji
October 2020 | 21
DRINKS // Japanese mixology
omotenashi is on full display at Kuro, from the style of mixology to the venue’s dedication to reducing waste.
Before arriving in Sydney, Michishita preferred
working with harder spirits such as absinthe
and amaro to mix bold drinks with distinctive flavours. At Kuro, the drinks have noticeably prominent flavours. The adaption is not just due to drinker preferences, though, it was necessitated by the style of the venue.
“As we are ‘bar and dining’, I have made
cocktails that go well with the food and aren’t
too strong,” says Michishita, adding it’s important to ensure guests can enjoy cocktails throughout the meal, rather than just at the start.
Michishita landed in Sydney with 50 different
cocktail ideas. Upon seeing Kuro, meeting
the chefs and researching the local industry,
Michishita cut the list down to 16 separated into
four categories: refreshing, sour, bitter and fruity. Waitstaff then use the categories to guide guests through the meal.
Some are riffs on classics, like the Bamboo
Tonic, which twists the Bamboo cocktail said to have been invented by Louis Eppinger of Yokohama’s Grand Hotel. Michishita’s
take pushes the drink into aperitif territory,
reinterpreting it in a gin and tonic style which features dry sherry, dry vermouth, charcoal powder, tonic water and umami bitters.
“Umami bitters has bonito, shiitake mushroom
and seaweed and is full of umami flavours,”
explains Michishita. “I also use sakura (cherry
blossom) bitters. It creates a complex taste in the mouth and also aroma.”
The cocktails also showcase spirits such as
shochu and sake, which are popular throughout Japan but less understood here. The former, in particular, is unfamiliar to Australian drinkers.
Akin to vodka and made from barley, potato or
brown sugar, shochu is commonly drunk neat or
on ice and occasionally with hot water in Japan.
Including it in a cocktail such as the Lava Flow of Mt. Fuji encourages guests to explore the spirit.
It’s not all about Japanese ingredients, though.
“I want to mix the Australian ingredients for our cocktails,” says Michishita. “This [mixed style of Japanese and Australian] is very, very important.”
Whatever cocktail Michishita is creating on
any given night, one thing is clear: omotenashi
means that drinks like those served at Kuro are unlikely to be found anywhere in Sydney at the moment. ■ 22 | Hospitality
The Green Hour
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ADVERTORIAL // Foodie Coaches
An opportunity to fix a broken model Investing in knowledge and growth to run your business more profitably is a lifetime investment. IT’S AN INTERESTING time to be writing
Some owners make a crucial decision that
JobKeeper allows venue owners to step
an article about labour costs when venues
sets their business on a downward trajectory
back from the floor, take a good look
receiving JobKeeper (or at least, should be),
after taking hospitality business advice from
at their business and identify what they
are currently running the lowest labour costs
their accountant. The sad thing is, due to a
need to put in place to make this change
in history. However, it isn’t a time to become
lack of knowledge of their business, most
long lasting. It is not the time to be
complacent. This is the time to be making
don’t realise the gravity of decisions until it is
complacent, as once JobKeeper is turned
lasting changes.
too late.
off, things will go back to how they were,
For years now, the industry has been
The first decision is typically cutting the
if not worse.
plagued with high labour cost due to a
labour of their team and taking more shifts
number of different factors. Traditionally,
on themselves. What starts off as a couple of
matter who you are, the type of
high labour cost in venues has been brought
shifts soon escalates into 60, 70, 80 or more
venue you have or the hours you were
about by three main areas:
hour weeks for some owners.
working before, now is the best time
1. Inefficient workflow design and operation
Most owners in this position lose sight of
2. Poor team culture and lack of leadership
the business trajectory, what is happening in
3. A lack of awareness of the venue’s
the market, and can become the lowest-paid
So what to do now? Well it doesn’t
to be working on your venue and not in your venue. Now is the opportunity for the industry
numbers and not realising the business
employee (by hourly rate). They soon become
to make lasting change. If you don’t know
doesn’t actually have a labour problem.
slaves of their own creation, rarely work on the
where to start, you need to reach out for
It has a revenue problem.
business and struggle to remove themselves
help. You need to invest in yourself to
from the hamster wheel. Unfortunately,
invest in your business in the same way
owners across Australia and New Zealand
this comes about due to a lack of business
you invested in your fit out and your team.
daily. The team hears countless stories
experience and awareness of how to make
Investing in knowledge and growth to run
from venue owners who have seen their
strategic decisions and long-term change.
your business more profitably is a lifetime
Foodie Coaches speaks to many venue
accountants or advisors and have been told
So what does all this mean? With JobKeeper
they need to lower the labour cost, as it was
in play, it is the industry’s time to make
too high.
a change.
24 | Hospitality
investment that draws lifelong change for your business and everyone it reaches. ■ foodiecoaches.com
PROFILE // Alanna Sapwell
Alanna Sapwell The chef is a free agent and a team player. WORDS Madeline Woolway
IT ALL BEGAN when Alanna Sapwell was six. Several hours into a road trip from Gympie to Melbourne, her family stopped near Dubbo for
dinner. Used to Domino’s, Sapwell was suspicious of the pizza placed in front of her. So much so, she initially refused it. Her father responded
with a request: “Just eat it, then complain.” The experience turned out
to be revelatory. “From then, I wanted to learn how to do food the way it’s supposed to be,” says Sapwell.
The anecdote is perhaps the first example of the approach that’s
re-emerged consistently throughout Sapwell’s career. After completing
a school-based traineeship at Gympie’s Impressions Hinterland — “the only place that wasn’t a pub” — she travelled to the nearby coastal
town of Noosa to knock on the door of David Rayner’s The River House.
“My grandma used to collect newspaper clippings about all the big chefs in Noosa,” says Sapwell. “She said I needed to go work with David.” 26 | Hospitality
and the kitchen ran smoothly, Sapwell felt
in once a fortnight and the only way to
her team. “It’s not just teaching others
Land instead. A water plane flew supplies get rid of food waste was to burn it. “You literally had to go out the back and burn your waste,” recounts Sapwell. “When
it’s in your face, you become a lot more
careful with what you buy and how you use it. I’d save all the food scraps and throw them in the ocean, then catch
she wasn’t able to check in properly with how to cook,” says Sapwell. “The way I
work in a head chef position now, I try to integrate people’s personal goals into the business so they aren’t just working for
me — they’re working for themselves and towards their own goals.”
It’s not the type of leadership a chef
enough fish to feed 30.”
can provide if they’ve yet to experience
tropical weather drove Sapwell to look
cutbacks that saw apprenticeships
The six-month stint ended when the
for cooler climes, and a head chef role in Hakuba, Japan, beckoned. Despite not speaking the language, Sapwell
successfully led the kitchen, earning praise from her bosses. “I became really good
at miming,” she says. “But that was the
moment I realised there’s so much to do in [leadership] roles. I felt like I wasn’t doing Arc Dining
While her cooking was commended
van saw the chef land a gig in Arnhem
it justice.”
all a kitchen has to offer. Thanks to
reduced from four to three years, gaps
in knowledge aren’t uncommon. “A lot of people were in my position; [we were] given these roles, and instead of being qualified for them, we just grew into
them,” explains Sapwell. “The problem was not that we didn’t have enough
chefs, but that we didn’t have enough decent ones.”
It was good advice. Four years with
Rayner followed, first as an apprentice
and then as chef de partie. Under Rayner, apprentices would write the menus for their sections, with the veteran chef
making adjustments so all the dishes worked as a whole. It was a chance
to learn about more than technique.
“Obviously, it needed to fit in with his style
of food, but I think that’s something I try to pass on … to give people the opportunity to treat creativity as a skill you work on every day,” says Sapwell.
Sapwell left The River House and travelled to Italy, where she worked in Florence for
six months. The influences are still evident, if not immediately identifiable. Sapwell might not plate up dishes that could be called Italian, but the approach seen in
traditional Italian kitchens is one she tries to emulate. “It looks like there’s nothing in the pasta, but it’s got that really nice
glaze and it’s full of flavour,” says Sapwell, after explaining the process of making an
emulsion from starchy pasta water and oil.
“It looks so clean, yet there’s so much to it. I love that approach.”
Returning to Australia, Sapwell embarked on a trip that was meant to take her
October 2020 | 27
PROFILE // Alanna Sapwell
around the country. But a broken-down
PROFILE // Alanna Sapwell Recognising her own limitations, Sapwell
decided to step back and dedicate a few years to learning each section to round out her knowledge in Australia.
While Sapwell’s overseas stints helped shape her as a chef, she’s not of the ilk that think
Jo Barrett and Emma McCaskill are two other chefs Sapwell admires
steer your food.”
While in Brisbane, Sapwell spent time
The Wolfe] thought process at Goma; the fact he
“We’re so lucky,” says Sapwell. “Ten to 15 years
ago, [going overseas] was a stripe you had to
earn to be a really good chef. I think what’s more important than going overseas and working 80 hours a week at Michelin-starred restaurants is
to think about the food that resonates with you,
understood Josh’s [Lopez, now chef–owner of
was in an art gallery and everything was made
to look like a piece of artwork. But just knowing I wasn’t doing the kind of food I wanted to do shook me up. It was very much just learning what kind of food I wanted to create.”
and then find the best chef who does that and
Sapwell found her footing in the kitchen of Saint
definitely do that in Australia. I think we’re in a
food more,” says Sapwell. “I love the way Josh
what we have on our own doorstep.”
Sapwell truly ironed out any kinks in Brisbane
and then Sydney. “I hadn’t done a lot of pastry
before,” says the chef. “I got a call from Urbane [closed 2019], asking me to come in and help out for a week.”
A week turned into a year and a half in one of
the most ideal pastry environments. “As part of
the agreement, I said I wanted to be head pastry chef,” says Sapwell. “They obviously laughed, like, ‘You’ve got no experience and this is a
two-hat restaurant’. But I worked my way up
and got the experience. It was the most perfect pastry kitchen; there was air con so you could 28 | Hospitality
everything and then decide where you want to
them beyond mediocrity.
really good position … and it’s nice to focus on Sapwell strives to create a ‘no ego’ environment as head chef
worked with before. It’s nice to do a little bit of
at Gerard’s and Goma, too. “I completely
learn as much as possible from them. You can
Sapwell lists Duncan Welgemoed’s Africola as a venue that actively prizes its FOH team
do chocolate work and a Pacojet, which I’d never
international gigs are a necessity. Australia has everything a green chef could need to launch
Sapwell created Drinks with Chefs in 2018 while working at Brisbane’s Goma
Esmay’s Neapolitan jelly choc, strawberry, toasted rice & pandan
Peter in Sydney. “I couldn’t relate to anyone’s
Niland approaches everything, from no waste to being so proud to put something like a lemon tart in the exact middle of the plate. It shows such skill and technique, but without all the fluff. I was really happy with that job and I
thought that would be me until the end of time.”
Sapwell was content in her role as sous chef at
the fish-centric venue for two and a half years.
So much so that she turned down an initial offer from Howard Smith Wharves to return home to Brisbane and head up modern fine diner Arc.
“Not only was I happy [at Saint Peter], but Josh
did the right thing by me,” says Sapwell. “There has to be some loyalty where you don’t jump at the first opportunity.”
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PROFILE // Alanna Sapwell
Eventually, the opportunity came calling
again and the decision to branch out felt
right for Sapwell and the rest of the Saint
Peter team. “The start was quite intense at
Saint Peter; we felt like we were always on the back foot,” says Sapwell. “Finally, we
grew the team and had the right fit where everyone had Josh’s back 100 per cent.
Because it was such a small kitchen, there was no room for anyone to grow. I said,
‘Josh, this is the right time. Everything runs great, you’ve got a great team; if someone at the top doesn’t go, you’ll lose people
anyway because they can’t just be shucking oysters and not getting on the pans’.”
Arc gave Sapwell the experience she lacked with big business and reiterated her drive to create things on her own terms. Even before COVID caused the closure of one
of Brisbane’s most talked about openings of 2019, Sapwell had laid out what she
wanted to achieve in 2020 when it came to food and business. “I would have thought something like Arc would have a certain
amount of cushioning, but [COVID] hasn’t
discriminated,” she says. “That’s the way it
is, and now I’m able to do something more independent with Danielle [Gjestland]
who I’ve always admired. I’m glad I could
take another important stepping stone and see restaurants more as a whole instead of just from the kitchen.”
That ‘whole’ is Esmay; a three-month
pop-up that opened in the space formerly
occupied by Gjestland’s Japanese-inspired restaurant Wasabi. “We had this unique opportunity where we didn’t have
expectations of what the restaurant was
going to be like,” says Sapwell. “We could just start from scratch.”
The pair worked backwards. Knowing
potential customers had taken a financial hit, Sapwell settled on a fixed menu that could be priced accessibly and allow the
kitchen to run affordably. “We just wanted something fun with good food, good wine
and loud music,” says Sapwell. “Something that would rejuvenate our faith in what hospitality is really about.”
One of Sapwell’s pre-COVID goals was
to push vegetables to the fore and use
meat in a supporting role. “Obviously, I’m cooking seafood [with the restaurant]
sitting on the water, and everyone’s loving 30 | Hospitality
“It’s been liberating to be able to cook what I want.” – Alanna Sapwell
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PROFILE // Alanna Sapwell
The whole point of [Esmay] was to give it three months. Don’t make any plans at the end — just put all your energy into it and make it the best you possibly can.” – Alanna Sapwell
In many ways, Sapwell and Gjestland
see eye-to-eye. Their ethos’ are aligned,
with both invested in using local produce and never settling for mediocrity. Yet, according to Sapwell, the way they
approach almost every detail is completely it,” says the chef. “There’s a fisherman that comes up to the dock and brings the most stunning stuff.”
Otherwise, vegetables are the star.
Think mountaintop mushrooms in a Diane sauce or a salt-baked cabbage draped in
lardo and smoked pork sauce. “The main
element is the cabbage — the meat is just the sauce,” says Sapwell. “It’s the kind of food I love eating and I want to be moving towards.”
The flexibility and freedom has also
been a welcome change. “It’s been so nice to be in a position where I can change
the menu and I don’t have to check with
anyone and it doesn’t need to go through
three tastings,” says the chef. “I completely understand that; everything needs to go 32 | Hospitality
through a certain system. But it’s been
liberating to be able to cook what I want.” Working with Gjestland and bringing together the back and front of house
teams has also allowed Sapwell to create a culture she’s always wanted — one where she is both teacher and student. “In an
different. It’s a paradox that means there’s
plenty to learn from each other. “What I’m really trying to do with this place is make
sure that it’s not just about the chef,” says
Sapwell. “I don’t know why front of house is not as highly regarded as the chef, and I think that’s something that really does need to change.”
interview, Paul Carmichael said what
So what’s next? “I’ve been asked this a
teaching and being taught,” says Sapwell.
without saying. At Esmay, Sapwell has
he missed most about the kitchen was
“Even as a head chef, you’re going to learn from people. I’ve always had the opinion
that you can learn from anyone. Hopefully, there will be more leaders who aren’t
lot,” admits Sapwell. But the answer goes found a way to combine all the things she loves about hospitality, from the food to
the style of service and the team culture.
“The whole point of [Esmay] was to give
ego-driven; teaching people skills from a
it three months. Don’t make any plans at
industry as a whole.”
and make it the best you possibly can.” ■
young age is only going to strengthen the
the end — just put all your energy into it
FEATURE // Lennox Hastie on Chef’s Table: BBQ
Slow burn Sydneysiders always knew Firedoor was something special — and now the rest of the world does, too. WORDS Annabelle Cloros PHOTOGRAPHY Nikki To FIREDOOR’S LENNOX HASTIE is one of
Chef’s Table is known for many things.
— he just didn’t know a meal would result
on Netflix’s docuseries Chef’s Table — aka
cinematic techniques, its signature
globe months later. “I showed them what
two Australian-based chefs to be featured the pinnacle of culinary programming. So just how did the fire connoisseur come to be the subject of an episode in the new
BBQ series? He cooked for the production team at his restaurant after a premiere. Hastie talks to Hospitality about
receiving an Instagram DM he couldn’t fathom was real, putting Australian producers on the map and why the
further away you are, the louder you have to shout.
34 | Hospitality
There are the Emmy nominations, the theatrical soundtrack and an overall aesthetic that can only be described as slick. The show has rung up six
seasons profiling some of the world’s
greatest culinary minds, but the latest
iteration is different from the rest — it’s
themed. Chef’s Table: BBQ is also shorter, comprising just four episodes.
Hastie has been a long-time fan of the
production team behind the concept,
and was more than thrilled to have the
opportunity to cook for them at Firedoor
in a 47-minute episode streamed across the we do and it was a real pleasure to meet them; I didn’t think anything of it,” says Hastie. “At the end of November, I got a
message from Brian McGinn on Instagram
asking if I’d like to go on the next series of Chef’s Table. I was blown away. You know when you think something can’t be real
that it must be some kind of practical joke? I said, ‘Yes, whatever it takes!”
The wheels spun into motion, with plans
to shoot the series in Australia over a two-
week period in November — the peak time
Hastie says selecting which producers to
showcase Australian producers and put the
favourite children”, but it had to be done.
was a little tricky, the opportunity to
industry back in front of an international audience again couldn’t be passed up.
Before the production crew arrived in
Australia, Hastie spoke to the team about his story, from discovering an interest in
the culinary industry to cooking alongside Victor Arguinzoniz at Asador Etxebarri in
Basque Country; which went on to become a focal point of the episode.
The Chef’s Table team hit the ground
running when they touched down not long
film with was comparable to “choosing your The episode includes scenes at Stix north of Sydney and a cattle farm, where the
top 2–3 per cent of the herd is selected for the restaurant’s signature ʻfat-agedʼ steak.
Montages follow of crabbing, filleting fish and scooping prawns from the river. “All
the producers are unique and deserve to be showcased,” says the chef. “I could not do
what I do without the ingredients — there’s
the fire, the ingredient and me. Without the ingredients, forget about it.”
after that Instagram message.
Hastie had no idea his episode would slot
taste of Australia, filming during the tail
approached about being a part of the show,
While the goal was to give viewers a
end of 2019 had its challenges with the bushfires. “Some of the produce comes
from far away and we had a whole list of
places we wanted to go to but we couldn’t
get to; one of them being in Victoria — the
which also features Tootsie Tomanetz from Snow’s BBQ in Texas, Rodney Scott from
Scott’s Barbecue in the US and Mayan chef Rosalia Chay Chuc from Mexico.
Nevertheless, the goal was to show as
slow-cooked meats that tease apart, but in
viewers beyond the Surry Hills restaurant.
The majority of Firedoor’s menu showcases shellfish and vegetables
The venue’s signature steak is ‘fat-aged’
The thing about barbecue is that it
evokes different connotations in each part
much of the country as possible and take
Hastie says grill marks on ingredients are a sign of failure
into a themed series when he was first
hunting of kangaroos is a really powerful Australian story,” says Hastie.
Firedoor regulars have held viewing parties for Hastie’s episode
of the world. In the US, it’s anchored by
Australia, there’s a little more bite to the
ingredients that hit the grill. “It’s tongue in Grilled mud crab
“I’m happy to be able to turn the word barbecue on its head and show the rest of the world what we can do with barbecue in Australia.” – Lennox Hastie
October 2020 | 35
FEATURE // Lennox Hastie on Chef’s Table: BBQ
for local restaurants. And while the timing
FEATURE // Lennox Hastie on Chef’s Table: BBQ
cheek for the guys — they’re showcasing how diverse barbecue is,” says Hastie. “I
can imagine people watching Tootsie and then episode two cuts to a young chef
in Sydney who’s not doing what they’d
recognise as barbecue. I want to change people’s preconceptions of what grilling and barbecue can be. For me, it doesn’t have to be limited, it’s boundless and
a beautiful freedom of expression that
relates to our culture and the ingredients. I’m happy to be able to turn the word
barbecue on its head and show the rest of the world what we can do with barbecue in Australia.”
The storyline developed over two weeks of back-to-back filming, but the crux of the
episode very much centres on the mentor– mentee relationship between Arguinzoniz and Hastie. For those yet to watch the
episode (snap to it!), Hastie arrived in
Spain at a pintxos restaurant after realising fine dining just wasn’t cutting it for him. “I got to that level of working in a three star and you think you’re going to find what
you dreamed of, and it wasn’t that. I was
left feeling pretty hopeless. Where do I go now?” he says in the episode.
After some friends told Hastie about a
chef who grills “everything”, Hastie was curious to find out what the restaurant between the mountains was all about.
“I could not do what I do without the ingredients — there’s the fire, the ingredient and me.” – Lennox Hastie
Firedoor in Surry Hills
36 | Hospitality
often. But having spent so much time with
being the second Australian-based chef to
of flames ensued. In spite of language
chose to share. “I valued their production
“There are so many amazing chefs I love
man who could be likened to a conductor barriers (Hastie could not speak Spanish,
nor Arguinzoniz English), the pair worked side-by-side, and it wasn’t long before
Asador Etxebarri morphed from an in-theknow restaurant to one that climbed lists and received a Michelin star. “For me, it was very rewarding,” Hastie says in the
the production team, it was a story he
levels so much and the level of detail they put into the show,” he says. “I was quite
happy … you seldom see that, to open up and give them everything … particularly about leaving Spain, which I still get emotional about.”
The protégée dynamic is one that hasn’t
episode. “All the hard work was being
been explored beyond a surface level on
never seen a man so upset about getting a
— it’s something they honed in on ... l’m
recognised. But Victor cried in disgust. I’ve Michelin star. Because he was quite happy being what he was.”
Five years on, Hastie chose to leave
Asador Etxebarri to follow his dream of opening his own restaurant. The
relationship between Arguinzoniz and Hastie came to an end once he left
Chef’s Table before. “It was interesting
a chef, but I wasn’t born into a tradition
opportunity to tell your story and [show]
‘this is how I got here, it took this amount of time’. Especially for young chefs;
things do take time and I’m still learning. I’ve been cooking with fire for 15-odd
years and I still feel like I only know a small amount.”
Part of the beauty of Chef’s Table is its
the cards for the time being, Sydneysiders
material you go over … it’s amazing what they choose and weave together.”
and even people he went to school with
Hastie, and one he doesn’t speak about
story, so it’s such an honour to have the
one was five hours. The sheer amount of
World’s 50 Best Restaurants was hosted It’s an incredibly personal story for
being one of them. Everyone has their
ability to take viewers on a journey into a
were four to five interviews and each
Hastie’s phone has been running hot with
in Melbourne.
and respect in Australia, Ben [Shewry]
of cooking with fire,” says Hastie. “There
Spain, leaving Hastie without closure,
which would come years later when The
appear on the series. “It’s huge,” he says.
supportive messages from peers, strangers as a child. The gravity of appearing on a
show like Chef’s Table certainly hasn’t been lost on him, and neither has the honour of
restaurant. And while overseas trips are off and permitted domestic travellers are
able to experience Firedoor in the flesh.
Hastie says the knock-on effect has been
incredible, with the restaurant now booked
out until March 2021. “People were ringing up saying there was something wrong with the website — but we’re just fully booked. Some people from the other side of the world have booked for next year.”
Goolwa pippies
Rum baba, poor man's orange with smoked creme diplomat
October 2020 | 37
FEATURE // Lennox Hastie on Chef’s Table: BBQ
Years of game-changing learning from a
FEATURE // Lennox Hastie on Chef’s Table: BBQ
In the current climate, a fully booked restaurant
is as good as it gets for operators. But Hastie isn’t letting it get to his head. “People suddenly flock to these venues,” he says. “The effects of social
media and lists … it’s interesting to see how that
can change a restaurant. Sometimes for the better, but you have to be cautious because you don’t
want to lose what made that restaurant great in the first place.”
Hastie’s response to preserving Firedoor’s
nucleus is simple: “I always cook with conviction,” he says. “People who have come in [after
watching Chef’s Table] are surprised to see I’m actually in my restaurant — I’m still pushing
myself six hours a night on the grill cooking every single protein everyone eats. That is the reality of what we do at Firedoor and I don’t compromise.” Over its five-year lifespan, Firedoor has never
been fully booked six-plus months in advance. The flock of new (and old) customers has
provided Hastie and his team with a small
amount of certainty in the midst of a pandemic, from continuing to support producers to job
security for staff. But restrictions have resulted
in the number of seats dropping from over 60 at any one time to just 37.
“I was very cautious about how to progress
with the pandemic,” says Hastie. “The business model is skewed. I’m not compromising on my
staff, what we do, the ingredients we use and the producers we support, so [it’s about] finding a
way to move forward together. I’ve got to be able to pay the rent and pay the staff. Chef’s Table will fill those seats and enable us to do that. I never got into restaurants to make money; it’s purely
passion and the ability to leave things in a better state than you found them.”
Firedoor as we — and now the world — know
it has undergone somewhat of an evolution
since it opened its doors in 2015. Adaptation is the belly of the beast at the restaurant, which
will continue to rumble on with Hastie behind the flames. “It’s the ability to adapt to your
environment … hospitality is feeling the pulse
of what people want at any given time,” Hastie says. “It’s buying a really good ingredient and showcasing it — there’s value in that. When I
was younger, I thought the thing I loved more than anything was cooking — which I do love
— but only because it puts me in contact with
ingredients. The reason I cook with fire is that it instinctively and naturally brings me closer to them.” ■ 38 | Hospitality
FEATURE // Regional dining Muse
Getting by First bushfires then COVID-19 — venues in regional Australia have faced months of difficult trade. But they’re surviving. WORDS Madeline Woolway
SHUTDOWNS AND TRAVEL restrictions
Just outside the Hunter Valley township of
have had to jump in the last 12 months.
encompasses a number of labels as well
are just two hurdles regional venues
First, the catastrophic bushfire season
left them reeling, with coffers low before COVID-19 hit.
For operators around the country, their
ongoing success is grounds for hope.
Hospitality magazine speaks to chef and restaurateur Troy Rhoades-Brown of
Muse in the Hunter Valley and Georgina
Pokolbin is Hungerford Estate. The winery as a fine dining venue. The restaurant,
Muse, was established in 2009 by chef–
restaurateur Troy Rhoades-Brown. Since its launch, Muse has always done one thing
— expanded. At least until late 2019 when
the first of many destructive fires broke out across Australia’s Eastern seaboard.
“The fires were difficult because the
Beniston, the brand manager behind
restaurant had grown for so long,” says
they’re moving forward.
revenue drop consistently every week …
Margaret River’s Vasse Felix, about how
40 | Hospitality
Rhoades-Brown. “When you see the it was difficult.”
restricted trading.
“The majority of our trade comes from
tourism,” explains Rhoades-Brown. “We have wonderful local support, but in
terms of making an impact on the overall running of the restaurant, it would more so be our relationship with locals and
recommendations from them, which makes them so integral to Muse; not the bums on seats.”
As supportive as locals are, there aren’t
enough people in the area to fill out a
special occasion restaurant regularly. In
fact, Rhoades-Brown estimates 90 per cent of the dining room is usually people from out of town.
In the Margaret River wine region, Vasse
While the pandemic seems to have
Felix Estate also relies heavily on tourism.
subsumed 2020 under a time warp-
“Vasse Felix has always enjoyed strong
inducing fog, it was the bushfires that
support from Western Australian travellers,
initially shrouded everything in a haze.
particularly from the Perth market, however
“They were really, really terrible,”
in the past decade or so, international and
recounts Rhoades-Brown. “They lasted a
interstate visitors have become critically
very long time because the Hunter Valley
important to the business,” says Estate
was one of the first regions in New South
Brand Manager Georgina Beniston.
Wales to start to get fires and then we kind
Now regional travel is back on the cards
of got on top of it. There was still smoke
in New South Wales, business has taken
around, but we were open for trade.”
another leap forward at Muse. “We’ve
But just because the tables were set
gone from doing 80 to 90 covers on a
doesn’t mean diners were ready to be
full night to between 50 and 60,” says
seated. “We got tied in with the whole
Rhoades-Brown.
east coast, which was still burning,” says
Muse is lucky, he says, thanks to its fine
Rhoades-Brown. “People just did not come
dining set up and proximity to a major
to the Hunter Valley.”
The experience was a reminder:
businesses need agility and the ability to
tighten up without losing staff. Ultimately, tough trading conditions throughout
summer were a dress rehearsal. “The
restaurant was on this upwards trajectory for 10 years and suddenly it took a dive,”
says Rhoades-Brown. “Off the back of that, we went straight into the full closure for
nine weeks. We were running tight by the time the pandemic came around.”
Muse is in a relatively good position. Upon reopening for 10 diners in June, locals
rallied behind the venue, booking tables to make up for lost time — it’s a celebration restaurant and guests had birthdays, anniversaries and other occasions to
mark. While Muse usually relies heavily
on out-of-towners to fill its dining room,
city. The venue was never in the business
“I’m very grateful we have the doors open and that we have a strong flow of guests coming from Sydney wanting to experience the Hunter Valley.” – Troy RhoadesBrown
of shoulder-to-shoulder dining, which has made the transition to square meterage
and physical distancing restrictions easier. Coupled with being 90 minutes to two hours from Sydney and having a good
reputation, Muse has been able to take
advantage of Sydneysiders looking for an escape. “We’ve been consistently booked
out [under restrictions] for the last three months,” says Rhoades-Brown.
On an even more positive note, operators
are welcoming a new demographic.
“We’re definitely seeing people coming to the Valley that haven’t been here before or haven’t been to the Hunter in 10 or
15 years,” says Rhoades-Brown. “Their idea of what the Hunter Valley was 10 or 20 years ago compared to today is completely different.”
Devastation and opportunity are often October 2020 | 41
FEATURE // Regional dining
the venue was able to make the most of
FEATURE // Regional dining
two sides of the same coin. The last 12 months have provided plenty of both. As Rhoades-Brown says: “Hopefully,
as an area, we can put it together well
enough so they see the value in a Hunter Valley escape.”
Beniston says the team at Vasse Felix has
noted a similar trend. “While at present,
[international and interstate markets] are unable to visit with the national and WA
hard border closure, we are seeing a very strong resurgence of Western Australians travelling to Margaret River — many for
the first time or for the first time in more
than a decade,” she says. “It’s great to see Western Australians exploring their own state and supporting local businesses.” To capitalise on such opportunities,
regional businesses can’t continue to operate as usual.
When businesses were told to shut their doors on 23 March 2020, Muse took a deep breath. The restaurant put 18 or
so local staff on JobKeeper (something Rhoades-Brown acknowledges others
weren’t able to do) and paused to consider the next move. Other venues needed to
manoeuvre quickly to keep their staff in
look at what we offer and see what we could do.”
The pivot effect has been well
documented, with venues implementing everything from produce boxes to at-
home meal kits to bring in revenue while trade was restricted to takeaway and
delivery. For Muse, such offerings were
never realistic. “You couldn’t have 18 staff coming back and doing veggie boxes or
Rhoades-Brown. “We rode out the storm
and took the opportunity to rest, recoup,
and doing such projects in sync with
worth it. “The whole idea was to do 50 or 60 covers, but to do it consistently from Wednesday to Sunday,” says RhoadesBrown. “It makes up for us having a
quieter Wednesday and Thursday [in the past] and then having to do those big
numbers on the weekend to pay the bills.” Instead, the team focused on shifting
to what would work. Muse has fixed its pricing structure, switched to a more streamlined menu and changed its Usually, 90 per cent of Muse’s patrons are tourists
Both Muse and Vasse Felix have seen an influx of local tourists
to a table in a suit and tie celebrating a 60th anniversary.”
but was able to keep the estate experience slightly amended our trading days
as we navigated the first few months and monitored the rapidly changing
environment,” says Beniston. “The cellar door continues to offer tastings seven days a week with amended trading
days for the restaurant and wine lounge
operating Thursday to Monday. We’ve been fortunate to be able to offer guests the
same cellar door and dining experiences
we offered prior to the shutdown, with the exception of our behind-the-scenes tours which we will look to reinstate over the coming months.”
Beyond changes to operating hours, the
dinner added — a decision that suits its
spring/summer events program with larger
lunch have been dropped and a Tuesday positioning as a celebratory venue. “It
For one, there’s a gap in the market
42 | Hospitality
and thongs and they’d be sitting next
team has had to rethink its focus on large
thought behind it,” says Rhoades-Brown.
Under restrictions, Muse does 50 to 60 covers a night compared to 80 to 90 prior to COVID
or after a wine tasting] wearing shorts
operating hours. Saturday and Sunday
was a big decision and there was a lot of
Vasse Felix’s cellar door is operating as usual again, while the restaurant is still on modified hours
in to lunch for an hour and a half [before
intact. “In the reopening phases, we
The amount of time that would have
the Muse brand just wouldn’t have been
things to survive and keep their staff,” says
offer because some people would come
popular for a week or two.”
area,” says Rhoades-Brown. “It might be
desirable, but there has been some good to “Other establishments did amazing
be more flexible with timing and what you
Vasse Felix also made changes to hours,
gone into designing, organising, marketing
come of the situation.
dining for different reasons. You’d have to
take-home dinners for the people in our
jobs, while Muse’s conditions meant it
needed to hibernate. Neither position is
lunch, we’d have different demographics
when it comes to early-week dinners in
events. “We’ve also carefully assessed our
events, which require long-term planning and investment, to be replaced with a
series of smaller more intimate events
leading into Christmas,” says Beniston.
the Hunter. Two, penalty rates make long
Finding a way to squeeze in extra dinner
dinner is what Muse does best. “We’re the
Muse’s offering without diminishing
Sunday shifts a margin-buster. And, three, big night out,” says Rhoades-Brown. “At
covers throughout the week consolidates returns. Being a dinner-only venue also
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FEATURE // Regional dining
includes some chef-set courses while
giving diners some choice. “The idea
was to structure the menu so we weren’t preparing so many different dishes,”
says Rhoades-Brown. “The amount of
preparation and the unknown about what guests were going to order meant extra pressure on the chefs and extra hours.” Rhoades-Brown feels the switch to a
four-course menu of more substantial
Vasse Felix's restaurant
dishes better represents the dining
experience he wants Muse to offer. The
means Muse has been able to turn a
separate room into a bar and lounge,
which will boost covers and spend in a
way that fits with the brand. “It’s given us an opportunity to use that room, which is used by Hungerford Estate during
the day at the moment,” says Rhoades-
Brown. “Dining room space and square
meterage has been extended again, which should bring us back to almost preCOVID capacity.”
Currently, diners walk up a set of stairs
and enter the venue via a large foyer
area, which is where guests sign in and
temperature checks are conducted before
entering the dining room. The main dining room seats 48 under restrictions, so the
first course is set by the chef and reflects
We’ve been fortunate to be able to offer guests the same cellar door and dining experiences we offered prior to the shutdown.” – Georgina Beniston
business has been doing its best to turn
“Opening a bar and lounge or a separate
evening out.
makes so much sense.”
“We’re trying to get a few more people
room as a holding bay that represents us The bar has an extensive list of estate
in to dine earlier with the opportunity to
wines (Sweetwater, Hungerford Hill and
don’t want to make our guests feel like
spirits along with a snack menu.
reset a few tables later on,” he says. “We they’re being rushed through the service
Dalwood) and cocktails built around local “I love the idea of a table of six turning
or make them feel like they have to get up
up 20 minutes early coming through into
allow them two and a half to three hours
hand-stitched Italian leather lounge and
and leave at a certain time. We want to to sit down, relax and know the table is theirs.”
On the flipside, no one wants guests
turning up 15 minutes early — a common concern in regional areas where the lack of rideshare apps makes arrival times
a lounge area, sitting down on a beautiful having some oysters and Champagne to
start,” says Rhoades-Brown. “It’s another tier to the business we’ve always wanted and this has provided the time to think about it and execute it.”
less predictable. “I’m trying to figure out
The new addition isn’t the only change.
seamless and get our numbers back up to
several menus: a two-, three- or seven-
the best way to make the process more
where we need to be to support the larger team that we have,” says Rhoades-Brown. 44 | Hospitality
course, third course and dessert. There’s
also a selection of sides that can be added
and vegetarian and vegan options. “There’s still a lot that goes into it,” says RhoadesBrown. “But we’ve dropped a couple of
dishes off to make it easier. It also gives you time to concentrate on the dishes.”
After a tough 12 months, things are finally looking up for venues around the country
— particularly those dealt the double blow of bushfires and the pandemic. The lows
have made many operators more thankful for the highs, and Rhoades-Brown is no
“I’m not taking anything for granted,”
hopes the bar and lounge area will make the transition between guests part of an
choose between three dishes for the second
exception.
over a few extra tables each night to hit
between 50 and 60 covers. Rhoades-Brown
the season and the region. Guests can
Previously, Muse gave diners a choice of course tasting menu. Now, it’s been
streamlined into a four-course menu that
he says. “I feel very, very bad for the tough times Victorian restaurants, regional
restaurants and those in the city are going through. I’m very grateful we have the
doors open and that we have a strong flow of guests coming from Sydney wanting to experience the Hunter Valley.”
Vasse Felix is also thankful for the
support of its local community, something most regional operators will relate to.
“We’re blessed in Margaret River to be
spoilt for choice with so many world-class wineries and restaurants in the region to choose from,” says Beniston. “The
abundance of gourmet food and wine,
along with the pristine environment and
outdoor lifestyle, is what attracts so many people to the region in the first place. We have a passionate tribe of local food and
wine lovers who have been very generous with their support. The region as a whole has certainly been well supported by the local community.” ■
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FEATURE // Spin-offs
Ciao, Fabbrica! A hybrid venue has opened in Sydney’s CBD, offering all the Italian wines, cheeses and anchovies you could dream of. WORDS Annabelle Cloros PHOTOGRAPHY Nikki To 46 | Hospitality
FEATURE // Spin-offs Scott McComas-Williams, Nathanial Hatwell, Matthew Swieboda and Cam Birt
ENTERTAINING AT HOME has very much
McComas-Williams is a firm believer
but for many, donning the chef’s hat has
Ragazzi revolves around this notion. Like
become the dining trend of the year —
every pasta deserves its own sauce, and
been more out of necessity than choice. While venues across the country have
welcomed diners back with open arms
(sub Melbourne), the same customers are now accustomed to going to restaurants as well as curating meals using tip-top
produce from the industry’s finest. Hence, a new opportunity has arisen.
The team behind Sydney restaurants
Ragazzi, Dear Sainte Éloise and Love,
Tilly Devine lasered in on a gap in the
market for a venue that walks the line
between a produce hub, bar, deli, bakery, development space … the list goes on. Chef Scott McComas-Williams and
sommelier Matt Swieboda talk to
Hospitality about their newest venture,
Fabbrica — a concept that’s very much a product of our new world.
Italian pasta bar Ragazzi opened its doors
in late 2019, with Scott McComas-Williams heading up the venue as executive chef.
restaurants across the country, Ragazzi
“We had a good product people were keen on. It sparked the confidence we could actually launch this as a separate venture.” – Scott McComasWilliams
closed when dining in was no longer
permitted, but it wasn’t long before the
team came up with an alternative — pasta packs. “We had to shut the restaurant and we were focusing all our time on
making fresh pasta and sauces,” says the chef and co-owner. “We realised it could
be done well and we had a good product
people were keen on. It was cool because you got a free hit at trying something
out while we were closed. It sparked the
confidence we could actually launch this as a separate venture.”
The success of Ragazzi’s fresh pasta and
sauce combos green-lit Fabbrica, but the
concept had been floated pre-COVID-19. “It was an idea we had spoken about
before the viral outbreak, but once we
had to shut the restaurants, we started
exploring different business models we
could work towards,” says Matt Swieboda, sommelier and co-owner.
October 2020 | 47
FEATURE // Spin-offs
“For those who are adventurous, the current climate offers a lot of opportunity.” – Matt Swieboda
Fabbrica has recently opened its doors on
retail,” says Swieboda. “The guys are also
a lot going for it. Fresh pasta is sold by
people can watch.”
King Street in Sydney’s CBD, and it’s got the gram, ragus and sauces abound and
Chefs from the group’s portfolio will all use Fabbrica’s kitchen for dish development
commercial kitchen in the middle of
they share a common link — they’re all
the heart of the city due to its proximity
ingredients you need to make a cracking pasta dish. “Everybody is entertaining a lot more in their homes than they were historically,” says Swieboda. “Everyone wants to create food that’s as good as
what they’re enjoying in restaurants. We’re [giving] them an opportunity to do that.”
But Fabbrica isn’t just a ‘grocery’ hub. The venue also has a bar, small dining space
and a large kitchen. In other words, it has Breads will now be baked in-house
A short dine-in menu will rotate daily
universal appeal to both customers and the
nowhere, but settled on a location in
to the group’s sister venues. Chefs from Ragazzi, Dear Sainte Éloise and Love,
Tilly Devine are all able to use the space for production and the development of
new dishes. “You can’t swing a golf club in Ragazzi’s kitchen, so it’s nice to have
a space where we can invest money into
some bigger kit like a combi oven and big mixers for doughs, breads and pastries,” says McComas-Williams.
Swieboda says it’s been a game-changer,
team using the space. “We have the pasta
not only in terms of creativity, but
which is a more immersive experience for
things at our other venues we weren’t able
making happening in the background,
the customers, and the front of the shop is 48 | Hospitality
The team considered hiring out a
there’s plenty of wine, anchovies, oils,
cured meats and cheeses to go around. But
Ragazzi sold pasta packs through a number of outlets during the dinein shutdown including DRNKS
breaking down whole pigs and goats and
productivity. “It’s going to help us achieve
to do,” he says. “For instance, we can bring
FEATURE // Spin-offs
“It’s difficult for people to forecast
what’s going to happen in the world at the moment,” says Swieboda. “But for those
who are adventurous, the current climate offers a lot of opportunity. Landlords are
keen to get operators in and that market is really good for operators. There have
been a lot of changes to the way people
use the city and conduct their day-to-day
into guanciale and the loin can go to Dear Sainte Éloise for a dish. We can create
a number of retailers and the acquisition of some new staff — which has actually been a breeze for once. “Staffing has always
been the biggest issue, but it’s been one
of the less-stressful tasks at the moment,” says McComas-Williams.
While Fabbrica will of course be
connected to Ragazzi, the venue is going
how those changes might result in business
to do something different and let it
opportunities. It’s causing a lot of people to
sandwiches at Fabbrica, we can cure it
with Ragazzi’s pasta packs set to be sold by
lives, but it could be a really interesting
time for people who might have an idea of
in a pig and use the belly for porchetta
Things are coming up roses for the group,
assess the hospitality business and how it
will work if the situation lingers for much longer. It’s an interesting time to diversify the way people run their businesses.”
to march to its own beat. “We decided have some more independence,” says
Swieboda. And there’s nothing better than a concept that stands on its own two feet
— especially when there’s fresh pasta and cured meats involved. ■
stocks for the entire group of restaurants
and run it around to everybody. We should be able to realise a more sophisticated
cuisine at the other restaurants because of this.”
While COVID has thrown a spanner in the works for many restaurateurs, opening a
venue during a pandemic has proven to be a ripe opportunity for the right concepts. Landlords are willing to negotiate for
reliable tenants, tradies are looking for work and customers are relishing the
chance to support businesses during what has been an incredibly challenging year.
Launching a new venue is always a risk, but it’s been one worth taking for the Fabbrica team.
October 2020 | 49
FEATURE // Italian desserts
La dolce vita
Italian desserts range far and wide with regional variations galore, but one reigns supreme — gelato. WORDS Madeline Woolway
ITALIAN CUISINE IS known for its
A trip from the north to the south of Italy
exception. Across the country, there are
Some will be familiar, having expanded
regionality, and its desserts are no
countless variations of sweet treats. There are, however, some
commonalities: a respect of good produce and dedication to simplicity. Nowhere is this commitment more evident than in
gelato. Perhaps the country’s most famous dolci export, gelato is a common sighting
on Australian high streets and fine dining menus, but to do it well is an art. Hospitality magazine speaks to
Ormeggio’s Alessandro Pavoni and
Piccolina Gelateria’s Sandra Foti about how to do just that.
50 | Hospitality
will reveal different desserts in each region.
“It’s about letting those ingredients shine through and not overcomplicating the gelato.” – Sandra Foti
their reach beyond their home region — tiramisu, panna cotta and cannoli being
some of the most recognisable. Others will be a surprise, even to Italians. Desserts
that have spread throughout the country
still exhibit regional characteristics. Gelato is no exception, according to Sandra Foti,
who owns Melbourne’s Piccolina Gelateria. “Gelato in the south is much creamier
[and] richer, whereas gelato in the north is
lighter,” explains Foti. “Granita in the south almost borders on sorbet. In the north, it’s icier.”
FEATURE // Italian desserts
For Alessandro Pavoni, the chef behind Sydney venues Ormeggio at The Spit,
Chiosco by Ormeggio and soon-to-open a’Mare, gelato and granita deserve the most attention.
“The most unique, I would say, is the
gelato and the granita,” he says. “I read in history books that granita probably came from Northern Africa to Sicily,
where it became gelato and then travelled through Italy.”
Gelato often draws (somewhat
uneducated) comparisons to ice cream,
but the simple dessert is quintessentially
Italian. “This is a comment on Italian food in general — they like clean flavours; to
let the individual flavours shine through,” says Foti. “Chocolate is just chocolate and hazelnut is just hazelnut — they don’t layer it with cookies and caramel.”
Honouring this tradition is what drove Foti
to launch Piccolina Gelateria in 2016. Foti’s family immigrated from the south of Italy in the ’50s and ’60s and her dad turned
gelato-making into a hobby. “We had really great traditional gelato at home and I
couldn’t find gelato like that anywhere,”
she says. “I remember having a lightbulb
moment and thinking, ‘Hang on, there’s a market for this’.”
The popularity of traditional gelato
has skyrocketed across Australia over the years. “Gelato is going through the same
growth as coffee was 20 years ago,” says Foti. “When I was little, you couldn’t get proper gelato in this country like you
can now. In the last five to 10 years, the category has definitely grown.”
It’s something Pavoni, who has been
making gelato at Ormeggio for 11 years,
decided to capitalise on when he and wife Anna relaunched Ormeggio at The Spit in
August this year. The dessert menu is now
entirely made up of coppa gelato — an ice cream sundae-esque dessert that allows
the kitchen team to make the most of their skillsets and creativity.
“Me and Giovanni Pilu [chef–owner
of Sydney’s Pilu] often go out for dinner in the city to different restaurants,” says Pavoni. “We never have dessert in the
restaurant. We have our meal then we
leave and go to a gelateria. So the idea came from there.” 52 | Hospitality
“Gelato could be really easy. You buy the powders, add milk and put them in the machine. What we do is more complicated.” – Alessandro Pavoni
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FEATURE // Italian desserts The reasoning, according to Pavoni, is
simple: “When you go to a restaurant and you have a big meal, you don’t want to
finish with a heavy chocolate cake. You
want to finish with something cold and hopefully acidic. Gelato has this effect; lighter, clean. I feel cakes and other
desserts are good for shorter meals or afternoon tea/morning tea.”
When it comes down to it, gelato offers
simplicity and a blank canvas, making it appropriate for all styles of venue. “You
but not cut corners and still give the
“Gelato is going through the same growth as coffee was 20 years ago.” – Sandra Foti
can have a cone while you walk or you
consumer something that’s affordable and accessible,” says Foti.
Where are the margins lost? On
ingredients and labour. “I’ve got a kitchen full of pastry chefs, labour costs are high
and we’re selling a low-price item; you can get a scoop of ice cream for $5.”
It pays, though, to have highly skilled
pastry chefs committed to executing
patisserie techniques to exacting standards. To achieve the right results, they need to
begin with quality ingredients. “We make
can have a very complicated dish based on
all the ingredients that go into the gelato,”
gelato. It’s a fantastic thing,” says Pavoni.
says Foti. “We make all the caramels
“Anyway you have it; it’s going to be
and the nut butters. We use really high-
bloody good.”
quality chocolates.”
There’s a caveat though — to be good,
It comes back to the Italian ethos —
it has to be done well. And the more
simple ingredients showcased with care
been bastardised.
those ingredients shine through and not
popular gelato has become, the more it’s
and attention to detail. “It’s about letting overcomplicating the gelato,” says Foti.
The gelato made by Piccolina Gelateria
“The salted caramel is pure salted caramel,
and Ormeggio is anything but. While it’s
the hazelnut is pure hazelnut. It’s not
possible to take pre-made pastes and add it
covered in layers of sauces. There are
to a machine along with milk, the product
some [at Piccolina] that do have toppings,
churned out won’t be the same as gelato
but the majority are pure gelato. It’s
made the traditional way.
traditional gelato that has been around for
The latter is a preoccupation of Foti’s,
who refuses to compromise despite the
extra costs. “I’m happy to make less money 54 | Hospitality
a hundred years and will be around for Sandra Foti Photo by Gareth Sobey
another hundred.”
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FEATURE // Italian desserts
Ormeggio at The Spit’s coppa gelato might include multiple components — it’s the
dessert menu at a fine diner after all — but the team applies the same attitude.
“Gelato could be really easy,” says
Pavoni. “You buy the powders, add milk and put them in the machine. What we do is more complicated. We make our
gianduja, which you make with paste from
hazelnuts. We buy unique Italian chocolate and blend it to the percentage we like. It’s taken years of trials. To make gelato with raw ingredients is an art.”
Pavoni’s business partner and fellow chef
Victor Moya runs the prep kitchen, which looks after gelato production. It’s Moya’s
job to design the gelato menu and create
new coppa dishes. So far, variations have ranged from fresh and fruity sorbets to
creamy, hazelnut gelatos. Each has roots in
Italian desserts and ingredients, with twists
“To make gelato with raw ingredients is an art.” – Alessandro Pavoni
providing texture and complexity.
them in different textures, with a chestnut
need to have skills to make caramel and
the traditional chestnut cake from Tuscany,”
classic amarena gelato and spins it with
it’s like if you make Italian meringue, you
“We did one inspired by castagnaccio,
says Pavoni. “My favourite one is a gelato made with Amalfi lemon. The inspiration comes from the delizia al limone.”
The dessert, which originated in Naples,
gelato as the base. A third coppa takes the buffalo yoghurt gelato. “Usually they do it
with milk,” says Pavoni. “We wanted more acidity, so we thought about yoghurt.”
After trialling different yoghurts, the
ganache and nut butters. It’s so precise, have to follow the recipe. Patisserie is
about following the recipe to the gram.
And it’s the same with gelato because it’s a patisserie product — there’s no room
features a sponge cake with custard made
team found buffalo yoghurt had the right
gelato with candied lemon inside, then to
(amarena fabbri, an artisanal variety
Pavoni and his team decided to study and
in layers of colour. “Then we wanted an
chefs, but I guess it’s very difficult,” says
from the thick-skinned citrus. “We do a
give it texture, we do an Italian meringue
on top which we burn tableside and finish with lemon zest,” says Pavoni.
For the castagnaccio-inspired coppa, the
team thought about the elements that make the Tuscan cake what it is and reimagined
balance of acidity and fat. The sour cherries from Italy) are folded through, resulting acidity that’s also sweet, so we use a 25year aged balsamic vinegar from Reggio
Emilia,” says Pavoni. “It’s the cherry on the cake for this coppa.”
Gelato requires more than inspiration.
The machinery is easy to find, but costly. “It’s some of the most expensive,” says
Pavoni. “If you want to make good gelato in a small restaurant, you have to spend $20,000-plus for a small machine. We
spent about $100,000 because we have different machines. That’s the thing for
anyone who wants to do good gelato in a restaurant; the investment is high.”
Once chefs have the methods down pat,
processes can be standardised to save time. However, it’s still a technical feat requiring
With pastry chefs already on board,
learn the art themselves. “I didn’t look for Pavoni. “Mostly people buy products premade. If you wanted to open a gelateria next week, you could, to be honest.”
That might be the case, but Pavoni
says the end result could never compare — a fact Foti is all too aware of. At first
convincing trained pastry chefs to work in a gelateria was difficult, but over
time, Piccolina has built a reputation. “Traditionally, people don’t think,
‘I’m a pastry chef, I’ll go and work in a gelataria’,” says Foti. “People don’t
understand the patisserie element in
producing gelato the way we do. As we’ve grown people can see and appreciate what we’re about, and now we have amazing chefs.”
If the category continues to grow in
highly skilled pastry chefs.
Australia at the same rate it has over the
our kitchen, because all the components
country’s talent will try their hand at the
“We’ve got pastry chefs working in
are basically patisserie,” says Foti. “You 56 | Hospitality
for error.”
past five years, there’s hope more of the art of gelato. ■
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58 | Hospitality
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60 | Hospitality
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5 MINUTES WITH ... // Loretta Bolotin
Loretta Bolotin Free to Feed Co-Founder Loretta Bolotin on starting a social enterprise, how the business model works for hospitality and what others can do to help. PHOTOGRAPHY Katie Shanasy WE FOUNDED FREE to Feed in 2016
barriers to enter the labour market,
Feed is often their first job in Australia.
there should be so few opportunities
experience, training and generally
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because we didn’t understand why
for ordinary Australians to access the
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receive invaluable employment
become more connected with the hospitality community.
It takes a lot of work to reconcile
By the time they leave our 12-month
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Australia. It seemed to us that this dearth
these two worlds [of hospitality and
a nation and it was keeping vulnerable
Natural? No. What we’ve found — in
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was not helping our social cohesion as people languishing in unemployment. The power of hospitality took us
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experiences of our cooks, whether it was serving up curries to their whole village
in Sri Lanka or running a busy restaurant in Tehran. In addition to activating
social enterprise]. Is it possible? Yes!
our relatively short experience — is that of a social change vehicle: creating
spaces for sharing culture and ideas
and traditions. This potential has to be
balanced with the fact that hospitality is a demanding industry into which to thrust
in hospitality.
Free to Feed is the first step many of
We see an incredibly positive role that
continuing their employment, as research tells us that workforce participation is
the cornerstone to social and economic inclusion for newly arrived people. Free to Feed provides a deeply
vulnerable people.
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was the social glue to bring the two
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We would love to invite people from
never imagined.
evocative spaces for them, sometimes
great knowledge and talent, hospitality worlds together in a way we could have The food experiences and events
we create enable ordinary Australians to explore the authentic experiences
of people seeking asylum and refuge through their food knowledge and
stories. Our cooks, who ordinarily face 62 | Hospitality
While our participants are some of
people I know, kitchens can be very
embodying positive memories, sometimes challenging experiences. So, we work really hard everyday to balance out
experience with basic skills training. the industry to impart knowledge as
guest trainers. Participants emerge with increased confidence and experience to take on their next challenge.
■
For more information about getting
the sometimes hectic, chaotic nature
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