Full Service Q2 2019

Full Serv ce www.fullservice.co.za

May 2019

SA’s business magazine for the restaurant & catering industry

n a e b e h d t e e n n y r e v o e r o f g s n n o Bri Coffee soluti TECHNOLOGY AND SOFTWARE SOLUTIONS 10 reasons to get listed on the Eat Out app

REGULATIONS AND LEGISLATION

KITCHEN EQUIPMENT

FRESH PRODUCE

How to get indemnity right

New ways of cooking without coal

Fruit and veg trends shaping the way we eat

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Contents May 2019

On the cover 10 reasons to get listed on the Eat Out app

Full Serv ce

22

SA’s business magazine for the restaurant & catering industry

Regulars

Regulations and legislation

4 Editor’s Note

26 Hand hygiene regulations for kitchen staff

6 News 10 Chef Spotlight 12 Trends 14 Industry Talk 42 Back Office

Technology and software solutions 19 Zen and the art of AI air maintenance 20 Will customer experience make or break your business?

22 The benefits of being listed on the Eat Out app 24 Smart technologies for the restaurant industry

How to get indemnity right

29 How to get indemnity right

Kitchen equipment 30 Prepare your restaurant for load shedding 32 How to cook without coal this winter 34 Essential equipment for every restaurant

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New ways of cooking without coal

36 Specialist coffee supplies for all your needs

Fresh produce 38 Keep your produce fresher for longer 40 Delicious fruit and veg trends you need to know 41 Five things you didn’t know about jackfruit

32

Fruit and veg trends shaping the way we eat

Sugar tax 14

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Ed’s Note Feature

y g o l o n h c Te

@FullServicemag

full_service_mag

industr y d e v ro p im d n a w e is shaping a n

G

ENERALLY WE HEAR a lot about Industry 4.0 - the Fourth Industrial Revolution – a breakthrough in technology leading to a predominantly automated workplace.

Yet, the restaurant industry has generally taken a backseat when it comes to technology. Many preferred to stick to old, tried and tested ways of doing things – manually recording reservations, taking a non-centralised approach to the running of the restaurant with the kitchen and front of house running independently from each other to a large extent. However, in recent years the restaurant industry has undergone a vast technological transformation. In this edition of Full Service we explore the various technological advancements aiding restaurants in streamlining and improving operations such as delivery services, online booking platforms and all-in-one restaurant management platforms. On page 20 we look at the effect customer experience can have on your business. On page 22 the benefits of getting listed on the Eat Out app and on page 24 read about a range of smart technologies created specifically for the this industry.

Along with digital transformation the restaurant industry has undergone many changes dictated by consumer trends. On page 12 we look at the top restaurant trends to look out for and find out how they are influencing change in the industry. The increased demand for fresh

produce is one such trend, driven by consumer health and wellness trend. In our fresh produce feature we look at five fruit and vegetables you need to know about (page 40).

In our kitchen equipment feature not only do we list the must-have items you need to have in your kitchen and dining area on page 34 but with winter coming we also look at some interesting power-saving ways of cooking without coal on page 32.

Adhering to regulations is absolutely integral for a food service business. On page 29 find out how to get indemnity right, especially during high days and holidays and on page 26 read about hand washing regulations for your kitchen staff.

We’d love to hear your feedback on Full Service. If you have a story or topic you’d like us to cover or have any comments or queries please send me an email at Varushka.padayachi@ newmedia.co.za.

Happy Reading!

Varushka

EDITOR

PUBLISHING TEAM

Varushka Padayachi

General Manager: Dev Naidoo

Email: Varushka.Padayachi@newmedia.co.za

Publishing Manager: Natalie da Silva Art Director: David Kyslinger

ADVERTISING Sales Executive: Cheryl Masters Tel: +27 (0) 67 179 4464 Email: Cheryl.Masters@newmedia.co.za

PRODUCTION CONTROLLER Mandy Ackerman Email: Mandy.Ackerman@newmedia.co.za

CIRCULATION MANAGER

4

PRINTING Printed and Bound by Novus Printing Solutions Published by New Media, a division of Media24 (Pty) Ltd.

MANAGEMENT TEAM MANAGING DIRECTOR: Aileen Lamb

Head Office: New Media House, 19 Bree Street, Cape Town 8001 Postal Address: PO Box 440, Green Point, Cape Town 8051 T +27 (0)21 417 1111 F +27 (0)21 417 1112

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Felicity Garbers +27 (0) 21 701 1566

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Email: Felicity.Garbers@newmedia.co.za

CEO: MEDIA24: Ishmet Davidson

May 2019 | Full Serv ce

Johannesburg Office: Ground floor, Media Park, 69 Kingsway Avenue, Auckland Park, 2092 Postal Address: PO Box 784698, Sandton, Johannesburg 2146 T +27 (0)11 877 6111 F +27 (0)11 713 9024

Unless previously agreed in writing, Full Service owns all rights to all contributions, whether image or text.

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News

Journey’s End gives its story a new name Journey’s End Vineyards - situated on the mountain slopes above Sir Lowry’s Pass Village near Somerset West - one of South Africa’s most sustainable and experimental wineries, is revamping its range of wines to give clear differentiation between its three series - Tales, V and Precision - while maintaining a consistent theme across the family of wines.

• Haystack Chardonnay is named after the ageold practice of planting wheat between the rows of vines, which encourages all the aphids and flies to land on the crop instead of the vines. The team also has a pair of eagle owls on the farm who are the pest controllers at Journey’s End, keeping the vineyards free of rodents. This wine pays homage to the environment.

JOURNEY’S END TALES SERIES The new look Tales Series will be the first wines to be released. The new labels on these four wines are designed to tell the story behind each wine: • Weather Station Sauvignon Blanc is named after the ‘Weerstasie Kloon’ (Weather Station clone) in Stellenbosch where the SB11 Sauvignon Blanc clone was first propagated in the 1920s before a resurgence in the late 1970s.

• The Huntsman - Shiraz, Mourvèdre, Viognier - is named after the original kennels the Gabb family found on their farm dating back to 1822, where the Journey’s End winery now stands.

• Pastor’s Blend - Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc - pays homage to the Reverend from the local village of Sir Lowry’s Pass who regularly delivers Sunday communion at the foot of the Journey’s End vineyard. Journey’s End has embarked on a number of community support and development programmes with the local pastors including pensioners’ lunches and a contribution to a new village sports hall.

All four of the Tales Series wines are available nationally retailing between R89 and R99 at selected retail outlets and wine merchants.

A menu for every event James Khoza - Sandton Convention Centre’s executive chef and president of the SA Chefs Association - aided by his talented team, has developed a wide range of menus to suit any and every occasion, event and dietary requirement.

Khoza, who has overseen the renowned world-class food and beverage offering at Sandton Convention Centre for eight years, has devised this selection of menus to ensure that all palates are catered for, and that modern and healthier food options are also available.

Khoza says: ‘We have made every effort to ensure that our catering is a winning differentiator for Sandton Convention Centre. We have developed this wide range of creative menu options to guide customers in their choices, while also offering flexibility.

This is an international convention centre that attracts guests and clients from around the world who are highly discerning food consumers – that means our culinary offering must always impress them, it must reflect their ideas and preferences, and we must always deliver

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May 2019 | Full Serv ce

quality, fresh and flavourful dishes.’

The new range of menus comprise various options, which can also be customised if preferred, catering for every possible F&B need in a 24-hour period as a delegate or visitor from breakfast and day snack menus, to VIP in-suite catering, pop-up cafés and on stand catering menus for exhibitions. This broad offering extends to crew meal menus and craft food bars with live themed cooking.

Sandton Convention Centre’s global food offering styles have included Mexican Fiesta, Pacific Rim street food and sushi bars, Italian delis, New York steak bars, Indian curry stations, salmon and oyster bars, carnival sweet treats, artisanal cheese displays, and an ice cream and waffle bar.

Sandton Convention Centre’s general manager, Shaun Bird is extremely proud of the F&B offering at this Tsogo Sun property: ‘Our property is unique in that we are not a stand-alone property, we are fortunate enough to have the president of SACA, James Khoza as our executive chef on property but if we want additional input, we can pull in resources from our neighbouring hotels Sandton Sun and Garden Court Sandton City.

This unique pooling of resources means we are able to offer our clients superior quality when it comes to banqueting offering in terms of menu design and production.’

News

Level Four’s exciting new

chef’s table and winter menu 54 on Bath’s fine-dining and elegant Level Four restaurant is on point with a fresh new winter menu and a new dining experience at the ‘Chef’s Table’. ‘We’re inspired by the seasons with every new menu we create.

This menu offers meals that suit the winter weather and focus on deliciousness and comfort that excite the palate and warm the body, and appeal to our discerning guests’ expectations, which is also the idea behind our exclusive new Chef’s Table,’ says executive chef, Matthew Foxon.

The Chef’s Table, which has been specially crafted for the purpose, accommodates five to seven people and is positioned where guests can see the whole kitchen ‘theatre’ unfolding, including the preparation and cooking, plates being plated, and orders being called. The special six-course ‘chef’s choice’ menu includes a surprise seventh course from one of the dishes being prepared for the evening, as well as a bottle of Pierre Jourdan Brut and wine pairing with four of the courses, which will be explained

by Foxon or his sommelier. The cost is R1 200 per person.

The new menu was created by Foxon together with his sous chefs, Lutendo Funyufunyu, Lefa Mosana, Precious Malebye, and Albin Nel. In line with Level Four tradition, it features sustainable sourcing of the best quality seasonal ingredients and credit given to the individual chefs who played a role in fine-tuning the dishes.

The range of starters includes ‘Buffalo Ridge’ mozzarella with pumpkin jam, hazelnut, and black truffle; seared ‘Yellow Fin’ tuna with coconut puree, avocado, wasabi labneh and anchovies; crab and line fish bisque with roasted garlic rouille, seafood tortellini; venison carpaccio, grapefruit and raspberry; chicken and game terrine; roasted beetroot tart; chicken consommé with quail and homemade dumpling; and minestrone consommé.

The main course menu includes some excellent winter warmers and features 200g ‘Black Angus’ fillet, osso buco, spinach puree, chard and sweet potato; miso cured line fish with bok choi, mushrooms, broad beans and baby leek; Pekin duck, red cabbage, Brussels sprouts, confit duck, apricot relish, and cherry jus; baked ‘West Coast’ sole, baby leek, potato, shrimp beurre blanc; beetroot risotto with smoked

“

This menu offers meals that suit the winter weather and focus on deliciousness and comfort that excite the palate and warm the body”

mozzarella; Merino lamb cutlet, loin, belly, braised shoulder, tender stem broccoli, tamarin and aubergine; Butternut gnocchi, pumpkin puree, hummus, and burnt butter; 300g ‘Jersey’ Rib eye, mash or hand cut chips and pepper or mushroom sauce. The renowned Foxon signature ‘to share’ dish of 45-day dry-aged ‘Jersey’ fore rib on the bone, served with a choice of a side and sauce remains on the menu.

Desserts are rich and tantalising and include ‘Gold’ caramel mousse, sour cherries and sorbet; Dark chocolate fondant, spiced caramel, macadamia and rum ice cream; Lemon grass and ginger ‘crème brulee’ with lime, coriander and pineapple; matcha and coconut panna cotta, compressed apple and almonds; ‘ruby’ chocolate ganache, dark chocolate, raspberry gel, schezwan and yoghurt sorbet; and a South African cheese platter.

Crab and line fish bisque with roasted garlic rouille, seafood tortellini

200g Black Angus fillet osso buco with spinach puree, rainbow chard and sweet potato Ruby chocolate ganache and dark chocolate raspberry gel; and Szechuan and yoghurt sorbet

Foxon says sourcing of sustainable ingredients is becoming increasingly challenging as more fish are being added to the SA Sustainable Seafood Initiative Red List, which now includes rock lobster and crayfish. ‘Lobster bisque is one of our signature dishes and we are trying to find a replacement for lobster – it’s hugely popular and an essential item on our menu.’

The restaurant remains committed to sourcing fresh fish and to encouraging suppliers to ‘go green’ with packaging and recycling policies and practices.

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News

l l e t s i D

appoints new head winemaker

Andrea Freeborough the new head winemaker at Distell

The new head winemaker at Distell is Andrea Freeborough. Cellar-master at Nederburg since 2015, she left her position at the Paarl winery at the end of May to take up her new role in overseeing the production of South Africa’s largest wine portfolio.

Distell’s diverse and globally traded range extends from premium brands such as Nederburg, Durbanville Hills, Fleur du Cap and Alto (which, amongst others, now form part of Distell’s new premium wine company, Libertas Vineyards & Estates), all the way through to more mainstream offerings such as 4thStreet, Two Oceans and Drostdy Hof. ‘Andrea will be carefully looking after our wine brands from a top-line perspective, managing all aspects of winemaking by working hand-in-hand with our talented winemakers and viticulturists,’ says Johan Venter, who heads up Distell’s Centre of Excellence: Intrinsic, and to whom she will be reporting in her new role.

‘With her impressive qualifications, excellent sensorial instinct, and close to two decades of successful winemaking experience under the belt, Andrea has certainly proven her ability to lead topperforming teams, to innovate and experiment, and to simultaneously create specialty wines and those aimed at broad appeal.

‘This makes her ideally placed for the role of Distell head winemaker. We are confident that with Andrea’s solid track record in running a cellar, making wine, and dealing with a multitude of people, processes and departments, she will provide outstanding direction and inspiration to our wine brands.’

Armed with BSc Hons degrees in viticulture and oenology from the University of Stellenbosch, Freeborough’s working life began as an assistant winemaker at Neethlingshof in Stellenbosch.

Less than three years later she was appointed a fully-fledged winemaker, working under Nederburg cellar-master Razvan Macici, producing the whites.

Obviously with great proficiency, because four-anda-half years later, still in her very early 30s, she was appointed to head Distell’s Die Bergkelder, a job she held for a decade before returning to Nederburg to take over from Macici in 2015.

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Glenelly unveils elegant and complex 2013 vintages Glenelly, the Stellenbosch wine estate with a French touch, located on the southern slopes of the Simonsberg, have released the 2013 vintages of their flagship Lady May Cabernet Sauvignon and its Estate Reserve Signature Red Blend.

‘We are very excited about our 2013 releases.

After the 2012 vintage, which was very hot, delivering big robust wines, the cooler conditions in 2013 have produced extremely elegant wines with complex aromatics, beautiful fruit and freshness and great balance.

This is a vintage that will certainly reward cellaring patience with added depth, nuance and complexity, ageing beautifully for a minimum of seven to 10 years and bringing pleasure to wine collectors even after 20 years of ageing in the bottle,’ says winemaker Luke O’Cuinneagain.

GLENELLY LADY MAY

Enjoy: 2019 - 2030 Retail price: Lady May 2013 can be purchased online at www.glenelly.co.za and is available nationwide at specialist wine merchants.

Recommended retail price: R520.

GLENELLY ESTATE RESERVE RED 2013 The Estate Reserve is Glenelly’s signature red blend with long ageing potential made from the estate’s finest parcels of vines. The label depicts a panoramic landscape view of Glenelly to convey a real sense of place and focus on terroir.

The 2013 vintage is a blend of 47 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, 23 percent Merlot, 15 percent Syrah, 11 percent Cabernet Franc and four percent Petit Verdot. This is the first vintage with a Cabernet Franc component in the blend, adding freshness and longevity.

The 2013 vintage is all about elegance with underlying power. Bold aromatics of blackberries, cranberry and blackcurrant are followed by hints of savoury, spicy plum with touches of cedar and floral tones. The palate entry has good richness with fine tannin supported by the ripe fresh fruit and hints of spice. Very balanced oak integration with a fresh long finish.

Glenelly was established in 2003 by worldrenowned Bordeaux winemaker, Madame May de Lencquesaing, with a clear vision to produce wines of great elegance and exceptional ageing ability and the vintage is named for her.

It is crafted predominantly from a single Cabernet Sauvignon vineyard planted on a cool east-facing slope, with a dash of other Bordeaux varieties. Taking after its owner, the wine is elegant, distinguished and venerable. Glenelly Enjoy: 2019 - 2030 have produced several highly-acclaimed vintages Retail price: The Glenelly Estate Reserve Red of Lady May, reaping prestigious awards, retails nationally at approximately R245. including a pinnacle five-star rating for the 2009 vintage in Platter’s wine guide.

SUGGESTED FOOD The Lady May 2013 is a blend PAIRINGS Glenelly Estate of 85 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, Christophe Dehosse, Reserve seven percent Cabernet Franc, chef patron at The Red Blend four percent Petit Verdot and Vine Bistro at Glenelly four percent Merlot. This is the recommends enjoying second vintage of Lady May the 2013 vintages of Glenelly Lady May that comprises a Cabernet Franc the flagship Lady May component, adding distinctive Cabernet Sauvignon and freshness and longevity to the Estate Reserve the wine.

Signature Red Blend It is an intense, deeply with the following coloured wine. Elegant and dishes which feature complex with a big but classic regularly on our menu: structure, it offers alluring • Cape Wagyu flat invitation to dark-fruited, iron steak, fondant richly-tannined depths. potatoes, grilled baby Fresh blackberry, cassis, dark marrow and a shallot cherry and spicy plum notes sauce perfectly combine with dense, • Springbok loin, age-worthy tannins. Refined celeriac mousseline, broad with distinct minerality and bean and a red wine sauce underlying fruit power, the wine • Braised pork cheeks, is fresh, stylish and subtle, with a roast root vegetables and a long, layered finish. thyme jus

Finding value in litter At a time when plastic waste is particularly the perfect opportunity to learn the language problematic in the Durban area, Food and of climate change, ‘Participants learnt how our Trees for Africa together with its partner, waste affects us, and that by changing the way Shoprite, introduced community members to we view ‘rubbish’ we can clean up and re-use the principles of plastic waste waste material.’ management and upcycling at a ‘Although our two-day workshop. main focus at Held at the Durban Botanic Shoprite is on Gardens on 14 and 15 May, hunger relief, which the workshop was aimed at is evident in our upskilling the participating continued support project members to become of community more economically active food gardens and and independent. cooperatives, Plastic waste management is we are also very a particularly pertinent issue in concerned for our the port city following devastating Heather Wolmarans from Food and Trees for natural environment. floods, which saw some Durban So naturally we Africa shares her knowledge of upcycling beaches and parts of its harbour waste material with community members would support involved with food gardens and cooperatives practically buried under plastic a workshop like in and around Durban. and other litter. this as we seek to ‘The practical training in reducing pollution transform the communities we serve,’ says (by reusing waste material from garbage) was Lunga Schoeman, CSI spokesperson for the not only important in creating environmental Shoprite Group. awareness but opened my eyes to the business Seven community gardening projects opportunities presented by litter,’ says Innocent and cooperatives were represented at the Mdlalose from the Iqabungelihle Garden workshop. They were selected based on in Kwamashu. their strong leadership, sound structure and According to Heather Wolmarans from Food a willingness to successfully run their own and Trees for Africa the workshop provided upcycling projects.

News Spice up your menu with Seven Colours Grill Seasoning Spicy grilled meats, tangy potato salad, crunchy coleslaw, sweet and sour beetroot - everything just tastes better with Seven Colours Grill Seasoning.

You can use Seven Colours Grill Seasoning to spice-up anything from sides to mains, from breakfasts to braais, and everything in between. A seasoning for every season, versatile new Seven Colours Grill Seasoning is a spicy addition to your kitchen that’ll add extra flavour to any dish or snack. Toss a little on your sliced biltong for added zest, marinade braai meats, make roast chicken taste extraordinary, add a depth of flavour to mac-ncheese, season stews and curries, or sprinkle a little on salads.

Available in a handy, resealable foil pack to retain freshness, Seven Colours Grill Seasoning is proudly produced in South Africa

by Deli Spices and is also available at selected supermarkets such as Pick n Pay, My SPAR, OK Foods and other leading independent stores and butcheries.

Emirates showcases proudly South African wine Emirates continues its long-standing relationship with South Africa’s top wine producers. Since 2005, the airline has partnered with 25 local wineries, providing travellers with 50 different South African wines to enjoy onboard Emirates flights – an investment equating to roughly USD seven million.

Emirates enjoys a long-established partnership with winemakers from all over the globe, and has direct access to exclusive wines to add to the airline’s impressive wine collection. Some of the South African wines served onboard include Ken Forrester, Porseleinberg, Klein Constantia, Waterkloof and Boekenhoutskloof. In addition to this, Amarula liqueur is another local drink customers can enjoy onboard, served exclusively on Emirates flights since 2018.

In addition to South African beverages, travellers can also enjoy proudly South African products served onboard, including ostrich meat, rooibos tea and local cheeses.

The wines served onboard undergo a rigorous selection process, and there are several people involved in the wine selection,

Emirates’ wine collection

including the president of Emirates Sir Tim Clark as well as an expert buying team.

Fouad Caunhye, regional manager, Emirates Southern Africa says, ‘We work closely with the finest wine producers around the world, and I’m particularly proud of our ongoing relationship with South African wineries. Emirates is known for its thoughtful, distinctive product offering across all classes, and our extensive wine collection is one of the ways this comes to life in the customer experience.’

At the heart of Emirates’ wine strategy is its unique approach to purchasing exceptional wines en primeur, years before being released to the market, then allowing these vintages to mature and reach their potential before serving them onboard. However, most wines are not available en primeur and, for this reason, Emirates’ team of wine connoisseurs has built direct relationships with some of the world’s most prestigious vineyards, enabling the airline to handpick and secure the most exclusive labels for its customers. A completely different approach to other airlines who source their wines through brokers or tenders.

Emirates purchases wine from the top wine-producing regions of the world, including Australia, New Zealand, France, Argentina and South Africa, and features these handpicked nectars in their regionally tailored wine lists. The airline serves over 200 wines and 80 different champagnes and ports on its flights on an average day, in all classes across its international network of over 150 destinations.

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Chef Spotlight

g n i k a m e h t n i r o t n e Am Chef Leonard Mpe is a chef de partie at Sandton Convention Centre. He cooks and eats by a nose-to-tail ethos, wasting nothing and savouring everything. Having already garnered years of experience in the catering industry he has his sights set on big things. He took some time out of his busy schedule to talk to Full Service about celebrity chefs, cow heads and creating your own opportunities in the food service industry.

Q: Please give us some background about how, when and why you decided to become a chef.

A: I never really decided to become a chef. I always saw my

Some of the dishes created by Chef Mpe

older brother going to work in his chef ’s uniform. One day I asked him to explain to me what the job entailed. In 2008 he helped me to become a flexible worker at Sandton Sun Hotel.

My mentors there were Chef Klaus Beckman and Chef Klaas Segakweng. I fell in love with the chef ’s jacket and I guess it was sort of a calling.

Q: What ingredient from the kitchen could you not live without and why?

A: I love all ingredients. The versatility of each ingredient begs

Q: Please outline your role in the kitchen and what an average day looks like for you.

A: I am a chef de partie. My role entails overseeing everyone

Q: What do you think you’d be doing if you weren’t a chef?

A: I would most certainly have been a soccer player. My heart

in the hot kitchen as there is no sous chef above me. I report directly to the chef ’s office. I make sure all mise en place is sorted for all the chefs and the event order is prioritised. I also do a lot of training of the commis chefs. I work on all food tastings, chef ’s tables and all plated VIP menus. I am always busy, there is no time to relax and just do nothing. That is why I love my job here at Sandton Convention Centre!

Q: What dining trends are you noticing? What ingredients are becoming popular and are sought after by diners?

A: The culinary industry has a big focus lately on TV and online, that means we have very few kitchen secrets left. This has driven chefs to be relevant and know the flavours of the moment in order to keep up with demands from customers.

Sustainable food is on trend as is healthy food, low in carbohydrates. Ethnicity is also a new emerging trend - indigenous food of the country or region. Most importantly, food needs to be affordable.

Q: Where do you get your inspiration from when cooking or creating new dishes?

A: My inspiration has its origins in watching other chefs on TV, various cooking programmes and food magazines. I am also inspired by art, what I see around me triggers the way I create my dishes. There are a lot of

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skilled chefs around me who I learn from everyday and they challenge me to embrace creativity.

May 2019 | Full Serv ce

to be explored and incorporated with other flavours. I can safely say though, fresh herbs and salt are at the top of my list of favourites.

is happy when I play soccer even if it’s just a social game with my friends. I find real peace on the pitch.

Q: Do you have any free time as a chef and if so, what do you like to do when you’re not working?

A: Yes I do have time to myself. I spend it with family and reading. I especially love food magazines. I love exploring food.

Q: What kinds of foods do you like to eat if you’re cooking for yourself or your friends and family?

A: I love cooking African cuisine, like trotters and cow head. I really love all offal as well as pap. I am a nose-to-tail enthusiast.

I like refining cooking methods and making the food more modern and appealing to the eye.

Q: What are your dreams for the future? Where do you see yourself in five years?

A: I see myself as an accomplished chef, running my own consultancy, catering and being well respected for my culinary abilities. I also see myself as a mentor to up and coming chefs, I would like to give back to the community and change the life of a young person. On a grander scale, I would love to own a restaurant in my own hotel.

Q: What advice do you have for young people who want to get into the culinary industry?

A: You have to love being a chef, be passionate, hardworking and be an entrepreneur too. Not everyone is cut out to be a working chef, some are meant to be entrepreneurs and create employment for others. Be that if you can. Our profession demands a lot from a person and it takes time to be paid what is due to you in skill competence. It therefore needs a lot of patience.

Lastly, love the ingredients, your place of work and your customers to whom you sell your experience. Respect everyone around you. To be a chef is like being a doctor, we serve wellbeing on a plate.

Chef Spotlight

Not everyone is cut out to be a working chef, some are meant to be entrepreneurs and create employment for others. Be that if you can�

Chef Leonard Mpe chef de partie at Sandton Convention Centre

Chef de partie - A chef de partie or line cook is a chef in charge of a particular area of production in a restaurant. In large kitchens, each chef de partie might have several cooks or assistants.

Mise en place – The preparation of dishes and ingredients before the beginning of service.

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Trends

Top restaurant trends to watch Health- and environment-conscious eating continues to dominate eating trends, while also having an impact on interior design. Technology is also playing a big role in how restaurants operate in this century.

Apps for making reservations and reviewing restaurants are changing the way restaurants interact with potential customers while delivery services are disrupting the market in new and exciting ways.

service to wherever you are situated. More and more customers are choosing to stay home rather than go out, but still desire good food from trendy restaurants. Adding food delivery to your service offering can only benefit your restaurant.

NEW DINING EXPERIENCES

ONLINE ORDERING AND DELIVERY

The trend towards health and wellness is certainly one of the biggest driving forces in the restaurant industry at the moment” 12

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According to Business Insider, in 2018 Mr D Food reported order growth of 210 percent, processing over R500 million worth of orders during the year with over 270 000 active users. Yet food delivery in South Africa is still seen as an under-penetrated market with potential for growth. The truth is Millennials are the biggest driving force for change in all industries including the restaurant industry.

Millennials desire convenience and speed above all else. With apps like Uber Eats and Mr D Food as well as the soon to launch Bolt app, fine dining is no longer confined to the restaurant itself. On the go Millennials can relax in the comfort of their own homes and click away to order restaurant meals to be delivered to their couch. Even more interestingly there’s a rise of virtual kitchens, which operate solely on a delivery principle. This is still an emerging concept in South Africa but one restaurant that’s making great strides in this space is Oishi – a Cape Town based sushi and Asian sides restaurant.

It prepares food in a closed kitchen then either delivers directly or through a food delivery

A standard restaurant will serve up breakfast, lunch and dinner – perhaps even some light meals for in-between times. Yet, there is a demand for new and interesting dining experiences from a target market of diners knowledgeable about food and the foodie culture. South Africa’s annual restaurant week is a good way to start your foray into new dining experiences. You can offer a set, themed menu that excites diners’ palates.

While the idea of ordering off menu or off a secret menu is becoming increasingly popular in the US, it’s not really something South Africans have yet explored. Using social media and word of mouth as your tools you can develop a few special menu items that only your regular, foodie crowd knows about.

This helps to create buzz about your restaurant as it gives diners a unique experience they’ll want to tell others about.

Another way to offer up a unique dining experience is partnering with other brands to offer a themed evening once a month or every quarter – experiences like wine and food pairings, coffee and chocolate pairings or a dinner and entertainment package are a great way to attract diners to your restaurant with a complete experience rather than just a meal.

WAKE UP TO WELLNESS The trend towards health and wellness is certainly one of the biggest driving forces in the restaurant industry at the moment. Many diners are choosing vegan and vegetarian options while some follow lifestyle plans like ‘paleo’ that calls for natural ingredients and no grains. The freefrom category is growing with many diners looking for gluten-free,

Trends

sugar-free and dairy-free. It does mean investing in products and ingredients that you may never have considered before but it also opens up new markets and opportunities for restaurants.

In addition to all the food diners are choosing not to eat, there is also a large list of food with functional ingredients they are actively seeking out, such as: kombucha and kimchi for good gut health and cold pressed fruit and vegetable juices for vitamins and minerals. There are golden opportunities here to partner with small, local brands that can supply product as needed. It’s a win-win for both of you as the local brand will get a business boost and you will have a reliable partner with a great story to tell your diners.

TECH TAKEOVER As with every other industry, technology is allowing business owners to streamline operations and improve efficiency and service delivery. Allin-one restaurant management platforms have become a valuable tool for the restaurant owner as they integrate point-of-sale, analytics, online ordering, inventory management and more. With operations working like clockwork you will have

more time to spend with your guests, listening to feedback and developing trendy additions to your menu and restaurant.

helping to uplift a local community. Stay abreast of what seafood is sustainable by regularly checking the WWF-Sassi sustainable seafood list and informing your diners of possible substitutions or best choices.

CONSCIOUS EATING Along with the health and wellness trend comes the added awareness about environmental impact and sustainability. Food waste is a major concern for both business owners and diners. Consider partnering with a local farm or community garden so that you can donate organic food waste for composting. Being organised and pro-active when ordering will also greatly reduce food waste as you will order what you need and use it within the stipulated time frame.

You should also source your produce responsibly, this means you should be aware of the supply chain of each product you purchase.

Partnering with local farms means you’re also

PICTURE PERFECT Instagram has led to the rise of foodie culture. Just a quick scroll through your social media apps will reveal a plethora of foodie influencers and Facebook groups dedicated to restaurant reviews. All this food photography means chefs, managers and servers need to consider an additional aspect of food that may have been overlooked in the past – how food is presented. Most of your diners will want to take a quick pic before digging in. Presenting food in a novel, unique way that appeals to all five senses is integral. Think fun and colourful cocktails, as well as excellent plating paying attention to height, detail and colour for all dishes.

Sources: Upserve Restaurant Insider, Bizcommunity.com

Organic food waste

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Industry talk

x a t r a Sug

leaves a bitter taste for the beverage sector

The sharp increase in the average selling price of sugary drinks in South Africa has made an impact on industry. This is the consequence of the national health promotion levy, more commonly referred to as the sugar tax, which was introduced last year. Marilyn Nel and Khathu Musingadi research manager and research analyst at BMi Research respectively discuss the effect of the sugar tax one year on.

V

OLUMES IN SOME beverage categories such as ready-to-drink fruit juice (nectar) and iced tea declined in 2018.

Other segments, like sparkling soft drinks, recorded significant volume declines in the second and third quarters of the year, but slight increases in the last quarter were due to seasonal purchases prompted by summer and the holiday season.

As important as they are, figures like these only tell half the story – the negative impact of the sugar tax at the till. What about the broader effect of the tax on the beverages sector from a consumer perspective? Is it actually changing purchase behaviour as it was intended, to discourage the excessive consumption of highsugar drinks among South Africans where rising obesity levels remain a concern?

The short answer is yes. These 2018 statistics combined with a negative 2019 outlook due to further sugar tax increases and continually shrinking disposable income, point to a definite change. Volumes are expected to stay low this

OTHER COUNTRIES THAT HAVE IMPLEMENTED A SUGAR TAX • Australia • Chile • Colombia • Denmark • France • Hungary • Mexico • Norway • Philippines • Republic of Ireland • Singapore • United Arab Emirates (Source: Wikipedia)

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year, with consumers even shifting completely to other types of beverages, like flavoured water, that are more affordable.

The long answer – or more accurately, the longterm answer – is a little more complicated. Along with these powerful market conditions that wield massive influence over where consumers spend their money, is the factor of entrenched consumer behaviour.

SIN TAX

“

If sugary drinks are seen by consumers as a reward at the end of the day, or as an essential lunchtime treat, or assigned to any other positive association by consumers, they are unlikely to allow a price increase to dull that shine. The ‘sin’ taxes bear witness to this hypothesis.

Instead, they will adjust their lifestyle to suit the market conditions. This could mean dropping other non-essential items from their shopping baskets to ensure they can continue to buy their favourite sugary drinks at the higher price.

The other option is to buy a similar sugary drink but at a cheaper price. BMi Research’s surveys last year revealed that some middle to lower LSM consumers had shifted from buying premium brands to more affordable competitor products as selling prices soared.

If sugary drinks are seen by consumers as a reward at the end of the day, or as an essential lunchtime treat, or assigned to any other positive association by consumers, they are unlikely to allow a price increase to dull that shine”

Industry talk

Major market events like heightened taxes put brand loyalty under pressure, and are often the point of lost loyalty if the original, once-loved brand is perceived to no longer meet consumers’ needs, including their budget.

If either, or both, scenarios were in play, however, shouldn’t this translate into flat figures or at least, marginal growth? The volumes of consumer market insights BMi Research has gathered over the past 10 years, has shown us South African consumers are conservative and slow to adapt to change. But they’re also innovative, and we expect to see product usage change in the future as consumers find new ways to adjust to price increases.

For example, smaller bottles were previously regarded as convenient, but following the

introduction of the sugar tax, two litre bottles were seen as offering better value.

The smaller pack sizes took an instant hit, with volumes declining. It is likely consumers are using two litre packs differently postsugar tax, possibly by decanting the contents into smaller bottles to replicate that convenience factor while still capitalising on the more attractive, value-adding price point.

LOW AND NO It is not only consumers who have been forced to innovate as a result of the levy; manufacturers prepared for the market impact by developing low sugar and no sugar variants launched the year before the tax was introduced. Production and sales of these variants shot up dramatically after 1 April 2018.

It’s too early to gauge how successful these variants will be in the future, as most producers indicated their customers did not like the new formulations as they didn’t taste the same as the original ‘sugared’ product. Customers were also sceptical about artificial sweeteners, following the bad press many sugar replacements had received in previous years.

Such market insights are vital, as they help manufacturers navigate what will continue to be a tough storm, with sugar taxes rising year on year with inflation increases. However, aside from simply allowing the sector to assess the evolving impact of the sugar tax on consumers, in-depth market research like this arms manufacturers with a much more powerful weapon – a true understanding of what their customers really want at this time.

Product, packaging and even promotional innovation means little if they all miss their mark. The only way to positively grow a sector under the current conditions is to ask consumers what they want, and then make sure you deliver on this.

BMi Research - www.bmi.co.za

KEY CONSEQUENCES OF THE SUGAR TAX IN SOUTH AFRICA • The sparkling soft drinks category recorded a minimal volume increase in 2018 whilst the value recorded a notable growth.

• Local per capita consumption declined for the first time in over five years.

• PET bottles had the highest share of packaged volume in 2018. Cans and glass have been losing share in the market. Some players have moved their 300/330 cans to PET bottles as this pack type is cheaper and easier to transport.

• Smaller cans (275ml) declined the most in volume, followed by 400 to 475ml cans. These pack size groups had a smaller volume base and are believed to have lost some share to 1 to 1.75L PET in the foodservice industry.

• The diet sub-category grew significantly during 2018, driven by flavoured diet variants. Regular drinks in the sparkling soft drinks category had a tough year with the implementation of the sugar tax and lost volume to diet variants in 2018.

• The sparkling soft drinks category is expected to remain under pressure in the short to medium term as selling price continues to increase and disposable income remains under strain. The industry value is expected to grow at a faster rate than the volume change during this period.

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15

Industry talk

Do biodegradable bags actually

biodegrade?

Researchers from the International Marine Litter Research Unit at Plymouth University in the United Kingdom have published new research in Environmental Science and Technology, showing that biodegradable bags can hold a full load of shopping three years after being discarded in the environment. The South African National Bottled Water Association (SANBWA) responds to these findings.

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HE TEAM, UNDER the guidance of unit head, Professor Richard Thompson OBE, examined the degradation of different plastic bags widely available from retailers.

These included compostable bags, two forms of biodegradable bags and conventional carrier bags.

These were left exposed to air, soil and sea – environments they could potentially encounter if discarded as litter – and monitored at regular intervals. Deterioration was considered in terms of visible loss in surface area and disintegration as well as assessments of more subtle changes in tensile strength, surface texture and chemical structure.

After nine months in the open air, all the materials had completely disintegrated into fragments. The compostable bag completely disappeared from the experimental test rig in the marine environment within three months but, while showing some signs of deterioration, was still present in soil after 27 months. The big shock was that the biodegradable, oxo-biodegradable and conventional plastic formulations remained functional as carrier bags after being in the soil or the marine environment for over three years.

The research team said their results raise several questions, including whether environmental and weather conditions are a realistic means of decomposing bags when they are thrown away, even if they are labelled as ‘biodegradable’.

Important, too, is the confusion of the use of the term ‘biodegradable’; the researchers believe it lulls consumers into thinking the bag will simply disappear if are thrown away. Furthermore, they warn if consumers think they are being even more responsible by adding biodegradable bags to their recycling bins, that can destroy efforts to collect conventional plastic bags for remanufacture into new bags. Chemical additives in biodegradable bags can contaminate the mixture, rendering it unusable.

plastics are not the answer to marine plastic pollution. The EU has recommended banning oxo-biodegradables (plastics which contain additives designed to hasten breakdown of polymer molecules) because that process causes the bag to disintegrate into small microplastics, raising levels that are of great concern.

These issues and more are top-of-mind for SANBWA CEO Charlotte Metcalf, whose members package either in glass or PET bottles.

‘Obviously, bags are not bottles, nor are the plastics used to make the two the same,’ she says ‘But SANBWA and its members are very conscious of the global backlash against plastics of all kinds, because of the negative impact it can have on our industry.

“

MICROPLASTICS Both the United Nations and the European Union have declared that biodegradable

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Often what seem to be logical choices, can only make the situation worse, or raise more questions than answers”

‘Despite the fact that, in South Africa, the total bottled water industry amounts to just 543.7 million litres per year versus the 5 668.7 billion litres per year of fizzy drinks, iced teas and energy drinks market, bottled water as a product has become the ‘whipping boy’ when it comes to PET and packaged beverages.

‘Of course, plastic in all its forms is one of the major pollutants of our water bodies and landmasses. Ways must be found to curtail that pollution but calls for outright bans, or the adoption of unproven and untested alternatives, are grossly overrated as solutions.

As this most recent research highlights, often what seem to be logical choices, can only make

the situation worse. Or raise more questions than answers.’

BIOTRANSFORMATION Metcalf pointed to an exciting new technology called biotransformation by way of example.

‘Mooted by Polymateria as a new approach to ensuring that plastic which has escaped refuse streams can fully biodegrade in the natural environment, the idea of biotransformation does ‘float my boat!’,’ she says.

However, it does rely on a proprietary formulation lying dormant until, ‘with the agreed timing, the formulation gets to work by triggering a catalytic process that actively targets the crystalline regions within polymer chains to radically cleave them apart.

‘The implications of this ‘agreed timing’ – read ‘agreed shelf life’ – are far-reaching because that timing can differ radically given the product and packaging format. Just as yoghurt is a very different product to a tomato destined to be canned, so is a yoghurt tub a very different package to a PET-line tin of tomatoes, for example.

‘In addition, as mentioned above, would this product – if added to the conventional plastics recycling stream – contaminate the mixture and render it useless, meaning that the whole batch goes to landfill?

‘It really is time to find truth and balance in the myriad calls for plastics to be replaced with alternatives or degradable versions. A holistic strategy that results in investing in solutions that most importantly encourage behaviour change coupled with the implementation of considered, well-thought through new technologies is much closer to the answer,’ Metcalf mentions.

‘SANBWA works closely with industry and PETCO to ensure its members’ packaging commits to design for recycling criteria so that each bottle can be fully recycled. Members also support clean-ups, such as those run by PlasticsSA,’ she concludes.

SANBWA - www.sanbwa.org.za

Industry Talk

Cape Town’s global food scene is booming!

CAPE TOWN IS known as the Mother City because in the 1930s a newspaper said this was the only city in South Africa that could claim to be a metropolis. With the word ‘metropolis’ being made up of ‘metro’ (‘mother’ in Greek) and ‘polis’ (‘city’ in Greek) the nickname ‘Mother City’ was born. This story just goes to show how the international community has always been a key part of the rich tapestry that makes Cape Town.

With that in mind, whether a local or a visitor, let’s take a look at some of the most unexpected and delicious tastes from around the world you can find in Cape Town.

ADDIS IN CAPE The restaurant has been serving Capetonians and visitors authentic Ethiopian cuisine since 2007. It prides itself on showcasing Ethiopia’s rich history and traditions. From the traditional furnishings and the classic Ethiopian coffee ceremony to the serving of food itself, Addis in Cape offers an exotic alternative with its authentic décor and cuisine.

SARAY Meaning ‘palace’ in Turkish, Saray brings authentic Turkish-Kurdish cuisine to Cape Town’s CBD. Fully Halaal, Saray aims to transport guests all the way to Istanbul from the comfort of their chairs through authentic Turkish food, like Pirzola, a Turkish delicacy consisting of a fine lamb cut; kavurma, a traditional Turkish meat dish; and karides, a delicious Turkish prawn dish.

DON ARMANDO

of meat. Meats are prepared in the traditional Argentinian way of asado. Like what ‘braai’ denotes both how meat is prepared and what the social gathering to enjoy the food is called, asado means ‘roast’ but is also the social event. In this tradition all the meats at Don Armando are grilled on charcoal. The spot is often referenced, by locals, as one of Cape Town’s best steakhouses.

MAHARAJ More than 40 years old, Maharaj is a staple in Cape Town’s food scene. This restaurant offers a wide range of north and south Indian dishes with lamb off the bone, butter chicken and the Madras fish curry among the must-try dishes on the menu. It’s not only Maharaj’s rich history in Cape Town that sets it apart. The restaurant’s fare, while traditionally Indian, also draws on the Indian community’s rich heritage in South Africa that spans more than 150 years.

The desire to experience the tastes of other societies and cultures has fashioned the way in which we view food. With a slew of award-winning and even Michelin starred restaurants, Cape Town has earned a reputation as a South African food mecca. Like all 21st century global cities, Cape Town boasts a wide array of restaurants serving some of the finest fare from around the world. According to the CEO of Cape Town Tourism, Enver Duminy, the international community living in Cape Town is an integral part of what makes the city such an attractive destination for visitors.

HESHENG One of Cape Town’s hidden gems, Hesheng is a family-run Chinese restaurant that prides itself on serving authentic Chinese food.

At Hesheng you won’t find dishes like sweet and sour pork, chicken chop suey, General Tsao’s Chicken, or chow mein, as these are all ‘Chinese’ dishes created to suit western palates. Rather, on its menu - with pictures to help the novice Chinese diner - you’ll find delicacies like steamed soup dumplings, mapo tofu and shui zi niu. Despite the owners being North Chinese, Hesheng serves dishes from across China.

An Argentinian restaurant, Don Armando, is not exactly the place for vegans or vegetarians, not surprising considering Argentinian’s love

Full Serv ce | May 2019

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Technology and software solutions

Zen and the art

of AI air maintenance A new World Health Organization (WHO) air quality model confirms that 92 percent of the world’s population lives in places where air quality levels exceed WHO limits. For high end restaurants looking to create a calm and clean atmosphere, bad odours and low quality air just won’t do. Belarusian engineers have designed a solution called the AirZen and have recently debuted it on KickStarter.

AIRZEN IS THE industry’s only 5-in-1 supercompact AI personal climate control device.

It combines five technologies for humidity, temperature, air purity, CO2 level, ionisation level and even the smell of air. This stylish gadget lets you create your own microclimate around your venue - directly from your smartphone.

LATEST TECHNOLOGY AirZen combines the latest tech, including advanced HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Absorber) air filtration, to reduce air pollutants around you. Perfect for hot summer days, AirZen’s cooling mode lowers the temperature.

It is designed to become your personal source of fresh air. In crowded eateries, the highperformance and energy-efficient AirZen allows you to breathe in healthier air. With an advanced HEPA air filter in place, AirZen destroys allergens and helps those affected by asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

The innovative air purifying technology allows you to get rid of headaches and forget about pollution. Set the desired temperature and humidity level and the device delivers a stream of fresh air.

KEY FEATURES AND BENEFITS: • It can adjust humidification, purification and ionisation according to your needs • You can choose any aroma you like with Air Smell Control - fresh mountain air, the smell of a beautiful, lush forest or of your favourite flowers? AirZen is equipped with removable aromatic capsules that let you create amazing and enticing scents in your space • Cooling mode: AirZen lowers the air temperature during hot summers and delivers fresh air • The CO2 eliminator lets you get rid of tiredness, drowsiness and headaches caused by increased CO2 concentrations. The CO2 transducer installed in the device evaluates CO2 content in the air and informs the user about any unsafe excess of CO2. After that, the

device activates a CO2 purification process in a standalone mode • Its temperature and humidity tracker displays values • AirZen’s capacity lasts for eight hours without refilling. While your restaurant is closed, the ionisation mode can be turned on manually or automatically • Its compactability lets you place it on a counter without sacrificing valuable space • Eco-Friendly AirZen is an efficient ‘green’ device, created from non-toxic materials • The device is controlled via mobile app on your iOS or Android device.

Choose the desirable option from the provided presets and AirZen will start its work. AirZen’s mobile app allows you to change parameters of the fan performance, the evaporative ultrasound membrane and much more.

AirZen – www.airzen.eco

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AirZen combines the latest tech, including advanced HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Absorber) air filtration, to reduce air pollutants around you” Full Serv ce | May 2019

19

Technology and software solutions

Will Customer Experience make or break your business?

In a tough economy where customers are becoming ever more selective, it’s becoming harder for businesses to bounce back after a bad customer experience. Studies show we remember negative events with greater clarity and accuracy and they trigger our emotional responses more than positive recollections. Nathalie Schooling, CX (Customer Experience) specialist and CEO of nlighten – a South African-based client experience company, says today’s customers have undeniably raised the bar.

S

POILT FOR CHOICE and digitallyempowered, today’s customers want exactly what they want, when they want it and the way they want it. It’s all personal. They put far more weight on free recommendations from their social media networks than they do on expensive brand messages. The vast majority won’t bother to complain directly if they are unhappy with your product or service and they have little to no reason to give any business a second chance. After all, they can click away from you in a split second and find your competitors instantly.

IT’S PERSONAL AND EMOTIONAL Research shows that 70 percent of buying experiences are based on how customers feel they are being treated. It’s personal and emotional.

Acquiring a new customer can cost five times

more than keeping a current one.

Loyal, repeat customers are not something that’s a ‘nice to have’.

When you consider that a two percent rise in customer retention can make the same impact on profits as cutting costs by 10 percent, then it’s clear that CX is a major driver of business growth and sustainability.

MARKETING TO MILLENNIALS The Millennial generation, with its insistence on personal Nathalie Schooling, CX specialist and CEO of nlighten attention and cautious, wellinformed spending is now the largest customer segment of our times. Across more and more consumers are highly selective the board, the economic landscape is tough, and about how and where they spend their money.

Tech innovations are changing customers’ expectations from wanting responsiveness to their demands, to assuming the business will be able to accurately predict what they want when they want it.

CUSTOMERS FOCUS ON THE NEGATIVE Today’s customers have undeniably raised the bar, not just for one-time sales service, but at every touchpoint during their entire experience with your brands and your business. Studies show we remember negative events with greater clarity and accuracy, and they re-trigger our emotional responses more than our positive recollections.

According to Right Now Technologies, 87 percent of all consumers will not go back to an organisation after a bad experience. So, one

“

Acquiring a new customer can cost five times more than keeping a current one”

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Technology and software solutions NATHALIE SCHOOLING’S FIVE FUNDAMENTALS OF GETTING CUSTOMER SERVICE RIGHT • PLAY THE NAME GAME

When communicating with your customers, use their names. This is Business Communication 101 and may be stating the obvious, but you’d be surprised at how many businesses still do not go this extra little mile to win their customers’ trust.

• THE CUSTOMER JOURNEY AND ALL-IMPORTANT PERSONAE

shoddy engagement with your brand, website or employee carries far more weight than what has made them feel good on their customer journey with your business so far. This facet of human psychology is why business owners have their work cut out to properly manage CX and ensure client satisfaction.

From our research, development and testing of various CX models, what we know for sure is that client satisfaction and sales need to be linked.

Formulating, executing and then, measuring your end-to-end CX strategy is arguably the great business challenge of our time. Like all great challenges, it is both daunting and incredibly exciting. This is the opportunity for businesses to really purposefully engage with their customers. This demands a new and deeper understanding of who your customers are and what matters to them most. It means getting your entire team on board to put your customers at the very heart and soul of your business.

It means getting a handle on your data and investing in new generation tech that enables you to unlock instant insights about your customers and keep monitoring their satisfaction.

TECH ADVANCEMENTS Latest tech developments are moving customer service forward and enabling the design of end-to-end customer-centric experiences. In 2017, 63 percent of marketers were prioritising technological investments to improve CX. This percentage will continue to grow as more business leaders come to appreciate the value in digital advancements.

Multi-faceted research empowers business owners to inform the CX design and strategy that can truly put the customer at the centre of your companies. You can’t get personal with someone you don’t know well. You can’t make them feel good in their engagement with you if you don’t understand what’s important to them. Investing in research is critical to accurately mapping the CX journey. However, research is not merely a starting point. You need measurements and metrics so that you stay in tune with the rapidly changing market forces in the interest of continuous improvement of CX. Mapping the CX journey highlights how everyone’s work ultimately impacts on customer satisfaction. This is the bedrock for training your entire team to deliver the behind-the-scenes or customer-facing services necessary for a customer’s seamless experience with your brand or business.

Getting CX is right is not a one-stop, top-down affair. It is complex and multifaceted, but don’t let that put you off. We’ve got the tech available to draw insights, meaning and understanding out of the biggest data.

With a sound process, deep-rooted expertise and appropriate investments in research, design, training and ongoing monitoring and evaluation, businesses can rise to the challenge of delivering high quality CX. This is going to be the difference between the winners and the losers of the near future. nlighten - www.nlighten.co.za

The potential for personalisation presents itself at many stages along the customer journey with your organisation. This includes the channels, platforms and devices you use to communicate with customers, as well as what days of the week or time of day consumers tend to engage with you.

• GETTING TO KNOW YOUR CUSTOMER

Personalising services or products means tailoring messages to individual customers based on their behaviour, which has been one of the biggest marketing trends in the last two years. However, to personalise effectively, you need to spend time getting to know your customers.

• INVOLVE YOUR TEAM

An organisation’s most valuable asset is its human capital and, when personalising, it is important to get the input of your team, especially customerfacing employees. Invite them to brainstorm ideas on ways in which you can offer your customers a more personalised experience.

• MEASURING AND TRACKING

It is important to ensure you measure and track the impact of a more personalised approach.

First you will need to identify what it is you want to measure and track, and then establish a baseline against which to measure future performance and do so meaningfully.

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Technology and software solutions

s n o s a e 10 r

to get listed on the Eat Out app

In an age where everything from shoes to patio sets comes at a click, restaurants need to offer convenience.

Allowing customers to access information about your restaurant and book tables online is essential.

The Eat Out booking platform is unique in that, thanks to the Eat Out website, it has an existing audience of over 400 000 users who can look at your restaurant’s listing and book right way. Here’s why you should get your restaurant listed on the Eat Out app.

1. YOU CAN REACH A MASSIVE AUDIENCE Thanks to interesting content and breaking foodie news, EatOut.co.za is a busy site that’s visited by hundreds of thousands of diners in any given month. Diners can now book directly on the website as well as the app, whichever is most convenient for them. So downloading the app is not a barrier to booking.

5. GET A BOOKING WIDGET FOR YOUR SITE Restaurants on Pro get an additional free widget to plug into your own website. That means diners have the convenience of four ways to book: directly on your site; on eatout.co.za; on the Eat Out app or by phone, whichever is most convenient for them.

2. THERE’S NO MONTHLY FEE

6. GUARD AGAINST NO-SHOWS

Restaurants don’t subscribe to the platform, you pay only when a diner books through the platform, and the amount is minimal – just R10 per booking. It’s a win for the restaurant as you only pay when Eat Out delivers a booking.

You can choose to ask for a deposit to secure a booking, and you set the amount and the table size (such as six diners or more). After making a booking, Eat Out sends the diner an email reminding them to pay within a certain time. The time limit is also your choice, from one hour to 24 hours or more.

If they miss the payment deadline, the booking is cancelled automatically. Eat Out contacts the diner again – via email – to alert them to the expired booking and urges them to book again.

3. GET PROMOTED ON SOCIAL CHANNELS Eat Out wants bookings as much as you do, so bookable restaurants are promoted on Eat Out’s social platforms – which together reach over a quarter of a million people – as well as on the Eat Out website and in newsletters to its audience.

4. YOU CAN CHOOSE THE OPTION THAT WORKS FOR YOU There are two booking platform options – Lite and Pro. While Lite offers plenty of features, restaurants who sign up on Pro enjoy the increased functionality of a hassle-free, centralised and automated booking service. It automatically takes bookings, allocates tables, tracks inventory, schedules future availability, sends reminders, processes deposits, tracks your funds and more. Leaving you to focus on creating an excellent food experience for your guests.

7. TAKE THE HASSLE OUT OF RESERVATIONS Say goodbye to manually entering guest details in a book – simply print your guest list at the start of a service or sitting as all the details would have been captured automatically when the diner made the booking online.

8. GET TO KNOW YOUR DINERS Each guest has a profile, so you can monitor how often they book or cancel, allowing you to build a database of your most important customers and give them that special, personal treatment.

9. GET MORE REVIEWS…AND FEED A HUNGRY CHILD After a diner has eaten at your venue, Eat Out prompts them to rate their experience and write a review. Not only can this put you in the running for the national Eat Out Mercedes-Benz Best Everyday Eateries awards held each year, but for every review written, Eat Out pledges a meal for a hungry child through Rise Against Hunger.

10. EAT OUT DOESN’T HOLD ON TO YOUR DEPOSIT Deposits collected from diners are paid over to the restaurant within 24 hours of payment being received.

If you’d like your restaurant listed on the Eat Out booking platform email support@eatout. co.za.

Eat Out - www.eatout.co.za

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Technology and software solutions

Smart technology provides restaurants with safe eating environments

Food hygiene and food storage management are crucial elements in the hospitality industry, paramount to ensuring businesses remain reputable and ensuring the safety of their customers.

Inadequate management of produce at any point in the supply chain, from warehouse to the restaurant floor, can have wide ranging consequences. It is crucial the restaurant and hospitality supply chain innovate and harness new technologies to keep up with consumers’ demands.

Mark Thomson, director of retail and hospitality EMEA, at Zebra Technologies expands on the benefits of smart technology.

THE FOOD INDUSTRY is notoriously tough.

Getting the front of house right is just the tip of the iceberg; executing the extensive list of tasks behind the scenes is extremely complex. This can often mean employees spend more time ensuring processes are compliant and complete than focusing on ensuring an unforgettable customer experience. Low confidence amongst consumers can result in revenue loss as they begin to choose alternative options. Fines can be imposed and even arrests made if negligence occurs.

FROM WAREHOUSE TO KITCHEN From the very start of the supply chain, businesses must ensure operations are reliable and compliant with legislation. Sophisticated food tastes, varying origins of produce and the increased focus on different diets and allergies make food

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storage an extremely pernickety process. It’s not just a case of cold or frozen storage; produce must be kept in a variety of temperatures depending on individual requirements. Meanwhile, all allergens must be properly labelled and kept away from food deemed ‘allergen free’ and cross contamination must not occur. Managing the stockroom is an endless proposition.

In parallel to managing inventory and stock, there is a growing desire among patrons and owners to know the exact origin and journey of food. To manage this process manually is near impossible and will undoubtedly lead to mistakes. Easy to scan codes on produce teamed with smart databases means the full spectrum of information is quickly available at all times.

Intelligent solutions can effectively manage the transportation of goods and increase worker efficiency if implemented in the right way. For instance, by arming workers with cold rated handheld or wearable devices that can withstand temperature swings will allow workers to manage stock and scan areas for issues or inconstancies.

They’ll have increased visibility over the individual needs of the produce they are working with,

Technology and software solutions

removing the need for guesswork. As a result, workers have access to real-time information at their fingertips, straight from the inventory management database. This ultimately empowers workers to achieve flawless fulfilment, no matter where the operation takes place.

STORAGE IN THE KITCHEN Storage of dry and raw food in the kitchen is one of the most important food preparation steps and as such, strict legal guidelines must be followed.

In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, it is a legal requirement that chilled food be kept at 8°C or below. This is also promoted by the CFA worldwide. In tandem, open foodstuff must be wrapped and labelled with strict use-by or bestbefore dates clearly visible.

Meanwhile, food that needs to remain frozen, such as ice cream or frozen meat must be stored in the freezer as soon as it is delivered and restaurants should strictly follow the ‘once opened, consume within # days’ advice. Leaving frozen or raw food out at higher temperatures especially in warmer temperatures puts customer safety and quality at risk.

“

Sophisticated food tastes, varying origins of produce and the increased focus on different diets and COOKING FOR allergies make food MILLIONS A great example storage an extremely of smart food and pernickety hospitality technology can be seen across Disney’s six process”

To adhere to these strict regulations, efficient and accurate labelling is imperative, but this is not necessarily as easy as one might think. Kitchens are a difficult ecosystem to navigate.

They can be simultaneously hot and cold in different areas – damp and dry. As such, traditional labels can fall off, smudge or simply not be effective. Similarly, the sheer volume of different ingredients in different dishes and products shows things are constantly changing – no one label is the same. However, if even one seemingly insignificant piece of information is not relayed correctly, the consequences could be severe.

By arming workers and kitchens with specially designed compact printers, businesses can ensure produce is labelled efficiently and most importantly, accurately. Their size allows them to be placed in busy or cramped environments without causing disruption to workers, whilst being readily available to provide unique labels for each new product. Not only this, they also print specialised labels that can withstand a multitude of environments.

resorts and 12 parks worldwide.

Restaurants are key to the experience of millions, and Disney takes all precautions necessary to ensure not just unforgettable moments but safe ones.

By investing in mobile devices that can swipe any surface to monitor bacteria levels, Disney has successfully improved hygiene in all six resorts, while food labelling technology has ensured buffets are up-to-date and stock levels properly monitored. Alongside this, wireless temperature probes were brought in to improve both employee and customer safety. In a busy and constantly changing environment such as this, technology has taken the strain off front-line workers, empowering them to work more efficiently and enabling them to focus on creating the idyllic atmosphere visitors expect from the brand.

Ensuring none of the data captured is wasted, Disney also tracks and analyses everything so it can proactively identify areas for improvement across all its restaurants. This increased visibility essentially allows workers to predict where problems may arise, before they become a risk to customers. This leads to smoother service and significantly decreases the risks associated with temperature control and food.

Without question, increasing expectations on the restaurant industry and the explosion of new tastes, diets and online review websites has made improving food safety more challenging than ever before. However, with the helping hand of devices and solutions, the restaurant industry can improve monitoring, preparation and presentation whilst still ensuring compliance.

Zebra Technologies - www.zebra.com

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Regulations and legislation

Handle your hand hygiene In order to open a restaurant in South Africa, one must comply with the hygiene regulations (R638) under the Foodstuffs Cosmetics and Disinfectants Act, Act 54 of 1972. The main purpose of these regulations is to protect the public by limiting the risk of cross-contamination of food. Initial Hygiene Services explains what requirements your restaurant needs in order to comply.

CROSS-CONTAMINATION IS the transfer of harmful microorganisms to food and can occur anywhere in the food production cycle. Good kitchen hygiene practices seek to minimise or eliminate the three main agents of contamination: food to food contamination; hand to food contamination; and equipment to food contamination.

GENERAL HYGIENE R638: Regulations Governing General Hygiene Requirements for Food Premises, the Transport of Food and Related Matters lays out the broad legal ‘must haves’ for a hygienic restaurant or food business, with a view to limiting the three main agents of contamination. These ‘must haves’ include: • having a valid Certificate of Acceptability (COA) before you open for business • ensuring your business is situated in a location that is not a hygiene risk to the food handled • you have space for stored foods, designated waste areas and a place for staff to change and store their personal clothing away from food handling activities • ensuring you have the correct equipment to handle and prepare food safely • your restaurant has enough toilets and hand washing basins.

BATHROOM BASICS R638 requires restaurant owners to provide the right number of toilets for employees and patrons and provides a table to calculate how many toilets are needed. The regulations also require that each bathroom must have running hot and cold water, soap, and a means to dry hands.

Food preparation areas must have their own hand washing basins, soap and a means to dry hands.

Hand washing stations in both bathrooms and the kitchen are critical because of the high risk of hand to food contamination in food preparation areas. Over and above, hands transferring bacteria from raw to cooked

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food, hand to food contamination occurs when hands, which have touched a contaminated surface (such as a bathroom toilet seat), then transfer bacteria to food products and surfaces in the kitchen.

When you consider how many surfaces we touch every day, and how many pairs of hands touch the same surfaces, it’s not surprising poor hand hygiene – especially in a kitchen environment – can have disastrous consequences.

FOODBORNE ILLNESS A report in 2014 published by researchers from the Centre for Science in the Public Interest, analysed 10 years of data on more than 10 000 foodborne illness outbreaks collected by the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention. Their findings show restaurants are the most frequent location for outbreaks of foodborne illness, and are responsible for twice as many foodborne illness outbreaks as private homes.

There are a number of reasons for this, including the fact that in a restaurant, food preparation may start early in the morning, and service can extend late into the night. Food may be held at warm temperatures but not warm enough, or food that’s meant to be cold is left out. All of these factors mean cross-contamination in a kitchen can happen easily when the pace picks up.

This is why good hand hygiene practices in the kitchen are so critical.

Initial offers a range of food-safe soaps and sanitisers, as well as paper towel dispensers for your restaurant kitchen. The company can assist with a stylish range of soap or sanitiser dispensers, paper towel dispensers, and feminine hygiene units for your front of house bathrooms.

Initial - www.initial.co.za

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Regulations and legislation

Three major foodborne illness • Salmonella, Campylobacter, and Enterohaemorrhagic Escherichia coli are among the most common foodborne pathogens that affect millions of people annually – sometimes with severe and fatal outcomes. Symptoms are fever, headache, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain and diarrhoea.

Examples of foods involved in outbreaks of salmonellosis are eggs, poultry and other products of animal origin. Foodborne cases with Campylobacter are mainly caused by raw milk, raw or undercooked poultry and drinking water. Enterohaemorrhagic Escherichia coli is associated with unpasteurised milk, undercooked meat and fresh fruits and vegetables.

• Listeria infection can be extremely dangerous for pregnant women and newborn babies. Although disease occurrence is relatively low, listeria’s severe and sometimes fatal health consequences, particularly among infants, children and the elderly, count them among the most serious foodborne infections.

Listeria is found in unpasteurised dairy products

and various ready-to-eat foods and can grow at refrigeration temperatures. South Africa experienced a listeria outbreak in 2018 which led to the death of 200 people.

• Vibrio cholerae infects people through contaminated water or food. Symptoms include abdominal pain, vomiting and profuse diarrhoea, which may lead to severe dehydration and possibly death. Rice, vegetables, millet gruel and various types of seafood have been implicated in cholera outbreaks.

Source: World Health Organization

The recipe for success?

Good hand hygiene...

600 million people are affected by food-borne illnesses every year. No restaurant can afford to have their patrons fall ill because of poor kitchen hygiene.

Good hygiene starts with hand washing.

Contact Initial for all your hand hygiene requirements.

Contact Initial for all your hygiene requirements.

0800 77 77 88 or visit www.initial.co.za

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WHY USE NATURAL PIPED GAS? Natural gas is cost effective, environmentally friendly, instant and safe Cooking with Natural Gas Many chefs prefer cooking with gas instead of electricity due to the enhanced control of cooking temperatures.

Egoli gas reticulates Natural gas directly to your premises via an established, safe 1 200km under-ground gas network in the Johannesburg area.

• Egoli gas does not “run out” • No bulky bottles or storage tanks required • No delivery problems,shortages or discrepancies in quality • Natural gas is lighter than air so its made up of mostly methane and releases less pollutants in the air.

Natural gas is cost effective, environmentally friendly, instant and safe when used according to specifications.

CONTACT EGOLI GAS Tel: 011 356 5000 Email: info@egoligas.co.za Web: www.egoligas.co.za

Regulations and legislation

How to get indemnity right School holidays and public holidays are great times for business in the hospitality and food service industries. Yet, with the anticipated surge in bookings and visitors to your establishment, it is important to ensure your property and staff follow best practices to be properly indemnified against potential liability claims. Adrian Chester, senior property and casualty underwriter at Santam discusses what the hospitality business needs to know about indemnity.

EVEN IF THERE is no negligence on the part of your establishment, from a common law perspective, your business may still have an approach from a third party and your policy could then also be called upon for defence of this litigation.

Disclaimers (also known as indemnities, exemptions and exclusionary clauses) help mitigate this risk. They are agreements in which one party (the guest) holds another party (the host) harmless from liability that may result from a future event. However, the Consumer Protection Act (CPA) outlines strict regulations around the use and enforceability of indemnity clauses. These need to be clearly drafted in plain unambiguous language and very obviously displayed.

As an owner in the hospitality industry it is recommended that guests sign a disclaimer. You should still have disclaimer signage present that can be clearly seen upon arrival. Here are some requirements for this signage: • the sign should be bright with large bold print and be clearly visible and legible during the day and night • the disclaimer must be located where one would ordinarily expect to find a notice containing the terms governing the contract between the parties involved • the disclaimer should be in a position where

have read a disclaimer, he or she is legally bound by its terms.

WHAT ABOUT SECTION 49?

Section 49 of the CPA identifies certain activities and services that are especially risky and potentially dangerous (with the possible result of injuries or death). In these cases, your patrons must be informed of the ‘fact nature and potential effect’ of the activity and service. The patron must understand the disclaimer and appreciate it, and then should sign to show their agreement.

it would be unlikely for a reasonable person to overlook it • the disclaimer should not be placed near or next to other notices or busy pictures or adverts • staff must do everything necessary to advise or give notice of the disclaimer to other parties with whom the establishment deals • disclaimers need to be fair, just and reasonable, and should be drafted by your attorney who has special insight into your unique business activities. It’s important to know the enforceability of disclaimers cannot be back-dated. Once a party is proven to

WHAT ABOUT INSURANCE AND MAJORLOSS EVENTS? You need a well-constructed insurance policy according to your business needs risk profile.

Risk appetite can go a long way to providing you with protection for a major event.

WHAT OTHER PRECAUTIONS SHOULD THOSE IN HOSPITALITY TAKE? Having a disclaimer does not relinquish you from your duty of care to the public. Other precautions you can take to protect your establishment, your property and the property of your guests are with some well-placed surveillance equipment. These should be pointed out to guests and must comply with privacy regulations.

Your whole team, from the front of house to groundskeepers, must be comfortable to handle various situations that occur. Clear procedures on how to handle any issues can noticeably reduce the probability of legal action.

It is critical your liability insurance carries sufficient limits; all material facts have been disclosed to insurers; and the premiums are up-to-date. Should an incident arise, you must submit your claim and all supporting information as soon as possible. This will ensure insurers have not been prejudiced and they can actively defend your rights.

INDEMNITY IS NOT ENOUGH As a hospitality provider, you need to protect your guests and your business from risk. The existence of a disclaimer is insufficient to keep you from third party claims. You are required to comply with the CPA and ensure your guests are aware of any disclaimers and understand these. This is as much for their safety as it is for your own.

Santam - www.santam.co.za

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Kitchen equipment

Winter is coming…

South African Game of Thrones fans know that once winter is here there are scarier things than white walkers to worry about. Loadshedding takes the iron throne as a top concern. The restaurant industry has even more to worry about since long hours of loadshedding will leave your refrigeration units vulnerable to power-back surges and spikes. Yet fear no more, Sollatek has come to save the day with a complete power protection device.

LOW POWER SUCH as under-voltage or brownouts will damage any refrigeration appliance’s compressor. High power such as over voltage will damage any electrical or electronic equipment.

A COMPLETE POWER PROTECTION DEVICE The AVS15 is the most complete power protection device combining over voltage, under voltage, power back surges and spikes or surge protection.

Additionally, there is also a delay time before power returns to normal. The AVS15 will ensure the appliance is not switched on-off repeatedly during fluctuations nor is it subjected to a massive surge normally experienced when power returns after power cuts.

INRUSH CURRENT The AVS15 accommodates an inrush current associated with the start up of 70Amps.

It is available as a 30Amp, a three-phase version and an OEM format known as the FreoGuard.

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e-mail: sales@sollatek.co.za • Tel: +27 (0) 11 788 1614 For more information please visit: www.sollatek.co.za

May 2019 | Full Serv ce

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Kitchen equipment

How to cook green Many of us will be changing the type of meals we prepare, with both the weather and the seasonality of fruits and vegetables factoring into that change. This year’s food trends are leaning towards sustainable and eco-friendly consumption as climate change, global warming and ethical food production become ever more prominent factors in the global conversation.

The focus on sustainability is both changing the way we eat and the way we cook. Full Service chats to executive chef at Protea Hotel by Marriott O.R Tambo, Coovashan Pillay about ways of cooking without using traditional coal-fired power.

Korean barbeque

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during winter TRENDS REFLECT CREATIVE ways of incorporating meat replacements and alternatives into recipes in a manner that allows meals to taste just as delicious or actually enhanced in flavour with a healthy twist.

‘There is also a trend of moving to more freshly prepared produce rather than the preservative filled alternatives. Consumers are also asking questions - which is good. With the increase of the more food focussed television and social media channels, consumers are more aware of food and ingredients.

On the positive side this is opening up a market that is willing to leave their comfort zones and willing to taste and experiment with new dishes. Another major trend is the adaptation of menus and recipes to accommodate dietary issues like lactose intolerance or gluten free and even special diets like banting and keto,’ says Pillay.

Many global food chains have had to adapt their menu offerings to move with these trends with McDonald’s offering a trial ‘McVegan burger’, Kentucky Fried Chicken offering vegetarian chicken,

Domino’s creating an entire vegan menu and Starbucks, along with many other coffee chains, offering cow’s milk alternatives in the form of almond, oat or rice milk.

SUSTAINABLE EATING AND COOKING The focus on sustainable eating practices has given rise to trends centred around sustainable cooking methods. Many households and eateries are looking at ways to reduce their carbon footprint in their everyday actions.

Having had to change the way he operates his kitchen and business practices in line with these green trends, Pillay has adopted six sustainable cooking tricks and tips that will help you go green, especially during winter.

• Electrical stove-top cooking - the sustainable way Electricity is generated from raw materials mined and sourced from the Earth’s natural resources such as coal and fuel, making electricity less eco-friendly and

Kitchen equipment

A gas stovetop

type of fuel or fire. You can also easily make them at home at almost no cost.

The powerless crock pot or Wonder Oven works by Chef Coovashan Pillay placing a pot of food that has been brought to the boil into a drawstring also more costly than alternative energy sources. pouch and leaving it there for the required However, there are ways to reduce the amount cooking time. You’d be surprised how hot the pot of electricity used while cooking. This includes still is after hours of cooking in the bag. Some slicing meats and vegetables into thin slices to of Pillay’s personal favourite dishes include one make sure they cook faster, using pots that cover pot pasta, chicken and rice, slow cooked chilli the entire stove plate and keeping the lid on con carne, salmon teriyaki, Asian curries and the pot during cooking in order to reduce the breakfast items like frittatas or oats. amount of heat and energy that escapes, reducing cooking time and electricity usage. When • Eco-friendly cookware cooking rice or pasta, one could also use a large The type of cooking materials we use can also enough pot to place vegetables above to steam, impact our health and the amount of energy cooking two dishes at the same time, and then used while cooking. Cookware manufacturers save your hot water to wash your dishes in. are now using ceramic to create non-stick pots, pans and oven dishes, replacing Teflon which • Air-frying starts to break down at a lower temperature.

One of Pillay’s favourite appliances, the Air Ceramic coated non-stick pans take less time Fryer, works by means of a small built-in fan than Teflon to heat the surface of the pan to circulating heat over food thereby immersing the proper cooking temperature due to the and surrounding items in the same temperature aluminium they are made from. Cookware is as would be done when deep frying. As no oil also being made out of recycled materials like is used in an air fryer, the same cooking effect recycled aluminium or bamboo. is produced in the method causing the dish to taste the same but doing away with the unhealthy • Going Gas elements of a deep fried dish. Think homemade granola, beetroot and sweet potato crisps, healthy According to Pillay, chefs generally prefer the gas cooking method in large kitchens to coconut fried chicken or jalapeno poppers, glazed simmer sauces, sauté vegetables salmon or winter sweet treats like and for precision cooking apple crumble or home-made because of the ease of scones. being able to adjust a gas flame • All in one pot according to The powerless your recipe. crock pot is There’s no making a need to comeback wait for the this year as burner to the most heat up or sustainable cool down, way to cook and energy all-in-one dishes usage stops as without using any

Springrolls in an air-fryer

The focus on sustainable eating practices has given rise to trends centred around sustainable cooking methods.

Many households and eateries are looking at ways to reduce their carbon footprint in their everyday actions” soon as you turn it off. You can still cook if the electricity goes out. Pillay suggests opting for natural gas for your stovetop.

• Fire Barbequing, grilling, spit-fire or braai - these are all names for what is essentially the same cooking method - fire. More and more chefs have gone back to basics by using this cooking method in their restaurants such as popular Korean barbeque eatery Galbi and the local Chesa Nyama franchise, which has spread through Gauteng and Durban over past few years. Perhaps the best factor of this cooking method is whatever you’re cooking, it’s always going to turn out tasting delicious. Wood fire stoves are a great off-the-grid kitchen tool, as are gas fire grills. For outdoor cooking one can opt for an open fire, a wood barbeque, or an earth oven for pizzas, breads, and foil-wrapped dishes.

Protea Hotel Marriott – www.protea.marriott.com

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Kitchen equipment

Get equipped for service

Essential equipment every restaurant needs

You’ve found the perfect location, designed a beautiful space and created the ideal ambience to welcome diners into your new restaurant.

What now? One of the most essential aspects of a restaurant is a fully equipped kitchen and dining area. Your chefs will have everything they need to whip up the best possible dishes, and diners the right tools to enjoy the delicious food served to them. These are the essential kitchen must-haves for every restaurant.

COLD AS ICE Commercial refrigeration is essential to a restaurant business. Refrigeration keeps your produce at the correct temperatures to ensure food is safe to consume. You also need to consider a unit that has more than enough space to store items. When purchasing a refrigeration unit ensure it comes with a warranty. Glass door refrigerators have become very trendy for restaurant kitchens as you can see what’s inside before opening the doors. Under counter refrigerators are convenient for large kitchens so chefs can store cut vegetables and other ingredients near their workstations.

STEEL YOURSELF FOR FOOD PREP Stainless steel worktop tables have become increasingly popular in commercial kitchens.

Stainless steel has longevity and is durable, not to mention hygienic.

SINK OR SWIM Commercial restaurant sinks are an absolute

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“

must have in any food service kitchen. Stainless steel is also a popular material for sinks as it’s easier to clean and more durable than other metals. You should also include a sink for employees to wash their hands before and after serving food.

Commercial sinks need to be large enough for washing large pots and pans, rinsing vegetables and should ideally have two or three compartments for maximum space efficiency.

will also make whipping cream or mashing potatoes easy. Food processors will chop, slice or macerate food in seconds.

Making things like hummus and pesto is quick and easy with a food processor.

Blenders will help you get smooth and creamy soups and sauces, make salad dressing or pastes and salsas.

Stainless steel has longevity and is durable, not to mention hygienic”

IN THE MIX You will need countertop appliances like a food processor, blender or stick blender and commercial or planetary mixer. A commercial or planetary mixer can be used to make homemade bread, pizza dough, cakes and muffins but

POTS AND PANS Stock pots are a must for most cooking styles and are an important part of any commercial kitchen. Stock pots are usually made in both aluminium and stainless steel, with the stainless-steel models being a little pricier. Again you must consider the longevity and durability of a stainless steel product. The same goes for frying pans. You must also ensure you have enough frying pans for the size of your kitchen as this item will most likely be in use the most.

Kitchen equipment

PORTION CONTROL Whether you’re baking or cooking pasta, measuring supplies are an absolute must. Not only will measuring cups, spoons and scales allow you to get each recipe spot on so that you serve consistently good food, but they also allow you to be consistent in the amount being served on each plate.

WASHED OUT A large kitchen should install a large enough dishwasher. Dirty plates, cups and cutlery should be loaded into a dishwasher in order to keep space free at the sinks for the washing of pots and pans.

RAISE THE BAR Whether you’re planning on serving alcohol or not, you still need a bar or beverage area that’s separate from the kitchen. A standard bar will usually have an under counter refrigerator and ice machine.

You also need to consider plumbing in the bar area as you will need to install a beverage dispenser, beer dispenser and a drain for the ice machine. In addition to the big equipment you also need to think about bottle openers, measuring equipment, plastic spouts for bottles, glasses and ice buckets.

restaurant. Each diner generally needs: • two spoons and knives • one teaspoon • one soup spoon • three forks • one soda glass.

Multiply this amount by your seating capacity and this is generally the amount of cutlery you will need for your operation. In addition, you will need salt and pepper shakers and sugar containers for each table. If you have a smoking section you need an ashtray for each table. You also need sets of tongs and serving dishes. Don’t forget the napkins and takeaway containers as well as placemats. Try ordering your paper products and takeaway containers in bulk as this will work out more affordable. For takeaway containers consider investing in cardboard or bamboo containers rather than polystyrene or plastic, this is more sustainable and leaves diners with the impression your restaurant cares about its impact on the environment.

LOOKING SHARP Your waitrons are part of the first impression diners make of the restaurant. Decking them out in spiffy uniforms reflecting the cuisine and design of your restaurant will tell a story to your customers and provide them with a holistic dining experience. If you aren’t able to invest in an entirely new uniform, a dress code stipulating colours and styles to wear is just as good. Remember uniforms for waitrons need to be comfortable as well as neat. Uniforms for chefs and kitchen staff are a lot more stringent. They need aprons, chef ’s hats and hairnets and in some cases may also require appropriate footwear.

CUTLERY WITH AN EDGE The amount of tableware, dishes and glasses you need is based on the seating capacity of your

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Kitchen equipment

n e v a e h e e Coff Morrico Specialist Coffee Supplies is one of the biggest espresso machine distributors in Africa. Its customer list includes Mugg and Bean, Starbucks, McDonalds, Woolworths, Bootleggers, the Saxon Hotel, Riboville Hotel and Investec. The company imports a full range of coffee equipment for any requirement. It imports and roasts environmentally consciously grown coffee beans from all of the world and also stock premium coffee brands such as CaffĂŠ Danesi.

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Kitchen equipment

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n an Owner dro Morrico ow machine n o a s s s Ales espre ne of the o vintage biggest n in Africa and world. The e o collecti llections in th 50 pieces co er biggest n includes ov s from the o collecti esso machine ears of of espr covering 80 y .

1940s resso history esp

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Fresh produce

Make your fresh produce go the

extra mile With sustainability, eating local, and health and wellness becoming increasingly trendy, diners are opting for fresh, local produce rather than packaged, dry goods or flash frozen veggies. These consumer desires are changing the landscape of the restaurant industry, which had previously relied on the convenience and efficiency of preserved goods. With more fresh produce in the kitchen you need to take note of how to store it for maximum freshness and tastiness.

WHEN STORING FOOD, restaurateurs need to ensure food safety is top of their agenda. All areas where food is stored need to be spotlessly clean. (This is quite general knowledge, we don’t need to “quote” anyone or according to…)

DON’T OVERLOAD

LABELLING

HOW TO STORE VEGGIES

Every item of food delivered to your restaurant needs to be labelled with a ‘use by’ date and then stored in its appropriate place. Labelling is important in order to communicate when food needs to be used with the entire kitchen.

AIRTIGHT CONTAINERS Food needs to be kept in airtight containers as fresh produce starts to spoil the moment air comes into contact with it. You can increase the shelf life of food by using appropriate containers for different types of food. Keeping food in air tight containers also upholds food hygiene and safety standards as food will not come into contact with bacteria or other contaminants.

MEAT NEEDS TO BE STORED LOW

DID YOU KNOW? Refrigerating potatoes can increase the amount of sugar they contain, which pumps up a chemical called acrylamide so when the potatoes are baked, fried or roasted they discolour. This is why potatoes should always be stored in a dark, cool space with good ventilation.

(Source: Food24.com)

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When storing meat, you must ensure it is kept at the bottom of fridges and freezers. If the temperature drops in your refrigeration unit meat juices can start to drip, if meat is not stored low it could contaminate other food items.

Even airtight containers with meat inside could cross contaminate food.

TEMPERATURE CONTROL All of your kitchen staff needs to be aware that it’s extremely important to store food at the right temperature. Refrigerator temperatures should be at or below 4°C.

Do not overload storage spaces. Fridges and freezers can only work well if you don’t overstock them with produce. If you over pack a fridge or freezer it could cause the temperature to drop. However, by labelling food you will know when to use it by and you shouldn’t encounter the problem of an over stuffed freezer or fridge.

RealSimple.com recommends leaving produce unwashed and in its original packaging or wrapped loosely in a plastic bag. However, if your greens are dirty or sandy – particularly if they have come directly from the grower – they should be rinsed and dried before being wrapped in paper towels and placed in a plastic bag. Fruits and vegetables stored at room temperature should be removed from packaging and left loose. If you have unripe produce like avocados, they will ripen faster in a brown bag on the counter top as the bag will trap the ethylene gas, which is released by produce as a maturing agent.

TOP TIPS • Asparagus - Trim the ends before wrapping the spears in a damp paper towel and then in a plastic bag.

• Bananas – Ripe bananas can be frozen for baking. The skins will blacken but the flesh will be absolutely fine.

• Beetroot – Separate the leaves from the roots before storing them separately in a plastic bag. The leaves will stay fresh for three days and you can cook them just like spinach.

• Berries – Spread a single layer on a paper towellined container. But discard damaged or mouldy berries before storing to prevent the spread of mould.

• Ginger – You can keep ginger in the refrigerator for up to three weeks but it can be frozen for up to six months and doesn’t need to be thawed before grating.

5

Fresh produce

Five delicious fruit and veg trends to munch Fresh fruit and vegetables are always in high demand, but some crunchy titbits are more wanted than others. Full Service rounds up the five fruits and vegetables shaping eating and cooking trends in 2019.

1. RAINBOW VEGGIES Bright colours are all the rage!

Veggies like yellow and purple heritage carrots and candystriped beetroot as well as purple cauliflower and multicoloured radishes give an instant Instagrammable quality to a dish along with all the vitamins and nutrients.

2. LEGENDARY FRUIT

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With the trend towards veganism, vegetarianism or flexitarianism becoming increasingly mainstream, diners are looking for vegetables that add the bulky texture and umami flavour of meat to a dish without the actual animal protein�

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South Africans have always loved exotic fruit like mangos and litchis but tastes are becoming even more global. Dragon fruit looks amazing with its hot pink and yellowy, green peel that looks like the scales of a mythical beast. The inside is monochromatic black and white but is an eye-catching contrast to the exterior of the fruit. Apart from salads and fruit bowls it makes a great addition to juices and smoothies.

3. MEATY VEG With the trend towards veganism, vegetarianism or flexitarianism becoming increasingly mainstream, diners are looking for vegetables that add the bulky texture and umami flavour of meat to a dish without the actual animal protein. Fruits like jackfruit and banana blossom can mimic the texture of shredded chicken or pulled pork and easily

absorb flavour. Mushrooms have always been a favourite to add meatiness to a dish and you can use them chopped up or in large, braai mushroom form.

Cauliflower is also infiltrating the meaty veg market with cauliflower steaks, while battered cauliflower is becoming a popular filling for tacos and wraps.

4. ROOT TO TIP Diners are becoming very conscious of food waste and have started implementing processes in their own homes to make the most of their fresh produce. This means when dining out, they will also want to see fruit and veg used in every possible way so that none of the plant goes to waste.

There are many ways to incorporate the root to tip principle on the plate.

Plants like beetroot and radishes can be used in their entirety as the leaves are great for salads or braised along with the actual root.

Courgette flowers have always been a popular food item in the Mediterranean but are now becoming increasingly popular in all eateries.

5. LOCAL IS LEKKER Food needs to tell a story in our modern age. Diners now ask questions about where their food comes from with many actively searching for farm to fork dishes.

Explaining where certain vegetables come from in your menu descriptions will become increasingly common. For example: Ceres Valley oranges or tomatoes grown on-site.

Five t hin gs y o

d i dn’t k n o w a

b out

Fresh produce

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JACKFRUIT HAS BEEN topping lists of food trends, chiefly because it’s such a great meat substitute for the increasing numbers of vegan and vegetarian diners. A centrepiece of South East Asian cuisine for many years, jackfruit is widely cultivated throughout tropical regions of the world. Here are five interesting things you never knew about jackfruit.

• Jackfruit is the national fruit of Bangladesh and Sri Lanka as well as the state fruit of Kerala and Tamil Nadu in India.

• The name ‘jackfruit’ comes from the Portuguese jaca which is actually derived from the Malayalam word chakka meaning fruit or vegetable.

• The flesh of the jackfruit is starchy and fibrous and is a source of dietary fibre. The pulp is composed of 74 percent water, 23 percent carbohydrates, two percent protein, and one percent fat.

• The jack tree, on which jackfruit grows, is a species of tree in the fig, mulberry and breadfruit family.

• Jackfruits are the largest tree-borne fruit reaching as much as 55 kilograms and a mature jack tree can produce 100 to 200 fruits a year.

(Source: Wikipedia)

Full Serv ce | May 2019

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Back Office

s a v a r b m o o r h s u M

Gin and mushroom pairing:

Food and beverage pairings are the latest craze in dining. Diners are looking for fun and interesting activities as well as added value. With so many flavours and various botanicals, craft gin is the ideal liquor for pairings while mushrooms are always a hit with diners. Here’s a recipe for a winning duo of gin and mushrooms.

MUSHROOM BRAVAS INGREDIENTS: • 500g white button mushrooms • 500g potatoes • Neutral oil for deep-frying • Fine sea salt • Handful fresh parsley, chopped For the sauce: 1 x 400g tin Italian crushed tomatoes 1 tsp sherry vinegar 1 tsp sugar 1 clove garlic, grated 1 tsp paprika 1-2 tsp Sriracha METHOD: To make the sauce: • Place all the sauce ingredients in a small saucepan and bring to the boil. Allow to simmer for 15 to 20 minutes until the sauce thickens. Remove from the heat and set aside for serving.

• Peel and dice the potatoes into 2 cm cubes.

• Pre Cook the potatoes in a pot of boiling water until just tender. Drain.

• Heat neutral oil over medium-high heat until a thermometer reads 200°C. Transfer potatoes to oil in batches and cook, until golden brown. Using a slotted spoon, transfer potatoes onto paper towel and sprinkle with fine sea salt.

• Cut the button mushrooms into quarters and repeat the frying process until they are golden brown. Drain on paper towel and sprinkle with salt while still hot.

• Toss the mushrooms and potatoes together with the chopped parsley.

• Pile onto plates and serve with plenty of spicy sauce for dipping.

GIN PAIRING • 50ml Inverroche Classic Gin • Dried Chillies • 150ml tonic water Fill desired glass with ice and add 2-3 dried chillies.

Pour in the Inverroche Classic Gin and top with tonic.

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Gin Pairing Note: The spicy flavours found in this dish are the perfect complement to the herbaceous, dry flavours in an Inverroche G&T. The fresh and cooling notes of the Inverroche provide a refreshing contrast to the bold and powerful flavours emanating from the mushrooms bravas. The botanicals in this gin lend themselves to being paired with this spicy dish.

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Contact

CHERYL MASTERS Tel: 067 179 4464 Cheryl.Masters@newmedia.co.za

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