NO.723 APRIL 2016
Making of The Mill
JAKE KELLIE'S AMBITIOUS PLANS FOR REGIONAL VICTORIA
Delivering the goods
HOME DELIVERY SERVICES ALLOWING VENUES TO EXPAND THEIR REACH
Prized possessions
THE TOOLS THAT OUR BEST CHEFS JUST CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT
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Editorial
‘T
he good old days.’ It’s a terms that’s thrown around so often, nostalgically referring to a time gone by – the beauty of which will never be seen again. Hospitality professionals use it religiously; referring to yesteryear’s more palatable wage costs, the fact that diners didn’t know what gluten is, and the lack of red tape they had to adhere to. But after recently attending the inaugural Young Swines industry dinner in Melbourne – hosted by Porkstars and the Appetite for Excellence program – I’m pretty confident that hospitality’s most exciting days are still to come. The dinner saw 30-odd young hospo workers get together at Highline Restaurant to enjoy a meal and have a good old chin-wag about their work, the industry and their plans for the future. What programs like Appetite for Excellence and The Nestle Golden Chef’s Hat awards offer young workers is a broad range of mentors to learn from. They connect aspiring chefs, restaurateurs and front of house professionals with likeminded individuals who truly understand the commitment that’s required to make a name for yourself in this industry. They also create a sense of community. All too often, young industry members only know the confines of the restaurant or café they work in. They literally work around the clock, and when they do socialise, it tends to be after-work drinks with the very same people they’ve laboured with. But, thanks to these programs, today’s up-and-comers have the opportunity to belong to a wider circle of industry colleauges – both young and old – allowing them to share stories, advice and inspiration. Jake Kellie, our profile chef this month, is the perfect example of an ambitious and determined young man who wouldn’t be where he is today without the likes of James Viles, David Thompson and Scott Pickett – people he can call both mentors and mates. And at the ripe old age of 26, I’m so excited to see what he, and those like him, will achieve in the years to come. Danielle Bowling dbowling@intermedia.com.au
April Contents 5 In focus 6 Openings
5
8 Flavour of the month 10 Trends 12 Fast casual
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13 Best practice 14 Cover story 18 Kitchen equipment 22 Drinks
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25 Shelf space & Diary
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22
26 5 minutes with...
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April 2016 Hospitality 3
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in focus
Record spending from international visitors According to Tourism Australia, international visitors are spending more and staying longer, with an 18 percent increase on expenditure reported for 2015. In dollar terms, the increase takes expenditure to a record $36.6 billion – a rise of $5.5 billion in just one year – marking the largest increase on record and the highest percentage growth since the Sydney 2000 Olympics. For the year ending December 2015, visitor spending grew faster (+18 percent) than international arrivals (+8 percent). Chinese visitor spending grew 44 percent, reaching a record $8.3 billion and edging closer to the $9 billion figure originally forecast for the market in 2010, when the Tourism 2020 targets were launched. Other nations that have signifi-
Food and wine spend by international visitors has increased by 21.1 percent or $886 million since the launch of Tourism Australia’s Restaurant Australia campaign
cantly increased visitor spend in Australia over the 12 month period include India (+38 percent), Hong Kong (+20 percent) and South Korea (+18 percent). In terms of food and wine specifically, spending has increased
by 21.1 percent or $886 million since the launch of Tourism Australia’s Restaurant Australia campaign, a figure that significantly exceeds the original target increase of $500 million for the period between December 2013
and December 2015. The total annual spend on food and wine by international visitors was $5.1 billion as of December 2015, up from $4.2 billion in December 2013. “These numbers don’t really need much talking up – they speak for themselves,” said Tourism Australia’s managing director, John O’Sullivan. “For us, the story is about yield, with international spending growing last year at more than twice the rate of our already strong international arrivals. “This moves us another significant step closer towards achieving our Tourism 2020 targets. All our key markets made substantial contributions in 2015 and with an exciting new global campaign starting to roll out, we have the opportunity to maintain this momentum into 2016 and beyond.”
Tourist spending insights
886
$
Visitors to Australia rank it as third in the world for good food and wine experiences, following France and Italy respectively
MILLION
$
5.1
Total annual international food and wine spending as of December 2015 was $5.1B, up from $4.2B in December 2013
BILLION 2015
Over Food and wine accounts for one in five dollars spent by international tourists in Australia
960,000 international tourists visited an Australian winery in 2015, representing a year-on-year increase of 37 percent
In terms of strongest associations with food and wine, 40 percent associate Australia with fresh local produce, 39 percent with fresh seafood, 37 percent with high grade meat and 32 percent with unique outdoor dining experiences April 2016 Hospitality 5
Openings
1
Some of the latest venues to swing open their doors in Australia’s foodservice scene. 1
Austin’s Restaurant
Prahan, Victoria The Mount Erica Hotel has undergone a significant makeover, including the introduction of two new food offerings: Austin’s restaurant and Austin’s Pantry and Wine Bar.
2
Anason
Sydney, NSW Led by chef Somer Sivrioglu, Anason offers Turkish cuisine including mezes of charcoal octopus leg with mastic and couscous; and lamb short fillet with eggplant begendy.
3
Cake Wines
Sydney, NSW Located within a restored warehouse on Eveleigh St, Cake Wine’s first ever permanent cellar door offers wine sales and tastings, as well as events including educational wine sessions.
4
KY-OTO
Sydney, NSW Housed in one of Kensington Street’s terrace houses, KY-OTO comprises an intimate dining room as well as a more casual external courtyard located in the adjoining Spice Alley.
4
6 Hospitality April 2016
2
3
5
5
Juicy Lucy
6
Sydney, NSW Located in Surry Hills, this is a chicken shop with a south east Asian spin. On offer is slow roasted whole birds, spiced overnight in brine of Sichuan pepper, cloves, cassia bark and coriander seeds, then stuffed with garlic rice; as well as the Tai Gai Yang, butterflied and prepped with garlic, coriander, white pepper and turmeric before hitting the rotisserie.
6
Rawsons
Sydney, NSW Located within the Epping Club, Rawsons' menu includes ‘raw clams’; free range chicken breast ‘al mattone’ (cooked under a brick), with stone fruit, dressed grains and jus vinaigrette; as well as a ‘(nearly) raw bar menu’.
7
7
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Bistrot Gavroche
Sydney, NSW One of Kensington Street’s latest additions boasts a Parisian-inspired menu including bone marrow on sourdough with confit garlic; Burgundy snails with parsley and garlic butter; and shredded duck confit with crushed potatoes and bacon gratin.
8
Feast of Merit Rooftop Bar
Richmond, Victoria Offering a Middle Eastern inspired snack menu as well as locally sourced wine and beer, the Rooftop bar is housed above Richmond’s Feast of Merit restaurant, owned and operated by YGAP.
April 2016 Hospitality 7
Flavour of the month These creamy balls of goodness are popping up on menus all over the country, and for good reason.
Burrata WHAT IS IT?
■■ Roast
Burrata (meaning ‘buttered’ in Italian) is a creamy, fresh cheese made from mozzarella and cream. Each ball is made by hand from stretched mozzarella, formed into a pouch and filled with ‘stracciatella’ - soft, short, thin strings of mozzarella and cream. It’s then pinched at the top to close the pouch. The result is a delicious cheese that once cut open oozes a wonderful creamy filling.
■■ Tomato,
WHAT’S THE APPEAL? Originally from Puglia in southern Italy, burrata had a practical beginning: it was invented as a way of using up left over curds. The cheese has come a long way, now gaining attention globally and popping up on menus in America, London – and of course here in Australia too.
FLAVOUR MATCHES? Burrata is a fabulously creamy cheese that melts in your mouth, and is much more delicate than mozzarella. To experience the flavour you need nothing more than crunchy bread, extra virgin olive oil and salt and pepper. Having said that, the flavour and texture also make it a perfect match for: ■■ Fresh tomato and basil salad ■■ San Daniele Proscuitto
vegetables eggplant and basil pasta
STORAGE AND SHELF LIFE? Keep it in the fridge, whole, and preferably in the watery whey it arrived in. Burrata is best served at room temperature and consumed within 48 hours of being made – that’s when it’s in peak condition. Traditionally burrata was wrapped in Asphodel leaves as a freshness measure: green leaves indicating the cheese is fresh and dried leaves indicating it’s past its prime.
WHAT SHOULD OPERATORS LOOK FOR? Freshness! It has a very short self life, so it’s important to get it fresh and from a quality supplier. Burrata should have a uniform thickness and a white shiny exterior, while the inside should have a creamy texture with a buttery, milky and delicate flavour.
LOCAL VERSUS IMPORTED? While it’s fantastic to enjoy a product from where it was born, we are a long way from Italy. Locally made products will likely arrive fresher, faster and possibly more competitively priced than their imported counterparts.
POPOLO, SYDNEY
Credit: Stefano De Blasi, Salt Meats Cheese
8 Hospitality April 2016
Go to australia.gov.au/jobactive to find out more.
Trends Home delivery services represent an opportunity for savvy restaurateurs to tap into a new market while also improving their engagement with existing, loyal customers. By Danielle Bowling.
10 Hospitality April 2016
Delivering the goods
I
n the old days, delivery was a dirty word. You had the choice between greasy, overladen pizza and lukewarm pad thai, neither of which would arrive within the hour and when it did eventually turn up, the pubescent teenage driver would have the customer service skills of, well, a pubescent teenager. Thankfully, times are changing and the quality of food being delivered to hungry Australians has seriously improved. Online takeaway platform, Menulog, has partnered with Zoom2u, which means its Sydney restaurants can now offer a home delivery service. Sherpa, an Australian on-demand service delivery start-up has expanded its operations to offer more takeaway food deliveries via partnerships with DeliveryHero. com.au and Doughnut Time, and Melbourne has announced it’ll soon become the third non-US city to welcome UberEATS, a food delivery service launched by the popular ride-sharing app. And then there are companies like Deliveroo, which came to Australia late last year. Levi Aron, Deliveroo Australia’s country manager, said the company’s strategy is to educate both consumers and the hospitality sector on how the delivery experience can be an
enjoyable and valuable one. But in order to do this, delivery services have had to tackle some serious concerns from business operators.
1. FLEXIBILITY By offering delivery, would a restaurant be giving with one hand, and taking away with the other? Will the diners that have actually made the effort to come to your venue suffer because your chefs are too busy packaging up food-to-go? Aron insists this isn’t the case. “The reason our investors have backed us so heavily ... is because they see something that's quite unique, and that boils down to the technology that we use. When we speak to our restaurants, we actually sit with them and spend quite a lot of time with them, understanding what their prep time is … and then we set that into our system. “Our technology then gives the restaurant owner flexibility to change that prep time on the fly, so if they get a bus load of tourists in and they’re suddenly really busy, they can go into the system and change the prep time straight away, which instantly updates the customer,” he told Hospitality. Similarly, when the kitchen runs out of a certain ingredient or a dish is no longer available,
Flavio Carnevale, owner of Popolo, Sydney “We started delivering in November last year. It came about because of the constant requests from our regulars, who were coming down to pick up food. We gradually, over the years, had started doing take-aways and they’d come in and say ‘we were on the coach the other night and really wanted your food but you couldn’t deliver so we went somewhere else.’ That went on for a year or two. But after a month’s trial with Suppertime (now foodora),
the chef can update the system so those items aren't visible to the customer.
2. QUALITY A key concern for restaurant operators is, of course, that food won’t reach the customer the same way that it left the kitchen. In late 2015 another food delivery service, Suppertime, joined the foodora group, which has partnered with a 700-strong network of restaurants in Sydney and Melbourne including Chur Burger, Mamak, Hannoi Hannah, 39 Pizzeria and Popolo. According to Toon Gyssels, CEO of foodora, the brand works closely with chefs to ensure that the quality of the food being delivery matches what's being served on the restaurant floor. “Before we start delivering, we make sure the packaging is right, he said. “We even do test runs. Before we launched with Gelato Messina, they were very concerned about the quality and wanted to make sure the ice cream didn’t arrive melted, so we did tens of test runs, driving around to see how far the delivery area could be. “Some dishes don’t transport well, so we don’t do delivery for them. We deliver the items that the customer will have the best experience with … We make sure that after the food is picked up, it takes less than 10 minutes to be delivered.”
3. IMPACT ON PATRONS According to Gyssels, the second most common concern from chefs and restaurateurs - behind the food's quality - is that a delivery service will discourage customers from dining at the restaurant. “They are concerned about it taking customers out of the restaurant. [But] it’s not the same customer. If you want to go to a restaurant and eat there, you’re in a different mindset to when you just want to eat at home, or you’re at work and you want to order delivery.” Aron agrees. “We’re not looking at cannibalising the market by pulling people away from
we had a great response from our regulars who were saying it was great and they were very happy. So that was a good response, and since then it’s been very positive. What we’ve noticed is that our regulars are coming back a little bit more ... They’re even coming into the restaurant more. They’re coming back and saying they had delivery, and had a great pizza or tried this pasta and decided to come in for dinner. So it does the advertising at the same time as giving a service.”
restaurants. We believe that people enjoy going to restaurants and they make a decision with their partner or their friends to either eat out or stay at home. We don’t believe that our service takes people away from restaurants.” In fact, both foodora and Deliveroo say their services can actually increase the number of times consumers are engaging with restaurants. “It gives people an ability to recognise the restaurant’s brand, having eaten there, and say ‘Well, I’m still going to go to your restaurant but now I want to get that great food delivered to my home or office as well,” Aron said. “If the touchpoint between the restaurant and the customer was twice or three times a month, we may be able to increase that to five times a month.” Gyssels said that foodora’s clients see an increase in patronage once they start offering delivery. “If restaurants are afraid, we’ll do a trial and what happens is that not only do the deliveries increase, but also the in-restaurant visits increase. Customers discover restaurants via our platform and then go there to eat,” he said. It’s in the delivery services’ best interest to see their clients' business flourish, and in order to do this, they work closely with the chefs and operators to ensure the menu has items suitable for delivery and that they're being promoted in the right way. “We work with the restaurant to see what we should be posting on social media, to set up campaigns for them and to help them based on the online behaviour of customers. When a customer comes to the website we can analyse, very granularly, what he looks at. If he puts something in the basket does he continue to the next step or doesn’t he? We can then help the restaurant to optimise it, for example by adding some drinks or by removing some items from the online menu,” Gyssels said. “We partner with the restaurants to make sure that they’re successful, because ultimately that’s what will make us successful.” n
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fast casual
Heart and soul By capitalising on time-poor consumers and their growing interest in fresh, healthy food, Soul Origin has experienced significant growth since launching in 2011.
W
ith a vision to deliver wholesome and healthy fast food, Soul Origin is a franchise that has experienced exponential growth since launching five years ago. Extensive experience in franchising and foodservice, coupled with a determination to capitalise on the consumer’s growing interest in healthy eating drove general manager, Chris Mavris and his business partners to bring the brand to life. “We tried a couple of different concepts: a QSR version and a table service version which comprised a full blown café model with meals made to order," Mavris said. "We tested them for a good six to eight months before deciding that the quick service version was the one that could best be duplicated. From there, we closed down the table service model and started focusing on developing QSR.” Mavris said there were a number of factors that led to this decision, namely the increased cost of labour and rent that are associated with table service. Since finalising the concept in 2011, Soul Origin has grown significantly, with 43 stores currently in operation across NSW, Queensland and the ACT. “Our first store opened in late 2011 and the second opened in April 2013. Even though the models were tested, we did a lot of fine tuning over that period. We wanted to get the products 100 percent right and prove that the model was economically viable so franchisees would invest their faith in us,” said Mavris. “From there, our growth has been very fast. At the end of 2013 we had seven stores. Then at the end of 2014 we had 19 stores and at the end of 2015 we had 42 stores.” And there’s no sign of slowing down. The franchise will be expanding into Victoria this 12 Hospitality April 2016
At a glance When was the business established? Late 2011 Number of locations? 43 stores across NSW, ACT and QLD Number of staff members? 23 in head office and 430 staff in stores Most valuable asset in the business? Our people. Each franchisee has extensive experience in managing their own businesses, while head office employees have extensive experience in retail. Plans for 2016? To open up to 35 outlets, including expanding into Victoria and Western Australia.
year and according to Mavris, there is a “99 percent chance” of the business setting up shop in Western Australia too. With such rapid growth, is the company concerned about how quality and consistency will be maintained throughout the franchise's portfolio? In order to address this, the business has area managers on the road who provide ongoing training for franchisees, in all aspects of the business’ operation including finance, marketing and customer service. “We run five or six franchise meetings a year where we bring specialists in to discuss a certain area (of the business). We're always bringing in external experts to share their knowledge," Mavris said. Soul Origin also has a central kitchen in Sydney to ensure each store’s food offering – which predominately comprises salads and bread-based products – is consistent and of a high quality.
While the company is committed to offering a healthy, tasty and enjoyable eating experience for its customers, last year it endured a food safety scare and as a result had to part ways with one of its suppliers. In February 2015, four people reported symptoms of scombroid, or histamine poisoning, soon after consuming a takeaway tuna salad from Soul Origin. The salad contained John Bull’s Tuna Chunky Style in Sunflower Oil. As soon as the business was informed of the issue by NSW Health, Mavris said Soul Origin withdrew the product from the menu and maintained open and transparent communication with both its franchisees and customers. “We actually withdrew the product before it hit the media,” said Mavris. “We became aware of an issue on the Monday and it wasn’t until the Wednesday that it hit the press. By that time the product had been withdrawn from all of the outlets. “We actually kept tuna off our menu for a good two months after that.” With the food poisoning scare behind it, Mavris said Soul Origin is looking forward to a bright future – one that involves a considerable number of new store openings. “I’d like to think that we can open around 35 new stores this year,” he said. “We're a retail franchise run by retailers. Everyone at the senior level has worked in shops all our lives, so we understand how the decisions we make affect our franchisees, and we appreciate what franchisees experience on a day-to-day basis. "Everyone in the senior management team could walk into any one of our stores and run it. Whether it be running the coffee machine, kitchen or front of house, we all have the skills to run a Soul Origin outlet.” n
best practice
Keeping it local
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The people that live and work in your business’ immediate vicinity are your most valuable asset. Ken Burgin shares nine pointers on how you can nurture your nearest and dearest.
n most places, all the customers you ever need are within walking distance to your business. But we’re so busy promoting far and wide that we forget the simple and effective neighbourhood promotions that work every time.
1. TALK ABOUT LOCAL PRODUCE AND SUPPLIERS Feature at least two items on your menu and beverage list that are sourced locally or known for local connections. For example, say ‘Our potatoes are the best from Kooweerup’; ‘Our ice cream is churned by local producers, Rocky & Co.’ or ‘Fish sourced daily from Sydney Fish Markets.’ There’s a growing debate on ‘food miles’ – some customers don’t care, but many are interested. Frame it as local pride rather than politics.
2. TALK ABOUT WHAT LOCALS LOVE TO EAT OR DRINK ‘This is the favourite beer with locals in Manly.’ ‘Locals up this way love these oysters.’ Or ‘Would you like to try one of our local wines?’ Make sure they’re on the menu and in the server’s recommendations.
3. SUPPORT LOCAL CAUSES Whether it’s fundraising for a school gym or protecting a heritage area, take part in mainstream local issues. Mention it in your newsletter, on your Facebook page, and on the ‘What’s New’ or blog section of your website.
4. HOST LOCAL MEETINGS If there are times during the week when you’ve got empty space, this is when local meetings can take place on your premises. They may not buy more than a coffee or beer, but the appreciation will come back in many other ways. And if you’ve got free WiFi, you suddenly become a much more desirable location.
5. LIST LOCAL EVENTS An up-to-date local diary on your website is easy to organise and keep fresh. Focus on events that are important to your customers. Alternatively, you can put them on the Event listings on Facebook, especially if you’re a sponsor of an event. Ask supporters to like and share amongst their own friends.
6. SHOW OFF THE LOCALS Keep your photo gallery up-to-date with pictures of happy customers and local events – on the cafe wall or the website, and in
albums on your Facebook page. Encourage people to email or SMS photos when they go travelling. If your area doesn’t have its own Facebook page, create one, like the great example at facebook.com/DunedinNZ. Think of yourself as the local Mayor – why not?!
7. MENTION LOCAL EMPLOYMENT You hire local workers, and many staff live nearby – it’s another way to show your customers that you’re embedded in the community. Local high schools are keen to place their hospitality students – have you met the teachers and said hello? Hint: take a basket of muffins when you call in, it works like a charm.
8. LIST ALL THE LOCAL AREAS ON YOUR WEBSITE This is very important for better website ranking. Talk about the surrounding suburbs and towns specifically by name so an online search will connect your venue with that
location. What do people search for? It’s generally something like ‘pizza in Cooktown’ or ‘pub in Glebe’. Have your full street address at the bottom of each page and on the side navigation bar of your website. Include a phone number with the area code, and very importantly, make sure to have each listing exactly the same, that is, don’t have ‘Street’ on one address and ‘St’ on another. This gives search engines the information they need, and avoids duplicate listings.
9. START USING LOCAL FACEBOOK ADS If you want to be seen regularly by your neighbours, set up a low budget local advertising campaign on Facebook (say, $3 per day) to highlight the food or a special feature of your business. Without advertising, most of your posts will never be seen. Facebook can be a very powerful and targeted advertising platform – it’s worth exploring. n Ken Burgin is owner of Profitable Hospitality, profitablehospitality.com.au April 2016 Hospitality 13
cover story
Making of The Mill One of the hospitality industry’s most promising young chefs, Jake Kellie had a stellar year in 2015. Now he's on a mission to make 2016 bigger and better, opening the doors to The Lakeside Mill. By Danielle Bowling. ALL IMAGES BY DOMINIQUE CHERRY
Lakes Entrance rock flathead, finger lime, wakame, charred cos
T
o be a success, you need to surround yourself with the right people. It’s a simple piece of advice that entrepreneurs and innovators all around the world swear by. This includes Jake Kellie, head chef at the recently opened The Lakeside Mill in regional Victoria. At just 26, he’s preparing to invest in the business as a part-owner, having already clocked up more than 10 years’ experience in commercial kitchens both in Australia and abroad. Kellie completed his apprenticeship under Matt Moran at Aria Sydney, then – like most newly qualified chefs – did some travelling before heading to Melbourne and spending a couple of months at Gordon Ramsay’s Maze. “Then I moved to the UK and did a stage at The Fat Duck for a month. After that, I took my first chef de partie role at The Ledbury under Brett Graham. From there I moved back to Australia and worked for the Melbourne Pub Group with Paul Wilson and Jake Nicolson,” Kellie said. At the ripe old age of 23, he accepted his first head chef role at The Commoner in Melbourne’s Fitzroy – a position he held for two years before moving over to the kitchen at Scott Pickett’s Estelle Bistro in 2015. It was a massive year for Kellie, who was also named a finalist in The Age Good Food Guide Young Chef of the Year award and – after being Runner Up in 2014 – claimed the Appetite for Excellence Australian Young Chef of the Year title. “I re-entered because I wasn’t 100 percent happy with the food I did the year before. And for me, I get a real buzz out of cooking 14 Hospitality April 2016
Heirloom carrots, almonds, harissa and marinated tofu
for people like Peter Gilmore (Quay, Bennelong), Mark Best (Marque, Pei Modern) and James Viles (Biota). To be able to go into a competition and have them as your judges is pretty unreal. “I didn’t go back and want to win it, my focus was just to cook good food in front of the judges, because it’s not everyday that you get to cook for James, Mark, David Thompson (Long Chim) and Ross Lusted (The Bridge Room). I got a real buzz off that.” Now in its 11th year, the Electrolux Appetite for Excellence program aims to develop, support and recognise the next generation of culinary professionals, and has three categories: Young Chef, Young Waiter and Young Restaurateur. The program has an impressive line-up of mentors and judges, who combined have over 500 years of experience in foodservice, whether it be as a chef, restaurateur, waiter or sommelier. “They’re all really, really good guys. They’ll be completely honest with you if they don’t like something. I think that’s the stuff that every chef needs to hear,” Kellie said. And the advice doesn’t stop once the program concludes. Judges, organisers and competitors are frequently bouncing ideas off each other for their latest and greatest endeavours, and Kellie said it’s James Viles in particular who has helped shape the offering at The Lakeside Mill. “He took the plunge that I have now. He went to Bowral to open Biota, which is three and a half hours from Sydney’s city, and he did that with his old man. He’s been a big mentor
Seasonal fruits with natural honeycomb, chocolate mint and house made yoghurt
and someone I really look up to in regards to what I’m doing here at The Mill. “In regional areas especially, you have to get the point across to your diners; you have to get them to trust you and what you’re serving. You don’t want them to think that you’re city slickers. Jimmy has that approach with Biota, where it’s been hard for him but he’s gotten on the locals’ side and as a regional restaurant, that’s what you want to do. You want to keep the locals happy because they’re the people that are going to keep your restaurant open,” Kellie said. “I love Jimmy’s whole concept, his ethos and how he runs Biota. He relies on the natural surroundings and the produce around his restaurant, and that’s something that I’m adapting to and that I look up to.”
SHOWCASING THE REGION In a similar leap of faith to that of Viles, Kellie’s latest project sees him heading up the kitchen at The Lakeside Mill, located in Packenham some 56km out of Melbourne’s CBD, where the menu is all about championing the area’s producers. “We offer an upmarket bistro feel. We do a few snacks, we do some of our own charcuterie, and then we also do some larger share items, like the O’Connors beef tomahawk steak. On the flip side of that, we’re also doing a tasting menu, which is based purely on the produce we get from the area.” The restaurant opened in mid-February and since coming onboard in October, Kellie has spent a lot of time researching the area and its suppliers. “We’re not going to use anything that’s not from this area. The furthest we’ve gone is
“You’ve got to risk it to get the biscuit. If you want to be successful in this industry, you’ve got to take that plunge.”
April 2016 Hospitality 15
cover story
Appetite for Excellence judges and mentors
The Lakeside Mill’s Regional Tasting Menu FOOD ONLY $70.00 WINE MATCH $50.00 BEER MATCH $50.00 Non Alcoholic $30.00 Snacks Salt baked yellow beetroot, burnt butter Cora Lynn nasturtium pickle, pepper cress Jerusalem artichoke scallop, caprinella goats cheese Zucchini flower, crustacean, lemon myrtle 1st COURSE Mr Jones’ Warragul potato, cured egg, cabbage 2nd COURSE Mt Martha mussels, lardo, radish, roasted meat broth
“There will always be a hump that you have to get over, but as a chef you just have to build and build with more experience” Mt Martha for our mussels and seafood and Lakes Entrance, which is about an hour and a half away. We want to keep it local because we want diners to come in who aren’t familiar with us, so we can say ‘These potatoes are actually grown 20 minutes down the road in Warragul, and you can actually go there and meet the producer, Gordon, and have a look around the farm, and actually experience it for yourself,’” Kellie said. “That stuff tends to go by the wayside. People just say ‘potatoes are potatoes’ but there’s actually someone out there picking them every
3rd COURSE Lakes Entrance rock flathead, wakame, finger limes, charred cos 4th COURSE O’Connor beef rump cap, sour onions, lovage, kohlrabi Dessert Hardings Orchard apples, buckwheat, chestnut icecream Petit Fours Passionfruit marshmallow Peanut butter jelly fudge Doughnut, licorice, orange Pacific oysters, pickled cucumber and finger lime, with chickpea fries and parsley salt
16 Hospitality April 2016
day, making sure we’ve got potatoes. That’s what I want this menu to do; to create relationships with great local producers and put their food on a plate in a refined way.”
ONWARDS AND UPWARDS Despite only just swinging open the doors to a new restaurant, Kellie’s not taking his foot off the pedal when it comes to his professional development. Sure, he’s a head chef and soon to be part-owner, but that doesn’t matter, he insists. He’ll always be chasing experiences that allow him to hone his
Acai bowl
skills by exposing him to new tastes, cuisines and techniques. It’s what has helped him get to where he is today, and is simply part of the job, he said. “I’m learning every day. In the kitchen, outside the kitchen … going to the markets, seeing different produce, different cooking techniques. Last year I did stages at different restaurants: I did a week at Sixpenny up in Sydney with Daniel Puskas and James Parry and that completely opened my eyes to another style of cooking and different techniques.” Later this year, Kellie will claim his Appetite for Excellence prize and travel to Italy for a four day culinary experience at the ALMA International School of Italian Cuisine in Parma, after which he will complete a stage at Massimo Bottura’s Osteria Francescana and another at Magnus Nillson’s Fäviken Magasinet in Sweden. “These are restaurants that suit my food philosophy, but I also know that I can go there and learn a lot. You can always learn more.” When he's not overseas tossing pans with the world's best chefs, Kellie will be working hard to put The Mill on the map. He’s in a regional area, has to win over the locals and is soon to put his own money behind the venture – so does he ever think he’s bitten off more than he can chew, especially at just 26 years of age? “When I was 23, I had guys older than me who were working under me, and it was probably the hardest thing I’ve come across, to be honest. Trying to get people to respect you and work for you at that age was quite hard, but now I’ve got a kitchen brigage of 11 chefs and they’re all pumped to work for me. “There will always be a hump that you have to get over, but as a chef you just have to build and build with more experience,” he said. “At some age I’d have to step into this role, and I want to do it while I’m young. A lot of people say ‘Are you ready? Do you want to take the plunge?’ Well, there’s an old saying: you’ve got to risk it to get the biscuit. If you want to be successful in this industry, you’ve got to take that plunge, and I’m doing it while I’m young.” n
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kitchen equipment
Prized possessions From the humble spatula to the Thermomix, every chef has one particular piece of equipment that they just can’t do without. Aoife Boothroyd chats to a number of chefs around the country about the gear they value most.
“It’s a bit of a sentimental thing for me,” said Oli Mellers, executive chef at Hobart’s Henry Jones Art Hotel. “I have a Wusthof Classic that my dad gave me before I started my apprenticeship. I’ve had it for about 15 years. It’s been with me all around the world and it’s cut me a million times but I love it. I get it sharpened every six months and look after it properly and it’s probably one of the most reliable things I’ve ever had. A lot of the newer gadgets out there are great, but there’s nearly always something that goes wrong with them.”
Having tossed pans in some of England’s most renowned kitchens including Heston Blumenthal’s The Fat Duck and Maze by Gordon Ramsay, Mellers has worked with his fair share of shiny new kit. And while the kitchen at The Henry Jones has pretty much everything the back of house team needs, Mellers said that an induction cooking suite would be a dream addition. “I’d go the whole hog and get a kitchen cooking suite with everything on it... It would just be amazing for efficiency of cooking and service,” he said.
Oli Mellers with his Wusthof Classic knife
IMAGE: DOMINIQUE
Scott Pickett’s dream kitchen at ESP
18 Hospitality April 2016
TIME SAVING TREASURES Pastry chef at Sydney’s Lotus, The Galeries, Tiffany Jones has a number of gadgets in her kitchen arsenal that she can’t live without. “I can’t really do without a blast chiller as a pastry chef,” she said. “Turning dishes around really fast is essential in a busy kitchen so the blast chiller makes things very efficient, but my favourite piece would have to be the Thermomix. You can do so many things with it from cooking custards and bases to micronizing gelatos… Also being able to cook and blend things at the same time is amazing. It’s quite a time saver. All of these things come down to time saving and innovation. “If I could have anything though, I’d get a Pacojet. There’s something about the texture of that freshly blitzed ice cream that you just can’t go past. You don’t get it when you churn, but you always get it with a Paco. It just fluffs things up perfectly and you can make really amazing ice powders and other things that take a dessert to the next level. It’s on my wish list,” Jones said. Although Jones relies on a number of sophisticated machines in her current kitchen set-up, one important tool that she said often gets overlooked is the faithful hand blender. “People don’t realise how useful they are for doing all the little bits and pieces - especially when you’re testing recipes and you’re only doing them in really small quantities,” said Jones. “Hand blenders can get in there and puree things that a large blender can’t. They are also great for aerating things and making foams, plus you can go from hot to cold and they hold up fine. They’re very sturdy.”
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April 2016 Hospitality 19
kitchen equipment
OLD FAITHFUL Head chef at Saigon Sally, Adrian Li said his favourite piece of kitchen equipment right now is his waffle pan. “I’m going through a bit of a waffle phase right now, I just want to cook and eat waffles made from different things. The waffle pan’s got great temperature control. Getting it hot enough so the batter doesn’t stick together with a nice crispy finish really is an artform.” Next on Li’s shopping list, however, is a rotary evaporator. “Having a rotovap would be amazing – it’s a machine that distills flavours. There are many Asian flavours that we would like to incorporate into our dishes but without having to physically use them. This would help a lot.” And like Jones, Li said that the old faithful hand blender is an undervalued kitchen tool. “Everyone is trying to get their hands on the Thermomix at the moment, but for simple kitchen jobs I find that the stick blender is faster and easier to clean.”
PRACTICAL PIECES With very busy lunch and dinner services, head chef of The Manly Wharf Hotel, Alex Towning said his brat pan is invaluable in the day-to-day running of his kitchen. “Because of the sheer volume that we put out at the Wharf Bar, I just can’t go past the brat pan. We cook the beef nachos in it, pasta sauces, stocks… without it we wouldn’t be able to keep up with the volume that we do, so whenever it breaks down it’s not very fun. It’s definitely the piece of equipment that I can’t live without," he said. “I also love one particular type of rubber spatula, it’s kind of strange. They are maroon with a white end and they just scrape the side of pots and bowls perfectly – they leave nothing behind. You know, if you’ve got a wooden spoon, when you’re stirring things and you miss the bottom of the pot it burns, but these rubber spatulas are heat proof and they are just great.” n
THE DREAM KITCHEN Melbourne chef and restaurateur, Scott Pickett built his dream kitchen when he opened Estelle by Scott Pickett (ESP) in mid-2015. Comprising a sleek black design with all the bells and whistles, Pickett said that the one other thing he’d like to incorporate into his current set-up is a rotary evaporator. “I was lucky enough to build my dream kitchen in my new restaurant, but there’s always a budget… Next I’d like a rotovap machine so I can distill different ingredients,” Pickett told Hospitality. “The great part of designing the kitchen from scratch was that I was able to put everything exactly where it belongs. I became consumed by everything, right down to which way the doors opened for the under bench fridges for ease of service,” he said.
20 Hospitality April 2016
“What I love more than anything though is the “floating” shelf that we had designed for the centre of the cooking unit, along with the slide shelves that conceal the cryovac machine and liquid nitrogen tank. Having quite a few refrigerated draws in the kitchen is also a dream." There is one minor design element that Pickett would probably reassess next time ‘round. “A black kitchen is great from a design perspective, but horrible to keep clean. Lesson learnt,” he said. While ESP is kitted out with some of the best gear on the market, Pickett’s most valued piece of equipment is a humble (albeit costly) one: his handmade carving knife. “I had it made in Japan many years ago. It was extremely expensive, has had lots of use and has an incredible blade and edge.”
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nyone who has ever worked with one of Moffat’s Convotherm combi-steamer ovens knows how our pioneering catering equipment inspires better food preparation. “Your meal. Our mission” is the philosophy born out of passion and commitment to provide the best combi-steamer oven solution that answers the needs of our customers. Fusing form and function, this sophisticated new series has a completely new look, and a whole range of optimum features for more reliable, even and innovative cooking. Made in Germany and industrially designed by Porsche, Convotherm is one of the most premium oven brands available in the Australian market. The Convotherm 4 ground breaking series is its first re-release since 2002. “The design process has been extremely thorough, involving extensive market research, testing, benchmarking and re-testing, to ensure the highest possible quality and performance,” a Moffat spokesperson said. “By thoroughly interrogating the market and understanding what customers want, Convotherm has been able to deliver a remarkable new product that delivers outstanding cooking results,” he adds. One key difference with the new range is the choice of panel interface. With the new Convotherm 4 series, there will be two distinctive options: easyTouch - which delivers the latest touch controls via a 9-inch, full-touch screen with a configurable user interface, and easyDial - a new standard in manual operation, which displays all functions on the one level, and at a glance. The aim of both is to deliver the functions you need in a user-friendly design.
All Convotherm 4 ovens also now come with a range of premium features as standard. This includes Advanced Close System + (ACS+) which guarantees perfect cooking results. All of the new ovens also have sure-shut function doors (table-top appliances only), HygenicCare antibacterial surfaces in the operating areas and a USB port integrated control panel. Plus, they all have a sleek new look and a space-saving footprint, making them ideal for open-plan restaurant designs where the kitchen is on display. The Convotherm 4 range includes seven sizes of ovens, each with six different model options, offering a total of 56 models. The result is a combination of functional versatility and consistent design that is revolutionary in this category. “In terms of performance, build quality and reliability, Convotherm has always stood well above the competition,” the spokesperson said. Moffat can also provide training and cooking demonstrations for all new Convotherm ovens at their training facilities in Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne. n Head to www.moffat.com.au or call 1800 023 953
“The design process has been extremely thorough, involving extensive market research...” April 2016 Hospitality 21
drinks
Bespoke brews With quality watering holes popping up left, right and centre, it can be a little challenging for businesses to establish a genuine point of difference. One way to take the competition to task is to team up with local breweries and create something new, writes Aoife Boothroyd.
ABOVE: The Pocket Group’s Pocket Tinny by Six String
“W
e came up with the idea because we just wanted to put our mark on something, and we wanted to be able to have fun with it.” Alyce Schlothauer of NSW-based bar group, the Pocket Group, said that the decision to create their own bespoke ‘Pocket Tinny’ beer has certainly paid off. Teaming up with Central Coast brewery, Six String, the Pocket Group adapted the brewery’s golden ale recipe by increasing the ABV and adding German Hallertau dry hops at the end of the brewing process. “We decided to go with Six String because we have a bar down in Terrigal and wanted to keep it pretty local, plus they have great beer so we knew we’d get a quality product,” said Schlothauer. “The idea was to create a throw-down sort of beer that mocks the tackiness of the tinny. It comes in a plain silver tin and we just slap a label on it. We were thinking about doing a bottle, but everyone is doing long necks in NSW at the moment, so we thought a tinny would be fun.” The bespoke brew has experienced huge success since its launch in November 2015, with the first batch selling out weeks before the group thought it would. “It’s a way to stand out a bit, but it also gives us something fun to talk about with customers. Our customers love talking about the beer, but many of them also just want something that isn’t too complicated. We were thinking about going down the whole boutique beer route and doing something really constructed and complex, but then we thought, sometimes you just want to throw back a tinny. It’s a good beer, it tastes great and you can have plenty of them. It’s just really unpretentious and fun.”
22 Hospitality April 2016
KEEPING IT LOCAL Similar to the Pocket Group, The Hill Eatery in Bondi decided they too wanted to team up with a local brewer to create something unique for its venue. With a strong commitment to Australian producers, co-owner Michael Benson said that the idea to work with local brewery, The Rocks Brewing Co., was a logical one. “We’ve done something similar with a couple of our wines so it was a natural evolution,” said Benson. “Tim Fishwick (head of sales for Rocks Brewing Co.) and I go a long way back so it was a natural conversation with him. Rocks are a great partner for us as they are a reasonably young brewery, and are always trying to push boundaries and create great beers.” With a vision to create something a bit different that would also match well with the venue’s food offering, The Hill Lighthouse Kolsch was born. “We knew that the Kolsch would be a good seller for us because it’s a great easy drinking, session beer. We have had the 4 Pines Kolsch on previously which was probably one of our highest selling beers, so we knew from experience and from our new menu that it would be a great fit. Being a Florida Keys, Caribbean influenced menu, we serve a few spicy dishes, and those natural yeasty and fruity flavours in the beer complement the spice.”
A TAILORED APPROACH Melbourne-based brewery Cavalier Beer has been brewing bespoke beers for venues across the country for the last few years with great success. Health Shirtcliffe, co-owner of the brewery said Cavalier’s bespoke brew business represents around 15 to 20 percent of its revenue. “We are working with a lot of big hotel groups but we’ve
drinks
TOP: Cavalier Beer ABOVE: The Landlord from Grifter Brewing Co. for Noma Australia
also done smaller restaurant-specific beers where they’ve bought in a beer from another country that they’ve wanted us to replicate, to an extent. Of the most successful, we did a beer with Ombra Salumi Bar in Melbourne which was a collaboration beer that we did to match and pair with their smoked salumi. We did a smoked rye ale and it was a huge success, we had great feedback from it.” In terms of cost, Shirtcliffe said that having a bespoke beer on tap can end up being more cost effective than securing other local craft beers. “Obviously there are batch sizes that you’ll need to commit to, but if we actually sit down with the venue and work on an entire batch of beer for them, scales of economy work out cheaper so it’s better for the venue.” When it comes to the design process, Shirtcliffe said that it can be range from three weeks to four months, depending on the venue’s vision. “Sometimes the owners or head chefs have an idea in their head, and sometimes they have no idea and they want guidance from us. We’re always happy to explain the different styles of beer and get involved with the chefs and have a look at what sort of food they do to make sure that we make a beer that suits their style. If they’ve got some sort of crazy idea, then we’re happy to roll with anything. We’ll obviously suggest if we don’t think it’s going to work, but it is definitely a group decision.”
one of the world’s best restaurants, Noma, came knocking. The four year old brewery was recommended to Noma’s sommelier, Mads Kleppe by renowned wine writer and journalist, Mike Bennie. According to Grifter co-owner, Matt King, Bennie was travelling around NSW with Kleppe, looking at different producers for the restaurant’s 10 week Sydney residency when the brewery’s name popped up. “Mads was looking at getting a couple of different beers made for Noma and we were on the list,” King said. “We met up with him to discuss what they might want, and then from there we came up with the idea of brewing an Australian old ale that uses all Australian ingredients including roasted macadamia nuts. We called it Landlord.” Although the brewery has done a number of special collaborations with festivals and restaurants in the past, nothing has been on quite the same level as their partnership with Noma. Kleppe specified that he wanted the beer to be served from bottles, which is not something the brewery was equipped for. “We had to come up with a way to get the beer into bottles which was pretty interesting,” said King. “We’ve actually just been bottling it by hand one-by-one… We’ve had a few late nights.” As far as future collaborations are concerned, King said it depends on the terms of the deal. “We did a watermelon pilsner last November for Frankie’s for Sydney Craft Beer Week, and that was really popular so we’ve actually brewed it three times since then. We’ve also worked with LP’s Quality Meats where (chef) Luke Powell smoked some of our malts which we made a smoked porter with, and again that’s been really popular so we’ll do that again. It’s more collaborative ideas that we work on with a venue and if we can keep producing it, we are happy to share the name and sell it around town. THE ULTIMATE ONCE-OFF Being exclusive for one venue is really hard for us. But I Located in Sydney’s inner west, Grifter Brewing Co. never H O 0 8 1think 5 _ we 0 0can 0 _sort D EofL get- away 1 with 2 0it 1for5 Noma - 0 7 though, - 2 3 T1 0 : 1 2 : planned on creating bespoke brews for restaurants - until because it’s Noma.” n
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shelf space
Vitasoy’s Café for Baristas almond milk Made from whole Australian almonds sourced from the Murray River and Riverina regions, the new Café for Baristas product has been developed in response to consumers’ growing interest in plant milks. The milk is unsweetened, contains two percent fat, is dairy-, lactose-, gluten-, and soy-free and has no artificial colours, flavours or preservatives. soy.com.au
Beenleigh Cane Cutter Vodka
This new artisan vodka is produced at the heritage-listed Beenleigh Artisan Distillery – Australia’s oldest registered distillery – using only Queensland cane, water and yeast. Made from molasses, not grains, it is Australia’s first glutenfree vodka. It’s distilled no less than five times, including once in a traditional copper pot still. sippify.com.au
New gourmet burger range from Tip Top
Tip Top Foodservice has launched a new gourmet burger range which includes brioche, sliders and damper products. The range includes a briochestyle burger bun and slider, as well as a seeded burger slider and damper burger bun, hamburger buns and a hotdog roll. The new range is available frozen nationwide. tiptop-foodservice.com.au
Surface Mount from iPort
The Surface Mount offers a secure home for iPads and other tablets and can be used for everything from switching playlists on the audio player to enabling alarm systems. It can be mounted onto gyprock, brick, wood, concrete and even glass, and can also allow business operators to process orders and digitally stamp customer loyalty cards. iportproducts.com
For the diary Upcoming events in the hospitality industry. Find out more at hospitality magazine.com.au
Aussie Wine Month 1-31 May Aussie Wine Month encourages consumers and industry to discover something new about Australian wine. Now in its fifth year, the month long campaign will see events taking place in wine regions and city locations around the country. Australia.com
Foodservice Australia 22-24 May This year’s show will include a new patisserie competition and a Foodservice Conference on the show floor, as well as regular favourites including the
Unilever Food Solutions Chef of the Year competition and the Global Pizza Challenge. foodserviceaustralia.com.au
Melbourne Tea Festival 29 May Tea Festival visitors will be able to taste a range of specialty loose leaf teas under one roof. Held at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, the event will comprise two key sections: the tea market, which will feature more than 50 stallholders, and the tea workshops, which will offer hands-on sessions and tea tastings. melbourneteafestival.com.au
Fine Food 12 - 15 September Also taking place at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, Fine Food will include live demonstrations, masterclasses and industry recognised competitions. The annual show attracts over 1,000 exhibitors from Australia and the world, and is the largest tradeshow in the southern hemisphere. Highlights include the Nestle Golden Chef's Hat competition, the Talking Food Stage, the Women in Foodservice charity event and the Official Great Aussie Pie and Sausage Roll competition. finefoodaustralia.com.au April 2016 Hospitality 25
5 minutes with
Tony Twitchett - executive chef, Taxi Kitchen Located in Melbourne's Federation Square, Taxi Kitchen has undergone an extensive rebrand, bolstering its commitment to local suppliers.
W
e’ve gone through quite the revolution over the past few months. We’ve been really focused on working with local producers and farmers to showcase their amazing products in the heart of Melbourne. We’re all about being “locally sourced, globally inspired.” Launching a Victorian-only wine list was important to us because we have amazing diversity right here in Victoria, not just with wine but food as well, which is why we match regional food and wine. It’s also important to build relationships with our winemakers to help foster mutually-beneficial relationships. When I was just starting out in the industry, I never thought that it was going to have the hype around it that it has today; back then celebrities weren’t chefs! Over the 18 years I’ve spent as a chef, I’ve really come to notice the quality of the produce and producers we have close by. Their
26 Hospitality April 2016
awareness of restaurants’ requirements has developed at an amazing rate. It really is a case of ‘if you can think it, someone can grow it.’ The Australian diner is so savvy and educated about their food and wine. It keeps driving the industry to be better informed and it gives us great direction. They’re also lucky to have so many restaurants to choose from. In five years’ time, the industry will be stronger than ever, because hospitality is being supported and fed by the other great industries around us, like farming, winemaking and tourism. We have some of the best food and wine produced right here in Australia, and this is just the beginning. We are a young country compared to the rest of the world, so imagine when we really understand what our country can produce? This really is such an exciting time to be in hospitality. n
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Convotherm 4 Designed around you Because we listen to you, the new Convotherm 4 range has been developed around your needs in the kitchen. With two control-panel designs – easyTouch and easyDial - 7 capacity options, and 28 models to choose from, you will have the degree of control you need. Convotherm 4 has been re-designed, and brings a new benchmark in combi-steamer cooking.
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To find out more about how you can experience the new Convotherm 4 way of cooking, contact Moffat on 1800 023 953 or visit www.moffat.com.au
Your meal. Our mission.
VIC/TAS/SA vsales@moffat.com.au, NSW nswsales@moffat.com.au, QLD qldsales@moffat.com.au, WA bgarcia@moffat.com.au moffat.com.au Free Phone1800 023 953
MOFFAT 1423 3/16