Restaurant Association newsletter, The Thymes (November/December 2015)

MAY 2015 NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2015

07 the employers christmas guide the new health & safety act

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The Government has very clearly signalled that it wants owners, directors and managers to sit up and take notice of their health and safety responsibilities. We cover off what owners, directors and managers need to know..

getting ready for new food safety rules

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With the Food Act 2014 coming into force in March next year, it’s time to find out what changes you’ll need to make and when.

32 the columbus story

PHOTOS: COLUMBUS COFFEE (PAGE 32)

www.restaurantnz.co.nz

CONFIDENTIAL - MEMBERS ONLY

MAKING THE MOST OF SUMMER

It doesn’t take a Business Management degree retrieved from the depths of your Christmas stocking to recognise the importance of making sure as many people as possible know about what you are offering potential customers. And, in reality, there’s no one time of year that is more important than any other. Marketing is one of the most critical instruments in your business toolbox - always.

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owever it’s also true that Kiwis are inclined to dine out more frequently during the summer months. Especially in the immediate celebratory lead-up to Christmas and in the January holiday period when the kids are still off school, the holiday mood is in place and we know exactly what’s left in the kitty after the Christmas spend-up.

For café and restaurant owners now is the time to allocate part of your marketing budget to making some positive noise. In fact leaving it any later risks being too late to influence those who like to plan leaving only the opportunist or spur-of-the-moment customer as potential business.

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THINGS TO CONSIDER:

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Pre-Christmas is the time when companies and organisations like to hold employee and supplier celebrations, so if you can cater for group functions:

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• • •

• • •

Get on the phone and personally call companies/groups/ organisations who have used you before and invite them to come again – introduce some kind of incentive if you can and stress to them how you will make it easy for them to enjoy their time with you.

Do a simple mail drop to the businesses within a kilometre or two of your venue. Use a well presented student or family member to hand deliver these. Try and speak directly to the social club member or the receptionist and make sure you tell them what dates you have available.

Devise a special offer that may suit schools in your area for their staff Christmas function and call them to let them know.

Generate a story for your local newspaper on what special things you can provide for the pre-Christmas celebration. Make sure you include a glowing reference from a customer who has used you before.

Do a special Christmas mailout to everyone on your customer database advising them of your special Christmas packages.

If you have some spare marketing budget consider taking out an ad in the LOCAL newspaper promoting your pre-holiday offers Engage all the social media resources you have at your fingertips to remind existing and potential customers or what you have on offer, why they should visit you and how they book.

Incentivise staff to spread the word about your function packages with a reward to those whose efforts result in a group booking.

Remember, any more than two is a group booking so even if your largest table is a four it’s worth making the effort.

All of the above

If you do not have the resources or are not set up to work with group bookings consider how you can draw attention to the smaller party and/or more casual diner.

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Have your baker make a special Christmas cake and have all customers go onto a draw to win it.

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• •

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Create an incentive that rewards those who pre-book another meal before Christmas.

Have the kitchen create an edible festive display that will be donated to a worthy local community group on Christmas Eve. Print a “Festive” card that sets out all your seasonal opening hours including in the early part of January when diners are unsure of who is open and who is closed. Use the same design on your website to convey the same information.

Create a special festive playlist that is an alternative to the tiresome Christmas carols but does not imply disapproval.

If you don’t celebrate Christmas, devise a culturally sensitive alternative that may suit others in the community who share your views. Be sure you generate a sensitive story about what you are offering and talk to the local newspaper about publishing it.

All of the above!

Remember - summer doesn’t end at Christmas. In fact we could argue that in terms of weather it barely even begins then.

Now is the time to think about the weeks in the early New Year. If this is traditionally not a busy time (perhaps locals tend to go away) then this is the time for a fresh lick of paint, a tidy up around the place, refreshing your signage or even to sit and discuss with those most intimately engaged in your business about plans for the next year. Just because it’s a quiet trading time doesn’t mean you shouldn’t make good use of the lull to plan ahead.

Make sure you incorporate into your plans ideas and strategies for telling people what improvements/changes you are making, how these changes will benefit customers and what they can expect to receive when they visit. It’s a bit like the permanent Briscoes sale…. Everything is always on sale but each ad makes it look as if THIS SALE is different from THE LAST. And watch the tone of your marketing efforts. Remember it’s easy to talk to yourselves using language and tone that suits your own style. But it is crucial to adopt a tone that will resonate with your customer’s style. After all you already know your news. You have to assume they don’t and so you need to use language and a tone that is upbeat and exciting.

If you feel this is not your area of expertise then seek help.

Don’t just muddle through and waste good money on an ineffective campaign.

Marketing is not just about throwing money at a one-off newspaper advertisement. That’s advertising and it has its place. But it can be expensive and fail to deliver a return unless handled very carefully. Marketing is about creating positive noise; alerting both existing and potential customers to your product offering and exciting them, or, at the very least, sparking their curiosity. But to be effective you need to adopt some well targeted ‘C’ words: CREATIVE, CONSIDERED, CONSISTENT, CURIOUS and COMMITTED.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kerry Tyack has worked as an independent writer, critic and educator in the New Zealand food and drinks industry for a number of years.

He has edited a number of hospitality-trade publications, and is a judge for a number of key national award events, including the Cuisine New Zealand Restaurant of the Year competition. need help? call us on 0800 73

THE THYMES NOVEMBER 2015

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PRESIDENT’S VIEWPOINT SIMPLE, EFFECTIVE

MARKETING OF YOUR BUSINESS

ONE OF THE RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION’S KEY INITIATIVES IS TO ASSIST YOU WITH THE MARKETING OF YOUR BUSINESSES AND TO DRIVE CUSTOMER TRAFFIC TO YOUR DOORS. AS A RESULT OUR RESTAURANT GIFT CARD PROGRAMME WAS INTRODUCED TO SIT ALONGSIDE OUR EXISTING GIFT VOUCHER SCHEME.

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hrough our partnership with Gift Station we promote the Restaurant Gift Cards in over 5,000 of NZ’s highest foot traffic outlets nationwide, with sales increasing year on year to reach $1.1 million in 2014. That’s over a million dollars every year that can only be redeemed at participating Restaurant Association member establishments. On average each participating member redeems over $1,500 in gift cards each year, adding direct value to your membership and giving you the opportunity to convert those new customers into regulars.

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KEY FEATURES AND BENEFITS O

AN EXCLUSIVE CLUB ~ The Restaurant Gift Card can be used exclusively at Restaurant Association member outlets, drawing card holders to participating members businesses through the website, www.dinefind.co.nz/giftcard.

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NO COSTS ~ Like our voucher programme it costs you nothing to join and you get 100% redemption on the value of the card. All costs of running the programme are absorbed by us.

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INCREASED PROFITS ~ Most gift card holders spend more than the value available on their gift card.

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NO DISCOUNT REQUIRED ~ Gift card holders treat the funds on their gift card as free money, so you don't need special offers to draw them in.

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EASY RECONCILIATION ~ Participants receive bi-weekly statements containing details of all cards redeemed. Redemptions are made on the 14th and 28th of each month.

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BREAK GEOGRAPHIC BOUNDARIES ~ Due to their convenient size and shape, gift cards are frequently purchased for recipients whose gifts must be posted to them.

That lets a business benefit from sales made in other regions.

QUICK, EASY SIGN UP

This is a simple and effective marketing programme where your business is the winner! If you are not already signed on, phone 0800 737 827 or email info@restaurantnz.co.nz.

proudly bought to you by Starline president’s report

THE THYMES NOVEMBER 2015

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FROM THE CEO’S DESK THIS ISSUE OF THE THYMES IS THE LAST ONE FOR THE YEAR AND IS FILLED WITH GREAT INFORMATION AND UPDATES TO GET YOU THROUGH THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS.

MARISA BIDOIS, CEO Restaurant Association of NZ 09 632 1400 marisa@restaurantnz.co.nz www.restaurantnz.co.nz Restaurant-Associationof-New-Zealand

We cover off important reminders about the Holidays Act to help you to navigate your way through the obligations to your staff over the Christmas and New Year period. We also have articles on staff training over this time of year, stress buster tips and a whole bunch of other helpful insights to help you get through the silly season.

Coming into this time of year many members have been calling about getting assistance with recruitment and we have started working on the solution for this with our new programme called Pro-start. We've started in Auckland and are currently working on bringing this programme to other regions, so keep an eye out for more on this in the New Year.

Vouchers, gift cards and dinefind Make sure you are on the Association’s voucher and gift card programme. This is the time of year when sales soar and you do not want to miss out on this member benefit – money waiting to be spent in your businesses, in fact over $1.3 million is waiting to be spent exclusively at member establishments.

Our dining guide www.dinefind.co.nz has thousands of hits a day and traffic increases over the holiday period, so make sure you are making the most of this member benefit.

NZ Café of the Year is in the final stages of the judging process. This competition is in its fourth year and has been extremely popular with café owners and the public. The supreme winner will be announced in early December.

Staff ~ We are recruiting for a couple of roles for parental leave cover at the moment. Membership Manager, Sabra Moore and Event Manager, Jacqueline Jones are both going on parental leave.

They will both be re-joining us but in the meantime we are looking for two fulltime fixed term employees. Please let us know if you know anyone who might be interested in these roles 2016 and beyond We are planning our activities for the coming year at the moment and would love to hear feedback from our members on what you would like to see. Please feel free to drop me a line.

We also have a few exciting announcements which we will share with you in the New Year.

Wishing you and your loved ones all the best over the holiday season and here’s to a profitable summer!

MARISA

proudly bought to you by Outdoor Concepts CEO’s update

THE THYMES NOVEMBER 2015

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CHRISTMAS: DON'T TRY TO RUN FROM IT After making it through the cold, dark months of Winter, We've got your essential guide to planning for and managing Christmas and the weeks beyond...

For many businesses the financial end of year is upon us.

While this can be a busy and potentially stressful time of year, it is also a good time to reassess your business and make some changes to set yourself on the right path for the next financial year. In this section we identify five different areas of your business - finance, technology, customer service, business structure and that all important work / life balance.

Rather than initialising a complete overhaul of your business these articles offer practical tips on achieving some new goals.

chrisTmas, new year & THE MONDAY EFFECT There is no avoiding it, Christmas is just around the corner. While many employers will be finalising their rostering and opening hours over the Christmas / New Year statutory holidays, this year we will be faced with the impact of having two of the public holidays over the period falling on a Saturday. How will this affect your business?

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hristmas and New Year public holidays are impacted

by Monday-ising legislation which means that when they fall over the weekend they are transferred to Monday (or Tuesday) for employees who don’t usually work in the weekend. The public holidays over the Christmas / New Year period in 2015/2016 are: CHRISTMAS DAY BOXING DAY 1st JANUARY 2nd JANUARY

Friday 25th December, 2015 Saturday 26th December OR Monday 28th December Friday 1st January, 2016 Saturday 2nd January OR Monday 4th January

So this year, while Christmas Day and 1st of January fall on a Friday (and will be observed on that day only), Boxing Day and 2nd of January fall on Saturday. What this means is that these two public holidays will be observed on Saturday for workers who usually work on Saturdays, but will be transferred and observed on Monday for other workers for whom Saturday is not a regular day of work.

This adds an extra level of headache for employers who need to analyse which of their employees will observe the public holidays on Saturday and which of them will observe them on Monday.

How do you pay an employee who works on a public holiday?

Anyone who works on a public holiday (over Christmas and New Year this may be Friday, Saturday or Monday) is entitled to be paid at a rate of time and a half. If the public holiday is a day that they would normally work, and they do work it, then they are also entitled to one day’s full paid leave – an alternative holiday - to take sometime in the future.

If the public holiday falls on a day that is not a normal day of work for the employee, and they do work it, then they are entitled to be paid at time and a half but they do not earn an alternative holiday.

NEED HELP? Call us on 0800 737 827

What if the employee doesn’t work?

The Restaurant Association employment agreement sets out that employee’s will be required to work on public holidays if requested by the employer. However, if an employee would normally be working on the day that the public holidays falls (or is observed), but it has been agreed that they will have the day off, they are entitled to be paid the amount of pay that they would have received had they worked on that day (their relevant daily pay).

If an employee would normally be working on the day that the public holiday falls, but it has been agreed that they have the day off, they are entitled to be paid the amount of pay that they would have received had they worked on that day (their relevant daily pay).

Of course, if the employee does not work on a public holiday because it is their normal rostered day off, there is no obligation to pay the employee for that day.

Not sure which days are ordinary working days for an employee?

It is sometimes a challenge to determine whether a public holiday falls on an ‘ordinary working day’ for an employee.

This is particularly important when determining whether an employee is entitled to be paid for a public holiday if the business is closed on that day. Or, if you are open, and the employee works, whether they would be entitled to an alternative holiday or not.

Some of the factors you should consider are • • • • • •

what the employment agreement says the employee’s work patterns the employer’s rosters or similar systems the reasonable expectations of the employer and employee as to whether the employee would (have) work(ed) on the day concerned whether the employee works for the employer only when work is available whether, it is during a customary closedown

A Labour Inspector also has the power to determine the matter, taking into consideration these same factors.

THE THYMES NOVEMBER 2015

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STRESS-BUSTERS TO HELP YOU SURVIVE

THE SILLY SEASON The approaching silly season can often be a stressful time for employers, with busy businesses, staff leave and managing stock levels – it can lead to increased stress. If even the thought of this stresses you out, you’re not alone – a recent survey suggests that 62% of business owners have increased stress levels at work at this time of year. If you’re a small business owner doing multiple roles in the business you are even more likely to be stressed! But we can help... BY MARISA BIDOIS

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any old-school philosophies are based on the principal that if you’re not stressed, you’re not working hard enough. However, there has been a revolution in the world of business recently with many influential leaders speaking up about how important it is to take time out and ensure you have balance in your life.

Obviously it’s a little difficult to take a holiday when your business comes into a busy and profitable time of year.

We need to make hay while the sun shines but here are a few strategies to remember that might make life a little easier for you along the way.

HAVE A PLAN

Make sure you are well equipped for your busy period.

Forward bookings, past bookings and analysis of past records can potentially assist you in predicting when you will be at your busiest. Of course these methods do not always work because often there is sometimes no rhyme or reason to the ebbs and flows of customers, but at least this may provide some insight into any patterns that may emerge. For some of you located in the summer holiday hot spots this will be more straight forward.

Ensure you have enough people on to cover these days.

However, as mentioned, for many businesses predicting customer flow is not an easy science and there will always be those random busy days. To cope with this, the time you've invested in creating clear systems will definitely pay off. With clear systems everyone will be able to cope better and customers will get the best possible service.

KNOW YOUR LIMITS

When you have a surge of guests coming into the restaurant or cafe know when the right time to make a call about not taking any more customers is or have someone managing that has the skills to be able to foresee this before disaster strikes. Sometimes making a call about whether or not you will turn guests away is tough but even if you pause your intake for 20 minutes this can often ease

pressure and create a small window for all to recover and get ready for the next wave. It will often be better to turn customers away and have them thinking wow that place is really pumping then for them to enter a chaotic business, leave with a sour taste and tell ten friends or post something on social media.

TRAIN STAFF

Creating a training plan is imperative and hopefully there are already systems in place for this in the business.

Check out Gilda Proietti's article in this issue of The Thymes about bringing your seasonal employees up to speed.

TO-DO-LISTS

To-do lists are a tried and true stress management technique, especially with the right focus and direction.

First, think of the tasks you need to do today, and then determine which ones are both important and immediate.

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Then, instead of throwing every single project on your list, only put those important and immediate tasks on it. Then, tackle each task one at a time.

Another stress management tool very closely related to the to-do list is the ‘to don’t’ do list. A to-don’t list is exactly what it sounds like: a list of bad habits that get in the way of you doing your best.

GET AWAY FROM TECHNOLOGY

No one can argue that wireless communications have helped increase efficiencies across the board. The downside? It’s also made it significantly easier for work to leak into your 'time-out' time and much more difficult to separate yourself from your business.

So try taking some time, when you can, to completely unplug. Whether it’s half an hour or a couple hours, give yourself that distance from technology and use it to really be engaged in the world around you. Without the distractions of your phone buzzing or iPad notifying you of an email, you’ll find it’s much easier to be fully ‘present’, which can put a refreshing take on even the most common of occurrences.

GET ENOUGH SLEEP

This tip is a lot easier said than done, but the benefits of getting enough sleep are astounding. From improved memory, to better moods and possibly even a longer life, our bodies (and our work) can only be at their best with enough sleep. So maybe instead of staying for that extra wine after service head home for some shut–eye.

EAT

Remember to eat! So many times when we are running around the business we actually forget to eat. We are surrounded by food and drink and forget to take five minutes to refuel our bodies.

TAKE A BREAK, OR DAY OFF (AND DON’T FEEL BADLY ABOUT IT)

If you’re feeling stressed, burned out or just plain ol’ tired, you may think your best bet is to try and power through it. Instead, know your limits and take breaks when needed. Two particularly effective break activities: meditating and laughing (though not necessarily at the same time).

If things are really overwhelming, consider taking a day off. Although it may seem counterintuitive at first, taking a “mental health day” recharges your brain; gives you a better perspective and, most importantly, gives you time to relax.

GET HELP IF YOU NEED IT

At the Association we are always here to assist with anything you may need. And if we can't help you we will know someone who can.

Believe it or not, your stress can pass over to your employees, co-workers and loved ones. To help prevent spreading a problem, try some of these tactics to lessen the stress levels over the silly season and beyond. In this whirlwind of an industry we call hospitality, working smart helps you succeed better than working hard sometimes.

We’ll Be Booking 1,000,000 Diners Into New Zealand Restaurants In 2015

NEED HELP? 0800 737 827 THE THYMES need help? callCall us us onon 0800 737 827 THE SEPTEMBER THYMES MAY2015 2015

16 10

SURVIVING YOUR STAFF

CHRISTMAS PARTY

This is a busy time of year for hospitality businesses and we become engulfed in the needs of our customers. Like all of those workplaces that bring their staff and clients to your premises in the run up to Christmas, there will also come a time when you gather your own team together to celebrate the festive season. It may be held before Christmas, or in the New Year, but let’s call it…the staff Christmas party.

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hristmas is a time to celebrate a year’s hard work and give recognition to your employees. When your staff have been working so hard for you it’s important to allow them this time to let their hair down and celebrate with their co-workers. But don’t forget that even if the staff party is held after hours, at an off-site venue, it is still effectively an extension of the workplace. You are likely to have the same legal responsibility for what happens during the staff Christmas party as you do during your regular work hours at the restaurant.

An employer has obligations to protect their employee's well-being and keep them happy and safe. Your employees are likewise obligated to behave appropriately.

As there are potentially severe penalties for employers if something does go wrong, you are well advised to take a moment to consider any potential issues and invest some time prior to the event to ensure all staff understand what is considered appropriate / acceptable behaviour at the staff party. An employer should carry out an assessment of potential risks prior to the event and during the event, keep a watchful eye out for any unacceptable behaviour.

Why not provide all staff with a run sheet / guide to the event. You can emphasise the ‘fun factor’ but also take the opportunity to subtly outline some conduct guidelines.

If employees are aware of the standard of behaviour they need to abide by, it is less likely that they will step over the line.

Here are some points to consider…

Harassment Sexual and racial harassment and bullying are obviously serious issues which have a significant impact on the workplace. They have the potential to raise themselves unexpectedly at work functions, where alcohol has loosened people’s tongues. At its worst, behaviour of this nature could result in a personal grievance against you, the employer.

Without going through in bullet-pointed detail about what is and is not appropriate, simply remind your staff that your work policies will still be fully in force at any work functions and encourage staff to familiarise themselves with these policies.

It is also worth reiterating that alcohol consumption is no excuse for harassment, bullying or misconduct and is not an acceptable defence.

Discrimination It is also important to ensure that no discrimination comes into play over the event. For example, there may be employees who do not celebrate Christmas for religious reasons and you need to be careful not to exclude these workers from the festive activities.

Additionally, if an employer has any employees with disabilities, they will need to consider whether any assistance is necessary so that these employees are still able to join in. In essence, you will need to give some thought into trying to cater to the needs of everyone who will be attending the party to avoid discrimination.

Alcohol / drugs Alcohol is invariably available at staff parties and we are not suggesting you need to have a ‘dry’ Christmas party.

essential christmas guide

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However, it is still a sound idea prior to the event to remind employees of your obligations as an employer and that the use of illegal drugs and/or excessive consumption of alcohol is prohibited at all times.

You may also consider limiting the type or amount of alcohol that will be available. It may also be appropriate for you to put two or three senior staff in charge of monitoring the activities of staff and their intake of alcohol.

Be careful not to make employees who do not drink alcohol feel excluded. Give some thought as to the selection of non - alcoholic alternatives you will provide for them. It is also possible that some of your staff will be aged under 18 years and they will need to be supervised carefully. If you are having the staff party off-site ensure that minors will be able to attend the venue.

Transport If you are having your staff party off-site consider whether the location is close to public transport, or arrange a mini-bus or some other form of transportation for the party attendees.

Naturally you want everyone to enjoy themselves, but you also want everyone to arrive home safely and you don’t want to be worrying about these details on the night. Prior to the event encourage staff to plan their transport home in advance or even have someone in charge of co-ordinating the transport arrangements.

The next day Unless you have your staff party on the day before a closedown, or it is held on Sunday night for businesses that are closed on Monday, it is likely some of your employees will have to work the next day. Inform staff that over indulging at the Christmas Party doesn’t excuse them from coming into work the next day and if necessary disciplinary action will be taken. Be realistic though – can you survive on skeleton staff first thing, or call in some of your casuals to work the early shift?

This is a time for you and your staff to celebrate the festive season by enjoying some social time together. With an assessment of the potential risks you can hope to ensure everyone has a happy and safe time!

SICK LEAVE WHEN YOU NEED ALL HANDS ON DECK Your business may be at its busiest over the coming weeks and both you and your staff will be working longer hours and more days. It’s a time when those unplanned absences can start to appear. What can you do if you have a pattern appearing - of staff who simply don’t turn up for a day here and there?

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irstly, a one day absence doesn’t constitute abandonment of employment – this is more likely when they have gone AWOL for a number of days and you’ve been unable to make contact with them. But those ‘one day’s off’ here and there are hugely disruptive, particularly when you need to call in others to accommodate their absence.

Communication is always key. Have a meeting with staff and reiterate that it is their obligation to check the roster and know when they are rostered to work. Be clear that the old chestnut “I didn’t realise I was rostered on today” won’t be acceptable.

Tell your staff to let you know if they have a special

occasion coming up - they’ll want to celebrate the silly season too. You won’t be able to do it for all of your staff, but with enough notice you may be able to accommodate things so the next day co-incides with a rostered day off (or a later start). It’s a good way of acknowledging you appreciate an employee’s hard work.

Reiterate your policy on calling in sick. Ideally they should be required to call (not text) their absence directly to you, or the manager, at the earliest possible time. Make it clear that 5 minutes before their shift begins is not adequate advance notice.

Although you may be busy, if there are any unexplained absences, perhaps someone just doesn’t turn up for a day then returns the next without adequate explanation, address the issue straight away. Keep an open mind until you’ve heard their version of events, but at the very least, unexplained absenteeism is worthy of disciplinary action and quite possibly a warning.

NEED HELP? Call us on 0800 737 82 Really sick?

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HIRING NOW!

bolstering your seasonal workforce If you are hiring seasonal staff for a few months over Summer, it is advisable that they are employed on a fixed term employment arrangement. Employing someone for a fixed period of time to help out over a busy trading period is a legitimate business arrangement but there are a few key points to remember.

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YOU ALSO NEED TO KNOW THAT:

The Restaurant Association has a fixed-term employment agreement template that members can use in these situations. Let us know if you would like to receive a copy.

•

mployees on fixed-term agreements are entitled to all the same benefits as a permanent employee. They’re hired to do work that only exists for a set time frame, eg to cover a particularly busy seasonal period, a short-term project or cover for parental leave.

•

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT FIXED TERM ARRANGEMENTS When you’re hiring a fixed-term employee, the written employment agreement must: •

Explain why the role is only for a fixed term — there must be a genuine reason for employing someone on a fixed-term.

Specify when the term will end, eg after six months, when the project is completed, or when the season finishes. Clarify that the completion of the fixed term does not constitute a dismissal or a redundancy situation.

Specify the way the employment will end and the reasons why it will end in that way.

•

This will ensure that there is no confusion as to the nature of the employment relationship and how it will end.

•

•

•

If you don’t meet these criteria, the fixed term may not be valid and you’ll be expected to treat the employee as a permanent employee.

•

You can’t hire someone on a fixed-term arrangement to try them out before you hire them permanently.

To try someone out, you need to hire them as a permanent employee and include a trial period in their employment agreement.

If you decide to offer the fixedterm employee a permanent position after the fixed-term contract ends, eg the person they were covering for parental leave does not return to work, they can’t be subject to a trial period — those are for new employees only.

If you want to dismiss a fixed-term employee, you’ll need to follow the same disciplinary and dismissal processes as for other employees.

You should always finish the agreement at the agreed time. If you need to extend it do so in writing — or create a new fixed-term agreement — before the original agreement expires.

If you’re thinking about rolling over a fixed-term contract more than once, think carefully – you might actually need a permanent employee.

NEED HELP? Call us on 0800 737 827

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SILLY SEASON + NEW STAFF

= ADDED PRESSURE

HOW To Bring Trainees Up to SPEED...QUICKLY Here we are again, about to amp up for Christmas. Organizing staff over this period is always a challenge - looking after the full-timers and bringing in more support with new or junior staff to help relieve the pressure of this crazy time of year. With more staff comes more training, but finding the time for training when lunch service stretches to dinner can be a real challenge. BY GILDA PROIETTI, Floor Polish Hospitality Training

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ood advice is to prepare for new staff as well as you prepare for every service. It is in our best interests to give staff the support and resources they need to bring their 'A game' as quickly as possible.

Here are a few tips that might help the newbies integrate with the team a little faster.

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• • • •

• • • •

•

Choose wisely. Resist the “any port in a storm” response and hold out a little longer for the right personality. The right attitude will give more value to your team than experience with the wrong attitude.

Clearly outline your expectations at the interview.

Let them know that a commitment to training is mandatory.

Establish their limitations and training requirements so these can be targeted from their first shift.

When you offer them the position also give them a copy of the menu, wine list and table numbers to learn before their first shift, if possible.

Be prepared for their first shift. Have a designated trainer/senior staff member directly responsible for them for the entire shift. Investing in an extra staff member for a few hours is a good idea if you can manage it. Brief the trainer on what you would like them to focus on well before the shift starts (this is a great way to empower senior staff members by organising a quick meeting with them).

Give the trainee and trainer 15 minutes before required on the floor to get familiar, settled and focused.

Familiarise them with your premises including bar, kitchen,waiter stations and cashier.

Ensure the trainer has a clear idea of what is expected of them.

Clearly outline tasks for the new staff member at the start of each shift. This will help them focus and contribute during busy periods whilst facilitating assessment.

Test their table numbers. Having a table plan on view for all staff can be helpful.

need help? call us on 0800 737 827

•

•

•

•

Encourage questions from the newbie and encourage answers and dialogue from the senior staff. This helps them meet the team and establish relationships early on.

Team them up with the most senior staff member available or a pre-designated trainer to begin working on sections as a waiter. Select a trainer who embodies all that is important to your business.

Add more responsibility and tasks each shift, depending on their knowledge and ability. Let them know that the faster they learn the menu and systems the faster they will be tracked to their own section.

At the end of each shift let them know how they are doing and what they need to work on.

THE THYMES NOVEMBER 2015

14

• Start each training shift with quickfire knowledge questions, make it fun!

• Maintain training even after they are responsible for their own section.

Having a designated trainer will make it easier for them to take advice and direction.

• Communicate regularly with trainers to know the trainee’s limitations or requirements.

• Encourage the team to support new staff. Keep them informed of new staff arrivals and their training requirements.

• Have menu and wine list quizzes for all staff regularly. Allowing new staff to ask senior staff for help will foster relationships and knowledge sharing.

There is no doubt that the realities of service can make training a challenge, to say the least. Having a system in place for training, as with everything else, will make coping with new staff at busy periods a lot easier. A new staff member entering a restaurant with established training and a commitment to their staff will understand what is expected of them quite quickly.

Many restaurants will have training initiatives all year long. The resources available are varied - wine reps will come out and talk to your staff, coffee specialists will do barista training, hospitality trainers will work with you.

Group outings to fish markets, wineries and suppliers all make your staff stand out from the rest with tangible knowledge.

Whether staff are full time or just working through uni holidays,whether it’s a quiet winter service or a busy party season service, we know that the customer’s expectations remain the same and so must the level of service. New staff need our attention as much as our customers do.

Who said it was easy?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Gilda Proietti has worked in hospitality businesses for over 30 years. Her company, Floor Polish, offers specialised front of house training to ensure your staff are delivering excellent customer service. w: www.floorpolish.co.nz e: gilda@floorpolish.co.nz p: 0211 298 256

THINKING OF

CLOSING? Once Christmas is out of the way not every region maintains that busy momentum. Particularly in the main City areas, the population can clear out as holidaymakers head for the beach. If you'd like to take the opportunity to close the business and gain some well needed r 'n r for yourself, what are your obligations to your staff?

A

business can implement one annual closedown each year in which they close all, or part of, the operation and require employees to take annual leave, even if they don’t have enough leave to cover the break.

Closedowns usually happen over Christmas and New Year, but they don’t have to. A closedown might occur during the year if there is a need.

NOTIFYING YOUR EMPLOYEES OF A CLOSEDOWN If you are planning a closedown you need to give your staff 14 days notice of a closedown period (so if you haven’t already, now is the time to notify your employees).

period of the closedown can be established by:

While there is no legal requirement to notify in writing, we recommend writing a simple letter informing staff of the closedown start and finish dates, as this helps avoid confusion.

•

MANAGING ANNUAL LEAVE AND CLOSEDOWNS

•

During a closedown an employer may require employees to take all or some of their annual leave during the period of the closedown, even where this requires employees to take leave for which they are not fully reimbursed.

As an example, for employees in their first year of employment, the level of annual holiday pay for the

www.restaurantnz.co.nz

•

the employer paying the employee 8% of gross earnings to date, or the employer and employee agreeing to the employee taking annual holidays in advance and being paid even though there is not yet an entitlement to take the accrued leave. or the employer requiring the employee to take leave without pay (if holiday entitlements aren't available).

Don’t forget that a public holiday that occurs during an employee’s annual holidays must be treated as a public holiday and not as part of the employee’s annual holidays.

The employee is still entitled to be paid for a public holiday if the holiday would have otherwise been a working day for the employee.

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UPSELLING TIPS FOR SUMMER TRADING We all know the term, “make hay while the sun shines”. It’s getting the extra 10% out of your staff members sales each shift. With summer coming, that sounds simple enough right? BY SABRA MOORE

W

e know it can be really hard work thinking of new ways to inspire staff to push up the average spend per head/table. Whether you like to motivate the individual or the team, here are some crafty ideas from around New Zealand to help get your employees upselling mojo going just in time for summer.

NIGHTLY INCENTIVES FOR STAFF: To help get employees motivated, Sean Burns from Napier's Milk and Honey will have nightly incentives for staff where employees might win a bottle of bubbly, or a local vintage, if they have done a great job of going the extra mile in sales.

Barbara Olsen-Henderson, from Bach on Breakwater in Taranaki also incentivises her staff, encouraging a bit of a healthy competition. She has found that when people compete they seem to push the sales up, so they give out prizes and thank you’s to the staff that are really doing a great job.

MONTHLY TEAM GOALS:

Milk and Honey also have monthly incentives where the team work together – in these situations it’s hard to reward just one person as people work different shifts etc, so they have to work as a team and then everyone celebrates as a team (with a reward for everyone) when a goal is achieved.

MYSTERY SHOPPER: CBK also do a mystery shopper each month of their 'wine of the month'. The person who does the best from the mystery shop will receive anything from movie tickets to a bottle of wine, depending on what is appropriate.

THE BINGO SYSTEM:

Simply regularly reminding staff to upsell can work wonders. Barbara Olsen-Henderson says for example that every time someone orders the corn fritter dish from the menu staff are trained to ask whether they want bacon with it. A big one for them is the sale of sides – if staff can be encouraged to upsell these, this is an important way to add to the overall sales of the business.

This is an idea from Nicola Richards at Monsoon Poon, Auckland; a fun incentive scheme called BINGO. Managers put items on a card that they want up-sold and it looks just like a bingo card. When a staff member has sold an item, or multiple items that are on the card, they tick it off. The first person to go back to the manager with a completed card wins a prize. It's a good idea to have a mixture of harder sell items and then smaller, easier ones on the cards.

PULL IN YOUR SUPPLIERS:

EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH:

SIMPLE REMINDERS:

John Knight from CBK in Rotorua says he approaches some of their wine suppliers to offer up a magnum or two for the lead up to Christmas. These are then offered as reward for staff when they make a certain sales target.

essential christmas guide

Many businesses have an employee of the month competition, where the shift managers can report back to the owner on someone who is doing a fantastic job.

The employee's hard work can then be highlighted and rewarded at the end of the month. The reward can be as simple as a restaurant voucher, through to a bottle of wine or tickets to the movies.

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GETTING GROUP BOOKINGS IN ORDER At this time of year operators are inundated with group bookings as people celebrate the end of year with their work colleagues, friends and family. While these group bookings are undoubtedly welcome, they don’t always go according to plan do they?

N

othing can be more frustrating when you think your establishment is going to be full, and you’ve been turning bookings away all week, to find that only half of that group that you’ve got booked in for Saturday night actually turn up. [insert Restaurant name and logo]

ement

Booking and Cancellation Agre

only the urant"). Because we buy and use [insert Restaurant name] ("Resta given of Thank you for choosing to dine at customers or sufficient notice being on bookings being honoured by our s of [insert number of booking large all to freshest ingredients, we rely heavily applies ent Accordingly, this agreem to St ments. limited not arrange but g booking to (includin days changes any event s of any number of people on special people] or more people and booking Day and Christmas Day).

Valentine's Day, Mother's Day, Father's ____ Dated: _____________________ your booking: Please complete this form to confirm Name:

Customer Details: ("Customer", "you", "your")

Contact Number: Email Address:

Date:

Booking Details: ("Booking")

Time: Number of people: Name on Card:

Credit Card Details: ("Credit Card Details")

Credit Card Number: Expiry Date: 3 Digit Security Code:

Terms and Conditions

will be charged to Credit Card Details above. No amount you are required to provide your In order to confirm your Booking, the Booking. that credit card at the time of making time as set out Booking the to to 48 hours prior may be made by the Customer up under the terms of this agreement.

Cancellations or changes to the Booking be charged to the credit card provided above. In that case, no amount will

1.

2.

3.

In the event that: (a)

the Booking is cancelled in its entirety

(b)

less than 80% of the Booking relevant booking),

within 48 hours of the Booking time

as set out above; or

people out of a booking is honoured (for example, only seven

for 10 people attend the

The only music licence you need to play music in your business.

Get yours at onemusicnz.com or call us on 0800 800 663.

This is where a booking agreement document can be useful and the Restaurant Association have developed a simple one page template ready to use.

There are two versions, one where you can request a deposit and one without.

It simply and professionally reiterates that making a booking at your business creates a contract which places obligations on both parties. If they don't turn up, or only half of them turn up, then you can legitimately claim that the contract has been broken and they’ve caused you to lose business. As a result you may choose to apply a cancellation fee.

If you’d like to receive a copy of these documents simply email us at info@restaurantnz.co.nz.

per person for a cancellation fee of $[insert amount] to charge to the credit card provided tion Fee. Any such the Restaurant reserves the right and you agree to pay the Cancella the Booking ("Cancellation Fee") dge that the Cancellation Fee is a every person who did not honour nt's discretion. The parties acknowle Restaura the lly purchased at specifica charged be Cancellation Fee shall in terms of staff, food or beverage costs incurred by the Restaurant away. genuine reflection of the estimated a result of turning other bookings Booking and any lost revenue as by the Restaurant to cater for your costs incurred by the for any food and drinks and any further of the Booking is the Restaurant is entitled to charge e booking or where less than 80% 4. For the avoidance of doubt, tion Fee (for example, any alternativ Booking in addition to any Cancella honoured).

If you need urgent employment help, don’t forget we are available for advice and assistance on 0800 737 827 or outside general office hours on 027 559 7777.

Agreement:

s and confirm that the to the above terms and condition confirming your Booking, you agree In consideration of the Restaurant is true and correct.

Card Details) provided in this form information (including the Credit Full name of Customer

Customer's Signature

rant email address].

ted form by email to [insert Restau

Please return the signed and comple

BOOKING AGREEMENT FORM

- NO DEPOSIT

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EMPLOYMENT MATTERS

FUNDAMENTALS OF PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT Performance management is one of the keys to getting the best out of your employees and building and maintaining a high-performing team. Performance management starts from day one and continues throughout the employee’s life cycle with your business.

BY VANESSA BAINBRIDGE, Restaurant Association Helpline Advisor

A

n effective performance management system ensures that employees know what is expected of them by giving them performance measures and gives the employee enough training and support to reach goals, objectives and targets. Regular and ongoing feedback will assist your employees to reach their full potential, and a rewards-based performance system will motivate them to keep striving to reach higher goals.

But what happens if you have an under-performing employee who isn’t responding to the system? We recommend first taking an informal approach and speaking with your employee in an open and friendly manner. Talk to the employee about the performance issues you are seeing, focusing on the issue/s, rather than the employee. You should highlight your expectations and seek your employee’s feedback on how the issue can be resolved. Be sure to take a note of these conversations.

When you do see improvements, it is important that you let the employee know that you have noticed these and how this has positively impacted the team and your business. Nine times out of ten employees will respond to the informal “coaching” approach to improving

performance. However, if you have had numerous conversations with the employee and you are still not seeing the necessary improvement you may need to look at implementing a formal process.

Implementing a formal performance review – a 5-step process STEP 1: IDENTIFY THE ISSUES It is a good idea to choose 2-3 aspects of the employee’s performance that you would like to see an improvement in. You should check the employee’s job description and employment agreement to confirm standards that you have agreed upon.

STEP 2: REQUEST A MEETING WITH YOUR EMPLOYEE IN WRITING This letter should: • outline your concerns about the employee’s performance • advise when and where the meeting will be held • advise who will be attending the meeting

NEED HELP? Call us on 0800 737 827 THE THYMES NOVEMBER 2015

20

• •

advise what the possible outcome/s of the meeting may be let the employee know that they are entitled to bring a support person or representative to the meeting.

It is important that you ensure that the employee has 2-3 days’ notice of the meeting.

STEP 3: MEET WITH THE EMPLOYEE When you meet with the employee outline your concerns.

You will need to be specific and clearly show where performance is lacking. If the decided outcome of the meeting is to implement a performance improvement plan, you can begin to work together with your employee to design a suitable performance improvement plan. You should record the employee’s expected performance, along with targets and time frames. The time frame for improvement will vary depending on the situation and degree of performance issues.

As an employer, you should seek the employee’s feedback on targets and time frames and also give support and guidance on how the employee will achieve the targets. Extra training should be provided where appropriate. Also, importantly, you need to make sure that you warn the employee of the potential consequences if the employee’s performance does not improve. This may include a formal warning and ultimately could result in dismissal of the employee.

STEP 4: TRACK AND DOCUMENT THE EMPLOYEE’S PROGRESS During the period between the first meeting and the review, you should document carefully anything related to the employee’s performance and any training and support you provide. Some regular, informal, meetings leading up to the scheduled review date may also assist your employee and keep him/her on track.

STEP 5: MEET TO REVIEW PROGRESS You should invite your employee for a follow-up review meeting. Again, you should issue your employee with a letter similar to the one described at step 1. As with the first formal meeting, you should give the employee 2-3 days’ notice of the meeting and advise them of their right to bring a support person or representative. In this meeting, you should review whether the agreed performance standards have been met and whether there are any areas still needing improvement.

Hopefully, the outcome of this meeting will be that the employee’s performance has improved and the process will be deemed successful. If not, you may instigate the warning process. You will then need to repeat the performance improvement process until the employee reaches the required level or continue the disciplinary process after each time frame.

Call us! We understand that performance management can be a tricky process. We have guidelines and templates that can assist you, and we are always available to give personalised advice.

BUSINESS SUPPORT for Restaurant Association members

MENTOR ME! When wrestling with a problem, have you ever wished you could seek the advice of an industry expert who has ‘been there and done that’?

T

hat’s where the Restaurant Association can assist you. With year’s of experience Tony Adcock is currently working with us to provide mentoring and business guidance for Restaurant Association members.

AVAILABLE TO HELP WITH EVERYTHING BUSINESS! • • • • • • • •

Food Costing Business Start up Lease Agreements General Hospitality business advice Business Check-up – Tony will talk you through his check list to ensure that your business is running effectively and efficiently Selling your business Sales and Marketing Budgeting advice

Offering expert advice and guidance is one of the many ways the Restaurant Association supports our members.

If you haven’t used the Helpline (0800 737 827) before please feel free to call up for a business check-up to make sure you are on track and haven’t missed any valuable updates for your business.

NEED HELP? Call us on 0800 737 827 THE THYMES NOVEMBER 2015

21

THE NEW HEALTH & SAFETY ACT

WHAT OWNERS, DIRECTORS & MANAGERS NEED TO KNOW The Government has very clearly signalled that it wants owners, directors and managers to sit up and take notice of their health and safety responsibilities. This will be reinforced by the Heath and Safety at Work Act 2015, which comes into force on 4 April 2016. Are you ready? BY ALISON MAELZER, SPECIAL COUNSEL, HESKETH HENRY What is changing?

Under the new law, “due diligence” includes taking reasonable steps to:

The new Health and Safety at Work Act will impose an active duty on those in a governance role to proactively manage workplace health and safety. The new laws will impose a due diligence role on Officers with regard to health and safety.

Who is affected?

•

•

Duties under the new Act will be imposed on Persons Conducting a Business or Undertaking (“PCBU”). This will include any legal person, company or entity which conducts a business of any sort, or size, whether it is conducted for profit or not. Essentially, every business operation will be a PCBU. The due diligence obligations apply to what the new law calls “Officers”. Where a PCBU is a company, the officers will be the directors of the PCBU. Where it is a partnership, the officers will be the partners (including, in a limited partnership, any general partner). Officer also includes “any other person occupying a position in relation to the business or undertaking that allows the person to exercise significant influence over the management of the business or undertaking (for example, the chief executive)” . For the avoidance of doubt, the Act also expressly recognises that this does not include a person who merely advises or makes recommendations to an officer of the organisation. The net is still cast pretty wide. Any director, deemed director, very senior employee, or even potentially a shareholder, who has the authority to make or exercise influence over the big decisions, will have the new obligations.

What are the new obligations?

The Officers of a PCBU must exercise due diligence to ensure that the PCBU complies with that duty. employment matters

•

•

• •

Acquire and keep up to date knowledge of work health and safety matters; and Gain an understanding of the nature of the operations of the business or undertaking of the PCBU and generally or the hazards and risk associated with those operations; and Ensure that the PCBU has available for use, and uses, appropriate resources and processes to eliminate or minimise risks to health and safety from work carried out as part of the conduct of the business or undertaking; and Ensure that the PCBU has appropriate processes for receiving and considering information regarding incidents, hazards, and risks and responding in a timely way to that information; and Ensure that the PCBU has, and implements, processes for complying with any duty or obligation of the PCBU under the new Act; and Verify the provision and use of the resources and processes referred to in the above paragraphs.

Note that the above requirements are cumulative and concurrent – to comply, each Officer must meet each of the due diligence requirements. Note also that the new law will continue to be one of strict liability – that is, there is no need to prove any intentional failure to meet an obligation.

An Officer will have to prove that he or she met the “due diligence” obligations.

WorkSafe NZ has been very clear that “The officers’ duty is not the same as the PCBU duty. Officers do not have to ensure the health and safety of the PCBU’s workers. Rather, the officer must exercise due diligence to ensure that the PCBU is meeting its health and safety obligations. The due diligence duty complements and supports the primary duty of care of the PCBU – it does not replace it.”

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The Act also makes it clear that the extent of the due diligence duty takes into account the nature of the business or undertaking, the position of the officer and the nature of their responsibilities, and that Officers must only do what is within their ability to influence and control when managing risks.

What happens if an Officer doesn’t meet the obligations?

An Officer of a PCBU can be convicted of a failure to meet the due diligence requirements whether or not the PCBU has also been convicted of an offence. However, if an Officer hasn’t met his or her specific duty, chances are pretty good that the PCBU itself has also fallen down somewhere along the line. Consequently, a director of a business could be facing liability in respect of his or her Officers’ duties, as well as the business facing liability as a PCBU in relation to the same event.

There are three tiers of liability under the proposed legislation: Reckless conduct (where a duty-holder engages in conduct that exposes any individual to a risk of death or serious injury or illness, and is reckless as to that risk):

Failing to comply with duties and exposing individual to risk of death or serious illness or injury:

Failing to comply with any duty (including the due diligence requirements for Officers):

Individual but not a PCBU or Officer

Up to $300,000 Up to fine and/or $150,000 fine up to 5 years’ imprisonment

Up to $50,000 fine

Individual who is a PCBU or Officer

Up to $600,000 Up to fine and/or $300,000 fine up to 5 years’ imprisonment

Up to $100,000 fine

Body Corporate

Up to $3m fine

Up to $500,000 fine

HOW MUCH

SICK LEAVE? A common question that comes through to the Restaurant Association Help Line is around sick leave entitlements for part-time employees. How much sick leave does an employee who works just irregular part-time hours receive compared to your full-time employees?

T

he entitlement periods are set out in section 63 of the Holidays Act 2003.

Section 63 - Entitlement to sick leave and bereavement leave (1) An employee is entitled to sick leave and bereavement leave in accordance with this subpart—

(a) after the employee has completed 6 months' current continuous employment with the employer; or

(b) if, in the case of an employee to whom subsection (1)(a) does not apply, the employee has, over a period of 6 months, worked for the employer for—

(i) at least an average of 10 hours a week during

that period; and

(ii) no less than 1 hour in every week during that

period or no less than 40 hours in every month

during that period.

What can Officers do now?

If work is not continuous, then the employee would have to meet the test in s63(1)(b) – that is, that over a six month period, they had worked at least an average of 10 hours per week and no less than an hour a week, or 40 hours per month.

Trying to meet the due diligence requirements on the night before the legislation comes into force is doomed to failure.

Now is the time to review your current situation, and get health and safety matters in order. If you need help to understand the changing legal requirements, provide training or information to you or your business, or talk through whether your current arrangements are adequate, please get in touch.

For each employee who works casual hours, the employer will have to figure out whether they have, at any point, triggered the above requirements. If they do, then they get a full 5 days’ sick leave, as would a permanent employee working irregular part-time hours. They do not have to continue to meet that eligibility criteria, however, to get the next year’s entitlement, they will need to meet the eligibility criteria again.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Sick leave under the Holidays Act isn’t pro-rated according to the number of hours regularly worked – everyone gets five days. So, for example, if an employee worked three days per week, they get the same number of sick days as someone who works five days per week.

Of course if they are part-time, it is possible that a 'day' for them is much shorter than your full time employees - a typical 'day' could, as an example, be a three hour shift.

Up to $1.5m fine

Alison Maelzer provides advice in all aspects of employment law (both contentious and non-contentious), with a particular interest in health and safety, disciplinary and performance issues.

E: alison.maelzer@heskethhenry.co.nz T: + 64 9 375 7628 www.restaurantnz.co.nz

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BUSINESS INSIGHTS...

For many businesses the financial end of year is upon us.

While this can be a busy and potentially stressful time of year, it is also a good time to reassess your business and make some changes to set yourself on the right path for the next financial year. In this section we identify five different areas of your business - finance, technology, customer service, business structure and that all important work / life balance.

... don’t forget to support the businesses that support you & the Restaurant Association STRATEGIC PARTNERS...

MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS

MEMBERSHIP

BENEFITS for Restaurant Association members

WESTPAC Access specialist banking solutions and lower credit card commission rates (1.48% -1.62%) with Westpac.

If your monthly credit card turnover is $7000 (and assuming your current rate is 3%), on the 1.62% rate you will save $96 per month.

NOVA ENERGY Exclusive Restaurant Association member energy offers. Contact the membership team at the Restaurant Association to find out how Nova Energy can benefit your business.

Nova Energy - The Multi Energy Experts - Electricity - Natural Gas - LPG - Solar

KEY PARTNERS...

OFFICEMAX Your one-stop shop for stationery, technology, furniture, cleaning and hygiene products - and more.

Member discounts of up to 50% off OfficeMax’s already low, everyday prices. Open an account or identify yourself as an association member in store or online and take advantage of these discounts.

CROMBIE LOCKWOOD INSURANCE BROKERS The best value insurance you can have is insurance that works at claim time. Crombie Lockwood provides specialist restaurant, café and hospitality insurance solutions that are proven in the toughest situations. To see examples talk to your nearest Crombie Lockwood office.

SPARK BUSINESS COMMUNICATIONS SOLUTIONS Restaurant Association members can make significant savings with a customised package of Spark products and services. Contact the Restaurant Association to arrange your 30-minute business tech check.

EFTPOS NEW ZEALAND Access the best range of payments solutions for your business and exclusive discounts off terminal rental. This offer applies to the full range of Verifone terminals for both standalone and interfaced solutions.

Take advantage of the new Association member bonus deals and save up to the value of $1438.

ASSOCIATE+ PARTNERS...

If you want to talk further about an eftpos solution to suit your business needs, call 0800 EFTPOS.

Being a member of the Restaurant Association gives you access to a to savings on these essential services and supplies... and more.

Find out more at www.restaurantnz.co.nz or call us on 0800 737 827.

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PROTECTING YOUR

BUSINESS FROM FRAUD

Online scammers and fraudsters use all kinds of tricks to steal from businesses. By taking sensible precautions you and your business can avoid becoming victims. Last year, almost $800,000 was lost from small businesses that were the victims of cybercrime, according to NetSafe.

S

mall businesses reported 309 incidents so far this year, compared with 106 during the same period during 2014. Ahead of Fraud Awareness Week (15-21 November), here are some top tips to prevent being caught out by scammers.

1

CHECK

IT OUT

Don’t assume a company is based in New Zealand just because the website address ends .co.nz or .nz. Check to see if a company is registered in New Zealand on the Companies Office website.

Check that payment pages look secure. Look for a padlock symbol and make sure the website address begins with “https” (the “s” stands for secure).

2

FIND

OUT MORE

Type the company’s name into a search engine, followed by the word “scam”. If the company is fake, you may uncover stories from people who’ve been caught out by the same scam.

Always check out a trader’s contact details, especially if it’s just a mobile number or an email. Ring a landline if they provide one - and if you can’t get through or it goes to an overseas call centre, it may be a scam.

Get more advice about scams on the Consumer Affairs’ Scamwatch website.

3

STOP

• Don’t respond if you have any doubts that the company or product is fake.

• Don’t open suspicious or unsolicited emails or letters.

• Don’t click on any links in a spam email or open any files attached to them.

• Never reply to a spam email or letter.

• If you receive a call with an offer that sounds too good to be true, it probably is – so hang up.

• Call your bank immediately if you have sent your credit details or paid money to a suspicious trader.

4 REPORT

Report a scam and warn your friends and trading partners. Advice on how to report an incident is

business insights

available at The Orb website and on the Internal Affairs website.

Steps to lock down your systems and processes at work

Be aware of these five current threats to small businesses.

•

Email scams: Hackers intercept a business’ emails, and then send false invoices to clients, asking for payment to be made to an alternative bank account.

•

Ransomware: The infection of small business systems, impacting on business continuity and frequent need to pay a Bitcoin ransom due to poor or non-existent backups.

•

Spear phishing: Targeted emails requesting the payment/bank transfer of company funds to offshore accounts. This can involve the creation of almost duplicate domain names to increase the chance of success.

•

Invoice fraud: The sending of fake or dubious invoices to trick companies into renewing intellectual property registrations or enter online directories. The most significant this year has been the 'Corporate Portal' scam.

•

Funding scams: The NZ Funding Grants website has tricked many small firms into paying fees to find grants are non-existent. New Zealand Trade and Enterprise and the Commerce Commission have warned about this company. Check out business.govt.nz’s free information on government grants for small businesses.

Fraud Awareness Week, 15 – 21 November, is run by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment’s Consumer Affairs team.

Find out more on the Consumer Affairs website.

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YOUR NEW BUSINESS

Congratulations – we believe owning your own business is the best investment… providing the opportunity for independence, employment, security, profits, wealth creation, challenge, and personal growth.

BY CLYTH MACLEOD BEFORE TAKEOVER

AFTER TAKEOVER

•

Visit similar businesses – observe the service, menus, ambience, what they do well, and what they don’t. It’s called “research”, but it is enjoyable and can be fun. We can recommend worthwhile cafes and restaurants.

•

Talk to your accountant. Get set up with what books and records you need to keep, get bank accounts and insurance in place.

•

Join the Restaurant Association of NZ. They are an invaluable resource for industry information and operate a help line for legal issues as well as offering training seminars to boost your profits.

•

Learn the basics of coffee-making. See if your coffee supplier offers any barista training… you don’t want to be stuck when yours calls in sick. Good coffee is important.

•

#1 RULE!! – make no changes in the first 2 to 3 weeks (there may be a good reason they do it that way). Get to know the customers, the staff, and the suppliers.

•

The previous owner is there to train you, (not to work for you), to introduce you to customers and suppliers, pass on recipes, explain systems, and visit the warehouse with you. Be friendly.

•

Stay calm – everything will seem more difficult and take longer than you anticipate at first. You will settle in. It will all get easier.

•

Any problems… do not hesitate to call for help. Call us, or the Restaurant Association, or your accountant.

You are not alone.

•

Keep smiling - Confucius says “man with grumpy face should not run retail store.” We agree.

FOR EXPERIENCED FOOD OPERATORS MANAGEMENT CHOICE - CHRISTMAS OPPORTUNITIES

CAFÉ ALBANY LOCATION Trades 5 days only – prime location Brand new set up – seats 75 and Comes with a separate fully powered Kiosk also.

Needs a switched on person to make it pump. $250,000 plus stock LJH

EXCITING RETAIL SPACES Quite a few options abound here for new concepts. If you have an idea and would like a space to develop this then call us now for a selection of choices. LJH

EXCITING RESTAURANT KINGSLAND Fully licensed, spacious dining, ideal For Indian cuisine but would suit other $220,000 plus stock. LJH

CAFÉ SUBURBAN SPOT Seating for 60, under utilised. Ease of parking, indoor/outdoor seating. Suit caterer, gourmet foodie maybe? Urgent sale $99,000 plus stock. RW

“Merry Christmas from the Clyth MacLeod Team” Clyth MacLeod Ltd Business Sales

NEED HELP? Call us on 0800 737 827

info@clythbiz.co.nz I www.clythbiz.co.nz www.cafesrestaurantsforsale.co.nz I 09) 630 9491

THE THYMES JUNE 2015

29

GETTING READY FOR NEW FOOD SAFETY RULES With the Food Act 2014 coming into force in March next year, it’s time to find out what changes you’ll need to make and when.

R

estaurants with an alcohol licence will be among the first businesses to change over to the new rules, between 1st March 2016 and 30 June 2017.

The new law is designed to update and further strengthen New Zealand’s food safety system, to ensure that it meets the highest possible standards. It does that by moving away from a one-size-fits-all approach to one that recognises that businesses are different.

This means that people carrying out higher risk activities, like cooking meals, will have to meet the highest level of regulation to ensure their food is safe. This is because there are a number of risks that need to be managed when handling raw food or preparing meals. Others who carry out lower risk activities, like just serving tea and coffee, will have fewer requirements. Business owners will also get more flexibility to manage food safety themselves in a way that suits their business.

WHAT THIS MEANS FOR YOU Under the new rules, restaurants need a food control plan.

This involves identifying possible risks to food safety, and setting out a written plan to manage them. Templates for restaurants to do this will be available on the MPI website.

You’ll need to register your plan, have it checked, and show you’re following it. Those who show they are managing all their safety risks well will be checked less often.

If you’re planning to start a new business, you need to operate under the new law from 1st March 2016. Existing businesses have more time to make changes.

Restaurants with an on-licence need to follow the new rules by 30 June 2017. Restaurants without on-licences need to make changes between 1 July 2017 and 30 June 2018.

Some of you are already operating with a food control plan, having taken part in the Voluntary Implementation Programme, an initiative between MPI and local councils to introduce businesses to the plan.

If you are part of this programme, or have an existing food safety programme, then you’ll have until 28 February 2019 to transition to the new Act.

WHAT YOU SHOULD DO NOW

You can read more about food control plans, and what they involve, on the Ministry for Primary Industries website. MPI has also set up email alerts to enable people to find out when new resources or templates are available. You can sign up for Food Act 2014 updates at www.mpi.govt.nz/foodact.

If you don’t know how the new law applies to you, there is also a new online tool to help you find out. Visit the MPI website and use ‘Where Do I Fit?’.

If you don’t already have a food safety programme or food control plan in place – especially if you’re a restaurant with an on-licence - it’s a good idea to contact your local council now to find out when you need to make changes.

NEED HELP? Call us on 0800 737 827

THE THYMES NOVEMBER 2015

28

IDENTIFYING YOUR POINT OF DIFFERENCE If you want to succeed, you need a strategy. Management theory suggests that you either compete on price or differentiate yourself from the competitors. Price only counts for so much in the hospitality industry, so having a point of difference is a better strategy. How do you identify a way to differentiate?

BY SERENA IRVING, WILLIAM BUCK CHRISTMAS GOWLAND

L

isten to the requests made by would-be customers.

If you can’t accommodate them today, and you know no-one else can either, then maybe there is a point of difference that you can develop.

The point of difference needs to be: • • • •

Identifiable, easy to put into words Important to the customer Integrated into training and processes Worth talking about

I recently met Neville Green, a chef with 50 years experience and his wife Judy Green. Both are strong proponents of gluten-free baking. They used to own Meat in a Sandwich café in East Tamaki where glutenfree consistently outsold regular items, and are now active investors in the Gluten Free Store, an importer and wholesaler of certified gluten-free ingredients. Neville has been integral in developing their range of gluten-free premixes.

Identifiable For the Greens, including gluten-free products in their café was about “a safe haven for coeliacs, their families and their friends to eat”. It wasn’t just coeliacs, there were customers suffering food allergies, parents with autistic children and people who wanted to eat healthily with fewer additives. Word spread and customers came from beyond Maraetai to eat there.

Important to the Customer If you’re regularly meeting or exceeding a specific need of a customer, you’re building loyalty.

Providing a variety of gluten-free options was a great start. Thursday was the day for gluten-free savouries.

Mums would queue up for them and buy dozens at a time, so their coeliac children could eat a pie like their friends.

Integrated into Training and Processes Your point of difference needs to be integrated with everything you do: your strategy, your operations, your staff training, and your marketing. It takes just 6 minutes to turn frozen gluten-free par-baked rolls into hot rolls fresh from the oven.

To be truly gluten-free, you need to be strict with your processes and train new staff as they come on board.

Separate boards, utensils and work spaces are ideal.

Gluten-free ingredients are stored apart from wheat or at least above them, to avoid crumbs contaminating them. At night, the kitchen is scrupulously wiped down and again in the morning. Then the gluten-free products are prepared before the wheat products. Gluten-free products are individually wrapped before putting in the display cabinet.

Worth Talking About A friendly sign is placed in the window. Advertising is placed where gluten-free consumers will see it. These days, it would just need a favourable word on a GF Facebook group or other social media to attract likeminded customers.

Does your business have a point of difference that is identifiable, important, integrated and worth talking about? How do you make sure that you stand out from your competitors? If you are meeting or exceeding the expectations of your customers, then price is a lesser consideration.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Serena Irving is an associate at chartered accounting firm William Buck Christmas Gouwland Ltd and an associate member of the Restaurant Association.

Her passion for food service was developed at an early age, learning to bake scones and scoop ice-creams at St Thomas’s Dairy when she was six.

T: 09-366-5077 / 021-463-086 E: serena.irving@wbcg.co.nz LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/serenairving

THE THYMES NOVEMBER 2015

29

FEATURED PRODUCT

JOB

DESCRIPTION

handbook

PIN INSTEAD OF SIGN SAYS VISA Visa has replaced signature with PIN in New Zealand to strengthen payment security. Consequently, nearly all Visa cardholders in New Zealand are now using PIN instead of signature at most merchants, except for restaurants and cafes which were granted an extra year to upgrade their terminals and prepare for the change.

S The Restaurant Association have developed a Model Job Descriptions handbook which provides a resource for creating position descriptions to help businesses hire the most qualified applicants.

Job descriptions are intended to help an employer determine whether a person is qualified to perform a job.

This handbook provides 24 generic position descriptions, which can be customised to reflect the specific tasks and responsibilities of your employees.

ince the beginning of November, however, signatures have begun to be replaced with PIN to authorise Visa payments at the point-of-sale in the restaurant and café sector.

This only relates to Visa.

The move to PIN is aimed at reducing lost and stolen card fraud.

It takes better advantage of EMV or the ‘chip technology’ on Visa cards, which is the international standard that provides the greatest security for electronic payments today.

The move to PIN is another step led

by Visa to increase the security of New Zealand’s payments system.

People visiting New Zealand with overseas-issued Visa cards will still be able to sign.

If you are concerned about whether your business eftpos machine will have the functionality to cope with this move, please feel free to contact the Restaurant Association on 0800 737 827 to discuss.

Our preferred partner for eftpos solutions, EFTPOS New Zealand, has a range of terminals available which are compatible with these changes and designed to meet the needs of hospitality businesses.

There will be some exceptions. The move to PIN only applies to New Zealand-issued Visa cards.

We have identified the attributes, experience and competencies that could be associated with the positions.

ORDER NOW… The Restaurant Association’s Model Job Descriptions handbook is available for just $12.27 (incl of GST & P&P).

Order online @ www.restaurantnz.co.nz or call 0800 737 827.

business insights

THE THYMES SEPTEMBER 2015

31

RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION EFTPOS NEW ZEALAND

A WINNING PARTNERSHIP EFTPOS New Zealand has partnered with the Restaurant Association of New Zealand to bring you the best range of payments solutions. As we’re the largest and most experienced eftpos provider in New Zealand, we are proud to provide an exclusive offer to Restaurant Association members of 20% OFF terminal rental.

EFTPOS New Zealand can offer Restaurant Association members future proofed technology that meets your specific hospitality industry requirements, offering features such as Reliability, Faster Transactions, Tap and Go, Mobile Payments, and POS integration with more than 40 vendors.

20% OFF

ntal *

nal re Ter mi

TALK TO US TODAY! If you want to talk more about an eftpos solution to suit your business needs, call 0800 EFTPOS and ask for the Restaurant Association Offer. * Terms and conditions apply. 20% off discount applies to new EFTPOS NZ customers only signing a 36 month contract. * Best Price Guarantee - If you find a cheaper advertised price or have a written quote for the same (or similar) terminal on an equivalent contract term, we guarantee to beat it when you sign-up with us.

OUR PROMISE TO YOU BEST PRICE, WIDEST CHOICE AND ROUND‑THE‑CLOCK SUPPORT That’s why we’re New Zealand’s first choice for everything eftpos. Our 24/7 technical support team and customer service teams are industry experts and are always ready to assist you.

WE RESPOND QUICKLY TO INDUSTRY AND CUSTOMER REQUIREMENTS Our large in-house development team gets new solutions to the market first. We offer a wide range of eftpos terminals and connectivity options.

OUR SOLUTIONS ARE DESIGNED TO KEEP OUR CUSTOMERS’ PAYMENTS FLOWING SMOOTHLY We are easy to do business with, providing quick and efficient set-up, and simple and convenient on-going management of your solution.

OUR PRODUCTS MEET THE LATEST SECURITY STANDARDS You’ll have no compliance worries. What’s more, we are committed to meeting future requirements in a hassle free manner.

EFTPOS New Zealand Limited is a Verifone Company

0800 EFTPOS

www.eftpos.co.nz

MUSIC WORKING WITH

CLASSIC KIWI HOSPITALITY

Columbus Coffee are taking New Zealand coffee lovers on a journey of discovery. Back in 1994 four forward thinking New Zealand coffee and tea aficionados had a burning desire to lead people and communities to discover and share a new kind of coffee experience. In staying true to the vision, music has been intrinsic in creating a truly holistic sensory experience for the loyal Columbus café customer.

W

ith the launch of this new type café experience, Columbus Coffee set new standards and started the conversation about premium coffee and the true café experience. The journey continues uninterrupted, the focus remains the same.

The Columbus experience for the coffee lover has evolved over two decades. Today there are over 60 cafés throughout New Zealand, each locally owned and operated. They are the social heart of many communities, bringing family, friends and neighbours together by providing world class fresh coffee and delicious freshly prepared food from Columbus kitchens, décor that says ‘stay as long as you wish’ and music that enhances but does not dominate the ambience.

It has become a shared experience for family and friends to stay connected through coffee, food and music, three key elements in creating a rewarding and memorable social occasion.

And through this growth the focus remains constant, bringing freshness and premium new experiences to the table at Columbus cafes throughout New Zealand.

We encourage you to discover the local faces and fresh tastes in each Columbus Coffee café and hope each and every visit leaves you feeling welcomed, refreshed and inspired to return.

To learn more about OneMusic and the Hospitality Licence for restaurants, bars, pubs, clubs and cafes, please visit www. onemusicnz.com or call the licensing team on 0800 800 663. www/facebook.com/ColumbusCoffee

THE THYMES NOVEMBER 2015

32

EVENTS

PROGRAMME

WHAT’S ON 01

NOVEMBER

06

07

-8 Taste of Auckland, Western Springs, Auckland

www.dineaid.org.nz

www.tasteofauckland.co.nz

Restaurant Association professional development, Emerging Managers, presented by Krishna Botica

-13 FHC China, Shanghai China

www.restaurantnz.co.nz

www.fhcchina.com

07

Dunedin Craft Beer and Food Festival, Dunedin

-14 New Zealand Cup & Show Week, Christchurch

www.fawc.co.nz

www.dunedinbeerfest.co.nz

www.nzcupandshow.co.nz

-15 Taste of Melbourne, Albert Park, Melbourne

Canterbury Anniversary Day (regional public holiday)

13

www.tasteofmelbourne.com.au

30

05

- end of December DineAid fundraising campaign

-15 F.A.W.C. Food & Wine Classic, Hawke’s Bay

12

november & december

09

15

11 16

Toast Martinborough

Restaurant Association professional development, Wine101, presented by Margaret Main

www.toastmartinborough.co.nz

Restaurant Association Masterclass presented

by Little & Friday @ taste, 45 Normanby Road, Mt Eden

Restaurant Association Hawke’s Bay Branch MeetMe @ Clearview Estate

20

www.restaurantnz.co.nz

-22 Margaret River Gourmet Escape, Australia

Restaurant Association Auckland Branch MeetMe @ Goodman Fielder

www.restaurantnz.co.nz

www.restaurantnz.co.nz

www.gourmetescape.com.au

www.restaurantnz.co.nz

16

18

30

Whitebait season ends

Westland Anniversary Day (regional public holiday)

15

26

Boxing Day (public holiday) ~ observed 26th or 28th December

School finishes (secondary schools)

28

-3 Jan Taste of Tasmania Festival, Hobart

07

NZ Cafe of the Year supreme winner announced

DECEMBER

16

Cherry and raspberry season begins!

23

18

School finishes (primary and intermediate schools)

31

New Years Eve

www.nzcafeoftheyear.co.nz

25

Christmas Day (public holiday)

2016

www.tasteoftasmania.com.au

events ~ international and national

THE THYMES NOVEMBER 2015

34

Christmas with

Restaurant Association of NZ presents Masterclass by Little & Friday director Kim Evans Monday 16th (sold out) & Tuesday 17th November taste. 45 Normanby Road, Mt Eden

Tickets to this event are $70. This includes canapes on arrival, an expert tutorial of two dishes along with tastings of the dishes, wine and beer, recipes and a Christmas gift.

It will be held at taste. 45 Normanby Road, Mt Eden on Monday 16th November from 6pm-8pm.

To book please RSVP to bookings@restaurantnz.co.nz or call (09) 632 1404. supported by

AUCKLAND BRANCH

BAY OF PLENTY BRANCH

PRESIDENT: Krishna Botica

PRESIDENT: Andrew Targett

UPCOMING EVENT Branch MeetMe 23 November @ Goodman Fielder

WAIKATO BRANCH PRESIDENT: Adrian Hodgson

ROTORUA BRANCH

HAWKES BAY BRANCH

PRESIDENT: Sharon Wallace

PRESIDENT: Sean Burns

UPCOMING EVENT Branch MeetMe 18 November @ Clearview Estate

TARANAKI BRANCH PRESIDENT: Barbara Olsen-Henderson

MANAWATU BRANCH PRESIDENT: Sean Kereama

REGIONAL UPDATES NELSON BRANCH PRESIDENT: Harry Morris

UPCOMING EVENT Annual Hospitality Golf Day DECEMBER

WELLINGTON BRANCH NATIONAL PRESIDENT: Mike Egan NATIONAL VICE PRESIDENT: Steve Logan

CANTERBURY BRANCH PRESIDENT: Sam Crofskey

DUNEDIN BRANCH PRESIDENT: Olive Tabor VICE-PRESIDENT: Helen Wright

SOUTHERN LAKES BRANCH PRESIDENT: Grant Hattaway VICE-PRESIDENT: Cam Mitchell

WELCOME

We would like to welcome the following new members of the restaurant association who have recently joined us.

congratulations...

You have joined the only organisation that exclusively assists you to safeguard the viability of your café, restaurant, or hospitality business. We will help guide you through the regulatory minefield that exists in today’s business environment.

You have joined 1850 of New Zealand’s most dynamic and profitable hospitality businesses.

Cucina 1871

burger liquor woodsid e

greenkeeper cafe

Bikanervala Henderson, Auckland

Makana Chocolate Cafe, Kerikeri

Bravo Restaurant & Café, Tauranga

Melba Manukau, Auckland

Burger Liquor, Wellington

MightyGem, Wellington

Carmen Jones, Auckland

Millennium Hotels & Resorts Ltd, Auckland

Castle Rock Café, Coromandel

Morsel Ltd, Auckland

Columbus Coffee Hamilton Mega, Hamilton

N&A Hospo World Ltd

Columbus Coffee Queensgate, Wellington

Oporto Albany Ltd, Auckland

Conscious Consumers, Wellington

Orphans Kitchen, Auckland

Cucina 1871 Ltd, Oamaru

Premiere Catering, Hamilton

Diablo Restaurant and Bar, Kerikeri

Saattveek, Auckland

Dixie Browns Devonport, Auckland

Sakura Japanese Cuisine, Christchurch

Dixie Browns, Mt Maunganui

Shore Road Café, Auckland

Dixie Browns, Taupo

Soprano Caffe, Lower Hutt

GoneBurger New Zealand Ltd

Taste Buds, Palmerston North

Greenkeeper Café, Auckland

The Coffee Club Broadway, Auckland

Jo's Home Cookery, Dargaville

The Coffee Hub, Auckland

Komida, Napier

The Hospitality Company, Christchurch

Kreem Cafe Manukau, Auckland

The Sushi Shop, Mosgiel

Kreem Franchising H/O, Auckland

Woodside Estate Ltd, Hamilton

Little and Friday Ponsonby, Auckland

Yoghurt Story Hornby, Christchurch

estate

Little Yummy Restaurant, Rangiora

new members

THE THYMES NOVEMBER 2015

37

Don't miss our branch MeetMe on 18th November @ Clearview Estate. We'll be talking about our plans for the Awards and much more...

NEWS FROM THE BAY

hawke’s bay

NEWS

b.o.p.

S

ummer looks like it will be great - local house prices are up 20% so far this year and the Summer cruise numbers are very strong, which is a good sign.

OPENINGS & CHANGES

The Wharf St dining precinct was launched at the middle of Winter and has had mixed feedback. The precinct opened as a "shared space" for pedestrians and traffic, with traffic access reduced to a narrower, one-way route to The Strand.

Unfortunately not all of the revamp has gone to plan with the overhead lantern lighting falling down soon after it was installed.

UPCOMING EVENTS

LITTLE LONG CAFE

Little Long Cafe has recently opened on Spring Street Tauranga - a very cool cafe.

Another recently new opening, NZ Farm Shop in Papamoa has a nice concept. The owners are farmers and the focus is on showing customers where the food comes from - from the farm to their plate. There is a retail shop as well as a cafe.

The Drawing Room has also changed hands.

Jack and Nancy Hogg have returned to Bravo.

regional update

The Gourmet Night Market at the Mount's Coronation Park have extended their season and will be running for 4 months this season (December - March).

The region will have an international cricket match at the Mount Oval again in January 2016 when the Black Caps play Sri Lanka. This should be good for local businesses.

The Tauranga Arts Festival was also held recently. This is a good event for Tauranga restaurants as it bring people into the CBD. Please let me know if you need help on anything. We can organise a local Branch meeting around topical issues.

ANDREW TARGETT

Bay of Plenty Branch President Elizabeth Cafe & Larder andrew@elizabethcafe.co.nz

T

he Hawke’s Bay hospitality awards will get national support, thanks to the Restaurant Association of New Zealand.

The Awards will live on to celebrate excellence among the region’s food and beverage merchants. We have agreed to take over the awards from Food Hawke’s Bay, which is winding up its operations. We have their full backing.

The awards are an important ingredient for the Hawke's Bay region which is recognised globally for its distinction in wine and food. It’s imperative the hospitality industry recognises its champions as it provides not only a peer benchmark for excellence but also serves to give consumers valuable guidelines as to how well we are doing.

While it is early days we hope that the Restaurant Association’s support and backing will bring new possibilities for the awards. We certainly plan to build on what has been achieved in a positive way.

The Association currently runs a number of hospitality awards around the country. That means we bring experience and deep understanding of the challenges our industry faces and the need to highlight the industry’s success.

The 2016 Hawke’s Bay Hospitality Awards are planned for May. We will be back in touch soon about the 2016 event, however in the meantime if you have any queries please contact the Association on 0800 737 827.

THE THYMES NOVEMBER 2015

38

TALES FROM

taranaki

A

sunny Spring in Taranaki hopefully heralds a sunny Summer for cafes and restaurants.

We had a surprisingly fine Labour Weekend (surprising because although rain was forecast we had warm dry weather), with the Rugby World Cup games putting everybody in a jolly mood. I noted on my way to work at 5.30am on Sunday that the local pub was full, and later in the day, one of our customers said he hadn’t realised that he would have to book a table at 4am for a seat at Crowded House to watch the All Blacks play! My husband texted me the happy result, so I knew we’d have plenty of slightly tired, but beaming fans in for breakfast and be well prepped for it. Happy people do spend better I find.

I haven’t heard anything on the opening/closing front, and in fact there’s not a lot of hospo news that I’m aware of here. The low dairy payout, along with poor oil and gas returns continues to make it’s effect felt here.

Just a few months back, the local council created a furore when it proposed to increase parking fees in the CBD by charging for evening parking. Ultimately the proposal never got any further than the table after retailers – particularly those in the hospitality businesses - reacted in a very negative fashion to the news.

Now the council has had a complete about-face in the light of ‘a depressed business environment’ and is about to remove parking fees on Saturdays, in an effort to help the retailers. This is most welcome news for everyone and I applaud their actions.

regional update

BACH ON BREA KWATER

I am currently in consultation with the local Port Authority, from whom I lease the land our restaurant, Bach on Breakwater, is built on, and I was able to use the forward thinking NPDC example in a fight of my own.

The Port are currently putting parking ticket metres in the huge car park that the Bach is built on, in an effort to limit parking there and ease congestion on fishing competition days. As well as implementing charging parking fees 24/7 (it has always been a free car park), they’ve unfortunately taken things a step too far in our opinion, by additionally proposing to fine any person parking a car in parks designated as boat trailer parks, leaving just pockets of parking for cars, making around 32 spaces in all.

Basically 80% of the parking area will be illegal for both the general public and our customers to park on! And this huge car park area is empty of fishermen and their boat trailers for most of the year! There are only 10 days of fishing competitions each year, the rest of the time it’s used by the general public enjoying the beach, and of course by our customers. Never used to capacity.

As you can imagine I have spat the dummy (in a manner which will not get me into any kind of trouble you understand) and I have reminded them of their obligations set out in the District Plan appendix 23, regarding car parking for restaurants and cafes in open spaces.

Under this regulation, “1 park per 5 seats inside (not including toilet seats and lounge chairs in the chiller!), plus 6 parks per 100sqm of outdoor area; or 12 parks per 100sqm of indoor seating area plus 6 parks per 100sqm of outdoor area – whichever is the greatest”.

In our case, seating 128 inside plus an extra 30 outside on the 73sqm deck, our requirements are for 31.02 carparks! Parks that will not be available to us with the Ports’ new plans.

So after our meeting recently where I presented our concerns, the councils’ requirements and some proposed solutions, they’re now reconsidering.

And this is at the last minute I might add – these parking restrictions are due to begin December 1st.

I’ve had numerous meetings with various people in the past 12 months – all to no avail. Those plans to make the parking illegal would mean the end of our business. No car parks, no restaurant! I wish I’d thought of ‘District Plan appendix 12’ earlier, it might have saved me some sleepless nights. I’m waiting to hear back from them.

BARBARA OLSEN-HENDERSON

Taranaki Branch President Bach on Breakwater barbara_olsen@xtra.co.nz THE THYMES NOVEMBER 2015

39

NEWS FROM deep south

southern FROM THE CAPITAL

hot plate coming through

T

he Positively Wellington website does a great job of promoting local businesses and some featured recently in their October promotion...

LABOURS OF LOVE - Here’s a few locals making their dreams a reality in Wellington.

Matt Kristofski, Matt Warner & Matt Stevens - ParrotDog

Like many kiwi blokes, Matt Kristofski and Matt Warner enjoy a good beer, so naturally, while they were studying towards marketing and law degrees at university, they decided to dabble in a bit of home brewing in their dingy Wellington flat.

Much to their surprise they managed to produce a ‘fairly drinkable beverage’, and so they thought they’d take a punt at launching it commercially in time for Beervana in 2011. Their first commercial beer, BitterBitch, became an instant hit, and picked up the Peoples Choice Award at the festival.

Soon the Matts were trading in their text books for tanks, and brewing full time as ParrotDog. Their friend Matt Stevens saw how much fun they were having so decided to join the growing empire.

Four years later ParrotDog has become one of Wellington’s leading craft beer brands, producing up to 350,000 litres of beer a year. They've also racked up national and international awards, including recently being named the champion small international brewery at the Australian International Brewing Awards, and picking up the trophy for the best low-alcohol beer.

regional update

Graham Joe - Gelissimo Gelato

Graham Joe loves ice cream. So much so he’s made it his business. He’s the owner of Gelissimo Gelato, an awardwinning gelateria on Wellington’s waterfront.

Before turning his hand to gelato, Graham worked in IT. After two decades in the industry, Graham decided he was ready for a change.

He got a job running Wellington’s Harbourside Market for a year, and it was here that Graham really discovered his passion for food. So, in 2010 he bought Gelissimo and set about turning it into a successful business.

In 2011, Gelissimo won gold and silver medals for their first ever entries into the NZ Ice Cream Awards, and the awards have kept coming. So why gelato? “It's the best industry to be in”, raves Graham. "It’s so happy and creative."

Lucas Putnam - La Boca Loca

Originally hailing from California, Lucas Putnam grew up eating Mexican food.

In 2001, his profession as a film editor brought Lucas to Wellington to work at Weta Digital on The Lord of the Rings Trilogy. Throughout his time at Weta, Lucas never forgot his passion for quality Mexican cuisine.

Fourteen years and several films later, Lucas has realised his dream of bringing the flavours of his childhood to his adopted home. Together with his wife, he now owns and runs La Boca Loca, a colourful Mexican restaurant in the Wellington suburb of Miramar.

lakes

T

here's not too much to report in the way of openings/closings but there are rumours of a few that are about to happen.

Everything is gearing up for a huge Summer. After a record one last year, the dollar has weakened 15 per cent against the major currencies.

Tourism bookings and numbers are strong and looking stronger this Summer, most operators have reported a busier than normal “shoulder season”, with Winter now connecting into Summer with very little downtime.

Unlike some other areas of the country where everyone leaves for annual holidays the Southern Lakes region gears up to deal with 100,000+ guests per day, so preparing for the tsunami takes most of our time.

Managed to squeeze in a week in Fiji, which was great!

Five Mile is finally open for business, with Countdown, Briscoes and Rebel Sport as anchor tenants.

The region is experiencing major challenges in keeping wage costs under control due to the rapidly increasing rents for employees, along with securing skilled and engaged staff.

From the Southern Lakes Region may everyone have a healthy and prosperous festive season, and a fantastic 2016!

GRANT HATTAWAY

Southern Lakes Branch President Pier 19, Captains Restaurant & Blue Kanu grant@hhgroup.co.nz

Check out the full story at www.wellingtonnz.com.

THE THYMES NOVEMBER 2015

40

CALL US ON 0800 737 827

WHAT DO THEY GET?

An introduction to: •• Hospitality •• Customer service •• Food safety training •• Barista training •• Food preparation •• Beverage service

WHAT WILL WE PROVIDE? Targeted services: A recruitment service Matched candidates Work ready graduates Ongoing support Frequent contact Mentoring

• • • • • •

Let us help you find the right staff!

Do you need work-ready staff who are keen to learn?

Do you struggle finding them?

A ProStart recruit could be for you!

The ProStart programme has introduced our students to the basics of hospitality.

They graduate with a great attitude, basic skills and a desire for a career in hospitality.

CALL US TODAY ON 0800 737 827 or email bookings@restaurantnz.co.nz

mainly of interest to

AUCKLAND

THE CULPEPER

RENOVATIONS...

Euro Restaurant recently closed for a number of months for a major renovation that has seen the site split into three. Along with the new-look Euro, cocktail and whiskey bar Coley & Punch has opened, along with bar and eatery, The Culpeper.

Bellini Bar in the Hilton has also undergone a renovation, with a modern new look making the most of one of it’s best features - the view.

Meanwhile, further around the Viaduct Harbour… The Foodstore has also had a rebrand and reopened recently as Oyster & Chop. As the name indicates, the renovated eatery specialises in... oysters and also the meat department.

The restaurant is separated into two parts with the oyster bar menu promising no less than four varieties available at one time. The restaurant is owned and run by the same team, minus former Executive Chef, Mark Southon, who has moved on to lead the kitchen team at O’Connell St Bistro. Now in charge of the kitchen is Darren Lim and Bob Lun who were both previously with the Nourish Group.

Mark Southon is also involved in the Bombay Sapphire pop up “Project Botanicals” which is taking over Stanley Street site James for a two week period (11-22 November). Project Botanicals is a bar and dining pop up which first ran in Melbourne. The New Zealand version is helmed by Bombay Sapphire Ambassador, Chase Bickerton who has chosen five bartenders to assist him with a menu of cocktails matched with tapas style food pairings devised by Southon. The strictly limited season of the pop up means there are just 20 sittings, ticket only.

COLEY & PUNCH

OYSTER & CHOP

EXPANDING EMPIRES...

The team from Cafe Hanoi and XuXu Dumpling Bar (Krishna Botica, Tony McGeorge and Jason van Dorsten) have opened Saan on Ponsonby Road, which promises to offer authentic Northern and North Eastern Thai cuisine, Heading the kitchen is Wichian Trirattanavatin, who was born, raised and trained in Thailand. Focusing on Lanna (Northern) and Isaan (North Eastern) cuisine, the menu showcases traditional dishes from the Trirattanavatin family - recipes which have been passed down from generation to generation, a concept known as ‘Sueb Saan’.

Another group that is growing is the Mouthful Group, who have recently opened new Fort Street restaurant, Beirut. Mouthful also own Orleans and Mexico. The new restaurant focuses on Middle Eastern cuisine, with Executive Chef, Javier Carmona, saying that they are going for “polished cuisine with the foundations of authentic and fringe Middle Eastern ingredients.”

SAAN

Oliver Driver and partner Ella Mizrahi have opened a second bar, George, which sits right alongside their first site, Harry, on Ponsonby Road. George has a focus on craft beer, tequila, rum and an 'eclectic schedule of well-known and emerging bands'. auckland members

BEIRUT

mainly of interest to

WHAT'S ON AKL.

And in the City Works Depot area, Weirdough & Tuck has opened on the Scratch Bakers site. Run by the same team behind the Scratch/Three Beans coffee, cafe and wholesale bakery empire and led

by Executive Chef Jonny McKessar and Chef Steve Vanderput, the mainly daytime eatery offers a full cafe menu.

NOVEMBER

AUCKLAND

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- end December DIneAid fundraising campaign www.dineaid.org.nz

WEIRDOUGH &

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TUCK

Another City Works resident, Brothers Beer, have opened Juke Joint in Mt Eden. This new venture is housed in a huge ex-leather factory situated on Akiraho St. It is about five times the size, with a grassy courtyard, outdoor seating area, and a much larger high tech brewery.

Owners Anthony Browne, JUKE JOINT Andrew Larsen and Nick Anderson-Gee, spent a few weeks travelling around Texas and the southern states with their chef, Sara Simpson, eating five times a day, returning with a NZ$50,000 smoker to recreate some of the dishes they tried. At Juke Joint you can sample barbecued, smoked and slow-cooked meats with Deep Southinspired sides, which you pick up from a school dinner-style counter.

Meanwhile, Bluebells Cakery have BLUEBELLS CAKERY opened their second operation in Eden Terrace, just off Newton Road. Offering more room then their Hillsborough shop, the new site provides space to sit down and indulge in the sweet offerings available. It will become their flagship cafe and kitchen with all catering and cake orders made from the Eden Terrace site.

Vietnamese eatery, Sen has also opened recently in the historic Normanby Road site that used to be CAC. In the Central City area, daytime eatery, Elk, has arrived in Graham Street and new daytime eatery, Cali, has replaced Macs Brew Bar on Nuffield Street.

Restaurant Association professional development, Established Managers, presented by Krishna Botica

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www.restaurantnz.co.nz

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Restaurant Association professional development, Wine101, presented by Margaret Main

NZ Cafe of the Year regional finalists announced

www.restaurantnz.co.nz

www.nzcafeoftheyear.co.nz

Restaurant Association Masterclass presented

by Kim Evans from Little & Friday

Restaurant Association Auckland Branch MeetMe @ Goodman Fielder

www.restaurantnz.co.nz

www.restaurantnz.co.nz

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DECEMBER

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NZ Cafe of the Year supreme winner announced

www.nzcafeoftheyear.co.nz

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-18 School's Out!

The Restaurant Association was formed in 1975 with the aim of serving and representing owners and manger of foodservice operations. It represents 1,850 members throughout New Zealand who employ 13,000 full and part-time employees. This is an industry that has an annual turnover of more than $8 billion, that employs over 100,000 workers, that is each week visited by more than a million hospitality customers. This makes it a cornerstone of New Zealand’s economy.

STARLINE... for whatever you’re washing

CHIEF EXECUTIVE: Marisa Bidois NATIONAL PRESIDENT: Mike Egan (Monsoon Poon, Auckland & Wellington; Boulcott St Bistro, Osteria Del Toro, Burger Liquor, Wellington) VICE PRESIDENTS: Bart Littlejohn (Sails Restaurant, Auckland) Steve Logan (Logan Brown, Grill Meats Beer, Wellington) BRANCH PRESIDENTS: Auckland: Krishna Botica (Café Hanoi, XuXu, Saan, Auckland) Bay of Plenty: Andrew Targett (Elizabeth Café & Larder, Tauranga) Canterbury: Sam Crofskey (C1Espresso, Christchurch) Dunedin: Olive Tabor (Nova, Dunedin) Hawkes Bay: Sean Burns (Milk and Honey, Napier) Manawatu/Wanganui: Sean Kereama (Wharerata Function Centre, Palmerston North) Marlborough: Watch this space!

Nelson: Howard Morris (Harry’s Bar, Nelson) Rotorua: Sharon Wallace (Waiariki Institute of Technology, Rotorua) Southern Lakes: Grant Hattaway (Pier 19; Captains Table Restaurant, Blue Kanu, Queenstown) Taranaki: Barbara Olsen-Henderson (Bach on Breakwater, New Plymouth) Waikato: Adrian Hodgson (The District, Hamilton) Wellington: Michael Egan (Monsoon Poon, Auckland and Wellington; Boulcott St Bistro, Osteria Del Toro, Burger Liquor, Wellington) RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION OF NEW ZEALAND KEY OBJECTIVES

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Protect, promote and advance the interests and rights of its members Promote industry quality, reputation and excellence Provide relevant value added services to members As an organisation achieve best practice stewardship within the business Association sector

info@washtech.co.nz 0800 STARLINE www.starline.co.nz