Restaurant Association Newsletter, The Thymes (November 2016)

MAY 2015 NOVEMBER 2016

PHOTOS: HOMESTEAD, AUCKLAND

www.restaurantnz.co.nz

06

HOW TO CONNECT WITH THE NEW POWER CONSUMER

from the ceo's desk are you using the 08 right agreement?

Different types of employment require different employment agreements. Unfortunately, the types are sometimes misunderstood and the wrong type of employment agreement used – this can lead to all sorts of trouble down the track! We've got an overview to set the record straight.

christmas checklist

10

We've got lots of tips to help you with your preparations in the lead up to Christmas ~ from calculating public holiday payments, to closedowns, managing sick leave, marketing tips and more...

20 kitchen kpi's

CONFIDENTIAL - MEMBERS ONLY

In his two outstanding presentations at the Hospitality Summit recently keynote speaker, Chris Lucas, spoke a lot about the “power consumer”.

This consumer is young, they are prepared to spend their money and eat out often. They are bored by traditional brands and are looking for something cooler...essentially the new power consumers are millennials.

W

e’ve had lots of discussion over recent years about millennials in the workplace (as employees), but not so much discussion about millennials as customers. According to Chris, millennial customers are highly influential over older generations,and are trendsetters across all industries, from fashion to food, making them a force to be reckoned with. Hospitality business owners need to learn what pushes these customers buttons and cater experiences that attract them to your business - bearing in mind that traditional advertising methods will be ineffective in capturing their attention.

Millennials want something new, they want it more often and there are profound implications for those that fail to recognise their worth. CONTINUED...

Fewer fees.

That feeling of ease.

It’s time to talk to us today about our Restaurant Association member deals.

0800 177 677 member.info@westpac.co.nz

Westpac New Zealand Limited

HOW TO CONNECT WITH THE NEW POWER CONSUMER CONTINUED

We share with you the top 10 findings from a recent study produced by American company Elite Daily on the millennial consumer:

1

. THEY AREN’T INFLUENCED AT ALL BY ADVERTISING

Only 1% of millennials surveyed said that a compelling advertisement would make them trust a brand more.

Millennials believe that advertising is all spin and not authentic. That’s why they will avoid banner advertisements on Facebook and various news websites.

2

. THEY WOULD RATHER BUY A CAR AND LEASE A HOUSE

71% of millennials would rather buy than rent a car, whereas 59% would rather rent a house than buy one.

61% admit that they can’t afford a house. The economy has had a major impact on millennials, many of whom still live with their parents, have crushing student loan debt and are underemployed. Since they are getting married, having children and getting decent paying jobs later in life, they are putting off owning a home. A car is cheaper and they need one to get around even if they’re still in their parents' basement.

3

. THEY REVIEW BLOGS BEFORE MAKING A PURCHASE

33% of millennials rely mostly on blogs before they make a purchase, compared to fewer than 3% for TV news, magazines and books. Older generations rely more on traditional media, whereas millennials look to social media for an authentic look at what’s going on in the world, especially content written by their peers, whom they trust.

4

. THEY VALUE AUTHENTICITY AS MORE IMPORTANT THAN CONTENT

43% of millennials rank authenticity over content when consuming news. They first have to trust a company or news site before they even bother reading the content that they produce. Blogs are meant to be authentic and many of them are run by a single individual. Millennials connect best with people over logos.

5

. THEIR FUTURE INHERITANCE WON’T CHANGE THEIR BUYING BEHAVIOUR

Despite the billions of dollars of inheritance that it is predicted will transfer from Baby Boomers to millennials in the upcoming years, 57% said that the money won’t change their spending habits. This is surprising because most people would think that this money exchange would make millennials spend even more, yet the surveys findings report that it won’t have an impact.

6

. THEY WANT TO ENGAGE WITH BRANDS ON SOCIAL NETWORKS.

62% of millennials say that if a brand engages with them on social networks, they are more likely to become a loyal customer. They expect brands to not only be on social networks, but to engage them. This obviously takes more labour from companies to be able to maintain social networking feeds, but it’s worth it if you want to reach millennials.

7

. THEY WANT TO CO-CREATE PRODUCTS WITH COMPANIES

42% said they are interested in helping companies develop future products and services. In our society, companies usually create products and hope that their target market will consume them. When it comes to millennials, they want to be more involved with how products get created. Companies that enable them to be part of the product development process will be more successful.

8

. THEY ARE USING MULTIPLE TECH DEVICES

87% of millennials use between two and three tech devices at least once on a daily basis. 39% are either very or completely likely to purchase a tablet computer in the next five years. When there’s new technology available, you can bet that millennials will be all over it!

In order to keep your brand relevant, and appealing to millennials, you need to be able to engage them on new platforms as they are released.

9

. THEY ARE BRAND LOYAL

60% said that they are often or always loyal to brands that they currently purchase. The sooner you build a relationship and deep connection with millennials, the better because they will continue to purchase from you as an adult.

10

. THEY EXPECT BRANDS TO GIVE BACK TO SOCIETY

75% said that it’s either fairly or very important that a company gives back to society instead of just making a profit. They are sick and tired of corporate greed and are still recovering in the aftermath of the financial crisis.

Millennials love brands that support their local communities and would rather purchase from them than competitors.

Check out Mike Egan's column on the following page, and our Feast / Hospitality Summit wrap up on page 24 for more key insights from the Summit. need help? call us on 0800 73

THE THYMES NOVEMBER 2016

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PRESIDENT'S VIEWPOINT MANY PROFESSIONS HAVE A REQUIREMENT FOR REGULAR CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN ORDER TO RETAIN AN INDUSTRY REGISTRATION. WHILE WE DON’T HAVE THIS OBLIGATION IT DOES NOT MEAN WE SHOULD IGNORE ENHANCING OUR EXPERTISE AND COMPETENCE. MANY MEMBERS ARE OWNER OPERATORS AND HAVE TO SELFMOTIVATE BUT WITH THE DAY TO DAY PRESSURE OF RUNNING A BUSINESS IT’S HARD TO FIND THE TIME.

H

owever we need to find the time as our customers demand consistent and relevant product from us.

MIKE EGAN, National President Restaurant Association of NZ mike@monsoonpoon.co.nz

Competition not only comes from other restaurant operators but from all sorts of sectors looking to take a slice of our customer’s disposable income.

We have to try to match and exceed the ever changing demands and needs of our customers and take any opportunities to learn, develop and innovate in order to cater for our guests.

The positive feedback from attendees has been overwhelming and planning for next year’s Hospitality Summit is already underway.

Here are some of the future trends presented at Hospitality Summit 2016.

THE FUTURE IS NOW...

PLATING FOOD SO THAT IT PHOTOGRAPHS WELL #Instagramableworld

The recent Hospitality Summit run by your Association provided such an opportunity. Members that attended spent a productive two days listening and learning from a fantastic range of speakers and presenters, covering a diverse range of hospitality topics.

A highlight was keynote speaker Chris Lucas, of the Lucas Group in Melbourne, who operates the busiest restaurants in Australia. He gave attendees numerous insights into his business model that employs 500 staff over multiple venues. His flagship Chin Chin restaurant serves an average of 1200 pax a day, with 130 seats. Other highlights included panel discussions on Defining Good Service and how to Hire, Train and Reward Great Staff.

More photos just of food were taken in the last year than all the photos ever taken in the world up until 2013!

EXPERIENCE IT > RECORD IT> UPLOAD IT> SHARE IT If you share it you get feedback. Digital satisfaction!

proudly bought to you by Starline president's update

THE THYMES NOVEMBER 2016

04

RESTAURANTS NEED ALLERGY INFORMATION

1% of the population is Coeliac but 30% say they are interested in gluten free offerings! The growing number of customers that demand allergy information is part of the trend that is “make it just for me”. I want to come to your restaurant and give you my preferences – power and control.

ED. Check out the Association's live stream seminar Customer: Focus Allergy & Gluten Free, 14th November...

CONVENIENCE DETERMINES OUR MODERN LIFESTYLES The fast changing definition of convenience: Convenience = faster, fresh, sustainable, traceable Convenience = automatic, without human interaction Convenience = comfort, ready to eat, ready to heat Convenience = on demand availability, delivery

LEARNINGS FROM THE DIGITAL ECONOMY:

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Every company and industry is first of all a media company: continuously improve marketing and communication.

Pictures and short videos dominate access to consumers more and more.

Content is king, but deepen relationship - on and offline with consumers is even more important.

Become a learning company: digitisation is affecting every aspect of your company.

Services and connectivity = as important as product.

Everything gets faster: the value chain needs. continuous improvement and better consumer focus.

The way consumers define convenience, simplicity, speed, and access is driving change.

MIKE

RESTAURANT HUB CONNECTING DINERS TO YOUR RESTAURANT 24/7 Restaurant Hub is New Zealand’s largest restaurant booking & marketing network, with online bookings confirmed instantly, 24/7. Fill your restaurant by reaching NZME’s quality audience of over 3 million kiwis.* FREE SETUP, TRAINING AND INSTALL. Contact us now 09 928 6079 or go to RestaurantHub.co.nz

NEED HELP? Call us on 0800 737 827 PARTNERED WITH

.co.nz

THE THYMES AUGUST 2016

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*Nielsen CMI, fused database: February 2016 (based on population 10 years +). Based on unduplicated weekly reach of NZME newspapers, radio stations, and monthly domestic unique audience of NZME’s digital channels.

FROM THE CEO’S DESK

A

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

follow us - we are on instagram!

s we approach the end of the year and what is the busiest time for many of you, it’s a good time to take stock of and review the many different aspects of the law we need to be familiar with. In this issue we cover off all you need to know about employment law this season and share a few quick tips on preparing for a profitable Christmas.

with the most recent being the Felix Awards, celebrating Wellington based hospitality professionals. Manawatu winners were also recently announced in a well-attended dinner in this region.

Be sure to purchase your tickets for the Bay of Plenty awards if you haven't already. This will be the final regional awards for the year, happening at the end of this month.

Our helpline is available for you to call if you do need more assistance with working through the ins and outs of compliance in this area.

Association Team ~ We have recently welcomed Sabra Moore back into her position of Membership Manager (officially returning from parental leave).

Gabrielle Turner has done an excellent job holding the reigns for Sabra and is going to stay with us in the membership team as a Membership Coordinator for the Auckland/North area. With Sabra moving out of the Assessment and Membership position and back into Management we have been advertising for this position based in Christchurch. We also recently appointed Adam Dickson to the Membership and Assessment team. As a past member Adam is well equipped to understand the demands of being a business owner and makes a great addition to the team. Vanessa Wallace, our Regional Event Manager recently started her parental leave and welcomed a healthy baby girl, she will be away until March next year.

Congratulations to our members who were recently recognised for their outstanding achievements at our annual gala dinner Feast by Famous Chefs last month. I would like to extend a special congratulations to our Hall of Fame winner Sue Fleischl, longtime member and owner of the Great Catering Company. In this issue we highlight the festivities held over the 2 days of learning and celebration held at Feast and the Hospitality Summit.

IRD ~ Recently, we have had a number of members calling about visits from the Inland Revenue Department.

In light of this we have included a helpful article to assist with managing these visits and preparing for an audit. We also offer advice on the tax considerations for tips.

New Member Benefit ~ We recently launched a new member benefit, partnering with Noel Leeming to offer members big savings on their products.

Great deals are now available.

Regional Awards ~ Our regional awards continue throughout the country

Thank you to all of you for being a part of our growing Association. I wish you all a very profitable and safe festive season. Be sure to schedule in some well-deserved rest and recuperation and we look forward to supporting you in the New Year.

MARISA

proudly bought to you by Outdoor Concepts CEO’s update

THE THYMES NOVEMBER 2016

06

EMPLOYMENT MATTERS

what type of employment relationship do you have?

ARE YOU USING THE RIGHT AGREEMENT? Different types of employment require different employment agreements.

Unfortunately, the types are sometimes misunderstood and the wrong type of employment agreement used – this can lead to all sorts of trouble down the track! This article gives you a quick overview to set the record straight.

BY JODI SHARMAN, SENIOR ASSOCIATE, HESKETH HENRY

PERMANENT EMPLOYMENT Most employees are permanent employees; that is, the employee’s employment is for an unlimited and indefinite duration. Employment will continue until the employee resigns or the employment relationship is terminated in accordance with the employment agreement.

Permanent employment can be for any number of hours and therefore can be on a full time or part time basis. There is no legal definition of full time and part time employment, but 30 - 40 hours per week is usually considered full time employment.

Note that new employees who are subject to a trial period are still considered to be permanent employees – i.e. the trial period does not make them fixed term employees.

FIXED TERM EMPLOYMENT Section 66 of the Employment Relations Act 2000 expressly allows an employer and employee to agree to employment ending: • • •

At the close of a specified date or period; On the occurrence of a specified event; or At the conclusion of a specified project.

However, before an employee and employer agree that the employee’s employment will end in one of the above ways, the employer must have genuine reasons based on reasonable grounds for the fixed term agreement, at the time it was entered into. A common reason is to cover the absence of a permanent employee for an extended period of time (such as parental leave). A genuine reason is not to assess an employee’s suitability for an ongoing role or because the employee’s work visa will expire.

The employer must advise the employee of when or how employment will end, and the reason it will end that way.

The way in which employment will end, and reasons for employment ending in that way, must also be recorded in the employment agreement. If the fixed term ends on a date, the end date needs to be identifiable and linked to the reason for the fixed term – that is, there needs to be a genuine reason why the fixed term employment ends

on that particular date and not some other date. In reality the reasons for a fixed term are often more likely to end because of an event or project rather than on a particular date.

The consequences of not having a genuine reason for a fixed term agreement, or a fixed term clause in the employment agreement that is not compliant, is that an employee may elect to treat the fixed term as being of no effect. The agreement would then become a permanent employment agreement (for an indefinite duration) but the validity of the agreement is not otherwise affected.

CASUAL EMPLOYMENT Casual employment is a subset of fixed term employment.

The difference is that a casual employee is employed on an ‘as and when required’ basis, for one or more (usually short) fixed term engagements. At the end of each of those mini engagements the employer has no obligation to offer any future employment and the employee has no obligation to work.

employment matters

THE THYMES NOVEMBER 2016

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A casual employee may be offered employment from time to time by the employer to do a period of work or a specific task or for specific hours. A casual employee can accept or reject the offer of employment. If an employee accepts an offer, each time the employee works it will be a separate engagement and a separate fixed period of employment.

With a casual employee there is no expectation of ongoing employment or re-employment. If an employee is part of a roster or, for example, works every Monday, the employee is not a casual employee and will instead be a permanent employee employed to work on a part time basis.

Some hospitality businesses do legitimately have casual employees. They usually form part of a group or ‘pool’ of employees upon whom the employer can call, on an as and when required basis to help out on a busy night, or to assist at a function, or to fill in for a sick employee.

Casual employees can also be used to cover the absence of permanent staff from time to time, or when an employer has extra work that cannot be performed by its permanent staff. However, rostered employees will not be casual and the more frequently an employee works, the more likely that the work is permanent even if it occurs on different days.

If you have any questions about your employees, or which type they should be, or any other aspect of employment law, please give us a call.

HELPME! Legal enquiries

Immigration enquiries Policies and procedures

Holiday pay questions

Handbooks

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Jodi is an employment law specialist and she has considerable experience in working with employees, employers and unions on a range of employment law matters and litigation issues.

E: jodi.sharman@heskethhenry.co.nz T: + 64 9 375 7637

WHAT HAPPENS IF AN EMPLOYEE FALLS ILL WHILE ON ANNUAL LEAVE?

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regular question to the Restaurant Association help line is, what happens if an employee become sick while on annual leave? Is the employer obligated to let the employee substitute the time for sick leave?

If an employee is on annual leave and he or she, a spouse or dependent becomes sick or is injured you can agree, if asked, to substitute sick days for the annual leave.

If however, an employee has been allowed annual leave and before taking it he or she becomes sick or injured (or his or her spouse or dependent becomes sick or injured) you must allow him or her to take any period of sickness or injury, that the employee would otherwise take as annual holiday, as sick leave.

employment matters

Redundancy and restructuring

Liquor licensing questions

Leasing and contracts queries

Don’t suck lemons, talk to us!

• • • • • • •

24/7 Helpdesk Employment Law Lease Agreements and Contracts Business guidance Liquor licensing Templates and Guidelines Confidential support and advice

Offering expert business guidance and the tools and resources to help your business are some of the many ways the Restaurant Association supports our members.

If you haven’t used these services before please feel free to call up on 0800 737 827 for a chat.

THE THYMES SEPTEMBER 2016

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Christmas CHECKLIST

QUICK TIPS TO PREPARE FOR A PROFITABLE CHRISTMAS The earlier that you start with your Christmas planing the better prepared you will be to deal with the onslaught. That possibly means you should have begun your business planning several months ago, however, if you are just getting started now, better late than never! Here are some quick, practical tips to prepare for the festive season.

1

COMMUNICATE YOUR EXTENDED HOURS, HOLIDAY OPENING TIMES AND CLOSURES In the run up to Christmas it’s possible that your opening hours change to accommodate the demand - perhaps you are opening on Monday when you usually close this day, or you are opening for lunch when you usually just open in the evenings. Make sure all of your customers know about any changes. Send out an email or e-news to your database, post it on your social platforms and include it on your phone messages.

If you are open on Christmas Day let your customers know as early as possible. It is often surprisingly difficult to find out which businesses will be open on this day and it is becoming more popular for families to take the stress of cooking out of the day by dining at their favourite restaurant. Likewise, if you are going to be closed on Christmas Day and for a period after, make sure you are communicating this information as well.

2

UPDATE YOUR WEBSITE, FACEBOOK AND OTHER SOCIAL PLATFORMS WITH SOME CHRISTMAS THEME-ING Give all of your sites a bit of a Christmas makeover. Your website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and Pinterest are all opportunities for you to promote your Christmas package to a captive audience. Remind your customers that you are open for end of year functions and bookings and promote any special offerings.

A voucher to dine at your establishment is obviously the perfect gift, so make this selling point a prominent feature of your site. It is important to make it as easy as possible for your customers to order, pay for, and receive the vouchers - many will expect that they’ll be able to do this all online and have the vouchers sent out to them.

Make sure it is also clear online if there is a cut off date for your customers to receive their voucher orders before Christmas.

Consider adding a Christmas message or promotion onto your email signatures as well.

3

THINK ABOUT HAVING A SOCIAL MEDIA COMPETITION TO GENERATE SOME INTEREST If you’re keen to increase your social media presence, why not run a competition offering ‘dinner for 4’ for every 500 likes with a major prize such as ‘Win your company’s Christmas Party’ when you hit 5,000 likes.

4

CHECK IN WITH YOUR SUPPLIERS TO ENSURE THAT SUPPLY AND DEMAND CAN BE MAINTAINED It’s inevitable that you’ll need to order more stock in over www.restaurantnz.co.nz

the busy weeks leading up to Christmas, so ensure that you have a process in place to ensure your suppliers can keep up with demand of supplying any specific Christmas requirements.

It’s also imperative to know when your suppliers are going to be closed over the festive period and ensure that you have the stock to carry you through their closures.

5

UPDATE YOUR FREE AND PAID DIRECTORY LISTINGS If your business is listed on a directory such as TripAdvisor, make sure you update your listing with your Christmas offering. This will enable people searching for Christmas promotions to find your restaurant or café, and it will also boost your search engine ranking.

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PROMOTE IN-HOUSE TOO Make sure you are promoting your Christmas offerings to customers when they are on the premises.

You could give them a flyer with their bill, include a Christmas themed table talker on the tables and posters in the toilets. These are all ways to get these customers returning in the run up to Christmas.

GETTING YOUR CUSTOMERS TO RETURN IN THE WEEKS AFTER CHRISTMAS...

While the weeks up to Christmas might be your primary focus, don’t forget to think about the weeks after.

Consider offering a special bounce back offer for your customers who dine with you in December to get them back through the door in January. Bounce-backs entice customers to return at a later date with some kind of incentive. This is likely to be some kind of dining discount voucher, but it depends on what’s right for your operation.

Over the Christmas period you will likely have more non-regulars in your business, so having a bounce-back offer for them to return is a great way to persuade them to become regulars. Remember that, particularly over this time of year, your offer needs to be enticing enough to loosen purse strings at a time when they’ll be gripped tightly.

THE THYMES NOVEMBER 2016

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JOB

DESCRIPTION

handbook

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.

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.

J

ob 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.

Executive / Head Chef Sous Chef Chef de Partie Pastry Chef de Partie Breakfast Chef Commis Chef Student / Apprentice Kitchen Assistant Restaurant Manager Maitre D’ Functions Co-ordinator Food & Beverage Waiter Wine Waiter

Bar Manager Bar Staff Café Manager Café Assistant Barista Receiving/Storeroom Cashier Cook – Cafeteria/Aged Care Facility Food-to-go Manager Food-to-go Assistant Catering Manager

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.

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).

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 period of the closedown can be

www.restaurantnz.co.nz

established by: •

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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chrisTmas, new year & MONDAY-ISATION There is no avoiding it now, Christmas is just around the corner. While many employers will be finalising their rostering and opening hours over the Christmas / New Year statutory holidays, again 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?

C

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. To see what this means this year, the public holidays over the Christmas / New Year period are: CHRISTMAS DAY Sunday 25th December, 2016 OR Tuesday 27th December BOXING DAY Monday 26th December 1st JANUARY Sunday 1st January, 2017 OR Tuesday 3rd January 2nd JANUARY Monday 2nd January So this year, while Boxing Day and 2nd of January fall on a Monday (and will be observed on those days only), Christmas Day and 1st of January fall on Sunday.

What this means is that these two public holidays will be observed on Sunday for workers who usually work on Sundays, but will be transferred and observed on Tuesday for other workers for whom Sunday 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 Sunday and which of them will observe them on Tuesday.

The Restaurant Association has a handy "public holiday flowchart" to help employers to determine which day and employee will observe the public holidays over this period. Contact us for your free copy.

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 holiday 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).

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.

The Restaurant Association has a guideline to "otherwise working days", which is available free of charge on request. It's not as straight-forward as looking back over the past month to determine if the employee usually works the day in question. Some of the other factors you should consider when calculating whether a public holiday is an otherwise working day for an employee are

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

•

what the employment agreement says

Anyone who works on a public holiday (over Christmas and New Year this may be Sunday, Monday or Tuesday) 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.

•

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 2016

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THINGS TO HOW TO MANAGE CONSIDER SICK LEAVE -CHRISTMAS OVER YOUR GIFT GIVING BUSIEST SEASON Christmas is a time to celebrate a year’s hard work and give recognition to your employees, but don’t forget that there may be some tax considerations, particularly around your Christmas staff party and gifts to employees. In brief, here are some of the things you might need to consider.

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?

S

F

ome business-related entertainment expenses are 100% tax deductible.

Others are set as 50% deductible because they have a significant private element. In general, any entertainment away from work or out of usual work hours (such as a staff Christmas party) has a private element.

You can deduct only 50% of the cost of food and drink you provide at your business premises (other than light refreshments such as at a morning tea): • at a social event, eg, celebration meal, party, reception, or • in an area restricted to senior employees, such as an executive dining room. This rule applies whether the entertainment is provided to staff or to guests invited from outside the business.

Food and drink, as well as entertainment and venue hire, provided away from your business premises is also 50% deductible.

If you are thinking of gifts for your employees, or anyone else remember that you can give gifts of up to $300 (per quarter) to an employee without having to worry about the hassle of FBT returns or including it in their PAYE returns. Multiple gifts can be given to one employee, providing the total for the quarter does not exceed $300. If you exceed the exemptions you will need to pay Fringe Benefit Tax on the total value of the benefits.

For more information the IRD guides, IR409 (IRD's FBT guide) and IR268 (IRD's Entertainment Guide) are useful references.

employment matters

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.

THE THYMES NOVEMBER 2016

14

BUSINESS INSIGHTS...

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

MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS

for Restaurant Association members

STRATEGIC PARTNERS...

SAVE ME!

THE RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION HAS PARTNERED WITH NOEL LEEMING TO OFFER MEMBERS FANTASTIC SAVINGS ON PRODUCTS IN ITS NOEL LEEMING STORES NATIONWIDE.

KEY PARTNERS...

Get great deals every day at Noel Leeming stores! They stock an extensive range from the leading brands ~ get great deals on TV, computer, mobile phones and whiteware, as well as their entire range of technology and appliances storewide. Noel Leeming can provide the total technology solution that is right for you.

Members qualify for the following exclusive member pricing*: •

The Noel Leeming core product range is available at average cost plus 9.5% (plus gst)

•

Accessories are average cost plus 20% (plus gst)

HOW CAN YOU GET SIGNED UP ON THIS OFFER? To make the most of this pricing ask in store for more details. Simply head into any Noel Leeming store and produce evidence of your current membership (eg. an invoice from the current year, or we can provide you with a membership document) to access these membership discounts across their range.

ASSOCIATE+ PARTNERS...

* Average cost reflects the suppliers average invoiced purchase price of the product including any administration and handling costs, but it does not include any volume related adjustments which may apply. Exclusions: special pricing and discounts or rebates are not available on Services (including those offered by Tech Solutions, Delivery Charges or Installation Services) or extended warranties, nor can they be used in conjunction with Bonus or Giveway Promotions offered by NLG or any of its suppliers.

QUESTIONS? JUST GIVE US A CALL ON 0800 737 827!

ADVICE ON PAYING

PAYE & GST ON TIPS We've had a number of queries seeking advice on the treatment of tips received electronically and what employers need to do before passing the tips on to their employees. The IRD has information on how employers should treat tips, which we pass on to you here...

Tips paid by a customer directly to an employee

If the business does not pass these amounts onto their employee(s), the amount is income of the business.

A customer can pay tips directly to an employee in one of several ways. A customer might:

The business must account for income tax and GST (if applicable) on the amount as they would with their other income.

• • •

hand cash directly to an employee put money into a pool for employees, such as a tip jar ask the business for change (eg from EFTPOS) and give that to an employee or put it into a pool for employees.

In these cases, the tip is the income of the employee and they should pay tax on these tips. If an employee receives tips totaling: • •

up to $200 during a tax year, they must request a personal tax summary for that year and include your tips as cash income that has not had tax deducted $200 or more during a tax year, they must file an Individual tax return (IR3) and include your tips as cash income that has not had tax deducted.

The employer does not have to account for these tips.

Amounts added to a customer's bill by a business A business might add an amount to a customer's bill.

This could be by adding: • •

a service charge to the bill, for example, 15% of the cost of a meal a surcharge, such as a public holiday surcharge, to the customer's bill.

In these cases the amount is income of the business.

The business must account for income tax and GST (if applicable) on the amount as they would with their other income.

Further advice is available through the Restaurant Association's financial adviceline on 0800 737 827.

Tips paid by a customer through a business A customer might pay tips through a business such as: • •

voluntarily adding an amount to their paper-based bill before they pay it asking for an amount to be added to their total bill when they pay by EFTPOS or credit card.

If the business passes these amounts onto their employee(s), the tip is still the income of the employee.

The employee must pay tax on these tips.

The employer does not have to account for these tips. business insights

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AUDITS:

WHAT TO DO WHEN THE IRD CALLS

We have become aware that the hospitality industry is receiving some interest from Inland Revenue and some businesses have been selected to undergo an audit to assess their compliance with tax laws. We can assure members there is no need for alarm, however in the interests if ensuring you are best prepared for all eventualities, here is some guidance to the audit process and what to expect. When Inland Revenue says your business is to be audited, the most important things to remember are: be prepared and don’t panic. You may even come out of it with a tax rebate.

What’s an audit?

An Inland Revenue audit is basically a check of tax and business records to make sure you’ve paid the correct amount of tax. It could be a simple check of your GST registration or a full examination of all your business and personal records. After an audit you may be entitled to a refund or you may have to pay more tax.

Each type of audit is done differently, although the basic procedures are the same. Some audits may require one visit and some may involve more regular contact.

Who gets audited?

Inland Revenue can audit any business. You may be chosen for any one of the following reasons: • • • • • • • • • • •

to analyse your business accounts or tax returns to check someone else's records and match them to your records information received in another audit which suggests your records should be checked your compliance record (whether you have kept to the tax laws in the past) your payment record (whether you have paid your taxes on time in the past) selecting a particular industry examining a particular issue or problem that affects a group of taxpayers where you live, or run your business (if the IRD are auditing a particular area) local knowledge, perhaps arising from media reports or unexplained wealth information the IRD gets from other people about you OR, they may choose you randomly.

The IRD won’t disclose the reason you have been chosen.

There is no set time for how long an audit will take. It depends on: business insights

• • •

the size and complexity of your business the standard of your records, and your cooperation.

At the start of the process, Inland Revenue will give you an estimate of how long it thinks the audit of your business will take.

How it works Often audits are preceded by a “risk review”. A risk review is where information is requested from you in order to evaluate the risk of non-compliance. This isn’t the same as an audit and the IRD’s initial contact with you will identify whether they are carrying out an audit or a risk review.

If, as a result of the risk review an audit is necessary, you’ll get a letter telling you what records Inland Revenue needs to see. Usually, Inland Revenue will follow up with a face-to-face interview to learn more about your business and answer your questions.

THE THYMES NOVEMBER 2016

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They’ll usually give you reasonable warning of an audit, however, sometimes they may make an unannounced visit.

The first meeting is an opportunity for you to discuss the audit in general and make arrangements for how the audit will be carried out. You will be asked a number of questions relating to the records you keep, your accounting system and return-preparation procedures, and your business activities. An officer may also check your records and look at some parts of your return(s).

Remember, you can have someone with you at an interview, or at any other time during the audit. For example, your tax agent, solicitor, or a friend. You’ll need to provide documented authority (such as a signed letter) before an officer can discuss your tax affairs with another person present.

we measure it.

Temperature

Measurement Technology

Testo Measuring Instruments are certified by HACCP International

Complete and accurate business records are required to be retained for a period of seven years and, if requested, must be made available to the IRD in a timely manner.

Checking records, such as ledgers, journals, invoices, payroll and bank accounts is an important part of an audit and usually takes the most time.

Finalising the audit You will usually have a meeting near the completion of the process to discuss the audit, cover any unresolved issues, and let you know about any adjustments to your tax. You’ll receive a confirmation of any tax adjustments considered necessary, as well as any shortfall penalties, in an Agreement to Amend Assessments, which you’ll have an opportunity to review. The auditor will also tell you where you’ve gone wrong and how to put things right.

If you’ve overpaid your tax you’ll receive the refund shortly after this and you may also receive interest on any overpayment. If you owe tax, you will generally be allowed at least one month to pay from the date the assessments are issued. If you’re unable to pay any amount owing by the due date you can discuss payment options.

If you don’t agree with the adjustments proposed, you can initiate a formal disputes resolution process which is governed by rules, including time limits, under legislation.

Prepare for an audit by checking your records — if anything is missing, contact Inland Revenue straight away and if you think you’ve made a mistake, ask Inland Revenue about voluntary disclosures. Telling Inland Revenue what’s wrong with your tax affairs before an audit starts is called a voluntary disclosure. An advantage of doing this is that it may reduce any tax shortfall penalties.

We know that it will be a stressful situation if you are contacted by the IRD for a risk review or audit.

Contact the Restaurant Association on 0800 737 827 for reassurance and guidance.

AAre YOU prepared for compliance with the new NZ Food Safety regulations?

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Whether in the transport and storage of foods, in restaurants, in large kitchens or in chain restaurants. Wherever temperature needs to be recorded, testo measures up and helps you keep compliant.

Contact your nearest Eurotec ofce today for more information.

Scan for our online HACCP Instruments Brochure Now you can shop for your HACCP instruments online

www.testo.nz business insights

THE THYMES NOVEMBER 2016

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KITCHEN KPI's What are the key performance indicators for your business? What do they tell you about your business? Key performance indicators (KPI’s) can tell you about the financial health of your business, well before you receive the end of year financial statements.

K

PI’s need to be calculated regularly and compared against past data or industry benchmarks. A well-run business will track several KPI’s, chosen because they measure the critical success factors of the business.

Use KPI’s to achieve your S.M.A.R.T. goals

SPECIFIC • •

A KPI should link to a desired outcome or goal.

Clearly defined and easily understood and does not contain multiple variables.

MEASURABLE • •

Measurable and achievable in a timely and efficient manner.

Practical and cost-effective to gather the information.

ACTION-ORIENTED • •

Consider whether staff actions can influence results, before making them accountable for results.

Consider whether KPI will lead to desirable staff behaviour.

Sales (Turnover) • •

REALISTIC

•

• •

•

•

Based on facts.

Data collected is relevant to the organisation and achievable targets.

Consider whether the organisation can use KPI's to improve its performance.

TIME BOUND • • •

Define the time period clearly to allow for analysis of the results.

Consider seasonal factors.

Allow sufficient time between measurements to ensure enough data can be collected to make the measuring process worthwhile.

These are the most common KPI’s on the revenue and expenses side of the business. You don’t need to measure all of them, but select the most relevant ones which will help you to achieve your goals and objectives:

www.restaurantnz.co.nz

•

• • •

Daily sales – separately analysed for food and beverages.

Average customer spend – sales divided by number of customers.

Sales by menu items or groupings. If menu items aren’t selling, then you could consider dropping them or re-vamping them.

Actual monthly sales vs same period last year and actual vs budget.

Weather information and events nearby. If you track this information alongside your sales, you can analyse their impact on your business, and prepare for future events.

New loyalty cards issued Reservation no-shows vs customers turned away.

Overs / unders from reconciling the cash tills.

Gross Margin (Gross Profit) • • • •

Gross margin = sales less cost of sales.

Weekly gross margin – separately analysed for food and beverages.

Actual monthly gross margin vs same period last year and actual vs budget.

Contribution – this is the amount that a menu/ beverage item contributes to the profit of the business.

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Wastage • • •

Cost of incorrect orders.

Cost of breakages.

Spoiled food or beverages.

Direct Labour Costs • • •

Weekly direct wages as a percentage of sales.

Casual wages / agency staff vs regular wage costs.

Staff turnover.

Overhead Costs • • • •

Rent and occupancy as a percentage of sales.

Other overheads as a percentage of sales – advertising, equipment leases, interest.

Some advertising campaigns can have a long tail in terms of the sales they generate. Can you track that?

Overheads actual vs budget, overheads vs last year actuals.

Net profit • •

Net profit before tax (NPBT) = sales less cost of sales less overheads.

Earnings before interest, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) = NPBT plus interest expense plus depreciation etc. This is commonly used in conjunction with a multiplier to help you value your business for sale.

Monitoring these KPI’s regularly means that we can take action to address issues, before they become problematic and we can celebrate successes when they arise.

Where there are variances, can they be explained by oneoff events or is something more persistent?

Is more training required?

Is theft involved?

Do we need to speak to the duty manager about the staffing levels?

Has our advertising campaign worked?

Do we need to investigate further?

Don’t wait until the bank calls or your accountant prepares the financial statements for the year. The time to give your business a KPI health-check is now.

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. Do you want help measuring your KPI's?

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

MENTORME! 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’?

That’s where the Restaurant Association can assist you. Tony Adcock has owned and managed hospitality businesses for 40 years and 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 talks 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.

TIME FOR A CAREER CHANGE? HAVE YOU CONSIDERED SELLING HOSPITALITY BUSINESSES?

Clyth MacLeod Business Sales are currently on the lookout for a passionate foodie. Clyth MacLeod have been selling food businesses for over 50 years and they love what they do.

They are happy to share their passion and knowledge in business sales with you. You will need to be self motivated, positive, enthusiastic and hard working and they will train you. A Real Estate Sales certificate and license is required. The summer break may be a good time to achieve this ~ a start date in early 2017 is possible.

INTERESTED? Call Glorianne on 09 630 9491 for a chat.

NEED HELP? Call us on 0800 737 827

THE THYMES NOVEMBER 2016

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DISCLOSURE MAKE IT EASY

It has become more and more important these days to run your business in a manner that shows a true reflection of the performance of your business; financiallywise and also operational-wise. BY GLORIANNE CAMPBELL, CLYTH MACLEOD LTD

I

n 2008 the Government introduced a new Act known as The Real Estate Agents Act 2008.

Real estate salespeople became known as licensees under this Act and this includes business brokers selling businesses.

There are strong and stringent regulations and expectations upon licensees to perform in a very professional manner and for licensees to protect the interest of their clients (usually the seller of the business) and also to still be fair and just to the customer (usually the purchaser of the business).

Business brokers are required to provide a very high standard of ethics to those they work with and they require help from their clients, the business owners. Business owners need to supply the necessary information on their business and should be willing to share the good, the bad and sometimes the ugly of their business. This will assist business brokers in delivering the best service to them. And it also allows for a good fair representation of their business to the prospective buyers.

Buying a business is a huge step for most. Many buyers are first time business buyers; they may not be savvy business people and they may be buying a business to create a job for themselves.

Often what they invest in a business could be their life savings. Their expectations of future earnings will be a most important consideration in the buying process and therefore they will wish to enter into the acquisition of purchasing and subsequently owning a business with a high degree of confidence in their future success.

As the owner of a business looking to selling your business in the future you can help this process immensely by being in a position to offer the following to your business broker when the time is right to sell...

www.restaurantnz.co.nz

CHECKLIST FOR A BUSINESS SELLER •

PROVIDE PROOF OF THE SALES OF YOUR BUSINESS by way of financials, GST returns etc. If the business is seasonal openly share this information, particularly when a full years financials are not available. Selling a business that thrives in the summer months and dies off in the winter months, but only having sales data available for the summer months, would be unfair on an unsuspecting buyer if this was not explained.

•

SHARE THE UNSEEN ITEMS in the financials. There may be items not necessary to the business expenses for a new owner that could add additional profit to the business and there may also be items that could show lessened profit, for instance a rent increase pending. Disclose this up front.

•

ADVISE THE DEPRECIATED PLANT VALUE of the business and specify any hired or leased plant and equipment. Plant and equipment not working should be repaired or disclosed as to its non working order.

•

ADVISE HOURS OF TRADE AND PROVIDE A STAFF ROSTER that clearly defines the staff input and duties performed and also the input of any working owners. It is also good to provide rates of pay and length of service. If there is a key staff member who has indicated to you that they are not prepared to stay if the business sells this should be disclosed up front and dealt with.

•

LEASE AND SECURITY OF TENURE. It is better to be totally transparent on any lease issues. Provide all this information to your business broker right at the start. If the lease has a demo clause, or is short on time remaining disclose this. It is unfair to put the business broker to work for you without knowledge of this and also very unfair to allow a purchaser to enter into a contract to buy your business and engage in legal costs etc and then discover a problem at a later date. A business broker may be able to assist with a lease problem.

•

SEATING. It is imperative that you disclose what the licensed seating for the premises is in a situation where there is more seating on site than legally permitted.

•

CAR PARKING REQUIREMENTS that council have enforced as part of the resource consent for the premises should be stated.

We have a simple motto that we like to go by in our office ‘do unto others as you would have them do unto you’. If you, as a business owner, know something that could impact on the decision of a buyer to buy your business, share it. We, as business brokers, will work best for you if we understand your business well and we can often suggest solutions for the problems.

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WHAT'S IMPORTANT FOR FOOD SAFETY AT YOUR BUSINESS? As businesses change over to the new food safety law – the Food Act 2014 – the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) want to know what’s working well, and what isn’t. Under the new law, restaurants need to use a food control plan, which you register with your local council. The plan helps you to manage food safety on a day-to-day basis, and keep a record of what you do.

S

ince the new law came into effect in March, MPI has been asking businesses for feedback. One thing they’ve heard is that the plans are too long, so they’re now looking at ways to simplify them. If you’re starting to use the plan, or you’ve been using it for a while, this is an opportunity to have your say. Is there anything you think could be different? What would you like to see in a redesigned plan? You can email foodactinfo@mpi.govt.nz.

Based on feedback, MPI is proposing some other changes to food safety rules too. You can find out more about these changes, and have your say, in the ‘Food Act consultation’ on the MPI website.

The new law is intended to improve food safety by adopting a risk-based approach. But doing things differently can be challenging at first, and it can feel like there is a lot of information to digest. A reminder of what’s really important can be helpful.

MPI has created some new posters to highlight the 5 most important things for food safety at different types of businesses. Having a risk-based approach means focusing on things that make the biggest difference to food safety. If you’re doing these things right you should be most of the way there.

For restaurants the top 5 food safety factors are:

TOP 5 FOOD SAFETY FACTORS

Get the right training

Cook and store food at the right temperature.

Bacteria thrives at room temperature, so make sure food is hot enough, or cold enough.

4

Keep cooked and raw food separate, and keep allergen and non-allergen food separate. This means doing things like using separate equipment.

5

Wash your hands properly before handling food.

www.restaurantnz.co.nz

It doesn’t need to be a formal qualification

Regular

CLEANING and (in some cases) SANITISING reduces germs

The average chopping board has around 200% more faecal bacteria than the average toilet seat!

The average kitchen sink contains 100,000 times more germs than a bathroom.

Germs can be found everywhere - even on surfaces that look clean.

They can be found on people, cloths, sponges, utensils...

Bacteria can survive on average 20 min - 4 hours on hard surfaces.

R

ISE

NIT

SA

Temperature Control

Cook and store potentially hazardous food at the right temperature to stop germs growing.

75°C

COOK FOOD

60°C

HOLD FOOD HOT

and over

and over

5°C - 60°C

germ’s ideal temperature to thrive! Food should not be in this zone for more than 4 hours.

DANGER ZONE

5°C

CHILL FOOD

and under

Hand Hygiene

you can

KILL

90%

1

Clean and sanitise. Surfaces, equipment, utensils can all spread germs to food, so clean them regularly.

‘Most foodborne disease is caused by poor hygienic practices and improper handling of food’ -WHO

Cleaning & Sanitising

Get the right training. This doesn’t need to be formal training, but all staff must know how they’re actions affect food safety.

2 3

Restaurant

Food service - e.g. Restaurants and cafes

Cafe

Separation

Keep cooked food separate from raw food. Keep allergens separate. Use separate equipment.

by washing your hands properly

Peanuts

Soy beans

Milk

Cereals and grains

Eggs

Sulphites

Tree nuts

Fish

Sesame seeds

Fresh produce can have soil and pesticides keep away from ready to eat food unless washed.

Germs in raw food can make people sick, it’s important to avoid cross contamination.

1 4 in

of

GERMS

Allergens include:

people have faecal bacteria on their hands

Shellfish

Bee products

THESE CAN KILL Even small traces on equipment and chopping boards can cause an allergic reaction.

Wet hands under running water Rub hands together with soap for 20 seconds Rinse hands with water Dry hands thoroughly with a clean, dry towel or hand drier

Fo od Ac t 20 14

Find out what food safety law means for you www.mpi.govt.nz/foodact

Remember, food service businesses with an alcohol license – including restaurants, cafes and bars – need to register under the new law by the end of March next year.

Food service businesses without an alcohol license have until March 2018.

Find out more about the food act at www.mpi.govt.nz/foodact.

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thank you to principal sponsors

our chefs

Makoto Tokuyama Owner, Chef, Cocoro

Mark Southon

Head Chef, O’Connell St Bistro

Giulio Sturla

Owner, Chef, Roots Restaurant

JAPANESE FOODS IMPORTER & DISTRIBUTOR

JAPANESE FOODS IMPORTER & DISTRIBUTOR

Josh Barlow

Senior Sous Chef The Grove

A GREAT CAREER

RECOGNISED IN THE 2016 Hall Of Fame

An award for icons of industry, the 2016 Hall of Fame recognises a chef and caterer whose company is a leader in the corporate and private catering world. Sue Fleischl was recently inducted into the Restaurant Association’s Hall of Fame, joining other inductees who have contributed so much to our industry.

T

he life of our 2016 Hall of Fame recipient, Sue Fleischl, has revolved around making people happy serving them great food.

Sue grew up in the Hawke’s Bay where her family grew their own vegetables, avocados, olives, guavas and figs and it was when she was around 11 years old that she first realised that she wanted to become a chef. Her family weren’t so convinced at the time but her father said that if she was going to do it, "she should do it right”. So when she was around 15 years old he sent letters to a number of big hotels around Europe asking them to employ his daughter. At the age of 17 she flew to England to a job at the Savoy Hotel in London – the only hotel that replied to her father’s letters. She later learned that the head chef had written to her school; basing his decision to employ her upon learning of her stubborn attitude!

She says of the experience, “It wasn’t really a place for girls. We were tested to the max. On my first day I didn’t even know how to hold a knife properly.” However, her training at the Savoy began her on a path of tremendous success. She spent two years learning the trade and then returned to New Zealand to a job at Orsini’s, Ponsonby Road’s The Bronze Goat and Top of the Town, where she completed her training.

At the end of the 1980’s, the family moved to Melbourne and this is where she discovered catering. It was something she could do during the day with a young child in childcare. Five years later and back in Auckland she could see the local catering industry could do with a massive shake up and this is where in 1995 she set up the rather audaciously titled The Great Catering Company.

With no business training, the business was primarily run on gut feeling and learning from mistakes, but her food determined the business’ success, which was fairly immediate. Twenty one years later the company has grown from three corporate clients in 1995, to turning over several million dollars, with a fulltime team of 18-20, from chefs to event organisers, and between 40-80 freelance wait staff on the books.

She is still passionate about her industry and about nurturing the talent of her team. She says “as the leader,

SUE FLEISCHL was inducted into the Restaurant Association Hall of Fame recently, where she was recognised at the Feast by Famous Chefs dinner before an audience of her peers.

as the boss, you've got to really try and set standards for everything, physically, mentally, emotionally.” Over the years though she has learnt to let go and be more “handsoff”, less of a micro manager. She says you need to look at the big picture and not get bogged down in the day to day detail of running the business – invest in your staff and build a solid team around you.

Sue Fleischl, and her company, is a leader in the private and corporate catering world. As a brand the company strives to take things to a new level. After all, as she says, they have “great” in their name, so they have to live up to that. The company philosophy is “Serving, Amazing, Anywhere”. And that’s just what they do!

Along with Sue's induction into the Restaurant Association Hall of Fame, the New Zealand food movement ConversatioNZ, founded by Roots Restaurant owner, Giulio Sturla, was awarded the Bidvest Innovator Award.

Kerikeri Cafe, Cafe Cinema were also awarded the Good Neighbour Award, sponsored by American Express, while Auckland restaurateur, Don Fletcher was given a lifetime membership to the Restaurant Association.

NEED HELP? Call us on 0800 737 827

THE THYMES NOVEMBER 2016

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" THE SUMMIT WAS OUTSTANDING. EVERY BIT OF CONTENT WAS

VALUABLE.

CHRIS LUCAS WAS EXCEPTIONAL." STEVE LOGAN, HOSPITALITY SUMMIT ATTENDEE

thank you to

principal sponsor

associate sponsors

keynote speaker Chris Lucas, The Lucas Group

CHIPOTLE:

LESSONS TO BE LEARNT At the Restaurant Association's Hospitality Summit, the Managing Director of Salt & Pepper PR, Jen Boyes, delivered a helpful presentation on the NOTs and WHATs to do in response to a public relations crisis. She unforgettably illustrated her point using the 2015 Chipotle Norovirus outbreak and CEO Steve Ells’ inability to cope with the America-wide social media tsunami.

BY ALEXIS O'CONNELL, THE HOSPITALITY COMPANY

T

here is a great deal to take from this story. Jen’s presentation focused on Steve Ells and his lack of a succinct response coupled with his over-promising of guaranteed food-safety in the future, which was of course followed by many more reported Chipotle cases of the Norovirus. E. coli and Salmonella.

To put the Chipotle disaster in its American-sized perspective, long considered the progenitor of FastCasual, and darling of innovation, the company had reached the annual revenue of over 2.62 billion only to see it plummet to 1.83 billion in the last financial year.

Interestingly, despite several Chipotle restaurants having to close during the outbreak, more opened; the last count we can find is over 2,000. The issues have been widely reported and complicated, ranging from supposedly a series of code violations, uncontrolled growth and the complexities of dealing with fresh food. Chipotle is likely to rise again; probably with more than a few lessons reflected and entrenched in their systems. One American commentator has asked would Warren Buffet buy Chipotle stock? Maybe. It all depends on what is going on right now within the company’s leadership team.

We’re a fan of small-business learning pre-emptive lessons from big companies, and here Jen’s main point is worth reiterating.

How should you respond after a crisis? Jen effectively compared Steve Ells’ 2015 interview on the ‘Today’ show with Domino’s Pizza CEO Patrick Doyle’s apology after a particularly embarrassing episode in 2009. The differences are clear.

It’s true, deal with a crisis badly and it could make a bad situation worse – even if your heart is in the right place.

It’s enough to send shivers down the spines of every Hospitality Business owner.

But, of course, many restaurants, particularly large-chains have gone through periods of bad publicity, sometimes extremely bad; Kentucky Fried Chicken, Subway, Jack in the Box, McDonald’s, Taco Bell to name but a few … our personal favourites are Burger King’s use of horse meat and Coca-Cola’s Fanta profits from the Nazi’s during WW2. But these companies didn’t botch up badly during the reign of social media. Chipotle’s multi-faceted botch up has happened in quite a different sort of cultural environment.

www.restaurantnz.co.nz

Here’s the extremely serious message that Jen aptly pointed out; we do business in a ‘shared economy,’ in a period of interactive marketing and while this can make marketing more powerful than ever, it can also create the most devastating consequences – especially for small and medium size businesses. The stakes are higher than ever – the jury is larger, more vocal than ever and less tolerant of hypocritical behaviour.

The lesson:

Don’t put a 21-year-old waiter in charge of your social media just because she’s the only one that knows how it all works. Take the role of social media seriously; it has created a diversity of voices and an homogenisation of opinion.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Alexis O’Connell began in hospitality at 16-years-old as a kitchen hand then funded her university years by working in the industry. In recent years Alexis built a reputation as a driven teacher while continuing her interest in writing and in hospitality. Today, together with husband James O’Connell, Alexis runs The Hospitality Company.

T: 0508 HOSPITALITY E: info@thehospitalitycompany.co W: www.thehospitalitycompany.co

THE THYMES NOVEMBER 2016

30

SEQUENCE OF SERVICE KEY TO THE CUSTOMERS EXPERIENCE I

n the panel discussion, Defining Good Service, panelists explored the benefits of having thorough ‘orders of service’ available for front of house staff. Your sequence of service will help you to train staff to perform their tasks in a logical order and is key to ensuring that they are delivering a consistent, positive, customer experience.

Not only that, it will increase efficiency across the business and arm your staff with confidence that they know what they need to do.

But while the panelists all acknowledged the importance of having orders of service they also emphasised that they can’t be too regimented. Yes they are important to help create consistency in service standards but they need to allow for a servers individual style. As panelist Gilda Proietti said, there should be “Must Haves” but also “Nice to Haves” in your order of service, a point that was reinforced by Krishna Botica who said one of the things she really noticed when travelling was how the service style overseas can be quite ‘over’ structured and this has an impact on the dining experience. In contrast the Kiwi service style is much more adaptive. As Krishna said, if there is something that defines the Kiwi service style it is flexibility and the ability to put other peoples needs before your own. This style helps us to make great connections with our customers.

The panelists also agreed that your sequence of service needs to be tweaked and evolved all the time as new ways of doing things are developed and new ways to resolve issues are recognised. The key to successful sequence of service training is practice, coupled with constant feedback and coaching.

Knowledge is power and your sequence of service will help you to arm your staff with knowledge to enable them to become more confident servers - something that is going to benefit the customer experience, and your business’ operations!

TIP! Restaurateur, Michael Dearth, says that in his businesses hello’s and goodbye’s are two of the most important concepts that they teach their servers. He says, if you don't get a farewell at the end of your dining experience, this is the thing that you will remember!

Uber Eats

it's way into

THE food delivery market S

ummit keynote speaker, Chris Lucas, spoke about some of the disrupters hospitality business owners need to be aware of.

This included things like globalisation opening markets to international providers; operators failing to exploit new technologies and systems to improve margins; consumers changing their dining behaviour to favour cheaper mid-tier restaurants...and Uber.

Not content with revolutionizing the taxi industry, Uber is shaking up the food delivery market. UberEats, their food delivery platform, launched in Melbourne, where Chris’ businesses are located, earlier this year. It has taken Australia by storm, with some businesses now having 60-80 per cent of their meals sold ordered through UberEats. It has even led some to question whether the traditional restaurant (one with seats and tables in it) is even necessary any more!

UberEats uses a stand alone app, allowing users to order meals from local restaurants and have them delivered to their door. According to Uber, “in the same way Uber makes it easy to get from A to B, UberEats makes it easy to get food from the best restaurants in your city. Because an Uber driver is never more than a few minutes away, as soon as the food's ready it's on its way.” And as with Uber’s ride sharing service, customers can track their delivery on the app.

Chris has embraced the new business model UberEats has introduced, investing time and money into making sure it is done right through his businesses. As a result, at one of his sites he now does up to 300 UberEats orders per night and they have been growing by 25 per cent /month.

While UberEats is yet to launch in New Zealand it is surely only a matter of time before it arrives to our shores and hospitality businesses should be poised to embrace this new offering.

THE THYMES NOVEMBER 2016

32

EVENTS

PROGRAMME

WHAT’S ON 01

NOVEMBER

10

-13 Taste of Melbourne, Albert Park, Melbourne www.melbourne.tastefestivals.com

12

04

NOVEMBERDECEMBER

05

- end of December DineAid fundraising campaign

-13 F.A.W.C. Food & Wine Classic, Hawke's Bay

- 12 New Zealand Cup & Show Week, Christchurch

www.dineaid.org.nz

www.fawc.co.nz

www.nzcupandshow.co.nz

11

Canterbury Anniversary Day (regional public holiday)

14

12

12

Dunedin Beer Fesitval, Forsyth Barr Stadium

New Zealand Cider Festival, Nelson

www.dunedinbeerfest.co.nz

www.nzciderfestival.com

17

18

Left Coast Whitebait Festival, Greymouth

Restaurant Association professional development seminar, Customer Focus: Allergy & Gluten-free

-20 Taste of Auckland, Western Springs

-20 Margaret River Gourmet Escape, Australia

www.westcoast.co.nz

www.restaurantnz.co.nz

www.tasteofauckland.co.nz

www.gourmetescape.com.au

Air New Zealand Queenstown International Marathon

Restaurant Association professional development seminar, Best People, More Sales, Thriving Culture

Toast Martinborough

Bay Hospitality Awards @ Mills Reef Winery, Tauranga

28

www.restaurantnz.co.nz

www.facebook.com/toastmart

www.restaurantnz.co.nz

19

www.airnzqueenstownmarathon.co.nz

Westland Anniversary Day (regional public holiday)

16

School year finishes (secondary schools)

21 30

Whitebait season ends

20

School year finishes (primary & intermediate schools)

28

- 3 Jan Taste of Tasmania Festival, Hobart

25

DECEMBER

25

Christmas Day (public holiday) observed on Sunday 25th December or Tuesday 27th December

31

New Years Eve

27

03

15

South Island Wine & Food Festival @ Hagley Park, Christchurch

Cherry & Raspberry season begins

www.winefestival.co.nz

26

31

DineAid 2016 fundraising campaign closes

Boxing Day (public holiday) observed on Monday 26th December only

2017 !

www.tasteoftasmania.com.au

events ~ international and national

THE THYMES NOVEMBER 2016

34

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT NOVEMBER 2016

e: bookings@restaurantnz.co.nz p: 0800 737 827 Monday 14 November, 10.00am – 12.00pm

HOSPITALITY

JOINS TOGETHER

FOR GOOD The DineAid initiative, which runs over November and December each year sees money raised at participating eateries and cafes for those in need. 100% of the money raised gets passed on, going directly to City Mission food banks.

T

BOOK NOW!

Customer Focus: Allergy & Gluten-free Carl Sunderland - Coeliac NZ & Penny Jorgensen - Allergy NZ Are you doing all that you can to meet the needs of your allergy and gluten-free diners?

Join Carl and Penny for this informative seminar. With a growing gluten free market, Carl will demystify Coeliac disease and address everything that you can do in your business to assure safety for these customers. Penny will address the different food allergens and will share key messages from the consumer perspective and the importance of allergen labelling.

This session is designed for owners, executive chefs, general managers, and all kitchen and front of house staff.

VENUE: taste, 45 Normanby Road, Mt Eden, Auckland PRICE: $40 + gst - Restaurant Association members $65 + gst - General industry rate

he Restaurant Association is getting behind DineAid and encouraging our businesses to help by joining the 2016 campaign. It's not too late. There are lots of different options to get involved:

Monday 21 November, 10.00am – 12.00pm

• • •

Best People, More Sales, Thriving Culture

have a coin box at the counter, add a voluntary donation of $2.00 per table to the bill, include a ‘DineAid special” on your menu with $2.00 from each ‘special” sold going to DineAid.

YOU’LL REALLY MAKE A DIFFERENCE! We’ll provide you with all of the information you need for your team to get set up and we’ll deliver/pick up the coin boxes (it you choose that option). If you participate in DineAid, we aim to drive business back to your restaurant or cafe. Marketing material via newspaper, radio, television, billboards and social media platforms will deliver the message to diners looking for somewhere to dine over the Christmas period. And you will feature on the DineAid website.

If you would like to sign up now to be part of DineAid in 2016, simply contact the Restaurant Association on 0800 737 827 or info@restaurantnz.co.nz.

James & Alexis O’Connell - The Hospitality Company Your people are more important than your food, your interior design – even your customers. Your workplace relationships are more important to business success and career advancement than you realise, but these critical relationships require deliberate planning. Without excellent communication between manager and employer there can be no productive team work. This fast moving and intense two-hour workshop is divided into three parts to create the right foundations to be put in place for the long-term health of a business: • How to create and maintain strong working relationships EVEN over the summer • Selling is not a personality; it’s a system • How to make sales reports a key driver to improve performance and culture.

VENUE: taste, 45 Normanby Road, Mt Eden, Auckland PRICE: $40 + gst - Restaurant Association members $65 + gst - General industry rate

BAY OF PLENTY BRANCH PRESIDENT: Andrew Targett

AUCKLAND BRANCH PRESIDENT: Krishna Botica

WAIKATO BRANCH HAWKES BAY BRANCH

ROTORUA BRANCH

PRESIDENT: Sean Burns

PRESIDENT: Sharon Wallace

UPCOMING EVENT Bay Hospitality Awards ~ 27 November

TARANAKI BRANCH PRESIDENT: Barbara Olsen-Henderson

MANAWATU BRANCH PRESIDENT: Sean Kereama

REGIONAL UPDATES NELSON BRANCH PRESIDENT: Harry Morris

WELLINGTON BRANCH

MARLBOROUGH BRANCH

NATIONAL PRESIDENT: Mike Egan NATIONAL VICE PRESIDENT: Steve Logan

PRESIDENT: Liz Buttimore

CANTERBURY BRANCH PRESIDENT: Sam Crofskey

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

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

NEED A VISIT? We have staff on the road, so give us a call on 0800 737 827 if you'd like to schedule some one on one time.

GABRIELLE TURNER Auckland & Northland ADAM DICKSON Auckland & central North Island TRACEY LINES Wellington & lower North Island SABRA MOORE South Island

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.

the vill age

TOKEYO

Le Xom

grinder

kauri bay boomrock

21 Days Bar & Restaurant, Auckland 30Thirty, Papamoa Agency Lane, Auckland Akarua Wines & Kitchen by Artisan, Bannockburn ANZCO Foods, Christchurch Aperitivo, Waiheke Island Artisan Catering, Queenstown Augustus Bistro, Auckland Bawarchi Indian Food, Auckland Billy, Auckland Black Diamond Technologies, Lower Hutt Buddah Stix, Christchurch Buddah Stix, Dunedin Buddah Stix, Wellington Cafe Kudos, Christchurch Cafe Kyriani, Wellington Cartel Mexican Bar & Grill, Blenheim Casa Eatery, Auckland Cobb & Co, Dunedin Columbus Cafe Mega Hornby, Christchurch Double Teaspoons, Papamoa Eggsentric Cafe, Whitianga Feast Merchants, Blenheim Fort Greene, Auckland Ginja Cafe, Auckland Gusto Restaurant Cafe & Bar, New Plymouth Henry & Ted, Papamoa Highfield Vineyard Restaurant, Blenheim Hutong Asian Street Food, Christchurch Kanteen Ministry of Health, Lower Hutt Kanteen NZ Post, Wellington Kauri Bay Boomrock, Clevedon Kerb Appeal, Wellington Lago,Tauranga Le Xom, Christchurch Malo Restaurant, Havelock North Mint Cafe, Wellington

O Catering, Auckland Ohso, Auckland Otago Chocolate Company, Dunedin Pita Pit Helensville Pita Pit Kahikatea Drive, Hamilton Pita Pit Tauriko, Tauranga Ripe Boulcott St, Wellington Ripe Cafe Racer, Wellington Ripe Moera, Lower Hutt Ripe Palomino, Wellington Ripe Roastery, Petone Samurai Sizzle, Hamilton Sand Dunz Beach Cafe, Waimauku Shani's Family Eatery & Bar, Napier Spice of India, Auckland Spirit House, Christchurch Spirit House, Wellington Thai Dee, Invercargill Thai Hanoi, Dunedin Thai Land, Dunedin Thai Saigon, Invercargill Thai Tahuna, Nelson Thai Talay, Christchurch Thai Temple, Christchurch The Coffee Club, Greenlane, Auckland The Coffee Club, LynnMall, Auckland The Coffee Club, Parnell, Auckland The Coffee Club, Victoria Street, Auckland The Coffee Club, Westcity, Auckland The Corner, Auckland The Love Bucket, Auckland The Village Grinder, Masterton Third Place Cafe, Rotorua Tokeyo, Wellington Yummy Chinese Cuisine, Christchurch Zephyr Restaurant, Kaikoura

new members

THE THYMES NOVEMBER 2016

37

little

india

celebrating 25 years Little India is a family business founded by Sukhi Gill in Dunedin twenty five years ago. The family restaurant has grown from humble beginnings to a nationwide business, with over 17 Little India restaurants throughout New Zealand. We spoke with the groups brand manager, Arjun Gill, about some of the secrets to the Little India success.

What do you think are some of the secrets to the Little India brand’s ongoing success, and also longevity?

Our success comes down to doing the simple things right and not taking shortcuts with our food. We have not changed the methods of cooking or recipes from the day we started. We still get all our chicken and lamb delivered fresh, we still grind our own spices, we still do not add sugar in our dishes, we still uses tandoors fired by charcoal, and still order top quality ingredients. We do not sacrifice on the preparation of our food and we believe this is what makes us different.

Looking after our staff and trusting in them is another thing that has made a big difference. Although we are now set up in a franchise model we are still a family run business.

All Little India owners have worked for our family for a number of years and are like family to us. Some started as managers or chefs and now are business owners. We take a lot of pride in this and this is what has enabled us to grow.

How have customer expectations changed (over 25 years)?

Customers expectations have increased over the years a lot. In the earlier days it was more about the food, service and decor were secondary. Now each of these has become as important as each other. I believe people want a dining experience to capture all 5 senses.

Technology has changed a lot also. There was no need for a website when we first started, let alone social media. We used to use push button tills and enter in the prices of all our dishes when people came to pay the bill. Now we have fully integrated POS systems with online ordering and our own Little India App. So much has changed in this area.

Do you have some tips for people who might be wanting to look at franchising their business?

From experience we went from restaurateurs to franchisors + restaurateurs. Although some of the day to day things of running a restaurant we do not deal with as much there is a whole other business in being a franchisor. Having a solid franchise structure in place and being supportive to your franchisees are both key elements. Try to make

things easier for your team to run the day to day operations and be there in the background for whatever support they may need.

How did the Little India book come about?

We had always dreamed of doing a cookbook but never got around to doing anything about it as there was always something else happening. After meeting with publishers Penguin we put a plan in place and got started. It was not an easy task to deconstruct the recipes we are used to making in our kitchens to making them easy to follow and easy to make for home cooks. We cooked all the dishes from my home kitchen and tested them over and over and over to get them right. Our neighbours got a lot of curries while we were doing this!

What sort of marketing do you do?

We find that getting involved with your local community is the best form of advertising. We support sports clubs and schools. This is a more rewarding form of advertising for us.

Do you have any tips on ways to manage costs for restaurant businesses?

Staff costs are always increasing and we cannot afford to increase our prices much as we are in a very competitive market. To try and help our bottom line we look at our food costs very closely and work with the fresh in, fresh out policy. We only order what we need and do not like holding any dead stock. We are lucky to have suppliers that will deliver almost every day of the week to help us achieve this.

What is next for Little India?

There are no big expansion plans and things will grow naturally as they always have.

TALES FROM

taranaki

W

ell the weather is warming up here in Taranaki, and as I write this update the Taranaki Garden Spectacular was in full swing. This wonderful event brings many people from out of town, and many people from in town – out and about viewing gardens and Art Trails, and of course eating out. Whilst we do a lot better when it’s raining, we still get a few groups coming in during sunny afternoons to have a wine-y break from admiring all things floral. It’s a lovely time.

I haven’t been out and about much myself lately, so I phoned up a few hospo friends to see how the year has been for them so far. Answers varied – from “it’s been the toughest winter ever – came out of nowhere, but it’s starting to pick up” to “still got people coming through the doors – if you keep reinventing the menu and keeping things interesting, the people will come", to "I’ve got Christmas functions booked and starting now so it’s pretty good for me”. With a few comments on the scale in between. Mostly it’s been pretty difficult, but we’re all hoping for better come summer.

A new café, Locals, has opened in the last few weeks on the site where the Woolworths Supermarket previously sat. The café, along with an upmarket food store and a lovely hair salon, have a really good location as far as I can see. It’s in the middle of a residential area with no other shops anywhere near and they have a huge accessible carpark. I envy them that carpark.

A new café is planned to open in Oakura soon, with the business owners previously running a coffee caravan down at the beach over summer. It will be welcomed by the locals I’m sure.

I attended the Hospitality Summit and Feast by Famous Chefs in Auckland recently and found it very enjoyable and informative.

The Feast dinner has not always been a highlight for me as I enjoy a vegan diet, however this year I think my table were all suffering from food envy when my meals appeared. They were amazing! My first starter was an exquisite work of LOCALS art – and delicious! My second starter and main were equally delicious and I understand all three courses were prepared by the Collective Catering Company who worked the event. My dessert was made especially for me by Josh Barlow from The Grove and he delivered it to our table personally. It was also an absolute picture of deliciousness and I loved it – as did my friends whom I shared it with.

I was impressed and delighted – (I had been considering taking some sandwiches in my bag for just in case but I couldn’t fit them in my purse).

That meal made me feel very, very happy and made me so aware of the role we play in people’s lives when they’re celebrating a special occasion and we exceed their expectations. A wonderful meal – wine, service, as well as the food – just makes you feel good!

We rock!!

As you read this I'll be heading to Christchurch to catch up with a couple of restaurateur friends to see how their POS systems work for them and their staff, and to have my first coaching session with James O’Connell of The Hospitality Company.

regional update

James was the last speaker of the Summit and the one I gained the most from and I’m looking forward to seeing how we can move my business on from the doldrums we’ve been sailing in since the car park at the Port has been effectively taken from us. He has several clients who have had to rebuild their businesses after the earthquakes, so I think he’ll have a lot to teach me.

I’m looking forward to it.

There were other speakers over the 2 days of the Summit that I also gained good ideas from, and I’m just fully glad I went. Initially I wasn’t planning to as I didn’t think I could get away from work, but I made it happen, and I’m now feeling motivated to get back up and show the b*****ds just what we can do at the Bach!!

And on that note I will finish off and wish everyone a busy and profitable summer!

BARBARA OLSEN-HENDERSON

{ Taranaki Branch President Bach on Breakwater } barbara_olsen@xtra.co.nz

THE THYMES NOVEMBER 2016

39

NEWS

BOP Kia Ora from

rotorua

K

ia ora everyone.

I cannot believe that Christmas is around the corner!

It has been a busy few weeks as my daughter Vanessa gave birth to a beautiful baby girl, Sahara Kelly - 91b 1 oz. I missed the birth by 30 seconds looking for a car park. Both are doing very well.

I have also started my new venture which offer training for hospitality and retail industry's which gives me such respect for all of our business owners.

Scary but awesome as well. Sharon Wallace & Associates Hospitality and Retail Training.

Recently I caught up with Fiona Kerr Withers, owner / operator of Third Place Café, a (about time) new member. I have known Fiona for 30 years as we worked together at the THC Hotel. Fiona also worked at the Sheraton Hotel back in the day.

Fiona has always been a hard worker and is married to Richard Kerr, who has his own print and design business, with three children, Phillipa (10), Thomas and Harrison, (twins, 7). Fiona also teaches hospitality at some of the Bay of Plenty High schools.

Third Place overlooks the famous Ohinemutu Village which includes the picturesque St Faiths Church and Lake Rotorua.

Third Place is open from 7.30 in the morning, boasting an extensive breakfast and lunch menu including cabinet food. Famous items on the menu is the Mumble Kumara (recipe classified), and the made from scratch “Custard slice”. They also do out catering, and dinners occasionally.

W

e are all looking forward to a big summer this year and the word on the street is that the winter has been kind.

Third Place Cafe

You will find Third Place on 35 Lake Road, which includes free parking.

Phone number is 073494852. Thank you for the lovely coffee.

I also caught up with Tony Moore who has recently returned to the Millennium Hotel (new member), as Sales manager, having previously worked in the industry for Hyatt Hotels, Kingsgate, Accor Hotels and Trans Metro Melbourne.

In recent years Tony has been involved in the food service and liquor industry real estate and tourism.

Tony has extensive knowledge in the “people business”. One of his catch phrases is “under promise and over deliver”. I for one am taking that on board. More on that next time around.

His key focus will be on Business Events and to build on the success of the region in this market.

Had a farewell lunch with the students at Skyline Rotorua and the students loved it.

I hope everyone has a safe, happy and prosperous Christmas.

SHARON WALLACE

It's still very hard to find chefs and baristas and this seems to be one of the key challenges for business owners at the moment.

There have been a few changes around town: •

A new cafe on 3rd Ave has just opened

• • • • • • • •

Quantum Vis eatery (above) has just sold.

•

Pap Tavern will be getting a make over.

The Restaurant Association Bay of Plenty Branch have launched the inaugural Bay Hospitality Awards to celebrate our amazing local hospitality industry. Finalist voting just closed, so the winners in each category are now being determined and will be celebrated at the Awards event at Mills Reef Winery on 27th November.

If you haven't got your tickets yet go to www.bayhospitalityawards.co.nz there are just a few left!

Good luck have a great summer.

ANDREW TARGETT

{ Bay of Plenty Branch President Elizabeth Cafe } chef.targett@me.com

{ Rotorua Branch President } sharonwallace@hotmail.com

regional update

THE THYMES AUGUST 2016

34

BAY HOSPITALITY AWARDSFINALISTS PERNOD RICARD Outstanding Bar

2016

27th November, Mills Reef Winery ONEMUSIC Outstanding Design/Ambiance

Brooklyn Patio & Eatery Vaudeville Mount Brewing Bar Co.

Nomad Food & Wine Macau Bar & Kitchen Lounge Flat White Cafe

MEADOW FRESH Outstanding Barista

MENUMATE POINT OF SALE Outstanding Front of House

Hans – Folk Café Kim Shine – The Dry Dock Cafe Dan – Luca Café

Flying Burrito Brothers Neighbourhood Beer Kitchen Brooklyn Patio & Eatery

LION CO Outstanding Bartender

INDEPENDENT NZ Outstanding New Venue

Romain Saenger – Vaudeville Hamish Doyle – Astrolabe Brew Bar Katie Short – The Barrio Brothers

The Rising Tide Nomad Food & Wine Fish Face Seafood & Wine Bar

CALNAR BUSINESS SYSTEMS Outstanding Café

GILMOURS TAURANGA Outstanding Restaurant

Columbus Café (Gate Pa) Flat White Cafe Love Rosies

Harbourside Restaurant Macau Bar & Kitchen Lounge Post Bank Restaurant

BIDVEST TAURANGA Outstanding Chef

SPARK BUSINESS Outstanding Sales Representative

Martin Allan – Mount Brewing Co. Mark (Zef) Peterson – Macau Bar & Kitchen Lounge Ian Harrison – Rye American Kitchen & Spirits

Dan Shea – Mills Reef Winery Clint Lowrie – Gilmours Tauranga Joel Bartosh – Birds Wine

MENUMATE POINT OF SALE Outstanding Caterer

BIDVEST NZ Outstanding Street Food

Good Things Kitchen Devour Catering Handcrafted Food

Johney’s Dumpling House Tia’s Tacos Elizabeth Café and Larder

MOANA NEW ZEALAND Emerging Talent Madison Boyd – Fish Face Seafood & Wine Bar Yasmin Wilton – The Long Table Café Jessica Payne – The Pizza Library Co.

www.bayhospitalityawards.co.nz

bayhospitalityawards

FROM THE CAPITAL

hot plate coming through CHANGES

Dillinger’s is a new concept from the team that owns The Green Man. Situated on Midland Park next to Astoria it is open from 7am to 11pm 7 days. They have also taken over Hideaway Bar on Plimmer’s Step and plan to turn it into a dive bar and function space.

Scopa on Cuba Street closed for a week or so and now has a fresh new look.

e& Machete Coffe

Guatemalan

Machete Coffee and Guatemalan Tacos is a new casual café that has opened on Boulcott Street.

Bach Café on Wellington’s south coast has closed and the crew from the successful Elements Café in Lyall Bay are reopening it with a new concept.

THE WINNERS IN 2016 WERE...

SOUTHERN HOSPITALITY Outstanding Cafe Nikau Cafe Outstanding Barista Duncan Reid - Customs Brew Bar RED+WHITE CELLAR Outstanding Bar Experience Hawthorn Lounge PERNOD RICARD Outstanding Bartender Peter Lowry - Hawthorn Lounge Outstanding Waitperson Josh Pointon - Noble Rot Wine Bar COLLECTIVE Outstanding Maitre D'/FOH Manager Davey McDonald - Slim Davey's GILMOURS Outstanding Chef Amy Gillies - Salty Pidgin L'AFFARE Emerging Talent - Front of House Brooklyn Dineen - Scopa Caffe Cucina LE CORDON BLEU Up & Coming Talent - Kitchen Dessie Murphy - Ortega Fish Shack Outstanding Sales Representative Casey Belsham - Red+White Cellar

The Bach

EVENTS Danger Danger

Electric Avenue has rebranded as Danger Danger and has a menu focused on pizzas and BBQ ribs.

Giddy Up is a new Kiwiana themed eatery that features mussels as a mainstay of their menu. regional update

The Felix Awards came back to Wellington in October. These awards first started in 1996 and set the template for a number of regional awards that are now held annually all over the country. After an absence for a number of years they were back with a fantastic event held at the beautiful St James Theatre.

Outstanding SupplIer Nomination Cuba St Fruit Mart Outstanding 'Cheap Eats' K C Cafe & Takeaway ONEMUSIC Outstanding Suburban / Regional Experience Salty Pidgin RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION OF NZ Outstanding Restaurant Ortega Fish Shack NEGOCIANTS Outstanding Hospitality Professional Justin Mckenzie - C.G.R Merchant & Co. MIKE EGAN

{ Restaurant Association National President }

mike@monsoonpoon.co.nz

THE THYMES NOVEMBER 2016

42

TALES FROM the

south

ROLICKIN GELATO

H

ere's a brief update from some of our South Island regions...

MARLBOROUGH Foodies were spoiled for choice at the region's biggest garden fete held recently with the introduction of "eat street". The street, located on Seymour Street in front of the Seymour Square clock tower in Blenheim, was a new feature of the Stihl Shop Garden Fete and hosted some 16 food stalls. The ever increasing number of food stalls at the fete prompted the creation of the street.

NELSON A dish inspired by traditional chinese tea has landed Nelson chef Lianna Connor with a bronze medal in a national competition. Connor works at The Cellar Door Cafe at Waimea Estates and was one of only two chef's in the South Island to compete in this year's ServiceIQ Apprentice Chef Award.

The Tahuna Resort Canteen opened last year before Christmas and was taken over by manager and chef Robyn Peters this year. Since then Peters has rebranded, the menu has changed, the name has changed to The Deck and soon the outside area will change too. The Deck is at Tahunanui Beach Kiwi Holiday Park and Motel, next door to the reception office, the playground and mini golf course.

Congratulations to the following businesses for being finalists in the 2016 local Business Awards: Capstone Hotel & Resorts, Cod & Lobster Brasserie, Jester House, Precinct Dining Co. CHRISTCHURCH There are so many new sites going up in Christchurch! regional update

Cup and Show week are on this month, from the 5th -12th November.

Popular restaurant group Madam Woo is coming to Christchurch. Work is about to start at the McKenzie and Willis building on High Street to build the fifth restaurant in the national chain founded by Michelin-star chef Josh Emett​and restaurateur Fleur Caulton. The 80-seat venue will open in February.

Sarah Harrow is has just opened a new frozen yoghurt food truck, Berry Culture, at Re:Start Mall.

Centrally located in the heart of Riccarton, opposite Westfield Riccarton mall, but hidden away from the noise and crowds, is Rogues of Rotherham.

The opening date has been delayed by council consent issues, but it's hoped the speakeasy bar will open in time for the festive season. Operations manager Phil Leabourn said the bar and restaurant would offer highend Mediterranean-style food from small bites to mains, plus pizzas.

Rogues of Rotherham is owned by the same directors who delivered No4 and Fiddlesticks to the City.

Rollickin' Gelato is mere weeks away from opening its new gelato cafe on New Regent St, just in time for summer. The local business began scooping handcrafted batches of gelato and sorbet from its mobile trailer in the inner city three years ago.

Demand for a stone and mortar home became evident last summer when it couldn't keep up with demand.

QUEENSTOWN A Restaurant Association branch meeting, which addressed the immigration issue went down well with members recently. They were able to clarify important questions and gain further insights from Immigration New

Zealand since the closure of the local office in September. Great tools were discovered by many, like Visa View, a tool that helps employers see what type of visa an employee has and whether that visa is current at the time of employment, avoiding any costly mistakes by either party.

DUNEDIN Dunedin hotels last year recorded their best results in five years. The figures released recently followed news that the tourism spend for the Otago region was estimated at $3.2 billion for the year to April 2016, up 10% on the year before. More than 3.1 million visitors entered New Zealand in 2015, 9.6% more than in 2014.

Dunedin has had a strong events calendar, including the Cricket World Cup, an All Blacks test, the Fifa Under-20 tournament, a successful Highlanders franchise and concerts at the Forsyth Barr Stadium. As well, University of Otago graduations and Black Caps matches at the beginning and end of the year helped provide the increase.

The 2016/2017 cruise ship season is expected to bring 87 ships with a total capacity of 250,000 people to Dunedin - an almost 40% increase on last season's passenger numbers.

The biggest challenge this year was the size of the ships coming and the number of days when two ships were in port.

If any South Island members would like a visit, I am on the road, so please do make contact.

SABRA MOORE

{ National Membership Manager } sabra@restaurantnz.co.nz

THE THYMES NOVEMBER 2016

44

EL SIZZLING LOMITO

mainly of interest to

AUCKLAND

There have been a number of new openings to herald in the finer weather. Here are a selection of the latest happenings…

First up, there are a few new “destinations” set to open, or just opened…

Snickel Lane is a new laneway development connecting Fort Lane and Commerce Street. Snickel Lane is named after the Snickelways of York, a collection of small streets and walkways in the city of York, England. The first of the new establishments are set to open in the coming weeks, including a coffee bar by Altezano Brothers, as well as a specialist Spanish tapas eatery.

Meanwhile, the K’Rd Food Workshop is now open. The current tenants include Moustache Milk & Cookie Bar and Popped (a popcorn food bar).

Also on site is El Sizzling Lomito, which is a chance for the team behind Ponsonby Central’s El Sizzling Chorizo to expand their operation. They have a purpose-built butchery for curing and air drying meats and making sausages.

Meanwhile Love Bucket has been opened by Hallertau owners, Hayley and Stephen Plowman, with bar manager Brandon Walker in charge.

AMANO

Queen's Rise, containing nine eateries, is set to open as part of a new development early next year. It is on the first level of the old Bank of New Zealand building at 125 Queen St. The ground floor of the building will be retail, the first floor is the Queen's Rise dining precinct, the second floor is health and fitness, the third floor is childcare and then levels four to 28 will be office space. It is expected the building will house up to 1500 occupants.

Elsewhere in the CBD, The Hip Group (Ortolana, Milse, The Store, St Heliers Bay Bistro and more) have unveiled the full Amano experience now, with the Tyler Street space now incorporating the bakery, which has been open for a few months, as well as a restaurant and bar. The restaurant offers all-day dining with Italian-inspired menus celebrating local and seasonal ingredients.

CULPRIT

Ex-Depot head chef, Kyle Street, and fellow chef, Jordan Macdonald, have opened Culprit on Wyndham Street above Misters, in the space that was previously occupied by The Black Hoof. Culprit is a “European style yum cha restaurant”. With two sittings per night, offerings are trolleyed out to customers to select and gets marked up on your ticket just as it would at a traditional yum cha restaurant. Larger dishes can also be ordered and delivered to your table.

Brian Campbell and partner Roselle have opened a second Miann operation, in Britomart around the corner from their Fort Street store. Desserts, with a chocolate theme prevailing are made fresh each day at the Fort Street premise and transported to Britomart late at night. Already on the menu are nine different hot chocolates and 20 types of Valrhona chocolate and come January, they’ll have their own Valrhona cocoa blend.

MIANN

The Wiley family (Belinda and Dennis and sons Tom and Jeff), who own Miss Clawdy and Sausalito, have opened Kindred. Located a few doors down from Miss Clawdy, Kindred is on the corner site next to the entranceway of the ASB headquarters. The menu is bistro style and will be available from early in the morning till late. auckland members KINDRED

CONVERSATIONZ SYMPOSIUM

mainly of interest to

AUCKLAND

ConversatioNZ is a collective of New Zealand's chefs, producers, media, tourism and event operators, who have all been inspired and interested to create a national platform to promote and champion our best food, drink, and culinary tourism opportunities.

A little bit further out…

Woodworks Cafe, has reopened, 18 months after the fire a year which resulted in the (original) doors closing. Owners Jess Brewer and Matthieu Gosset are ex-Petit Bocal, with head chef Julien Albe previously of Meadow and The Tasting Shed. Woodworks Cafe is serving Supreme Coffee and for the time being, just open for daytime meals.

In Kingsland a new eatery, Saigon, has opened serving authentic Vietnamese fare.

WOODWOR K

S CAFE

Meanwhile, Lord Kitchener has opened in Sandringham (on Kitchener Street). Named after British Army officer, Lord Kitchener, the new operation is a British gastropub with Executive Chef, Ross Birch in charge in the kitchen.

The day has been formatted to give sharp pertinent and valuable insights into the New Zealand food scene and will be a chance for all interested to join a discussion about the next steps to take. The theme for the day is 'Why Kai: What's Unique about NZ Food and What is our Place in the World?'

It will be a significant gathering of chefs, food writers, restaurateurs, and producers from artisan to some of our larger companies.

On Dominion Road, on the site what was formerly a Columbus Coffee store, Wilfred Laysico and Leah Escondo have opened A’meza, a South Easten Asian nighttime eatery. The beverage list has been curated

by Cameron Douglas.

After 18 years of running Mt Eden institution, Frasers, Sandra and Paul Fraser decided it was time for an upgrade, closing the cafe for several months while they renovated and re-jigged the space. The cafe is now re-opened and looking great, while all the old favourites on the menu remain.

Waiheke Island also has a new brewery, winery, restaurant and venue. Tantalus Estate, has opened recently by Carrie Mendell and Campbell Aitken, with chef Joe Vasiloff heading the kitchen.

The 8.4ha Onetangi estate, which produces small batch Bordeaux and Rhone style blends. Also on site is the Alibi Brewing Co.

New Zealand food comes under the spotlight on Sunday 20 November at Taste of Auckland.

The fast growing New Zealand food movement ConversatioNZ, with the support of Lincoln University, will present a day of talks from leading lights and heroes in our food and beverage industry.

A'MEZA

TANTALU

S ESTATE

Café Melba, one of Auckland’s oldest cafes and the first to be granted a permit allowing customers to sit outside, has turned 21. The Vulcan Lane icon opened its doors in 1995 and since then it has served millions of cups of coffee to a regular slew of locals, tourists and celebrities.

Speakers will be coming from throughout the country and include producers and purveyors such as Kay Baxter from Koanga Gardens, Calum Hodgson (The Curd Nerd from Sabato), Jeremy Gardiner (Manaki Whitebait).

Judy Finn from Neudorf Vineyards and Lincoln University’s Glen Creasy will bring the wine industry’s perspective.

Chefs Giulio Sturla (Roots), Tom Hishon (Orphans Kitchen), Jonny Schwass (Harlequin Public House), Jade Temperara (Kakano), Monique Fiso (Hiakai) and restaurateur Tony Stewart will speak about their craft and its direction.

Great New Zealand food thinkers such as Rewi Spraggon (Kai Time), Elle Armon-Jones (The Big Foody), Sarah Meikle (Wellington Culinary Events Trust) and Cuisine Magazine editor Kelli Brett will also contribute to the discussion. The day will be hosted

by Listener Magazine’s food editor Lauraine Jacobs.

Tickets, $95, include entry into Taste of Auckland on Sunday 20 November, lunch and beverages, and are available from www.iticket.co.nz.

CALL US ON 0800 737 827

NOW IN

WHAT DO THEY GET?

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

AUCKLAND, BAY OF PLENTY & WAIKATO REGIONS!

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

The Restaurant Association was formed in 1975 with the aim of serving and representing owners and managers 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 almost $9 billion, that employs over 113,000 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 PRESIDENT: 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: Liz Buttimore (Arbour, Blenheim) Nelson: Howard Morris (Harry’s Bar, Nelson) Rotorua: Sharon Wallace (Sharon Wallace & Associates Hospitality Training, Rotorua) Southern Lakes: Grant Hattaway (Pier 19, Blue Kanu, Queenstown) Taranaki: Barbara Olsen-Henderson (Bach on Breakwater, New Plymouth) Waikato: Watch this space!

Wellington: Mike Egan (Monsoon Poon, Auckland and Wellington; Boulcott St Bistro, Osteria Del Toro, Burger Liquor, Wellington) RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION OF NEW ZEALAND KEY OBJECTIVES

1 2 3 4

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