Moffat Connection 2019 (AU Edition)

A News Bulletin by the Moffat Group for the Food Industry

connection ISSUE ONE | 2019

WHARE KAI AT TE PUIA IS A ONE OF A KIND

FAMILY SUCCESS STORIES A FRESHEN UP FOR COBRA AWARDS & ACCOLADES

WELCOME TO THIS EDITION OF THE

MOFFAT CONNECTION

This edition is full of articles highlighting some of the many activities the Moffat Group has been involved with recently.

The Connection is a great conversation starter when we are out in the field scoping new projects and talking to our customers. It’s an apt title too because that’s what it’s about: connecting with people and their businesses.

These connections have been made all around the globe, and this issue includes stories from the redeveloped Te Puia restaurant in Rotorua, Casa Cibo in Brisbane, the Dog Track in Belfast, Blue Manna Bistro in Dunsborough, Burger 21 in Tampa and many more.

Connections too have been made in the various industry events we’ve attended and the recent advancements made in our technology and training.

We develop our business by working with the best in the industry and listening to our customers. Our manufacturing flexibility enables us to exceed the expectations of our customers. We continue to invest in the latest technology to drive our overall efficiency.

Our commitment to research and development and the innovation within our new products remains a key to our success. This June sees the global release of the new refreshed range of Cobra cooking equipment.

Cobra isn’t the only technology we’re excited about. Our new range of Merrychef accelerated cooking equipment and the Scotsman Ice equipment have recently been capturing increased market share. All of these fantastic products (and others) can be seen at our stand at the Fine Foods Exhibition in Sydney this September. We hope to see many of you there.

We are also looking forward to Host 2019 in Milan this October. This exhibition promises a huge range of future-focused ideas and equipment. If you want to see what tomorrow holds for kitchens throughout the world there’s no better place to be.

The Moffat team and the wider Christchurch community would like to thank you all for your overwhelming support during a very difficult time earlier this year.

We cannot comprehend how such evil acts of violence can occur. As has been said, “this is not who we are.”

Who are we? I’d say that here at Moffat we’ve always appreciated how food can break down barriers and bring people together. The kitchens and eateries of our globe have always been a place to rest and refuel, to taste and inspire, to challenge and innovate and impact and yes, to make exciting, rewarding connections.

As always we welcome your feedback. If you have anything you’d like to share, about our work or yours, please get in touch.

Regards

Greg O’Connell MOFFAT GROUP MANAGING DIRECTOR.

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Take your kitchen to a new degree of productivity.

Step up to the next level.

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ON THE COVER

CONTENTS

A NEW VENUE FOR THE TE PUIA SPRINGS EXPERIENCE. PAGE 6.

5. Product Refresh - Cobra 6. A unique experience - Te Puia 10. Italian elegance and style - Casa Cibo 14. Making it their own - Noso 16. And they're racing - Dog Track 18. Best in show - Blue Seal UK 21. Made it to Milan - Moffat Group 22. Ice up your life - Scotsman 23. Neighbourhood nest - The Birdwood 26. The stars are out - Upper East Side 28. Spot on pasties - Bakery Award Moffat Pty Limited - Australia

29. Q&A - Paul Wilson

Victoria/Tasmania 740 Springvale Road, Mulgrave, Victoria 3170 Phone 03-9518 3888 Fax 03-9518 3833 vsales@moffat.com.au

32. To be perfectly - Frank's Eatery

New South Wales Phone 02-8833 4111 nswsales@moffat.com.au

34. In a stately manor - Hoar Cross Hall

South Australia Phone 03-9518 3888 vsales@moffat.com.au

30. Keeping it fresh - CREAM

36. Straight from Heaven - Blue Mana Bistro

Queensland / Northern Territory Phone 07-3630 8600 qldsales@moffat.com.au

38. Now playing - The Screening Room and Eatery

Western Australia Phone 08-9413 2400 wasales@moffat.com.au

40. Well hello - Henry Summer

Moffat Limited - New Zealand Christchurch 45 Illinois Drive, Izone Business Hub, Rolleston 7675 Phone 03-983 6600 Fax 03-983 6660 sales@moffat.co.nz Auckland Phone 09-574 3150 sales@moffat.co.nz Blue Seal Limited - United Kingdom Unit 67, Gravelly Business Park Gravelly, Birmingham, B248TQ Phone 0121 327 5575 Fax 0121 327 9711 www.blue-seal.co.uk sales@blue-seal.co.uk Moffat Inc - United States of America 3756 Champion Boulevard Winston-Salem, North Carolina 27105 Phone 336 661 0257 Fax 336 661 0946 www.moffatusa.com sales@moffat.com

42. A family story - The Fermentery 44. Bold and beautiful - Voila!

46. World class - Lower Hutt Events Centre 49. Keeping up with technology - Moffat and FCSI 50. New life in the old docks - The Woolshed 52. Gone fishing - Staff profile 53. Our people - NZ, Australia, UK 56. Product focus - Fryer Facts

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Cobra serves up a fresh approach.

Moffat’s popular range, Cobra, has been redefined with diversity in mind.

Bringing more flexibility and fresh tools for new directions in food trends and with the trademark Cobra functionality and affordability.

This New Zealand-made, powerful and fuss-free range puts the choice and the power in your hands.

With equipment that will evolve with your style, your way – from edgy street food to à la carte dining, Cobra’s core pieces mix and match with new products in a way that is unique to every customer.

Subtly stylish, the range delivers the capability and reliability demanded by today’s innovative chefs.

In the ever-changing restaurant industry, adaptability is key. The new-look series allows you space to innovate and expand as dining evolves, while still delivering Cobra’s consistent power and reliability.

A selection of Cobra Series matching products

PRODUCT REFRESH

Simple sophistication sets the scene Just released – the updated Cobra cooking line presents a fresh and functional gallery of cooking products, offering performance without all the frills.

Rationally refined and subtly stylish Cobra products offer an entry-level to mid-range cooking suite which is functional and loyally reliable – as well as loaded with commercial power and capability.

“We are very excited about the new-look Cobra” says Moffat's General Manager of Sales and Marketing, Michael Lillico. ‘’The new expanded series offers our customers pilot and flame failure options and improved aesthetics for upfront or back-ofhouse use.”

“Affordability does not mean compromise with Cobra – and the series is positioned well to meet demand for mid-level products”.

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Western cooking appliances, including a range, cooktops, griddles, chargrills, a griddle toaster and salamander, are complemented by a stock pot burner, one, two and threehole woks and noodle and pasta cookers suited for Asian fusion applications. Power and performance are delivered in a known and proven format, refined in styling, features and finish. New modular infill tables in 300, 450, 600, and 900 widths complement the modular cooking line perfectly.

“We recognise not every customer needs the full feature richness of Blue Seal or Waldorf – and Cobra is perfectly positioned to occupy that space, with the reassurance that comes with dealing with the Moffat Group.”

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NEW ZEALAND

Taking Aotearoa cuisine to new heights A delicious menu uniquely and undeniably of our land, served in a stunning new facility, overlooking an active geyser – it’s no wonder the redeveloped Te Puia is drawing big crowds of both international visitors and appreciative locals. fit-out of the new restaurant.

The new offering at whare kai is not just bigger and better. It’s also a testament to the incredible journey that Te Puia has taken. From the early days offering tea and scones the property has now become a fully immersive, world-class experience.

A man who has been there for much of this journey is Ron Thomas, owner of Rotorua-based Food Equipment NZ. When the project came up for tender, Ron drew on his considerable experience as well as his clear understanding and connection to the Te Puia brand. He was passionate about delivering equipment and a fit-out that would match this innovative restaurant. He also knew he would have to sharpen his pencil to ensure it would be a win-win for all.

This resolute focus on the best result for this important project won through in the end.

Rotorua’s much-loved Te Puia is without a doubt a significant player in New Zealand’s tourism industry. Now, following major development works, the property is set to further cement this position as a market leader.

The refresh of its Wānanga Precinct and food and beverage offering is part of an $8 million development. The new whare kai café and restaurant offers diners a truly staggering outlook overlooking Te Puia’s star attraction, the Pōhutu Geyser. This steaming geyser is the most active geyser in the southern hemisphere, reliably erupting twice every hour and promising to distract many a diner from their plate.

Set against such a unique backdrop, the Te Puia team knew they had to create something remarkable when it came to the design and

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Ron’s involvement with the whare kai project began in 2016 during the scoping stage, when he saw first-hand the need for big, bold change.

“Tourism is a highly competitive industry in New Zealand – we need to stay ahead of the pack,” says Ron. As Te Puia planned for the future, it became clear that a large dining experience was critical. What came from that initial scoping would go on to become something that Ron can only describe as a “very unusual set-up”.

Dining at whare kai is like nothing else. It begins as tourists watch their meal cooked underground in the outdoor hangi pit. The food is then taken back to the kitchen for preparation and served conventionally to guests in the restaurant as they overlook the steaming, bubbling Pōhutu.

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“There’s nothing like it in New Zealand,” says Ron. “It’s a unique experience – one those eating here will remember for years to come.”

and his team had achieved for so many years in the small space. More than anything, he appreciates what they now have to work with.

Overseeing this dining experience is Executive Chef, Shane Beattie. Like Ron, Shane has experienced the growth of Te Puia during his 20-year tenure, witnessing the kitchen go from an “absolutely tiny space” to its current form.

“Visit the old kitchen and you’d have been amazed at what it was capable of. The numbers put through by the team there were incredible,” says Ron. “Now, though, with the state of the art kitchen, the facilities match the exceptional nature of the story here – we’re world class in every sense of the word.”

“While we were still putting through 500 to 600 covers a day each season with the old kitchen it was always a struggle,” says Shane.

“The new space is really helpful making sure we’ve got the speed to get things out quickly and confidently.”

It’s this type of functionality that ensures Shane and his team can deliver an exceptional meal every time, even when crowds pour off the coaches with appetites primed.

“Over the last month, we’ve had three big events here, the 300-plus plated meals, and the small team in the kitchen could step up and get dishes out in under 20 minutes.”

For Te Puia, the development of whare kai is much more than a bigger kitchen and a dining room with a view. It heralds a new era; one where its dining experience becomes a standalone offering. Ron believes this will change the perception that locals have.

“The restaurant has gone from a predominantly tourist-based spot, to one where locals are arriving in far greater numbers for the food and the experience,” he says.

As he ponders the new kitchen set up and the incredible amount of meals it will turn out each day, Ron appreciates what Shane

IN THE KITCHEN Executive Chef, Shane Beattie was keen to learn from the past when it came to the selection of equipment that could handle the immense workload of his kitchen.

“We had experience with one Convotherm combi oven and three from other companies.

Within a month small issues had arisen with the other three. But the Convotherm combi continued to deliver year after year,” he says.

“So obviously that had a big influence on the decision this time.”

Based on this past performance, there was little doubt in Shane’s mind that they would stick with Moffat, choosing to go with two Convotherm ovens and additional banquet systems. The Waldorf brand provides further tried-and-true capability, this equipment including a salamander, ranges, griddle, chargrill and fryers. And when things heat up in the busy Rotorua kitchen, the Friginox Roll-in Blast Chiller/Freezer keeps everything at the right temperature, while in the café kitchen a Merrychef e4s Rapid Speed Cook Oven provides quality food in “fast food” time.

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AUSTRALIA

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Casa Cibo stays true to flavour After success with other hospitality ventures brothers Nick and Adrian Rosata wanted their newest restaurant to faithfully represent their Italian heritage.

The pair’s father comes from the Abruzzo region, which offers a rich variety of food many believe to be the best in Italy. The brothers wanted to stay true to this culinary history. So they spent several years planning and finding a suitable venue, working with a talented Executive Chef on a quality menu, and sourcing the appropriate equipment to deliver this menu.

The plans came to fruition when they launched Casa Cibo – a sophisticated, upmarket Italian restaurant located in the Westfield building at Chermside, Brisbane’s hip new dining precinct.

Built over two levels, and with capacity to seat more than 350 people, the restaurant offers a range of unique spaces within a suitably sleek, elegant interior.

The menu sticks very closely to the Rosata’s

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Italian roots, featuring a range of delicious fresh pasta, pizza and antipasti, sliced to order. The restaurant also employs its own Italian pastry chef, Annamaria, whose skill and passion provides many a delectable cheesecake and chocolate crostata for regular diners and new converts alike.

“We offer the Italian staples that people are used to, but done traditionally and properly, with a real depth of flavour,” says Adrian.

“We do everything from scratch. We make everything in house daily using great ingredients to deliver quality Italian food that is accessible, authentic and inspiring. This includes things like baking fresh focaccia on site, as well as rolling our pizza dough every day and letting it proof for up to 36 hours.”

Sitting boldly in the centre of the restaurant are two giant wood-fired Stefano Ferrera

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Ready, willing and able.

Keep all types of food fresh and hot. Turbofan's new Holding Cabinets are essential for all food service operations, allowing you to serve more covers with less food wastage. Choose from 8 different models of Holding Cabinets based on the capacity of your commercial kitchen.

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pizza ovens, which the Rosatas imported from Naples. Weighing in at 3,500 kilos each, the ovens have been affectionately named Big Betty and Massive Myrtle.

“The ‘ladies’ work hard cooking our pizzas, and they’re also busy slow-cooking beautiful dishes like porchetta, Amalfi chicken, lamb ragus and wood-fired vegetables. We really respect our ovens and treat them like family,” Adrian says.

Servicing such a vast space, the load on Casa Cibo’s kitchen is considerable. It’s one of the main reasons the team turned to Moffat for their fit-out.

“Moffat offers a great balance between quality, price and durability,” says Adrian.

“When it comes to purchasing and servicing it’s also very easy and seamless for us having all of our equipment from the one provider.”

IN THE KITCHEN Providing an authentic Italian dining experience requires the right ingredients, the passion and expertise of talented chefs and the highest quality equipment for them to work on. For the equipment the Rosata brothers went with what the ‘tried and true’.

“We have been buying Moffat gear for years and we use it across all seventeen of our restaurants. We like it. We trust the brand”, says Adrian. “Every single piece of equipment in our kitchen, with the exception of our refrigeration and pizza ovens, is from Moffat.”

This includes a Convotherm oven, and a full Waldorf Bold set-up, with deep fryers, target tops, pasta cookers, a cooktop and chargrill.

They also invested in several Washtech dishwashers to enable kitchen staff to deliver quality results as efficiently as possible.

“Most importantly, Moffat also helps us deliver a really high level of delicious, traditional Italian food to our customers, which keeps them coming back again and again,” says Adrian. “And at the end of the day, that’s what it’s all about.”

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LATIN AMERICA

Creativity, passion and ambition in Mexico City It’s hard to imagine finer credentials for any young chef, than to be able to say you have worked at world-renowned El Bulli on the Costa Brava, under its legendary owner and chef, Ferran Adria.

Before its closure in 2011, El Bulli boasted three Michelin stars, and was judged one of the world’s top 50 restaurants no less than five times. It was in the kitchens of El Bulli that two young Spanish chefs Sandra Fortes and Miguel Higaldo first met.

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influences from throughout Spain," Miguel explains. Sandra adds: "And Mexico has a lot of products, flavours, and some very unique blends of flavour. I particularly love spice.”

When El Bulli closed its doors for good, the couple travelled to Sandra’s childhood home in Mexico, where, for several years, they honed their craft, in their upmarket catering business. Eventually though, their ambition of making their mark in the culinary world took them to Mexico City, pursuing the dream of a restaurant of their own. They found premises that perfectly matched their requirements in Polanco, the city’s most prestigious – and expensive - district. Often referred to as the Beverly Hills of Mexico City, its upscale shops, hotels and restaurants attract celebrities and the super-rich to work, live and dine here.

The couple rented space on the third floor of a modern low-rise building, and set to work building their dream.

minimalist atmosphere that is intimate enough to focus attention on the couple’s Spanish/ Mexican fusion cuisine.

In November 2017, after months of planning and working, they opened Noso – Cocina de Autor. In Sandra’s native Galician dialect, Noso means “ours”, and Cocina de Autor (literally ‘the author’s kitchen”) refers to their signature cuisine. "We wanted to make a place that was different without being pretentious,” the chefs say. Since it opened its doors, reviewers and customers alike have appreciated the modern,

The menu is simple, and changes monthly to make the most of the finest fresh, seasonal ingredients, complemented with exclusive specialities, such as live lobsters imported from Spain. "The inspiration comes from our roots, where we became chefs; Basque Country, Catalonia, then Sandra’s Galician roots. I am from Toledo and my father is from Andalusia. We can claim our culinary

While the cuisine is unmistakably modern, it also draws on the childhood memories of the two chefs. Miguel says: "On the menu we have several dishes that are symbolic. I have one which is something that I am used to eating at home since I was little. It was like the celebratory food when there was an important event in my house."

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The overall restaurant is purposely small, seating just 58 diners, to better serve a smaller number of guests, given the elaborate nature of the menu. No effort is spared in the presentation, or the preparation. Meals are exquisitely presented on the finest Bernardaud dinnerware, and the bread – which is always on the menu – takes no less than 52 hours to prepare.

If you ask this couple where they see the future for their venture, they are unequivocal: “Our aim is to make Noso one of the top 50 restaurants in the world, in the near future.”

If you ask this couple where they see the future for their venture, they are unequivocal: “Our aim is to make Noso one of the top 50 restaurants in the world, in the near future.”

The Waldorf Bold island suite features a gas griddle, a target top, gas cooktops, and electric salamanders, along with a gas fryer and bench tops.

IN THE KITCHEN

“Moffat provided great support for both myself and for Sandra and Miguel,” says Andrew. “The distance from Mexico to New Zealand could have been a freight issue, potentially delaying the opening. But everyone worked together, and from signing the rental contract to opening day was just four months.”

With the lease of the premises signed, the couple contacted contacted Moffat’s Andrew Scoular and Soluciones Gastronomicas to assist with the supply and design of their kitchen. “Given the very high rental prices in Polanco, it was vital to get the restaurant operating as soon as possible. Time was critically important.” says Andrew.

Important too, was to have a kitchen that looked as good as the rest of the restaurant, without compromising functionality: the semi-open architecture means it is fully visible to guests, especially those at the 10seat chef’s table located directly beside the kitchen. They chose a glossy black Waldorf Bold island suite, as it offered the majority of their cooking requirements in a single unit. The Waldorf Bold range, with its configurable options and sophisticated good looks, neatly fitting into the limited space.

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UNITED KINGDOM

A sure bet The doors have opened at the Dog Track and they’re off and racing, with reviewers of Belfast’s new restaurant loving every bite from the menu’s plates (once they’ve managed to catch them).

For the restaurant’s chef / proprietor Michael O’Connor and front of house manager / proprietor Michael Fletcher it’s somewhat of a ‘new dog, new tricks’ situation.

Their first project, The Barking Dog, has built a strong reputation for quality fare in a relaxed setting. With Belfast diners having plenty of dining options their second venture had to capture attention and ensure repeat patronage from day one.

The two Michaels delivered this at the Dog Track with both menu and methodology.

The menu covers cuisines from traditional Irish through to Mediterranean and Asian inspired dishes, all served as small plate dining, with the emphasis on mixing and matching dishes and sharing. This approach provides the

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opportunity for diners to expand their culinary horizons.

“We wanted to give customers the chance to try new food they may otherwise not have through worry they wouldn’t like it,” says Michael O’Connor. “The small plate medium allows people to experiment without the fear that they will ‘waste’ a main course if they don’t like it.”

The methodology is also interesting, and that’s where the ‘track’ concept of the restaurant’s name comes in. The open plan kitchen is right in the thick of the action, the central island providing diners a 360-degree view of meals being prepared and cooked.

From this kitchen cold tapas and desserts are sent out via the track, a transportation tool

common in sushi trains but previously unseen in establishments such as this.

“The aim was to increase interaction between the chefs and customers and introduce some fun and theatre to the dining experience,” says O’Connor. “Customers can either order from the menu or lift any food they like as it rolls by.”

“We wanted to bring a new style of dining to the Belfast city centre, encouraging people to move away from the traditional starter-maindessert dining format.”

A busy restaurant is a welcome sight for O’Connor, particularly given the race they had to get the Track up and running.

The location, an old linen mill previously unoccupied for over a decade, had to be carefully refurbished. Construction work began in October 2017 and took close to six weeks to complete.

“Fitting a restaurant in a ‘shell’ proved to be quite difficult,” says O’Connor. “While it’s good to have a blank canvas to work on this also presents its own unique problems, such as installing utilities.”

“We were pushed to the wire with getting construction completed on time and arrived at court in October for our alcohol licensing with the ink literally drying on our building control certificate.

O’Connor is thankful for the project team’s experience in getting everything over the finish line.

“Gordon Devenney from O’Donnell O’Neill Designers ensured the restaurant design was perfect for our needs, Gary McMullan from Galgorm Group managed the kitchen fit-out with construction from Ronan Higham’s team at Pure Fitout.”

The Weaving Works complex now houses the new restaurant along with a café on the ground floor, with the building’s upper floors used financial software company First Derivatives.

It’s a dynamic, exciting location and the restaurant is now well positioned to pace ahead other innovative developments, including a takeaway app for food on the go.

IN THE KITCHEN At the Dog Track the kitchen is definitely a main focus.

With 50 people seated at the track around the highly visible central island and another 30 at low tables the cooking equipment here needed to supply both good looks and unwavering reliability.

appearance of the Waldorf Bold equipment,” says chef Michael O’Connor. “As our main cooking island is front of house and the customers sit around it, we needed something spectacular looking – and Waldorf was perfect.”

The Dog Track has a full Bold range finished in black. This includes three gas target top convection ranges, two salamander gas grills, three gas fryers, a gas chargrill and a pasta cooker.

“All the staff were well versed in using the Blue Seal equipment from previous jobs or with us in our sister restaurant (The Barking Dog)” says O’Connor.

Just to be sure, Galgorm Group provided after-sale service on the equipment, and Dave Chesshire and Glenn Danks of Blue Seal checked everything post-installation to double-check everyone was happy.

O’Connor states that the Waldorf Bold has certainly delivered.

“We’ve had numerous compliments from customers on the good look of the kitchen and have made local chefs green with envy when they visit.”

“We took advice from various experts at Galgorm Group on the reliability and

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TRADE SHOWS & AWARDS

Hotelympia 2018 We were proud to share our product range at last year’s Hotelympia, Britain’s premier hospitality and food service event providing a great showcase for established favourites and new introductions.

In 2018 Hotelympia took place at London’s ExCeL convention centre from the 5th to the 8th of March.

The prestigious bi-annual event dates back to 1935. Back then it was the “Hotel, Restaurant & Catering Exhibition', which took place at Olympia. The event grew so linked with the location over the following years that in 1952 it’s name was combined with the site. The show’s popularity required a move to a bigger venue in 1994 and then in 2004 it moved to its current location.

The show has a long and colourful history, everything from royal visits to roof collapses, bomb threats to an interruption from a World War II. In 2018 the drama was thankfully of the planned variety, with four new shows debuting – the Professional Kitchen Show, the FoodService Show, the Hospitality Tech Show and the Interiors & TableWare Show.

Besides these exhibitions there was, as always, a huge range of associated events, presentations and discussions.

Emerging trends were debated, products tested and meals devoured. Through Hotelympia’s platform there were a

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huge range of opportunities for restaurants, hotels, pubs, cafes, caterers and other businesses to meet up and review the latest products.

Blue Seal had a large presence at the show, with a lot of activity packed into our 8x5 metre exhibition space. For both existing and new clients there was much to take in.

While the Waldorf Bold and Blue Seal equipment was a key focus for the stand all the brands were well represented here, including Turbofan, Cobra and FastFri. Business was busy, with plenty of interest in how new refinements are offering greater affiance in kitchen technology.

The show is an important event in the British hospitality calendar and plans are already moving ahead for the next conference.

With the success from 2018, the continued development of our range, and some exciting new innovations soon to debut, everyone involved at Blue Seal is now looking forward to 2020.

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Blue Seal does it again Award recognition is always nice – but it’s even better when it’s the result of being judged by your peers. At the annual ENSE conference Blue Seal winning the Supplier of the Year award was therefore cause for celebration.

Since 2012 ENSE has been the premier independent buying consortium of catering equipment and supplies in the United

Kingdom. Working for both distributors and suppliers, the organisation has helped the hospitality industry grow and evolve to meet the ever-changing needs of the market.

“Although these meetings are only 10 minutes in length they provide a platform for future discussions,” said Robin McKnight, ENSE’s sales director.

A key date on the calendar is the annual ENSE conference. The three-day event has provided plenty of individual and business highlights in the past and this year proved no different.

After the making of introductions came the bestowing of recognition. The awards within ENSE are always hotly contested by companies vying across 10 categories.

After a distributors meeting on the first day the action then moved on to the Metropole Hotel at the National Exhibition Centre for the 28th and 29th of March, 2018.

With esteemed competition coming from Rational and Meiko the race was hard-fought in the Supplier of the Year. That’s why Blue Seal was so proud to be awarded the trophy in 2018.

Here the rotational meetings took place – 66 ten-minute encounters between suppliers and distributors. With a high-energy approach and a productive atmosphere this is always a dynamic and exciting time.

We’d like to thank all those who made the result possible – our people, our industry partners, our clients, those who use our products and those who so enjoy the results.

Blue Seal Conferences Conferences give Blue Seal Limited a perfect opportunity to showcase their products to a wide selection of staff of two of the largest catering equipment suppliers in the United Kingdom.

Ashton Gate, home of Bristol City Football Club was the prestigious venue for Nisbet Catering Equipment’s third sales conference held in February last year. It was also their largest attended by 140 Nisbet’s sales and marketing staff as well as suppliers, while the evening function attracted more than 300. Glenn Danks and Dave Chesshire were proud to take part on behalf of Blue Seal Limited as one of Nisbet’s preferred suppliers.

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In January last year Lockhart Catering Equipment held their sales conference at the historic Beaumont Estate in Windsor. Attended by over 500 delegates there was a full conference day followed by a Masquerade Ball.

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Crosbys seals the win With so many reputable companies vying for the honours, competition at the Catering Insight awards is always fierce. Never was this more apparent than in the Distributor of the Year, North of England category. The closest contest of the awards saw several multi-way ties on different occasions – and it was only decided by one vote on the last day of voting… in the last hour.

This vote went to Crosbys, sealing the win for the well-liked Newcastle distributor. It was a particularly important for the company as the award, sponsored by Blue Seal Limited, was contested by a ‘who’s who’ of top distributors.

Clare Nicholls, Editor of Catering Insight, was impressed with the turnout for the event, stating that “Voting records were broken too this year, with over 150 senior sector representatives casting their votes, with distributors choosing the supplier category victors and vice versa.”

While supplier voters may have had a difficult time choosing the distributor winner, Crosbys certainly made a very strong case.

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The company has completed prestigious and varied projects this year including the two Michelin star restaurant The Raby Hunt (installed in an incredible 2 day window), Hotel Indigo in Durham, The Beaumont Hotel in Hexham, and Fenwick’s retail store in Bracknell.

With considerable recent investment throughout the company Crosbys is set up to complete this work to the highest standards.

This spending included increasing its projects team, adding to the van fleet and overhauling its website. An additional £1m spend through ENSE partners is evidence of this growth, as is the chef development kitchen for chefs that

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the company has built with partner Delifresh.

This effort and enterprise culminated on the night with the award. Brothers Roger and Ben Crosby accepted the trophy, with Roger remarking: “The Catering Insight Awards is now 3 years in, so it feels fantastic to win in 2017 – I think we’ve deserved it this year.”

Ben added the win was helped by “all the huge projects we’ve been doing”, and the high profile jobs undertaken across a wide area.

“We’ve recently worked on two Michelin star restaurants and although we’re based in Newcastle we’re now operating nationally and doing projects in London,” said Ben. “We feel we’re a national player now.”

Host Milan

Morning in front of Duomo in Milan on the way to Host Milan Exhibition.

Moffat Exhibition at Host Milan - inaugural participation

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AUSTRALIA

Australia’s growing appetite for ice As tastes change, Australia’s bars, hotels and restaurants are in need of ice, but not just any ice.

They want ice that is the right match for each drink, which means they need machines that will do more than make a standard cube. With the range of Scotsman ice machines Moffat now supplies their needs can easily be met. stocked, but times are changing. While spirits have not been the drinks of choice in bars or restaurants before, the tide turned.

Australia has traditionally been known as a nation of beer drinkers. Their need for ice might be limited to keeping the cooler

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Whether it is whisky, brandy, vodka, gin, tequila, rum or any other spirit, the world’s leading brands are now available all over the world and the demand for high-quality drinks in bars and restaurants has grown exponentially. All of a sudden, there is a high demand for premium-grade ice to make these drinks they best they can be.

“Some of the more basic ingredients like ice cubes have become big business,” says Mark

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Fetting, Product Manager for Scotsman at Moffat. “The pressure for ice machine manufacturers and suppliers to come up with new ideas for different types of ice in different shapes and sizes is well and truly on.”

“The general trend in most high-end or boutique bars in Australia at the moment is for large, square or gourmet ice cubes. It is all about presentation. Presenting the customer with a well-made, stylish, yet consistent drink is essential, and ice plays a number of roles in an alcohol drink. Mainly, it keeps a drink cold, but is also helps to make a drink more presentable,” he adds.

NEW ZEALAND

Flocking together With a focus on delicious meals and a heart for their surrounding community, Nick and Sarah Freeman have made their latest Christchurch venture one for relaxed encounters and familial warmth.

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While Nick worked previously at a fine dining Italian restaurant in London's Mayfair he’s a firm believer that “food does not have to be fussy”.

Fresh pasta is made daily, and the handmade pizzas are a hit with the locals. Indeed, pizza aficionados have already claimed the Birdwood to be serving the best of its type in Christchurch, and word is spreading quickly.

Since starting Lyttelton’s eponymous Freeman’s in 2006 the couple has garnered acclaim for their resolute focus on quality fare, expertly crafted and carefully served.

Living through such a dramatic seismic change in the local landscape and seeing how the people and culture adapted and grew stronger through adversity, the Freeman’s know all too well the importance of community.

It’s why they have invested their heart into a new venture - the Birdwood Eatery and Pizzeria. Across the hill from Lyttelton in the couple’s home suburb of Beckenham the latest venture again follows the ‘simple, delicious, fresh’ mantra.

The Birdwood provides a welcome gathering point for local families, the two different spaces offering distinct dining experiences that cover the full day of dining. The Eatery is open daily from 8am to 4pm for breakfast and lunch. Wood-fired pizzas are available next door from 4pm to 10pm Monday to Thursday, and 3pm to 10pm Friday to Sunday.

The central corner site on Malcolm Avenue proved the ideal location for such a venture according to the owners.

“We love building relationships with our customers and this was the perfect spot,” says Sarah. “Owning a business in the hub of our community means we get to see our neighbours and friends everyday.”

A community of expert craftsman turned the dream into a reality within the project’s 8-month timeline.

Three Sixty Architecture’s Dean Cowell developed the exterior tone. The big and small detail of the interior architecture was created

by Nic Curragh of Objects. McKenzie Builders did the hard yards on the fit-out with Bryan Graham Consulting providing expert guidance with project management.

Venturing deeper into the heart of the Birdwood, the kitchen was equipped with the full range of Moffat technology. Southern Hospitality’s Chris Colvill was instrumental in helping to scope and deliver this equipment.

The tight-knit but inviting kitchen bolsters the tone set in the different dining areas.

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“There’s no rush here to move people in, through their meals and then out the door,” says Nick Freeman. “It’s a beautiful space where we want people to simply feel welcome, a part of the community that we hope will entice people to stop and stay a while.”

IN THE KITCHEN The Birdwood kitchen proves you can get a lot done from a small space provided the design is right, the equipment is scoped correctly, and the operators are in their element.

The output required from this kitchen varies according to the thermometer. The eatery space seats 40 people, with room for another 20 outside in summer. The pizzeria seats 80 people with again space for 20 outside during the warmer months.

With both areas served by a communal kitchen the space is “small but perfectly functional,” according to Birdwood owner Nick Freeman.

“The open plan design provides another opportunity for the kitchen to connect with our customers,” says Nick. “It’s that much easier for our team to catch-up with friends and family, and everyone loves it.”

A beautiful workspace is also a source of pride to the team. The E33 Turbofan convection oven sits on a Turbofan stand. It’s also ably supported by a stylish Waldorf Bold suite of equipment, including a gas griddle, a gas range, a pasta cooker, twin pan fryer and two Waldorf benchtops.

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AUSTRALIA

A new star on the Upper East Side While a ceiling of 100,000 fairy lights may entice the punters, the menu on offer at Bondi’s latest busy restaurant and bar provides just as much of a star turn.

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When it comes to high quality, affordable dining, the renowned Sydney beachside town of Bondi has come a long way in the last ten years. As well as long-standing favourites such as Bondi Icebergs and Sean’s Panaroma, the suburb now also hosts a number of creative new eateries serving up tasty, inventive food.

By day the venue is laid-back and relaxed with comfy outdoor couches, a tasty breakfast menu, and a bottomless brunch option on Saturdays and Sundays. In the evening it becomes a more up-market destination, offering a full menu as well as tapas-style dishes and an extensive cocktail menu.

A recent standout is Upper East Side, located on the upper end of bustling O’Brien Street.

The exciting new attraction is owned and managed by the talented Ussi Moniz da Silvia, who has a background in running concert tours and successful nightclubs.

One of the venue’s most striking features is it’s ceiling. Covered entirely in 100,000 fairy lights this feature adds a star-like charm to the interior. There are also two life-size palm trees inside the restaurant that add to the relaxed, tropical vibe.

Open from breakfast through to dinner, it boasts an interesting and ever-evolving menu with culinary influences from all over the world.

“The restaurant’s feel really changes depending on the time of day,” says Ussi. “For breakfast it’s quite chilled and laid back. At night it’s busy and fun and really popular with

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locals. With the live music and DJs and it’s got a great atmosphere that people love.”

Though the restaurant employs a team of talented fine-dining chefs in its kitchen the food is still kept fresh, light and casual.

The space can seat up to 100 people, and with the need to output so many fast-paced dishes, the load on the kitchen can be considerable.

That’s why Ussi has brought in a great kitchen team, and equipped them with the right tools for the job.

IN THE KITCHEN When it came to choosing kitchen equipment Upper East Side owner Ussi Moniz da Silvia turned to Moffat, installing a full Waldorf Bold line-up, a Convotherm oven and Washtech dishwasher.

“Moffat is a respected and reliable brand,” says Ussi “While we haven’t had any issues we know they’ll provide rapid support if we do.”

“Our kitchen is open plan and diners can see what’s going on, so we really needed to get top of the line equipment,” he adds. “It was important that it was visually appealing but also practical for our restaurant. So the Waldorf line-up suited us perfectly.”

“We chose the Convotherm for the same reason – it looks great and is simply a fantastic piece of equipment. So too is the Washtech equipment reliable and gives us the results we need when it comes to cleaning.

And it all it fits into the space really well.”

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AUSTRALIA

The proof is in the pasty There’s nothing quite like a good, old-fashioned pasty and, with an impressive nine victories in Australia’s Best Pasty, it seems there’s also nothing quite like the pastry served up at Glenelg’s Orange Spot Bakery in South Australia.

While the bakery has been operating for around 75 years it didn’t become the renowned ‘Orange Spot’ until 2001, when the talented Davey family purchased it.

While the bakery is popular with locals there are also many visitors attracted to the Orange Spot thanks to the reputation its’ won as an industry leader.

Since then it has been operating as a family business, with Margaret running the books, Nick running the bakery, and their son Jayme now running the overall operation. Both Nick and Jayme are experienced and qualified bakers, and specialise in pastries, including pies, sausage rolls and pasties.

After the family started entering their products in bakery competitions they quickly received widespread acclaim, particularly for their pasties – which have become multiple award-winners.

“We’re also very much a family business,” Jayme says. “As well as being a TAFE lecturer with a great knowledge of microbiology, Dad is a very experienced baker. Now, as they (my parents) are getting closer to retirement they’re stepping back a little and I’m taking over more of the day to day operations.”

When the Daveys took over the bakery around 16 years ago it wasn’t in the best shape, being little more than a shop front. Since then the family has fully renovated the venue, installed a full professional bakery, and expanded next door. They can now seat around 70 people, and business is busy.

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The competition for Australia’s Best Pasty is rather intense, and the award is coordinated by the Baking Association of Australia and judged by an expert panel all over Australia.

It’s not an easy title to claim, let alone to win year after year.

“We’ve been very fortunate to win so many times,” says Jayme. “Every year we look at how we can improve what we’re already doing. We practice and practice and the products we enter are exactly the same as those that our customers can buy at our bakery. It’s all about consistency and delivering the same quality again and again.”

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IN THE BAKERY Becoming an award-winner in the bakery game takes a lot of work and, above all, consistency of taste and texture. At the Orange Spot Bakery this means getting it exactly right, every time.

“We’re all about consistent quality, using local ingredients wherever possible and showcasing to the rest of South Australia what we can achieve,” says Jayme.

In their recently upgraded bakery the Davey family have chosen a full line-up of Moffat equipment, including a Rotel Mini 12 tray oven, Bear mixer and dough mixer.

“Moffat’s reputation and their support is fantastic,” says Jayme. “They have an excellent network throughout Adelaide which means they are able to provide service whenever it’s required.”

“They also were able to customise our oven for us, which has really helped with the quality of our product. It’s why choosing Moffat was a no-brainer for us.”

Q&A The award winner: Paul Wilson We spoke with Paul Wilson about his diverse experience, the passion for Wilson & Market and his enduring commitment to the Australian culinary scene.

One of Australia’s most highly regarded chefs and restaurateurs, Paul Wilson spends much of his time consulting to restaurants, bars and hotel groups both here and overseas. Since 2016 he has also been co-owner and executive chef at the popular Wilson & Market restaurant in Melbourne’s hip Prahran Market.

How and why did you first come to Australia?

I was born in the UK, my career as a chef first taking off when I began working in London for the famous designer and restaurateur, Terrance Conran. I was then poached by the Hyatt Hotel in Melbourne, and became head chef of their flagship restaurant. Here I went on to win Chef of the Year and three chef’s hats.

Chris Lucas then approached me, offering me executive chef of The Botanical in 2002, which was also awarded Restaurant of the Year and Wine List of the Year, and received two chef’s hats. Melbourne became home after that.

And many more awards then followed?

Yes, I have worked at several restaurants and hotels and received a fair few more awards, including the Epicure Professional Excellence Award and Chef of the Year, as well as several chef’s hats.

I’ve also been an ambassador at a huge number of food festivals all over the world – in Singapore, Bangkok, Jakarta, New York, Florida, Hawaii and Noosa. However, one of my main aims is still to contribute to Melbourne’s gastronomic scene, to really help push the boundaries in terms of what’s possible here.

You’re also well regarded for your Latin food?

I like to take an innovative approach to traditional cuisine – turning exotic food into contemporary dishes. My Latin experience and expertise have been showcased through my original work at the Newmarket Hotel and Acland St Cantina.

When and why did you decided to become a consultant?

In 2003 I started my own consultancy business called Mr Wilson and I have since undertaken a number of projects for a range of businesses, everything from major pubs here in Australia to small restaurants in London to hotels in Bali.

Through my consulting work for Maurice Terzini and the Icebergs Group, I wound up becoming executive chef at Icebergs in Bondi for two years.

How did Wilson & Market come about?

After working at Icebergs I really wanted to start my own thing because, despite working in so many fantastic restaurants, I’d never had one of my own. Wilson & Market is a partnership with Prahran Market – the owners there wanted to drive interest in the market by attracting the next generation of foodies. We were successful in our tender for the site largely because of our “farm to table” philosophy, which highlights local providers, artisanal fishmongers, small goods providers, local distilleries, wine makers and the like.

How would you describe the feel of Wilson & Market?

We really wanted the venue to be upmarket, but not in a restrictive way. The design is therefore very open plan, and diners can see things like the rotisserie, the wood oven and the wine store.

There’s also an open window with a barista facing the market’s entrance. We’re licensed for 250 guests, and there are two entrances – you can enter through the market during the day or from the street at night.

What is your relationship with Moffat?

I have had a long-term relationship with Moffat for many years now, and chose a range of equipment for Wilson & Market, including a Washtech M2C dishwasher, a Convotherm 10 tray and a full Waldorf Bold line-up.

Why did you choose these particular pieces of equipment?

the market we have to be open from breakfast through to dinner. We also wanted equipment that was aesthetically appealing, and the Bold looks terrific. The target tops also give us a fantastic source of consistent heat, which is very important for short order cookery and for ensuring quick, consistent quality. The chrome grills are amazing. You can cook a delicate fillet of fish with a minimal amount of oil, whole cauliflowers or a piece of meat – they’re very multi-purpose.

The back-grills are also very easy to clean and are appropriate for the broad range of cookery we do, and the split fryers offer the ability to have different temps in different baskets which is ideal for frying sweet foods like doughnuts.

These have been really well received by our cooks. The salamanders are really good and heat up really quickly, and having them at different heights is very important.

In general, the cleaning side of things with Moffat is excellent. My chefs rip everything apart and spray it with a hose after service, and it looks brand new and works perfectly every time. The equipment is also really robust and adaptable. Even though we’ve had a really busy first year we have had no issues with anything.

The Convotherm is excellent too – it’s easy to clean and really helps us get the results we want. We also love the way the new door folds in, which is great for chefs’ safety. With our two kitchens separated by the oven this folding door is ideal.

What’s next for Paul Wilson?

I am currently consulting to a fantastic Californian-style bakery brand, Woodfrog Bakery, helping to develop their savoury and private label foods. They will have 21 stores across Melbourne and their produce is excellent, so keep an eye out for it. I’m also working on a wood-roasted chicken retail concept of my own.

There’s lots on.

We chose the Waldorf Bold Series for its ability to withstand the wear and tear, as being in

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UNITED STATES

CREAM rising to the top CREAM stands for Cookies Rule Everything Around Me. It’s an evocative message when taken from the viewpoint of the sandwiched ice cream. It’s also an apt description for the continued expansion and success of the brand throughout the United States.

While the first store was opened in Berkeley, California in 2010 the seeds of the brand were sown years earlier with a family growing up in the nearby suburb of Millbrae.

“My mother would always be baking,” says one of CREAM’s founders Gus Shamieh.

“We became known throughout the neighbourhood for my Mum’s famous ice cream sandwiches.”

With the fantastic ethos of “serving happiness one ice cream sandwich at a time,” Gus, his sister and their parents opened CREAM with an appealing array of fresh-from-the-oven

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cookies and delicious, indulgent ice cream.

Flavours like Cin-Ful Churro, Chocoholic and Banana Walnut Fudge quickly proved a hit, and the allure of the unique ice cream sandwiches was quickly spread by word of mouth.

The success of this first venture encouraged the Shamieh family to think bigger and two years later they began to franchise the concept. By 2017 the chain had expanded into Colorado, Florida and Nevada.

Despite the big moves the menu has remained true to the original concept. With approximately 20 ice cream varieties to choose from, customers have a choice of brownies, waffles and a donut-croissant hybrid (a ‘Do’sant’) to make their ice cream sandwich from.

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Cones, sundaes, shakes and ice cream tacos round out the menu. Shamieh calls the taco “infamous,” and, with three ice cream flavours and two toppings in a freshly baked waffle cone, its no wonder the taco is a favourite.

Such dessert delights have clearly been a recipe for success. Now, with 30 stores covering the nation from the sweltering south to the cooler climes of Anchorage in Alaska, CREAM is ruling more and more happy customers. The chain plans to open five more locations by the end of 2019, with a total of 50 scheduled for 2021.

It’s a rapid expansion only possible due to the quality of its menu and the consistency of flavour and service. The company’s core principles; a dedication to quality, affordability, exceptional service and a congenial atmosphere; serve it well.

A popular U.S. dessert destination has expanded and thrived thanks to its perfect mix of warm cookies and delicious ice cream. With this sweet tasting best of both worlds CREAM’s cool treats are in hot demand.

“It all starts with the recruitment and hiring process,” Shamieh says. “We look for employees who share the vision… we train to the core principles and celebrate the employees who reflect these principles on a daily basis.”

It’s an adherence to the highest of standards that can be found in the CREAM kitchens too.

Here CREAM worked closely with Moffat to ensure every kitchen’s requirements were met with the best possible equipment.

Kristian Kuh, the General Manager of Moffat Inc., knew how important it was to properly test the tech before any potential sale and subsequent installation.

“They (CREAM) needed a very specific solution and we weren’t satisfied with a ‘place your order and hope for the best’ process. So

we involved our Executive Chef who worked with CREAM to optimise their recipes for the recommended equipment.”

“That’s how we could ensure the most efficient and effective solution for what was needed,” says Kuh. IN THE KITCHEN Given the small size of the average CREAM store, with seating for anywhere from six to 12 guests, much of the food preparation occurs in plain view of the customer. So it was critical that the ovens not only fit the small kitchen but also look attractive and perform dependably.

“We did comparisons of multiple ovens and tested them in different situations,” says CREAM founder Gus Shamieh. “We

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found Moffat provided value, reliability and consistency of temperature controls.”

The Turbofan E31 half-size convection oven fit perfectly.

“CREAM needed a compact solution,” says Danielle Brach, Regional Sales Manager for Moffat. “Our unique footprint is one of our biggest differences and we knew we could deliver the best consistency for their cookies.”

The placement of the ovens provides an additional sensory experience for the customer, Brach says.

“Right when you walk in, the ovens are on display. You’ve got the cookies baking, you’ve got this amazing aroma and they make the ice cream sandwich right in front of you.”

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NEW ZEALAND

Let’s be Frank Sit down at one of Queenstown’s newest eateries and you’ll be treated with a no-nonsense style-andsubstance approach to contemporary café dining. With attention to detail and commitment to quality Frank’s Eatery is bright, bold and in control.

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Some hospitality operations deliver quality menus without charisma or warmth. Others proudly wear their emotions on their sleeves – but lack the professionalism to notice these sleeves are also dragging in the soup bowl. In Queenstown Frank’s provides the reliability of the former without foregoing the unique charm of the latter.

It’s probably why, even though only open for a few months, Frank’s is already busy and bustling with regular clientele. The Frankton café has fast won over the discerning locals, their patronage outweighing visitors to the resort town.

The outcome couldn’t have been better for owners Aaron and Victoria Lethbridge, who place an emphasis on community in their work. Their ‘roll up the sleeves, get stuck in’ approach and small-town mindset has ensured the 70 seats of the ethically minded, familyowned café are always busy.

After finding café success in Masterton with Strada the move south was a big change for the young Lethbridge family, and not one they took lightly. They fell in love with the Frankton area and the opportunity to create something special here was simply too great to ignore.

The open, welcoming atmosphere and detailsfocused menu and service speaks to their longstanding experience in the hospitality industry. With upcycled materials, large wooden tables and plenty of green plants and small touches the interior aesthetic is sophisticated without being overwhelming.

So too is the food. Described by the team as “Kiwi authentic, globally-inspired cuisine”, Frank’s menu provides hearty fare with a family focus.

An example here is the Aunt Bird, which delivers all the energy and nourishment the busy Queenstown denizens need with a balanced serving of roast kumara and pumpkin, sauteed spinach and kale, avocado, broccolini, poached eggs, streaky bacon, cashew cream, tumeric nuts and seeds. With streaky bacon, Zamora pork & sage sausages, over-easy egg, hash browns, caramelised onions and bbq relish the Frank Einstein is another local favourite.

The culinary range of choices is set to expand in Frankton too. With Frank’s Eatery humming the couple are branching out. Frank’s Pantry opened last winter in the Wyndham Gardens complex behind the café.

Then there’s the adjacent space to Frank’s, which houses their wood-fired pizza operation and takeaway menu, Frank's & Go. The growing demand from soon to open residential developments and the new neighbouring high school will undoubtedly see the pick-up counter here as busy as its big brother next door.

While the presence of the large Ramada Hotel complex surrounding the eatery could have resulted in a transitory and impersonal café experience nothing could be further from the truth at Frank’s. It’s a place to meet, to sit back and relax away from the adrenalin-fuelled activity of Queenstown. It’s a place to feel at home.

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IN THE KITCHEN Despite its booming residential population and renowned tourist numbers the Queenstown market can be difficult to crack. Flash in the frypan operations come and go with regularity. For new hospitality operations here it’s not just a matter of standing out in the crowd. You must provide both authenticity and consistency.

Building a solid reputation amongst knowledgeable locals requires both a quality menu and, as importantly, the ability to deliver it with enduring consistency.

To accomplish this Frank’s Eatery turned to BCE Catering, who worked with Naylor Love builders to ensure the kitchen could cope with sustained busy times in the years ahead.

BCE Catering recommended the Moffat line. The Turbofan electric convection oven does much of the heavy lifting, its firepower backed by the Blue Seal Evolution Series suite, with a gas range, gas griddle and gas fryer.

Frank’s Marketing Manager Sophie Greenly says the team is delighted with how the equipment is performing, and they’re looking forward to now expanding the kitchen capability to support the upcoming business growth.

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UNITED KINGDOM

Raising the standard, and the kitchen Hoar Cross Hall is a sight to behold. Resting elegantly within 50 acres of English countryside, the manor provides many a memorable experience for visitors here. However, the kitchen needed an extreme upgrade to ensure it could deliver in a manner keeping with the attention to detail and quality service found elsewhere at the venue.

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The Grade II listed stately home retreat in Staffordshire has been diligently restored to offer the same sense of grandeur and beauty it must have evoked upon initial completion in 1871.

For the guest this sprawling historical estate is a serene place of relaxation. Here time is spent “balancing the body and mind, restoring a sense of calm and promoting a general feeling of well being.”

The same could not be said for the kitchen though. Located in the basement of the hotel this facility was served by a single food hoist, and staff had to carry meals up the stairs. The entire process was a logistical challenge.

With the venue’s popularity growing by the day something clearly needed to be done. A new central kitchen was designed upstairs, adjacent to the grand ballroom. From here it could quickly and capably cater to day spa guests and the burgeoning wedding, conference and banqueting crowds.

The first phase of the new development was the construction of the main kitchen area.

From start to finish it took four months. With this area ready for service, phase two began – the wash-up and stills area.

The size and scope of the development also called for major work outside of the kitchen.

Just gaining the right amount of raw power for the new equipment was a challenge.

A 60 metre long trench was dug around the perimeter of the hotel to allow a new electrical mains supply to be fitted.

Such a large project needed a team effort.

Working with Blue Seal was Rational Kitchens, with bespoke fabrication from Birmingham Catering, Caterquip Ventilation and N-cap Flooring. Maidaid and Mieko provided the warewashing capability.

Bournville Catering were tireless behind the scenes. Project Manager Carl Doonan and Bournville owner John McEvoy worked with Blue Seal Limited’s Dave Chesshire and Hoar Cross Executive Chef Tom Biddle to ensure all the correct specifications were met.

The kitchen was designed around full occupancy of the hotel. The Ballroom caters for 150 diners, with another 35 diners in the Meynell Suite, 24 in the Halifax Suite and 12 in The Old Chapel. Quality cuisine needed to be confidently delivered to all areas.

With the new Waldorf Bold suite in place this confidence is justified – the standard of food and service now matches the opulent setting.

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IN THE KITCHEN The Waldorf Bold range was the perfect match to fit the timeless sophistication of the venue, the chili-red colour and vitreous enamel finish ensuring the stylish look of the kitchen will endure through the years to come.

The Bold range contributes two fryers, a bain marie, pasta cooker, a griddle with refrigerated base, two rise and fall salamanders and two induction stations to the stunning new kitchen.

Getting the balance of equipment right is always important when it comes to futureproofing any kitchen. Blue Seal Limited provided design drawings, concept visuals and other support to make certain Hoar Cross Hall can continue to perform.

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AUSTRALIA

Catch of the day With a fresh-caught, ever-changing menu, and expert passion in the kitchen, success for a new bistro on Western Australia’s coast certainly hasn’t come out of the blue.

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While it may located away from a major city in the relaxed town of Dunsborough, Western Australia’s Blue Manna Bistro is still so popular you’ll need to book at least a week in advance.

Set amongst tall Eucalypts, the restaurant boasts a welcoming, tranquil atmosphere.

There are indoor and outdoor dining options and an open-plan kitchen makes chefwatching very much part of the experience.

Head chef Coby Cockburn grew up in Far North Queensland, where seafood was a big part of his life. This upbringing is certainly evident on the menu and in how much of this menu is sourced, with Blue Manna having its own fishing boats operating out of Exmouth.

salad with soya beans, seaweed and sweet onion, and Steamed Scallop Potstickers, which are served with mango and a Chinese red vinegar dressing. Singapore crab is also one of Blue Manna’s specialties.

Everything else on the plate is also fresh and highly seasonal. Cockburn believes it’s important to ‘keep things interesting’. So, while a few staple dishes remain year round, the majority of his menu changes every f ew weeks.

His cuisine experience provides both the ambition to create such a dynamic kitchen environment and the skill to consistently deliver on this ambition.

All of the seafood served at Blue Manna is sourced as locally as possible, with squid caught around Dunsborough, marron sourced from Manjimup, and oysters sourced from Albany, Sydney or Tasmania. The whole fish on the menu is line-caught in Exmouth and delivered straight to the restaurant within 24 hours.

Cockburn started his cheffing career at Port Douglas, where he was once a personal chef to Keanu Reeves whilst the star was holidaying during the filming of The Matrix. He then worked on Bedarra Island and Lizard Island, as well as Watergate restaurant and Thala Beach Lodge, before moving to the coastal paradise of Dunsborough.

Cockburn then puts the fresh fish to good use.

The menu includes popular fusion dishes like Chilled Yellowfin Tuna Poke, a tuna sashimi

Cockburn says he loves the lifestyle in the coastal town. After wanting to run his own restaurant for a while he was thrilled to have

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the opportunity to open Blue Manna Bistro.

Describing the restaurant as offering “casual family dining that’s Modern Australian with an Asian twist”, he now eagerly looks forward to tomorrow’s catch – and the excited diners arriving to enjoy it.

IN THE KITCHEN When it came to selecting equipment for the Blue Manna kitchen Head chef Coby Cockburn chose Moffat to supply several pieces of Waldorf Bold equipment, including a six-burner range, under-bench oven and high performance fryers. Along with this Moffat provided a ten-tray Convotherm oven for fast, consistent cooking, and Washtech dishwashers to ensure reliable and efficient cleaning.

Being on display to customers it was important that the kitchen not only be highly functional but also sleek and easy on the eye. According to Cockburn, customers appreciate the openness of the kitchen.

“They can sit at the kitchen counter, watch us at work and have a chat with us while we do so,” he says. “There’s nowhere to hide, it’s all out in the open and people love that.”

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NEW ZEALAND

Dinner and a movie?

Why not!

An easy 90-minute drive north from New Zealand’s capital city, Masterton is a busy provincial centre at the heart of the Wairarapa district. Wairarapa’s mild climate, burgeoning wine industry, arts festivals and local food focus draws city dwellers for a weekend respite, or for the more fortunate, a permanent move.

Sixteen years ago, this charming region wove its spell on Travis and Eve Clive-Griffin, who left behind successful hospitality careers in the UK, Melbourne, and Queenstown. In nearby Greytown, the couple established their awardwinning Saluté Tapas Restaurant and Bar, which they ran with great success for many years. Travis’s Lebanese heritage can still be seen here, influencing many of the ingredients and flavour combinations, and the focus on fresh, lively flavours and seasonal ingredients.

The path to their latest venture, The Screening Room and Eatery in Masterton, was not a conventional one. Travis had been

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asked by Dave Borman, developer and owner of the new Kuripuni Village development to consult on kitchen design for the planned café, attached to a luxury two-screen cinema within the complex. According to Travis and Eve, Masterton was crying out for an establishment that offered something new and different in the dining and entertainment area. And they could see that there was a demand for movies other than the Hollywood blockbusters the nearby multiplex featured.

It was an opportunity the couple could not pass by.

As a result, instead of just consulting on the

café serving predominantly cabinet food that the owner had envisaged, Travis and Eve wanted to continue the successful tapasstyle cuisine that their Greytown restaurant was famous for. Their vision also meant that cinema patrons could take shared plates, wine and coffee into the theatres. More kitchen space was needed to meet the demands of up to 130 diners, inside and out, plus food and drink for cinema-goers. Eventually, this was resolved by creating new preparation and storage space under the stairs to the theatres.

layout and equipment of a typical café kitchen, the couple negotiated with Kuripuni Village’s owner to run the café. Before long, they had sold their Greytown restaurant and were preparing to take on the new venture – with Travis as chef in the new kitchen, and with Eve her accustomed front-of-house, accounts and marketing role. They also both share the job of managing and operating the two movie theatres.

Despite Travis’s involvement in the original layout of the small galley-style kitchen, the vision had now changed. Instead of the typical

From the initial consultation through to The Screening Room Cinema and Eatery opening its doors in November 2017, the project took six months. Masterton locals and visitors alike can now enjoy this busy, sophisticated, state-of- the-art cinema and lively, modern restaurant that caters to a diverse range of tastes.

particularly interested in combi steamer ovens and convection ovens, which they had not used before, and were excited to see the benefits of this technology for their specific application. They are now enjoying the benefits of a Turbofan Combi EC40M7, after in-house training organised by BCE Catering Equipment owner Neil Thomson, who was the major kitchen equipment supplier to the project. Travis also chose a gas twin pan fryer, a gas griddle, a gas chargrill and a gas six-burner oven range from the Blue Seal Evolution Series.

IN THE KITCHEN To select the right equipment, the couple travelled to the Fine Food Australia exhibition in Melbourne, where they were impressed by Moffat’s range of equipment they saw in use on their stand. They were

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AUSTRALIA

Tropic cool Henry Summer has a reputation to uphold. As the newest venture from Lavish Habits, Perth’s highly successful hospitality group, the bar had to meet expectations upon opening and then sustain this momentum into everyday trading. With great reviews and packed seats in the first year of operating it’s clear Henry is maintaining his cool.

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After opening in Northbridge in December 2017, the Perth venue has fast become a crowd favourite for a wide range of drinkers and diners. Friendly, inviting and full of character, ‘Henry’ delivers the warmth of summer all year round.

The bar is the latest in the Lavish Habits everexpanding stable, joining prohibition rum bar Sneaky Tony’s, modern-Asian restaurant Pleased to Meet You, Mexican cantina La Cholita, dive bar Joe’s Juice Joint, and honkytonk country bar Alabama Song.

Designed as an urban oasis, the interior abounds with lush tropical prints and a wilderness of indoor plants cascading from ceilings and sprouting from any available floor space.

The incredible cocktail list, bamboo-framed lounges and warm, relaxed tone makes guests instantly feel they’re on an exotic tropical holiday. It’s a sentiment enhanced by the maze-like floor plan reveals hidden dining spaces - from intimate, fern-hidden nooks, to see-and-be-seen tables in the open garden.

With a designated cocktail hour and an imaginative and contemporary menu, it’s easy

to see why Henry Summer has fast become an ‘it’ destination for the people of Perth.

There’s something for everyone here.

Margaret River wine is on tap, and the menu includes mouth-watering staples like jamon croquettes, beef carpaccio, raw spring zucchini salad and Tasmanian salmon with Vietnamese slaw. Besides delicious alcoholic treats a range of mocktails offer a refreshing alternative.

There’s even a ‘healthy dog treat’ of kangaroo jerky, the dog-friendly venue catering to local canine lovers too.

In a review in The West Australian, Rob Broadfield says, “It is a massive venue, a combination tropical resort, soigne cocktail bar, party space and place-to-be-seen. Once again, bar entrepreneur Clint Nolan has nailed the zeitgeist with his new Aberdeen Street venue.”

While other Lavish Habits venues stick to strong themes, Chef Joel Hodges describes the style of Henry Summer as open to individual interpretation. The interesting layout encourages people to come together in a relaxed way. While you might come for just a drink or two, you’ll soon be convinced to stay for a meal.

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IN THE KITCHEN Henry Summer offers its private rooms, bar nooks, feasting tables and, occasionally, the entire venue for hire. So, it was important that when it came to fitting out the kitchen the equipment catered to both walk-in patrons and private events.

Lavish Habits’ owner, Clint Nolan, worked closely with Moffat and the team from Reward Hospitality to choose a range of equipment that would offer the durability, reliability and efficiency Henry Summer needed in the bar and kitchen areas.

To cater for this demand, Nolan purchased a Convotherm 10-tray combi oven – which offers powerful performance, ergonomic design and a smart easyDial control for ease of use.

He also selected a heavy-duty, benchmounted Waldorf griddle plate and a Washtech AL dishwasher, which uses reverse osmosis technology to deliver the efficient and reliable clean the kitchen requires.

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NEW ZEALAND

A labour of love Russel Scott has a renowned history in New Zealand’s hospitality industry, the Hospitality Hall of Famer responsible for some of Wellington’s iconic locales for close to five decades now. His family’s latest venture is both a wide-ranging shared experience and a very special and personal commitment.

The Whistling Sisters Beer Company’s new premises at The Fermentery is in many ways typical of a Scott Family business. Known as owners of the Leuven Bar, The Featherston City Tavern, Avida Bar, and for previously creating and owning Ombra restaurant, the group is well known for the exacting standards and innovative approach to the business of hospitality.

The family’s latest venture at 100 Taranaki Street is no different. The popular brewery and restaurant attracts the crowds and the kitchens, bar and function room hum with energy and efficiency. However, for Russel and Elwyn Scott the new business is also a family story, the heart of which rests within its very name.

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The Whistling Sisters is dedicated to their daughter, Karen, who was lost to breast cancer in 2015. The Karen Louisa Foundation was set up to honour her memory and to help fund research into breast cancer. The Whistling Sisters is one way this foundation is supported and sustained, and their youngest daughter Lisa manages both the foundation and marketing for the Sisters brand.

The Whistling Sisters Beer and associated Fermentery is a fitting culmination of Russel Scott’s efforts and experience.

The rebuild of the existing building was a big task, with considerable earthquake strengthening undertaken before a full fit-

out of the brewery, bar and two commercial kitchens. Over an 18 month timeframe the Scotts moved all the pieces into place with help from a tried and true team. Here Russel appreciated the expertise from the likes of BCE Catering’s Neil Thomson.

“Neil worked with our consultant chef Nick Huffman to specify what suited our needs and head chef John Allred was also a massive help – his expertise is unquestionable.

We’ve enjoyed a long-term relationship with BCE Catering and it really helps having this experience on board for a project like this.”

If there’s one thing Russel appreciates, it’s experience. Over four decades the industry landscape has changed dramatically. He remembers what it was like first starting at Cobb & Co in May 1976, with 10 o’clock closing times and far different attitudes towards general inebriation.

restaurant – a viable point of difference. The food is a vital part of this.

“We’re not just saying a meal might ‘go well’ with a beer, we’re creating beer to match the menu. There are a lot of taste comparisons and the food match is essential to get right.

We produced a beer called Spiffing Duck for example, it’s a Thai Red Curry beer that could easily be served with a bowl of white rice and be a meal in itself.”

The 30-strong team ensure all 148 seats in the Fermentary can be quickly served, with one kitchen working to cover the additional function area on the mezzanine floor and the other seamlessly coordinating with it to ensure nothing is left to chance.

IN THE KITCHEN First and foremost the equipment for the Whistling Sisters was scoped to ensure the menu could be served, and not the other way around.

So, a Convotherm combi oven along with a Blue Seal Evolution Series salamander, chargrill, target top, two ranges and three fryers with a filter machine, and a Turbofan prover/holding cabinet make up the backbone of the two kitchens.

Upstairs a smoker imported from Germany works well along with the combi oven too, allowing the kitchen to cure and smoke all its own products onsite. The Fermentery also makes the bread on site, with the by-product grain from the brewery providing a key ingredient and the combi oven the raw power for baking.

“This variety of equipment, along with the prover being a holding cabinet, allows us to cope with the busy service times,” says owner Russel Scott.

“A big part of our business is now coffee,” he says, “Whoever would have thought back in the 70s that breakfast would be good for a pub?”

“Efficient multi-purpose equipment really helps – and it’s come a long way over the years,” he says. “Even the fryers are nothing like they used to be – which allows menu items like our hand-cut, tripled fried fries to go out quickly and easily.”

“There’s so much investment in the business nowadays and you have to be pragmatic about things. It’s about margins, and getting this correct means having the right equipment.”

The investment was worth it, all the technology put to good use for an innovative and memorable menu. For Russel this is the secret to the success of a good bar and

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ASIA

Voila! makes magic in Bangkok On the 3rd floor of Sofitel Bangkok Sukhumvit a newly refurbished show kitchen at Voila! helps a bold and beautiful buffet stand out with a crowd-pleasing performance.

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In a city known for its parties you can't afford to do things by halves. The Voila! restaurant at the Sofitel Bangkok Sukhumvit unashamedly looks to deliver indulgent pleasure to guests and diners alike.

Voila! is known for its memorable breakfast buffet – it’s acclaimed as one of Asia's best.

‘Too much’ is quite possibly ‘just enough’ here.

Diners find the detox smoothie station is the perfect place to start. From there the dining journey is one of variety and decadence. With eight live cooking stations offering freshly prepared crepes, a la minute free range eggs topped with tom yam hollandaise, a noodle counter and some of the best butter croissants in Asia, guests are spoilt for choice.

So too do the amazing lunch and dinner seafood buffets deliver the goods, the platters overflowing with the catch of the day and a great selection of prime cuts enticing many a guest.

As the meal winds down there is the enticing homemade ice creams, delicious pastries and a magnificent cheese room featuring a range of European artisan wares.

The food provides a memorable, delectable and interactive experience. However, any Bangkok restaurant looking to attract and retain patronage knows that the menu is only

half the allure for diners. They must also serve up a healthy portion of style too.

“The previous equipment simply wasn’t up to scratch,” says Brent Cleland, Moffat’s Export Sales Manager for Asia. “It was low-spec, unreliable and, truthfully, the kitchen looked drab.”

The brief required the existing kitchen be removed, upgrades completed for fire protection, drains and a new hood system all be completed within a tight (but manageable) time frame.

“The equipment had to be heavy duty, reliable and, as it was an open kitchen, provide visually impressive looks,” says Brent.

“Working with Gary and Eve from Central Hospitality Bangkok, who won the supply and install contract, Moffat provided drawings and a render early in the project. These clearly illustrated not only the layout and dimensions but also the aesthetics of the Waldorf Bold equipment and how these worked alongside the wall feature and hood system.”

“There were a number of changes required,” Brent says. “But, with the team working well together, we were able to quickly sell-in the desired result and get to work making it a reality.”

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For projects with a fast turnaround it helps to have a good idea of what’s going where before anything is delivered on site. Then, when the covers are pulled back and the final kitchen revealed, it’s simply a matter of declaring, “Voila! – everything is in place and performing well”.

IN THE KITCHEN In an open kitchen you need equipment to primarily do two things – look good and work right, with an emphasis on the latter.

In the newly refurbished kitchen at Voila! the Waldorf Bold range certainly looks the part, and a big emphasis is placed on the art and entertainment of culinary craft. But, it’s the everyday functionality and raw power of the technology that really makes the difference.

With five new benchtop units, a pasta cooker, chargrill, gas fryer and gas range the Bold equipment provides a much stronger performance capability.

“The Executive Chef Mark and Sous Chef Nico are very happy with the outcome of all the work,” says Moffat’s Brent Cleland. “The new equipment fits nicely with the restaurant décor and delivers greater capacity. And, the entire operation of the kitchen flows much better.”

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NEW ZEALAND

Proven performance the centre of attention in Lower Hutt With bookings through to 2021 there’s little doubt the new Lower Hutt Events Centre has filled a significant gap in the city’s conference and events offering.

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Local business owners and operators are rejoicing at the recent opening of Lower’s Hutt’s new Events Centre and refurbished Town Hall. No longer will they miss out on major events because of the city's lack of facilities.

The new development is a purpose-built space capable of hosting world-class events, promising to reinvigorate Lower Hutt’s Civic Precinct and encourage growth and investment in the city. There are not only benefits for the users of the exciting facility either – the centre is also responsible for creating 250 new jobs.

Constructed by Naylor Love and spearheaded

by Lower Hutt Council’s Economic Development Plan, the events centre’s design cleverly meets the needs of a wide range of events. For everything from private meetings, expos and large conferences in the Events Centre to performances and concerts in the Town Hall Auditorium there’s space to move.

With such a diverse range of activities comes a diverse range of catering requirements. The project team knew they needed a kitchen fitout that would be flexible and reliable enough to meet the demand.

The kitchen fit-out was expertly led by Southern Hospitality, who successfully won the equipment tender to main contractor Naylor Love. When Southern Hospitality’s Stephen Small began to look at equipment for the huge project he immediately turned to Moffat.

“No other facility within the region can hold these numbers,” says Stephen. “So we knew we had to look carefully at what went into the kitchen.”

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“What we now have is a great showcase of Moffat equipment and Washtech dishwashers, selected because we know they are up for the task.”

Wellington’s Project Stainless worked closely with Southern Hospitality to design, fabricate and install the stainless steel elements of the commercial kitchen.

Overseeing the entire operation is Sunil Malik, the new General Manager of the Events

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Centre. He is excited to see the facility open its doors after nearly eight years in the making.

Sunil’s task is by no means a simple one.

Depending on the event, he may be catering to 550 diners in the large convention centre space, or 300 diners in each space when the room is divided in half. There are three smaller breakout rooms on Level One, catering to 50 in each room, or 150 seats when configured as one big room. There is also a café/restaurant with 70 seats and the Town Hall, which has a capacity of another 800 diners.

“We needed a big kitchen to serve the various dining spaces,” says Sunil.

“And most importantly, we need peace of mind that everything will work properly.”

Sunil arrived in Lower Hutt after 29 years at the Adelaide Convention Centre where 33 Moffat units kept things running smoothly in the kitchen. The reliability and performance of the equipment here gave Sunil the confidence that Moffat would meet the demands at Lower Hutt.

“Truthfully, we did struggle with other brands in Adelaide until we finally got Moffat equipment – and all the units are still going strong. This success shaped the thinking behind the operation at Lower Hutt,” he says.

For Sunil and his team, the world-class equipment sets the tone for the calibre of the food they turn out each day.

“We want to operate this equipment in a manner that befits it,” says Sunil. “So we’re moving away from the traditional buffet style menu. This is a client-based service, and now we’re looking forward to proving what we can do with an innovative banquet menu.”

There promises to be no rest for the centre’s kitchen team anytime soon. A 60-room hotel is currently under construction next door, which will add to the demands of the kitchen.

“Thankfully, we’re set up to thrive with such demands,” says Sunil.

It’s a numbers game in the kitchen at the Lower Hutt Events Centre.

Four 40-tray Convotherm combi ovens give the kitchen team the ability to deliver up to 1,000 meals at a time.

Alongside the Convotherm combi ovens there are also Metos Kettles, a Waldorf bratt pan, fryers and cooktops and a Friginox blast chiller.

General Manager Sunil Malik is quick to point out the additional service that Moffat has provided along the way with the fitout and subsequent training, making his mammoth task that little bit less stressful.

“Moffat has been very good in helping ensure everything is running smoothly and that it meets our needs. It’s been easy to train all of our new staff with their support,” he says.

“It is a new operation, a purpose-built, stateof-the-art facility and it’s a great opportunity to put our names on the map. There is huge potential here, and the whole team is quite excited about the opportunity ahead.”

“After my experience (at the Adelaide Convention Centre) I knew how I wanted the kitchen design and operation to work here.”

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IN THE KITCHEN

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AUSTRALIA

Hot topics and cool customers at Perth’s FCSI event In Perth an industry event proved the perfect stage on which to showcase latest innovations in cook-chill equipment for the modern commercial kitchen.

Such cook-chill processes have been popular with largescale operators for many years but in recent times have also become more popular with medium to small-scale operations. Catering managers, chefs and restaurant owners attended the event keen to discover more about the innovative ways cook-chill can boost efficiency and flexibility.

Using Convotherm’s 10 tray & 6 tray combi ovens and a Friginox 9 tray blast chiller Moffat’s Perry Peters and Carly Jeffrey impressed the audience with a cook-chill and plate regeneration presentation, highlighting how cook-chill preparation maintains consistency, flavour and nutritional value in meals.

Held at Moffat’s world-class display kitchen in Perth, the event was jointly hosted by Moffat and FCSI (Foodservice Consultants Society International) and was attended by some of WA’s biggest and busiest names from the hospitality, aged care and healthcare industries.

The ‘Maximising Efficiency Using Cook-Chill Technology’ event proved an effective way to showcase the flexibility of cook-chill systems and inspire many who may be new to the technology.

Perry and Carly spoke about the importance of cooling timeframes, meeting safety regulations and energy utilisation. Cook-chill systems deliver surprising versatility and are adaptable for kitchens turning out everything from contemporary Australian and Asian cuisine to smoked meats.

As an allied member of FCSI, Moffat was delighted to join forces with the industry group in hosting the high profile event. FCSI Professional Member Mario Sequeira spoke about the group’s commitment to share, support and inspire the food service industry within the Asia-Pacific region. The new display kitchen was the ideal location for sharing such inspiration, and we look forward to providing similar displays in the near future.

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AUSTRALIA

Shear delight At a sprawling site in the heart of Melbourne’s Docklands a utilitarian agricultural past has given way to a sleek and sophisticated hospitality present. With its stunning interior, cleverly adaptable spaces and delicious gastro-pub menu The Woolshed is now facing an exciting future.

There’s something for everyone at The Woolshed. While refined and wide open the beautifully designed interior is also incredibly adaptable, ensuring individual spaces can be configured to suit a wide variety of events and occasions.

“As well as having a great location, one of the best things about The Woolshed is its flexibility,” says Venue Manager Samantha Arabatzis.

“We are able to configure the interiors in so many ways depending on what guests need. Whether it’s a huge function space for a wedding, a restaurant space, or a much smaller bar area for a birthday party or corporate function, The Woolshed always retains a warm and welcoming feel.”

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So too does it’s location help draw the crowds.

Set right on the water, and boasting views of the Melbourne cityscape, it is no surprise the pub is now booked solidly year-round.

It wasn’t always a thriving, bustling and sophisticated culinary scene however. As the name suggests the venue, built in 1916, was once a storage station for wool waiting to be loaded onto ships for export. Then, after a change in market conditions, the building was left sitting idle for many years.

In 2010 the heritage-listed building was transformed into a pub, one that quickly drew the crowds. Easily accessible and boasting that great history and location combination, the Woolshed Pub became an iconic destination for the people of Melbourne.

IN THE KITCHEN When it came to fitting out the kitchen for the new venue, Duncan Laidlaw, the Woolshed’s General Manager, put out a tender. He chose Moffat, which he says provided the best combination of quality, value and price.

In 2016 the venue suffered a significant setback when smoke came to the ‘shed, a fire there requiring the closure of the building for a large renovation project. After five months of careful planning, design and construction the venue triumphantly reopened to rave reviews in 2017.

Now known simply as The Woolshed, the restaurant, bar and event venue provides a range of sleek interior spaces, including conferences, cocktail parties, weddings and much more.

team of chefs serve up a broad range of food, from refined classics to sit-down meals.

Delivering a delectable menu with a seamless service is a big focus. With a space that can serve anything from 20 to 720 people The Woolshed’s kitchen needs to confidently cater to the biggest herds.

The newly renovated building features 2.5 kitchens including a main kitchen, a function kitchen and a casual BBQ kitchen used primarily for sports functions. The main restaurant is open seven days a week for lunch and dinner and the bar is open all day. A large

The new kitchens feature several pieces from the Blue Seal Evolution Series range as well as a Convotherm combi oven, Washtech dishwasher and Waldorf equipment.

“Our chefs love the new combi oven, and the Waldorf and Blue Seal equipment both perform well and looks great, which is important as the main kitchen is open to diners,” says Venue Manager Samantha Arabatzis.

“Our chefs output a huge amount every day,” says Samantha. “It’s usually an average of around 100 covers, although in the festive season this can quickly turn into around 1,000 a day. So the load on our kitchens is huge.”

“The Moffat equipment that we’ve chosen really keeps up, and helps us output large amounts of great food, quickly. It’s all very reliable and durable, and the team in the kitchen is really happy with it,” she says.

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STAFF PROFILE NEW ZEALAND

Coming up with the goods It could be said Neil Watts takes a similar approach to his work as he does to time spent fishing. In the rivers and on the sea he ensures his cast travels across the water to hit the perfect spot.

As Moffat’s International Shipping Manager at our Rolleston facility he’s busy making sure everything arrives at the right time and destination overseas.

he says. “If you haven’t told the customer what’s going on they can’t plan for their work – and any hold-up can have a dramatic effect on such businesses.”

He admits it can be stressful but it helps working with a great team, “there are good people here – we’ve got guys who have been here longer than me and their experience is worth gold.” He also believes a focus on customer service is one of Moffat’s key strengths.

“If you don’t change you go backwards.

New Zealand is a small country – we will always have challenges getting our products overseas,” he says, when discussing future logistics developments such as ‘superships’.

“There are lots of questions to answer (regarding superships). Will they come here? Will they only go to Australia? But it doesn’t matter – we’ll still need to make our customers happy.”

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Although he’s a few months away from bringing up 30 years working for Moffat, Neil dryly states he’s “just starting to understand what’s going on around here.”

Keeping a vigilant eye on this process requires an expert understanding of international logistics. As the numbers have changed over 30 years, so too have the processes.

With four grandchildren, a bach in Kaikoura and a keen interest in martial arts and creating superior salmon and trout fishing gear, life outside of work is just as eventful.

Don’t let the self-deprecation fool you – there’s not a lot he doesn’t know since first arriving here back in the 1980s. In that time he’s seen the company go from strength to strength, evolving from a small production facility to a force in the global marketplace.

“It’s so much more than ‘a to b’ with how freight movement works. You need to make sure it’s the right product, it’s solidly packed and fitted, the documentation is exact, the vessel is right, it’s on time and much, much more.”

“My grandson caught his first salmon at 6, shot his first deer at 8. My granddaughter won’t shoot an animal but she enjoys coming out on the ‘walks’ all the same. They both love going to sea, fishing for blue cod.”

“When I first started we perhaps had 50 on the payroll here and now there’s around 200,” he says. “As we’ve become a world-class manufacturing hub the volumes of freight have risen too. When I first started we’d be lucky to ship a container a week. Now we might do 20 containers in the same period.”

Dealing with customs and border security has increased in complexity “and due diligence is undertaken on everything”. Asked about the skills needed to ensure this goes smoothly and Neil is typically straightforward.

“Communication is the most important thing,”

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The same mindset informs his daily work and, while it’s certainly not a case of ‘so long and thanks for all the fish’, Neil knows how important it is to now look to the future.

“It’s about sharing our experiences and helping out, giving your knowledge to the next generation.”

OUR PEOPLE NEW ZEALAND

Make a bold impression.

In style the Waldorf Bold range makes an immediate impact. In substance it delivers equally impressive power, adaptability and everyday functionality.

Big performance, beautiful design and bold results – get ready to make your definitive kitchen statement.

EDWARD HODGSON

JOHN RAXWORTHY

NEIL MALOLOT

Edward Hodgson’s typical workday as one of our Production Engineers is a busy one – the role demands some important capabilities in order to succeed.

As Team Leader at our Christchurch plant John oversees the daily operation of five different assembly lines. He diligently organises and focuses his team to meet the targets on these lines, ensuring the company can meet orders with confidence.

Working as a chef, first at a 5 star hotel in Philippines and then at fine dining restaurants in Christchurch, Neil was always curious about the equipment he was working with.

Experience is helpful. After working at Hamilton Jet the manufacturing industry was not new to Edward. Adaptability is vital. Being responsible for manufacturing, production and assembly assistance, and assisting with process improvement and value engineering, means working on multiple projects at once. He enjoys the variety of the tasks and technology.

An innate curiosity and can-do mindset is important too. Edward came here after watching a video tour of the Moffat premises online, where he “was fascinated with equipment like the laser and turret punches”. Now he’s busy learning up-skilling and, by updating drawings, solving assembly problems and testing new processes, helping the team build their knowledge too.

It’s the same away from work where a passion for robotics spins Edward’s wheels. A tank track project is currently underway and he’s also regularly taking to the skies with his drone flying as well.

While in this specific role for only two years his time at Moffat dates back to near the start of the century, John arriving at his first job fresh-faced and keen to learn. “I was told it was a great place to work,” he says, “and I haven’t looked back since”.

It’s not just this experience that’s a major asset but also how he looks to grow it. After working here for over fifteen years John each day seeks to increase his knowledge on Moffat, the technology, the products and the various departments.

Here he enjoys the diversity of people and culture and appreciates how everyone connects as part of a bigger unit.

Away from work he’s focused on different mechanisms while working on classic cars.

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Now, as Line Leader at our Christchurch factory, he’s helping to ensure this equipment is ready for chefs around the world. He’s responsible for planning the work schedule, improving the assembly process, and maintaining equipment performance, product quality and process efficiency.

It’s about quality and quantity – hitting the daily targets while ensuring 0% faults. In his words, “a single tiny scratch is not acceptable”.

The whole team needs to be on board to achieve this. It’s about motivation, and overcoming small issues before they become big problems. Neil properly listens and follows through – certainly a helpful character trait here.

Away from work Neil’s admiring the finish on various cars as part of his buy and sell business. And he still likes to pick up the tools of the trade and deliver

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OUR PEOPLE AUSTRALIA

ALEX MCKAY

GEOFF HARKNESS

RICHARD KNIGHT

PETER BOGWITZ

Based at Moffat’s head office in Melbourne, Alex has been with Moffat for just over two years.

Geoff joined Moffat in 2001 as a Management Accountant.

Given Moffat’s significant growth during his tenure, we’re grateful to have had someone like him on board to ensure sound financial management at every step of the journey.

While Richard’s official title is Supply Planner we think Chief Problem Solver could well be more accurate. As the man who ensures Moffat’s orders are always fulfilled on time, and stock levels are maintained, Richard is an integral part of the company’s success.

With many years of customer service experience behind him, Peter brings value and depth of experience to his role as Call Centre Operator with Moffat. He is our go-to man when customers have urgent or difficult requests, possessing an enviable ability to stay cool under pressure

Moffat's equipment variations are so wide-ranging that the company isn't able to carry every single item in every single variation in stock every single minute of the day. So when an urgent or specialised order comes in it’s up to Richard to make it happen.

Peter likes the fact that there are “no slackers” at Moffat.

Working within this productive team culture, he knows he can quickly and efficiently handle requests that “have a positive impact on the service experience for the customer”.

Alex has held customer service roles in various industries (including retail, automotive, fast food and travel) and prides himself on the level of service he gives to each and every customer.

“I know how I like to be treated from a customer service point of view, so I try to exceed my own expectations with each person I deal with, and working at Moffat allows me to continue to utilise and expand my skills each and every day,” he says.

With particularly tricky requests Alex is always up for the challenge, be it meeting a tight timeframe or scouring the country far and wide for a specific item, it’s all in a day’s work. He reckons Moffat is the perfect place for a guy who has a passion for figuring out "how things work and how they’re made”.

At home he may be looking for specific items too, although these are generally of the Lego variety.

When he’s not out running, playing basketball and netball or traveling with his wife, Alex may well be enjoying (most) things Star Wars.

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With a high level of accounting and analytical skill, Geoff has been instrumental in ensuring the firm’s success during a growth period that has been “both challenging and rewarding”.

Geoff is responsible for budgeting and financial management as well as undertaking financial administration, internal audits and developing Moffat’s financial systems and policies.

While it would be hard to deny the impact that Geoff’s financial acumen has had on the company’s success, it is worth noting another significant role at Moffat. Geoff heads up the Moffat Social Club, where he has been responsible for many memorable staff events.

Like many a good Melbournian, Geoff happily spends his downtime fishing, cooking and watching Richmond in the AFL. Go Tigers.

Before joining Moffat, Richard worked in the automotive industry, and if you ask him, he thinks that industry moves at a snail’s pace compared to the fast pace of commercial equipment.

He’s is unflappable and always gets “the best possible results” thanks to his organisational and time management skills and his strong professional relationships throughout the company.

While he’s always kept busy at work, Richard is just as busy at home. Here he enjoys the high energy of life shared with his wife, daughter and two dogs.

Importantly too, he always saves a bit of energy to support his beloved Collingwood.

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With unflappable attention to detail, Peter will take the time to gather information at the start of any customer request and thereby eliminate the chance of confusion or problems for the technician when they’re on the job.

This excellent performance in the call centre is matched only by his excellent performance as a dad.

With six children home life is by no means quiet, but he relishes it never the less.

OUR PEOPLE UNITED KINGDOM

Temp Pro can run hot and cold with the new Proveno DEAN CORBETT

EMMA KELLY

After working for seven years in our UK warehouse Dean Corbett stepped up to the UK Warehouse Supervisor role three years ago. He was initially attracted to Blue Seal due to the friendly and professional working environment. He’s happy to report today that, after ten years working here, it’s still “a great team, and a friendly place to work”.

Our UK Spare Parts Coordinator has undertaken a decent learning curve since joining us at the end of last year.

This team helps Dean in his work keeping the warehouse safe, clean and coordinated and ensuring units are dispatched on time and to the right destination.

The art and science of logistics is often front-of-mind here. In everything from loading to stock counts to returns management to route scheduling Dean is getting from point A to B in the most efficient way possible.

He also enjoys seeing the completion of each task, and appreciates the chance roll up his sleeves. It’s probably why spare time spent DIYing or restoring old cars is so satisfying – and why he wants to continue learning about our equipment and grow his engineering skills for the future.

Emma Kelly’s workload is busy enough helping customers with spare parts enquiries, ensuring correct parts are supplied, tracking deliveries and making collections. She’s also needed to learn the hundreds of parts – and the correct uses for each.

Orders need to be in the system quickly too. Kitchen operation relies on working equipment and delivery time is measured in hours, not days.

The Proveno range of combi kettles is the premium choice, offering an unique cook/ chill solution in a commercial kettle.

This allows chefs to hold food in the kettles overnight and at a chilled set temperature.

Rethermalise in the morning for first service, all without needing to remove the product from the kettle.

40/60/80/100/150/200/300/400 litre stainless steel, self-contained, steam jacketed unit.

Operating from an electric heated steam source contained within unit and complete with electric or hydraulic tilting of bowl.

She’s proven up to the task.

Enthusiastic, organised and efficient, Emma is always ready to step up and pitch in. Her previous customer service experience helps with confidently negotiating each day and it’s work she loves, stating, “Every day brings new interactions… you’re always picking up new knowledge”.

As an animal lover, tortoise owner, music festival attendee, culinary hobbyist and retail enthusiast Emma’s multi-faceted life away from work is just as busy. No doubt she coordinates these parts just as well too.

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Out of the frying pan…

Not all fryers are created equal.

With a substantial range in price so too are there distinct levels of quality – which can make things difficult when assessing what’s right for your operation. Here are five key factors to consider before getting into a new commercial fryer purchase.

1

Invest in durability. Like most kitchen equipment, your fryer will take its share of bumps and knocks. Built-tough stainless steel construction is vital.

2

Test the consistency. So too correct temperature must be maintained consistently. At lower temperatures more oil or shortening is absorbed, which A) makes it unhealthier, and B) makes it more expensive. At higher temperatures oil will smoke and carbonise, producing a poor tasting product. 170-180°C produces the best results, pushing moisture from the food while sealing in a clean, crisp taste.

3

Think long-term. Consider operating costs when investing in quality. Using a quality filtration system is one such time and cost saver over the unit’s lifespan. An advanced system will remove impurities quickly and effectively, reducing smoking and also extending the oil life by up to 80%. Gas fryers are usually more economical to run. However they’re more expensive upfront, so electric fryers are often a good choice for smaller kitchen operations.

4

Keep it safe and easy. In a busy kitchen environment the last thing you want to be doing is worrying about the fryer’s ease of operation, employee safety or problems with cleaning. Controls should be intuitive, safety mechanisms obvious and ongoing cleaning and maintenance a piece of fried cake. A filtration system is again of huge benefit here as it cuts back on cleaning and oil replacement.

5

Consider the features. There are a number of features in the modern fryer that will make a big difference in your kitchen. Infra-red burners help ensure a more efficient heat recovery process. Safety cut-out mechanisms ease concerns of forgetful employees.

Stainless steel construction makes cleaning far easier. When it comes to capacity consider both your current requirements and your future plans – the difference between one small basket and three large ones is like night and day.

At Moffat we take fryer research and development seriously, and build our units to last. It’s how we can provide countertop fryers, deep fryers, filtration systems and chip scuttles to suit every budget and end use. And it’s why we back this equipment with comprehensive warranties and 24/7 service and parts assistance.

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Connection ISSUE ONE | 2019

FAST AND FLEXIBLE

The Merrychef range of eikon high speed cook ovens boast ultra-short cooking times and ultra-high energy efficiency.

The best part is the ultra-simple operation of the easyTouch touchscreen interface and icon-driven menu – ensuring consistent quality regardless of who prepares it. Precise power levels to cook the most delicate products from paninis, pizzas, wraps, toasted sandwiches to muffins, breakfast pastries, baked potatoes. Perfect for any food service operator from quick service restaurants, cafÊ and bistros, kiosks, snack bars to service stations, hotels and restaurants, there is a model within the eikon range to suit.

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PHOTO: ESTELLE BISTRO, NORTHCOTE, VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA