Flair Magazine - Edition 3 | 2020

EDITION 3, 2020

ART ON A PLATE REOPEN FOR BUSINESS A WORLD-FIRST DISHWASHER MEET THE MEAT MEN

The Right Direction COMPASS’S TOP CHEF LEO GSTREIN ON HIS CAREER, MENTORING AND THE CHALLENGES OF COVID

PLUS... plastic packaging that’s easy on the environment, and a new hygiene kit

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his will be a year we all remember, and for many of us, not fondly. It has certainly been a moving landscape for the hospitality industry, testing our stamina and resilience.

Whether your business has experienced periods of dormancy, undergone great change or learned how to pivot at pace, the universal truth is that while the impacts of COVID-19 have been very broad, the experiences have been very personal. The type of business you’re in and where it is situated in New Zealand or Australia has determined your ability to bounce back and the pace with which you resume trading in what is our “next normal”.

So, this edition of Flair addresses some of the steps involved in reopening our Sydney Innovation Centre (pg 4) to best service you, and what is required to keep trading while keeping your guests and customers safe (pg 7). SilverChef has kindly shared the results of its survey on the future of the hospitality industry, including some tips to help businesses bounce back (pg 12).

On the product side, we look at options around disposable food packaging (pg 6) including what the new sustainable Revive brand offers (pg 5). Equipment company Hobart shows its latest innovation in dishwashers (pg 14) and Crème’s Cézanne crockery (pg 8) takes food presentation to artistic new heights.

An interview with Tim Walker from our project team (pg 22) is complemented by a look at the local butcher (pg 18) via some of the long-time stalwarts of this skilled trade.

Our chef for this edition, Leo Gstrein from Compass (pg 23), has changed countries and roles throughout his career, while always remaining within hospitality. He epitomises the need to keep learning new skills and constantly evolving to remain relevant.

Mark Phelan

General Manager, Hospitality, Bunzl Australia & New Zealand

BUNZL ANZ flair@bunzl.com.au

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Leo Gstrein’s spanner crab, rosella flower gel, sea urchin foam, pickled daikon and lemon myrtle fog.

“You don’t need a silver fork to eat good food.”

Paul Prudhomme

Contents 4 5 6 7

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Centre Stage: Sydney Spotlight: Cold Cup Revival The Process: The PET Solution Check Out: Handy Hygiene The Art of the Plate

The Cézanne range of crockery brings a palette of elegance to dining.

Open to Change

SilverChef offers advice on food operations in the post-lockdown world.

Wash and Go

How Hobart’s world-first two-level dishwasher is changing our kitchens.

Butcher’s Tale 18 The

We talk to six “meat men” to discover

what modern butchery looks like.

Quick-fire Q&A: 22 Grand Designs

Bunzl’s Tim Walker discusses his long career managing hospitality projects.

Talk with...

23 Toque Leo Gstrein

PHOTOGRAPHY: CAMERA CREATIONS

Compass’s Austrian-born National Executive Chef on working for one of the world’s largest catering companies.

@bunzlANZhospitality @bunzlANZhospitality Bunzl ANZ Hospitality Bunzl Australia & New Zealand

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CENTRE STAGE

Back to Business Our Sydney Innovation Centre has reopened with new adaptations to help keep hospitality businesses running.

After what has been a challenging period for all Australians and New Zealanders, the hospitality world is slowly getting back to business. Against that background, the Bunzl Innovation Centre in Sydney is now welcoming clients back through its doors.

With the post-COVID world in mind, the centre has introduced several new products relevant to our times to help support businesses during this extraordinary period. These include a select range of back-to-work items, such as protection screens and curated Personal Hygiene packs, to a new section dedicated to cleaning and hygiene.

“After closing due to the pandemic, we gave the Innovation Centre a deep clean,” says Ryan Parker, Equipment Specialist. “Right now we’re only accepting visits by appointment, but the centre is clean, sanitised and ready to go.”

Bookings help to limit the number of people in the space at one time and also allow for a more personalised service experience. “We’re giving our guests the whole space to themselves during their appointment, which means our focus will be solely on them,” says Parker.

Some extra precautions are also in place to help prioritise the safety of guests and staff. A sanitising station has been set up at the entrance and both staff and guests will have their temperatures checked on entry. Disposable gloves are provided and to be worn during appointments for product handling.

In-house coffee will continue to be served but in our Sustain takeaway cups only, and all work areas will be cleaned and disinfected daily.

Events are still taking place at the centre, although on a smaller scale. Up to 10 people can attend demonstrations and training, which must be booked in advanced.

To request an event or book a demonstration, contact Ryan Parker: ryan.parker@bunzl.com.au

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SPOTLIGHT

Cold Cup Revival

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Revive’s new cold cups are made from recycled plastic, helping to reduce waste and close the food-packaging loop.

When it comes to the war on waste, plastic is often enemy number one. But as industries evolve to become more environmentally sustainable, better plastic packaging solutions have been introduced to support a circular economy, while still providing the functionality and convenience that plastic offers.

One of these solutions is a material called rPET (recycled polyethylene terephthalate) which is created from PET plastic products.

Revive’s new range of cold cups is made from rPET, and provides businesses with a more sustainable packaging option while meeting the quality expectations of consumers. While the range helps to reduce the amount of rubbish in the waste stream by using recycled plastic, it also reduces the amount of new waste being created. After rPET

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cups are used, they can be further recycled to create another rPET product.

And, unlike some plastics which require disposal at specific locations to be recycled, Revive’s cups are easily recyclable through kerbside council collection in both Australia and New Zealand.

The range includes six cup sizes, with dome and flat lids to suit. Revive cups are clear, strong and crack-resistant, and are ideal for soft drinks, smoothies, beer, juices and slushies. www.shop.bunzl.com.au/revive

1. BZSUSSTRWF210/K Sustain Straw Flex Paper Kraft 210mm. 2. REVRPDL16/20 Revive Lid Dome rPet Clear 16/20oz. 3. REVRPC16 Revive Cup rPet Clear 16oz.

4. REVRPDL12 Revive Lid Dome rPet Clear 12oz.

5. REVRPC12 Revive Cup rPet Clear 12oz. 6. REVRPC10 Revive Cup rPet Clear 10oz.

7. REVRPC08 Revive Cup rPet Clear 8oz.

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THE PROCESS

The PET solution Disposable food packaging use has boomed during COVID-19. PET containers from Katermaster offer a recyclable, eco-friendly alternative.

As society has adapted to prevent the spread of COVID-19, the role of single-use plastics in the food industry has shifted from something that was starting to be phased out to being a more hygienic option for serving food.

Many hospitality businesses have opted for disposable food containers and cups during and post-lockdown, not only because many have boosted their takeaway offerings, but also to reduce the risk of spreading coronavirus. However, the increase in disposables doesn’t necessarily mean environmental values are out the window.

The Katermaster range of plastic PET food containers is made from the polymer resin known as polyethylene terephthalate (PET). PET is one of the most commonly recycled plastics. It can be easily disposed of through household and community

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kerbside waste collection, then recycled to create new food packaging.

Not only is Katermaster’s PET packaging a more sustainable single-use plastic option, it is durable, too. PET, with its semi-rigid structure, is impactresistant, lightweight and resistant to fats and oils.

It also has excellent clarity, making it the perfect choice to showcase your food. www.shop.bunzl.com.au/katermaster

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1. BZSAL08 Katermaster Container Salad PET Large 228x142x67mm.

2. BZSW1 Katermaster Sandwich Wedge PET Small 161x 71x82mm.

3. BZSW3 Katermaster Sandwich Wedge PET Large 188x85x84mm.

4. BZSNA14 Katermaster Container Long Roll PET 236x93x71mm.

5. BZSW-4Q Katermaster Sandwich PET 4 Quarters 140x140x65mm.

CHECK OUT

Handy Hygiene How every person can do their part to keep the workplace hygienic and safe.

Strict hygiene has always been an important aspect of hospitality, with existing food laws requiring frequent handwashing and thorough cleaning and sanitising of facilities and equipment. Now, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, you’re likely stepping up the cleaning practices in your workplace even more. But it’s still vital that we all take small steps to help ensure the safety of our colleagues, guests and customers – and our loved ones at home.

A few easy steps for workplace hygiene include using a sanitising product to wipe down any personal items that you bring from home such as your mobile phone, wallet and lunch containers; wiping down your desk or work station and computer, keyboard, mouse and pens at the end of every day; and washing your hands thoroughly, or using hand sanitiser, after you finish cleaning, and also after touching surfaces such as doorknobs and light switches that are used by multiple people.

To make all of this easier, Bunzl has put together a convenient Personal Hygiene Kit that includes everything you need to keep your workspace clean and sanitised.

The kit includes five protective face masks with ear loops, a 50ml bottle of SpringLeaf Antibacterial Hand Sanitiser, 100ml bottle of SpringLeaf Hand & Surface Sanitiser spray, a pack of 30 Realcare Antibacterial Wipes (Vitamin E & Aloe Vera), a 75g tube of Grandpawpaw PawPaw Hand Cream and Purell Cottony Soft Hand Sanitising Wipes.

For added convenience, they’re all packed into an ultra-handy zippered carry case. www.shop.bunzl.com.au/protect

Our Personal Hygiene Kit (BZHPKIT) contains everything from face masks to sanitising wipes.

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The Art of the Plate WITH SOCIAL MEDIA INCREASINGLY JUDGING HOW FOOD LOOKS, THE MODERN CHEF IS REQUIRED TO TURN OUT DISHES THAT RESEMBLE ART. THE CÉZANNE COLLECTION PROVIDES THE PERFECT CANVAS.

BEBH801 Crème Cézanne Plate 254mm.

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t’s so fine and yet so terrible to stand in front of a blank canvas.” So said the PostImpressionist painter Paul Cézanne when contemplating a new creation and its potential success or failure.

What was true for the great French artist could easily also be true for today’s chefs.

Social media has changed the way customers look at food – literally – so that how a dish presents is now almost as important as how it tastes. In other words, each new plate needs to be a work of art.

Food and art have always been linked, with Stone Age artists using vegetable juice and animal fats in their cave paintings, while the Egyptians produced hieroglyphics of crops and bread. Then there’s the food, from full banquets to bowls of fruit, that many artists used as the subjects of their paintings – Cézanne, who favoured plump oranges and apples, very much included.

Many would argue that cooking is, in fact, an art form in itself – and perhaps the oldest one at that – as people through the ages have striven to achieve the perfect balance of flavours, while providing a visual feast, too.

Today’s beautiful, colourful fare is simply a continuation and progression of this ancient tradition.

For the chef, the blank canvas is of course the plate or the bowl on which to present their dish, and the right tableware can enhance the overall appeal – just as Cézanne used a blend of space and light in his canvases to elevate his masterpieces.

What better mix of function and artistic flair, then, than the Cézanne Collection ➜

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Tackle germ hot spots with the right wipers

The right tools are as important as the right protocols. Arm your cleaning staff with single-use disposable wipers.

WypAll®X60 Wipers bring the absorbing power of our HYDROKNIT® Technology to a light weight wiper. Combine versatile performance and economical design for light-duty tasks, such as cleaning delicate parts, soaking up light spills, reaching difficult surface areas and cleaning in tight corners.

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For more information: www.shop.bunzl.com.au/kimberlyclark

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® / ™ Trademarks Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc. © KCWW .

1. BEBH801 Crème Cézanne Plate 254mm. 2. BEBH804 Crème Cézanne Stack Soup UNHDL 300ml.

3. BEBH806 Crème Cézanne Rimmed Bowl 300mm. 4. BEBI831 Crème Cézanne 120mm side bowl 310ml.

5. BEBH800 Crème Cézanne Plate 210mm.

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from Crème? This range of elegant tableware offers a subtle design of white-on-white concentric bands that will bring a touch of refinement to any dish and establishment, whether a simple entrée or a rich and vivid dessert, in a pub, cafe or fine diner.

Its quality is evident at every turn: the Cézanne Collection is produced from the best ceramic materials in the world.

Made using only the finest European clays and a high content of alumina, it holds perfect colour while remaining remarkably strong and durable.

Manufacturers can easily achieve this strength in tableware by adding thickness.

It is only by using materials of the highest possible quality, however, that you can produce the graceful shapes of the Cézanne Collection while guaranteeing the staying power needed to perform in the rigorous environments of commercial kitchens and dining rooms.

Equally, most tableware looks great when you first use it. But expose it to cutlery, dishwashing and the daily stresses of a commercial operation and it can quickly wear. Crème uses 100 per cent lead-free glaze to ensure that the Cézanne Collection continues to look as good as the food being presented on it.

The result? A masterpiece, time after time.

The range offers a subtle design of white-on-white concentric bands that will bring refinement to any dish.

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shop.bunzl.com.au/creme

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Open to Change ADVICE ON HOW TO REBUILD YOUR FOOD OPERATIONS IN THE POST-LOCKDOWN ERA.

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here’s no doubt that COVID-19 has presented never-before-seen challenges for the world’s food industry. Whether you run a small cafe or a fine diner, a club eatery or a takeaway business, almost every aspect of your operation would have been impacted.

But now that restrictions are easing, and the world is beginning to open up again, what does that mean for you and your business? SilverChef undertook a review of the industry to see what opportunities now lie ahead for those in the Australian and New Zealand food industry.

It revealed that these post-corona days present the ideal chance to rebuild your business, introducing changes that speak to an altered world.

Here are our major recommendations.

STREAMLINE YOUR MENU AND FOOD PREPARATION

• People have less money, but they still want great flavours. Recipe costing is essential to check profit margins if you’ve cut menu prices.

• Make delivery and takeaway a much larger part of your sales mix.

• Invest in better cooking equipment to improve speed and efficiency.

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IMPROVE CUSTOMER CONNECTIONS

• Upgrade social media posts with more human faces and less boasting. People might love your food – now show them who made it and the people who deliver it.

• Add more community posts to your Facebook page – things such as local activities and a shout-out to health workers and teachers doing great work.

• Include a friendly flyer in delivery bags, with a menu and local news. Add the brochure of a non-competing business which may need support – a local hairdresser or tradesman, for example.

MAKE THE BEST USE OF GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCE

Government help tends to go to people with well-organised bookwork who can prove their case – outlining how sales have been lower, employee costs are too high, or how your business needs apprentice and trainee subsidies. At other times, there are business improvement grants or lowcost loans that can help with technology upgrades or new equipment. When your numbers are ready at the click of a button, you can make a powerful submission for assistance. Make sure you have a

bookkeeper who knows the industry and watches out for opportunities.

IMPROVE STAFF MANAGEMENT AND RECRUITMENT

There are a lot more people looking for work, but “energetic team players” are still in short supply. Good staff love a wellorganised workplace – improving systems will not only reduce costs but also keep your employees productive and motivated.

Upgrade your systems with online rostering.

Talk to the team at SilverChef about your equipment funding needs; silverchef.com.au

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Wash and Go KEEPING ENOUGH POTS, PANS AND PLATES CLEAN FOR A BUSY SERVICE HAS BEEN A PROBLEM FOR YEARS – BUT IN THE SHAPE OF HOBART’S NEW TWO-LEVEL-WASHER, THOSE WORRIES CAN FINALLY BE BANISHED.

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magine the scene: you’re deep into service and dozens of diners have already finished, while a second sitting begins to put in their orders. You start to prepare new dishes, when you realise your pans and crockery are piled in the sink, unusably dirty. It doesn’t matter if you’re a fine diner, local pub or corner cafe, every kitchen has been there.

It’s a common problem in hospitality – how to ensure you always have enough clean cookware and tableware to cope with the high volume and furious pace of a dinner or lunch service. In a small but busy kitchen, the problem can be even worse: volume is just as high but you don’t have the space for a crew of manual dishwashers or a large sink.

In the shape of the high-capacity TwoLevel-Washer, Hobart has developed a unique, world-leading solution.

Perfect for use in commercial kitchens – whether in restaurants, bakeries, meat-production facilities or industrial environments – the Two-Level-Washer provides an important step-up from past products.

Anyone who’s worked at the sink in a commercial kitchen will tell you: it’s a demanding job. You need to ensure plates, pans and utensils are rinsed of stubborn ➜

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The Natural Smart Climate Precision cooking guaranteed.

Convotherm’s Advanced Closed System (ACS+) is the only combi oven that can create a perfect cooking chamber climate delivering fast and even cooking results.

Food retains its own moisture, flavour and vitamins. Ideal for constant cooking environments for all products, from vegetables, meat and fish to baked goods whether fresh, frozen or precooked.

Even when the combi oven is full, you achieve consistently excellent results with no transfer of taste or smell.

For more information visit

www.shop.bunzl.com.au/moffat

MicronSolo

Single use microfibre cloth with superior cleaning performance, combined with viscose fibres for excellent absorbency.

99.9 % of bacteria and germs are removed from surfaces, without disinfectants (certified by an independent institute) High water absorbency for good spill pick up Streak free cleaning on shiny surfaces Extremely low linting

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The compact design makes it perfect for small kitchens as well as larger operations.

stains before they go into the washer, while glassware can break if poorly stacked.

Operating across two separate chambers, top and bottom, the Two-Level-Washer banishes those concerns, offering two different wash cycles at once. This means not only an increase in capacity but that glassware, for example, can be kept away from heavier-duty, dirtier items.

This easy-to-use machine also minimises the need for pre-treatment before cookware goes into the washer. The utensil cycle will remove a large portion of the heavy soil from the items within seconds of the cycle starting. The danger of clogging is alleviated by the Genius-X2 Fine Filter System, which collects food waste, filters soiled water (reducing detergent consumption by up to 35 per cent) and cleans itself automatically

when pumping out fine soil during the wash cycle.

Best still, the Two-Level-Washer’s compact design ensures no extra space is required – making it perfect for small kitchens as well as larger operations – and it could save you up to 3,120 kWh a year in energy use, thanks to its sealed hood, which stores excess heat energy.

The Two-Level-Washer is also compatible with Hobart’s Washsmart app, giving you peace of mind over maintenance for up to five years – while guaranteeing those nightmare services of soiled pans and dirty plates are a thing of the past.

shop.bunzl.com.au/hobart

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The Butcher’s Tale WITH A JOINT ROLE AS MEAT PURVEYOR AND PILLAR OF THE COMMUNITY, THE LOCAL BUTCHER PROVIDES A HAPPY CONNECTION TO THE PAST. WE SPOKE TO SIX BUTCHERS TO FIND OUT MORE.

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s technology continues to disrupt almost every industry, there are few professions left that have remained virtually unchanged.

But take a trip to the local butchers and you’ll be following in the footsteps of countless previous generations.

After all, he (or she) has long acted as a hub for the community, while offering the allimportant service of providing the meat that feeds us and our families.

So, what does a modern butcher’s job look like, and how long have the butchers themselves been in the industry?

We spoke to six butchers around the country to get the lowdown, including Frank Galipo of Galipo’s Midtown Meats in Ingham, Qld, who has been in the business for 40 years.

This longevity isn’t rare in butchery: many enter the profession at a young age, and many come from families of butchers. In fact, every butcher we spoke to has been in the trade for at least 15 years, with Adrian Prior of Frederickton’s Eversons Food Processors in NSW and Robert Constable of Robert’s Meats in Singleton, also in NSW, both serving for three decades.

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“You must be passionate about it and not just do it for a ‘job’, or you will never reach your full potential.”

Constable says he’s enjoyed every day of his 30 years in the industry – another reason people stick with butchery. “It’s a great job and trade,” he says.

It’s a sentiment shared by the others, though Gregg Wehlow of Dawson Road Butchery in Allenstown, Qld, warns that anyone new to the profession must “be passionate about it and not just do it for a ‘job’, or you will never reach your full potential”.

This passion is shown in the dedication the butchers put into the craft, with long hours common. It also reflects the fact that customers’ needs have changed, with many now visiting their local butcher looking for ready-made products.

This has seen butchers become adept at preparing meals, using ingredients such as Lesnie’s Pork Newri or the Marinade Italiano to guarantee the flavour and quality of their wares.

In line with this, Callan Ihle of Cardwell Butchery in Cardwell, Qld, says he has had to “become more creative over time”.

In northern NSW, Yamba Fair Butchery’s Chris O’Connor agrees, and says his skills have improved through “listening to other people’s ideas and customer feedback, and being open to constant change”.

And it’s this last point – the value of talking to customers – that they agree is truly priceless. “It’s the most important skill to have,” says Constable.

Turn the page for a great meat recipe. ➜

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YOUR FOOD. DELIVERED. More businesses are growing their delivery offering.

Detpak has an extensive range of packaging to get your food on the move. All our packaging ensures the integrity and presentation of your meals, from kitchen to plate. To find out more visit Detpak.com/ food-delivery.

SANY+AIR is a lightweight, premium, oil-free compressor equipped with a pressure gun that can spray sanitising products with very little air.

Simply add SANY+AIR compatible* disinfectant solution to the unit and sanitise your work area with ease. www.shop.bunzl.com.au/detpak

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Meat and Greet Looking for a great recipe using meat? Try chef Perry Peters’ delicious polpette, cooked in Convotherm’s Steamer Oven with direct steam and disappearing door.

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POLPETTE AL BARESE Ingredients 500g ground pork mince 1 c up fresh breadcrumbs, soaked in milk, then squeezed dry 2 /3 cup grated pecorino cheese

6 tbs flat-leaf parsley, chopped 3 cloves garlic, minced 1 egg, lightly beaten Salt and freshly ground black pepper Olive oil for frying

Method

1. C ombine mince, breadcrumbs, cheese, parsley and garlic in a bowl.

2. Mix in the egg. (If mixture seems dry, add a second egg.)

3. Season with salt and pepper.

4. Form into walnut-sized balls.

5. Shallow fry in about ½ cm olive oil until golden.

6. Add your favourite Lesnie’s sauce* and simmer until cooked.

* Try Lesnie’s Marinade Italiano (BF75131)– now available in gluten free (LES0800111).

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QUICK-FIRE Q&A

Grand Designs This issue, we speak to Bunzl in-house expert Tim Walker about his long career working in hospitality projects.

Cambro’s Cam GoBox + Flip Lid – perfect for deliveries hot and cold. @cambromfg

TIM WALKER National Hospitality Projects Specialist

Auckland’s Sky Tower lights up. @skycityentertainment

Centrepiece Bunzl products and partners you need to follow on Instagram

With GFL Skin Care’s Sanitising Cleansing Gel, hygiene is at hand. @gflskincare

Comcater’s free guide to smoking makes creating smoky flavours easy. @comcater_au

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Contact Tim with your requirements: tim. walker@bunzl.com.au

Tell us about your career. I’ve spent my whole career in glassware and ceramics, starting in the mid-1980s. I moved from wholesale sales to hotel and airline sales at Royal Doulton in 1987, selling chinaware to national distributors and importing Schott Zwiesel glass from Germany. My major dealer was Salgo in NSW [bought by Bunzl in 2008]. In 1998, the management of Salgo asked me to join the company. Some 22 years later, I’m still here!

What keeps you inspired and motivated? New hotel projects are exciting and every new hotel wants to be better than the last. My motivation comes from continually evolving and going one better for returning customers. The drive comes from the excitement of seeing a project open after several months and sometimes years of research, design, specifications, sourcing, tendering and delivering.

Lastly, a passion for leaving the hotel industry in a better position through innovation and improvements that I have been involved in.

What have been your career highlights? I don’t really have single highlights – every day is rewarding and different from the day prior.

You always have to expect the unexpected, adapt and run with it. I think that’s why we are so successful. If you keep going down the same road, you end up in the same place … I am fortunate that Bunzl allows me the autonomy to deliver world-class hotel projects.

What has been your favourite Bunzl project? A highlight was The Westin Sydney [now The Fullerton] in Martin Place. This was a total fit-out in 1999 prior to the Olympics. Sadly, it was one of the last silver-service hotels to open in Australia.

Current projects? There are so many, including Crown Sydney Barangaroo, Adelaide Casino, Vibe Hotels Hobart and Sydney, Crowne Plaza Adelaide, and Hotel Chadstone Melbourne, MGallery by Sofitel (below). That’s just a few from this week’s list!

Left Leo Gstrein makes last-finish touches to a selection of canapés.

Below His Wagyu beef short rib, Black Angus fillet, parsnip, native spinach, pearl onions, bulls blood chard and jus.

TOQUE TALK WITH. . .

Leo Gstrein

PHOTOGRAPHY: CAMERA CREATIONS

Compass’s National Executive Chef talks about working for the world’s largest catering company.

Making the switch from fine dining to catering is a career move many chefs might turn their noses up at. Leander (“Leo”) Gstrein – who spent years working in fine-diners such as the three-hatted Hotel Trofana Royal in Austria and Michelin-starred Bibendum in London – was hesitant to take the leap.

But since taking up the role of National Executive Chef with the Australian branch of Compass, the largest catering company in the world (it employs 10,000 people in Australia alone), he’s come around to the idea, due in part to the scope and variety of his role.

“You get exposed to different sectors,” Gstrein says. “Hospitality is everywhere and it impacts on everyone. It’s quite exciting, actually.”

With a restaurant manager for a mum and a chef/butcher for a dad, it was natural for Austrian-born Gstrein to enter the hospitality industry. He started his fine-dining career at the five-star Alpenresort Schwarz near the alpine Austrian city of Innsbruck, and moved through the ranks at other high-end restaurants.

Since moving to Sydney 12 years ago, he’s worked at venues such as the now-defunct Astral at The Star Sydney, beginning at Compass eight years ago.

He started as head chef at Sydney Town Hall and stepped up to his current role in 2018.

Gstrein has a hand in everything, from feeding defence forces to coming up with menus for hospital cafes, business events, retirement homes and the mining sector, as well as high-end catering at venues such as the National Gallery of Victoria.

Between meeting the various nutritional needs of the elderly, and crafting restaurant-quality meals for the top end of town, all while balancing budgets and running the company’s Future Food program, Gstrein’s job goes far beyond the kitchen.

Though he works with hundreds of staff members, Gstrein sees his role more as mentor than boss. He places great emphasis on building strong teams and staff loyalty, celebrating staff by profiling them on Compass’s website and highlighting them on the company’s Instagram account.

“You want to make staff feel rewarded,” he says. “Make them feel like they’ve done something amazing. My role is to inspire.”

As with the majority of businesses in the hospitality industry, Compass has been hit by the coronavirus pandemic and its lockdowns. While events have been cancelled and venues closed, Gstrein says that the company has managed to redeploy most staff across other areas of the business.

Not only has the coronavirus affected Compass’s workforce, it’s also changed how the company works. Gstrein says they’ve tripled down on cleaning, and had just days to devise a graband-go method to feed the defence forces, who could no longer dine in mess halls.

“We changed our business to see how we could help and support,” Gstrein says. “It’s going to take a while for things to come back. But I’m confident they will eventually.”

www.forte.bunzl.com.au/flair

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